If you haven't seen Avatar yet...

[tigisfat]

The trailers don't even tell you half of what an incredible experience it truly is. I thought, just from seeing commercials, that it would be kinda lame and run of the mill. If you don't catch it in the theatres in digital 3D, you'll really miss out on something special. I watched it tonight and I couldn't believe what I saw.

[luckydog]

Check out page 5....towards the bottom.
Lots of folks agree.

[Snuffy]

I'll wait for it. It'll make HBO before too long I'm sure.

Other than that, I really don't seem to interested in it. Sorry.

[crashaz]

Sounds like Pearl Harbor... the special effects wow me but the storyline really tees me off.

[b52bob]

Saw on the news today that Avatar broke the $1 billion mark world wide.
IMHO it's a success and a lot of people do like it. I'm one of them.

make sure you see it in 3D, worth the extra $$$

[tigisfat]

Sounds like Pearl Harbor... the special effects wow me but the storyline really tees me off.


I've heard a lot of people say that. It's not preachy and doesn't do the whole 'evil Americans' thing. It's a completely fictional story and they don't draw parallels. Nothing about it has anything to do with any American conflicts, past or present. You'd have to see it to believe me.

[Marlin]

I was listening to an interview with Cameron on XM radio and he was saying that that movie takes up almost a petibyte worth of space! Wow, that is a lot of information. Did I spell that right, a 'Petibyte'?

The computer that ran it was comprised of something like 40,000 processors and takes up about half of a schools gym and has water cooling towers outside. I think he said it is the worlds 5th largest computer.:applause:

[aeronca1]

Just to show you how popular it is up here in Snow Country, I saw it on Dec 22 in "regular 3D", and went back last Tuesday to see it in IMAX 3D, but never got in. It was sold out for the entire day as it has been every day since. Will try again tomorrow. Hopefully not too many kids skip class to see it, lol.

[Bjoern]

Just seen the trailer and...no...maybe on TV, but even then...no.

Sorry, I'm looking for a bit more in a movie than clichés and CGI. And those Na'vis give me the "uncanny valley" creeps.

[tigisfat]

Just seen the trailer and...no...maybe on TV, but even then...no.

Sorry, I'm looking for a bit more in a movie than clichés and CGI. And those Na'vis give me the "uncanny valley" creeps.

It's nothing like that. Believe me, that's what I thought. The CGI is artfully done and compliments it's incredible creation of a beautiful world and deep story.

[stiz]

deep story.

just the whole, americans wants land, one american agrees then changes their mind, falls in love with girl of said wanted land whilst finding out their not really that bad a person, big fight, happey ending, same old same old and highly predicatable :kilroy:

[tigisfat]

just the whole, americans wants land, one american agrees then changes their mind, falls in love with girl of said wanted land whilst finding out their not really that bad a person, big fight, happey ending, same old same old and highly predicatable :kilroy:


So negative;

There are only so many story plots out there. Any study of literature will tell you there are only four categories that every story can be defined by. It was a good movie. I was simply trying to relate that I thought the same things as you until I saw it.

[FlyTexas]

just the whole, americans wants land, one american agrees then changes their mind, falls in love with girl of said wanted land whilst finding out their not really that bad a person, big fight, happey ending, same old same old and highly predicatable :kilroy:

Thanks Stiz...you just saved me the price of admission. :icon_lol: But seriously, I've spoken with several folks (young, and people my age) who really liked the movie. Maybe I'll see it...maybe I won't. :kilroy:

Brian

[stiz]

There are only so many story plots out there..

and yet hollywood keeps useing the sames ones over and over again .... lets face it, the only movies with decent plots that make you think are done by the indepents who are mostly just starting out.

example, Damed united, cracking film http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226271/

frost/nixon, nuther good film
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0870111/

Ink
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1071804/

district9
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1136608/

The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0914798/

Theres many more great movies which dont follow the same old hollywood plot, they just dont have a massive bank account to pay for the PR. :kilroy:

[MCDesigns]

I'm with tigisfat, but if you have even a remote interest in it, SEE IT ON THE BIG SCREEN IN 3D! It's more than just seeing avatar, it's an experience. I have seen it four times so far. The last time was with my buddy Dave, he is a negative personality like the others here, going on about the story, about being unoriginal, blah, blah. He came out really liking it.

Sad thing is, once I get it on DVD and watch it, it will be lackluster for me after experiencing it in all it's glory.


Sounds like Pearl Harbor... the special effects wow me but the storyline really tees me off.

Why? I loved Pearl harbor, but then I enjoyed it for the love story as much as the historical part.

[Piglet]

I just saw it. Wasn't as bad as I thought. Technology wise, billiant!
Storywise, yeah some cliche's and prdictability. "I didn't sign up for this s@#t!" Why a whole forest planet, and no furry animals. If they were Dogonians, I would root for them, instead I rooted for the military!
Also, don't mind the gas giant planet in low orbit above Pandora, and the gravity effect it would have.
Best part? Removing the FOD covers when the hereos were stealing one of the"choppers"!
Didn't see it in 3d, but there were only about ten people in the whole theatre. Love empty theatres!

[arrowmaker]

I look forward to seeing it, even though I actually saw it years ago. Only then it was called Dances With Wolves. :bump:

[Quixoticish]

I've heard a lot of people say that. It's not preachy and doesn't do the whole 'evil Americans' thing. It's a completely fictional story and they don't draw parallels. Nothing about it has anything to do with any American conflicts, past or present. You'd have to see it to believe me.

That's part of the problem, it's such a ridiculously simplistic and underdeveloped plot in Avatar that it draws a tremendous number of obvious inane but somewhat vague parallels.

Rather than having the testicular fortitude to inform directly about something as all true science fiction should the plot is basically a rather twee metaphor that can stand for anything from US foreign policy to the current situation in Palestine to anything else you can shoe-horn in there. And the worst thing is I think Cameron was trying to have a dig at the former, however he spectacularly fluffs this up by getting too caught up in the visuals.

It was incredibly beautiful but felt as though it had been written with a pre-teen "tweeny" audience in mind.

It was a bit of an anti-climax for me. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. In my opinion whilst it was a great "check your brain at the door" film and mildly entertaining it in no way deserves to be mentioned amongst the ranks of various sci-fi classics which I fear it will be.

And those mediocre "meh" films are always the worst to see a the cinema, I always feel I've been cheated. If something is horrendous then I'm left with plenty of things to criticise, and if something is incredible then likewise I will have plenty to consider and speculate about. But when something is decidedly average like Avatar? Blaah.

[tigisfat]

You can be negative all you want, but there isn't a single person who's sene it that disliked it. Chris H is the closest it gets, and he was simply neutral, if I understood him correctly.

Forget the story, forget the 'parallels' (that only people who are complaining about them have drawn), they've created the most magical and beautiful world I've ever seen in cinema. They don't show the HALF of it on commercials.

Here's another one: The action sequences aren't the standard "keep moving from shot to shot to distract the viewer so they won't notice flaws in the special effects" garbage. Every action sequence follows a plot and can be easily followed with good camera shots and simple logic. Transformers had so much senseless and mindless generic action crap going on that I had no idea what the hell was going on in the final battle, other than stuff was blowing up.

I was making fun of the dances with wolves thing too, arrowmaker. Just go watch it. It won't even be the same on blueray.

[Quixoticish]

I look forward to seeing it, even though I actually saw it years ago. Only then it was called Dances With Wolves. :bump:

Actually it used to be called "Call Me Joe" and it was published in 1957.

[Quixoticish]

This made me laugh:

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/641/originalag.jpg

[Snuffy]

Chris,

That could be a standard script for any number of movies. :173go1:

[Quixoticish]

Chris,

That could be a standard script for any number of movies. :173go1:

Which is exactly why it's funny. :rolleyes:

[Bjoern]

It's nothing like that. Believe me, that's what I thought. The CGI is artfully done and compliments it's incredible creation of a beautiful world and deep story.

|
v


just the whole, americans wants land, one american agrees then changes their mind, falls in love with girl of said wanted land whilst finding out their not really that bad a person, big fight, happey ending, same old same old and highly predicatable :kilroy:



Anyways, I don't care about the supposedly awesome CGI. Just anything computer generated looks good on a big screen.

[Marlin]

Geez Chris are going to go and stand in front of the theater and boycott it?

You might as well

[djscoo]

Geez Chris are going to go and stand in front of the theater and boycott it?

You might as well

I'd rather boycott it from home...

[Snuffy]

As I said, I'll wait for it on HBO.

[tigisfat]

Geez Chris are going to go and stand in front of the theater and boycott it?

You might as well

I know, right? They sound like me when Titanic came out. I never went to see it, but I made sure I was armed with anti-titanic propaganda at all times. :icon_lol:

[Piglet]

People see a lot of "Dances with Wolves" parallels in Avatar. But I see it more like Europeans in Africa, running mines, and scrapping with the Zulus, or even Mau Mau.
P.S. Dances with Wolves was the only movie I ever walked out on.

[Quixoticish]

Geez Chris are going to go and stand in front of the theater and boycott it?

You might as well

If that was aimed at me then I've actually seen it. I thought it was decidedly average.

[Blackbird686]

I had free tickets to see Avatar, so off I goes...

The special effects and animation are literally stunning. However the story line was... well, Piglet had a good pairity here... it's "Dances With Wolves" set in the future. Even the best visuals in a film can be fuzzed out by a lackluster script.

Stiz is right... District 9 is excellent and is highly recommended.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1136608/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1136608/)

BB686:USA-flag:

[exc141ac]

I saw it first in 3D IMax -- awesome.
Then saw it in 2D (the kid has vision issues so he doesn't like 3D).
Then went to see it in 3D IMax again --surprise --
I noted it was missing a lot of texture, color, and detail --
so I popped over to a 2D screening again to double check.

The 2D version has much better color, texture, and definition!

Which makes sense since the 3D versions have to carry double the info in each frame.

Choice -- gain 3D dynamics --
but get a better picture 2D.

[MyassisDragon]

Saw it in 3-D. I liked it. A classic roller-coaster movie. Great visuals and action - a fun ride. If you go looking for anything deeper than that, you will be disappointed.

[Snuffy]

I guess I must really be an oddball ... I really have no desire to see this fill. Even on HBO ... but as long as I got HBO and its free, (sorta,) I'll watch it if I can catch it, but I'm not going looking for it.

:kilroy:

[Wing_Z]

...if you have even a remote interest in it, SEE IT ON THE BIG SCREEN IN 3D! It's more than just seeing avatar, it's an experience. ...

Absolutely!
Leave your brain at the door, and look at the pictures!
Those floaty things in the most beautiful forest imaginable...I would've paid Rupert Murdoch's Fox conglomerate just for that pleasure alone.

The only criticism to be leveled, according to my youngest, is that if you were equipped with a very mobile tail and a plait that works like USB 99.0, then kissing would not even begin to feature - eeuch!

Mr Murdoch and friends are also delighted that we are so starved for decent entertainment that collectively the world has forked out something over a billion US$ for the privilege.
Actually, $98 million more as of today, but that's small change in these circles.

[Piglet]

and a plait that works like USB 99.0,
It surrounds us, flows thru us, it keeps the universe tog- wait a minute, I saw that movie in 1977, with some Jedi or somethin'!
So is it 110V? 220? AC? DC? 3 Phase? USB?
Earth---2012
Pandora----BSOD
Of course RDA can simply EMP the place.
OK I'm done now.:running:
PS McDesigns,
Please stop "yelling" so loud in yer posts!:applause:

[aeronca1]

WOW! Finally got to see it on the IMAX screen and all I can say is SPECTACULAR!!!!

[MCDesigns]

I found this pretty interesting, at this moment it is the second highest grossing movie worldwide according to the numbers http://www.the-numbers.com/


And to think that Titanic is Cameron's also, the studios must be kissing his butt at the moment, LOL

<table cellspacing="0"><thead><tr><th> </th> <th>Released</th> <th>Film Name</th> <th>Total Box Office</th> </tr></thead><tbody> <tr> <td align="RIGHT">1</td> <td align="CENTER">1997</td> <td align="LEFT"> Titanic (http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1997/TITAN.php)</td> <td align="RIGHT">$1,848,813,795</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="RIGHT">2</td> <td align="CENTER">2009</td> <td align="LEFT"> Avatar (http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2009/AVATR.php)</td> <td align="RIGHT">$1,135,245,852</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="RIGHT">3</td> <td align="CENTER">2003</td> <td align="LEFT"> The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2003/LRDR3.php)</td> <td align="RIGHT">$1,133,027,325</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="RIGHT">4</td> <td align="CENTER">2006</td> <td align="LEFT"> Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2006/PIRT2.php)</td> <td align="RIGHT">$1,065,659,812</td></tr></tbody></table>

[djscoo]

I found this pretty interesting, at this moment it is the second highest grossing movie worldwide according to the numbers http://www.the-numbers.com/


And to think that Titanic is Cameron's also, the studios must be kissing his butt at the moment, LOL

<table cellspacing="0"><thead><tr><th>
</th> <th>Released</th> <th>Film Name</th> <th>Total Box Office</th> </tr></thead><tbody> <tr> <td align="RIGHT">1</td> <td align="CENTER">1997</td> <td align="LEFT"> Titanic (http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1997/TITAN.php)</td> <td align="RIGHT">$1,848,813,795</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="RIGHT">2</td> <td align="CENTER">2009</td> <td align="LEFT"> Avatar (http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2009/AVATR.php)</td> <td align="RIGHT">$1,135,245,852</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="RIGHT">3</td> <td align="CENTER">2003</td> <td align="LEFT"> The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2003/LRDR3.php)</td> <td align="RIGHT">$1,133,027,325</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="RIGHT">4</td> <td align="CENTER">2006</td> <td align="LEFT"> Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2006/PIRT2.php)</td> <td align="RIGHT">$1,065,659,812</td></tr></tbody></table>

In order of how good the movie was:

1) Lord of the Rings: The Return of The King
2) Titanic
3) Avatar

Not featured on my good movies list:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.

[N2056]

"Dances with Blue Folk" :d

I liked it. It's amazing what can be done these days with CGI. :applause:

[Piglet]

I'm hoping against hope that Fine Molds get the contract to do the model kits from Avatar, if any models (not toys) are coming out. If you have ever seen Fine Molds's Star Wars kits, you know why I want this.

[exc141ac]

Anyone else think the makeup person came from "Cats" --?

[Captain Tenneal]

Nuke em from Orbit it's the only way to be sure!! :salute::icon_lol:

[hubbabubba]

Finally went to see it in 3D with my wife and daughter. My wife wanted to go to a non-3D representation but, after reading your posts, I insisted for the 3D viewing and, lucky me, won this argument.:kilroy:

General impression; WOW!

About 3D; Adds to the «immersive process», according to my daughter who had seen it in its non-3D version before. But, like previous comments on this thread, was not an occasion to throw everything at our faces, like Voyage to the center of the Earth, for example.

About scenario; Not very inventive, but not the kind of movie to start soul-searching-brain stems-pinching interior voyage. Go see Ingmar Bergman if you want introspection. The voyage here is done by the image itself.

About CGI; The best ever done, period. When I saw 2001; A Space Odyssey, I said to myself; «Now they can do pretty much what they want.» Then came Star Wars, which used Kubrick's tricks minus scientific rigors. Then came Lords of the Rings, who offered us a very believable Middle Earth and a very believable Gollum, and now this...:isadizzy:

About the Na'vi people; I must admit that it was my biggest concern... before seeing the movie. Even though Peter Jackson had succeeded in creating a plausible Gollum, «human-like» CGI creatures are usually what kills the wonder for me. Still pictures in previews did nothing to help; they made the Na'vis look like cartoons. What made me «make the jump» was, in retrospect, the avatars; Sigourney Weaver, as an avatar, was ... how to describe that... «herself». Not only looking like her, but walking, moving, making facial expressions like her. It was, I suppose, what made me believe in the «real» Na'vi.

About Pandora’s flora and fauna; Animals are very inventive. They look like something familiar, then you start noticing that they have six legs, four eyes and nostrils where our animals have leg pits! An exobiologist’s dreams-come-trough. Actually, the Na’vis looked pretty average after seeing those beasts. Likewise for the plants; pretty average, apart from their sizes. Ferns and trees could have been imported from a prehistoric Earth, with a few «curves» to keep us wondering. A word about the filaments that lets everything communicates on Pandora. Botanists will tell you that it is not so uncommon as you may think. Shrubs and trees have been observed to communicate over long distance by filament-like links underneath. Mushrooms do form intricate networks that covers state-size regions. Making it go a step further is not so far fetched.

Is it Science-Fiction?; On the human side, yes. The technology is plausible and some of their flying machines are not very far from project-x of today. On the Pandora side, I’m not so sure. Flying islands, explained by not being explained, are more in line with the definition of the Fantastic genre. But who really cares?:icon_lol:

Political overtones?; If you have a guilty conscience, it’s your problem.:monkies:

The movie was released a month ago and movie theaters are still jam-packed for matinees shows! It must tell something.

[Piglet]

Unobtainium has unusual magnetic properties. That's why chunks of it break off, and float. (Info from "official?" Avatar website) Now a whole planet full of this stuff, and wildlife that communicates via "electrical grid" is gonna cause some BSOD's! As I said before, no furry animals? Supposed to be dinasour-like era? Fur too hard to do CGI? Not if you have seen G-Force...
As far as political overtones? I kept rooting for the RDA!

[jmig]

Finally went to see it in 3D with my wife and daughter. My wife wanted to go to a non-3D representation but, after reading your posts, I insisted for the 3D viewing and, lucky me, won this argument.:kilroy:

General impression; WOW!

About 3D; Adds to the «immersive process», according to my daughter who had seen it in its non-3D version before. But, like previous comments on this thread, was not an occasion to throw everything at our faces, like Voyage to the center of the Earth, for example.

About scenario; Not very inventive, but not the kind of movie to start soul-searching-brain stems-pinching interior voyage. Go see Ingmar Bergman if you want introspection. The voyage here is done by the image itself.

About CGI; The best ever done, period. When I saw 2001; A Space Odyssey, I said to myself; «Now they can do pretty much what they want.» Then came Star Wars, which used Kubrick's tricks minus scientific rigors. Then came Lords of the Rings, who offered us a very believable Middle Earth and a very believable Gollum, and now this...:isadizzy:

About the Na'vi people; I must admit that it was my biggest concern... before seeing the movie. Even though Peter Jackson had succeeded in creating a plausible Gollum, «human-like» CGI creatures are usually what kills the wonder for me. Still pictures in previews did nothing to help; they made the Na'vis look like cartoons. What made me «make the jump» was, in retrospect, the avatars; Sigourney Weaver, as an avatar, was ... how to describe that... «herself». Not only looking like her, but walking, moving, making facial expressions like her. It was, I suppose, what made me believe in the «real» Na'vi.

About Pandora’s flora and fauna; Animals are very inventive. They look like something familiar, then you start noticing that they have six legs, four eyes and nostrils where our animals have leg pits! An exobiologist’s dreams-come-trough. Actually, the Na’vis looked pretty average after seeing those beasts. Likewise for the plants; pretty average, apart from their sizes. Ferns and trees could have been imported from a prehistoric Earth, with a few «curves» to keep us wondering. A word about the filaments that lets everything communicates on Pandora. Botanists will tell you that it is not so uncommon as you may think. Shrubs and trees have been observed to communicate over long distance by filament-like links underneath. Mushrooms do form intricate networks that covers state-size regions. Making it go a step further is not so far fetched.

Is it Science-Fiction?; On the human side, yes. The technology is plausible and some of their flying machines are not very far from project-x of today. On the Pandora side, I’m not so sure. Flying islands, explained by not being explained, are more in line with the definition of the Fantastic genre. But who really cares?:icon_lol:

Political overtones?; If you have a guilty conscience, it’s your problem.:monkies:

The movie was released a month ago and movie theaters are still jam-packed for matinees shows! It must tell something.


This is one of the most well thought out and written posts I have ever read, here at SOH. Thank you for such a lucid and concise review of the movie. I hope you start posting more often.

[hubbabubba]

This is one of the most well thought out and written posts I have ever read, here at SOH. Thank you for such a lucid and concise review of the movie. I hope you start posting more often.

Well... thanks... I'm blushing...:redf:

I do post mostly in CFS1 section, see you there...:wavey:

[harleyman]

Saw the 3D movie last Wednesday..

Loved it..I place no political implications on movies...just mindless enterainment for me...But I thought it was fantastic...

[stiz]

well i got to see it today in 3D, free ticket with 2 meals included so i thought what the heck ... and i have to say .... sorry tigisfat :monkies:

Sure the story wasnt the best, but it wasnt anywhere near as bad i thought it was gonna be, and the visuals, well they where simply stunning. First time i've ever seen a movie in 3d (nearest cinima which does it is 40ish miles away!) and i loved it. The bit when he woke up and the ash was falling around him was brilliant, it was like it was floating down right in front of you. Dont think it would have had the same impact in 2d though ... but it looked great in 3d!

[Rezabrya]

I love the movie and I also love this picture. If you haven't seen it yet, you really should.
http://i460.photobucket.com/albums/qq322/Rezabrya/Random/pocahontas-avatar.jpg