So has anyone else seen the much hyped "Avatar?" I saw it because a girl I like wanted to see it. So for that reason it wasn't the worst $33 I've ever spent. But it wasn't really that good. I mean, it was a spectacle and pretty neat to look at, for...an hour. But after 2.5 story-less hours, not so much. Pitted against other action blockbusters like Transformers 2 and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crappy Skull, it was more entertaining. Pretty weak. Not sure why, beyond the technicals, people are going crazy about it. The images which were BIG, but not that great honestly. Those blue dudes didn't sell it at all. My favorite CG character remains Davy Jones followed by Gollum. Anyway, I present to you, my one image "Avatar" review.
I've not seen Avatar, but this is the funniest thing I've read about it, from David Schmader:
From CNN: James Cameron's completely immersive spectacle "Avatar" may have been a little too real for some fans who say they have experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after seeing the film because they long to enjoy the beauty of the alien world Pandora.
On the fan forum site "Avatar Forums," a topic thread entitled "Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible," has received more than 1,000 posts from people experiencing depression and fans trying to help them cope.
Schmader: I felt the same way when I realized I couldn't really visit Romy & Michele's boutique in LA.
Yeah, I think they figured out how to shrink 3D (and maybe IMAX) cameras to make them usable for more than special events. Also they created a motion capture camera that the actors could wear while they delivered the cardboard script.
Yeah, that's LotM, I couldn't find good shots of Dances with Wolves.
I can't convince any of my friends to see it with me. Apparently, scifi's not cool enough or something. I guess I'll just wait until it comes up in Hulu free-for-view.
This movie is awesome... period. Hasselhoff, I find it incredible that you believe this movie to be subpar.
@paradox: if I were you I'd see Avatar in just regular digital HD, skip the 3D and you'll thank me later. The 3D really does nothing to enhance the cinematic experience for this particular movie, and really just serves to sort of cloud the picture and make it hard to focus on things at times. You'll get more definition out of a regular screening, which is what's best in my opinion.
Hasselhoff - I really hope you are not an architecture or design student. Or any other student for that matter. I realize that we are in the 'twitter age' - of expediency of thought and critique - but your thoughts still need to be well reasoned. I can accept your criticism of the narrative; it didn't particularly engage me either. But the visually storytelling is incredible, and we are talking about a movie, not a book (you are participating in a largely visual profession I'm guessing since your posting here).
I really hope nobody is discouraged from seeing it by this thread. It is an incredible experience. Don't watch it on hulu!
Hehe I saw that pic somehere else too, apparently the script is nearly idententical to Pocachontas, kudos to James Cameron there, anyhow, it seems this is not my type of genre since I thought the movie was rather boring, overhyped if you ask me. But the CGI effects were excellent of course.
i went to see it today and personally i thought it was beautiful. yeah, there were some to be expected cliches in the plot, but who cares? it was certainly a memorable flick.
Those of you who love Avatar: did you also love Titanic? I kind of feel like it's going to be the same movie, and though everyone I knew completely loved Titanic, I only enjoyed it.
It was visually beautiful and they did some nice tricks with 3d perspectives in various scenes (like flying around in the air) but i wouldn't call it groundbreaking cinema. At least artistically as opposed to say from a technical/visual point of view.
roflmaco @ Unicorn
it really was a little weird, I felt awkward watching it LOL
1deviantc: you didnt think it was a little odd? I mean we dont go molesting horses here on earth to ride them except for putting the bit in their mouth
No offense taken, Aquilla. Like I said, I "enjoyed" Titanic. It didn't rock my world, as it seems to have for a lot of people.
What did rock my world? A teacher of my sister had a Titanic survivor as a patient. The survivor didn't really think it was that big a deal - hundreds of people died all the time back then from one catastrophe or another, was her attitude, and she was lucky to survive that one but had dealt with plenty of shit flung at her through the rest of her life, because that's what life is. It sucks, we all die, and hopefully can enjoy little bits of fun as we go through it.
These days anyone surviving anything feels like they're owed a book deal and a spot on a talk show.
It was worth $10 to see $100M in production. My biggest beef isn't with the story that we have already seen but unobtainium? They invented a language for this movie and that was all they could come up with?
Anyway I survived watching...didn't like the movie but I got my moneys worth. So now can I have a book deal?
I don't know about Last Samurai or Last of the Mohicans, etc... I think it actually borrows more from some of the Japanese Animations by Hideo Miyazaki: Princess Mononoke, Naussica, My Neighbor Totoro... The environmentalist, "man vs. nature", industrial society vs. wilderness / mystical themes... Watch Princess Mononoke and Naussica - the giant forest beasts, the giant tree in the forest, forest spirits, the love story between the male protagonist from human society and the female protagonist from nature, the male protagonist is struggling between the two camps... the night scenes with glowing forest creatures, etc. The climactic final confrontation between man and nature, etc... I think the Miyazaki films are much better though: the difference being that in the Miyazaki films, he sort of creates shades of grey - it's not like Man is evil or nature is good, it's more about two worlds colliding... This being an American blockbuster film, it tends to cast characters in black and white more: the good guys and the bad guys... I think Avatar has a more formulaic plot but it probably appeals more to a broader audience...
Good movie, probably overhyped, I don't know about it being a classic, but it's probably going to be up there in scifi in the same category as Fifth Element maybe, meant to be entertaining, not trying to be super deep, but will have a cult following once the hype wears off I think... Visually it's pretty impressive, entertaining, I just think people are over-reacting one way of the other, not sure why the expectations are so extreme for a movie like this... What would you expect from a James Cameron movie? Some things could have been done better, but there are some cinematic sequences that were pretty remarkable... The flight scenes, the forest scenes at night when all of the bioluminescent plant life glows and moves, etc. Been a while since I saw a 3D movie and the little floating glowing seeds / luminescent willow trees are cool...
I don't know about Last Samurai or Last of the Mohicans, etc... I think it actually borrows more from some of the Japanese Animations by Hideo Miyazaki: Princess Mononoke, Naussica, My Neighbor Totoro... The environmentalist, "man vs. nature", industrial society vs. wilderness / mystical themes... Watch Princess Mononoke and Naussica - the giant forest beasts, the giant tree in the forest, forest spirits, the love story between the male protagonist from human society and the female protagonist from nature, the male protagonist is struggling between the two camps... the night scenes with glowing forest creatures, etc. The climactic final confrontation between man and nature, etc... I think the Miyazaki films are much better though: the difference being that in the Miyazaki films, he sort of creates shades of grey - it's not like Man is evil or nature is good, it's more about two worlds colliding... This being an American blockbuster film, it tends to cast characters in black and white more: the good guys and the bad guys... I think Avatar has a more formulaic plot but it probably appeals more to a broader audience...
Good movie, probably overhyped, I don't know about it being a classic, but it's probably going to be up there in scifi in the same category as Fifth Element maybe, meant to be entertaining, not trying to be super deep, but will have a cult following once the hype wears off I think... Visually it's pretty impressive, entertaining, I just think people are over-reacting one way of the other, not sure why the expectations are so extreme for a movie like this... What would you expect from a James Cameron movie? Some things could have been done better, but there are some cinematic sequences that were pretty remarkable... The flight scenes, the forest scenes at night when all of the bioluminescent plant life glows and moves, etc. Been a while since I saw a 3D movie and the little floating glowing seeds / luminescent willow trees are cool...
ya actually as impressive as the effects were in this movie, i actually liked District 9 better and it was made with 1/8th the budget of avatar
i think sometimes a tight budget can actually bring out the creativity a little bit more, force filmmakers to be alot more careful and intentional about where effects are used in order to make use of what budget they have... Depend more on the writing, dialogue and acting and artful storytelling in order to leave an impression...
it's sort of like the original matrix movie... it had less budget, a bit more limited CG, but it forced more innovation in storytelling IMHO over the pure CG spectacle that came when the franchise had alot more brute graphic firepower to spend on the next two movies... I also liked the first Lord of the Rings movie because it didn't rely on pure CG to build the environments, included a seamless blend of CG, live action effects. and models and miniatures, and painted backdrops to create each shot... Alot closer to the way things were done back before the CG revolution... I actually think it makes the scenes more realistic, and forces a more crafted kind of cinematic work...
also, there is something about the art of *not trying to explain and show every detail, leaving more to the imagination, some things being a mystery* that has been lost these days... what ever happened to leaving some things to mystery? Like in the earlier indiana jones or the earlier star wars movies? Take the tv show Lost for example... One of the great successes of the first couple seasons was that they didn't explain everything, instead leaving stuff to the imagination, some mystery... Once you try to spell everything out, it takes away some of the mystique and becomes less interesting...
Aquila: I agree with you on Titanic, but it wasnt about the plot that we went for was it? And yes, the storyline was pretty blase for Avatar as well, but c'mon who of us actually saw it for that one for the plot as well.
Avatar was simply amazing when looking at it from a standpoint of a grandiose feat of creating an amazing visual tapestry of color and lushness that we only wish existed. For example, more than delivered especially when it came to the scene when they were flying through those floating mountains with waterfalls....
I might even go as far as to say that Avatar created a new standard and broke barriers that hadnt been met since Star Wars. In regards, to filming and cinematography technique that is..
So 9 months later I finally saw Avatar last night - at home; not in 3d but on the big-ass TV my husband purchased last Christmas.
I really enjoyed it! Yeah the story and dialogue was quite cheesy but it was beautiful to look at and very touching. The environmental aspect of it, the notion of interconnectedness and balance, was lovely. I'm glad I saw it, and do kind of wish I'd seen it on the big screen.
So maybe I'll make the effort and try to see The Tempest at the theater.
I resisted seeing it too (typically anything that everyone loves I assume to be not worth the ticket price), but was dragged to it.
I, too, was impressed. James Cameron's typicaly formula, but still and amazing production.
Donna - if you do get a chance to see it in 3D, it really is worth it (no idea what these snazzy 3D TVs are looking like, but prices are shockingly low for new tvs these days). The scenes where they are flying were an amazing achievement (3D, camera moves, etc.).
Also, "How to Train My Dragon" was also quite good (in 3D)!
Avatar
So has anyone else seen the much hyped "Avatar?" I saw it because a girl I like wanted to see it. So for that reason it wasn't the worst $33 I've ever spent. But it wasn't really that good. I mean, it was a spectacle and pretty neat to look at, for...an hour. But after 2.5 story-less hours, not so much. Pitted against other action blockbusters like Transformers 2 and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crappy Skull, it was more entertaining. Pretty weak. Not sure why, beyond the technicals, people are going crazy about it. The images which were BIG, but not that great honestly. Those blue dudes didn't sell it at all. My favorite CG character remains Davy Jones followed by Gollum. Anyway, I present to you, my one image "Avatar" review.
Crap, got cut off. Whatever, minus half of Tom Cruise's face, it's all there.
I've not seen Avatar, but this is the funniest thing I've read about it, from David Schmader:
From CNN: James Cameron's completely immersive spectacle "Avatar" may have been a little too real for some fans who say they have experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after seeing the film because they long to enjoy the beauty of the alien world Pandora.
On the fan forum site "Avatar Forums," a topic thread entitled "Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible," has received more than 1,000 posts from people experiencing depression and fans trying to help them cope.
Schmader: I felt the same way when I realized I couldn't really visit Romy & Michele's boutique in LA.
Do I see people from The Last of the Mohicans in that poster? You forgot Daniel Day Lewis!
Avatar visuals were pretty good but not much better than what you could create in say Maya.
I did hear that James Cameron helped Sony develop some new 3d camera for the film though.
Yeah, I think they figured out how to shrink 3D (and maybe IMAX) cameras to make them usable for more than special events. Also they created a motion capture camera that the actors could wear while they delivered the cardboard script.
Yeah, that's LotM, I couldn't find good shots of Dances with Wolves.
My favorite 3D character...
AVATAR... that program at the Bartlett?
I can't convince any of my friends to see it with me. Apparently, scifi's not cool enough or something. I guess I'll just wait until it comes up in Hulu free-for-view.
I'll be seeing it on Thursday in 3D and see what the fuss is all about.
See it in 3D or don't see it.
Wow... you guys are LAME!
This movie is awesome... period. Hasselhoff, I find it incredible that you believe this movie to be subpar.
@paradox: if I were you I'd see Avatar in just regular digital HD, skip the 3D and you'll thank me later. The 3D really does nothing to enhance the cinematic experience for this particular movie, and really just serves to sort of cloud the picture and make it hard to focus on things at times. You'll get more definition out of a regular screening, which is what's best in my opinion.
see it in 3d.
Hasselhoff - I really hope you are not an architecture or design student. Or any other student for that matter. I realize that we are in the 'twitter age' - of expediency of thought and critique - but your thoughts still need to be well reasoned. I can accept your criticism of the narrative; it didn't particularly engage me either. But the visually storytelling is incredible, and we are talking about a movie, not a book (you are participating in a largely visual profession I'm guessing since your posting here).
I really hope nobody is discouraged from seeing it by this thread. It is an incredible experience. Don't watch it on hulu!
right click etc.
i probably won't go see it, like i didn't have any desire to see lord of the rings.
but give me a good documentary or a reload of kurosawa, and i'm there...
Hehe I saw that pic somehere else too, apparently the script is nearly idententical to Pocachontas, kudos to James Cameron there, anyhow, it seems this is not my type of genre since I thought the movie was rather boring, overhyped if you ask me. But the CGI effects were excellent of course.
yeah, there were many references to costners "dances with wolves" as well.
actually the script is also really similar to Ferngully as well. anyone remember that?
actually the script is also really similar to Ferngully as well. anyone remember that?
The scene where he basically rapes the animal with his pony tail in order to "connect" with it sort of bothered me though.
dumb
i went to see it today and personally i thought it was beautiful. yeah, there were some to be expected cliches in the plot, but who cares? it was certainly a memorable flick.
Those of you who love Avatar: did you also love Titanic? I kind of feel like it's going to be the same movie, and though everyone I knew completely loved Titanic, I only enjoyed it.
did you see avatar? it is nothing like titanic...
obviously, with a movie like this, you have to get past some of the cheeziness. but, i would like to see it again. in 3d.
it was a nice movie, but golden globe winner for best picture??? nope
aquillatheNun: thats taking it a bit far dont you think...
lb: go see avatar in 3d its is simply put awesome and stunning to say the least...
aquilla... my response was "Eww, he's all 'connecting' to that animal without 'protection.' He might get pandorAIDS."
Put a leaf or some glowing ooze or something on it.
It was visually beautiful and they did some nice tricks with 3d perspectives in various scenes (like flying around in the air) but i wouldn't call it groundbreaking cinema. At least artistically as opposed to say from a technical/visual point of view.
roflmaco @ Unicorn
it really was a little weird, I felt awkward watching it LOL
1deviantc: you didnt think it was a little odd? I mean we dont go molesting horses here on earth to ride them except for putting the bit in their mouth
and the part where they say "i see you" and it doesnt mean "i see you naked" ????
titanic may possibly be the worst film of all time. no offense liberty
oh and lady gaga is a little bit over the top too
she should go make babies with marilyn manson
I did not like this movie, but I still recommend people seeing it in the theatres...its a big movie for a big screen.
those who are impressed by the special effects probably havn't seen enough game trailers before!
No offense taken, Aquilla. Like I said, I "enjoyed" Titanic. It didn't rock my world, as it seems to have for a lot of people.
What did rock my world? A teacher of my sister had a Titanic survivor as a patient. The survivor didn't really think it was that big a deal - hundreds of people died all the time back then from one catastrophe or another, was her attitude, and she was lucky to survive that one but had dealt with plenty of shit flung at her through the rest of her life, because that's what life is. It sucks, we all die, and hopefully can enjoy little bits of fun as we go through it.
These days anyone surviving anything feels like they're owed a book deal and a spot on a talk show.
It was worth $10 to see $100M in production. My biggest beef isn't with the story that we have already seen but unobtainium? They invented a language for this movie and that was all they could come up with?
Anyway I survived watching...didn't like the movie but I got my moneys worth. So now can I have a book deal?
I don't know about Last Samurai or Last of the Mohicans, etc... I think it actually borrows more from some of the Japanese Animations by Hideo Miyazaki: Princess Mononoke, Naussica, My Neighbor Totoro... The environmentalist, "man vs. nature", industrial society vs. wilderness / mystical themes... Watch Princess Mononoke and Naussica - the giant forest beasts, the giant tree in the forest, forest spirits, the love story between the male protagonist from human society and the female protagonist from nature, the male protagonist is struggling between the two camps... the night scenes with glowing forest creatures, etc. The climactic final confrontation between man and nature, etc... I think the Miyazaki films are much better though: the difference being that in the Miyazaki films, he sort of creates shades of grey - it's not like Man is evil or nature is good, it's more about two worlds colliding... This being an American blockbuster film, it tends to cast characters in black and white more: the good guys and the bad guys... I think Avatar has a more formulaic plot but it probably appeals more to a broader audience...
Good movie, probably overhyped, I don't know about it being a classic, but it's probably going to be up there in scifi in the same category as Fifth Element maybe, meant to be entertaining, not trying to be super deep, but will have a cult following once the hype wears off I think... Visually it's pretty impressive, entertaining, I just think people are over-reacting one way of the other, not sure why the expectations are so extreme for a movie like this... What would you expect from a James Cameron movie? Some things could have been done better, but there are some cinematic sequences that were pretty remarkable... The flight scenes, the forest scenes at night when all of the bioluminescent plant life glows and moves, etc. Been a while since I saw a 3D movie and the little floating glowing seeds / luminescent willow trees are cool...
I don't know about Last Samurai or Last of the Mohicans, etc... I think it actually borrows more from some of the Japanese Animations by Hideo Miyazaki: Princess Mononoke, Naussica, My Neighbor Totoro... The environmentalist, "man vs. nature", industrial society vs. wilderness / mystical themes... Watch Princess Mononoke and Naussica - the giant forest beasts, the giant tree in the forest, forest spirits, the love story between the male protagonist from human society and the female protagonist from nature, the male protagonist is struggling between the two camps... the night scenes with glowing forest creatures, etc. The climactic final confrontation between man and nature, etc... I think the Miyazaki films are much better though: the difference being that in the Miyazaki films, he sort of creates shades of grey - it's not like Man is evil or nature is good, it's more about two worlds colliding... This being an American blockbuster film, it tends to cast characters in black and white more: the good guys and the bad guys... I think Avatar has a more formulaic plot but it probably appeals more to a broader audience...
Good movie, probably overhyped, I don't know about it being a classic, but it's probably going to be up there in scifi in the same category as Fifth Element maybe, meant to be entertaining, not trying to be super deep, but will have a cult following once the hype wears off I think... Visually it's pretty impressive, entertaining, I just think people are over-reacting one way of the other, not sure why the expectations are so extreme for a movie like this... What would you expect from a James Cameron movie? Some things could have been done better, but there are some cinematic sequences that were pretty remarkable... The flight scenes, the forest scenes at night when all of the bioluminescent plant life glows and moves, etc. Been a while since I saw a 3D movie and the little floating glowing seeds / luminescent willow trees are cool...
Naussica (original Japanese release in 1984):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ms-ilMug8A
Princess Mononoke:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkWWWKKA8jY
I thought it was kinda lame. And I generally like the movies where lots of things blow up.
You'd think w all the dough they spend on effects they could hire some better writers...
LazyMexican, I thought the same thing. And I felt like they should have at least told us why "unobtanium" was so great in the first place.
Sarah Hamilton: for a moment I thought your screen name was "Linda Hamilton" a.k.a. Sarah Connor... :P
ya actually as impressive as the effects were in this movie, i actually liked District 9 better and it was made with 1/8th the budget of avatar
i think sometimes a tight budget can actually bring out the creativity a little bit more, force filmmakers to be alot more careful and intentional about where effects are used in order to make use of what budget they have... Depend more on the writing, dialogue and acting and artful storytelling in order to leave an impression...
it's sort of like the original matrix movie... it had less budget, a bit more limited CG, but it forced more innovation in storytelling IMHO over the pure CG spectacle that came when the franchise had alot more brute graphic firepower to spend on the next two movies... I also liked the first Lord of the Rings movie because it didn't rely on pure CG to build the environments, included a seamless blend of CG, live action effects. and models and miniatures, and painted backdrops to create each shot... Alot closer to the way things were done back before the CG revolution... I actually think it makes the scenes more realistic, and forces a more crafted kind of cinematic work...
also, there is something about the art of *not trying to explain and show every detail, leaving more to the imagination, some things being a mystery* that has been lost these days... what ever happened to leaving some things to mystery? Like in the earlier indiana jones or the earlier star wars movies? Take the tv show Lost for example... One of the great successes of the first couple seasons was that they didn't explain everything, instead leaving stuff to the imagination, some mystery... Once you try to spell everything out, it takes away some of the mystique and becomes less interesting...
Aquila: I agree with you on Titanic, but it wasnt about the plot that we went for was it? And yes, the storyline was pretty blase for Avatar as well, but c'mon who of us actually saw it for that one for the plot as well.
Avatar was simply amazing when looking at it from a standpoint of a grandiose feat of creating an amazing visual tapestry of color and lushness that we only wish existed. For example, more than delivered especially when it came to the scene when they were flying through those floating mountains with waterfalls....
I might even go as far as to say that Avatar created a new standard and broke barriers that hadnt been met since Star Wars. In regards, to filming and cinematography technique that is..
yes, this movie sucked.
went to see it with two of my phd buddies (i am an undergrad) and had a blast tearing is up (mostly listening to them).
i don't think it was amazing to look at... sure it was nice, but i'd rather watch a michael moore documentary.
re: hasselhoff
i took a girl to see "final destination" once (her choice) and oh my lord what a terrible movie (coincidentally in 3d also).
on the other hand, if all we had to watch was michael moore documentaries the suicide rate would probably go up... :P
i seriously doubt it
Mihcael Moore's documentaries are less depressing more than they are embarrassing.
For sake of argument if we ignore global warming and all that jazz, there are some pretty embarrassing environmental dramas going on.
Like the recent-in-the-news item that Chicago refuses to treat the raw sewage it dumps.
But more importantly, things like the two pacific garbage patches and the third one developing in the Atlantic.
Like really? Can we not fix this enormous amount of garbage dumped into the ocean?
Or does anyone really care?
Out of site, out of mind?
And Sarah Connor as in Terminator? God, my husband would, well, we'll just say he'd be excited.
So 9 months later I finally saw Avatar last night - at home; not in 3d but on the big-ass TV my husband purchased last Christmas.
I really enjoyed it! Yeah the story and dialogue was quite cheesy but it was beautiful to look at and very touching. The environmental aspect of it, the notion of interconnectedness and balance, was lovely. I'm glad I saw it, and do kind of wish I'd seen it on the big screen.
So maybe I'll make the effort and try to see The Tempest at the theater.
I resisted seeing it too (typically anything that everyone loves I assume to be not worth the ticket price), but was dragged to it.
I, too, was impressed. James Cameron's typicaly formula, but still and amazing production.
Donna - if you do get a chance to see it in 3D, it really is worth it (no idea what these snazzy 3D TVs are looking like, but prices are shockingly low for new tvs these days). The scenes where they are flying were an amazing achievement (3D, camera moves, etc.).
Also, "How to Train My Dragon" was also quite good (in 3D)!
Donna, i hadn't heard anything about that re-visioning of the Tempest but it looks pretty good.
I was underwhelmed. Glad I waited until I could borrow it from the library and didn't have to pay for it.
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