Avatar

[Jade Jaguar]

I would disagree about Star Wars in terms of narrative. Presentation tops narrative in that one as well. In 1977, we weren't bowled over by the story, we were bowled over by the fact that we were SEEing the story. Much like Avatar now,t he sights, sounds, and odd little details of the Star Wars universe were almost too much to take in at once (which is why we stayed and watched it twice).

Oh, the presentation was huge in Star Wars, but 2001 had also been visually epic. Star Wars had very strong mythic elements, which of course are ancient, but they were put in a fresh light, revitalized so to speak... I guess what I'm really trying to say is that before Star Wars, SF had done allegory, but Star Wars reintroduced the heroic cycle. What the Lord of the Rings did for literature, I guess.

I agree completely with B5 O. Their is nothing substantially different in nature from the plot of Star Wars and the plot of say Flash Gordon of the 30s. Both were heroic epics, and Lucas clearly has such serials in mind when he made Star Wars.

The real difference is that FG was B grade filler, and SW broke the barriers for sci fi, making it main stream. But, at their hearts, they are essentially the same.

 

[Chilli]

Went to see Avatar a second time yesterday, as the local IMAX decided to show it in English after all, due to the immense demand. And holy shit was that fantastic - I was quite surprised at how much better the 3D worked, considering that the screen wasn't even that big (it's not a very big IMAX). The 3D in a normal movie theatre was kind of nifty, but I could always "feel" that it was fake. Here, I stopped thinking about the 3D within a few minutes. It just felt natural. My sister also claims it worked a lot better with her glasses.

I had seen 3D movies before, in IMAX, on a huge screen (there used to be a huge IMAX in Vienna. Now there is a tiny one. Long and pathetic story) .. but this was something completely different.

I paid attention to any mentions to Sully's origins. There were none.

I have to denounce the song they put at the end of the movie. Whiny ballad - not good. It totally jars, IMO. It's a pity especially as the soundtrack was great - I only later noticed that it was James Horner, who had also done the awesome Star Trek II soundtrack.

 

[GKarsEye]

Saw this movie last night- look, I didn't expect the greatest dialogue or characters, but sweet Jesus on a pony was this movie fucking retarded. Awful, shockingly so.

 

[Jade Jaguar]

I think Jesus rode a donkey...

 

[Recoil]

No, he rode a Velociraptor.

 

[GKarsEye]

If you folks aren't familiar with The Editing Room, it's pretty funny site. Their take on Avatar just touches on some of the stupidity of this movie:

http://www.the-editing-room.com/

 

[Jade Jaguar]

Recoil, that is one of the silliest, stupidest things I have ever seen! Thanks for posting it.

GKE, I'll check out that link later tonight, when traffic at the desk slows down, and I can use headphones.

 

[Chilli]

That link is pretty funny. But ...

BLUE SAM WORTHINGTON Well, I’m confused. I can’t figure out why the internet is so in love with this movie. It’s just another three-hour James Cameron blockbuster that uses an absurdly cliche plot full of painfully corny dialogue to hold together what is merely a showcase for stunning special effects.

... this is EXACTLY what the movie is being hyped as - duh.

 

[Jade Jaguar]

Well it seems to be doing for 3D what Star Wars did for sci fi - two different 3D TV channels have been announced so far. I don't think Titanic made water, or drowning, any more popular...

 

[darth_librarian]

Well I love it, but I do realise that its mostly for the same reasons I hated Titanic. I guess it was the added aliens, dragons and 3D gimmick. Better than faux Irish accents and English villains.

But yeah, its all lightweight Cameron mind fluff. I would love to see him do something like Aliens again, or at least a True Lies...

 

[Galahad]

Irrespective of it's merits (deserved or not), the film industry will back this movie to the hilt from every angle... for business reasons. The newer 3D format technology is supposed to be very hard to illegally copy and is seen by many in the industry as an invaluable tool to combat film piracy.

So expect the gongs and accolades to stretch back into the sunset.

 

[Jade Jaguar]

The newer 3D format technology is supposed to be very hard to illegally copy and is seen by many in the industry as an invaluable tool to combat film piracy.

I hadn't thought of that! Makes sense. Also, Avatar just passed Titanic as all-time best box office. The industry will certainly back it for that...

 

[Markas]

I finally saw it yesterday after trying and failing to get a ticket several times over the weeks it has been out. It is still selling out in San Francisco.

I really liked it. Yes, a cliche'd story but I don't care. The visuals are worth the entry price. Sigourney was nearly worth the entry price for just "where's my cig?!?"

Also, I didn't see this as Human vs. Na'vi, but a corporation vs. Na'vi. The military here is private, controlled by the company as an enforcement arm. Selfridge as the facility director decided for the company that the natives had to be moved off of the largest source of unobtanium (stupid name) in any way possible. I looked at that as greed and the desire to climb the corporate ladder, much in the way the Paul Reiser character did in Aliens. It was obvious that not all of the humans were aligned with obliterating the Na'vi. The scientists and most certainly Michelle Rodriguez's character, who was military but said "I didn't sign up for this shit," wanted peace with the natives.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the film and plan on seeing it in IMAX again before it leaves the theaters.

 

[Jade Jaguar]

I agree with your take. Perhaps they called it "unobtanium" because "upsydaisyium" had already been used?

 

[darth_librarian]

Its been used in engineering and science to describe a fictional material to prove a point or argue a hypothosis for many years:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unobtainium

So it was an engineering in-joke, be it one a bit lost on the general audience. Its the creative equivalent of dilithium, which is an equally made up concept and word. Its just that dilithium sounds a bit more sci-fiy.

 

[Republibot 3.0]

I agree with your take. Perhaps they called it "unobtanium" because "upsydaisyium" had already been used?

Ha! I was thinking that exact same thing when I saw the movie the first time!

 

[B5_Obsessed]

Re: Gimme my cig!

There was a lot of fuss or generated "controversy" about that character's desire to smoke a cigarette since advocates felt it was somehow glorifying that behavior (shades of "Thank You for Smoking"), but the way I see it, Cameron was depicting her smoking as an affliction much like Sully's paralysis. After running free in her Na'vi body, the first thing she needs to do when she exits the chamber is feed her human body its way overdue dose of nicotine. Metaphorically, it also involves a product of nature being burned and consumed to serve the needs of humans.

 

[Galahad]

Its been used in engineering and science to describe a fictional material to prove a point or argue a hypothosis for many years:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unobtainium

So it was an engineering in-joke, be it one a bit lost on the general audience. Its the creative equivalent of dilithium, which is an equally made up concept and word. Its just that dilithium sounds a bit more sci-fiy.

Pssst don't forget Quantium 40!

 

[RW7427]

The movie came out on DVD today, and since I work in a grocery store, I secured my copy immediately after work this morning. I watched it this afternoon and I can say that it was AWESOME!!!! I loved it!!!