I'll be going to see it in 3D tomorrow evening.
Anybody else as blonde as me, ready to see a movie which is supposed to be most of all spectacular and not intellectually but only visually challenging?
If yes, I'd be curious to exchange impressions....
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sauronsfinger
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I just saw it in 3D. I would give it 7 out of 10 or three stars on the usual four star scale. It was worth the money and provided a good entertainment experience. Like the kids from Philly used to say on American Bandstand - it had a good beat and you could dance to it.
Large chunks of it reminded me of the 1986 film THE MISSION. The Kevin Costner film DANCES WITH WOLVES also looks to be an influence on Cameron. If anybody remembers those old Roger Dean LP covers on groups like Yes, the look of that is everywhere on the planet Pandora. If Dean did not get a check for this film, he should sue.
Some may complain because of the politics of the storyline. If you are a conservative who is gun ho about the military, you might resent some of it. Otherwise, I did like it.
Large chunks of it reminded me of the 1986 film THE MISSION. The Kevin Costner film DANCES WITH WOLVES also looks to be an influence on Cameron. If anybody remembers those old Roger Dean LP covers on groups like Yes, the look of that is everywhere on the planet Pandora. If Dean did not get a check for this film, he should sue.
Some may complain because of the politics of the storyline. If you are a conservative who is gun ho about the military, you might resent some of it. Otherwise, I did like it.
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.... John Rogers
A relief to read your review and Nienor's on B77. I am sort of, moderately, in an old-ladyish Canadian way, looking forward to taking Oz to see it. Tay is not interested.
I didn't know it could be seen in both 2 and 3 D. I wonder how many screens at our local multiplex will be showing it. Jeez. I guess I could go online and see, eh?
Which reminds me: why on earth are they allowed to charge a person EXTRA for buying a ticket online?
This is so terrible I just want to bomb the movie world. Not really. That is not a threat, if any FBI people are reading this thread.
I didn't know it could be seen in both 2 and 3 D. I wonder how many screens at our local multiplex will be showing it. Jeez. I guess I could go online and see, eh?
Which reminds me: why on earth are they allowed to charge a person EXTRA for buying a ticket online?
This is so terrible I just want to bomb the movie world. Not really. That is not a threat, if any FBI people are reading this thread.Dig deeper.
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sauronsfinger
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for those who do see the film, look at this Roger Dean slide show and see for yourself where much of the design came from.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pln5egTB7D0
It is even more obvious if you can get his 1975 book VIEWS. He did a follow up collection called DRAGONS DREAM also. You thumb through it and its all there except the people. The floating islands, the weaving paths that are twisted branches, the giant trees shaped so distinctly, the aircraft which resembles his own creations, the colorful dragon like creatures that fly... even the horse like creatures are very similar to some of his own creations. I am not a lawyer but I would think Dean should at least talk to one.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pln5egTB7D0
It is even more obvious if you can get his 1975 book VIEWS. He did a follow up collection called DRAGONS DREAM also. You thumb through it and its all there except the people. The floating islands, the weaving paths that are twisted branches, the giant trees shaped so distinctly, the aircraft which resembles his own creations, the colorful dragon like creatures that fly... even the horse like creatures are very similar to some of his own creations. I am not a lawyer but I would think Dean should at least talk to one.
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.... John Rogers
My review! No spoilers...
Visually its simply stunning. Aside from the 3D its fantastically inventive and stylish. Some people are complaining that Pandora looks like a "Yes" album cover brought to life, and the Mechwarrior suits have been done a few times now, but they've still never been done quite like this. Lord of the Rings was famous for making Middle Earth real, and also for Gollum as the first fully realised Digital character. In this case I'd say Avatar has outdone it in some ways. There's no question that the Navi are more consistently realistic than Gollum, but they have the advantage of being more fantastical creatures, so they avoid the "uncanny valley" effect. Pandora is a completely realised Ecosystem, but again, because its fantastical, they get away with more. There are some shots however that are just amazing.
Then there's the 3D. You've never seen anything like it. Its not the "stuff flying out of the screen" effects. Its more a sense of depth. You feel like you're looking into a room, rather than at it. Even the computer screens in the Comm room are 3D , so you're seeing 3D displays in a 3D image. When you go into the forest, insects fly between you and the scene, you feel like pushing aside ferns to see whats happening behind.
The story itself is a cross between a Vietnam war movie and Dances with Wolves, but it really works.
Visually its simply stunning. Aside from the 3D its fantastically inventive and stylish. Some people are complaining that Pandora looks like a "Yes" album cover brought to life, and the Mechwarrior suits have been done a few times now, but they've still never been done quite like this. Lord of the Rings was famous for making Middle Earth real, and also for Gollum as the first fully realised Digital character. In this case I'd say Avatar has outdone it in some ways. There's no question that the Navi are more consistently realistic than Gollum, but they have the advantage of being more fantastical creatures, so they avoid the "uncanny valley" effect. Pandora is a completely realised Ecosystem, but again, because its fantastical, they get away with more. There are some shots however that are just amazing.
Then there's the 3D. You've never seen anything like it. Its not the "stuff flying out of the screen" effects. Its more a sense of depth. You feel like you're looking into a room, rather than at it. Even the computer screens in the Comm room are 3D , so you're seeing 3D displays in a 3D image. When you go into the forest, insects fly between you and the scene, you feel like pushing aside ferns to see whats happening behind.
The story itself is a cross between a Vietnam war movie and Dances with Wolves, but it really works.
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
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solicitr
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Saw it. Meh. The good part: the eye candy. Jaw dropping, and often very inventive (although sometimes the screen is too cluttered: Cameron could learn something about CGI frame composition from Peter Jackson (yes, I said it!)) But as George Lucas observed (and later forgot), "Special effects are just tools in the storyteller's toolbox." The problem here is the story: completely, utterly unoriginal, cliched and thus boring (not helped by dialogue of a near-Lucasian clunkiness).
Dances With Wolves in space- except I actually cared what happened to the Indians.
Dances With Wolves in space- except I actually cared what happened to the Indians.
Parts of it were splendid. I loved the trees!!! Jake and the girl (forget her name) were very real, far far far far more believable than Gollum. My word , no comparison.
I don't know why these guys have to go on and on and on with the stupid fighting scenes. Far too long but not quite as long as the idiotic cave troll.
All in all very enjoyable.
I don't know why these guys have to go on and on and on with the stupid fighting scenes. Far too long but not quite as long as the idiotic cave troll.
All in all very enjoyable.
Dig deeper.
vison wrote:
WOW!!! Just think what a treat we are in for with a new, improved Gollum in HOBBIT, then!
Jake and the girl (forget her name) were very real, far far far far more believable than Gollum. My word , no comparison.
WOW!!! Just think what a treat we are in for with a new, improved Gollum in HOBBIT, then!
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
~Diana Cortes
Saw it today. I give it a C+.
Story: a pretty good plot made utterly dull by a cast of nothing but clichéd characters and lots of clichéd dialog. And pretty predictable too. I've certainly sat through worse though; I didn't suffer through this.
Visuals: technically, yes, this is astonishing stuff, way beyond anything else we've ever seen. As I understand it, almost everything we see on screen is fake but it's often hard to believe. That jungle is real. Aesthetically though? I found the visuals garish and gaudy, damn near every thing drenched in tacky neons and pastels. Very little real beauty on display sadly.
Until the grand, spectacle-filled action sequences kicked into full gear later in the movie, I was pretty bored and underwhelmed overall. Those action sequences are a sight to behold though, and ultimately ended up saving what was shaping up to be a total dud for me. But just barely.
Story: a pretty good plot made utterly dull by a cast of nothing but clichéd characters and lots of clichéd dialog. And pretty predictable too. I've certainly sat through worse though; I didn't suffer through this.
Visuals: technically, yes, this is astonishing stuff, way beyond anything else we've ever seen. As I understand it, almost everything we see on screen is fake but it's often hard to believe. That jungle is real. Aesthetically though? I found the visuals garish and gaudy, damn near every thing drenched in tacky neons and pastels. Very little real beauty on display sadly.
Until the grand, spectacle-filled action sequences kicked into full gear later in the movie, I was pretty bored and underwhelmed overall. Those action sequences are a sight to behold though, and ultimately ended up saving what was shaping up to be a total dud for me. But just barely.
I wanna love somebody but I don't know how
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists
So what's the verdict on taking kids? I have a fifth grader who is not too sqeamish, but also fairly sheltered, who was fine with LOTR, Star Trek, and Prince Caspian which was arguably more gory than either.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
It's way more "family-friendly" than LOTR. Any could who can deal with that can easily deal with this. It's almost entirely goreless, really. I thought it could nearly have a PG rating (American rating between "for all ages" and "13 and up").
I wanna love somebody but I don't know how
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists
Thanks, Al and yov. Maybe if it rains this Sunday, we'll go. 
Although normally I am not much into pretty pictures with silly story, and that seems to be the consensus.
Although normally I am not much into pretty pictures with silly story, and that seems to be the consensus.If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
I didn't think the story was bad, just ordinary and cliched. I almost even cared a couple times! 