AVATAR

[Tick]

QUOTE (hunter @ May 6 2010, 06:14 PM)

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ May 6 2010, 12:32 PM) OK, a friend of mine loaned me his copy of Avatar and I watched it last night to see what all the fuss was about. Sure the fx were awesome (in fact it's the best CGI I've ever seen - Cameron wasn't lying when he said it'd be a game-changer) but the story was hackneyed, overwrought, and super-predictable. The lowest point (and it's hard to pick just one) was when he went back to the Navi after he'd screwed them both figuratively and literally and just a few hours after telling him to leave her forever, Natiri does an insane 180 and takes him right back, no questions asked and no conditions given! Puh-lease! I'd give it one and a half out of five stars and I doubt I'll ever watch it again. She took him back because he flew the big orange bird thing. If I had a dime for every time my wife took me back for exactly the same reason...       Anyhoo, that's what love will do to you. It will cause you to be irrational. but c'mon, he rode the big bird dude!!! size does matter!

[Presto-digitation]

None of Cameron's movies are "subtle." They're all predictable...all with slip-shod dialogue, etc. I don't care what you quote...Aliens, T2...etc. None of them show expert plotting or dialogue. These are just the types of films James Cameron makes. He didn't exactly dumb down here or for Titanic. The other films just exude such a robust testosterone level we forgive them, but T2 is just as predictable and ham-fisted.

 

He makes these kinds of films and I doubt he'll ever change.

Edited May 7, 2010 by Presto-digitation

[Tick]

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ May 7 2010, 10:48 AM)

None of Cameron's movies are "subtle." They're all predictable...all with slip-shod dialogue, etc. I don't care what you quote...Aliens, T2...etc. None of them show expert plotting or dialogue. These are just the types of films James Cameron makes. He didn't exactly dumb down here or for Titanic. The other films just exude such a robust testosterone level we forgive them, but T2 is just as predictable and ham-fisted. He makes these kinds of films and I doubt he'll ever change.

Still light years better then Roland Emmerich!!!

[Rushman14]

QUOTE (tick @ May 7 2010, 01:11 PM)

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ May 7 2010, 10:48 AM) None of Cameron's movies are "subtle."  They're all predictable...all with slip-shod dialogue, etc.  I don't care what you quote...Aliens, T2...etc.  None of them show expert plotting or dialogue.  These are just the types of films James Cameron makes.  He didn't exactly dumb down here or for Titanic.  The other films just exude such a robust testosterone level we forgive them, but T2 is just as predictable and ham-fisted. He makes these kinds of films and I doubt he'll ever change. Still light years better then Roland Emmerich!!! I still think Aliens was a great script, especially for a sequel.

[Rushman14]

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ May 7 2010, 07:28 AM)

QUOTE (ReRushed @ May 6 2010, 05:54 PM) The longer I live, the less I want to see this movie.  I've read and heard and seen NOTHING that makes me want to go out of my way to see it. I've stated I want the hype to die down before seeing it.  Well, the more the hype dies down, the less I care. Well and the hype's really not died down. It's simultaneously one of the best selling DVDs of all time (and the best opening numbers ever on Blu-ray) all while still showing up in the top 20 at the box office. No real drop in anything.   If you've had no interest in seeing it by now, you'd do best to continue avoiding it. To this day I've never seen one Matrix film or Caddyshack and really...I couldn't care less, so I know what you mean. you definitely need to re-think your position on The Matrix. The first one was excellent. The sequels were kinda weak, though I still enjoyed them.

[Cowtothesky]

QUOTE (tick @ May 7 2010, 09:43 AM)

QUOTE (hunter @ May 6 2010, 06:14 PM) QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ May 6 2010, 12:32 PM) OK, a friend of mine loaned me his copy of Avatar and I watched it last night to see what all the fuss was about. Sure the fx were awesome (in fact it's the best CGI I've ever seen - Cameron wasn't lying when he said it'd be a game-changer) but the story was hackneyed, overwrought, and super-predictable. The lowest point (and it's hard to pick just one) was when he went back to the Navi after he'd screwed them both figuratively and literally and just a few hours after telling him to leave her forever, Natiri does an insane 180 and takes him right back, no questions asked and no conditions given! Puh-lease! I'd give it one and a half out of five stars and I doubt I'll ever watch it again. She took him back because he flew the big orange bird thing. If I had a dime for every time my wife took me back for exactly the same reason...       Anyhoo, that's what love will do to you. It will cause you to be irrational. but c'mon, he rode the big bird dude!!! size does matter!   I think it had some kind of spiritual meaning. Didn't she say that no one had ever ridden that big bird thingy since the greatest leader of their people? Basically, their form of Jesus or a prophet. It's not like he cheated on her or anything!

[Andrew1]

QUOTE (Cowtothesky @ May 7 2010, 04:41 PM)

QUOTE (tick @ May 7 2010, 09:43 AM) QUOTE (hunter @ May 6 2010, 06:14 PM) QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ May 6 2010, 12:32 PM) OK, a friend of mine loaned me his copy of Avatar and I watched it last night to see what all the fuss was about. Sure the fx were awesome (in fact it's the best CGI I've ever seen - Cameron wasn't lying when he said it'd be a game-changer) but the story was hackneyed, overwrought, and super-predictable. The lowest point (and it's hard to pick just one) was when he went back to the Navi after he'd screwed them both figuratively and literally and just a few hours after telling him to leave her forever, Natiri does an insane 180 and takes him right back, no questions asked and no conditions given! Puh-lease! I'd give it one and a half out of five stars and I doubt I'll ever watch it again. She took him back because he flew the big orange bird thing. If I had a dime for every time my wife took me back for exactly the same reason...       Anyhoo, that's what love will do to you. It will cause you to be irrational. but c'mon, he rode the big bird dude!!! size does matter!   I think it had some kind of spiritual meaning. Didn't she say that no one had ever ridden that big bird thingy since the greatest leader of their people? Basically, their form of Jesus or a prophet. It's not like he cheated on her or anything! It was discussed earlier in the movie between Jake and Neytiri. Only the greatest warriors rode 'Taruk' or the great 'Leonopteryx'. When Jake tamed this creature it was a sign from their deity, 'Eywa'. When Jake rode that big bastard in, all was forgiven. No. It's not that deep as far as the storyline goes, but it's classic entertainment. Kind of like 'Matchstick Men'. Just giving you hell 'Jack Aubrey'!

[Slaine mac Roth]

I finally got around to seeing Avatar last night and was very impressed. As has been said, its not the most original story around but, as has been said, there are seven basic plots in literature so, when you look at it from that level, there is nothing truly original anymore. Saying that, at least it wasn't another bloody pointless remake.

 

What I will say is that I found the story engaging with characters that, on the whole, acted logically within the framework of the film (even though they were largely archetypes). The culture of the Na'Vi well reasonably well defined and drew sympathy for their plight.

 

On a technical level, the visuals were breathtaking but, fortunately, didn't overwhelm the rest of the film. Cameron used the effects to help the story not, as I felt Emmerich did in Independence Day, use the story as an excuse for the visual effects. In addition, evedn though I only saw it on DVD without surround sound or anything special, the sound design was awesome.

 

On the whole, I found Avatar to be a rewarding and entertaining film to watch.

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Rushman14 @ May 7 2010, 01:23 PM)

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ May 7 2010, 07:28 AM) QUOTE (ReRushed @ May 6 2010, 05:54 PM) The longer I live, the less I want to see this movie.  I've read and heard and seen NOTHING that makes me want to go out of my way to see it. I've stated I want the hype to die down before seeing it.  Well, the more the hype dies down, the less I care. Well and the hype's really not died down. It's simultaneously one of the best selling DVDs of all time (and the best opening numbers ever on Blu-ray) all while still showing up in the top 20 at the box office. No real drop in anything.   If you've had no interest in seeing it by now, you'd do best to continue avoiding it. To this day I've never seen one Matrix film or Caddyshack and really...I couldn't care less, so I know what you mean. you definitely need to re-think your position on The Matrix. The first one was excellent. The sequels were kinda weak, though I still enjoyed them. Seriously P-D.   Caddyshack is ok, but overrated, and the 2nd and 3rd Matrix can be avoided without missing out on anything great, but the first Matrix is an all-out classic! It's easily one of my top ten movies of all time. I really believe you're cheating yourself by not seeing this one. I'd be shocked if you didn't like it.

[Astromancer]

Wow, really? f**k this movie. Very, very disappointed in Cameron. I've seen every Cameron film except Titanic, and this was just a flashy dud. Weak dialog, WEAKER story, weak "allegory", weak space marines. Watch Aliens, okay? The space marines in that movie would have had Navi hanging upside down, skinned, from goddamned soul trees.

 

PS: How the f**k did the Smurf's arrows pierce the windows of the gunships? How did that one pilot bitch go "I didn't sign up for this", and fly away without being shot down or court marshaled? How did the protagonist ass block the Kernel dickhead's mechsuit at the end of the movie without being turned into a big blue stain(I know they have carbon fiber level of strength bones, it wouldn't have helped that much)? How did the floating mountains float? Where were the exit wounds(i don't care about the rating)? Why are so many people Avatards?

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Astromancer @ May 8 2010, 03:30 PM)

Wow, really? f**k this movie. Very, very disappointed in Cameron. I've seen every Cameron film except Titanic, and this was just a flashy dud. Weak dialog, WEAKER story, weak "allegory", weak space marines. Watch Aliens, okay? The space marines in that movie would have had Navi hanging upside down, skinned, from goddamned soul trees. PS: How the f**k did the Smurf's arrows pierce the windows of the gunships? How did that one pilot bitch go "I didn't sign up for this", and fly away without being shot down or court marshaled? How did the protagonist ass block the Kernel dickhead's mechsuit at the end of the movie without being turned into a big blue stain(I know they have carbon fiber level of strength bones, it wouldn't have helped that much)? How did the floating mountains float? Where were the exit wounds(i don't care about the rating)? Why are so many people Avatards?

Hmmm, it sounds like maybe this movie would be more appropriate for you?

 

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u170/Triskaidekaphobe/2008-03-27/AngerManagementPoster.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 8, 2010 by rushgoober

[Mandalorian Hunter]

I thought they made it quite clear at the start of the movie that the marines couldn't go in all guns blazing and hang the Na'vi skinned from goddamned soul trees!

 

 

Anyone get the impression Astromancer's actually Stephen Lang getting in character for Avatar 2?

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (Andrew1 @ May 7 2010, 08:37 PM)

QUOTE (Cowtothesky @ May 7 2010, 04:41 PM) QUOTE (tick @ May 7 2010, 09:43 AM) QUOTE (hunter @ May 6 2010, 06:14 PM) QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ May 6 2010, 12:32 PM) OK, a friend of mine loaned me his copy of Avatar and I watched it last night to see what all the fuss was about. Sure the fx were awesome (in fact it's the best CGI I've ever seen - Cameron wasn't lying when he said it'd be a game-changer) but the story was hackneyed, overwrought, and super-predictable. The lowest point (and it's hard to pick just one) was when he went back to the Navi after he'd screwed them both figuratively and literally and just a few hours after telling him to leave her forever, Natiri does an insane 180 and takes him right back, no questions asked and no conditions given! Puh-lease! I'd give it one and a half out of five stars and I doubt I'll ever watch it again. She took him back because he flew the big orange bird thing. If I had a dime for every time my wife took me back for exactly the same reason...       Anyhoo, that's what love will do to you. It will cause you to be irrational. but c'mon, he rode the big bird dude!!! size does matter!   I think it had some kind of spiritual meaning. Didn't she say that no one had ever ridden that big bird thingy since the greatest leader of their people? Basically, their form of Jesus or a prophet. It's not like he cheated on her or anything! It was discussed earlier in the movie between Jake and Neytiri. Only the greatest warriors rode 'Taruk' or the great 'Leonopteryx'. When Jake tamed this creature it was a sign from their deity, 'Eywa'. When Jake rode that big bastard in, all was forgiven. No. It's not that deep as far as the storyline goes, but it's classic entertainment. Kind of like 'Matchstick Men'. Just giving you hell 'Jack Aubrey'! And I was so nice to you in the Robin Hood thread! I didn't even bust your chops over the fact that I'd already started a thread about it a couple of months ago! Keep it up and you're going to make me seriously re-think my being such a nice guy all the time!

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (Astromancer @ May 8 2010, 05:30 PM)

Wow, really? f**k this movie. Very, very disappointed in Cameron. I've seen every Cameron film except Titanic, and this was just a flashy dud. Weak dialog, WEAKER story, weak "allegory", weak space marines. Watch Aliens, okay? The space marines in that movie would have had Navi hanging upside down, skinned, from goddamned soul trees. PS: How the f**k did the Smurf's arrows pierce the windows of the gunships? How did that one pilot bitch go "I didn't sign up for this", and fly away without being shot down or court marshaled? How did the protagonist ass block the Kernel dickhead's mechsuit at the end of the movie without being turned into a big blue stain(I know they have carbon fiber level of strength bones, it wouldn't have helped that much)? How did the floating mountains float? Where were the exit wounds(i don't care about the rating)? Why are so many people Avatards?

You sound like you're not getting enough fiber.

 

[Astromancer]

And yet no one could answer any of the questions at the bottom of my post.

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Astromancer @ May 8 2010, 09:40 PM)

And yet no one could answer any of the questions at the bottom of my post.

it was a really fun popcorn movie, an all-immersing experience. i loved it, especially in 3-D - one of the best times i've had at the movies in quite awhile. none of that stuff really mattered to me.

[Cowtothesky]

[Slaine mac Roth]

QUOTE (Astromancer @ May 8 2010, 10:30 PM)

PS: How the f**k did the Smurf's arrows pierce the windows of the gunships? How did that one pilot bitch go "I didn't sign up for this", and fly away without being shot down or court marshaled? How did the protagonist ass block the Kernel dickhead's mechsuit at the end of the movie without being turned into a big blue stain(I know they have carbon fiber level of strength bones, it wouldn't have helped that much)? How did the floating mountains float? Where were the exit wounds(i don't care about the rating)? Why are so many people Avatards?

Haven't you ever heard the phrase suspension of disbelief?

[Mandalorian Hunter]

QUOTE (Slaine mac Roth @ May 9 2010, 09:02 AM)

QUOTE (Astromancer @ May 8 2010, 10:30 PM) PS: How the f**k did the Smurf's arrows pierce the windows of the gunships? How did that one pilot bitch go "I didn't sign up for this", and fly away without being shot down or court marshaled? How did the protagonist ass block the Kernel dickhead's mechsuit at the end of the movie without being turned into a big blue stain(I know they have carbon fiber level of strength bones, it wouldn't have helped that much)? How did the floating mountains float? Where were the exit wounds(i don't care about the rating)? Why are so many people Avatards? Haven't you ever heard the phrase suspension of disbelief? I bet he's one of those that goes around ruining Star Wars for everyone by stating you can't hear all that laser stuff in space.

[Mandalorian Hunter]

QUOTE (Astromancer @ May 9 2010, 04:40 AM)

And yet no one could answer any of the questions at the bottom of my post.

The important thing to remember about the sci-fi genre is the second part; FICTION. To help enhance that; IT DOESN'T HAVE TO MAKE SENSE.

 

But seriously, are you Stephen Lang or the character he portrays?

[JohnnyBlaze]

QUOTE (Slaine mac Roth @ May 9 2010, 06:02 PM)

QUOTE (Astromancer @ May 8 2010, 10:30 PM) PS: How the f**k did the Smurf's arrows pierce the windows of the gunships? How did that one pilot bitch go "I didn't sign up for this", and fly away without being shot down or court marshaled? How did the protagonist ass block the Kernel dickhead's mechsuit at the end of the movie without being turned into a big blue stain(I know they have carbon fiber level of strength bones, it wouldn't have helped that much)? How did the floating mountains float? Where were the exit wounds(i don't care about the rating)? Why are so many people Avatards? Haven't you ever heard the phrase suspension of disbelief? I guess when Hollywood throws enough bubble gum and lollipops in a film a lot of people don't care about actual content. I don't know...I'm kind of in the middle. It's neither praise-worthy nor butcher-worthy. But at the very very least, there's no denying the visual beauty of it all. And to me, that alone makes it better than any of the Pirates of the Caribbean films or anything by Tim Burton

[Mandalorian Hunter]

QUOTE (JohnnyBlaze @ May 9 2010, 11:12 AM)

I guess when Hollywood throws enough bubble gum and lollipops in a film a lot of people don't care about actual content.

On the flip side, if it is meant to be a form of entertainment and is based entirely in fiction, should things be scrutinised to the tiniest detail? Ok, it's a floating mountain and we're never told why, but would explaining that enhance the story? No, probably not. The woman doesn't get court-marshalled or reprimanded, but would including that add to the story? Absolutely not. For a film that has one eye on kids, should exit wounds be shown? Probably not.

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ May 8 2010, 10:42 PM)

QUOTE (Astromancer @ May 8 2010, 09:40 PM) And yet no one could answer any of the questions at the bottom of my post. it was a really fun popcorn movie, an all-immersing experience. i loved it, especially in 3-D - one of the best times i've had at the movies in quite awhile. none of that stuff really mattered to me. I think I misspoke here. I found it to be more than just a fun popcorn movie. I found it moving and powerful too, but still none of that stuff bothered me.   Actually, the whole fight scene at the end I thought went on way too long and was a little too Hollywood, but for me it was easily forgiven in the larger scope of a great movie.

[Xanadoood]

I cant believe this movie is still being discussed.

 

Amazing what 3-d will do to boost the popularity of a film.

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Xanadoood @ May 9 2010, 07:29 AM)

I cant believe this movie is still being discussed. Amazing what 3-d will do to boost the popularity of a film.

It's more that that. The movie made almost $750 million domestically, and almost 2 billion dollars for the rest of the world - that's over 2.7 billion dollars worldwide. Those numbers are absolutely insane, and obviously a LOT of people saw the movie multiple times.

 

I'm not saying high sales numbers mean everything, as obviously they don't, but obviously a LOT of people (myself included) thought this was a great movie.