Avatar....

[armageddon08]

How did you guys like Avatar? I felt like something was kinda missing from the movie. It just didn't feel that satisfying. May be because I was expecting more.

Share your thoughts. :)

[thomashw]

I've heard great things, but I haven't seen it yet. I really want to see it in IMAX 3D.

[armageddon08]

I've heard great things, but I haven't seen it yet. I really want to see it in IMAX 3D.

I haven't watched the 3D version. I'm planning to go IMAX 3D tomorrow.

[thomashw]

I heard the effects are so great the lack of a "good" story doesn't really matter. :p

[pastalavista]

I haven't watched the 3D version. I'm planning to go IMAX 3D tomorrow.

that's what was missing. it's a whole new kind of movie.

Definitely more involved and a lot more to get distracted by in 3D. But better than any 3D I've ever seen before with the glasses. I don't think it would be nearly as awesome on a small screen in 2D. The story was an old one but the acting and directing were excellent, so it would probably be good anyway.

[kahumba]

The story is (too) predictable, I guessed from the start that the guy was going to get too involved with them and finally fight on their side.

[samjh]

The story is (too) predictable, I guessed from the start that the guy was going to get too involved with them and finally fight on their side.

+1.

I have one complaint about Hollywood movies of this sort: they're freaking arrogant. Another example is The Last Samurai.

1. The Hollywood "hero" gets into a foreign or alien environment about which he or she has limited knowledge or experience. (ie. Jake in Avatar, Captain Algren in The Last Samurai)

2. The Hollywood "hero" successfully integrated him/herself into that foreign or alien society in incredibly short space of time.

3. The Hollywood "hero" rises up the ranks of that society almost instantly becomes a legendary figure.

Sometimes, I wish Hollywood movie-makers would swallow the ego pill and actually create a more realistic storyline. As liberal as Hollywood is, some of their subconscious attitudes are just too imperialistic for my liking.

[suman_kol]

have not seen it yet.

[Ji Ruo]

It's extremely corny, as you might expect from James Cameron. You would have a difficult time counting all of the metaphors he has quite explicitly incorporated into the storyline - there's just too many. Despite this the movie does manage to move you and technically it's just extraordinary. I saw it last Wednesday, and I will probably go and see it again in 3D soon.

The one word summary: epic.

[Clopin]

I heard the effects are so great the lack of a "good" story doesn't really matter. :p

Exactly. And so it was. So beautiful.

[Zoot7]

I thought it was excellent, it's one of the better films I've seen in quite some time now.
I saw it in 2D mind you, we were too late for the 3D showing.

[oedipuss]

It felt kind of generic ... Ok the visuals were well done, but still, kind of uninspired. And the plot was so derivative, predictable and simple. it might as well be randomly generated. Or written by a twelve year old :P

[Ji Ruo]

And the plot was so derivative, predictable and simple. it might as well be randomly generated. Or written by a twelve year old :P

Calling the mineral 'unobtanium' was the lowlight for me I think...

[armageddon08]

I agree, the effects were awesome and I fell in love with the beautiful world Cameron's created. But, yes the story was kinda lacking. Its one of the best experiences I've had anyway.

[alphaniner]

Calling the mineral 'unobtanium' was the lowlight for me I think...

Is that really what they called it? That term was used in the movie 'The Core'.

[oedipuss]

Didn't anyone else half-expect the whole cast to burst into song ? "Colors of the wind" or something like that ..

Hmm I think I'd like it more if they did, lol

[LeifAndersen]

I can only see out of one eye, thus I can't see 3d movies, it's rather depressing.

[pookiebear]

I can only see out of one eye, thus I can't see 3d movies, it's rather depressing.

Saw the 3d version. you didn't miss anything. decent movie better than a lot I have seen lately. but mind you I don't really listen to the dialogue, I just like the fighting.

[Sugz]

I saw it in 2D, going to see it in 3D sometime soon.
But im laughing at how people are saying the story is predictable, when the story in many many films is predictable.

To be honest, I'm amazed people didnt complain that Titanic (Another of James Camerons Films) has a predictable storyline.
The ship crashes into a iceburg.. urgh too predictable for a film called... Titanic.

So I consider the predictability of a films storyline tertiary next to how the story is presented. If its unexciting, then chances are, its an abysmal film, however if the movie portrays the story in a captivating and Interesting manor (Like Avatar) then Its going to be a relatively Good film.

And Avatar is no exception, it was supurb!
The predictability of a films storyline, is therefore an inaccurate and irrelevant reason for disliking a film in my opinion.

[ukripper]

Seen yesterday in Vue cinema, 3D one. Here is my ratings:

Visuals - Amazing 10/10

Sound/Music - well done 8/10

Story - Lame 1/10

Plot - Full of ambiguities 1/10

Examples:
1. If they have such advance weaponry and technology including DNA abomination but why on earth the guy still on 20th century wheel chair and struggling, shouldn't he get limbs borrowed of the terminator.

2. They need World war II bombs to blast a tree..hmmm...What happened to nuclear age in the future?

3. Do they actually need soldiers to be present physically in the war zone...What happened to robotics in the future?

and many more......

sorry this film could have been the best ever, only if the writer was bothered to concentrate on the plot and character building.

My overall ratings - 6/10 just on mere visually stunning experience.

[m4tic]

i like district 9 more than avatar.

[samigina]

I think that the visual effects extreme development is the worst thing can ever happen to the cinema. Before the computer graphics and all this 3d fever, the filmmakers has to be creative, find artistic and unique ways to tell us a history; and without show us ALL the thing they left us to imagine.

[doorknob60]

I thought it was pretty good. The effects and stuff were great. I saw the 3D (not in IMAX) and really not a huge difference to what the 2D would be, but still worth the extra few bucks. I'll consider buying it on DVD/Bluray, but it just won't be as enjoyable on a TV so maybe not...I recommend seeing it though.

[Changturkey]

Seen yesterday in Vue cinema, 3D one. Here is my ratings:

Visuals - Amazing 10/10

Sound/Music - well done 8/10

Story - Lame 1/10

Plot - Full of ambiguities 1/10

Examples:
1. If they have such advance weaponry and technology including DNA abomination but why on earth the guy still on 20th century wheel chair and struggling, shouldn't he get limbs borrowed of the terminator.

2. They need World war II bombs to blast a tree..hmmm...What happened to nuclear age in the future?

3. Do they actually need soldiers to be present physically in the war zone...What happened to robotics in the future?

and many more......

sorry this film could have been the best ever, only if the writer was bothered to concentrate on the plot and character building.

My overall ratings - 6/10 just on mere visually stunning experience.

1. In the movie, it is stated that Jake does not have enough money to get replacements. Guess they don't have free health care in the future.

2. It's not the tree, it's the minerals under it, "inobtanium" or whatever. Do you really want to nuke everything, including what you're trying to mine for?

3. Does it really matter? They had powered suits, and it's not like there's a set standard that in 200 years, humanity will be some super high tech civilization with robots everywhere.

Yeah the story was quite predictable and somewhat cliche, but that's not the point.

[ticopelp]

Is that really what they called it? That term was used in the movie 'The Core'.

It's become a common term in sci-fi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unobtainium) for some substance that's important to the plot but makes little scientific sense.

There are no new stories, all that matters is whether or not the story is told well. Avatar is clearly more about the spectacle than anything.

Also, I love that one of the criticisms is that you don't have robots fighting all the battles while the main characters sit hundreds of miles away pushing buttons. Yeah, I'm sure you'd find that much more thrilling.

[Shibblet]

There are no new stories, all that matters is whether or not the story is told well.

You're just insanely quotable.

I REALLY liked it a lot. I was blown away by the graphics, I thought the story was a sci-fi variation on "Dances with Wolves" and "The Last Samurai".

However, I had an argument with my friends the other day about Avatar, and most new sci-fi or fantasy movies that come out today.

Do you remember when you were a kid, and you saw that movie that just stuck with you? Whether it was Star Wars, Ben Hur, Gone With The Wind (if you're that old to have seen that when you were a kid.) Even cartoons like Sleeping Beauty or Snow White?

We all loved those movies when we were kids, whatever movie it may be. We had a sense of awe and wonder at that age, and now that we're all "growed-up", we've lost our sense of imagination. I try to put myself into that kid-like mind state when I go to a movie.

Here's a movie with a very simple story. "Robot comes down from space and befriends a human to save him from other robots." Simple, right?

I watched my son, who was 9 years old when Transformers came out. He was enthralled, and that's the best word for it. To him, that movie was absolutely AMAZING. And why? I liked it, a lot. But I clearly didn't like it as much as he did. I also didn't go home, call myself Optimus Prime, and run outside and pretend to turn into a truck with my friends either. I digress...

It's his sense of imagination, and we lose that when we get older. We want our movies to be more realistic, down to earth, and believable. I think it doesn't have to be.

[gjoellee]

i like district 9 more than avatar.

District 9 is a good movie!

[ticopelp]

You're just insanely quotable.

Ha! thanks.


I REALLY liked it a lot. I was blown away by the graphics, I thought the story was a sci-fi variation on "Dances with Wolves" and "The Last Samurai".

That's the kind of film that Cameron tends to make. As someone else pointed out, Titanic was very cliched (Romeo + Juliet / star-crossed lovers / class warfare). Aliens is a Vietnam parable in space. Terminator 2 is a straight-up killer robot story, done hundreds of times throughout sci-fi. Originality isn't the strong suit of these films -- it's craftsmanship, pacing, and immersion, all of which Cameron does very well.

Even Star Wars is well-known for being very similar to Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress, and its story (a princess rescue) is, if you break it down, pretty trite. It's the execution that makes it memorable.


We all loved those movies when we were kids, whatever movie it may be. We had a sense of awe and wonder at that age, and now that we're all "growed-up", we've lost our sense of imagination. I try to put myself into that kid-like mind state when I go to a movie.

It's his sense of imagination, and we lose that when we get older. We want our movies to be more realistic, down to earth, and believable. I think it doesn't have to be.

I agree. In part, I think that it's due to a shift in our culture where things previously considered to be "kid's stuff" are now marketed to the 13-35 demographic. I don't think it's necessarily bad to nitpick media (I do it all the time), but I do think it's important to manage one's expectations.

Avatar is a gee-whiz tentpole movie. It's not thoughtful sci-fi, nor should it be mistaken for such. I'm not advocating "turning off your brain" (I hate that phrase personally), but I do think it's important not to expect too much of a movie like Avatar, which is aimed primarily at thirteen year olds. Yes, the story is simplistic and familiar, but that doesn't have to be a detriment.

I know that a lot of people don't care for the state of genre films and visual effects, but I think it's fantastic. Technology has removed the limitations of physical reality from filmmaking, and filmmakers can now, for the most part, render anything they can imagine to the screen. I think that "leaving things to the imagination" is useful within a narrow range of storytelling; horror for example, or drama. But sci-fi thrillers? Put it all up on the screen where I can see it -- the bigger the better as far as I'm concerned.

[LowSky]

I'm in the middle of writting my own sci-fi novel. It borrows heavily from mythology, current religion, every sci-fi I've ever read or watched. Maybe a mix of some shows that were just good incorporated into a Sci-Fi environment -- I've been thinking ths for years, but if you mixed the TV show Cheers with the Tatooine Catina from Star Wars, it would be a nerds delight.

I can't believe no one has brought this up but Avatar has a good deal in common with Dune.. Lets see: special mineral, deadly environment, local population that doesn't accept off-worlders, and the main character befriending them and helping take their planet back.

[Shibblet]

I can't believe no one has brought this up but Avatar has a good deal in common with Dune.. Lets see: special mineral, deadly environment, local population that doesn't accept off-worlders, and the main character befriending them and helping take their planet back.

Ticopelp is right, there really are no new stories. I'm adding to that statement and saying, "Especially in Cinema." You want a good story with a lot of detail and plot devices... read a book.

Realistically, once the first Fantasy or Sci-Fi story was written, everything thereafter is just an alteration in the same genre.

I don't know if Jules Verne was the first Sci-Fi writer... probably not. But anything we watch or read today, that has to do with Science Fiction, Jules Verne came up with before. Does that mean the story is "ripped-off" ? No. It just means we have a basis to follow that works.

I've talked to friends about the "Lord of the Rings" books. And a lot of them don't like the books at all. Their reasons were "The plot was too predictable." The plot? Too predictable? Really? I guess in 2009 it is, maybe even in 1980... In 1954 - 1960 from publishing year to it's most popular years, it wasn't. As a matter of fact, no story like that was told. But if it wasn't for Tolkien's books, we wouldn't have near as many derivations today.

[ticopelp]

I've talked to friends about the "Lord of the Rings" books. And a lot of them don't like the books at all. Their reasons were "The plot was too predictable." The plot? Too predictable? Really? I guess in 2009 it is, maybe even in 1980... In 1954 - 1960 from publishing year to it's most popular years, it wasn't. As a matter of fact, no story like that was told. But if it wasn't for Tolkien's books, we wouldn't have near as many derivations today.

Ironically, I think it's precisely because Tolkien pulled so many elements from enduring and familiar mythology that his books carry so much resonance.

[HappinessNow]

How did you guys like Avatar? I felt like something was kinda missing from the movie. It just didn't feel that satisfying. May be because I was expecting more.

Share your thoughts. :)


Seen yesterday in Vue cinema, 3D one.

Story - Lame 1/10

Plot - Full of ambiguities 1/10

Examples:
1. If they have such advance weaponry and technology including DNA abomination but why on earth the guy still on 20th century wheel chair and struggling, shouldn't he get limbs borrowed of the terminator.

2. They need World war II bombs to blast a tree..hmmm...What happened to nuclear age in the future?

3. Do they actually need soldiers to be present physically in the war zone...What happened to robotics in the future?

and many more......

sorry this film could have been the best ever, only if the writer was bothered to concentrate on the plot and character building.

My overall ratings - 6/10 just on mere visually stunning experience.

I found this (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1261364552525&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/Printer) to be the most interesting write up on Avatar.


Even before the buzz began building for James Cameron's sci fi blockbuster Avatar, today's "millennial generation," the film's biggest fans, knew what the word meant. Few knew the classical definition of "avatar" as "the incarnation of a Hindu diety"...http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1261364552525&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/Printer

[NightwishFan]

Sorry to bump this thread, but it is better than starting a new one. I recently made a blog, more of a web journal and its starting post concerns my thoughts about the movie Avatar. I plan to add some open source related stuff next, starting with a review of the Gnome Shell. If you wish to read please enjoy, and feel free to post comments. Just use manners because I like to promote discussion not arguments
http://vbrummond.blogspot.com/

Link is in my sig as well.