Avatar

[bull]

Wow! Have any of you guys seen this movie yet? Good story and good acting but the special effects are downright incredible. I might have to see it again but in 3D.

[b5blue]

  I was thinking the same, I was pissed the theater ad online said 3d then you get there and sign says sorry no 3d! Wild movie 

[defiance]

The 3d is exceptional.  Seriously.  I'm a big fan of 3d - I have a dual-projector infitec setup at home I watch movies and game in 3d with - and I've seen a lot of 3d movies.  I have to say this is without a doubt the best usage of 3d I've ever seen.  Yes, it had great visuals.  Yes, the rendered jungle scenes and effects were amazing.  Yes, they come across wonderfully in 3d.  But even that isn't what I was talking about.  I'm talking about it being used as an *immersive* technology rather than an impressive one.  Normally, 3d movies have things popping out at you and moving all around and highlighting the fact that, LOOK, I'M IN 3D!!! WOOO!  I admit there were a couple of things at the start of the movie that were like that.  But when the movie starts moving, the 3d WOW effects go away and every 3d effect is meant to immerse you in the story and environment.  A couple examples --
- When the guys get out of the ship the first time they go into the jungle- there are bugs flying around.  The bugs are blurred, almost invisible, but rendered with distinct depth.  So your brain picks up on them and basically filters them out as actual bugs flying around, so you get the feeling of actually being in the jungle with them.
- I won't spoil plot, but let's say there's a scene with some ashes in the air and the main guy walking.  Again, the ashes are blurred, but with depth - so your attention is drawn to the focus of the screen while these background effects give you the subconscious perception of depth.

It just WORKS.  You don't feel like you're watching a 3d movie in the traditional sense - you aren't really constantly reminded that it's in 3d - you just feel more immersed.  

oh - and the story is much better than I expected.  If it had mediocre effects and normal visuals it would still be a really decent rental.  I expected a polished turd that looks really pretty.  But no, it's actually an ok story with only a few rolleye cheeseball moments.

[BB1]

You should have seen it in digital 3D, HOLY CRAP 
Las Vegas NV has one.

[miller]

The 3d is exceptional.  Seriously.  I'm a big fan of 3d - I have a dual-projector infitec setup at home I watch movies and game in 3d with - and I've seen a lot of 3d movies.  I have to say this is without a doubt the best usage of 3d I've ever seen.  Yes, it had great visuals.  Yes, the rendered jungle scenes and effects were amazing.  Yes, they come across wonderfully in 3d.  But even that isn't what I was talking about.  I'm talking about it being used as an *immersive* technology rather than an impressive one.  Normally, 3d movies have things popping out at you and moving all around and highlighting the fact that, LOOK, I'M IN 3D!!! WOOO!  I admit there were a couple of things at the start of the movie that were like that.  But when the movie starts moving, the 3d WOW effects go away and every 3d effect is meant to immerse you in the story and environment.  A couple examples --
- When the guys get out of the ship the first time they go into the jungle- there are bugs flying around.  The bugs are blurred, almost invisible, but rendered with distinct depth.  So your brain picks up on them and basically filters them out as actual bugs flying around, so you get the feeling of actually being in the jungle with them.
- I won't spoil plot, but let's say there's a scene with some ashes in the air and the main guy walking.  Again, the ashes are blurred, but with depth - so your attention is drawn to the focus of the screen while these background effects give you the subconscious perception of depth.

It just WORKS.  You don't feel like you're watching a 3d movie in the traditional sense - you aren't really constantly reminded that it's in 3d - you just feel more immersed. 

oh - and the story is much better than I expected.  If it had mediocre effects and normal visuals it would still be a really decent rental.  I expected a polished turd that looks really pretty.  But no, it's actually an ok story with only a few rolleye cheeseball moments.

I agree with you 100%, rather than  have spikes and arrows shooting at your face, they used the 3D to give depth on the screen, like in the space shuttle when they were taking the soldiers out of hibernation (its right at the start) and everything had its own depth to make you actually feel there.

Here's a topic, do you feel they had to make the aliens look human in order for us relate to them? I say this because aliens most likely would have no resemblance to us, but for us to see them on the same level as humans, they have to be built in our image. Just a question for you all.

[Ponch ®]

i usually get movie tickets / theater gift cards for Christmas from the secretaries at work, so I've been waiting for them so I can go check this out. 

[Mike DC]

I've heard that the movie is basically "Dances with Wolves" in space, but the execution of it is very good and the 3D is incredible. 

 

[bull]

I've heard that the movie is basically "Dances with Wolves" in space, but the execution of it is very good and the 3D is incredible.  

It is. It's basically a sci-fi metaphor for what happened between the US govt. and the Indians. Which has happened in many other countries too.

Here's a topic, do you feel they had to make the aliens look human in order for us relate to them? I say this because aliens most likely would have no resemblance to us, but for us to see them on the same level as humans, they have to be built in our image. Just a question for you all.

I don't know if they HAD to but this is one of the first times I can think of where the aliens were so individualized. Usually they all look the same but here they took on some very specific facial features that matched their human features. How obvious was it that you were seeing the Sigourney Weaver character when she was her alien's avatar? Same with the lead character. I don't think they did it out of a sense of obligation; I think they did it because they finally can.

[TheGhost]

Scene it on Sunday.  I was amazed by the graphics!  Easily the best looking movie I've seen in a long time.  Gonna go with some friends later this week to see it in 3D, can hardly wait!

[bull]

Scene it on Sunday.  I was amazed by the graphics!  Easily the best looking movie I've seen in a long time.  Gonna go with some friends later this week to see it in 3D, can hardly wait!

I think that's the main reason they're making so much money on that flick. People are amazed how it looks in regular theaters so they have to up the ante.

[BBKNARF]

The wife wanted to see it so I went along I thought it was great. 

[Dans 68]

My 9-year old daughter had a sleepover at a friends house, so the wife and I saw it last night, in digital 3d. Wow. I do believe they will make their money back and then some. I probably will see it again (it was that spectacular). Again, wow....

Dan

[TeeWJay426]

Did not see the 3D version, but I LOVED the movie anyway.... didn't really know what to expect when I went, and was very pleasantly surprised. There are also a lot of parallels to District 9, if you have seen that one.

[b5blue]

In a way yea, it's been a good year for illegal aliens getting sympathy as the under-dog. I really wish I had seen it in 3D so I would suggest to anyone going to not settle for anything else. (where I went they advertised 3D online, but didn't have 3D showing)

[bull]

I don't really see the parallel to sympathy for illegal aliens in Avatar since the humans are the illegal aliens. If anything I see it as a commentary against illegal aliens coming in to a foreign land and abuse the available resources. But this raises an interesting point regarding whites being the illegal aliens back in the late 1700s and early 1800s and taking from the natives.

[68charger383]

Saw it in 3D today, all I can say is wow. I want to up it now and see it in IMAX. It's that good.

I'd say it is a movie you have to see in the movie theater .....I don't know if the DVD will have the same effect at home.

[Nacho-RT74]

I've heard that the movie is basically "Dances with Wolves" in space, but the execution of it is very good and the 3D is incredible.  

 

yes kinda off

Is a nice movie. I hardly get impressed about speciall effects, because I pay more attantion to the story, and on histories like that I put my votes for some more human story.

but still a Nice movie. I like the Human being illegals aliens argument.
Not thinking on see it on 3D though

[Nacho-RT74]

It is. It's basically a sci-fi metaphor for what happened between the US govt. and the Indians. Which has happened in many other countries too.

but this time Indians winning the battle.

Something more like Vietnam maybe ?

[defiance]

Saw it in 3D today, all I can say is wow. I want to up it now and see it in IMAX. It's that good.

I'd say it is a movie you have to see in the movie theater .....I don't know if the DVD will have the same effect at home.

I've heard rumors that it will be produced in the newly approved frame sequential bluray 3d format - if it's done right, and if you have the equipment to produce it properly, it will have the same effect

[TheGhost]

Saw it again, in 3D this time, on New Years eve.

Damn.  Amazing.  It really is.  This is the first movie I've actually seen more than once in a theatre, and if there was an Imax playing it around here, I'd go see it a third time.

[bull]

I saw it a second time in 3D also but I'm not going to bump it up again to IMAX. The one time I went to an IMAX movie was for some dolphin documentary and I almost puked. IMAX = too much.

[BB1]

Saw it again last night; I knew the story line so I look at more of the details in the overall movie.

WOW

[Ponch ®]

Finally saw it today. The 3d effects..amazing - this really could be the movie that changes how movies are made. As for the story...yep, Dances with Wolves / Pocahontas in space with lots of shit blown up. It's the same old "white guy befriends the poor helpless natives, then only with his leadership do they figure out how to beat the bad guys" story.

[greenpigs]

Are there any boobs?

[rav440]

Are there any boobs?

[Ponch ®]

Are there any boobs?

yeah...but theyre blue.

[BB1]

Considering the size of the humanoids, they're freak'en enormous. 

[Mike DC]

 
On the radio today somebody said that on the DVD/Blu-Ray releases of Avatar, there will be a cut sex scene in the extras (presumably the aliens). 

I'm serious. 

 

[Old Moparz]

Went to see it last night with my wife & daughter, we saw the 3D version. It was good, but the story was predictable & comparible to the other movies mentioned. The 3D was much better than I expected, not like some of the crap that was done years ago.

[Ponch ®]

The 3D was much better than I expected, not like some of the crap that was done years ago.

that's high praise considering you remember when talkies were the novelty. 

[SeattleCharger]

 

[Old Moparz]

The 3D was much better than I expected, not like some of the crap that was done years ago.

that's high praise considering you remember when talkies were the novelty. 

You get some of that L.A. sunburn on the top of your head & bake that brain of yours?   

[CB]

I saw it last weekend and I didn't fall asleep 
CB

[bull]

Are there any boobs?

yeah...but theyre blue.

Blue, green, white, black. Whatever.

[miller]

Well the pope doesnt like it...
http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/vatican-says-avatar-no-masterpiece-ap

And neither does racial groups...
http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2010/01/avatar_racist_hit_movies_racia.html


I guess you can't win them all.

[Mike DC]

 
Some people said Jar-Jar Binks was a racial stereotype too.  Other people say Harry Potter promoted paganism.  Some have even complained that Bert & Ernie are a gay couple.

[Johnny SixPack]

Haven't seen it yet, but this article was nuts:

Audiences experience 'Avatar' blues

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/avatar.movie.blues/index.html

(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. The topic became so popular last month that forum administrator Philippe Baghdassarian had to create a second thread so people could continue to post their confused feelings about the movie.

"I wasn't depressed myself. In fact the movie made me happy ," Baghdassarian said. "But I can understand why it made people depressed. The movie was so beautiful and it showed something we don't have here on Earth. I think people saw we could be living in a completely different world and that caused them to be depressed."

A post by a user called Elequin expresses an almost obsessive relationship with the film.

"That's all I have been doing as of late, searching the Internet for more info about 'Avatar.' I guess that helps. It's so hard I can't force myself to think that it's just a movie, and to get over it, that living like the Na'vi will never happen. I think I need a rebound movie," Elequin posted.

more @ the linked article.

I can't say I've ever watched a movie that made me contemplate suicide. 

Guess my life makes me pretty happy.

The Chargers in the garage don't hurt. 


Johnny

[Ponch ®]

Haven't seen it yet, but this article was nuts:

Audiences experience 'Avatar' blues

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/avatar.movie.blues/index.html

(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. The topic became so popular last month that forum administrator Philippe Baghdassarian had to create a second thread so people could continue to post their confused feelings about the movie.

"I wasn't depressed myself. In fact the movie made me happy ," Baghdassarian said. "But I can understand why it made people depressed. The movie was so beautiful and it showed something we don't have here on Earth. I think people saw we could be living in a completely different world and that caused them to be depressed."

A post by a user called Elequin expresses an almost obsessive relationship with the film.

"That's all I have been doing as of late, searching the Internet for more info about 'Avatar.' I guess that helps. It's so hard I can't force myself to think that it's just a movie, and to get over it, that living like the Na'vi will never happen. I think I need a rebound movie," Elequin posted.

more @ the linked article.

I can't say I've ever watched a movie that made me contemplate suicide. 

Guess my life makes me pretty happy.

The Chargers in the garage don't hurt. 


Johnny

i felt like that after Mean Girls

[Johnny SixPack]

i felt like that after Mean Girls

Now I'm REALLY happy I missed it. 

[SeattleCharger]

  I was so depressed after I saw it,  I went out and started hugging trees until I felt better.   

      wth?  is that for real?  please, they could say that about 100 or 1000 other movies,

           the fact that there is a dumb blog like that, and all the idiots writing on it, that's depressing

[Khyron]

wow.... just wow.....

i'll never understand that..... it's a feaking movie people!

ohh no, I just watched Battlestar galactica and thought that they treated the Aliens so mean! I went in the kitchen and made love to my toaster! soooo, what sav should I use on these burns?

freaking morons.

[SeattleCharger]

wow.... just wow.....

i'll never understand that..... it's a feaking movie people!

ohh no, I just watched Battlestar galactica and thought that they treated the Aliens so mean! I went in the kitchen and made love to my toaster! soooo, what sav should I use on these burns?

freaking morons.

           butter?

[bull]

I get the feeling that blog contains many posts made by 40-year-old virgins who still live with mom.

[Arthu®]

Now if they all would stop talking about it and actually do it the world would be a better place.

I'm going to see the movie Sunday in 3d. Personally not a very big fan of the fantasy genre, but I am kind of forced by someone that I can't say no to.

Arthur

[bull]

Now if they all would stop talking about it and actually do it the world would be a better place.

I'm going to see the movie Sunday in 3d. Personally not a very big fan of the fantasy genre, but I am kind of forced by someone that I can't say no to.

Arthur

I don't think the message in this film has anything new to say regarding race relations so don't hold your breath. The story is not the film's strong point, mainly because its characterizations are over-simplified (the Na'vi are too perfect and the the military/corporate thugs are too flawed). It basically seems like it's aimed at children. It's decent story-telling but it's oversimplistic and trite and the subject matter is based on politically correct mumbo jumbo. People are not flocking to it to hear the message; they're going to see the special effects.

[Johnny SixPack]

Now if they all would stop talking about it and actually do it the world would be a better place.

I'm going to see the movie Sunday in 3d. Personally not a very big fan of the fantasy genre, but I am kind of forced by someone that I can't say no to.

Arthur

I don't think the message in this film has anything new to say regarding race relations so don't hold your breath. The story is not the film's strong point, mainly because its characterizations are over-simplified (the Na'vi are too perfect and the the military/corporate thugs are too flawed). It basically seems like it's aimed at children. It's decent story-telling but it's oversimplistic and trite and the subject matter is based on politically correct mumbo jumbo. People are not flocking to it to hear the message; they're going to see the special effects.

IMO movies and T.V. are total propaganda machines.

And, as I see it, they are quite often aimed at kids.

Adolph Hitler said, "He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future."

He also said: "All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach."

He was a narcissistic, ego-maniacal monster (I don't care what Oliver Stone thinks) who managed to whip an entire country into a destructive/nationalist/genocidal fervor, and he did it with propaganda.

So when it comes to propaganda and controlling the minds of the masses, I think he knew what he was talking about.

[bull]

He was a narcissistic, ego-maniacal monster (I don't care what Oliver Stone thinks) who managed to whip an entire country into a destructive/nationalist/genocidal fervor, and he did it with propaganda.

What does Oliver Stone think?

[Ranger Max]

.

[Mike DC]

 
I like the "unobtanium" name. 


Cameron is personally a pretty gear-headed guy.  He put that word in there knowing exactly how engineers have already been using it for years. 

And maybe he was implying that it was an unofficial slang-term for the metal even in that future world.


 

[SeattleCharger]

 

[Johnny SixPack]

He was a narcissistic, ego-maniacal monster (I don't care what Oliver Stone thinks) who managed to whip an entire country into a destructive/nationalist/genocidal fervor, and he did it with propaganda.

What does Oliver Stone think?

"Hitler is an easy scapegoat throughout history and its been used cheaply. He's the product of a series of actions. It's cause and effect ... People in America don't know the connection between WWI and WWII ... I've been able to walk in Stalin's shoes and Hitler's shoes to understand their point of view. We're going to educate our minds and liberalize them and broaden them. We want to move beyond opinions..."

http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/01/oliver-stone-history-america.html

[Arthu®]

He was a narcissistic, ego-maniacal monster (I don't care what Oliver Stone thinks) who managed to whip an entire country into a destructive/nationalist/genocidal fervor, and he did it with propaganda.

What does Oliver Stone think?

"Hitler is an easy scapegoat throughout history and its been used cheaply. He's the product of a series of actions. It's cause and effect ... People in America don't know the connection between WWI and WWII ... I've been able to walk in Stalin's shoes and Hitler's shoes to understand their point of view. We're going to educate our minds and liberalize them and broaden them. We want to move beyond opinions..."

http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/01/oliver-stone-history-america.html

I don't know how on earth this ended up being about Hitler, but I don't think that that Oliver Stone is trying to say he was not a narcissistic, ego-maniacal monster that knew how to use propaganda in the right way. He is merely pointing out that society created a spot for Hitler to stand up and take power and if it wouldn't have been Hitler it could have easily been some other guy. There are a lot of evil and sick people in this world, put them in an angry society and they will flourish.

And thanks for the heads up Bull I guess I'll just watch it for the special effects if I'm not impressed with the movie I can always focus on the date .

Arthur

[Mike DC]

  
I think maybe Oliver Stone was just pointing out that we tend to oversimplify the situation.  


Hitler was indeed evil.  But evil people are neither preventable, nor are they even very uncommon.  What made Hitler's evil so far-reaching was the circumstances.  He was given circumstances that allowed him to become popular and take power. 

The supply of evil people is unlimited.  The circumstances are all that we have control over.  So we must not forget how those circumstances were created in the 1930s.  

     

[JoeyGowdy]

Watched it before it was released... wasn't too impressed.

It felt like another Aliens II remake... rated it 3/5 stars.

http://movie25.com/avatar-2009_6605.html

http://www.watch-movies-online.tv/movies/avatar

[SeattleCharger]

Watched it before it was released... wasn't too impressed.

It felt like another Aliens II remake... rated it 3/5 stars.

http://movie25.com/avatar-2009_6605.html

http://www.watch-movies-online.tv/movies/avatar

is that free to download those?  can you burn them on dvrw?  virus free?  that is pretty cool, thanks, Nate

[Arthu®]

Watched it before it was released... wasn't too impressed.

It felt like another Aliens II remake... rated it 3/5 stars.

http://movie25.com/avatar-2009_6605.html

http://www.watch-movies-online.tv/movies/avatar

is that free to download those?  can you burn them on dvrw?  virus free?  that is pretty cool, thanks, Nate

Hey Nate,

First of all you are not paying for something that is obviously a commercial product that is still only to be seen in the cinema's and is not to be distributed within the US in this manner. Besides the fact that I do not trust these sites I think that Troy is not going to be very happy that there are direct links to content that is illegal in any country that has some sort of property law. I would suggest seeing it in the theaters and otherwise wait until it comes out on DVD. Now for released DVDs there are some other methods of obtaining those that are not less illegal but at least sort of safer.

Arthur

[defiance]

Watched it before it was released... wasn't too impressed.

It felt like another Aliens II remake... rated it 3/5 stars.

http://movie25.com/avatar-2009_6605.html

http://www.watch-movies-online.tv/movies/avatar

wait......  Aliens II remake?  Did we watch the same movie?

[Magnumcharger]

I saw the model in digital 3D and LOVED IT!!
I'm going to it again this weekend to see it in IMAX 3D, so I guess that proves it.

I find it amazing that the MUCH BETTER people on this website are generally for the movie, whereas the arseholes over at Moparts are generally against it.

Makes me think I'm hangin' with a nicer crowd here!

[bull]

Watched it before it was released... wasn't too impressed.

It felt like another Aliens II remake... rated it 3/5 stars.

http://movie25.com/avatar-2009_6605.html

http://www.watch-movies-online.tv/movies/avatar

Here's a crazy notion. Read this entire thread where it says time and again that the story is the weak point and the special effects are the strong point. Then sit down and think about how watching a pirated version of it on a 17-inch screen might not lend itself to much of an eye-popping experience no matter what you're watching. And I know for sure that ALL the crap that got cut, hit the floor and got stepped on and thrown away by Cameron is probably 1000% better than anything you could ever dream up during a full blown acid trip, let alone manage to get on film.

[defiance]

lol - that was a bit harsh  

[SeattleCharger]

well ya, no kidding,  3 D Imax is the whole point.   I was curious about a movie downloading site in general.  download movies for free and burn em into cd's to watch in my home dvd/tv setup.  but thanks for explaing that to me, 

[Ponch ®]

Watched it before it was released... wasn't too impressed.

It felt like another Aliens II remake... rated it 3/5 stars.

http://movie25.com/avatar-2009_6605.html

http://www.watch-movies-online.tv/movies/avatar

Here's a crazy notion. Read this entire thread where it says time and again that the story is the weak point and the special effects are the strong point. Then sit down and think about how watching a pirated version of it on a 17-inch screen might not lend itself to much of an eye-popping experience no matter what you're watching. And I know for sure that ALL the crap that got cut, hit the floor and got stepped on and thrown away by Cameron is probably 1000% better than anything you could ever dream up during a full blown acid trip, let alone manage to get on film.

WIN!

[Old Moparz]

lol - that was a bit harsh  

No it wasn't.

[Magnumcharger]

http://ca.movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-avatar-trilogy.html

A couple more Avatar films to be made....!

[JoeyGowdy]

I like the "unobtanium" name.

It's a name that has been used before...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unobtainium

Also referenced to in "The Core" movie...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Core
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_super_metals#Unobtanium

[Brock Samson]

 Finally saw it after four attempts to view the 3-d IMAX show here... it was allways sold out, but by going way early to a Thurs. 2:00 pm show a friend and I just managed to get in, still it was packed but we managed to get into the third row way down front, normally I would sit way up top, but these seats were surprisingly good - the screen filling my field of vision.
I thought the wholesale deaths were more than a little over the top and ruined the story line (for me) but I guess it's business as usuall for Hollywood. I thought they could have done a much better storyline without all the Disney love story/militaristic cowboys and Indians B.S. But I guess they wanted to appeal to everyone possible.
On the other hand I felt the production values and well thought out production design was taken to a whole nudda level.
I wonder if anyone else who viewed Avatar was reminded as I was of the '70s YES album covers, or anyone even remembers the band YES, Steve Howe and the artist Rodger Dean who was responsible for their album art?.. does anyone here even remember what an "album" was or when their double album was a very novel thing?..
If you don't - the Band YES was the Lady Gaga of the Mid '70s. and I'm not talking about their mid '80s techo transmogrification either..   





I was amazed that the very morning I saw the film I was reading about the different Ornithocheirus species and so I noticed and recognised immediately the depiction of Anhanguera from my Paleontology studies.









Anyhow if you have the chance see it in the 3-d IMAX format, and watch for the scean when they feature the cockpit of the large gunship, complete right down to the scratches and fingerprints on the plexi.     the HUD icons seem to float directly in front of you and you'll want to reach out and fire off a few... at least I did.

[b5blue]

  I kept thinking of "Heavy Metal" magazine covers come to life! I agree with your take on the plot.

[Brock Samson]

 I hadn't done any web searching RE: Avatar prior to just now but The Rodger Dean comparisons are all over the web...
                   http://blog.signalnoise.com/2010/01/06/avatar-vs-roger-dean/
too bad the storyline/plot wasn't up to the level of sophistication of the rest of the film, I did think they did a good job of fleashing out most of the character development - especially of the Navi - given the stretch to emoting with blue 8 foot tall, blue Indian/African composites. The Sarg. Rock Character was off the scale and seemed to be from another movie entirely.
I especially appreciated the reference to low gravity, without that the entire premise (of the physics involved) would've been utterly ridiculous. 

[b5blue]

The ponytail sticking to the dragon thing for a mind link was creepy and far fetched  But it was all fun, so you recommend Imax then 

[Mike DC]

I wonder if anyone else who viewed Avatar was reminded as I was of the '70s YES album covers, or anyone even remembers the band YES, Steve Howe and the artist Rodger Dean who was responsible for their album art?.. does anyone here even remember what an "album" was or when their double album was a very novel thing?..

Cameron has said he was kicking around ideas & sketching on Avatar as far back as the 1970s.  I wouldn't be shocked if some of the old album art from classic rock was influential on the Avatar visuals.  


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I thought the wholesale deaths were more than a little over the top and ruined the story line (for me) but I guess it's business as usuall for Hollywood. I thought they could have done a much better storyline without all the Disney love story/militaristic cowboys and Indians B.S. But I guess they wanted to appeal to everyone possible

As for the story, I'll bet he genuninely wanted to do this story just the way it was.  It certainly had commercial appeal this way.  But Cameron would have gone right ahead and made it anyway even if his story didn't.  

This is the guy that made "Titanic."  Nobody who is worried about being commercially marketable would have risked a quarter-billion dollars on that project a decade ago.  It was only a massive hit in retrospect.  Everyone else in the industry had expected it to be a collosal career-ending bomb while Cameron was making it.      


Even Avatar's commercial viability had been in pretty serious in question because of its major production costs.   But it already has proved to be huge at the box office just like Titanic.  

[Ponch ®]

for those of you that have seen it both in IMAX and digital 3D...is IMAX really that much better?

[Brock Samson]

 Yes! these movies are made for the Imax 3-D experience..
 Marketers know that to compete with the new large screen high def. home systems they are gonna need to stay ahead of what is avail on home systems.
In fact 3-d home systems are in the works but still a few years out from regular Joe Availability.
I remember upon seeing my first High-Def. bigscreen about 2001 - I was hooked but that particular model then cost $15,000! i bought my "46 Samsung for $800 at a black Friday sale Thanksgiving before last. It was $1,600 when i first spied it three years back.

Anyhow - the movie I'm most anxious to see is the Steven Spielberg remake Of Ghost in the Shell. from the Japanese Manga comic which is my Fav. It will be a 3-D IMAX production and is in Pre Production now.
I've followed the various media incarnations since it's/their  beginning (there are three distinct parallel story lines)
and the plots are truly innovative in a way Hollywood can't seem to comprehend)
   Ghost in the Shell - This manga classic has seen three animated films based on the book to date. But in the upcoming iteration, no less than Steven Spielberg will be lending his talent to bring a live action, 3-D version to the big screen. While plot details of the Spielberg version are sketchy, we're looking forward to 2011 when the classic cyborg-police thriller hits the big screen.

Read More http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/07/10-comic-book-movies-were-looking-forward-to-and-5-that-we-might-catch-on-dvd/#ixzz0dTpwmMP5

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZVmcBZzpbY

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZVmcBZzpbY&fmt=22    hi def.

more info on Manga being made into 3-D films by hollywood studios...
http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/4/movies/2931245&sec=movies

[SeattleCharger]

havent' gotten into those japanese anime movies, but I have to say I did enjoy highlander 4, was japanese anime, but was in line with the first three regular highlander movies, saw it on the sci fi channel. 

[squeakfinder]

 
And to think I watched Star Wars at a drive in, which was pretty impressive at the time. We've come a long way.
I just watched Avatar today in 3D digital. The theatre was was pretty full, so we sat in the second row. Gave me a bit of headache but it was worth it. As soon as the 8 foot blue female showed up to save his butt the story got predictable, but what the heck.

   

[Mike DC]

George Lucas has been messing with the idea of 3D-ing his original 1977 Star Wars flick.