AVATAR

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Possibly one of the best movies I've seen. Enjoyed it on many different levels.

I haven't read any reviews on it as yet and I'd like to give some opinions on why I enjoyed it so much, but I don't want to spoil the movie for others who are thinking of seeing it. I saw some similarities to other movies and to a specific novel series, but it all had a place and it all tied in.

I don't know how long it's going to be in the theatres but if you're looking for a good movie, AVATAR fits the bill.

Cheers.

[Cranky]

Great effects but the story line wasn't much more then Pocahontas II.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Don't know about Pocahontas II, but I thought of one movie, "Dances With Wolves" several times. The also made reference to "Horseclans of the Plains" at one point. The "Horseclans" was a series of novels (15 in total I think) written by Robert Adams. I read the first seven.

Thre were some parallels, but I enjoyed the movie emensely nonetheless.

Cheers.

[Polarice]

Going to see it net week...can't wait!!

[Skilly]

I can't wait to see it ... may have to wait for it to be released on DVD though.

The Vatican is speaking out against the movie (surprise, surprise). Apparently the Holy See isn't to thrilled that the movie promotes Nature Worship.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Guys, I was asking Mrs Dis about "Pocahontas" this morning after reading HA's comments. She said, "Yeah, I can see that about one part of the movie." I have to confess, I haven't seen a lot Disney movies in recent years, but it's possible I might have enjoyed Pocahontas as well (clears throat ... but I'd never admit to it)

In other parts I compared the 'bad guys' to "Dances with Wolves." And I even saw a bit of "The Last Samurai" in there as well.

Skilly, I guess the Vatican has their job to do in looking after their flock. Paganism? Yes, it's there, but I also felt makers of the film tried to convey just how out of tune we are with living things around us. They were successful I thought.

Normally, if a movie has been playing this long in Kingston you pretty much have your choice of seats. However, the theatre was packed last night and there was a respectable ovation afterwards.

Glad I saw it on the big screen. Had the 3D specs on as well.

Cheers.

[ValkyrieNS]

Jan 14, 2010 8:08:57 GMT -5 Skilly said:

I can't wait to see it ... may have to wait for it to be released on DVD though.

The Vatican is speaking out against the movie (surprise, surprise). Apparently the Holy See isn't to thrilled that the movie promotes Nature Worship.

I've also read "complaints" that it's racist... because the white hero "saves" the "natives". Give me a break, it's a movie!

Haven't seen it yet, but planning on it soonish. Geez, 2 movies in the same year, Mr. Val & I are on a roll

[Cranky]

Same old tired theme. Evil white man comes in and kills poor natives. Other white man takes pity, joins natives and fights the evil side. Good side wins, everybody goes home happy. Not much more then a plot for five year olds.......with great effects.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Jan 14, 2010 12:35:44 GMT -5 Cranky said:

Same old tired theme. Evil white man comes in and kills poor natives. Other white man takes pity, joins natives and fights the evil side. Good side wins, everybody goes home happy. Not much more then a plot for five year olds.......with great effects.

As soon as I read your comparison earlier to Pocahontas I googled "Avatar + Pocahontas" and all sorts of discussion blogs came up with similar opinions.

I never saw the movie Pocahontas, but I've enjoyed a lot of Disney movies over the years (not so recently for sure, but still ...). You don't have to be five years old to enjoy Avatar.

To me, it's the same as "300" I think. I was completely turned off with the movie because I was expecting something a lot different. However, I took the teenaged son of very good friends of the family to it and being 19 at the time he thought it was an epic movie of the ages.

Then, when someone here on the boards mentioned it was made from a comic book, the format of the movie made sense to me. If they were trying to emulate what was found in a comic, I really thought they did a fabulous job.

Too bad I didn't know that ahead of time, though. I thought "300" was aimed directly at the slightly-over-17-crowd. Maybe it was, who knows. But, I know a lot of adults who enjoyed it as well.

Cheers.

[cigarviper]

Okay so I'll be the one to first mention the bare blue breasts. Kinda distracting from the storyline....

[MC Habber]

Here's a scathing review that makes comparisons to many of the films you guys mentioned. I tend to agree with Val that it's just escapism, but I can certainly see people being offended.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Jan 16, 2010 17:40:28 GMT -5 cigarviper said:

Okay so I'll be the one to first mention the bare blue breasts. Kinda distracting from the storyline....

I felt the references to "Pocahontas" "Dances with Wolves" and "The Last Samurai" only pertained to certain parts of the movie. Overall, it was a good movie.

Hey, it was the fastest film to gross $1 billion and it did it in 17 days (read that on Canoe.ca).

Cheers.

[goingfornumber25]

great film visually, very good story, but you don't go to a film like this for character development, the story, or deep thought. you go to enjoy the beauty of it, the escape of it, the most visually stunning film you will ever see. it is amazing what they can do with animation.

300 was good but this was much better, same great visuals, in that sin city style, but this film i believe had more to it than just constant battles against insurmountable odds against superhuman freaks.

i'd say 300 was a good film 7.5/10, avatar was a great film 9/10, but nowhere near an all-time classic in my eyes. still visually the most stunning fantasy film i've ever seen.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Jan 16, 2010 18:15:47 GMT -5 MC Habber said:

Here's a scathing review that makes comparisons to many of the films you guys mentioned. I tend to agree with Val that it's just escapism, but I can certainly see people being offended.

Thanks MCH ... LOL ... I only read this review just now and I started laughing when the columnist started listing off the movies Cameron borrowed from. I'm still chuckling actually. Love it!

Very well-written opinion though. Thanks.

Cheers.

[duster]

I plan on seeing it on IMAX later this week. Like all Cameron movies, I go for the technical and the visuals rather than a story line which typically requires you to put your brain in park. I still think his best movie so far is "Aliens".

I'm certain I'll like it more than "300" which, to me, is a mediocre work of fiction that has the distinction of offending pretty well everyone.

[CrocRob]

Jan 16, 2010 21:00:08 GMT -5 Disgruntled70sHab said:

Jan 16, 2010 17:40:28 GMT -5 cigarviper said:

Okay so I'll be the one to first mention the bare blue breasts. Kinda distracting from the storyline....

I felt the references to "Pocahontas" "Dances with Wolves" and "The Last Samurai" only pertained to certain parts of the movie. Overall, it was a good movie.

Hey, it was the fastest film to gross $1 billion and it did it in 17 days (read that on Canoe.ca).

Cheers.

The remarkable part is the paltry amount of profit (let's keep it relative to the movie industry here, people) that $1B earned. The estimate of production for avatar was about $550M plus another $200M for other assorted stuff including post-production and distribution. And Cameron wasn't paid out of that total.

That's not to say they won't make a giant amount of money on the film after the screening and Blu-ray sales finish. They will. I'm just astonished that it cost that much.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Jan 19, 2010 18:56:29 GMT -5 CrocRob said:

Jan 16, 2010 21:00:08 GMT -5 Disgruntled70sHab said:

I felt the references to "Pocahontas" "Dances with Wolves" and "The Last Samurai" only pertained to certain parts of the movie. Overall, it was a good movie.

Hey, it was the fastest film to gross $1 billion and it did it in 17 days (read that on Canoe.ca).

Cheers.

The remarkable part is the paltry amount of profit (let's keep it relative to the movie industry here, people) that $1B earned. The estimate of production for avatar was about $550M plus another $200M for other assorted stuff including post-production and distribution. And Cameron wasn't paid out of that total.

That's not to say they won't make a giant amount of money on the film after the screening and Blu-ray sales finish. They will. I'm just astonished that it cost that much.

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, but when I read what you found I had to Google "how much did Avatar cost to make" and this is what I got. A cut and paste from "Vanity Fair Online."

Determining the final cost of this film is a trick in itself. Wildly different reports have been published, ranging from $230 million (The New Yorker) to nearly $500 million (The New York Times). Avatar’s official budget lies somewhere in between, probably closest to the figure the Los Angeles Times’s John Horn and Claudia Eller cited earlier this month—$280 million for the production, plus marketing costs. “It is the most expensive film we’ve made, but now, having the luxury of hindsight, it is money well spent, so I’m not concerned about it,” James Gianopulos, co-chairman and C.E.O. of Fox Filmed Entertainment, told CNN in early December.

(link) www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2009/12/how-much-did-avatar-really-cost.html

Regardless of what the actual cost is, it's an obscene amount of money to lay out for a film. I appreciated a lot of high-cost films I watched over the years, but the money forked is sometimes unbelievable.

Cheers.

[CrocRob]

And it doesn't always pay off. *cough* Waterworld.

[Polarice]

Jan 20, 2010 2:10:11 GMT -5 CrocRob said:

And it doesn't always pay off. *cough* Waterworld.

I kinda like Waterworld!!

I going to see Avatar Tomorrow night...can't wait!!

[Polarice]

Finally ended up going...loved the movie, liked the story...gives you something to think about. I guess Cameron is going to start writing this summer move Avatar 2.

Was reading somewhere that there will be over a dozen movies released this year in 3D. I guess thats where everything is going...they even have 3D TV's hitting the market.

[The New Guy]

Finally saw the movie that everyone is talking about.

First thing - it was pretty. Very pretty. Almost too pretty, as there were times when it seemed like they were trying to smash your face in with the beautiful setting. I mean you have to draw a line somewhere, otherwise it seems you're just a movie saying "look at the fantastic things I can do with CGI".

The story of the movie? Meh. It's the same as a half-dozen other movies. Dances With Wolves, Last Samurai... they've all been mentioned above I'm sure. I knew precisely how it would end about ten minutes into it (once they revealed the primary protagonist's situation. There's nothing inherently wrong with using a generic story, mind you, just don't expect me to get excited about it.

The music was terrible. Like really annoying at times. Which is surprising because I've liked Horner's work in the past.

And finally - cripes was it ever preachy. I'm sorry - I don't mind the message of "living more in harmony with nature" and what have you, but storytelling is an art, and using a message like a club is akin to trying to paint the Mona Lisa with a "paint your wall" paint brush.

[franko]

Feb 1, 2010 9:23:46 GMT -5 The New Guy said:

The story of the movie? Meh. It's the same as a half-dozen other movies.

since when does Hollywood come up with new ideas? tried and true and making money.

Per-dicatable.

[Pam]

Jan 13, 2010 22:31:34 GMT -5 Disgruntled70sHab said:

Possibly one of the best movies I've seen. Enjoyed it on many different levels.

I haven't read any reviews on it as yet and I'd like to give some opinions on why I enjoyed it so much, but I don't want to spoil the movie for others who are thinking of seeing it. I saw some similarities to other movies and to a specific novel series, but it all had a place and it all tied in.

I don't know how long it's going to be in the theatres but if you're looking for a good movie, AVATAR fits the bill.

Cheers.

I saw it on opening night on IMAX and then I saw it again 2 weeks later on IMAX. I don't care if it is referred to as Pocahontas II, it's still one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. This will probably be the last month it's on IMAX in San Diego because there is going to be a new movie on IMAX in March so I plan on going to AVATAR on the IMAX one more time before the end of February.

[Pam]

Jan 14, 2010 12:35:44 GMT -5 Cranky said:

Same old tired theme. Evil white man comes in and kills poor natives. Other white man takes pity, joins natives and fights the evil side. Good side wins, everybody goes home happy. Not much more then a plot for five year olds.......with great effects.

I saw the White Guy vs the Native American slant. I'm only part Native American, but my sympaties lie Native American. The Europeans beat back the Native Americans in the States (it was the 'Colonies' back then) so they could never win. I was really glad to see a movie that the Natives beat the White Guys so maybe I'm an exception to the rule.

[Doc Holliday]

Went to see it in the Christmas break with the familly. Nice time.


...I guess you can always take a movie, any movie, and say well, this has the same theme as that other movie...

...and you'd be right.

Yeah the story line is predictable, the characters and themes are one dimensional and quite blunt. Good/Bad, that's it, single note. But the wrapping and delivery is still enjoyable. I was getting a kick out of that big blue Ripley. ;D

...can't say I'd rush to see Avatar II though.