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NormHart · 12-21-2009, 12:41 AM

I did something last Friday that I have not done since the release of the third Star Wars movie. I went to the first showing of the movie Avatar in a 3D theater. I went for a couple of reasons; one because I love Sci-Fi and two because I was fascinated by the technology described by the reviews.

The movie is, in fact, wonderful Science Fiction, some lovely concepts are developed within the story without overwhelming the story. The story itself has been described by many critics as banal and I can't argue with that but just because it is a common story does not detract from the pleasure of this presentation. This movie is loosely based on Ursula Le Guin's "The Word for World is Forest" so far as I can tell.

The movie technology was awesome, this was the first 3D movie I'd seen with the new 3D technology, and it was superlative. There was no sense that there were scenes done to over emphasize the 3D effects. Instead the 3D was so interwoven into the story as to make it, within the first few minutes, natural and normal, like I'd always seen movies this way. That is until I found myself batting at a bug as it flew by me. (Oh MY!) This is not your red/blue 3D glasses technology, it is much more impressive.

Perhaps the most impressive technological breakthrough in this movie was the use of "Performance Motion". You may remember how amazing Gollum was in The Lord of the Rings movies. Avatar uses this technology combined with 3D to produce the most realistic nonhuman characters I've ever seen. Not only the alien people in the movie but also the animals and, possibly the plant life too. There has been a lot of discussion about CGI eventually replacing live actors. This movie shows how the two are integrated into a single art form.

I am now planning a one and a half hour (each way) expedition to the nearest IMAX theater to see the movie again. I'd suggest that, if you have the opportunity, you go see this in a 3D theater in your neighborhood. I doubt that the 3D technology is going to make it into the home anytime soon and this is a movie that should be seen in a theater.

I laughed, I cried, what more can you ask?

12-21-2009, 12:41 AM	#21
NormHart Semper Carpe Bufo Posts: 537 Karma: 21676 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Napa Valley, California Device: Kindle2 & Kindle3	I did something last Friday that I have not done since the release of the third Star Wars movie. I went to the first showing of the movie Avatar in a 3D theater. I went for a couple of reasons; one because I love Sci-Fi and two because I was fascinated by the technology described by the reviews. The movie is, in fact, wonderful Science Fiction, some lovely concepts are developed within the story without overwhelming the story. The story itself has been described by many critics as banal and I can't argue with that but just because it is a common story does not detract from the pleasure of this presentation. This movie is loosely based on Ursula Le Guin's "The Word for World is Forest" so far as I can tell. The movie technology was awesome, this was the first 3D movie I'd seen with the new 3D technology, and it was superlative. There was no sense that there were scenes done to over emphasize the 3D effects. Instead the 3D was so interwoven into the story as to make it, within the first few minutes, natural and normal, like I'd always seen movies this way. That is until I found myself batting at a bug as it flew by me. (Oh MY!) This is not your red/blue 3D glasses technology, it is much more impressive. Perhaps the most impressive technological breakthrough in this movie was the use of "Performance Motion". You may remember how amazing Gollum was in The Lord of the Rings movies. Avatar uses this technology combined with 3D to produce the most realistic nonhuman characters I've ever seen. Not only the alien people in the movie but also the animals and, possibly the plant life too. There has been a lot of discussion about CGI eventually replacing live actors. This movie shows how the two are integrated into a single art form. I am now planning a one and a half hour (each way) expedition to the nearest IMAX theater to see the movie again. I'd suggest that, if you have the opportunity, you go see this in a 3D theater in your neighborhood. I doubt that the 3D technology is going to make it into the home anytime soon and this is a movie that should be seen in a theater. I laughed, I cried, what more can you ask?