Is anyone excited about the movie "Avatar"?

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I'd like to see it if only for the technology, but Moejoe's review is enough to scare the crap out of a fertilizer factory!

On the other hand, James Cameron has an established track record. I understand a few folks liked Titanic.

I've never seen Titanic. Never had the desire and don't particularly like Leonardo DiCaprio as an actor, so I can't compare Avatar directly to it. Basically, they both are sappy tales of love. Avatar is a love story.

But unlike Moejoe, I did sit through all 2 hours and 46 minutes of Avatar and never once thought about leaving or getting up to go buy popcorn. It is not a compelling story but it can satisfy your whim for action or for romance or for good effects and cinematography.

Like Moejoe, I've sat through many a Steven Seagal movie -- and I even admit to liking several of them such as Glimmerman and Under Siege (#1, not #2) -- but Avatar is a far superior movie. I think few moviegoers will be disappointed by it unless they are looking for something truly artsy or something that sends a strong political message.

Now I'm waiting for Christmas Day to go see Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Full disclosure: I haven't seen Titanic either, but the first Terminator movie is one of my all-time favorite Sci-Fi flicks.

I saw Terminator and thought it was a waste of celluloid. But then apocalyptic scifi isn't usually my favorite. I much prefer Star Wars and the new Star Trek type of scifi.

[Wetdogeared]

DRM Dashes Avatar Preview

German sci-fi fans who were lucky enough to score tickets to an early 3D preview of Jame Cameron’s Avatar were stymied by a failure in the movie’s DRM system. Some theaters were unable to decrypt the video, and some exasperated projectionists reverted back to the 2D version, according to reports.

[carlobee]

the only reason i'm watching it is because James Cameron directed it.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Wetdogeared

DRM Dashes Avatar Preview

DRM IS evil!

..

[NormHart]

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?

[vagassi]

Yes I got excited on seeing the Avatar movie, Yesterday only I have watched this movie in theater where the hall is House full. According to me, this is the only movie which makes the viewers to make claps and whistle by looking the special things. Its really great work done by James Cameroons.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by NormHart

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've given up watching films at the cinema - I'm waiting for them to invent some 'for-petes-sake-be-quiet-you-irritating-morons' technology.
I think I'm getting more irritable with age.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by NormHart

.... This movie is loosely based on Ursula Le Guin's "The Word for World is Forest" so far as I can tell.
....

I am now planning a one and a half hour (each way) expedition to the nearest IMAX theater to see the movie again. .

I didn't go to a midnight show, but I did got to the first show on Friday 12/18. Something I don't do often either.

And now you've got me searching for that Novella in ebook form and it's not to be found as far as I can tell, it's probably in my library though.....

My son (I think) went to the IMAX version Sat Night, but I've not gotten a report back on what he thought. Will do so as soon as I hear.

Thanks!

[hamfitz]

Watched it yesterday at an imax 3D showing. Great movie.
I thought it was rather exhilarating.
The story isn't anything new. It somewhat reminded me of Fern Gully and Princess Mononoke.
This doesn't really detract from the movie though as the story and details of the world of Pandora are still interesting and refreshing. I also think the characters could have been a bit more developed as well but maybe that can be left to make up for in the sequels.

[tsgreer]

I saw this yesterday and it was a great, great movie. Very epic. But I guess I'm one of the view who liked the previews for it as well. But I will say, I know a lot of people who were underwhelmed by the preview and were blown away by the movie.

[kennyc]

My son's report on the Imax 3D version is that it totally rocks. Much better than the standard 3D version.

[NormHart]

Originally Posted by vagassi

Yes I got excited on seeing the Avatar movie, Yesterday only I have watched this movie in theater where the hall is House full. According to me, this is the only movie which makes the viewers to make claps and whistle by looking the special things. Its really great work done by James Cameroons.

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I've given up watching films at the cinema - I'm waiting for them to invent some 'for-petes-sake-be-quiet-you-irritating-morons' technology.
I think I'm getting more irritable with age.

Two sides of the same coin, I believe.
I would have been terribly irritated if folks had started applauding in the middle of the film but I was happy that many applauded at the end.

There was something transitional in watching this movie in 3D and I have been trying to understand for the last couple of days why that transition felt familiar. Like many in my age group I grew up watching TV in black and white I must have seen The Wizard of OZ four or five times prior to our getting a color TV. The impact of seeing the Technicolor OZ was massive and transitional. Much like the 3D and CGI performance motion of Avatar.

People who have only seen black and white perform a "willing suspension of disbelief", they know that the world is not black and white but their minds fill in the colors and they enjoyed the stories. So have we performed a willing suspension of disbelief, we know the world is not two dimensional but our minds have filled in the depth and we've enjoyed the stories. I am not sure that this film is of quite the caliber of The Wizard of OZ but the impact of the success of this film might well have much the same effect that TWO had on the film industry in 1937.

[markbot]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I've given up watching films at the cinema - I'm waiting for them to invent some 'for-petes-sake-be-quiet-you-irritating-morons' technology.
I think I'm getting more irritable with age.

There was a man in front of me in the theater that was looking at his cell phone for long stretches....surfing the web and checking messages. The light from the phone shines back and annoys people. So, I asked him whether he was bored and to shut off his phone. He did. Previously, I would usually not say anything as I didn't want confrontation. Take That!!

This is one reason my dream is to one day build my own home movie theater.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by markbot

There was a man in front of me in the theater that was looking at his cell phone for long stretches....surfing the web and checking messages. The light from the phone shines back and annoys people. So, I asked him whether he was bored and to shut off his phone. He did. Previously, I would usually not say anything as I didn't want confrontation. Take That!!

This is one reason my dream is to one day build my own home movie theater.

My wife got ticked at me last time we went to the movies because when someone's cellphone rang in the aisle ahead of ours, I loudly asked, "Who is it?"

I felt kind of bad afterward for embarrassing the guy, but Jeeze-Frickin'-Cheese, isn't silencing their cellphones the first thing all theaters ask of patrons these days?