Checked out James Cameron's Avatar? Epic 3-D sci-fi flick...

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Did you notice when watching Avatar, that the red-colored lizard/dragon creature that Jake rides has four eyes? Two big ones and two smaller ones.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Specineff]

Yup, I think the other flying lizards did too. I wonder if Cameron got the idea of how they were controlled from the first time he saw an USB port.

[GaijinPunch]

Okay, am I the only one that thought the 3D were like those "puzzles" you had to stare at for like 10 seconds to see the 3D image? You know... someone you bought weed from in college always had one. I was pretty close to the screen, and thought I might be too close. Should've gone to the back to check but the 5 dickheads to my right didn't look like they wanted to move out of the way. I almost fell on one when I was leaving the theater in the credit roll.

Also, Japanese movie producers, you dipshits. Don't make the subtitles 3d. Totally makes you lose focus. I don't want to say the 3D sucked, but it distracted my otherwise lovely experience.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

You could try to cross your eyes but that might cause eye muscle strain. Yeah, it was those crazy Magic Eye 3-D illusions without the need for 3-D glasses that got it's start in Japan of all places. It's easier to wear the Real-D glasses and relax the eyes. The perception of depth is a lot better if you were to sit back further. Some folks won't budge even if you want to leave your movie theater seat but most sensible folks would gladly do so as it's the polite thing to do.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Krondelo]

Okay, am I the only one that thought the 3D were like those "puzzles" you had to stare at for like 10 seconds to see the 3D image? You know... someone you bought weed from in college always had one. I was pretty close to the screen, and thought I might be too close. Should've gone to the back to check but the 5 dickheads to my right didn't look like they wanted to move out of the way. I almost fell on one when I was leaving the theater in the credit roll.

Also, Japanese movie producers, you dipshits. Don't make the subtitles 3d. Totally makes you lose focus. I don't want to say the 3D sucked, but it distracted my otherwise lovely experience.

Aha, yeah man. When I got up from that 3 hour experience I stumbled down the isle like a fool. I was really really pleased with this movie, it far surpassed my expectations, the 3D looked amazing, very realistic. I could see the smoke just drifting right off the screen.

Did anyone else think of "Fern Gully" While watching this? They aren't really all that similar but you know what I mean?

[Specineff]

^^^ Yeah. Like I said, there are many things story-wise that have been seen before in other movies.

[greg]

Spec and I opted to avoid the 3D version and just saw the film in the regular theater. I have issues with focusing on 3D films, and I'm fairly alarmed that there's a new trend to push towards 3D these days. If I'm going to go see an Imax movie about coral reef fish, then 3D is awesome. But for a movie, I'd rather watch it standard.

I liked the movie a lot. The ending came together a bit conveniently and characters slipped into stereotypes a bit too readily (the GI Joe-type with the scars was maybe overplayed a bit, but Giovanni Ribisi I thought was excellent and reminded me a bit of Paul Reiser's character in Aliens). The pot-shots at the Bush administration at the end were pretty lame ("We'll do a preemptive strike against the terrorists!" "Shock and awe!"). It must be cute and fun for the studio to use the movie medium to take immature political cheap shots like that, but they do so only at their own expense because it polarizes viewers and immediately dates the film. Seeing all the cool Terminator-type helicopters and Aliens-esque dropships in the beginning of the movie made it obvious to the audience that we'd expect to see them all in action by the end of the movie, but the ending battle action just seemed like it was there because it was expected to be so. It would've been more interesting to see more than just one gunship break formation and refuse to participate, at least. I know it is a whole allegory to the way the US Government treated the Native Americans, but society (and the military) has progressed far beyond those old mindsets. I just think that the military-types in the movie were portrayed a bit too one-sided and shallow. The Na'vi were completely developed, yet the humans (save for the few protagonist humans) for the most part were pretty shallow.

Don't compare this movie to Jar Jar nonsense. Jar Jar was just a live-action cartoon character and didn't look nearly as convincing as the Na'vi in Avatar. Like Spec said, Avatar puts the Star Wars prequels to shame.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Suppose if James Cameron directed a Star Wars movie...would be one helluva flick indeed. If George Lucas whips up an Episode 7 flick, it would be interesting to see who would direct this time around.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Zweihander]

I heard it's like Ferngully. Please tell me it's not like Ferngully.

[Krondelo]

I heard it's like Ferngully. Please tell me it's not like Ferngully.

If you ask me they are eerily simlar, but its still a great film.

[GaijinPunch]

Never read Ferngully. To me it was more like a 3 hour version of every story of the Mayflower and the early settlers I had ever heard, except that in the end the natives don't own casinos.

[neorichieb1971]

Positives -

Its a good movie no doubt about it. Had me intrigued more than excited all the way through. I thought it was kind of like a documentary about another planet. Effects are fantastic, the forests have a magical light show going on and the imagination shown in the creatures and plant life are exceptional examples that are fantasy, but believable fantasy. There is quite a bit of emotional bonding in the movie that carries all the way to the end, which will no doubt appeal to soft blokes like me and females alike. All in all, it all feels right and wrapped up nicely.

Negatives -

There are a couple of negatives. The ending felt anti climatic. I wanted the na've to absolutely destroy the hearts and souls of those humans but they only took their lives. I guess its a bit kiddy for a wider audience, but I wanted to see an eye for eye kind of revenge. The Xscape cinema picture looked soft, almost composite like. I don't know if this is because its 3D made 2D or what. The audio level was kinda low throughout, I could hear wrappers and such very clearly across the other side of the cinema ruining the whole immersive experience.

I hope Cameron makes a good blu ray. Apparently the first blu ray will be 2D with a later release in the year featuring the full 3D experience. I hope James makes the 2D presentation sharper than the picture I saw at the cinema, which looked drab.

I'd give it a 8/10. Its a triumph for technology, but the story feels a little thin. Had the setting being Earth, this movie would be just an also ran.

[t0yrobo]

Looking back I thin the worst part about it for me was the glasses. I imax glasses are bigger than the normal ones, and they have extra big ones for people who normally wear glasses. Those things are no comfortable at all, I felt like I got punched in the nose a day later.

[Thunder Force]

Looking back I thin the worst part about it for me was the glasses. I imax glasses are bigger than the normal ones, and they have extra big ones for people who normally wear glasses. Those things are no comfortable at all, I felt like I got punched in the nose a day later.

Find a Non-IMAX RealD equipped theatre, using the latest generation lightweight disposable RealD glasses, that are totally comfortable for almost all viewers.

Not only are they more comfortable, but iirc those new Non-IMAX RealD equipped theatres using circular polarised 3-D and digital projection, offer better stereoscopic quality than the older IMAX 3-D theatres, despite IMAX running on a larger canvas.

[sven666]

ok so the story goes that michael bay and james cameron walk in to a bar...

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Yep, those are the lighter Real-D type of glasses...quite comfortable to wear even if you do wear eyeglasses as well. Glad to see you around, sven666.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[guigui]

I'm planning to take my little nieces (14 and 16 years old) watch that on holidays. I'm not really in movies anymore, but I think they could like it, your opinion ?

And what the heck does CGI mean ?

[sven666]

I'm planning to take my little nieces (14 and 16 years old) watch that on holidays. I'm not really in movies anymore, but I think they could like it, your opinion ?

And what the heck does CGI mean ?

id take them to see twilight instead as that supposedly what gets teenage girls wild these days.. avatar is all filler and no thriller but it really is targeted at boys aged 7-13... no matter what you choose youre the one taking one for the team

oh and im always lurking in the shadows PCEFX ~_^

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The term CGI is Computer Graphic Imagery. Some folks just use the shorten terminology of CG instead when refering to the lush computer graphics used in today's Hollywood big-budget films. You'll be surprised by the time Avatar's ending credits scroll on by, guigui. Just be sure to see it in digital projection with a pair of Real-D glasses and sit in the middle section of the theater for optimum viewing and maximum impact on the senses.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[guigui]

Thanks Sven and PCEFX for the answers. Alas, they already saw Twilight, I'll just stick to Avatar I think.

About CGI acronym, then this is what I do not like a lot at movie these days...

[Krondelo]

Isn't it Computer Generated... CG.

[greg]

avatar is all filler and no thriller but it really is targeted at boys aged 7-13

Sheesh, not the ADHD-inflicted 7 year old sitting next to me. The whole time during Avatar he was squirming in his seat and complaining about how boring the movie is and how all they do is talk. Blah blah blah. Even during the action scenes he was bored. Little turd. His mom had to keep giving him her cell phone so he could play games on it and he kept wanting to lie down. I think ADHD is BS and it is all about how a kid is brought up. Attention spans in general have eroded significantly and even adults just can't watch films like 2001 and Lawrence of Arabia, even though I watched those as a kid and loved them.

btw, CGI is Common Gateway Interface, a way of incorporating software with a web server.

[Krondelo]

avatar is all filler and no thriller but it really is targeted at boys aged 7-13

Sheesh, not the ADHD-inflicted 7 year old sitting next to me. The whole time during Avatar he was squirming in his seat and complaining about how boring the movie is and how all they do is talk. Blah blah blah. Even during the action scenes he was bored. Little turd. His mom had to keep giving him her cell phone so he could play games on it and he kept wanting to lie down. I think ADHD is BS and it is all about how a kid is brought up. Attention spans in general have eroded significantly and even adults just can't watch films like 2001 and Lawrence of Arabia, even though I watched those as a kid and loved them.

btw, CGI is Common Gateway Interface, a way of incorporating software with a web server.

Yeah man thats obnoxious, what a little brat. I have ADD and I wasn't bored once during Avatar.

[guigui]

Oh men, I cant read this topic. First CGI, now with ADHD, BS, ADD, what is this all about ?

[Krondelo]

Oh men, I cant read this topic. First CGI, now with ADHD, BS, ADD, what is this all about ?

What do you think its about? Just read. oh and ADHD,BS,ADD are all pretty much one little topic so you are exaggerating. Besides whats wrong with talking about CGI?? We are talking about Avatar here.


EDIT: Sorry, to be more on topic. I do not know your little nieces.. but I'm pretty sure they will love it. Fun movie.

[BrianC]

I might go and see Avatar. I haven't seen any 3D movie in the theater recently. I love the 3D effect for Space Harrier 3D, Zaxxon 3D, and Missile Defense 3D on SMS.

[guigui]

Oh men, I cant read this topic. First CGI, now with ADHD, BS, ADD, what is this all about ?

What do you think its about? Just read. oh and ADHD,BS,ADD are all pretty much one little topic so you are exaggerating. Besides whats wrong with talking about CGI?? We are talking about Avatar here.


EDIT: Sorry, to be more on topic. I do not know your little nieces.. but I'm pretty sure they will love it. Fun movie.

Sorry, I really have no idea what it is (not english native speaker), but it was kind of joke after all, no offense. We'll go to see avatar with nices and their mother after all, sure it will be fun.

[greg]

Oh men, I cant read this topic. First CGI, now with ADHD, BS, ADD, what is this all about ?

I forget who said "CGI," but they meant CG (computer graphics). CGI is an interface between software applications and Web pages. ADD is Attention Deficit Disorder, ADHD is Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (even more annoying), and I think both are BS (bullshit). If you want to learn more about these invented afflictions, read the book "Why We Suck" by Denis Leary. If English isn't your primary language, then you probably live in a country that doesn't bother with this crap.

I think that Avatar is suitable for kids at least 8 and up. Not any more violent than a Star Wars movie, and not really scary either. I was whispering to my friend during the love scene, but I'm pretty sure it was tastefully done and won't damage any kid's perceptions on sex or whatever.

The jungle in the movie was so extremely imaginative, like the flowers that hide or especially the moss that glows when they step on it at night. It's so beautiful. Kids need to see movies like this. I saw Empire Strikes Back when I was about 5, and it impressed me so deeply that it jumpstarted my imagination, which jumpstarted my love for science fiction, which jumpstarted my reading level beyond the other kids my age and I was reading 300 page books by the time I was in the 2nd grade. Crap like the Transformers movies won't do that for kids these days. Stuff like Harry Potter and Avatar will.

Sure, Avatar borrows a lot of themes from other stuff, but it stands on its own as being a truly imaginitive and unique adventure movie. Something that Hollywood is lacking these days (gee, can't wait for there to be a CHiPs movie or a Love Boat movie or a Fantasy Island movie!). Heck, so much sci fi and anime have borrowed so heavily from Cameron's Terminator and Aliens that I'd say it's Cameron's turn to borrow from other sources. The 80's brought us so much imaginative, groundbreaking movies like Blade Runner, The Dark Crystal, and Tron. Don Bluth gave up animation after Titan AE after the studio wouldn't let him make the movie he wanted to and it failed. Traditional animation is apparently dead, and all we have now are CG movies featuring penguins and 15 year old macarena jokes. There needs to be a point where audiences start to demand decent, original, and inspiring movies. But people's minds have become too dumbed-down watching reality TV shows and other crap.

Sorry for the rant... what were we talking about again?

[Krondelo]

You do realize Denis Leary is an asshole comedian not a doctor right? haha.. What medical school did you attend?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

For Greg,

Some major Hollywood film studios are mining the American 1980s TV series era for movies...even "The A-Team" is currently in post-production and slated for the big screen in 2010. Your summary of Avatar is spot on accurate. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~