I had the pleasure of seeing James Cameron’s Avatar over the weekend in IMAX 3D. I had all expectations to hate it. Who wants to see a movie about weird looking blue people created by computers? And I was annoyed that he took the name Avatar away from The Last Airbender movie. Plus, could any movie live up to the hype? Would it really be worth 15 years of waiting?
The answer is yes, and I should have known better than to doubt the director of the first two Terminator movies, Aliens, and yes, even Titanic. It was amazing. The visuals alone kept bringing a tear to my eye. Shut up. The world they created was just so amazing. And seeing it in IMAX 3D is a definite must. Don’t wait for the DVD because it’s not going to be nearly as good.
Yes, of course the story is Dances with Wolves in space, and some of the dialogue was predictable and cheestastic. But it’s still a thrilling spectacle with plenty of tricks up its sleeve. Plus all the actors were in top form and sold it to me without hesitation. Sigourney Weaver and Sam Worthington were particularly fantastic. Plus Zoe Saldana should get special honors because she doesn’t have the privilege of appearing on screen as a human, but still managed to be amazing.
Oh, and let’s not forget the action. It was all top notch. Every single one of the flying sequences were amazing. It’s not like after the first one, it was all ho hum after that. Everything stayed amazing throughout. And the final battle sequence was breathtaking.
One of the other things I really liked was that we got into the Na’vi world right from the get go. It wasn’t like Peter Jackson’s King Kong where the first hour of a three hour movie was spent on a boat getting there. Also, the movie seamlessly bounced back from the human and Na’vi worlds. Throughout the movie I kept forgetting that I was watching computer generated 12 foot tall blue people. I just felt like I was watching regular actors. I was only reminded of that fact when they would interact with actual humans and tower over them. “Ooooh, that’s right!”
So anyway, run, don’t walk, and go and see this movie immediately, preferably in IMAX 3D. Heck, I already want to see it again!
Josh: *sheepish ashamed look*
(I honestly don’t know when I became such a total twitterperv. I’m pure as the driven snow IRL. Honest!)
Justin: Then what the hell are you doing here?
I saw this last night and really enjoyed it. We saw it in 2-D because I was worried that three hours of 3-D could make me feel sick (I get motion sickness from certain computer games). It actually took me a few minutes to realize that the movie had started rather than another trailer, probably due to my lack of knowledge of the plot going in.
The movie caused me to contemplate historical incidents of the displacement of native peoples and genocide, and I came to the sad conclusion that the military and corporate leaders on Pandora would probably never pay for their crimes if there were able to succeed.
I must say that I hated the planet’s name. Who would choose such an inauspicious name as Pandora? Were the names Death and Failure already taken?
Tam – enjoying the company
The movie would make me think about history?! Oh boy you better keep me away from it thzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Ryan – about the name Pandora. Totally agree.
And where’s Chris D? Nobody has explained to me why Ryan has a cupcake!
Or why Josh is trashy, for that matter.
And Josh — history is the bestest bestest fun ever!
History = Snooze City, USA!
I would think that Josh’s trashiness was self evident.
I’m not sure why Ryan has a cupcake. I’ve accepted that he has one and that I do not. I am slightly jealous (jellerz for you Josh) of the cupcake.
Justin: I have a Cupcake because I got tired of using my last initial but needed to distinguish myself from a Ryan who was here before me.
Justin: Josh is kind of a Sassy trashy…like Britney (dodges the incoming missles from Enrickyricardo).
Justin: Ryan has a Cupake cause a pie would be too messy.
Geez, I go away for lunch and shopping with a friend and we’ve got t-rex’s rampaging, commentors being eaten, an appearance by Felice (if only in the comments section) and multiple metions of pepaws. It must be the holidays.
HUGS…
And Justin, I’m “trashy” cuz that’s just how gawd [read as: my parent's naughty partz] made me!
What is it about mean, mean Joshes and their hatreds of history?
I’m very jealous of the cupcake, too. I think it should be RyanWithTheCupcakesThatHeSendsToAllHisTwitterFollowers…
History is boring and doesn’t effect me. Boooo! I’d rather live in the present, tanx!
:p
Of course history doesn’t effect you. Your parents’ nawty partz effected you.
I’m a little late to the party here, but I loved this film! I reviewed it on Fun With Grindr already and I said much the same as Craig here. Like Ryan, I saw it in 2D due to Chaz not being able to handle 3D due to motion sickness, but it was still absolutely dazzling. The next time will definitely be in 3D IMAX! And I may have to see it a 3rd time…
I’m really excited to see this movie. The more I hear about it, the more it sounds like the Star Wars of today’s generation. I remember when I saw Star Wars as a kid and the effect it had on me. It’s great that this movie will inspire countless kids in that way.
Wow! Y’all have been busy in the comments today. I too have issues with motion sickness, however I read this article so I am going to give Avatar in 3D it a shot.
Oh, and I totally agree with Josherz; history is teh zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
I loved it too Craiggles!
I guess I’ll see this in 2D. I didn’t know you could feel sick from watching a 3D movie. And I don’t want to take my chances after how I felt watching Paranormal Activity.
The Felice piddle cracked me up.
Craiggles! Ha!
It’s so funny. So many people in my life who have no connection to one another call me Craiggles. I guess I just look like a Craiggles
Cute,
Really
Argyley,
Intelligent,
Giant,
Geeky,
Lovable,
Extra-
Special!
That must be why everyone calls you that. Even though I prefer my own Craiggers.
HUGS…
Gosh. It’s hard to decide between Craiggers and Craiggles. It’s also hard to keep the spelling straight (pardon my language) when we have Josherz on the one hand and Craiggers on the other.
On the whole, though, I think I prefer Craiggles. He DOES look like a Craiggles. He sounds like one, too. I’ve seen the videos
.
“Giant”? I didn’t know you and Craiggles were on such … intimate terms, Polterz.
M.N. You and Josh are sooooooo meeeeeeeaaaaannnnnnnn
Rick: funny you should bring up Star Wars (or it is Star Worz?). I’ve been watching these brilliantly-funny spot-on reviews of the prequels. And yes, I remember when I saw star wars as a … teenager … and the effect they had on me, too.
Michelle — I have some motion-sickness issues with über-shaky camera, but for some reason I had no problems with Coraline in 3D or with the 3D previews I saw in IMAX when I went to see Wild Things. So it may be worth the risk. Depends on whether you get motion-sick from practically everything on TV today (which is almost all queasycam), or if you only get motion-sick from the ultra-mega-queasy movies like Blair Witch.
Awww, Polt – that was sweet.
Justin – the only times I’ve felt queasy were Paranormal Activity and for a little bit during Cloverfield. Blair Witch didn’t bother me at all. And I’ve never had motion sickness from a boat/car, etc. So maybe I’ll risk it with Avatar.
Also – watch out with the Craig/giant double entendres. You’ll get everyone excited and the comments section will explode,
Michelle, you realize of course that “the comments section will explode” was *itself* a double entendre, n’est-ce pas?
Besides, this blog’s comment section is always terminally sticky from all the talk of decongestion, so I don’t think there’s much danger of my making things … I was going to say worse, but I think I really mean better
josh: It will only make you think of history if you are already familiar with that history. If you don’t know nothing about history, it won’t make you think of history.
and thus is ignorance bliss
Hi,
I am very happy that the trailers didn’t give the full story away. Lots of emotions are waiting for the viewer, laughter and tears also. Cameron was very smart keeping the teasers as teasers, nothing more… as the full movie will take your breath away.
Justin: Giant was in relation to his height. Unfortunately, I’ve only ever heard about, not actually ever seen, the Puntabuschlong.
HUGS…
“Puntabuschlong” — hilarious!
Heh. Puntabuschlong.
So just how …. tall …. is the Argyle One?
6’4″
My. That *is* quite an impressive Puntabuheight.
Where did this entry come from?!
I’m still mad this movie took the title away from The Last Airbender whether it’s good or not. Can’t wait for season 3!!!!
And Polt, I hate you.
I can’t wait to see it. I was hoping to see it on Christmas, but unfortunately my family wanted to be boring and lay around my house pretending to have something to do.
I saw it yesterday in plain ol’ 3D instead of IMAX 3D which was all sold out for several days ahead. I really enjoyed it, though I can’t say the visuals brought a tear to my eye. Granted, the CGI was excellent: definitely by far the best face-rendering I’ve ever seen. The first time I’ve seen CGI animation where the faces weren’t … creepy.
I liked the story quite a lot, too, though it was of course quite derivative and simplistic: as Craig said, it *is* Dances With Wolves. I agree with him completely on the acting. Sigourney was fantastic (and *man* she is aging well) and of course Sam Worthington is just such a hunk
I’m probably going to see it again; I’d like to get the IMAX version.
I just noticed that Sam Worthington is playing Perseus in Clash of the Titans. He must want to get Craig’s attention. He also was runner up for Bond.
Ryan — Ha.
Seriously though, is there *any* gay man that Sam Worthington hasn’t gotten the attention of? He certainly got Square’s Attention! Whew! *fans self*
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