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!
Going to see it tomorrow night, not in IMAX, cause there’s not places like that out here in the boondocks. I think one theater’s showing it in 3D, we’re gonna shoot for that one.
HUGS…
I had thought about trying to talk David into going to see this Xmas Eve, but now it looks like I may be car shopping instead. *sigh*
I still don’t see the big deal about this movie. It looks like every cutscene I’ve ever seen from the Final Fantasy games.
Looking forward to this one in IMAX 3D. Debating its suitability for the under-10 crowd (especially given how long the film is).
GoKitty: That’s what I thought too, but it’s so much more than that! Go see it!
TwoPi: I don’t think it’ll be good for the under 10 crowd. Some of the action can be pretty intense, and the runtime doesn’t help matters.
I had no interest whatsoever in seeing this movie until quite recently — your review is one of many however that have succeeded in pushing me over the edge into deciding I am going to see it! And by the way: you’re not even the first person to say they were moved to tears by the effects.
I used to adore Cameron. I loved the Terminator films, Aliens, and Abyss (yes, most people don’t like that last one, but I do).
Then he showed the supreme disrespect to his viewers to fail to hire an actual competent screenwriter for Titanic. And although that film was visually stunning, it was an insult — to the viewers, to the people who actually died for real on that boat, to the art of film-making itself. I’ve never forgiven the oscars for rewarding him.
I do wish you wouldn’t hate on King Kong. I adore that movie more than words can say. The loving, meticulous recreation of depression-era New York City alone was enough to sell me on that movie, and I personally love the boat scenes because it made you care enough about the characters to really feel something when they died. Plus it’s on the boat that you get to know Jamie Bell’s character. And who couldn’t just be laughing with joy when Peter Jackson went so over the top that he had not just 1, not just 2, but 3 friggin T-rexes in one scene? I **love** that movie. Peter Jackson is a genius.
In any event, I’m definitely going to see this film in 3D. IMAX 3D if I can (once I can find somebody to see it with).
Thanks for the review!
Thanks for the review, I am not sure where the nearest IMAX theater is, but I will start looking for one
Well I just found one near me. Sadly it’s in the soul-sucking horror which is the suburbs, and worse than that, it’s in a furniture store. A furniture store that is a huge Saturday night destination for the suburbanly-inclined. A place people go — on purpose — just to hang out. And it has a Fuddruckers in it. And stuff to entertain kids. It’ll take a lot of fortitude for me to venture there, but … Craig’s review has convinced me to take the hit. Wish me luck! 8-[]
Justin: A furniture store with a movie theatre and a restaurant? Where the hell do you live? Mars? King Kong? God, I was never so bored in my life. If I had to see her and that ape sitting gazing off soulfully into the distance one more time I was going to hurl. Sorry.
Sounds interesting, I thought this was the other Avatar movie and I kept waiting for the bad guys who’s black to show up in the commercial. Duh. Maybe, maybe not. I will be seeing Sherlock Holmes however.
I dunno…the trailers didn’t really grab me. It’s a little too sci-fi para mi! And hey! I really liked “King Kong”…even the boat scenes. I thought it gave a provided a rewarding build-up to them actually getting to the island and seeing Donkey Kong!
and…
Mel: What happened to your car?!
Josh: Funny.
Tam: I too wanna see Sherlock Holmes, but only so I can drown in Robert Downey Jr.’s derricious pepaw peeperz!
Argh! Everybody’s so mean about King Kong.
I’ve seen it like 5 times! Twice in the theatre and several more times on DVD. I own more than one “collectors edition” boxed set of the movie. I’ve watched all the pre-production videos, etc. *weep* Everybody’s so mean to that beautiful movie. 
As for where I live, I live in Somerville, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. Close enough in to Boston to actually still be in the Boston phone book and on the subway lines, but far enough out to not be in the ultra congestion of the inner city.
The furniture store from hell is Jordan’s: http://www.jordans.com/about/find_store.asp The Reading, MA store. There’s even a link there you can click to get a “tour” of the store. Prepare to be horrified.
No way. The boat scenes were excruciating. No pay off with Jamie Bell’s character whatsoever. Where did he even go when they got to the island? He had the sad goodbye with Token, and that was it.
Josh — thank you for being kind to King Kong!!!!
. And you put it just right: the boat scenes “provided a rewarding build-up”. It’s one of the things that made the movie special.
And yes, Robert Downey Jr’s are derricious but what makes them “pepaw”?
Craig: Rotten Tomatoes agrees with Justin & I! “King Kong” = GOOD!
Justin: Cuz he’s old! I want…no NEED a shirt that says “I <3 Pepawz!"
Craig you’re soooo meeeeeeeeaaaaaannnnn!
First you really get to know Jamie Bell’s character — he’s clearly a character you are meant to empathize with and identify with.
There are numerous scenes with him on the island. He has his life saved by people he’s close to because they sacrificed themselves for him. He was one of the only crew members who survived. His scenes are *very* memorable and there are numerous screencaps on the web of him on the island.
I guess I’m just a sap though cuz I didn’t find the scenes of the “ape sitting gazing off soulfully into the distance” hurl-worthy. His character was developed too, in a way that was (like the rest of the movie) a loving tribute to the original, but deeper. He was the last and only one of his kind. He was alone. He wasn’t human and wasn’t overly-anthropomorphised (in my opinion) but he had feelings and I thought the film brought them out beautifully.
Josh — yes, I kiiiind of caught on….
Alas, I’ve read elsewhere that David P is “territorial like a Tyrannosaurus Rex” so I know that *this* peepaw would have to carefully queue up **way** behind David and Polt 
Justin: Mr. David is aware of my crush on RDJ and his age/wrinklez! It’s hard to hide it when I faint whenever I see his gorge puss in a magazine, on a billboard or in movie trailers.
It’s okay though, David’s pretty hardxxxcore in his own right.
But the real question is, when do the Facebook relationship statuses change?
Whose facebook statuses? Josh’s and RDJ’s?
Justin, you better watch yourself…I think I can hear the T-Rex’s lumbering footsteps…
Oh believe me. I’m worried. VERY worried. I already have an established predilection for crushes on people named Josh, only THEY didn’t like peepaws. I’m giving my heart strict marching-orders not to incur the wrath of the lumbering T-rex.
THOOOM
THOOOM
THOOOOOOMMM!!!
GRAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!! (waves boney arms in a threatening manner)
Backing … off … very … slowly … the T-rex can only sense movement, I’m tol..*chomp*
::spits out bones:: ::thunders off in search of RDJ::
Aw! That’s my prehistoric carnivore!
Ugh. I really want to make a snarky comment, but sadly it’s all too kinda cute.
::grumble grumble::
I’d like to see David-Rex go head to head with Felice.
Who is Felice?! Davidsaurus-Rex can take on anyone or anyting! He even kicked the taint off of my ex-boyfriend, the Cloverfield Monsta!
Felice is devastated you don’t know who he is. He’s my orange stuffed dinosaur:
http://puntabulous.com/wp-content/gin05.jpg
Am I too late to scream out “GOJIRA!”
Does anyone but me understand that.
Craig: I hear you. I can’t muster the snark, must be the holidays.
Oh, here’s a better pic of Felice:
http://puntabulous.com/wp-content/vanity04.JPG
Is it wrong that I thought Felice was a girl all this time?
I liked Mothra! Yay! Although mah favo huge monsta for def def defferz has to be that Stay Puft Marshmallow bitch. Derriciouz and he so cute! I want to give him a thousand hugs and then suffocate on his sugary body!
For god’s sake man, the T-rex just left, do you want to call it back?
Oh the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man is the best! “He’s cool. He’s a sailor. This is New York. All we have to do is get him laid!”
(Spoken in an eery voice from beyond the grave as all that’s left of me is the few bones the Davidsaurus Rex spat out, of course …)
Of course Felice is a boy! He got his name because his neck is a giant Phallus silly!
Well, I’ve been called silly before. I’m a little embarrassed that I didn’t know this, but Felice hasn’t made many appearances recently.
It’s all vaginas and phalluses with you, Craig, isn’t it? I’m just wondering why this blog doesn’t have the “I’d watch a video of a mule violate the corpse of Saddam Hussein” warning …
And John — is it ok if I call you silly befive?
Craig, it looks like Felice is a Veggiesaurus…would he really be able to take down David-Rex?!
Justin: I’m not sure exactly what “silly befive” means exactly, but I am fairly certain I have been called worse.
Josh: Why do you think I’m going to see Sherlock Holmes. Shirtless RDJr.
I have this image of David waving his little tiny T-Rex arms around. Damn, now I have the giggles.
John: If you’ve never been called silly B4, you can be called silly B5. Sigh. You need more cookies.
Thanks, Tam
I didn’t have to explain it!!! 
Oh, and Tam — Squarehippies is your friend:
http://www.squarehippies.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2054
Thanks Justin.
That’s called a no-calorie cookie in my world. Now did you go looking for that or had you already seen it? He looks pretty good for peepaw. Maybe he can be on Josh’s list, you know the freebies you get in a relatonship should the opportunity arise.
Apparently you can call me slow on the up take as well…
Haha.
So, Tam, (a) I had already seen it. I’m a regular denizen of Squarehippies, both on the forum and on the main site. I’ve provided and/or inspired the content for more than one posting on the main site, including content featuring a homonymous mutual twitterfriend who shall go nameless; I am also a particular fan of the output of Squarebart, who posted that particular RDJ forum post, and who is a brilliant screencapper, an absolutely lovely and sweet human being, and one of “Square’s” main henchmen.
(b) I think the main squarehippies blog has some good RDJ as well. And even if it doesn’t, it’s god Bradley Cooper, and well just all sorts of good stuff. *AND* it’s SFW. If one considers it SFW to be ogling shirtless menz. Which may get some strange looks from coworkers …
(c) Freebies? Relationship? “Arise”? Are you trying to get what’s left of my pulverized bones ground up into dust by the Davidsaurus?
John — I don’t mind how slow you are on the up take as long as you do take it up … I’m going to stop now …
Justin [in reference to your comment to John]: Ugh! Sick!
You wouldn’t count as a freebie Justin. Nothing personal but I don’t think you’d rank high enough on the “famous” scale. And we all know what a fame-whore Josh is. (love ya honey)