AVATAR - See it in 3D if you haven't! #1 Movie All-Time Domestic & Worldwide!

[zamler]

Originally Posted by pylon

I love my action / sci-fi movies, and when CGI is a component to enhance the effects I am OK with it. Like T2 and The Abyss where it was used a little more sparingly. But full on CGI movies I cant get into. They have no organic feel to them, and I can't get pulled into the story since it look so fake. The characters just don't move or interact right.

Avatar may fail to put onscreen characters most people like, or maybe people won't like the story etc. But one thing for sure is, the movements of the CG characters will be realistic, because the motion is actually done by the human actors.

There was a really cool video on Youtube that showed how the entire performances were being captured. It was not just facial movements and expressions, but the entire body actions were being played out and captured. The way J. Cameron described it, is it's not done like a Pixar movie, where the voice acting is done in a studio, then the animators work for 2 years to bring all the characters to life. The CG characters ARE the performances of the cast. It's interesting because instead of trying to simulate the physics in software (which never looks quite right) they just did it the proper way, let the people do it. That is then combined with the non humanoid elements.

The video was removed due to copyright reasons though so I can't link to it sadly.

edit - found another version, hopefuly it stays up. WARNING: minor spoilers. You have been warned!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKFbI6p-L04

[Mav]

I bought my tickets for the midnight show at the Imax today. For those that are looking.

I have tickets to the game against the Kings that night too so I may have to ease off the heroin beer a little, but hey I'll sacrifice pretty much anything to see this movie, like sleep and work.

[nfotiu]

The early reviews are very enthusiastic http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/avatar/

I keep flip flopping on whether this is going to be a huge breakthrough movie, or a collosal flop. I'm on the bandwagon this week.

[loob job]

I just heard a review that was less than flattering. I'm sure all the sci-fi people will like it and others won't.

[starseed]

It is at 100% on rotten tomatoes. I will go see it only if it stays above 90% after the first week, otherwise I will not bother.

[flambers]

I will go see it for sure, I bet it will be a really good movie.

[Got Miikka?]

Those reviews I am seeing heralding this as an 'immersive spectacle' are what give me confidence this just might live up to the hype.

[Nehkara]

Sits at 90% on rotten tomatoes after 39 reviews. I think this is going to be a good one.

I got my tickets for opening night at IMAX 3D!

Hope everyone enjoys!

[HPLovecraft]

I'm still thinking this movie is going to be very mediocre and these initial reviews are just hype from the graphics. I'm sure it'll look pretty, but I keep hearing mention of bland characters and story mixed in with these "positive" reviews.

[flip]

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

I'm still thinking this movie is going to be very mediocre and these initial reviews are just hype from the graphics. I'm sure it'll look pretty, but I keep hearing mention of bland characters and story mixed in with these "positive" reviews.

Yeah but compared to what?

If you look at other Cameron movies they aren't exactly deep movies. Titanic was a great movie but it wasn't "there will be blood".

It is a big budget action action movie. The dialogue is going to be a little cheesy and a little bland. The characters are going to be a little one dimensional and stereotypical etc.

This movie needs to be compared to similar movies. The Dark Knight, Transformers, other Cameron movies.

When we look at it in that context I don't see how this won't look like the greatest movie ever compared to most action movies.


Edit: Lets assume we only compare this movie with its peer group, ie other Cameron movies and other recent action films.

So the top grossing action movies of 2008 were:

1. The Dark Knight
2. Iron Man
3. Indiana Jones
4. Hancock
5. Quantum of Solace
6. The Incredible Hulk
7. Wanted
8. The Mummy


Other than TDK, and as a stretch Iron Man and Hulk, I can officially say unequivocally that Avatar is 100x better than any of the movies on that list. #s 3, 4, 7 and 8 were some of the stupidest movies I've ever seen. Ever.

James Bond was mediocre but I'd say that it still isn't half as good as Avatar is reported to be.


Let's look at the last 10 years.

1. TDK
2. Pirates of the Caribbean 3
3. Spiderman
4. Transformers 2
5. Revenge of the Sith
6. Return of the King
7. Spiderman 2
8. Two Towers

Ok this list is a little bit harder to crack. Here, based solely on current Avatar reviews, the only movies that it is obviously better than are Pirates 3, Transformers 2 and probably Revenge of the Sith.

The other ones are going to be hard to beat but still possible. Well IMO the Two Towers is the best movie on that list and Avatar is going to have to be Best Picture worthy to beat it which is unlikely. Other than that though I don't see how the possibility that Avatar is mediocre compared the rest of those movies.


Furthermore, lets look at the top grossing movies of all time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...fore_inflation


I count at least 10 movies on that list that plain sucked. Harry Potter 1 and 2, Star Wars: Episode I, Spiderman 3, Pirates 2 and 3, Transformers, Crystal Skull, Matrix 2 and 3, War of the Worlds, 2012.

I also see a few movies that Avatar could be as mediocre as (talking purely story here, special effects will obviously be killer): Independence Day, Harry Potter 3, 4 and 5, Jurassic Park 2 etc.


Then there are the 10 or so movies that, for their genre, were excellent: Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Pirates 1, Casino Royale, Titanic, TDK, Two Towers, both Spiderman movies etc.

Obviously not everyone will agree with my assessment of the mediocre vs the excellent but I think we can all agree on the terrible ones or at least mostly agree.


Based on the movies I listed, and the reviews that we have so far for Avatar, I don't see how anyone could possibly say the characters or story look less inspired, original or well thought out than most of the excellent movies I listed. Again, there will be a few that stand out, for example IMO Star Wars and the Two Towers are by far the best movies of the ones I mentioned.

Then we look at other Cameron movies.

True Lies - Great action, WAY far fetched, bad acting but overall fun and original

Terminator 2 - Ok flawless, still mediocre acting but IMO the best action movie ever.

Titanic - Some great acting, some mediocre acting, mostly great but some weak and lame dialogue/story. Overall a fantastic movie though

Terminator - I've never thought that it was that great. Pretty meh all around except for being so groundbreaking

Aliens - I loved it but not everyone agrees. again a little weak on the story/dialogue/characters and heavy on the action but I loved it.


Therefore, based on what we are comparing it to I say Avatar looks like a winner. Want to compare it to Best Picture winners and such and of course it looks pretty lame but so does the original Star Wars and other of the all time great action films.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by starseed

It is at 100% on rotten tomatoes. I will go see it only if it stays above 90% after the first week, otherwise I will not bother.

???? Why not see it and decide for yourself......I can't come around to this line of thinking......to each his own i guess.....but clearly, you have some interest in it. If I had interest in a movie, I wouldn't care if it was 8 percent on RT;s......I would still see it.

[RW99]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

???? Why not see it and decide for yourself......I can't come around to this line of thinking......to each his own i guess.....but clearly, you have some interest in it. If I had interest in a movie, I wouldn't care if it was 8 percent on RT;s......I would still see it.

For some of us, we don't get excited going to the theatre, spending all that money for a 8% movie. I would wait till I can rent it on Blu-ray where I can enjoy it at home, for better or worse. I generally only go to theatres for very well made movies. And that's based on certain reviewers who share my views.

[d_phaneuf]

The original preview didn't have me too excited but with the reviews coming in this has moved to must see for me

pretty excited for it now after seeing all the 4 start reviews it is getting as well

[awildermode]

flip - that is a lot of info and research on your part. thanks, again.

[burn_this_city]

Got my tickets for friday. After watching the trailer I havent been this excited for a movie in a long time.

[starseed]

TBQH, I do not even wait to watch movies when they come out on DVD. If it is not good enough for me to watch in the theatre, then I do not want to watch it at home.

I think I have become very indifferent towards Hollywood over the last few years. Maybe the new Indiana Jones movie hit me harder than I thought it did. I will still be wanting to see the Alice in Wonderland and Sherlocke Holmes remakes.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by RW99

For some of us, we don't get excited going to the theatre, spending all that money for a 8% movie. I would wait till I can rent it on Blu-ray where I can enjoy it at home, for better or worse. I generally only go to theatres for very well made movies. And that's based on certain reviewers who share my views.

But at the end of the day, if you're going to see something based on critics reviews, you're putting faith into what they have to say. What gives them the right to be put on a pedestal?? It's just their opinion. They just get paid to write about it. That doesn't make their opinion any more right than yours or mine.

Sure, I read critic reviews, but never do I base my decision on whether or not to see something THAT I'M INTERESTED IN solely based on that. Like the poster said that if Avatar goes below 90 percent, he won't see it. So if it's 88 percent, meaning 1 or 2 more critics didn't like it, he won't see it?? I personally think that's asanine.

Watch trailers, read story outlines. If you're interested in seeing it, go see it. If it's not up your alley, don't see it. But hey, like I said, to each his own.

[Esoteric]

Originally Posted by starseed

TBQH, I do not even wait to watch movies when they come out on DVD. If it is not good enough for me to watch in the theatre, then I do not want to watch it at home.

Wait until you get Blu Ray then. I'll watch some movies just because I know they're going to look and sound amazing on Blu Ray. They aren't going to win best picture, but they're a blast to watch.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by starseed

TBQH, I do not even wait to watch movies when they come out on DVD. If it is not good enough for me to watch in the theatre, then I do not want to watch it at home.

I think I have become very indifferent towards Hollywood over the last few years. Maybe the new Indiana Jones movie hit me harder than I thought it did. I will still be wanting to see the Alice in Wonderland and Sherlocke Holmes remakes.

We're all still greiving Indiana Jones. They raped our friend, and we all saw it.

[manwiches]

So... James Cameron's epic film, the one he has been waiting to do forever... is about Smurfs with swords in space? Man... What ambition. I know when I was a kid watching the Smurfs I thought, "You know what would be a cool idea? Take those little guys, throw a spear in their hands, throw them in space, and have them duke it out!"

Only getting publicity because it's James Cameron. He should have stopped at Terminator 2.