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[cartoon_soldier]

He gives that speech often.

:lol

 

[The Librarian]

So Tobor didn't like the film...

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

Is that supposed to help an argument? At least Roddenberry took the time to make up a name. Sounds like Cameron forgot to use search/replace.

its a mineral that takes 12 years and giant truck loads of money to bring back to Earth. Unobtanium is a good name for it.

 

[Stinkles]

Expensive and rare on earth, not on Pandora.

The point remains, any employee could wander in and pocket tens of millions of dollars. Diamonds aren't rare in African mines, but they don't leave them lying around either.

 

[Tobor]

I think you might be underestimating the penetrative power of

Spoiler

arrows and overestimating how strong glass can be made. Bullets have pretty weak penetrative power, but the amount of kinetic energy in a flying arrow is massive, and the penetrative power of arrows is much higher because of the sharp tip. Especially when those arrows are twice the size of human arrows and drawn by much stronger people.

Yeah yeah, 200 years in the future, but if the humans could make an impenetrable seethrough material that's lightweight and thin I'd expect them to be using it for more things than cockpit windows. Fences, larger windows on the big gunship, etc.

Also note that when they were firing up at the gunships earlier in the movie: that's the worst possible scenario for arrows. At the height of their arc they'd have the least energy.

These are fair points. I concede this one. Besides, if it didn't work, they'd have nothing left. I'm just happy that Cameron resisted the urge to have the Navi build Ewok traps. I figured that was a given.

 

[StuBurns]

If Unobtanium is so expensive and so rare, how come he has a small nation's worth floating on a desk ornament in his unsecured office?

How do you know how much that lump is worth? He doesn't say 'this piece', he talks about it in weight, do you know the weight of that sample?

Spoiler

The real reason is it's bad ass.

 

[GhaleonEB]

If Unobtanium is so expensive and so rare, how come he has a small nation's worth floating on a desk ornament in his unsecured office?

Because they're on the planet where it's being mined, making it - in that location - somewhat less rare.

Other reasons:

As a corporate task master, money is his motivation. So having a token of said money to fondle suits his character.

It wouldn't seem that rare to him after mining massive cargo ships full for years on end, so a tiny block of it would lose its impact.

There are a few moments in the movie where we see he has some misgivings about the methods being employed. And just as he condescendingly "reminds" Weaver's character why they're there, he might have a token reminder for himself on hand to help his personal justification.

I thought it suited his character well.

The point remains, any employee could wander in and pocket tens of millions of dollars. Diamonds aren't rare in African mines, but they don't leave them lying around either.

And go where, to do what with it? It's a six-year journey back home. I suspect employee's personal belongings are inspected at some point along the way.

That an employee might somehow smuggle a tiny block in their personal belongings back home would be just absurdly low on the list of things to worry about when you are mining mountains full at a time.

 

[Expendable.]

I see a lot of films in a month--eight this week alone--and Avatar is without a doubt the most boring, clumsy film I've seen in a while. The first hour and a half is spent slowly developing Pandora, while Jake provides background narration as exposition for anything Cameron couldn't find time to show or didn't trust his audience to figure out, entire minutes are wasted on shots of the wilderness and wildlife, which though beautifully rendered, belong in an artbook rather than the film, and the plot is a complete joke.

Spoiler

Evil corporate and military men seek to usurp an indigenous people in order to attain their "Unobtainium".

Retarded.

The last hour is spent on huge, Michael-Bay-esque explosions and incomprehensible battle sequences. It's nothing but a display of graphical advancement--which it excels at--but a five minute tech demo for studios would've served just as well as this 2.7 hour mess. The only people I can imagine liking this are potheads who got high before watching it and possibly people who have never seen an action movie in their life.

yeah, those Transformers battles sure were comprehensible compared to Avatar.


:lol

 

[maharg]

These are fair points. I concede this one. Besides, if it didn't work, they'd have nothing left. I'm just happy that Cameron resisted the urge to have the Navi build Ewok traps. I figured that was a given.

Yes, Ewok traps would have been pretty terrible.

To the unobtainium (I'm on the side of finding that a ridiculously stupid name, for reference): I doubt you'd have found anyone more covered in furs and gold in colonial days than the governor of a colony.

 

[jey_16]

Best picture? Best actress? :lol Alright guys, maybe a bit too much off the kool-aid

 

[Stinkles]

How do you know how much that lump is worth? He doesn't say 'this piece', he talks about it in weight, do you know the weight of that sample?

Spoiler

The real reason is it's bad ass.

A kilo. And he means an Earth kilo. It's a metal ("ium") and even if it's a very low density metal, like sodium (0.968 g·cm−3) or another alkali metal, then that's a LOT of it. At least at the stated price.

 

[JzeroT1437]

yeah, those Transformers battles sure were comprehensible compared to Avatar.


:lol

You're right. They were rich and meaningful.

Spoiler

I especially liked how the guy playing Quatrich looked like he shit his pants after getting two arrows through the midsection. I know that's the face I would make with two bolts sticking out my chest.

My point wasn't that the battle scenes were particularly incomprehensible--it's that I didn't give a shit about them because they failed to develop the characters outside of vague cliches and stereotypes.

And the action was clumsy. Surprisingly clumsy for Cameron. Go back and watch T2 then tell me this is good Cameron action. This was ass modeled on LoTR war scenes.

 

[JGS]

:lol I thought this too. It must suck for them to fly around everywhere like that.

I think it is just showing how weird evolution can develop things. After all, what the heck is a platypus good for and yet there it is?

Most bugs fly in very weird patterns and to me it seemed that the animals all had something in common with everything else. In fact the ones that stood out as pretty different are the Na'vi which were the most mammalian thing on the planet to me.

Will save an extra post and mention my favorites:

Spoiler

- I'm sentimental and love romance in action movies so a I loved Neytiri & Jake in the trailer saying "I see you" and still loving each other despite the physical difference. Love that whole scene.
- Jake's first night in Pandora & our first view of Pandora at night
- Neytiri blaming Jake for her killing the predators because he was too loud "You're like a babee!"
- The aircraft used by the military. Nice realistic look to them and also a nice sense of scale & weight.
- Jake being so excited to walk he runs out of the clinic & also gets respect from Grace. How characters evolve to like each other (or not) is done really well- again not cliched.
- I really did like the way the battle played out. I would have been upset if they went with a LOTR style that dragged on and on as I would have never bought the idea that it was an even match.
I liked how quickly everything started to fall apart once the ground troop marines came on the scene and the surprise attack by the Na'vi was done and then Pandora coming to the rescue.
It went from doubt, hope, despair, hope, victory!!!

I'll stop.

 

[StuBurns]

Best picture? Best actress? :lol Alright guys, maybe a bit too much off the kool-aid

What is the stiff competition exactly? The Hurt Locker? Bastards? This is like the worst year for films imaginable.

A kilo. And he means an Earth kilo. It's a metal ("ium") and even if it's a very low density metal, like sodium (0.968 g·cm−3) or another alkali metal, then that's a LOT of it. At least at the stated price.

How do you know it's a metal? The name is not the 'real' name of the material in the Avatar world. How do you know that piece isn't hollow? How do you know an alien metal wouldn't be considerably lower in density? How do you know what state earth is economically to state if '20 million a kilo' is even a lot?

The truth is, you can think it's stupid, but Cameron could easily have a perfectly logical explanation. It's just not given.

 

[Stinkles]

Yes, Ewok traps would have been pretty terrible.

To the unobtainium (I'm on the side of finding that a ridiculously stupid name, for reference): I doubt you'd have found anyone more covered in furs and gold in colonial days than the governor of a colony.

Everyone in our theater laughed at the name. I assumed it was his shorthand for the real name - an in-joke, until it was said again.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

These are fair points. I concede this one. Besides, if it didn't work, they'd have nothing left. I'm just happy that Cameron resisted the urge to have the Navi build Ewok traps. I figured that was a given.

Heh.

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

who needs to make traps when 1 navi frog splash from a tree branch would kill at least 3 marines

 

[Tesseract]

its a mineral that takes 12 years and giant truck loads of money to bring back to Earth. Unobtanium is a good name for it.

agreed.

cameron kept it simple, solid, and out of reach. it works.

this place reeks of wankery.

 

[gdt]

What is the stiff competition exactly? The Hurt Locker? Bastards? This is like the worst year for films imaginable.

 

[TacticalFox88]

You're right. They were rich and meaningful.

Spoiler

I especially liked how the guy playing Quatrich looked like he shit his pants after getting two arrows through the midsection. I know that's the face I would make with two bolts sticking out my chest.

My point wasn't that the battle scenes were particularly incomprehensible--it's that I didn't give a shit about them because they failed to develop the characters outside of vague cliches and stereotypes.

And the action was clumsy. Surprisingly clumsy for Cameron. Go back and watch T2 then tell me this is good Cameron action. This was ass modeled on LoTR war scenes.

You're gonna praise TF2 and diss Avatar? On GAF? Good luck with that...:lol

 

[JzeroT1437]

This was awful on so many levels. Explicit exposition. Wasted scenes on the surroundings. Cheesy dialogue. A childishly basic plot.

Seriously. This is throwing movies into the ever-popular graphics vs gameplay argument. All it served as was a grandiose excuse for visual luxuriation.

 

[Stinkles]

agreed.

cameron kept it simple, solid, and out of reach. it works.

this place reeks of wankery.

Nah, it was weird and popped a lot of folk OUT of the movie for a few seconds. Of all the complaints I've seen about the film, this is the most objectively reasonable one. I loved the film, btw, but that name just grated.

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

This was awful on so many levels. Explicit exposition. Wasted scenes on the surroundings. Cheesy dialogue. A childishly basic plot.

Seriously. This is throwing movies into the ever-popular graphics vs gameplay argument. All it served as was a grandiose excuse for visual luxuriation.

:lol

 

[JzeroT1437]

You're gonna praise TF2 and diss Avatar? On GAF? Good luck with that...:lol

T2=TERMINATOR 2 YOU DUMBASS. The "other" Cameron film.

Which is better.

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

This was awful on so many levels. Explicit exposition. Wasted scenes on the surroundings. Cheesy dialogue. A childishly basic plot.

Seriously. This is throwing movies into the ever-popular graphics vs gameplay argument. All it served as was a grandiose excuse for visual luxuriation.

It's a visual medium. The storytelling is IN the moving images, ever thought about that?

 

[tino]

The Book of Eli was LOUD and awesome. I wish the feature presentation was as loud.

The book of Eli trailer was dumb as hell. It reminded me of every sub-standard western done by A-list actor when they have the window to do a quick actioner. (Last Man Standing, 3:10 to Yoma etc etc)

I know Gary Whitta is reading this thread, but that was just a dumb trailer. The chick didn't even look dirty. Everybody else in that trailer looked post-apocalyptic and that girl looked like she had a two-hour makeup session.

 

[JzeroT1437]

It's a visual medium. The storytelling is IN the moving images, ever thought about that?

There was no story though. That's the thing--the story was total garbage.

 

[Stinkles]

The book of Eli trailer was dumb as hell. It reminded me of every sub-standard western done by A-list actor when they have the window to do a quick actioner. (Last Man Standing, 3:10 to Yoma etc etc)

I know Gary Whitta is reading this thread, but that was just a dumb trailer. The chick didn't even look dirty. Everybody else in that trailer looked post-apocalyptic and that girl looked like she had a two-hour makeup session.

I actually liked this trailer better, but there were HUGE spoilers in it.

 

[Tobor]

It's a visual medium. The storytelling is IN the moving images, ever thought about that?

The storytelling is in the script. The visual images help tell the story as written. And Cameron needs to hire some screenwriters.

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

There was no story though. That's the thing--the story was total garbage.

How was the story garbage? A tired premise doesn't equate to a bad story.

 

[Stinkles]

There was no story though. That's the thing--the story was total garbage.

They should have got the writers from Transformers 2.

 

[Tobor]

They should have got the writers from Transformers 2.

No way, those guys suck. He should have hired the writers from Star Trek.

 

[Ollie Pooch]

This was awful on so many levels. Explicit exposition. Wasted scenes on the surroundings. Cheesy dialogue. A childishly basic plot.

Seriously. This is throwing movies into the ever-popular graphics vs gameplay argument. All it served as was a grandiose excuse for visual luxuriation.

and how awesome it was.

you ain't gonna convert anyone here :lol

are people seriously talking about zoe saldana as best actress? really? i loved her character, she worked well - and technically it was amazing, but it's hardly best actress material.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

Nah, it was weird and popped a lot of folk OUT of the movie for a few seconds. Of all the complaints I've seen about the film, this is the most objectively reasonable one. I loved the film, btw, but that name just grated.

Do you think the Na'vi named the planet Pandora? If the humans named the planet, why can't they name the ore Unobtainium. Honestly, are we nitpicking the names of fantasy ore found on fantasy planets? Relax guys....

 

[JzeroT1437]

How was the story garbage? A tired premise doesn't equate to a bad story.

No, it equates a lazy premise. The man who produced The Abyss, Terminator 2, and Titanic is above this rehashed trash. He just used it as a means of exploring his new tech.

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

There was no story though. That's the thing--the story was total garbage.

man, avatar gets WAY too much shit for its story:lol

 

[StuBurns]

The storytelling is in the script. The visual images help tell the story as written. And Cameron needs to hire some screenwriters.

This is what is so strange about Cameron, he's been quite open about his writing skills, and yet seems to want to write everything he makes. I think his scenario work is okay, he should farm out the rest though.

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

No way, those guys suck. He should have hired the writers from Star Trek.

:lol I see what you did there.

 

[Expendable.]

What is the stiff competition exactly? The Hurt Locker? Bastards? This is like the worst year for films imaginable.


How do you know it's a metal? The name is not the 'real' name of the material in the Avatar world. How do you know that piece isn't hollow? How do you know an alien metal wouldn't be considerably lower in density? How do you know what state earth is economically to state if '20 million a kilo' is even a lot?

The truth is, you can think it's stupid, but Cameron could easily have a perfectly logical explanation. It's just not given.

Were you alive in 2008? It was much worse.

 

[The Librarian]

I'd be interested in reading where Avatar holds up in regards to Cameron's other films for the rest of you.

For me, it'd be:
1. Aliens
2. Terminator 2
3. Terminator
4. Avatar

I'm unsure of Terminator of Avatar because I haven't rewatched Terminator in awhile. As it stands, that's how I feel.

No way, those guys suck. He should have hired the writers from Star Trek.

:lol

 

[Mario]

Yeah but

Spoiler

animals can interact with plants and trees too

... that aspect of it lost me.

Plants and animals here on Earth have a common ancestor.

 

[JGS]

You guys had better trailers than me.

I had Clash of the Titans, Salt, & a Piranhas remake in 3D.

The Titans trailer did not look better than the original to me except for Zeus. The rest just looked like a typical CGI show off flick.

 

[JzeroT1437]

They should have got the writers from Transformers 2.

I never said Transformers 2 was a better film--I said TERMINATOR 2 was a better film. I just said the ending was riddled with Michael-Bay-Esque traits, which it was. Lots of huge explosions? Check. Lots of animated things mashing into each other in some excuse for an epic battle? Check. Generally lacking feeling of climax? Check.

From your understanding of the written sentence, I'm shocked you could follow the story at all.

 

[Stinkles]

Do you think the Na'vi named the planet Pandora? If the humans named the planet, why can't they name the ore Unobtainium. Honestly, are we nitpicking the names of fantasy ore found on fantasy planets? Relax guys....

I'm 100% relaxed. But it's the equivalent of calling their guns "deathrays."

It was clunky. If it weren't, it wouldn't keep popping up in the thread.

As a matter of fact, it reminded me precisely of the guy selling "Deathsticks" in Episode 1. Just a needlessly awkward phrase.

 

[StuBurns]

Were you alive in 2008? It was much worse.

True, last year was worse, but 07, 06 and 05 were awesome.

 

[aznpxdd]

Lots of huge explosions? Check. Lots of animated things mashing into each other in some excuse for an epic battle?

Except in Avatar you can actually follow the action...

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

I never said Transformers 2 was a better film--I said TERMINATOR 2 was a better film. I just said the ending was riddled with Michael-Bay-Esque traits, which it was. Lots of huge explosions? Check. Lots of animated things mashing into each other in some excuse for an epic battle? Check. Generally lacking feeling of climax? Check.

From your understanding of the written sentence, I'm shocked you could follow the story at all.

The climax was the fight at the end. Everything else was just building up to that moment.

By the way, that scene was very well done.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

I'm 100% relaxed. But it's the equivalent of calling their guns "deathrays."

It was clunky. If it weren't, it wouldn't keep popping up in the thread.

As a matter of fact, it reminded me precisely of the guy selling "Deathsticks" in Episode 1. Just a needlessly awkward phrase.

How about Newtonium then?

 

[Tesseract]

Nah, it was weird and popped a lot of folk OUT of the movie for a few seconds. Of all the complaints I've seen about the film, this is the most objectively reasonable one. I loved the film, btw, but that name just grated.

cameron's attempt to pander and please, indeed; shifting platitudes.

it's the simplest of tropes and is recognizable as something rare
and / or unattainable. it works, but is def. weird.

also: it was used in the core (2003). FREE PASS.

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

How about Newtonium then?

Californium, Eisteinium, shakespearium