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Rottenwatch: AVATAR (82%)

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DrForester said:
Fucking idiots would be the people who decide to have assigned seating at a movie theater.
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assigned seating is awesome. i booked my tickets for the 16th, on the 7th, and had time to go out to dinner before hand , turn up 5 minutes before the screening and still have my seats available. i hated it when they first introduced it, but the convenience factor is great.
 
Gary Whitta said:
Zoe Saldana is on Ellen right now (yeah fuck you, I have Ellen on while I'm working), the scene where
Jake says "Everything changed... I fell in love with the forest" and the betrayed Neytiri pushes him away
... fuck me, the quality and realism of the facial and character animation is actually way better than anything I've seen in any trailers or preview footage to date. I was just blown away, it looked amazing.

Cameron, you crazy bastard, you actually did it!
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Dude, stop watching scenes! They have shown more than 3/4 of the fucking movie in the released trailers and tv spots, in case you were hoping they weren't that spoilerish and that there would be plenty more.

Also, for the poster above in need of reassurance. It is Fern Gully in space. The sooner you accept that this is what the story will be, the sooner you will enjoy how Cameron does it.
 
Yeah I love assigned seating, the best theater in LA (Arclight) has it as do Robert Redford's Sundance cinemas. It's great because I don't have to stress about getting a good seat any more and I don't have to wait in a line for hours, no pushing and shoving or any of that shit that usually makes me not want to see blockbusters on opening weekend.
 
If I had to rank all of James Cameron’s movies at this stage (all are good) it would be this:

1. Titanic
2. Terminator 2
3. AVATAR
4. Terminator/Aliens
5. True Lies

I haven't fully seen The Abyss, but from what little I have seen it would be near the bottom.
 
Scullibundo said:
Dude, stop watching scenes! They have shown more than 3/4 of the fucking movie in the released trailers and tv spots, in case you were hoping they weren't that spoilerish and that there would be plenty more.
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No joke, I just watched some featurettes, some serious fucking spoilers in there, crazy stuff.

Tricky I Shadow said:
If I had to rank all of James Cameron’s movies at this stage (all are good) it would be this:

1. Titanic
2. Terminator 2
3. AVATAR
4. Terminator/Aliens
5. True Lies

I haven't fully seen The Abyss, but from what little I have seen it would be near the bottom.
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List wars? I love list wars...

1 - Avatar (yeah, bring on the hate)
2 - T2 (Extended Cut, not the even more extended cut though)
3 - Aliens (Directors Cut)
4 - Titanic
5 - T1
6 - The Abyss (not the directors cut, I know, I'm in the minority)
7 - True Lies
 
phinious said:
Please someone who has seen this film reassure me. This isnt Ferngully in space is it? Im pumped about the movie, but the trailers remind me of Ferngully=(
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It's Ferngully/Dances With Wolves/Pocahontas in Space, almost certainly.

The premise should be irrelevant at this point. The execution is what matters.
 
ClosingADoor said:
Well, what do they need unobitanium for anyway? I can't remember that being explained anywhere in the movie, except that it costs 20 million a kilo.
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Here's what I found on some Avatar Wiki. I'll spoiler tag the whole thing just in case:

Unobtanium has a unique magnetic field and properties of superconductivity, causing it to levitate. This unique magnetic field is used to contain and direct the energy of the matter-antimatter annihilation which propels ships like ISV Venture Star. Without unobtanium, interstellar commerce on this scale would not be possible. Unobtanium is not only the key to Earth’s energy needs in the 22nd century, but it is the enabler of interstellar travel and the establishment of a truly spacefaring civilization. making a feed back loop, the more Unobtainium is mined, the more ship can be built, and more mining equipment can be sent to Pandora.

After only a few decades, the company (RDA) had the capital and stature to propose the construction of a world-spanning rapid transit system that would allow entire population groups to conveniently commute hundreds or even thousands of miles to perform work where it was needed, without impinging on the cultural values of host populations. This led to the current global network of maglev trains that require the superconductor Unobtanium for their continued operation.

The company's early expeditions to Pandora were seen as a colossal risk; the construction of the ISV Venture Star alone put an enormous strain on capital resources. But with exclusive mining rights to Unobtanium (which is valued at $20 million per kilo), and potential profits from countervirals, biofuels, and cosmetics, the enormous capital investment has paid off.

All in all it mainly seems that it will solve the energy crisis. I think most of the above info was taken from the videogame, since that had a sort of database on the Avatar universe. Too bad the game apparently really sucks cause otherwise I'd be interested in it, since it is a canon prequel to the film.
 
Dead said:
:(

[wishful thinking]Maybe if the movie does really well Cameron will have more SFX completed for a Special Edition like he did with the Abyss (though that was a different case) [/wishful thinking]
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Won't happen. There will be an extra 12 or so minutes coming. But none of the stuff previously linked.
 
Patrick Klepek said:
I just interviewed Cameron for 20 minutes. Total trip. Incredibly nice, humble, funny guy.
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G4, I'm guessing? Watching him on AotS right now.

The one thing that has always excited me about AVATAR is how excited Cameron is for his own movie. I don't think any hype that comes out of his mouth is trying to pull the wool over our eyes. The dude's living his dream and how many of us can say we get to fully realize this imaginary universe we've had in our heads for years.

As someone who aspires to be a creator, I can't be anything but happy for him, and that means I'm pumped for AVATAR regardless of any problems it might have.
 
Scullibundo said:
Basically, if Cameron had done everything that is in the treatment, the production budget really would have been $500m.
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Gotta save something for the sequel. Like Na'vi attacking earth :)

Empire Strikes Back level of awesomeness here we come. 15 years left!
 
Gary Whitta said:
Yeah I love assigned seating, the best theater in LA (Arclight) has it as do Robert Redford's Sundance cinemas. It's great because I don't have to stress about getting a good seat any more and I don't have to wait in a line for hours, no pushing and shoving or any of that shit that usually makes me not want to see blockbusters on opening weekend.
Click to expand...

Absolutely, I've had my Avatar Imax tickets booked at the Bridge, since they went on sale a month or so ago, and have some good seats lined up so I won't have to wait in line at all. The Arclight's a great one for that too (and just great all around), as is the Landmark on Pico.

When I lived in Thailand in the late 90's, almost every theater there had a system for choosing your seats when you bought your tickets, whether it was an electronic system or just a sheet of paper they'd mark. I always wondered why they didn't do that in the States, it's so much nicer reserving good seats ahead of time and showing up just before the previews start. :)

Avatar on Saturday! Fina-freakin'-ly!
 
CBF finding it now. Posted earlier today (this page or last) I linked to interview with Cameron and cast where they talk about what was cut and will hopefully be put back in for the blu release.
 
An important chunk of those 10-plus minutes is devoted to a trial that Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), who joins the Na'vi through his mind-controlled alien avatar, must pass to truly become one of the clan. It involves a hunt for a Sturmbeest, a sort of colorful, overgrown rhino.
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They cut THAT out because they felt it bogged the middle down too much? Wtf.
 
Gary Whitta said:
Yeah I love assigned seating, the best theater in LA (Arclight) has it as do Robert Redford's Sundance cinemas. It's great because I don't have to stress about getting a good seat any more and I don't have to wait in a line for hours, no pushing and shoving or any of that shit that usually makes me not want to see blockbusters on opening weekend.
Click to expand...
The Landmark is awesome and has assigned seating, too.
 
Zeliard said:
They cut THAT out because they felt it bogged the middle down too much? Wtf.
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To be fair, I really liked the idea that he
earned his place based on all his efforts, as appose to a single final 'test'. Not that I don't want to see it, I hope they include it. But the Grace stuff is a lot more interesting to me.
 
Scullibundo said:
Dude, stop watching scenes! They have shown more than 3/4 of the fucking movie in the released trailers and tv spots, in case you were hoping they weren't that spoilerish and that there would be plenty more.

Also, for the poster above in need of reassurance. It is Fern Gully in space. The sooner you accept that this is what the story will be, the sooner you will enjoy how Cameron does it.
Click to expand...
I didn't mean to watch it, I was just tuned into Ellen like always and suddenly Cameron busts a nut all over my face without warning!

But it didn't spoil anything and made me more excited to see it.
 
I still haven't seen anything from the movie as far as visuals outside of the very first trailer and the major screenshots that have gone around.
 
Zeliard said:
I still haven't seen anything from the movie as far as visuals outside of the very first trailer and the major screenshots that have gone around.
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Defiantly stay away from the official featurettes, I can't believe some of the material they've included.
 
SanjuroTsubaki said:
One of the reviews today called it the longest video game advertisement ever. Hmmmm....
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I'm going to the first showing tomorrow morning. I expect to love it being a sci fi buff.

That being said I imagine this will be my favorite avatar review from RT

Little more than this decade's "The Phantom Menace," both in terms of the intense expectations that it has generated and the shockingly banal ways in which it fails to live up to them.
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Here's my little short review

The movie really is of two worlds. The contrast between the human characters and the indigenous population on Pandora could not be anymore different. Representing Earth are a series of clichéd, stereotypical characters with some of the worst dialogue you will witness in a film this year. The negatives, although perhaps on themselves not dramatic, are just highlighted further by the contrast of the exotic Na'vi who in their mixture of their alien dialect and emotive characteristics (whether it be their stances or their elegant movement) completely and utterly outshine the human performances in the movie. You become bedazzled and begin to not only feel for these people but come to view the humans as figments of a bad dream. Avatar reverses the roles.

There are simply no words to describe the beauty of the cinematography, the 3D characters (although you actually forget they are 3D), their culture and their world. Simply none. Having said that, every time we are pulled away from that world back to what is so appropriately termed the "real world" in the human base, it depresses you as well as Jake. Then you switch back again and are greeted by the two almost dancing in the sky together and you can't help but smile along with them. This just furthers your appreciation and lust for them.

If you're looking for an intelligent story-line and deep narrative, this is not your film. If however you want a night where you feel like a child again with his mouth open through large periods of the film - this is that moment.
 
stuburns said:
To be fair, I really liked the idea that he
earned his place based on all his efforts, as appose to a single final 'test'. Not that I don't want to see it, I hope they include it. But the Grace stuff is a lot more interesting to me.
Click to expand...

Wan't
getting his own flying banshee a final test, to show them he was one of them and a true warrior?

And I would rate Avatar above Titanic I think. Watched Titanic two days ago, and while it is a good movie, it is also the standard love story (working class guy falls for upper class girl). Nothing really special, except that they are one a ship that crashes into an iceberg.
 
Meus Renaissance said:
Here's my little short review

The movie really is of two worlds. The contrast between the human characters and the indigenous population on Pandora could not be anymore different. Representing Earth are a series of clichéd, stereotypical characters with some of the worst dialogue you will witness in a film this year. The negatives, although perhaps on themselves not dramatic, are just highlighted further by the contrast of the exotic Na'vi who in their mixture of their alien dialect and emotive characteristics (whether it be their stances or their elegant movement) completely and utterly outshine the human performances in the movie. You become bedazzled and begin to not only feel for these people but come to view the humans as figments of a bad dream. Avatar reverses the roles.

There are simply no words to describe the beauty of the cinematography, the 3D characters (although you actually forget they are 3D), their culture and their world. Simply none. Having said that, every time we are pulled away from that world back to what is so appropriately termed the "real world" in the human base, it depresses you as well as Jake. Then you switch back again and are greeted by the two almost dancing in the sky together and you can't help but smile along with them.
Click to expand...

The movie spends a far longer time with the Na'vi on Pandora than the humans at base, though, right?
 
Zeliard said:
It's Ferngully/Dances With Wolves/Pocahontas in Space, almost certainly.

The premise should be irrelevant at this point. The execution is what matters.
Click to expand...

I disagree. They're both part of the pie, even though one piece is bigger.
 
Ok, so just got back in from watching Avatar (as well as a session discussing it with the guys for 2 hours, yes 2 hours, and I swear were it not too late we could have carried on discussing it for much longer). What to say?

Easily my film of the year, and one of Cameron's finest. This film is breathtaking in every sense of the word, in-fact, watching this in IMAX in glorious 3D, I don't think I've had a more captivating and immersive experience in cinema, and if I have I certainly can't remember it.

It doesn't just take you to a whole other gorgeous world that you don't want to leave behind, it also draws you in to a compelling (but admittedly relatively predictable) narrative and characters that engage with you better than those found in the vast majority of big blockbuster spectacles, despite the main characters being weird looking blue aliens. They are completely convincing, as is the gorgeous and exquisite world that surrounds them. It's because of this that the story and events that unfold have that much more emotional clout and at times, actually pull at the old strings.

Believe the hype. Whilst it may not be for everyone, I implore you all to still try and see this at the IMAX. At the very least, it will be a cinema experience you've never witnessed before, for the sheer grandeur of it all, and the technical brilliance along with the stunning art direction/design.

I am usually very hard to please when it comes to movies (been let down by pretty much every other film this year bar Star Trek and maybe District 9), but somehow this film managed to exceed my expectations and for that, the film gets a whopping 9.5/10 from me. Or a 5/5 if you want to stay traditional. I am sorry I ever doubted you Cameron. And I will follow through with that apology by going to see the movie multiple times!
 
I'm waiting for my friend to come back to the area to do some movie raping. There are at least a dozen films I need to see. Currently my friends around the area only like to watch Anime and/or not go out of the house. It's fucking disgusting.
 
You guys have really lowered my expectations greatly. That's a good thing. Gonna see a showing tomorrow afternoon in Real3D.
 
Clevinger said:
I disagree. They're both part of the pie, even though one piece is bigger.
Click to expand...

I'm saying it's irrelevant because we all know exactly what it's about, even those who haven't seen the movie. So if you're going into it expecting the storyline to be something other than Dances with Wolves in Space, when we know that's exactly what it is, then that's all on you. The movie isn't going to magically morph into something it isn't once you set foot in the theaters.
 
Len Dontree said:
Absolutely, I've had my Avatar Imax tickets booked at the Bridge, since they went on sale a month or so ago, and have some good seats lined up so I won't have to wait in line at all. The Arclight's a great one for that too (and just great all around), as is the Landmark on Pico.

When I lived in Thailand in the late 90's, almost every theater there had a system for choosing your seats when you bought your tickets, whether it was an electronic system or just a sheet of paper they'd mark. I always wondered why they didn't do that in the States, it's so much nicer reserving good seats ahead of time and showing up just before the previews start. :)

Avatar on Saturday! Fina-freakin'-ly!
Click to expand...
Yep I'm going to the bridge for this one too even though I live a block away from the arclight. The cinerama dome is using some new kind of 3D tech called XpanD and their other 3D screens use Dolby.

I'm seeing it on Saturday too at 10pm @ the IMAX.
 
ClosingADoor said:
Wan't
getting his own flying banshee a final test, to show them he was one of them and a true warrior?
Click to expand...
To me that seemed like
the culmination of the training more than a 'test' as such. It never appeared like he was trying to earn his place, so much as pay his dues, to me at least.
 
Zeliard said:
The movie spends a far longer time with the Na'vi on Pandora than the humans at base, though, right?
Click to expand...

Yes. But anytime with the humans is fucking awful and forgetful. Adds nothing to the movie. If anything, it takes something away
 
nib95 said:
Believe the hype. Whilst it may not be for everyone, I implore you all to still try and see this at the IMAX. At the very least, it will be a cinema experience you've never witnessed before, for the sheer grandeur of it all, and the technical brilliance along with the stunning art direction/design.

I am usually very hard to please when it comes to movies (been let down by pretty much every other film this year bar Star Trek and maybe District 9), but somehow this film managed to exceed my expectations and for that, the film gets a whopping 9.5/10 from me. Or a 5/5 if you want to stay traditional. I am sorry I ever doubted you Cameron. And I will follow through with that apology by going to see the movie multiple times!
Click to expand...
There seems to be a lot of this going around.

This is not helping - I repeat, not helping! - tomorrow afternoon come any faster. :lol
 
Zeliard said:
I'm saying it's irrelevant because we all know exactly what it's about, even those who haven't seen the movie. So if you're going into it expecting the storyline to be something other than Dances with Wolves in Space, when we know that's exactly what it is, then that's all on you. The movie isn't going to magically morph into something it isn't once you set foot in the theaters.
Click to expand...

Ah, I see.
 
nib95 said:
Ok, so just got back in from watching Avatar (as well as a session discussing it with the guys for 2 hours, yes 2 hours, and I swear were it not too late we could have carried on discussing it for much longer). What to say?

Easily my film of the year, and one of Cameron's finest. This film is breathtaking in every sense of the word, in-fact, watching this in IMAX in glorious 3D, I don't think I've had a more captivating and immersive experience in cinema, and if I have I certainly can't remember it.

It doesn't just take you to a whole other gorgeous world that you don't want to leave behind, it also draws you in to a compelling (but admittedly relatively predictable) narrative and characters that engage with you better than those found in the vast majority of big blockbuster spectacles, despite the main characters being weird looking blue aliens. They are completely convincing, as is the gorgeous and exquisite world that surrounds them. It's because of this that the story and events that unfold have that much more emotional clout and at times, actually pull at the old strings.

Believe the hype. Whilst it may not be for everyone, I implore you all to still try and see this at the IMAX. At the very least, it will be a cinema experience you've never witnessed before, for the sheer grandeur of it all, and the technical brilliance along with the stunning art direction/design.

I am usually very hard to please when it comes to movies (been let down by pretty much every other film this year bar Star Trek and maybe District 9), but somehow this film managed to exceed my expectations and for that, the film gets a whopping 9.5/10 from me. Or a 5/5 if you want to stay traditional. I am sorry I ever doubted you Cameron. And I will follow through with that apology by going to see the movie multiple times!
Click to expand...

OT: Have you seen Moon? Fantastic hard sci-fi flick, and very different from both Avatar and District 9. You might enjoy it.
 
Meus Renaissance said:
Yes. But anytime with the humans is fucking awful and forgetful. Adds nothing to the movie. If anything, it takes something away
Click to expand...

I disagree, it acts as a means to increase the viewers desire and appreciation for the alien world and life, much in the same way as Jake desires it. As the movie progresses, the same dreary opinion of the bleak human world is reflected within the main character.
 
Meus Renaissance said:
Yes. But anytime with the humans is fucking awful and forgetful. Adds nothing to the movie. If anything, it takes something away
Click to expand...
I didn't dislike those parts as much as that, but I'd have been perfectly happy with never returning to the base once he's 'linked'.
 
nib95 said:
I disagree, it acts as a means to increase the viewers desire and appreciation for the alien world and life, much in the same way as Jake desires it. As the movie progresses, the same dreary opinion of the bleak human world is reflected within the main character.
Click to expand...

I know, I saw that effect. But I'm not so sure if that was intentional on their part :lol
 
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