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[Dead]

You know, even if it is a 'Dances with Wolves' storyline, it still takes something special to make it appeal to kids. Kids would never be interested in Dance with Wolves, same with many other demographics. By switching up the setting, an old classic story can be retold. You know, like Fern Gully.

Essentially the same thing a little movie called Star Wars did as well...

 

[mrkgoo]

While the post directly below yours says "yes," I beg to differ. I normally don't have any issues with 3D and I felt that I was having some issues with eye strain watching.

Watched it tonight and all in all, I thought it was really good. I was a little worried about the story, because reading impressions of the movie, it sounds like people are making excuses for the plot.... I didn't see the need for that. The script is better than your average blockbuster by a long shot (mind you, your "average blockbuster" is pretty ridiculous).

Anyhow, I'm interested to see how this does. I frankly wasn't all that interested in the movie for a long time. I think what got me interested was actually this month's Wired coverage of it.

Also, call me the minority, but I have no problems at all with Titanic... although I always thought DiCaprio was talented... so he wasn't a negative for me the way he seemingly was for a lot of people.

EDIT: Finally -- least annoying Michelle Rodriguez "badass warrior chick" character ever?

You are most definitely not in the minority for enjoying Titanic.

The role suit her in this film. But to be fair I thought Sigourney was pretty tough as nails (even though she wasn't a warrior) and not annoying in Aliens. Man, I need to go back and see those classics.


Anyway, I think letting the experience sink in a bit more (always happens) has allowed me to appreciate and warm up to it somewhat. I'm going to return sometime next week to catch it in 3D.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

Michelle Rodriguez was charismatic. She didn't have that pissed off, bad attitude. Hell, she was smiling a genuine smile most of the time, instead of snarling. She was looking pretty hot too if I do say so myself.

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

At least temper your nitpicking with some classic Glover, please.

Michelle Rodriguez was charismatic. She didn't have that pissed off, bad attitude. Hell, she was smiling a genuine smile most of the time, instead of snarling. She was looking pretty hot too if I do say so myself.

Cameron put some CG on those breasts, I swear.

 

[Combine]

Because she somehow managed to not make you want to kill her with this performance.

I know, and I really cannot remember any scene of hers that annoyed me at all. She came across as likable to me in a tough, big sister way to Jake. Even her

Spoiler

tough macho self flying up against Quaritch was well done, and deserved. especially given how much it pissed him off. I just wish her death had been meaningful. And is it just me, or did she say a goodbye to Jake, yet he didn't seem to acknowledge it and even tried to contact her afterwards?

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

I know, and I really cannot remember any scene of hers that annoyed me at all. She came across as likable to me in a tough, big sister way to Jake. Even her

Spoiler

tough macho self flying up against Quaritch was well done, and deserved. Especially given how much it pissed of Quaritch. I just wish her death had been meaningful. And is it just me, or did she say a goodbye to Jake, yet he didn't seem to acknowledge it and even tried to contact her afterwards?

No,

Spoiler

she said sorry, because she couldn't do anymore because her engines were shot to hell.

 

[Gary Whitta]

You know, even if it is a 'Dances with Wolves' storyline, it still takes something special to make it appeal to kids. Kids would never be interested in Dance with Wolves, same with many other demographics. By switching up the setting, an old classic story can be retold. You know, like Fern Gully.

Yeah the whole "white man goes native" story is a perennial that's been told time and time again but I don't have a problem with that. FWIW I thought the closest analog to this story-wise was not Dances with Wolves but The Last Samurai (burn-out ex-soldier is brought in as a hired gun to help industrialized military deal with primitive warrior natives, gets captured/rescued by natives, learns natives' ways, falls in love with their culture and the girl, then leads natives in heroic last-stand battle against his former paymasters as they move in to wipe them out).

 

[Dead]

I think a bunch of her (Rodriguez) scenes were cut as well. I remember the actor who played Norm said his characters love interest in the movie was Michelle Rodriguez. In fact I think a bunch of scenes involving the both of them got cut.

For a moment it seemed like Norm was becoming really jealous of Jake, but nothing came of it, and later Jake mentioned that Norms attitude had improved (from what?)

 

[mrkgoo]

Essentially the same thing a little movie called Star Wars did as well...

Pretty much. Avatar isn't the first, or even really the best. Many movies carry the same old themes and ideas and repackage them. I personally love seeing them. For me the fact that Avatar was 'that' story again was ok by me. It has been a while since I've seen one.

 

[harSon]

Yeah the whole "white man goes native" story is a perennial that's been told time and time again but I don't have a problem with that. FWIW I thought the closest analog to this story-wise was not Dances with Wolves but The Last Samurai (burn-out ex-soldier is brought in as a hired gun to help industrialized military deal with primitive warrior natives, gets captured/rescued by natives, learns natives' ways, falls in love with their culture and the girl, then leads natives in heroic last-stand battle against his former paymasters as they move in to wipe them out).

Yup.

I called it Pocahontas + The Last Samurai last night :lol

 

[Gary Whitta]

Michelle Rodriguez was charismatic. She didn't have that pissed off, bad attitude. Hell, she was smiling a genuine smile most of the time, instead of snarling. She was looking pretty hot too if I do say so myself.

This is the only movie I've not hated her in. She even got one of my favorite lines in the movie -

Spoiler

"Yeah, you know what that is."

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

I think a bunch of her (Rodriguez) scenes were cut as well. I remember the actor who played Norm said his characters love interest in the movie was Michelle Rodriguez. In fact I think a bunch of scenes involving the both of them got cut.

For a moment it seemed like Norm was becoming really jealous of Jake, but nothing came of it, and later Jake mentioned that Norms attitude had improved (from what?)

Yea, these two were underdeveloped, particularly Rodriguez. She just felt like a tool that the story needed to move Jake's avatarpod. Her move to leave before the napalming of the tree felt a little late - dude, you're already in the gunship about to blow this village up, it's not like they really sprung this mission on you at the last second.

also, where did norm go after he jumped out of his pod and grabbed a gun? Don't recall his being in the movie at all after that.

 

[ToxicAdam]

I thought the story was straight up Dune.

Spoiler

This guy travels to a different planet, gets lost in a harsh environment, is taken in by the natives, slowly becomes accepted by them. Passes their test of "initiation" then becomes their messiah. His greatness then unifies all the natives and animals of the planet to launch an final attack on the imperialistic foreigners and drive them off.

 

[Dead]

Yea, these two were underdeveloped, particularly Rodriguez. She just felt like a tool that the story needed to move Jake's avatarpod. Her move to leave before the napalming of the tree felt a little late - dude, you're already in the gunship about to blow this village up, it's not like they really sprung this mission on you at the last second.

also, where did norm go after he jumped out of his pod and grabbed a gun? Don't recall his being in the movie at all after that.

Norm was there at the end

Spoiler

in his Avatar, looking over the departing humans

 

[mrkgoo]

Yeah the whole "white man goes native" story is a perennial that's been told time and time again but I don't have a problem with that. FWIW I thought the closest analog to this story-wise was not Dances with Wolves but The Last Samurai (burn-out ex-soldier is brought in as a hired gun to help industrialized military deal with primitive warrior natives, gets captured/rescued by natives, learns natives' ways, falls in love with their culture and the girl, then leads natives in heroic last-stand battle against his former paymasters as they move in to wipe them out).

Yeah, personally, I don't much like the Dance with Wolves analogy either (frankly, it's been ages since eI saw that movie to compare to anyway). It's just what many people latch on to. After seeing the movie, I t just reminded me of Fern Gully more than anything. The 'white man goes native' storyline was, for me, overshadowed by the 'greedy corporate businessmen want to destroy the natives and the environment for money' aspect. It has both the personal story of Jake, as well as the wider environmental theme, and I thought the wide one was more poignant.

I actually thought Jake becoming one of the natives was fairly abrupt. Too much spectacle to really focus on something so personal. Even in the personal moments, Cameron had you trying to wow at something. As someone mentioned it here, it felt a bit too much 'race traitor' as opposed to him full gaining appreciation - at least there was some line he suddenly crossed as opposed to a natural progression. Still, it's an action sic-fi, so to dwell on that like the personal moments in Dances is probably a bit long winded for this movie.

 

[Docpan]

Movie was fantastic... Took me a little while to get into it, but after it had me, it never let go.

What else can be said that hasn't been said? Some things were predictable from a story perspective, but guess what?? It doesn't matter! It was damn entertaining. All of the action sequences in the last third of the movie may have been the best I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot.

The bad dude military guy (what was his name again?) was a fucking BADASS... seriously, wow.

I know everyone has been saying it felt really short, but it felt long as fuck to me. I don't mean it in a bad way, but yeah no way should it have been one second longer than it was.

My girlfriend cried, and I was fist pumping with my jaw dropped during some of the hardcore shit.

3d didn't make or break this experience. It was really subtle but added to the effect quite nicely. Still, I think watching it in 2d would be just fine (though from what I've heard it's cropped, which sucks.)

sequel incoming? Probably not for a very, very long time.

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

Norm was there at the end

Spoiler

in his Avatar, looking over the departing humans

Dude didn't wanna stick around and join the Na'Vi? Or is it left up in the air in case people didn't like him enough to be in the sequel? His "jealousy" towards Jake was so telegraphed.:lol :lol

 

[Meier]

For a moment it seemed like Norm was becoming really jealous of Jake, but nothing came of it, and later Jake mentioned that Norms attitude had improved (from what?)

Mostly, Norm was jealous of the fact that this scrub who didn't really deserve to be there had made a break through unlike any other Avatar before him. I think he probably was eventually able to get over it and embrace the science and discovery that Jake was helping with.

Last Samurai is a nice analogy for this. I actually really loved that movie.. gets some undeserved hate due to the whole Crazy Cruise deal.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Yea, these two were underdeveloped, particularly Rodriguez. She just felt like a tool that the story needed to move Jake's avatarpod. Her move to leave before the napalming of the tree felt a little late - dude, you're already in the gunship about to blow this village up, it's not like they really sprung this mission on you at the last second.

also, where did norm go after he jumped out of his pod and grabbed a gun? Don't recall his being in the movie at all after that.

Same thing happened in Titanic with Jack's two buddies he meets on the deck early on. In the script one of them has a love story on the side with a girl he meets in the dance scene ("it okay I put my hand here?"), and the two of them are generally well rounded out. In the movie they're introduced, and are involve in the action, and we see their eventual fate (one shot, one smashed under that tower). But aside from their purely functional role in the story their development was cut out.

 

[Veidt]

This is the only movie I've not hated her in. She even got one of my favorite lines in the movie -

Spoiler

"Yeah, you know what that is."

Yeah, she was actually pretty, dare I say.. cute. :lol

 

[DMczaf]

btw, what's the limit on the amount of times you can say "Shit" and keep a PG-13?

Jake was throwing out S bombs like they were going out of style!

 

[Dead]

Dude didn't wanna stick around and join the Na'Vi? Or is it left up in the air in case people didn't like him enough to be in the sequel? His "jealousy" towards Jake was so telegraphed.:lol :lol

No, he stayed with the Na'vi. Along with the other Avatars

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

btw, what's the limit on the amount of times you can say "Shit" and keep a PG-13?

Jake was throwing out S bombs like they were going out of style!

The cut from when he thought he was riding the horse well and him immediately falling off it yelling "god damnit!" was hilariously short.:lol

 

[DrForester]

This is the only movie I've not hated her in. She even got one of my favorite lines in the movie -

Spoiler

"Yeah, you know what that is."

my favorite line was Weaver's

Spoiler

"Oh Shit" when she found out Jake mated with Neytiri

:lol

 

[Meier]

btw, what's the limit on the amount of times you can say "Shit" and keep a PG-13?

Jake was throwing out S bombs like they were going out of style!

They got away with a lot of 'god damns' too which I thought had a limit. Must have met the max number on every single word. :lol

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

I haven't had a chance to go through the thread and see what Gaf's general consensus for the movie was but despite not having huge expectations it really was magical for me. The 3D was absolutely incredible and I could go on and on about how seamless it was but all that I can think of to describe the effect the movie had on me is that in 3 hours James Cameron was able to make me care about a place and people on the same level that some of my books accomplish in several weeks or months of reading. Absolutely spellbinding and I am just kind of overloaded right now.

 

[Dead]

my favorite line was Weaver's

Spoiler

"Oh Shit" when she found out Jake mated with Neytiri

:lol

Neither of those can hope to compare to that one recurring Marine guy

"GET SOME!!!!"

 

[DMczaf]

Neither of those can hope to compare to that one recurring Marine guy

"GET SOME!!!!"

I can't wait for the movie with Avatar Marine Guy and The Dark Knight SWAT Guy

<Marine> GET SOME!!

<SWAT Guy> I DIDNT SIGN UP FOR THIS!

SUMMER 2012

 

[Veidt]

Really? You guys didn't laugh out when Jake said "Yeah, bitch, what now? "

:lol

I can't wait for the movie with Avatar Marine Guy and The Dark Knight SWAT Guy

<Marine> GET SOME!!

<SWAT Guy> I DIDNT SIGN UP FOR THIS!

SUMMER 2012

:lol

 

[harSon]

I'm glad the 3D came out so well, I hadn't had any experiences with it outside of the stuff you'd find at various amusement parks, and my expectations nearly died when I saw the Piranha 3d trailer in the previews. That shit made my stomach die which is disappointing since I like Aja as a director.

 

[DrForester]

Yeah the whole "white man goes native" story is a perennial that's been told time and time again but I don't have a problem with that. FWIW I thought the closest analog to this story-wise was not Dances with Wolves but The Last Samurai (burn-out ex-soldier is brought in as a hired gun to help industrialized military deal with primitive warrior natives, gets captured/rescued by natives, learns natives' ways, falls in love with their culture and the girl, then leads natives in heroic last-stand battle against his former paymasters as they move in to wipe them out).

Yeah, I'd agree last Samurai is a bit more like Avatar than Dances with Wolves is. Especially with the industrial angle. With Dances with Wolves you just had a guy getting shipped out to an outpost and finding it was abandoned. He wasn't sent out there with any specific goal in mind except that he wanted to get away from the War and see the frontier.

 

[ultron87]

Who would've thought that

Spoiler

becoming a messiah was as easy as flying above the red dragon thing and just jumping onto its back?

You'd think someone would've tried that before that.

 

[Dead]

I can't wait for the movie with Avatar Marine Guy and The Dark Knight SWAT Guy

<Marine> GET SOME!!

<SWAT Guy> I DIDNT SIGN UP FOR THIS!

SUMMER 2012

lulz

Thankfull Marine guy was pretty spread out and most of the time his dialogue was hidden underneath tons of music and sound effects

SWAT guy was all in one go and it just never stopped! "Is that a bazooka?!?!" :lol

 

[ToxicAdam]

You'd think someone would've tried that before that.

Well, it is kind of like "the sword in the stone". Anyone can try, but very few will succeed.


My biggest nitpick about this entire movie was:

Spoiler

When they escape the base. There are NO people that can shoot down or disable a flying vehicle leaving the base? Really? An armed to the teeth military that has zero air defenses?

Also, wouldn't the first place they look be those scientist trailers? Surely they have some record of where they are.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I can't find the Cinemascore if it's out yet, but Variety is reporting that Avatar is setting up for some long legs:

It's quite possible that the east coast winter storms cut into the opening day figure for "Avatar." However, much like Cameron’s "Titanic," "Avatar" is bound to sprout a fantastic set of legs based on word of mouth -- a huge asset heading into the Christmas holiday, which falls on Friday. Immediately evident: the exit polls for "Avatar," both stateside and abroad, have been truly fantastic.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118012989.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

 

[Evlar]

Fantastic.

 

[Dead]

Well, it is kind of like "the sword in the stone". Anyone can try, but very few will succeed.


My biggest nitpick about this entire movie was:

Spoiler

When they escape the base. There are NO people that can shoot down or disable a flying vehicle leaving the base? Really? An armed to the teeth military that has zero air defenses?

Also, wouldn't the first place they look be those scientist trailers? Surely they have some record of where they are.

Did you forget? They

Spoiler

moved the mobile station, and they cant locate it due to the Flux

Really, a LOT of people were trolling the movie before release by just saying "why dont they just unplug the avatars!!?!" but in the movie its completely taken care of...

 

[Dead]

I can't find the Cinemascore if it's out yet, but Variety is reporting that Avatar is setting up for some long legs:


http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118012989.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Like I mentioned...I can't remember the last movie where I saw audiences as enthused as with this

Usually there is applause, but you can tell its kinda muted, and almost obligatory. Here, it was really rousing. Both times I saw the movie.

 

[ToxicAdam]

Did you forget? They

Spoiler

moved the mobile station, and they cant locate it due to the Flux

Really, a LOT of people were trolling the movie before release by just saying "why dont they just unplug the avatars!!?!" but in the movie its completely taken care of...

Spoiler

I'm talking about before they move it. They have to know where they INITITALLY moved the units. The military is the one who hauled them up there, not the scientists.

The military guys aren't going to fly some scouts looking for them?

 

[Dead]

I'm talking about before they move it. They have to know where they INITITALLY moved the units. The military is the one who hauled them up there, not the scientists.

But they did come before they moved it, when they had to.

I dont really think they had any reason to before they did, as Jake was still giving out his reports, albeit in a more irregular fashion.

 

[JGS]

Because she somehow managed to not make you want to kill her with this performance.

True.

 

[Combine]

Come on guys, if you really want to nitpick something extraordinary. Why not pick on how

Spoiler

the location where the Dragon goes down and where Mecha Quaritch ends up just so happens to be right near the trailer?

I mean, that's pretty damn convenient.

...Didn't bother me though...

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

Spoiler

I'm talking about before they move it. They have to know where they INITITALLY moved the units. The military is the one who hauled them up there, not the scientists.

The military guys aren't going to fly some scouts looking for them?

Spoiler

Maybe they were just very efficient in moving the units and started before the military had a chance to get there.

Edit: Combine, they purposefully went deep into the Flux to throw the military signal off, and the Flux was caused by the Tree of Souls. The Dragon was just near the Tree.

 

[Digital-Hero]

Because she somehow managed to not make you want to kill her with this performance.

So true. I thought this was a good role for her.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Come on guys, if you really want to nitpick something extraordinary. Why not pick on how

Spoiler

the location where the Dragon goes down and where Mecha Quaritch ends up just so happens to be right near the trailer?

I mean, that's pretty damn convenient.

...Didn't bother me though...

I had that thought too. But hey, what's a contrived plot convenience in the interest of dramatic tension?

Spoiler

Didn't really bother me much, but yeah.

My wife had a question after that I couldn't recall the answer to: what ever happens to Jake's

Spoiler

epic ride after he jumped off it to blow up the Dragon? Was it killed? I don't recall seeing it after and just assumed that because everything went to hell after he got off that they just didn't connect, but it was still around.

 

[JGS]

Yeah, she was actually pretty, dare I say.. cute. :lol

Well, I never hated her & I'm one of the weirdos that liked her in LOST.

However, my point was there was not enough of her in this movie to convey a strong performance of any type which is probably why she seemed the same to me.

Not bad, just not anything special.

 

[ToxicAdam]

C

I mean, that's pretty damn convenient.

...Didn't bother me though...

I mentioned it earlier, but I had problems with the entire ending sequence. I thought at some point Cameron puts the action on cruise control and gives you a heaping helping of Hollywood cliches we've seen in 100 different action movies from the 80's and 90's.


The only thing missing was the old "Oh no, he's not dead yet!" ending with the final villain.

 

[Combine]

My wife had a question after that I couldn't recall the answer to: what ever happens to Jake's

Spoiler

epic ride after he jumped off it to blow up the Dragon? Was it killed? I don't recall seeing it after and just assumed that because everything went to hell after he got off that they just didn't connect, but it was still around.

There was a shot of it flying away when Jake mentioned that

Spoiler

"Toruk Makto"

was not needed anymore.

 

[Koodo]

Just came back from seeing it, and holy shit did Cameron deliver. The 3D was EPIC, and most of the movie was spellbinding (I was choking up during the

Spoiler

destruction of Hometree

).

I do have a few nitpicks though:

- The plot felt rushed at the end, maybe even a bit phoned in. Some of the important moments in that last act just came and went.
- I didn't think the war at the end was that amazing. It was cool with some fuckingly awesome moments, but it wasn't the jaw-dropping payoff I was expecting.
- Some characters were indeed underdeveloped, particularly Trudy and that CEO guy (I can't even remember his name!). To be honest, I was only fully satisfied with Jake and Neytiri (and her mom, for some reason).
- The CG here has no comparison, but I will say that those scarce scenes with Avatar and humans in the same shot didn't look as great as everything else.

And this one is not related to the movie, but I don't particularly think there is any pressing need to see this movie in IMAX as opposed to a RealD-equipped theatre. The glasses are annoying to be honest (yes, they were IMAX3D), there was some blurriness, and my favorite feature of IMAX, its aspect ratio, was obviously not in use. I'll take the lower price tag of a normal theatre over the slightly improved sound and picture.

Anyhow, I'm DEFINITELY seeing this movie again very soon.

 

[JGS]

Come on guys, if you really want to nitpick something extraordinary. Why not pick on how

Spoiler

the location where the Dragon goes down and where Mecha Quaritch ends up just so happens to be right near the trailer?

I mean, that's pretty damn convenient.

...Didn't bother me though...

Actually, that one made sense to me

Spoiler

as they were moving the trailer directly to the flux. Also the battle area was linear and narrow, so the entire battle was heading into that direction and the ship crashed just at it's drop zone.

However, I may have this backwards or something since I was confused at first how the Na'vi missed the dropping of the trailer initially. I kept thinking they were going to be atacked when they landed!