Avatar

[Scott]

Is anyone at all excited for this?  I get the concept but do not understand the hype.  Not sure if I am going out of my way to go and see it but reviews are looking positive...thoughts?

[Rob]

No interest at all... visually I think it looks about as good (bad) as Episode I and I don't see anything in the trailer or commercials to indicate that it's anything remotely as epic as the voice over keeps telling me it is.  

I guess if some people who's taste in movies I trust see it and tell me it's worth the trip I'll give it a go, but at the moment I'm less than uninterested.  

[efranks]

I keep thinking that the plot looks like it's going to be very cookie cutter and that everyone is just dazzled by the CGI that went into it.

And yeah, just because the voice over says it will be epic doesn't mean I buy in.  After all, didn't the voice overs for the Fifth Element tell us how it was the Star Wars for a new generation?

I'm planning on going to see this Friday morning so I'll be posting after I see it.

   E...

[Jesse James]

I'm really not sure what the hell to think right now...  good reviews, but I thought it looked dumb from everything I saw.

Technologically, I see the coolness of 3D and all that crap (I'd dig Star Wars in this format, I admit it), but I haven't seen anything in the commercials to make me think this looks better visually than the prequals did (which were pretty great visual effects for the most part, especially for their time). 

I'm just not sure wtf is going on here...  I feel like there's a group of people pushing this movie as great regardless, to get something they want to succeed even if it may suck.

[jedi_master_sal]

I don't plan on seeing it first run. Maybe when it comes to the dollar theater or I can rent it through Redbox for a dollar. Other than good special affects I really have no clue what the story is about other than some war between humans an some thin blue aliens.

[DSJ™]

Meh! I'll catch in online & save on the rush.

[IncomT65]

Watched a talkshow last night, which had two of our film makers/critics at the table. They both were quite impressed with the whole 3D thing, but storywise Avatar is pretty dull and appears to have a politically correct waving finger after all. I'll go see it with my best bud, but only to check out the 3D thing again.

First and only 3D movie I saw was Ice Age 3 and it was an awful experience. I got a splitting frontal headache and very tired eyes. Like when you have glasses/lenses that are just a decimal off in strength you know.

But like I said, I'll give Avatar a try.

[iFett]

I haven't seen a flick in the theaters since District 9 - which I loved to pieces.  Not expecting much out of this movie, but I've been itchin to see a movie on ye ol UltraScreen since then so I'm going to bite.

They both were quite impressed with the whole 3D thing

Is that just for IMAX or is that standard?  I saw UP in 3D and it didn't work very well through a regular screening.

[Brian]

I'm not sure what to think of this either.  Like others have mentioned, it (effects wise at least) looks spiffy enough in the commercials, but I'm not quite understanding how it is as awesome/revolutionary as we're constantly being told.  Of course, I haven't seen it, so who knows.  The reviews have been pretty solid, and I even read a review at IGN saying that they hadn't been "taken away to another world" this much since Star Wars (the originals I believe).  I don't know if we'll get out to see it in the theater or not, but I'd like to rent it either way.  Honestly, I think if I had to choose one movie to see, I'm a little more jazzed about something like Sherlock Holmes at this point.  I'm interested to see how Avatar will do this weekend though.  I doubt it will come anywhere near "making its money back", since it was supposed to be pretty expensive, but I wonder if the general movie going audience will be out to see this in droves or not.

[speedermike]

Quick Question...I want to see Avatar in 3D, but I wear glasses.  Normally, I stay away from 3D stuff, but with this one I'm curious.  So, are the 3D glasses going to fit over my regular glasses?  What's a guy to do?

[Scott]

Cameron was on Conan last night and Conan was absolutely gushing over the thing (he and Andy had seen it the night before).  Checking Rotten Tomatoes it is currently at 84% positive...the local rag gave it 4 out of 4 stars. 

Us being uber SW geeks, I guess I dunno...the whole thing sort of looks like Kashyyyk to me which is maybe why we aren't as amazed as everyone else.  Plus the suits they wear and Sigourney Weaver and all smacks of Alien/Aliens I guess so its not like visually there is something new or cool. 

Riding flying beasts?

[Brian]

I was just reading a very positive review of this at Newsarama as well.  It does mention that the characters/story is sort of weak (and cites how the characters were one of the greatest strengths of Star Wars), but that the effects sound amazing (particularly in 3D).  They also mention a portion of Ebert's review, where he discusses this "feeling the same" as when he saw Star Wars in 1977.

[Chris M]

I'm not sure if I want to see this or not. 

One thing that always catches my eye, maybe for lack of originality, are the assault ships.  They look like they came right out of aliens, or T2/3.  I mean, I know this is a James Cameron movie, but those freaking ships look like I've already seen them.

Like others, I think this has the makings of a cookie cutter plot and we "know" what will happen.  I may just wait to catch it on DVD.

[IncomT65]

Quick Question...I want to see Avatar in 3D, but I wear glasses.  Normally, I stay away from 3D stuff, but with this one I'm curious.  So, are the 3D glasses going to fit over my regular glasses?  What's a guy to do?

Yeah they fit over your glasses, but with Ice Age 3 I had to support the damn 3D glasses with my finger, because it kept sliding down my nose. And it was heavy as hell. Maybe that's why I got that headache; I'm wearing glasses and wearing other glasses over them could cause it...

[stormie]

I find the CGI of the blue people extremely off-putting. I would much rather they used makeup instead of computer animation. Everything else looks intriguing, but not enough to overcome the way the blue aliens are done. I'll wait for Netflix.