JediDefender.com Forums
Community => Watto's Junk Yard => Topic started by: Scott on December 17, 2009, 12:39 AM
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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?
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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.
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Meh! I'll catch in online & save on the rush.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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?
(http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/0/0c/Aiwha_NEGAS.jpg)
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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.
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Couldn't decide on which dimension to watch Avatar in, but I settled on good ol fashioned 2D.
Fantastic movie - loved it. (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-gen014.gif) (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)
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I saw this in 3D on Friday afternoon and loved every second of it. The story, while simple, is engaging and you find yourself really caring for the characters and their journey. It definitely adheres (at least in part) to Campbell's archetypal "hero's journey" structure, and I think that is going to be a large part of the film's success in word-of-mouth reviews.
Technically speaking, the animation on the Na'vi is very well done, and at times you forget that you're looking at CGI (or at least I did). The environments are absolutely stunning (even if they did remind me, on many occasions, of Felucia), and the 3D is never really used in a Johnny LaRue fashion; that being said, the sequence where Jake and the Banshee choose each other in the floating mountains could probably inspire some vertigo-like symptoms if you're not into heights. :)
But yeah, I enjoyed the film overall. Visually stunning, a good archetypally-based story, and good performances from the entire cast make this worth watching, IMHO. I'd rank it as my third favorite film of the year, behind "Up" and "District 9."
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I saw this yesterday - and it is truly amazing. Movie of the year. The CGI is the best its ever been.
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the sequence where Jake and the Banshee choose each other in the floating mountains could probably inspire some vertigo-like symptoms if you're not into heights. :)
I had a similar experience while viewing the scene - in 2D.
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I wish I could see it but we've boycotted James Cameron movies since seeing Titanic.
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I wish I could see it but we've boycotted James Cameron movies since seeing Titanic.
;D Well, that's only the first you'll have to boycot then (after Titanic).
I saw it last night, in 3D. I didn't get frontal headaches, like with Ice Age 3D. So that's a good thing. The story is indeed pretty straight forward, but just like a pr0n movie, that's irrelevant. It's all about the effects, baby! And Cameron has really raised the bar on that level. Damn! Stunning detail and design all the way! The 3D adds to that, but not much. I dunno, I think I'll grow tired of jellyfish floating in front of you pretty soon.
Personally, this one is my fourth favourite Cameron movie, True Lies and Tita-.... er.... Aliens, T2 and T1 claiming the top 3 spots.
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Saw it at the midnight premiere. The plot is FernGully crossed with Dances With Wolves, with a liberal dose of the evil corporations from Aliens -- in other words, predictable as hell but somehow it feels right and it works. And, of course, the effects are spectacular. Large stretches of the film are CG, and the rest is completely seamlessly blended with the live-action. Great vehicle and beast designs also. Basically the most immersive CG environments I've seen period.
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Saw it at the midnight premiere. The plot is FernGully crossed with Dances With Wolves, with a liberal dose of the evil corporations from Aliens -- in other words, predictable as hell but somehow it feels right and it works. And, of course, the effects are spectacular. Large stretches of the film are CG, and the rest is completely seamlessly blended with the live-action. Great vehicle and beast designs also. Basically the most immersive CG environments I've seen period.
That's a great analogy with FernGully. I saw it while we were waiting to go to the airport on Tuesday (wife and daughter saw Princess and the Frog) and it was ok. I was kinda torn by the whole mix of plots and how to summarize, but that works really well.
I don't know that I'll own it and I'm sure not keen on the boost in movie prices for the privilege of wearing uncomfortable glasses but I don't feel bad paying the $10.50 to see it, so its not without merit. Perhaps not a resounding endorsement but I think it worthwhile seeing in the theater.
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Ok. I broke my boycott of Cameron movies last night and saw Avatar. I know I suck. Anyway, let me start by saying the graphics where great! It will look fantastic at home on blu-ray. Lots of great detail on the aliens. Much better motion capture models than Christmas Carol or Beowulf. They didn't look like the walking dead. I could see the aliens breathing. Lots of good explosions and action. The drop ships look like something out of Aliens. Lots of cool toys.
On the down side, the plot was a video game plot. No depth or detail. Awful story that could have cut about an hour and no one would have noticed. This was the same problem I had with Titanic. Too much running up and down the ship while it was sinking with no advancement of plot. What was with the name of the mineral the evil corportion was after? Unattentium? Please. That good for a fill in the blank in the script but they should have come up with something better during the shooting.
Sorry folks, this is just Pocahauntus in Space.
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I saw it as well this week. I wasn't overly impressed by anything. It was a pure "emotion" film rather than a "thinking" film. In that I was disappointed... I was expecting much more from this supposed "pure sci-fi" film. It was decent, don't get me wrong. You felt good at the end with what happened and rooted for the good guys. But the characters couldn't have been more typical. The plot couldn't have been more basic. And it's nothing I'd rush out and see again for the effects.
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Caught this today as the annual Birthday movie extravaganzaa. I liked it, didn't love it. The effects as everyone has said were great, the villians were uber villians and the good guys were uber good guys. Great action, cool scenery. Didn't care the preachy political stuff but eh...I was entertained.
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I will add that the ALice in Wonderland 3D trailer was absolutely awesome. For the most part, I'd say most of the 3D experience has been not too keen. I really haven't thought wow that is awesome in 3D. That trailer though was trippy and totally showed a true 3D look to it.
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Funny thing... people have gone on an on how Cameron created this amazing ecosystem for the planet. All the way up the food chain, they said. With all that praise I only ever recall one thing killing one other thing for food...
Yesterday I watched The Dark Crystal on Blu-ray with my kids. Jim Henson created 10 times the ecosystem I saw in Avatar... almost 30 years ago... with puppets. His felt like a far better realized and complete alien world.
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I caved in and saw it today.
I think overall it was pretty stunning.
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I saw this last night with my wife. We both enjoyed it. It wasn't a "deep" movie or a movie with a complex plot, so in that aspect I would say that the movie falls a little short.
Heck - on a macro-level, I knew the plot of the movie just based on the trailers - so for me it was really more of seeing if the plot was going to play out exactly like I imagined it would - which it did.
I thought the performances that they were able to create from the Na'vi was fantastic.
I'm glad I saw it on the big screen and in 3D which was a nice touch as well.
I wouldn't run out to see it again, but simply in support of the tech behind the movie, I'm glad it's doing well. I think world-wide it's made $750 million so far, which is great.
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I think world-wide it's made $750 million so far, which is great.
It has now crossed the $1 billion mark, and is in fourth place all-time, which is ridiculous for a movie that's only been out for 17 days.
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That's world wide. Domestic it's only #15. For adjusted for inflation it's not even in the top 100. Somebody must like this movie alot.
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Well yeah a lot of that is the price of the movie tickets being as high as they are now. Also, it's just getting a lot of good word to mouth and came out at a great time. Back-to-back holiday weekends are gold especially for a super-hyped film. I actually tried to see it this weekend and it was sold out both times. I tried on 2 different days. I am not someone that shows up 5 mins before the start of the movie either. It's going to do well with no competition to speak of for awhile. Hmmmm, kind of reminds me of Titanic's run. There was nothing to compete with it either for a long time. I am not saying it's going to take it over but it's going to do darn well for a good for at least the month of January.
I saw that Gone with the Wind holds the record for the estimated amout of tickets sold at 202 million. Star Wars is second with 178 million. That's really the number we should look at. Not only that but those movies came out when there were no movieplexes to speak of. So, you did not have this run it all day long in 3-4 theatres. Crazy!
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Ahh, the good old days when movie theaters were huge and only showed one movie. I miss the balconies. I remember lining up around the block to see ESB on opening day. We would get there 3-4 hours before the movie and the line would still be down the street. Amazing enough, with a line that long we still got in!
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I don't know if we'll get a chance to see this in the theaters or not, but I sort of want to after all the reviews and positive word I've been seeing/hearing lately about how cool it looks. I have to admit, a couple of months ago, I was sort of thinking it might bomb, but it sounds like it is heading towards being the #1 movie of 2009 now, eventually passing Transformers.
I'll echo the "good ole days" comment about movies/movie theaters. Granted, I'm not complaining about getting more spiffy blockbusters each summer, but there was something cool about the "big" movies playing for months on end when we were kids. A month or two back I was finishing up the "Making of Star Wars" book, and it was neat reading how long Star Wars was in theaters back then. I sometimes think that is another reason why kids today, at least for the most part, won't be "tomorrow's collectors". I think we have a lot more attachment to movies (and shows) from our youth, because many of them were the biggest thing for the entire year (or longer). These days, you could be way into a movie one month - but the next month (or even within weeks) there could be something bigger and flashier hitting the theaters that makes you forget about it. I don't know that today's 8-10 year olds will be tracking down Clone Wars figures on ebay some day, but I could be wrong (and that also adds to the question of why I'm buying those CW figures :P). Anyways, that's another topic, but I am really surprised with how well Avatar has done.
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We are so trained by commericals now that we can't stand to have some form of entertainment play for a long time without wanting something to replace it. Everything has to be quick and flash and replaced right away to keep our attention. Heck I can't stand how TV shows will recap what we just watched right before the commericals each time it comes back on. I'm not so stupid that I can't remember three minutes ago or even ten seconds ago since I fast forwarded thru the commericals.
I guess Avatar and Transformers prove that sex, violance and eye candy sell.
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There was sex in Avatar? You must be a big Sigourney Weaver fan... ;)
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Upon more reflection, one thing that did bother me was the obvious evironmental/political barbs being thrown out that didn't really need to be there. Not to make this a Pit topic but it was not needed for the story IMO and put in there just to throw some barbs at the last administration
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What's the point of being an artist if you can't express yourself? I don't mind politics in my blockbusters...
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I do because it takes me straight out of the movie or whatever it is I am watching. I hate it when someone like John Mellencamp is entertaining the crowd with what made him popular...his music. Then has to bitch about George Bush in the middle of the damn concert. Not that I really care for Bush, but just sing your songs. I did not pay money to hear about YOUR political views and then pass it along like everyone feels the exact same way. It irritates the $%^# out of me when celebs or entertainment does that. It's like an ad in the middle of whatever you are watching. Annoying.
Anyway, rant done. LOL.
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Well, but maybe you're looking at it wrong. Maybe it's not just entertainment, it art. JCM 's best and biggest album Scarecrow, was very political...not just entertaining.
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There was sex in Avatar? You must be a big Sigourney Weaver fan... ;)
Ever since Alien. ;)
(http://www.scificool.com/images/2009/06/ellen-ripley-aliens-2.jpg)
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I do because it takes me straight out of the movie or whatever it is I am watching.
Then you must really hate ROTS...
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I do because it takes me straight out of the movie or whatever it is I am watching.
Then you must really hate ROTS...
There are a few scenes yes.
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I finally saw this flick in IMAX 3D today, now I haven't seen a 3D flick since It Came From Outer Space back in the 70's & I must say I was quite impressed. Wearing the glasses didn't bother me & so much going on in the flick for effects... wow! Gotta hand it out to the effects crew on this one.
Story wise, yeah been there, done that. :D
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i306/DSJcdn/Random/original.jpg)
I'll see it again & in 3D within a couple of weeks.
As Linda would did say, he's still an *******. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6IQSibFv1k)
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^^ That graphic is pretty funny.
E...
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That was good Dale - haven't seen that before. ;D
I'd like to try the 3D version before it leaves theatres (not going to own a 3D tv for quite some time-however that stuff pans out) but the glasses I was given at UP were extremely uncomfortable and it's a shame you can't "reuse" them to get a discount on a 3D showing, but whatever.
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If you have 22 mins to kill, watch this. Just unreal how we have advanced in movie effects & so forth, it's like another movie that broke effects back in 1977 & yes those new effects will take over the old.
22-Minute Behind-the-Scenes Look at Avatar (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=62511)
'Avatar' gives Lucas impetus to revamp 'Star Wars' for 3-D (http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/article/752779---avatar-gives-lucas-impetus-to-revamp-star-wars-for-3-d)
Cameron is still an ******* tho. :P
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Biographer Rebecca Keegan writes in her just-published The Life and Films of James Cameron that he "emerged seething after seeing Star Wars: somebody had made his movie. 'That's when I got busy,'" he told Keegan. From daydreaming movie plots while working as a lunch truck driver, Cameron made his leap into the film business.
Riiiiight.
Douche.
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Biographer Rebecca Keegan writes in her just-published The Life and Films of James Cameron that he "emerged seething after seeing Star Wars: somebody had made his movie. 'That's when I got busy,'" he told Keegan. From daydreaming movie plots while working as a lunch truck driver, Cameron made his leap into the film business.
Riiiiight.
Douche.
Cameron is a fool. Everyone knows that Lucas stole the idea for Star Wars from ME.
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Well I am assuming James was supposedly upset because someone had beaten him to the punch in making that type of a special effects movie? Right? I hope so at least. Lucas cracks me up with his "have not been a big fan of 3-D," comment. Come on B.S. man. You have been pushing that for years now. You even admit you have been struggling with it for years. LOL! These two guys crack me up with their quotes. I guess they have the last laugh since they are both worth billions now, but still, the claims they come up with change with the wind.
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Avatar has past Batman TDK for 2nd place.
1: Titanic $600,788,188.
2: Avatar $552,797,000.
3: The Dark Knight $533,345,358.
Avatar is expected to surpass Titanic within 2 weeks or less.
Avatar has taken in $1.81 billion worldwide, Titanic's record $1.84 billion.
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Artist's often get upset when they see someone else with what they consider "their" vision. There's a great story about William Gibson crying as he walked out of Bladerunner back in 1982, because it was so close to what he had imagined for his cyberpunk novels. I'm not sure if he was crying because now people would think he was doing "Bladerunner" type stuff, or maybe the tears came because he was comforted by the fact that someone shared his concpets about how the future could be...
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Avatar has past Batman TDK for 2nd place.
1: Titanic $600,788,188.
2: Avatar $552,797,000.
3: The Dark Knight $533,345,358.
Avatar is expected to surpass Titanic within 2 weeks or less.
Avatar has taken in $1.81 billion worldwide, Titanic's record $1.84 billion.
Yeah, I was looking at the numbers last night... TDK took 33 weeks to get to $533,000,000. Avatar has done it in 5.
It's way ahead of Titanic's pace too.
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I'm sure those $15-25 IMAX ticket prices aren't hurting Avatar's box office reign.
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I have seen it twice, both times in IMAX 3D. And I may still see it again. I wonder how many repeat customers the movie has had? It be interesting to see those stats (even though they'd be near impossible to gather.)
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I have seen it twice, both times in IMAX 3D. And I may still see it again. I wonder how many repeat customers the movie has had? It be interesting to see those stats (even though they'd be near impossible to gather.)
Probably less repeat customers than Titanic had ;)
I'm still lost on why this is so popular. It was well done, no doubt about it, but just doesn't strike me as being as spectacular as the returns are indicating.
Still don't care what the ultimate take of any movie is given they never adjust amounts for past years dollar values or number of theaters, etc. It's mostly meaningless; 20 years from now the top three probably won't be top 20.
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Still don't care what the ultimate take of any movie is given they never adjust amounts for past years dollar values or number of theaters, etc. It's mostly meaningless; 20 years from now the top three probably won't be top 20.
Boxofficemojo has a nice inflation-adjusted chart.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm
Those numbers put Avatar squarely at 26th at the moment.
As for the inflated ticket prices and the inflation thing, it didn't seem to matter when Titanic and its $10.00 tickets beat Star Wars and its $3.00 tickets, so I don't worry about it much. In terms of real dollars it'll be tops, in terms of inflation adjusted dollars, I'd guess it'll top out somewhere around 15th.
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I cant believe I still havent seen this
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I cant believe I still havent seen this
It's nothing special, but I enjoyed the movie - just no sure why it's raking in all this cash though. Looks like Titanic will be sinking soon...again.
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I cant believe I still havent seen this
Me neither. It is tough for us to get out to movies much anymore since our daughter was born (no family especially close to babysit or any of that), and we just haven't gotten a chance to see this yet. I have to admit, I'm curious - especially after the enormous success - but aside from that I'm kind of dumbfounded why this is such a crazy big movie as well. A few months before it opened I didn't know if it would make its money back (since it cost so much), but it seems to have accomplished that just fine. I know that inflation numbers aren't ever considered, but it stings sometimes hearing that Avatar (or previously, Titanic) were/are the number one movies of all time. It was nice when Star Wars was at the top of that chart ;).
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I cant believe I still havent seen this
Me neither. It is tough for us to get out to movies much anymore since our daughter was born (no family especially close to babysit or any of that), and we just haven't gotten a chance to see this yet. I have to admit, I'm curious - especially after the enormous success - but aside from that I'm kind of dumbfounded why this is such a crazy big movie as well. A few months before it opened I didn't know if it would make its money back (since it cost so much), but it seems to have accomplished that just fine. I know that inflation numbers aren't ever considered, but it stings sometimes hearing that Avatar (or previously, Titanic) were/are the number one movies of all time. It was nice when Star Wars was at the top of that chart ;).
Brian, trust me, when you see this, you'll know. I saw it in IMAX, so I don't know how much of a difference there is comparing that to the regular 3D version. If you've got an IMAX theater nearby though, I highly suggest checking it out on that. It's more expensive yes, but man you'll be blown away by the effects.
There are many times you feel you're right in the movie. I saw many a people swatting away flirtering bugs or ash as it floated by. And just the sci-fi escapism you get with this movie. No doubt by now you've seen the floating mountains, while those are a sight to see and similar ideas have been in several stories of the genre before, there are many other things that take it to a whole new level. The luminous forest is awesome, the creatures are fantastical as they should be in a story of this kind.
Don't think you're going to see something in comparison to SW. Think you're going in for a new visual experience. Don't try and compare it, just enjoy it.
I like many other did.
The story itself is familiar and similar to stories we've seen in the past, just told from a different perspective. So don't look to that as anything ground breaking. Good old George himself "used" to say a movie with special effects and not a story isn't really a movie. He's come to recant that even if privately as evidenced much by the PT. Avatar is similar in that respect that the story while important isn't the driving factor. Though, if you don't feel at least some emotion for what happens in the movie, well I'd be surprised.
Get a qualified babysitter as soon as you can, because this movie will not translate on the small screen as it is on the big screen. This is a must for a theater going experience.
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'Avatar' is No. 1 movie of all time (http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/03/avatar-is-no-1-movie-of-all-time/?hpt=Sbin)
1: Avatar, $601,142,000.
2: Titanic, $600,788,188.
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Still never seen it. Maybe this weekend.
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Meh.
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Though, if you don't feel at least some emotion for what happens in the movie, well I'd be surprised.
You know, I read this back when Sal posted it, started to write a response and thought I should wait and think for a while before responding. So that time has passed and honestly I must be the most cold-hearted bastard out there. Now the caveat is that in general terms, I enjoyed the movie. The effects were well done and I certainly didn't feel like I'd wasted my money on it (even if I'm irked by renting plastic glasses for the 3-D). As Sal and others have said, the plot isn't overly new and I wasn't expecting something new and stunning because frankly Hollywood seems to have run out of original ideas in many respects. All that said the only emotion I felt was annoyance with frequent eye-rolls.
Spoilers here:
Didn't you know Sigourney Weavers character was going to die? I sure as hell did.
Didn't you know that the main blue dude (sorry, I saw this six or seven weeks ago) was going to tame the "big bird" as soon as they talked about it? I did.
The familiarity of it all seemed so contrived to me that it just wasn't remotely an emotional experience at all. It was an enjoyable movie but I swear I'm the only person that seems to have seen it and not been either wowed by it or overly annoyed by it (the blatant environmental message was only mildly annoying to me). I absolutely believe it should get an Oscar for effects and possibly a few other things, but best picture? Not a flipping chance. Otherwise you'd have to go back and retroactively give them to Ferngully, Dances With Wolves, Pocahontas and more.
It's probably just the innate bastard in me but I found the "war" about as believable as the Ewoks winning on Endor ;)
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Otherwise you'd have to go back and retroactively give them to Ferngully, Dances With Wolves, Pocahontas and more.
Dances with Wolves might not have room on it's mantle... what with its seven other Oscars. ;)
I agree with your point, though. It just wasn't that good a movie. Of course neither was Titanic...
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I'm just glad Titanic was finally knocked off that perch.
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I'm just glad Titanic was finally knocked off that perch.
True dat.
Dances with Wolves might not have room on it's mantle... what with its seven other Oscars. ;)
Y'know, I've never actually sat through that entire movie. I've tried but always find something else to do. After I wrote that I remembered it was well received and was wondering if it didn't already have an Oscar for best picture.
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Titanic's like NASCAR. You're waiting for the wreck, but otherwise you could sleep through it till the end.
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Titanic's like NASCAR. You're waiting for the wreck, but otherwise you could sleep through it till the end.
Well there are the boob shots to consider...
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Titanic's like NASCAR. You're waiting for the wreck, but otherwise you could sleep through it till the end.
If it's like NASCAR, then the only thing it does for me is confirm to me that football season is over.
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Actually that's at the very end of the credits if you look close. It just says, "Football just ended, thank you and watch your step when exiting the theater.", which is kind of nice.
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Oh come on now. Quit ripping on Titanic and Dances With Wolves. Those two movies are pretty damn good you have to admit. The only problem with them now is that they have been run into the ground by overplay. The only thing that annoyed me about Titanic was hearing that song by Celine Dion everywhere I went for an entire year. That and all the media hype they generate afterwards. I thought the acting in both were pretty decent really. I mean you got Kate Winslet in there who gets nominated every damn year. The old lady was pretty damn good to. Yeah, I even think Leo held his own for a young twenty year old at the time.
No, I know what you guys mean. Avatar certainly is not the greatest story you will ever see. Neither was Star Wars basic good vs evil with horrible dialogue. Yet it's beloved by millons 30 years later. People love to rip on these basic stories but those are the one that get butts in the seats because most everyone can relate to it in someway.
Don't be bagging on Wolves, Titanic, and Avatar just because they re-tell a story in some unique way. That's the main appeal of Avatar. He retold an old story in a newer way that quite frankly a lot of people had not seen done before. If any of you saw it in IMAX 3-D you had to impressed by the shots and lighting. If not well I don't know what to tell you. Maybe art house films are all you like now?
Honestly, some us are just showing our age a bit ripping on this one to. It's like we have all seen too many movies now and they just don't impress like they used to. It's hard for any filmmaker to wow anyone anymore. A lot of that has to do with the hammering of the special effects and sound over your head. But I really did not feel that way with Avatar. It was special effects laden of course but did not feel like it was driven into me like a spike on purpose.
Anyway, Avatar is a pretty darn good movie overall. I'd go again definately. Hell I saw The Phatom Menance enough times in the theatre and that was supposedly the stinker of all time right?
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Hell I saw The Phatom Menance enough times in the theatre and that was supposedly the stinker of all time right?
Not by a long shot. The stinker of the six part series, perhaps, but not of all time. Howard the Duck. G.I. Joe. The second Transformers flick. That hideous movie last year based on the 1960s car cartoon (lord, I've blocked it out completely) that still has toys hanging on the pegs cuz no one wants them.
Never seen Titanic and don't want to. Boat sinks, people die. Celine Dion sings. 'Nuff said. ADD with DWW so haven't seen the whole thing as I said above. Didn't say it was a bad movie ever, just said the story was essentially the same.
Never said Avatar was bad, quite the contrary I believe. Just not clear on why it is the #1 movie of all time. Effects are glorious, no doubt. But the acting is questionable, if only because half of it is animated. I've never really considered voice acting to be "acting" proper in the sense of carrying it on to the point of an Academy award. Takes some skill no doubt, but less so than "real life" wouldn't you agree? Not rippig on any of them really (well, Titanic I suppose) just positing my less than common point of view. :)
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Never said Avatar was bad, quite the contrary I believe. Just not clear on why it is the #1 movie of all time. Effects are glorious, no doubt. But the acting is questionable, if only because half of it is animated. I've never really considered voice acting to be "acting" proper in the sense of carrying it on to the point of an Academy award. Takes some skill no doubt, but less so than "real life" wouldn't you agree? Not rippig on any of them really (well, Titanic I suppose) just positing my less than common point of view. :)
Voice acting is a lot more than just voice. It's intonation, often it's facial expressions, and often times actors act out the moves and entire performance that is later translated into the digital characters. I agree that there's a disconnect between traditional acting and voice acting, but I think it's more complicated than just doing voices.
As for why it's the #1 of all time... did you check out the link I posted a little ways back? Adjusted for inflation it's 21st at the moment, purely in terms of ticket sales of course.
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Thanks Rob. I plead ignorance. I do agree there is acting involved, I think maybe I meant to say that without seeing the actor consistently it gets lost to some degree. When Sigourney Weaver is tall, blue and animated I'm not quite taking it on the same level. I'll contend we shouldn't either, else there have probably been previous animated/voice performances worthy of award to the same or greater degree than that seen in Avatar.
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One of the best voice actors ever!
(http://superherouniverse.com/wallpaper/artists/mike/batman/mark-hamill.jpg)
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Not that I didn't enjoy Avatar...but...seriously...multiple Academy Awards? Seriously? If it wins Best Picture, I'm convinced Cameron is sleeping with the voters
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Visual effects, Cinematography and Art Direction didn't seem out of line to me for those. It sure blurred the lines between reality and animation and seems to have had the same effect on the awards. I don't really know the criteria for them too well and speaking out of ignorance the only one I would question would be cinematography simply because fully live films (yeah, I know, not much of that left) can't match animation.
I'm just thankful it didn't win any of the big awards is all. Enjoyable enough to be sure but hardly novel or groudbreaking.
I wasn't watching anyway, I was watching Tora, Tora, Tora.
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It looks to me like Avatar won the awards it really was deserving of, in the technical realm. I'll even give them the cinematography win since visually, the film was so fantastic.
The real meaty awards, screenplay, director and best picture, ended up where they belonged IMO. My outside choice for best picture was District 9 and I would have also liked to have seen it win for the visual effects since they accomplished some amazing things on a shoestring budget, but Avatar did really raise the bar on that one.
E...
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They definitely got it right. Avatar was a big epic visual juggernaut and all, but it's not best picture material.
The story was too re-hashed, too predictable.
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We haven't gotten a chance to see Avatar (sort of saving the "grandparents watching the kid" for some of the summer movies), but hope to catch it on DVD. From what I've read of everyone's reviews though, it sounds like it is a lot of "looks great, but the acting/story isn't anything spectacular". I don't quite get the #1 movie of all time either, nor all the awards. The effects/technical stuff sure, but its place in the pantheon of all-time greats doesn't seem quite earned. Heck, aside from the possible effects advancements, I wonder if it will even be all that memorable down the road. Again, this is from someone who hasn't seen it yet, so what do I know? Part of me gets a bit biased because of the sort-of rivalry/comparisons to the original Star Wars as far as "groundbreaking" that we heard a bit during its release. Sure, it is a different world, and I am completely biased, but it just doesn't seem like the cultural phenomenon that Star Wars was (and still is). Anyways, I was glad it didn't win best picture either. I mean, this doesn't sound like it was Return of the King quality - and I think we heard just as much favorable stuff about movies like Star Trek and Up (which were both nominated as well), and would be more unconventional picks.
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Yeah well, I wasn't too impressed with Avatar, perhaps because it was such a predictable chain of events. Avatar won the right prizes imho. I think I'm biased as well. I'd take a lightsaber over a floating jellyfish in 3D anytime :)
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I don't know what to think about Oscars really. The Hurt Locker wasn't exactly an original story to me either. It's pretty predictable I thought. Good but you know where it's going just as much as Avatar. It's just like any other intense war movie I have seen. But yeah, I am fine with it winning Best Picture. It is kind of interesting that E.T., Star Wars, and Avatar are in that science fiction realm that by far and away make the most money, get critical success, but ultimately lose to more artsy films instead. I would have been fine with Avatar winning best picture.