Avatar (Cameron, 2009)

[ayaa1977]

I still haven't watched it either

You are crazy! If I was there I would have seen at least twice by now, in IMAX!!

[shariqq]

You are crazy! If I was there I would have seen at least twice by now, in IMAX!!

I said the same thing... before I saw it.

[kaytee]

$75 million in the 2nd week is pretty impressive...

[ayaa1977]

You are crazy! If I was there I would have seen at least twice by now, in IMAX!!

I said the same thing... before I saw it.

Well, it is only 10 days before I report back, so I am not going to argue with you Shariq just yet.

[ozzylogic]

You are crazy! If I was there I would have seen at least twice by now, in IMAX!!

I said the same thing... before I saw it.

Hehe. I'll most prolly catch it this week.

[ozzylogic]

Watched it yesterday and I really liked it. The 3D was pretty good, and didn't feel forced, unlike other shite movies I've watched in the past. Character development? Yes, there is some. And yes, it did feel like Pocahontas, but overall, it reminded me more of Apocalypto (the language, rituals) and had the essence of Final Fantasy: Advent Children.

It also felt much shorter than 2.5 hours, which is remarkable. After hearing everyone rant about it on WM, while others praised it outside, I went with my expectations really low, and really enjoyed watching it.

I actually felt a sense of vertigo in some scenes which is an achievement for 3D IMHO.

4.5/5

[ayaa1977]

Avatar was one of the best experiences I had all year with films. I was sucked into the world Cameron created on Pandora and I didn't really care about the originality of the story or the cheesiness of the dialogue. If you think about it, plot and dialogue was never the James Cameron's strongest suit, Aliens for instance has some cringe worthy lines, especially the ones uttered by the character of Private Hudson played by Bill Paxton who is among the most annoying side-kicks on Sci-Fi films, but what made that film such a classic is the action packed sequences and the immersive world created, and what applies to Aliens applies to the Terminator franchise and the rest of his films.

I loved the world of the Na'vis and the effects in this film is so wonderful that I almost forgot that they are all CGI, and I really felt as if they are actors in suits. The world of Pandora is vividly imagined and executed it is really mind-boggling. My only regret is that I could not see in on IMAX, digital 3D was fine but I would really love to see it again on IMAX, and to be honest I would see it again and again even on digital 3D, that is how much I loved it. Rarely one sees a film that leave a sweet after taste like this film did. I haven't felt this good about a theatre going experience since The Dark Knight and perhaps even further back to The Lord of The Rings time, and let me clarify that I mean the theatre experience not the film itself, which I acknowledge has some problem with the dialogue and the bland characters particular the humans. I would say that I really loved the film, one of my favorite of this year, and I would give it 4.5/5.

[fizz]

Say what you will about the Private Hudson character from Aliens, but everything he uttered is now considered  immortal and the stuff of pop culture legend ("Game over man, game over!", "There's something moving and it ain't us!").

Thats the least you can see of any of the regurgitated Braveheart talk in this film. Take away the visuals, and this is one stale film.

[ayaa1977]

Say what you will about the Private Hudson character from Aliens, but everything he uttered is now considered  immortal and the stuff of pop culture legend ("Game over man, game over!", "There's something moving and it ain't us!").

Thats the least you can see of any of the regurgitated Braveheart talk in this film. Take away the visuals, and this is one stale film.

I was not bashing Aliens by that remark, it probably is my favorite Cameron's film, and one of my favorite films ever. My point was despite Bill Paxton bugging character I still love the film, flawed as it might be, and I would give it a full mark anytime you ask.

As for your remark about Avatar, saying that taking the visuals would make it stale is not really fair, considering that the visuals are not only integral to the film, it is it is most important part and without its perfection the film would have seized to exist. You and the majority of the critics didn't care much for the story, yet the film is massive success not only commercially, it also captured the emotion of the people and connected with them. I know that you'd say that Transformer 2 was a huge success, but I would argue that the majority of people saw it then felt filthy and regretted watching it, or at least watched it and acknowledged its badness. But Avatar connected with people, they loved it and many rewatched it several times, that is why it is still massive everywhere. Avatar is now a great part of our zeitgeist, and one day we'll reminisce it fondly and feel that we were a part of something important.   

[shariqq]

Avatar is now a great part of our zeitgeist, and one day we'll reminisce it fondly and feel that we were a part of something important.   

...like for Titanic. Ugh.

[theoddball]

Good grief. Comparing Avatar to Titanic is just fucking madness.

[ozzylogic]

Both films also had a flash of hooters. So what if they were blue in Avatar?

[sandeep]

Box Office Mojo numbers as of today:
505 million domestic box office
1.115 billion overseas box office
1.620 billion total (and growing steadily) in just 32 days of release!
which makes it the 2nd highest grosser of all time after Titanic (at 1.842 billion)

[ayaa1977]

I was in Beirut this week for three days and I had the chance to see one film. They were playing Agora, Nine, and Avatar, and I chose to watch Avatar in 3D for the second time. I just could not resist it. This film was and still one of the most exhilarating theatre-going experience I have had in my life.  

[ak]

I'm happy for you and James Cameron's family.