Is it just me, or you too?

[Simonemendez]

Maybe it's just me, though. About my reaction everytime I listen to the media lick and lick (which has been --often--) over this James Cameron's new film, 'Avatar'. Everytime I see trailers for that movie, whether it's during the commercials disruptions in between my favorite TV shows, or when TV Guide Channel does a whole thing about it, I feel majorly ---bugged---. I'm like, awww come on, it looks like a typical computer video game. And the aliens look rediculous! To me. Everytime I see their faces I keep thinking of some harmless vegetarian earth animal, and I was trying to mentaly clarify, which one. I have decided that they look like sheep, only blue and woolless sheep, with yellow eyes, and super-runway-model-skinny bodies. And here's another thing I want to vent on You'all about. Hollywoods obsession, with making young skinny girls into Super government Agents, Super monster Slayers, Super Vampires, and Super soldiers and Warriers, < the latter of which is the Hero'in of Avatar. Because in her otherwise aboriginal society, SuperFeminism rules the day. I THINK the only thing this alien will be lacking, though, is the silicon'ized pillow lips in a toddler's pout, usually along with an extremely angry expression which says, "Don't --even-- think about messing with ME." Which is supposed to be both intimidating, and cute. I just want to throw a big grapefruit at those, as hard as I can. I suppose that Hollywood wants to give the message to young girls, that they can be just like guys, but despite my own non-traditional life (driven by ---poverty---) I SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH A JUNE CLEAVER.
Well, I'm reviewing Avatar before I've seen it (which I won't), so maybe I'm wrong. However, I have seen a sample of Sigourney Weaver's acting, in it, and, all I can say is, I guess those 'Alien' movies wore her out.

 

[Gareth]

On the subject of 'Avatar' I saw it yesterday, and despite being somewhat destracted with the knowledge that I would probably have to put my dog to sleep this morning (I did ), I actually enjoyed it.

Dont get me wrong, its full of typically annoying sterotypes (tough-as-nails female Latino heli-pilot - I mean really? REALLY?) and clichés up the wazoo!

But I found it an enjoyable enough adventure. Sure the creature design was a bit saturday morning cartoon, and the 3D (despite being surprisingly impressive) is mostly just a gimmick, but I would still recommend people see it (and see it in a cinema).

 

[Cailean]

Looks like another bowel movement from the cesspit that is Hollywood .

 

[Xylo]

To be honest, I have been waiting for this movie for quite a while. I'm interested to see how the CGI interplay is...and besides that, James Cameron is quite a good director, and I typically hate hollywood stuff.

I'll see it in the next week or so and form a more solid opinion about it.

The aliens don't really strike me as anything other than non-stereotypical humanoid beings.

 

[David Biedny]

I'll be attending an ILM crew screening tomorrow (!!!), will post my impressions sometime over the weekend.

Man, I LOVE visiting the Bay area!

dB

 

[Tommy Allison]

If you're going to see it, see it in Imax 3D. We had a limited screening here. As dreadful as the story was, the visuals were nice.

 

[Gareth]

Out of interest, what are people's thoughts on the return of 3D? Do you think it has any future? Why did it come back in the first place?

I know the highest-end TVs are all now 3D. And apparently the PS3 now has the abililty to incorporate 3D into games. But I really don't see the point of it.

It seems to me to be a tentative stepping stone between current viewing tech and holographic 3D movies. I just dont see the current 3D tech as compelling enough to attract people who just spent way too much for a brand new HDTV to want to spend even more money to adopt this new technology.

 

[Brian Now]

And here's another thing I want to vent on You'all about. Hollywoods obsession, with making young skinny girls into Super government Agents, Super monster Slayers, Super Vampires, and Super soldiers and Warriers,

That's been bugging me for years...the "girl power" meme is so silly and reactionary. But it's perfect for the anti-intellectual theme of today's society. Somehow people, many women in particular, have bought into the notion that bad-ass, violent and shallow machismo can be chic if only it's repackaged in a thin, hot female body. It's still the same ol' crap. Me thinks, however, that it's much more to do about marketing things to men than to women, but I could be wrong.

Out of interest, what are people's thoughts on the return of 3D? Do you think it has any future?

I like it but there seem to be some drawbacks. For example, earlier this year I saw "Coraline". Now, not everything in that movie was actually 3D, not even every scene I don't think. And when I took off the glasses to look at the screen I noticed the colors were more vibrant without them on. And no, this was not the red/green stuff we had when we were kids. But with a lot of money poured into the technology, I'd say we could get some pretty interesting results down the road.

 

[Siani]

On the subject of 'Avatar' I saw it yesterday, and despite being somewhat destracted with the knowledge that I would probably have to put my dog to sleep this morning (I did ), I actually enjoyed it.

So sorry to hear about your dog. Take care.

 

[kcfraser]

and despite being somewhat destracted with the knowledge that I would probably have to put my dog to sleep this morning (I did ), I actually enjoyed it.

So sorry to hear about your dog. I had to put my dog dowm last Dec 26th.

 

[EQ42]

Really sorry to hear about your dog Gareth. Hang in there. It gets easier over time.

 

[Simonemendez]

Hey Brian Now, (fm previous pg) thanks for chiming in. As a woman age 50, I wondered if that garbage bothered me, because of such. But it is extremely intersting to hear that guys notice that stuff, and very much dislike it, as well. And I hope Avatar doesn't rake in the amount of money that Cameron believes it will. Neah.

 

[Mogwa]

Excuse me for being a bit off topic, but I just saw Planet 51 and very much enjoyed it. Maybe it was because my expectations were rather low and that the CG, production designs and visual beauty of the film impressed me so much. Well done, in spite of a rather predictable script.
As for Avatar, I believe Cameron may have hyped the movie's release to the point that people mistakenly believe they're going to see something revolutionary in the history of cinema when actually it's all been done before, only with much smaller budgets. Disappointment is sure to follow. Nevertheless, I hope the film at least earns back the investor's money so studios won't be so reluctant to take a chance on something new, whether it actually is or not. You have to take a lot of swings if you ever expect one out of the park. Seems to me that movie making, like most of the arts, is in desperate need of some genuinely fresh inspiration, not to mention adequate financing and a lot more creative freedom for the people who actually do the work.
But who cares what I think? Nobody, that's who.

 

[truthseeker]

I'll go check it out when the hype dies down a bit. I've read from some reviews that the movie is very anti-military but great special effects and definitely worth seeing in a big screen setting. I must admit that I did enjoy Cameron's previous work.