Avatar reviews - Attention : spoilers

[Carson Dyle]

Re: Avatar reviews

Avatar wins best picture from New York Film Critics online -

http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12...est-picture-from-new-york-film-critics-online

Highly unusual for this particular branch of critics to give the top nod to an FX-laden sci-fi extravaganza. For those hoping for a decent story to go with their eye-candy, this is a very encouraging sign.

 

[CessnaDriver]

Re: Avatar reviews

Highly unusual for this particular branch of critics to give the top nod to an FX-laden sci-fi extravaganza. For those hoping for a decent story to go with their eye-candy, this is a very encouraging sign.

yea, but how much is that because they approve of the message?

NY artsy types are going to love that.

 

[Nwerke]

Re: Avatar reviews

I'd love to eat some crow after seeing this show... really, I would. But I'm not counting on it. Yeah, sure, it's been getting lots of great reviews, but so did Star Trek. Enough said.

I'm seeing it with 150 members of the Digital team on Wednesday, so I'm interested in hearing what they have to say about it. But yes, I'll eat crow if I have to. :thumbsup

Yeah, I hope you will be eating crow; I hope I will be too. I'm really looking forwards to hearing your report, dude. But the others so far, wow. I was really expecting much more mixed stuff than this.

CD, t'other CD's point is a good one.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Re: Avatar reviews

yea, but how much is that because they approve of the message?

NY artsy types are going to love that.

Having not seen the film I'm in no position to comment upon its "message."

Suffice it to say most critics will take a good film wherever they find one, irrespective of its political content. Which may explain why Clint Eastwood pictures tend to get favorable reviews from "NY artsy types."

 

[Solo4114]

Re: Avatar reviews

The film may be great. And it'll likely be a visual landmark in cinematic techniques. The only thing that bugs me is where people confuse one for the other. As if a masterpiece of cinematic technique also equals a good and engaging story. Ideally, though, it'll be both. But I'm not 100% sure on that, if only because the ONLY thing people seem to talk about is the ZOMG!! GRAPHICS!!! quality of the film. I hear comparatively little about the plot, characterization, etc., outside of summarizing stuff I already know (IE: "Avatar is a movie about humans who pose as alien Na'Vi using what are called 'avatars.' AND THE GRAPHICS ARE AMAZING!!!!11!!")

 

[cayman shen]

Re: Avatar reviews

Many of the reviews in post one deal with the story. I think you might be generalizing.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Re: Avatar reviews

The film may be great. And it'll likely be a visual landmark in cinematic techniques. The only thing that bugs me is where people confuse one for the other. As if a masterpiece of cinematic technique also equals a good and engaging story.

In certain cinematic cases the line between form and content becomes so blurry as to be nonexistent. "2001" is a prime example, as are the films of Luis Bunuel, Alfred Hitchcock, Walt Disney, Jean-luc Godard, David Lynch, etc.

As for Avatar, I'll withhold judgement until I've seen it.

 

[Tan Djarka]

Re: Avatar reviews

there is only one Avatar

and he's an air bender

I could never watch that. "Air bender"? I'd always be waiting for the f-a-r-t joke that never comes.

 

[CessnaDriver]

Re: Avatar reviews

Having not seen the film I'm in no position to comment upon its "message."

Suffice it to say most critics will take a good film wherever they find one, irrespective of its political content. Which may explain why Clint Eastwood pictures tend to get favorable reviews from "NY artsy types."

I've read enough reviews to see the message is there, my buddy said Cameron pretty much admitted the enviro-message.

Evil hoomans, noble savage, hero goes native, ends up being "the one".
We all know the drill.

Truth be told, very few of the movie going public would give a flying you know what about any message in such a heavily FX and action driven film.

After Star Trek that is blatantly clear, message recieved in full. I get it.

It's only natural though to expect a films message to generate more deeper emotional involvement if one is sympathetic to that message.

 

[tgreco]

Re: Avatar reviews

I could never watch that. "Air bender"? I'd always be waiting for the f-a-r-t joke that never comes.

that's too bad

it was one of the greatest cartoons put on TV
great story, great concept, engaging, fun, well written without being preachy, and incredible action sequences

I got sucked in by accident... caught an episode with the kids, and got hooked

very Farscapish... in developing character arcs

can't wait for that movie

 

[Carson Dyle]

Re: Avatar reviews

I've read enough reviews to see the message is there, my buddy said Cameron pretty much admitted the enviro-message.

Evil hoomans, noble savage, hero goes native, ends up being "the one".
We all know the drill.

Hey, if I could stand the frequently heavy-handed liberal proselytizing of the original Star Trek TV series I can stand anything.

Personally I have no problem with an "enviro-message" (worked for Soylent Green, Silent Running, and Wall-e) as long as the story engages me on an emotional level.

That said, no one likes to be preached to -- least of all critics.

 

[CTF]

Re: Avatar reviews

Hey, if I could stand the frequently heavy-handed liberal proselytizing of the original Star Trek TV series I can stand anything.

Ha! I couldn't have said it better!

 

[Nwerke]

Re: Avatar reviews

LOL, that was quality snarking.

Nick on CHUD has posted a monumentally positive review. Devin seems to be temporizing but has posted some not-totally-negative comments - this was the guy who basically founded the anti-Avatard movement.

If he gives in and posts a positive review soon then I'm going give in, get officially hyped and walk into the theatre tomorrow night with honest-to-god high expectations.

 

[outlander]

Re: Avatar reviews

there is only one Avatar

and he's an air bender

HO, Ho, Ha,ha, heh. Ah youth... the flights of misquided fancy, the naive idealism.

Grasshopper, there is only one true Avatar.

Proof of bloodlines for the movie lovers: Quentin Tarantino loves the character and cites the 1977 movie Wizards as an early formative influence.

Proof of bloodlines for the RPF Star Wars obsessed nerd: George Lucas released Mark Hamill during the shooting of Star Wars to voice one of the supporting characters in this Avatar's film.

Thanks, Kiddees. That is all.

 

[RICHIES ARMOR]

Re: Avatar reviews

Got my tickets!!!!

Richie

 

[CB2001]

Re: Avatar reviews

The thing that scares me about "Avatar" is its impression that it might leave on everyone, especially film students. As a film student myself, I'm worried that people will see it and think that advanced CG and 3-D technology is what makes movies important, and forget about their stories. You could have millions of dollars in a production, you can have amazing CG, impressive special effects, lots of explosions and everything else that is typical in most summer blockbusters. But if you don't have a story, than all you did was make a Twinkee, something that is all filler, no substance.

All style and no substance will not make a long-lasting memorable movie. It'd make a "here today, gone next week" type of throwaway. Don't get me wrong, I know that James Cameron hasn't let us down in the past with his films. "The Terminator", "Aliens", "The Abyss" and "Terminator 2" are all examples of James Cameron's combination of technological storytelling with humanistic storytelling. But when it came to "Titanic", I felt the director was tilting more towards the technological storytelling in comparison to the past works.

I'm just hoping that those who watch the film don't get distracted by its technological advancements that they forget to see if there's a story worth paying attention to. If "Avatar"'s all filler and no substance, I have to quote the character of Darnell from the John Carpenter adaptation of "Christine": "You can't polish a turd." I just hope that Cameron hasn't forgotten that.

This is of course, my opinion and my concern.

 

[dachande]

Re: Avatar reviews

um... I guess they didn't see LOTR?

They probably fell asleep during LOTR like I did.

 

[CTF]

Re: Avatar reviews

The thing that scares me about "Avatar" is its impression that it might leave on everyone, especially film students. As a film student myself, I'm worried that people will see it and think that advanced CG and 3-D technology is what makes movies important, and forget about their stories. You could have millions of dollars in a production, you can have amazing CG, impressive special effects, lots of explosions and everything else that is typical in most summer blockbusters. But if you don't have a story, than all you did was make a Twinkee, something that is all filler, no substance.

You worry too much. This isn't the first time we've seen something like this, ya know. It won't be the last, either.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Re: Avatar reviews

As a film student myself, I'm worried that people will see it and think that advanced CG and 3-D technology is what makes movies important, and forget about their stories.

Forget CG and 3-D; your concerns are as old as special FX. Indeed, they're as old as the advent of sound projection.

Which doesn't make them any less valid.

Cameron is no more a slave to technology than was his idol Stanley Kubrick. Like Kubrick, Cameron knows more about SFX than most SFX artists (that is not an exaggeration) but he also knows a thing or two about how to craft a well structured screenplay (even if his dialogue writing skills occasionally go wanting, as was the case with Titanic).

Put it this way; if Cameron has decided to sell out story in favor of flashy SFX it will be a personal first. Without having seen Avatar, my hunch is that he's simply putting the cinematic tools at his disposal to good storytelling use.

Guess I'll find out soon enough.

 

[CB2001]

Re: Avatar reviews

Yeah, I know I worry too much guys. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the same kind of mindless films that most people nowadays go to see. But I greatly appreciate films that rely on solid stories more than style and technology. It's just me.