Avatar
Did you see Dances With Wolves and think "Damn this movie would be so much better if it had 8ft tall blue aliens, monsters, 3D and the machinery from Aliens"? If so James Cameron has something he'd like you to see.
Everything you've read about Avatar is true. It is deriative. It is too long. it is tech demo for future movies.
None of that matters though. While everyone has been fucking around with 3D as a gimmick (as it was used before) or as a bonus for CG animated movies Cameron has made a movie for 3D. It's integral to the film, there's absolutely no point seeing this film in any other way than on a massive screen with Buddy Holies specs on your face. Without them you have an average movie, with them you have a movie experience.
And I think thats the point. This isn't a movie you'll revisit for its nuance. You'll never quote Avatar as you would Aliens. But goddamn you'll remember Pandora.
My single critisism is Sam Worthington. I'm not sure where he's come from or why he's suddenly in so many high profile movies (Terminator Salvation, Avatar and the upcoming Clash of the Titans) because he isn't all that great. At all. It is as if casting directors have thought "Russel Crowe is Austrialian and audiences love him so this guy should work out the same". Sadly that's not true.
It reminds me of the movies and techniques that came about when Hollywood was running scared of television. They did everything they could to make the cinema experience far removed from watching TV. Avatar is what they dreamed of. It's been a while since I could say I was interested in what James Cameron did next, but right now colour me curious.
Did you see Dances With Wolves and think "Damn this movie would be so much better if it had 8ft tall blue aliens, monsters, 3D and the machinery from Aliens"? If so James Cameron has something he'd like you to see.
Everything you've read about Avatar is true. It is deriative. It is too long. it is tech demo for future movies.
None of that matters though. While everyone has been fucking around with 3D as a gimmick (as it was used before) or as a bonus for CG animated movies Cameron has made a movie for 3D. It's integral to the film, there's absolutely no point seeing this film in any other way than on a massive screen with Buddy Holies specs on your face. Without them you have an average movie, with them you have a movie experience.
And I think thats the point. This isn't a movie you'll revisit for its nuance. You'll never quote Avatar as you would Aliens. But goddamn you'll remember Pandora.
My single critisism is Sam Worthington. I'm not sure where he's come from or why he's suddenly in so many high profile movies (Terminator Salvation, Avatar and the upcoming Clash of the Titans) because he isn't all that great. At all. It is as if casting directors have thought "Russel Crowe is Austrialian and audiences love him so this guy should work out the same". Sadly that's not true.
It reminds me of the movies and techniques that came about when Hollywood was running scared of television. They did everything they could to make the cinema experience far removed from watching TV. Avatar is what they dreamed of. It's been a while since I could say I was interested in what James Cameron did next, but right now colour me curious.