(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i31/wraith1701/avatarmovieposternc5.jpg)
My geek-radar must be busted, I only just recently learned about this upcoming film. Or perhaps I confused it with the cartoon by the same name. Anyway; the concept for this film sounds freakin' cool! (check out the link at the bottom of the page to watch Cameron describe the concept)
A teaser trailer is already out, and the full trailer is rumored to be premiering in front of Transformers 2.
Teaser-
Cameron says he's been working on this film for the past 14 years, and only now has film making technology caught up with the story he's envisioned. Two well known sci-fi actors- Sigourney Weaver & Zoe Saldana- are playing major roles in the movie.
Some concept art & other leaked pics-
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i31/wraith1701/james-cameron-alien-avatar.jpg)
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i31/wraith1701/avatar-creature.jpg)
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i31/wraith1701/ScreenHunter_21May280926.png)
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i31/wraith1701/powersuit.jpg)
And a link to a pretty interesting video of Cameron describing the film-
http://e3.g4tv.com/videos/38674/James-Cameron-Talks-Avatar-At-Ubisofts-E3-2009-Press-Con/ (http://e3.g4tv.com/videos/38674/James-Cameron-Talks-Avatar-At-Ubisofts-E3-2009-Press-Con/)
I've heard about this for over a year.. just not much info about it. Looks cool.
This has actually been being worked on for years now. Quite a monster sized project. Hope it lives up to the expectations.
Its James Cameron,... what could go wrong?
A banner for the film being used at Comic Con:
Cool. I read somewhere that there's a Star Trek connection: Zoe Saldana (Uhura) plays the voice of the Blue alien pictured on that banner. :)
Official website now up:
http://www.avatarmovie.com/ (http://www.avatarmovie.com/)
Cool. Thanks for the link. :)
Okay, I got this in my email today ... I clicked the link and either I'm too late or too early. I thought I would share in the event that I am too early.
http://view.mail.amcentertainment.com/?j=fe921d767462047d72&m=fef51178716702&ls=fe0710747762057d74157377&jb=ffcf14&WT.mc_id=Avatar_email_August_2009_http://view.mail.amcentertainment.com/%3fj%3dfe921d767462047d72%26m%3d%25%25ex2;MemberID%25%25%26ls%3d%25%25ex2;listsubid%25%25%26jb%3d%25%25ex2;_JobSubscriberBatchID%25%25 (http://view.mail.amcentertainment.com/?j=fe921d767462047d72&m=fef51178716702&ls=fe0710747762057d74157377&jb=ffcf14&WT.mc_id=Avatar_email_August_2009_http://view.mail.amcentertainment.com/%3fj%3dfe921d767462047d72%26m%3d%25%25ex2;MemberID%25%25%26ls%3d%25%25ex2;listsubid%25%25%26jb%3d%25%25ex2;_JobSubscriberBatchID%25%25)
WOW - that's quite a link. What is the link for?
Sneak peak .. one day only of some extended scenes for Avatar in IMAX on Aug 21.
UPDATE: Reseravation of the IMAX sneak peek / 3D special screening will start to be available at noon PST today! Locations and costs are still unclear, but if you click the link at or after noon PST and you might be able to find out.
They site is up now! Tickets are free. Reserve now!
Recently learned that there's a chance I could get to meet James Cameron at the Seattle premiere of Avatar. Apart from Joss Whedon of course James Cameron is very likely my favorite filmmaker.
THE TRAILER IS UP! The US site is having issues, but you can check out the French version here-
http://specials.divertissements.fr.msn.com/cinema/avatar/default.aspx (http://specials.divertissements.fr.msn.com/cinema/avatar/default.aspx)
HOLY COW!!!
Well I still don't have a clue what this story is about but it looks cool.
Here are some still pictures from the film:
James Camerons Avatar movie pictures (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq6t7crdWQ4#normal)
I'm getting this confused with Avatar - The Last Airbender.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avatar/ (http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avatar/)
Quote from: markinro on August 20, 2009, 09:53:48 AM
I'm getting this confused with Avatar - The Last Airbender.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avatar/ (http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avatar/)
Yeah - two completely different movies obviously. Too bad they are being talked about at around the same time. I hope this Cameron Avatar trailer is in theaters this weekend when we see the "Basterds" movie.
HD Cameron Avatar trailer here:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avatar/hd/ (http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avatar/hd/)
That was one awesome trailer. Well I'm excited.
Downloaded and watched already :)
I am excited for this movie, but a little worried it may look to cartoony.
So, what's it about anyway?
The Avatar Trailer Sucks, But Don't Give Up Hope
By Katey Rich: 2009-08-20 09:54:44
The Avatar Trailer Sucks, But Don't Give Up Hope Hopefully by now you've been able to see the Avatar trailer, despite the technical problems that seem to now be required when it comes to any Avatar-related event. Whether you managed to get through to Apple's high-res versions or watched it through our embed, you've at least got an idea of what James Cameron is going for in the movie he says will change the world.
So what did you think? For me, the trailer sucks. Having seen 25 minutes of the film at Comic Con, I was able to piece together which footage came from which seen, and hazard a guess at what the hell was going on when blue people rode on the backs of dragons and wielded spears at one another. But for the people who have never seen footage of the film before-- which is a whole lot of people-- the trailer seems needlessly disorienting and vague. Why not a single word of dialogue? Why not even an indication of the plot, beyond the basic plot description "Sam Worthington lives inside his avatar and runs around an alien planet." Why only show your hand halfway?
I get that they're trying to follow up on the promises that Avatar looks like nothing ever has, and would rather show off as many flashy scenes as possible rather than ease you into this world. But the Quicktime format is so limiting, especially for a 3D movie, that the impact of all the CGI wizardry is muted anyway. Already people are complaining that Sam Worthington's Avatar doesn't look realistic, that the blue skin looks fake, because they haven't had enough time to see it move like a human, hear it talk, or see it respond to its world. Having seen it in Hall H, I promise it works. It just needs time to settle in, and just by showing one complete scene at Comic Con, they sold the effect entirely. Cutting together all the random scenes in the trailer just makes you more disoriented.
But even if you can't show off your technology in a trailer, you can at least hint at the story, which I wrote from Comic Con was the most exciting part of the movie. This isn't just a big-budget spectacle about people running around in space. It's a deeply felt, mythic story, the kind that Cameron has proved time and time again he's great at telling. Even if the Na'vi will take some getting used to, the hero's journey is an instantly recognizable story, and the hook that will get people to take a chance on this strange sci-fi. The footage shown at Avatar Day should definitely get that across, but I'm worried that the word online will remain that the CGI looks weird and fake.
My best hope is that, after Avatar Day, Fox releases just a bit of a complete scene online, giving the rest of the world a chance to see these characters with more context, and understand that, at heart, it's a story as old as the written word. This trailer, for all its visual magic, just wasn't capable of getting that across.
Who the heck is Katey Rich? Got one word for her: TEASER. Much more to come on this and more trailers. I mean look what we got for the first teaser trailer to the recent Trek movie. Guys building the Enterprise which didn't really factor into the story at all. So Katey, relax.
Just watched the trailer, looks cool. looking forward to seeing more then this one teaser.
Quote from: markinro on August 20, 2009, 10:15:34 AM
So, what's it about anyway?
Not really spoilery, but I'll tag it just in case: [spoiler] In the future, mankind has traveled to a planet that appears Earth-like, but discover that the atmosphere/environment is toxic to humans. The dominant intelligent species on the planet is a race of large, blue cat-like aliens.
The humans create AVATARS- mindless 'meat-puppets' modeled after the aliens. The humans are able to download their consciousness into these Avatars and control them remotely. The Protagonist of the story is a human who's wheelchair bound, so the Avatars provide him the chance to finally experience walking, running, etc.
From what I can gather, the humans are out to exploit the planet. the human protagonist forms an emotional bond with one of the female aliens, and has to decide which side he's going to support. [/spoiler]
Quote from: wraith1701 on August 20, 2009, 11:45:59 AM
Quote from: markinro on August 20, 2009, 10:15:34 AM
So, what's it about anyway?
Not really spoilery, but I'll tag it just in case: [spoiler] In the future, mankind has traveled to a planet that appears Earth-like, but discover that the atmosphere/environment is toxic to humans. The dominant intelligent species on the planet is a race of large, blue cat-like aliens.
The humans create AVATARS- mindless 'meat-puppets' modeled after the aliens. The humans are able to download their consciousness into these Avatars and control them remotely. The Protagonist of the story is a human who's wheelchair bound, so the Avatars provide him the chance to finally experience walking, running, etc.
From what I can gather, the humans are out to exploit the planet. the human protagonist forms an emotional bond with one of the female aliens, and has to decide which side he's going to support. [/spoiler]
Thank you for that Eric..
I know you guys will think I'm on drugs, but I put Cameron way above George Lucas as a story teller.
EDIT:
By that I mean Cameron has so many good projects to his credit. Outside of Star Wars and Indiana Jones, Lucas' stuff isn't quite up to par. Cameron doing both Terminators, Aliens, Titanic, Rambo 2, etc. He is just that solid and consistent.
Quote from: AlanP on August 20, 2009, 12:17:09 PM
I know you guys will think I'm on drugs, but I put Cameron way above George Lucas as a story teller.
EDIT:
By that I mean Cameron has so many good projects to his credit. Outside of Star Wars and Indiana Jones, Lucas' stuff isn't quite up to par. Cameron doing both Terminators, Aliens, Titanic, Rambo 2, etc. He is just that solid and consistent.
And since the 'Indie' movies were made with Speilberg you can't even really call them Lucas films, he was never even behind the camera.
Oh, and don't forget 'The Abyss' one of my favorites!
Quote from: Omra on August 20, 2009, 12:53:27 PM
Quote from: AlanP on August 20, 2009, 12:17:09 PM
I know you guys will think I'm on drugs, but I put Cameron way above George Lucas as a story teller.
EDIT:
By that I mean Cameron has so many good projects to his credit. Outside of Star Wars and Indiana Jones, Lucas' stuff isn't quite up to par. Cameron doing both Terminators, Aliens, Titanic, Rambo 2, etc. He is just that solid and consistent.
And since the 'Indie' movies were made with Speilberg you can't even really call them Lucas films, he was never even behind the camera.
Oh, and don't forget 'The Abyss' one of my favorites!
Oh, I agree 100%, Alan. This trailer looks terrific!
The trailer looks interesting but it does not give enough information as to what it's about. The sfx scenes of the aliens looked way too much like video game CGI. It's hard to tell whether you are watching a CGI cartoon or a live action sci-fi fantasy film or both.
Kevin
What I don't understand is people complaining about not showing enough or showing too much. I'd rather them not show enough and have to read a blurb about the movie than them showing too much.
It's Cameron ... when has he ever skimped on story or production values?
Quote from: Just X on August 20, 2009, 04:24:36 PM
What I don't understand is people complaining about not showing enough or showing too much. I'd rather them not show enough and have to read a blurb about the movie than them showing too much.
I agree completely! Trailers, especially the first teaser one are meant to do just that - tease you and entice you. This isn't the movie yet. I myself love getting just a little bit of it so far and let my imagination sort of fill things in, for now. And frankly, for me it's not at all hard to pretty much figure the basics of the story even from this short glimpse. It also looks beautiful.
Plus from what I have heard from people who watched the trailer at ComicCon the 3D is amazing!
Quote from: Rico on August 20, 2009, 04:30:20 PM
And frankly, for me it's not at all hard to pretty much figure the basics of the story even from this short glimpse. It also looks beautiful.
Well obviously you are a much smarter man then I.
Quote from: StarTrekFanatic5 on August 20, 2009, 09:33:25 PM
Quote from: Rico on August 20, 2009, 04:30:20 PM
And frankly, for me it's not at all hard to pretty much figure the basics of the story even from this short glimpse. It also looks beautiful.
Well obviously you are a much smarter man then I.
Didn't mean anything by that Kenny. This is just what I mean from seeing the teaser trailer: Crippled guy gets alien body, aliens hunted by man, man in alien body find hot alien girl, man must choose what to do. I think it's kind of cool that there's basically no dialogue in the trailer (one line) and you can still pick all that up.
Quote from: wraith1701 on August 20, 2009, 11:45:59 AM
Quote from: markinro on August 20, 2009, 10:15:34 AM
So, what's it about anyway?
Not really spoilery, but I'll tag it just in case: [spoiler] In the future, mankind has traveled to a planet that appears Earth-like, but discover that the atmosphere/environment is toxic to humans. The dominant intelligent species on the planet is a race of large, blue cat-like aliens.
The humans create AVATARS- mindless 'meat-puppets' modeled after the aliens. The humans are able to download their consciousness into these Avatars and control them remotely. The Protagonist of the story is a human who's wheelchair bound, so the Avatars provide him the chance to finally experience walking, running, etc.
From what I can gather, the humans are out to exploit the planet. the human protagonist forms an emotional bond with one of the female aliens, and has to decide which side he's going to support. [/spoiler]
Ok - thanks for the info.
This looks like the sci-fi movie that is going to beat the pants off Star Trek this year.
AVATAR - Official Teaser Trailer (HD) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6AAt-oV3wE#ws-hd)
psik
Holy Toledo! This looks good! I guess they Avatar's are bio-creations that are 'remote controlled' or somehow consciousness is 'downloaded' into them?
Already a thread going for this movie for a little while now. Merging them.
Jesus H Christ!
Late for the party AGAIN!
I just learned about it a couple of weeks ago.
I think this trailer totally blows away the one for the Trek film. This movie looks like it is about something not just something made up to make a movie. That helicopter attack looks like something out of Vietnam.
psik
Gah, I'm getting confused with this Avatar and Avatar the Airbender Series.
Sheesh. :P
King
New trailer coming this Friday....
ComingSoon.net has confirmed that 20th Century Fox will debut a new trailer for James Cameron's Avatar in theaters this Friday, October 23rd! The trailer, which clocks in at roughly around 3 minutes and 30 seconds, won't be coming online until October 29th. You should really see this in theaters anyways as we've learned that this is THE trailer, the one that will show you much more story (as opposed to the teaser trailer previously released).
Here's a bootleg version of the trailer that just came out in theaters.. this trailer is 100 times better then the teaser.. this movie looks like it's going to be awesome.
http://www.traileraddict.com/emd/15274 (http://www.traileraddict.com/emd/15274)
They officially released the new trailer.. looks amazing.
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=60437 (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=60437)
Thanks Kenny, that is amazing.
Looks like a cool movie still. Pretty simple story it seems but the visuals continue to amaze. Really can't wait to see this one up on the big screen.
New Trailer here too:
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809804784/video/16357477 (http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809804784/video/16357477)
I saw the trailer for this when I went to see Paranormal Activity for Halloween. Was it necessary to put up text saying, "From James Cameron, Director of Terminator, Aliens, True Lies, Titanic"?
Shouldn't motion picture audiences know who Cameron is? To me that's a name that says it all and no reason to make the list. Some names are so huge like Spielberg, Scorsese, or Coppola that it looks insulting to remind the audience what they've done. I would have been OK with the reverse teasing that it is indeed a Cameron film.
Quote from: Rico on October 29, 2009, 12:59:19 PM
Looks like a cool movie still. Pretty simple story it seems but the visuals continue to amaze. Really can't wait to see this one up on the big screen.
New Trailer here too:
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809804784/video/16357477 (http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809804784/video/16357477)
Wow, that looks really good!
So, do I see this in 3-D or not 3-D when I first see it? I really hate those stupid glasses.
3D? Really? I kept my glasses but they still charge the extra $1. They're not bad - fit over regular glasses too.
I doubt there will be many 3D "effects" in this movie.
I have Friday off - think I will sneak off to the theater during the day and catch this film....
I saw this today in 3D and was just blown away - it is really good! The graphics, and the story itself are amazing. This is sort of a 'Dances With Wolves' meets 'Dune' storyline - but very very entertaining. The extra few $'s for 3D was really worth it - giving me the feel that I was almost there.
There was a hole or 2 in the Sci-Fi but I forgive all - I enjoyed it that much.
This film is getting some GREAT REVIEWS. Roger Ebert-
"Watching "Avatar," I felt sort of the same as when I saw "Star Wars" in 1977. That was another movie I walked into with uncertain expectations. James Cameron's film has been the subject of relentlessly dubious advance buzz, just as his "Titanic" was. Once again, he has silenced the doubters by simply delivering an extraordinary film. "
Link to review:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091211/REVIEWS/912119998 (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091211/REVIEWS/912119998)
Yeah, I may have to see this in 3D.
Really cool movie and a nice message too. Of course the look and effects were simply amazing. It had a lot of heart too. Might go again sometime, while it's in theaters.
The local critic is claiming that at 2 1/2 hours it might be too long. From your descriptions I think he's just nit-picky. I'm going to make time for this movie. Looking forward to it. :biggrin
Great movie! I'll definitely be seeing this movie again.
Really enjoyed this movie a lot! Amazing looking film and it has a great deal of heart. I urge all of you to go see this one in the theaters. You won't be disappointed.
Avatar: The Movie (New Extended HD Trailer) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRdxXPV9GNQ#)
I saw Avatar 3-D Friday.
I didn't see it at an IMAX theater but I was surprisingly impressed by the 3-D effects. A few months ago I was at a computer show for vendors and watched a 3-D demonstration using electronic glasses that blinked polarized lenses as shutters. Whatever method was used in Avatar used glasses but not electronic ones. The effect however was as good as I recall seeing at that computer show and the screen was WAY BIGGER.
The movie was like a combination of Vietnam, Dances with Wolves, Aliens and Fern Gully.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/42/Ferngully.jpg/200px-Ferngully.jpg)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferngully (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferngully)
Heavy on the Fern Gully.
http://www.thedailytube.com/video/20451/james-cameron-presents-fern-gully (http://www.thedailytube.com/video/20451/james-cameron-presents-fern-gully)
James Cameron's Avatar Official HD James Cameron´s Vision (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfn2_7_AlPg&feature=youtube_gdata#)
It totally blows away Star Trek which had nothing to say and beats it for effects. I am going to go again soon which I haven't done for any movie since The Matrix. That was 10 years 9 1/2 months ago.
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/5-Reasons-You-Must-See-Avatar-16208.html (http://www.cinemablend.com/new/5-Reasons-You-Must-See-Avatar-16208.html)
psik
This is the Ironman II thread.. do you mind deleting this and putting it in the Avatar thread... thanks
I moved it over to the Avatar thread.
OK, now I'm really confused.
I just looked at the Ironman thread. It contains pictures that I have never seen. But I saw that picture from the ST Galileo Seven episode earlier today.
psik
Quote from: psikeyhackr on December 20, 2009, 12:15:16 PM
OK, now I'm really confused.
I just looked at the Ironman thread. It contains pictures that I have never seen. But I saw that picture from the ST Galileo Seven episode earlier today.
psik
The Galileo & picture is something M-5 copied to his signature line on his member profile. Some other members put comic strips and ads for other podcasts or their duty roster IDs from the forum RPG as well as signature qoutes. :) Iwas just at the Iron Man II thread but didn' t see anything different.
First day back in the office since seeing Avatar 3D - and I have been evangelizing it to my colleagues.
Just saw it in 3D. What a beautiful film. An amazing experience, myself and the audience applauded at the end. AMAZING and WONDERFUL. Thank God they can still make a movie that will take your breath away.
Avatar was such an amazing film. I think this is a must see in theaters if just for the 3D and special effects. It was absolutely beautifully made. I thought the story was a little predictable, but it wasn't bad by any means. In my opinion a fantastic film.
"Avatar" 10 day box office is $617 million! At least the $300 million they spent was all on the screen. Anyone who hasn't seen this in 3D yet, YOU MUST! Not in IMAX, just regular 3D. It's so in obtrusive and subtle.
I finally saw this. Great movie, I'll be reviewing it on my podcast. WOW!
I kinda feel like I'm the only geek on the planet who didn't think the film was great - visually stunning, but it was all fur coat and tiny knickers. I really don't think the animals (horse things mainly) moved very well, there was just something... off about them.
Maybe I should hand back my geek card.
Finally got to see this.. saw it in DPL 3D.. I have one word.. EPIC!!!!! Such a beautiful movie, but also had a great story. Loved the world of Pandora, we got the really know the Navi... loved that. It was truly a wonderful movie experience.
I did see this in 3D but still think they film still would have been epic in 2D.
I plan to see it at least one more time and next time it will be IMAX 3D
I was worried about sales on this on DVD/Bluray.. but I have no doubt this will do great on DVD as well.
I saw it in 2D after seeing it in 3D and it was still wonderful, but the 3D version is so much more immersive and engaging. I'm also planning one more trip to IMAX 3D before it's gone, which may not be for a while!
Check it out.. a guy converts himself into a Na'vi using Photoshop.. it's pretty cool
Birth of an AVATAR (http://vimeo.com/8306210)
lol yeah who needs a tree of souls
So do you think Avatar will pass Titanic in boxoffice worldwide total??
James Cameron's juggernaut Avatar dominated the box office again its fourth weekend, adding $48.5 million domestically and $143 million internationally! Domestically, it broke the record for the biggest fourth weekend ever for a movie, surpassing Cameron's own Titanic, which earned $28.7 million its fourth weekend. The North American total has climbed to $429 million, allowing the film to pass up Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest's $423.3 million to become the seventh-biggest movie of all time domestically. We think it has a good chance of beating The Dark Knight's domestic take of $533 million now, but will it reach Titanic's $600.8 million?
Overseas, the blockbuster has reached a massive $906.2 million to take its worldwide total to a whopping $1.335 billion! It only trails Titanic's $1.843 billion, a number that doesn't seem impossible with how much Avatar has been earning on a worldwide basis every day.
Never realised until I saw this!!!
(http://www.boingboing.net/2010/01/05/pocohontar.jpg)
Well James Cameron told a much better version of that story. Pocahontas is my least favorite Disney film.
I actually said this on my podcast last week. :)
I saw this today and it was real. Never once did I think that this was a CG flick or something. It was real and we were in a window viewing the events.
Quote from: Just X on January 11, 2010, 08:32:22 PM
I saw this today and it was real. Never once did I think that this was a CG flick or something. It was real and we were in a window viewing the events.
Yeah same with the 3-D I did not realize it was 3-D at parts. The night scenes also looked real
I don't think it will eclipse "Titanic" but will become number two for US and world wide.
Hopefully going to see this at the weekend.
AVATAR is going to have a long lasting effect on the entire movie going experience. I hear some of the criticism lebied against the film and I can understand their validity, but it doesn't change the fact the the movie at it's core is a very basic, simple, film experience. I can't recall, with the exception of some of the PIXAR type of films, a movie which offers such a positive, enjoyable story set against such stunning visuals. Compare AVATAR to last years sci-fi/action films like "Dark Knight" or "District 9". Both of those were very original, complicated, gritty, but not something I would watch over and over again. AVATAR is much more accesible. I even watched STAR TREK the other night on Blue-Ray and found it's luster had dimmed a lot since seeing it in the theaters. It's still terrific, but I'm not sure how often I will be watching it. AVATAR I could watch all day.
Quote from: Bryancd on January 12, 2010, 04:48:20 AM
I don't think it will eclipse "Titanic" but will become number two for US and world wide.
You don't think so.. I think if any movie can do it, it will be this one. I mean in the fourth weekend Titanic made 26.7 Million and Avatar has made 40+ Million. It's doing almost double the business that Titanic did at the same time. This movie has longevity and might go the distance.
Quote from: Geekyfanboy on January 12, 2010, 07:48:33 AM
Quote from: Bryancd on January 12, 2010, 04:48:20 AM
I don't think it will eclipse "Titanic" but will become number two for US and world wide.
You don't think so.. I think if any movie can do it, it will be this one. I mean in the fourth weekend Titanic made 26.7 Million and Avatar has made 40+ Million. It's doing almost double the business that Titanic did at the same time. This movie has longevity and might go the distance.
Only because I think "Titanic" will still draw more women than AVATAR. Also, AVATAR is benefiting from a higher ticket cost for the 3D screenings, so revenue is higher per screen. When AVATAR business does start to decline, it will likely happen quickly.
I'm surprised at how many people are going back to watch it a second time!!
Even my daughter asked if we could go straight back into the cinema to re-watch it when it finished.
I would say the urge to re-watch this movie is high. Just think what it'll do in DVD sales after the cinema!!
I've seen it twice and plan on seeing it one more time.
Quote from: Bryancd on January 12, 2010, 05:20:02 AM
AVATAR is going to have a long lasting effect on the entire movie going experience. I hear some of the criticism lebied against the film and I can understand their validity, but it doesn't change the fact the the movie at it's core is a very basic, simple, film experience. I can't recall, with the exception of some of the PIXAR type of films, a movie which offers such a positive, enjoyable story set against such stunning visuals. Compare AVATAR to last years sci-fi/action films like "Dark Knight" or "District 9". Both of those were very original, complicated, gritty, but not something I would watch over and over again. AVATAR is much more accesible. I even watched STAR TREK the other night on Blue-Ray and found it's luster had dimmed a lot since seeing it in the theaters. It's still terrific, but I'm not sure how often I will be watching it. AVATAR I could watch all day.
To Pickup on what I said in the Podcast Thread, to me, I dont really see this movie having a really long Legacy to it. I enjoyed this movie a lot, but a lot of the buzz about this movie is the production values. In a few years time, a lot of movies are going to look just as good or better then this one. The Visuals were stunning with 3D, and I have not seen it in 2D to compare it against other movies of the ilk. Pandora looked great, but so did the worlds in many other Movies such as the Star Wars Prequels and Lord of the Rings.
The story is simple and straight forward, probably best fit this movie, but there was nothing really surprising to me in it. Everything played out as I would expect, and pretty much knew where it was going ten minutes into it. Not to say that is a bad thing, James Cameron might have had to take a bit of a safe approach, given the amount of money spent on it, and plus this was a followup to Titanic and he had taken a very extended break between the two, so the Critical spot light was going to be placed on it. I guess the risk would have been doing this in 3D in case it did not turn out, but I am guessing that they were probably very certain it would look good before undertaking.
My experience with the latest Star Trek movie was a bit different. I saw it the first time, and wasn't really sure what to make of it, but I have watched it a few more times on Blu-Ray since, and I enjoy it more and more each time. JJ Abrams took bigger risks with the movie, and did not really play it safe. Partly because he had to, in order to shake up Trek a bit, partly because that is his thing.
Again liked this movie, but past it possibly changing how other movies are made in the future, I am not sure if it will be one that I am wanting to see over an over again. From a story standpoint, nothing really jumped out at me. Heard that James Cameron might do another, and sounds like he would be exploring other worlds, which I think is good as I don't think there is anything else to be expanded on with the present storyline. Just my opinion :)
I agree with what you say about the faults of Avatar. The simple, unoriginal and predictable storyline. The fact that it's all about the visuals and production values.
However, when you say-
"In a few years time, a lot of movies are going to look just as good or better then this one. The Visuals were stunning with 3D, and I have not seen it in 2D to compare it against other movies of the ilk. Pandora looked great, but so did the worlds in many other Movies such as the Star Wars Prequels and Lord of the Rings"
I have to disagree. I think it far enough ahead of anything else that it stands out in the same way as Star Wars did in 1977. Lets not forget that Star Wars Ep IV also has a predictable, unoriginal storyline and became what it was because it re-did a classic tale so well with SFX so far advanced that permanantly left thier mark on peoples minds.
I think Avatar will be as fondly remembered.
My 10 year old daughter said in wonder to me as it finished "That is the best film I've ever seen in my life" and then asked to go straight in to see it again. I've never heard her enthuse over a movie before as much as she did this. I think this movie is her generations Star Wars!
Quote from: ori-STUDFARM on January 12, 2010, 01:58:23 PM
I agree with what you say about the faults of Avatar. The simple, unoriginal and predictable storyline. The fact that it's all about the visuals and production values.
However, when you say-
"In a few years time, a lot of movies are going to look just as good or better then this one. The Visuals were stunning with 3D, and I have not seen it in 2D to compare it against other movies of the ilk. Pandora looked great, but so did the worlds in many other Movies such as the Star Wars Prequels and Lord of the Rings"
I have to disagree. I think it far enough ahead of anything else that it stands out in the same way as Star Wars did in 1977. Lets not forget that Star Wars Ep IV also has a predictable, unoriginal storyline and became what it was because it re-did a classic tale so well with SFX so far advanced that permanantly left thier mark on peoples minds.
I think Avatar will be as fondly remembered.
My 10 year old daughter said in wonder to me as it finished "That is the best film I've ever seen in my life" and then asked to go straight in to see it again. I've never heard her enthuse over a movie before as much as she did this. I think this movie is her generations Star Wars!
I truly think that sequels or not, this will be the Star Wars for a lot of children.
Quote from: Just X on January 12, 2010, 02:01:59 PM
Quote from: ori-STUDFARM on January 12, 2010, 01:58:23 PM
I agree with what you say about the faults of Avatar. The simple, unoriginal and predictable storyline. The fact that it's all about the visuals and production values.
However, when you say-
"In a few years time, a lot of movies are going to look just as good or better then this one. The Visuals were stunning with 3D, and I have not seen it in 2D to compare it against other movies of the ilk. Pandora looked great, but so did the worlds in many other Movies such as the Star Wars Prequels and Lord of the Rings"
I have to disagree. I think it far enough ahead of anything else that it stands out in the same way as Star Wars did in 1977. Lets not forget that Star Wars Ep IV also has a predictable, unoriginal storyline and became what it was because it re-did a classic tale so well with SFX so far advanced that permanantly left thier mark on peoples minds.
I think Avatar will be as fondly remembered.
My 10 year old daughter said in wonder to me as it finished "That is the best film I've ever seen in my life" and then asked to go straight in to see it again. I've never heard her enthuse over a movie before as much as she did this. I think this movie is her generations Star Wars!
I truly think that sequels or not, this will be the Star Wars for a lot of children.
If they have a fast talking navi or some punk kid, I am calling jar jar...
I have heard on a podcast that 2 sequels are in the pipelines and that they may be set on neighbouring moons to Pandora.
This disappoints me, as I feel that it doesn't need any follow up. It is a nice self contained story that has a beginning, middle and a definate end. Now, if they were planning to do a sequel, I would have prefered it if they ended this movie
[spoiler]at the point where the tree was destroyed. I think this would have been a very brave thing to do, but would have benefitted any seqels in the long term[/spoiler]
That said though, I will be eagerly going to see any sequels if and when they come out!
Quote from: Just X on January 12, 2010, 02:01:59 PM
I truly think that sequels or not, this will be the Star Wars for a lot of children.
That I don't know about. Maybe. Media tastes change so fast. STAR WARS had a lasting impact as nothing came close for so long.
To Jeff, I would say to criticize it's story as blah..ok, I get that, but this movie was more fun for me from a story AND visual standpoint than all three prequels. I thought the love story in AVATAR blew the Anakin/Padme love story away and yet that really gets a big pass by the geek community. Bit of a double standard, IMO.
I will back track a bit on the Legacy stuff, as I re read my blog after, and I basically said the opposite on that. I guess I should rephrase that to me Star Trek will have a bigger Legacy then Avatar. Maybe it is because Star Trek was a reboot of the original, and will always be a bit of a conversation point for years to come. I suspect that Star Trek 5 gets more discussion then some Oscar Winning movies to this day.
Star Wars ANH does has a basic story as well, and I considered that, but I think the Characters in Star Wars are part of the reason for its lasting impact. Jake Sully in Avatar will never come close to a Han Solo or a Luke Skywalker, even if they did just one Star Wars movie and not 3 with that cast. The Villain in Avatar did not have the presence that Darth Vader had.
I went to the Movie with my nephew, he came out really pumped. But like Bryan indicated, tastes change fast these days, and with the amount of big budget movies that come out, Kids likes change pretty quick. I don't think they will ever have an attachment to a set of movies like we did. My Nephews have gone from Star Wars prequels, to Spider Man/Iron Man/X-Men, to Transformers, to Avatar, so I don't think they are going to stop :).
I did like this movie, re reading my Blog, I liked it more then I recalled a short period ago. But I just was not blown away as some. It was nice in 3D, but I guess from the visuals, I have come to expect that in movies, yes they were very done well, but never left the movie feeling they exceeded my expectations, which is not a knock on the movie. I guess for a James Cameron movie, the original Terminator or T2 left more of an impression on me then Avatar. Granted that many effect driven movies have come out over my life, so getting the wow factor these days is going to be hard to get on my generation.
Quote from: jedijeff on January 13, 2010, 06:50:22 AM
I will back track a bit on the Legacy stuff, as I re read my blog after, and I basically said the opposite on that. I guess I should rephrase that to me Star Trek will have a bigger Legacy then Avatar. Maybe it is because Star Trek was a reboot of the original, and will always be a bit of a conversation point for years to come. I suspect that Star Trek 5 gets more discussion then some Oscar Winning movies to this day.
Star Wars ANH does has a basic story as well, and I considered that, but I think the Characters in Star Wars are part of the reason for its lasting impact. Jake Sully in Avatar will never come close to a Han Solo or a Luke Skywalker, even if they did just one Star Wars movie and not 3 with that cast. The Villain in Avatar did not have the presence that Darth Vader had.
I went to the Movie with my nephew, he came out really pumped. But like Bryan indicated, tastes change fast these days, and with the amount of big budget movies that come out, Kids likes change pretty quick. I don't think they will ever have an attachment to a set of movies like we did. My Nephews have gone from Star Wars prequels, to Spider Man/Iron Man/X-Men, to Transformers, to Avatar, so I don't think they are going to stop :).
Wow. I pretty much disagree with everything you said about Avatar vs ANH.
Here's why. In A New Hope, Vader was nothing more than a super powered thug. He wasn't in charge of anything and reported to Tarkin of all people and got beat by a rookie farmboy with incomplete training. He was a scary guy in armor, but nothing much of a character. Granted that's only my opinion, but Vader didn't get legs until the next movie.
I had a emotional reaction to the bad guy in Avatar. I hated him and I wanted to see him die. I also thought that he was a serious badass.
I will agree that both movies had a simple base story and both movies had cutting edge special effects for their day, but Avatar has far less plot holes and far better dialog.
I can't speak for everyone, but for me, after the first few minutes enjoying the 3d, the story became real. I couldn't even begin to tell you what CGI, real, green screen, or physical effects. What I can tell you is that I enjoyed the story FAR better than the first time I saw ANH.
I think that, for me, ANH had a bunch of great scenes, but it also had a bunch of really boring transition pieces.
Avatar on the other hand ... we go to the show 45 minutes before it started. I needed to use the restroom starting at the seeing the body part of the film.
I didn't leave my seat and forgot how bad that I had to go until the credits were off.
There are few films out that that make you want to halt biology to not miss a beat. I've always thought that to be a damned fine benchmark in how much you enjoy a film. If I held it for almost 2 hours ...
Nuff said.
I agree Jeff, I don't feel AVATAR has or will have the same impact as STAR WARS and I would never compare it to the OT, but it's a pretty sharp film compared to say Ep. I or II, although I will always love them more just because. :). I can see where Chris is coming from, but I give the story and characterizations in ANH much higher marks. Where Chris and I are in 100% agreement is this:
"I can't speak for everyone, but for me, after the first few minutes enjoying the 3d, the story became real. I couldn't even begin to tell you what CGI, real, green screen, or physical effects."
Within 5min I was 100% IN with this movie from the visuals and then the story grabbed me and I was lost in the sauce, so to speak. I'm not a huge movie goer and I have never seen visuals like this before...ever.
I'm definitely more in line with Jeff's thoughts on this movie. I enjoyed it a lot but found it pretty straight forward - plotwise. The visuals were great and it's still one of my favorite films of 2009. I'm not going to compare it to other movies or try and predict it's place or future in film history. I'm still a bit surprised the general public is enjoying it as much as they seem to be. But, it is a lot due to the timing of it's release I think. In any case, I'm happy another 'geeky' movie is doing well.
I don't think it's amazing box office is all that suprising, it really has something for everybody all in a pretty wrapper. It's not all edgy or dark or brooding or esoteric, it's simple entertainment. Again, besides the offerings from PIXAR, I can't think of many films in recent memory which are just "nice".
I agree, Cameron follows the KISS principal in his big budget plots - {Keep It Simple Stupid} - and then gives us visually stunning cinematography to enjoy. Characters are black and white, and the general non-geek public imagination is not overly taxed with shades of gray. :)
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this movie, even if it is Dances With Wolves re-hashed.
Anyone have some good ideas-thoughts for a sequel?
Rico, I see what you're saying about timing, but I think it's the same thing that could be said about star wars. It was a pretty basic story that was released with good timing. People outside of the uber fans really don't and have never seen what other people saw in it.
I think that when you have a simple story and great timing, you make a blockbuster. Star Wars and Home Alone both sort of prove that.
Quote from: Bromptonboy on January 13, 2010, 11:05:39 AM
even if it is Dances With Wolves re-hashed.
Anyone have some good ideas-thoughts for a sequel?
I loved "Dances with Wolves" and this is great new version of that same old story. In fact, "Dancing with Wolves" is one of a very few movies I will always stop and start watching if I come across it on TV. As far as a sequel, I would love to return to Pandora. The whole planet eco-system was so interesting.
Quote from: Bryancd on January 13, 2010, 11:19:31 AM
Quote from: Bromptonboy on January 13, 2010, 11:05:39 AM
even if it is Dances With Wolves re-hashed.
Anyone have some good ideas-thoughts for a sequel?
I loved "Dances with Wolves" and this is great new version of that same old story. As far as a sequel, I would love to return to Pandora. The whole planet eco-system was so interesting.
I too loved dances with wolves. As did a lot of other people considering what it made. I think people like beating up on the movie for some reason that I still haven't figured out.
Quote from: Just X on January 13, 2010, 11:45:35 AM
Quote from: Bryancd on January 13, 2010, 11:19:31 AM
Quote from: Bromptonboy on January 13, 2010, 11:05:39 AM
even if it is Dances With Wolves re-hashed.
Anyone have some good ideas-thoughts for a sequel?
I loved "Dances with Wolves" and this is great new version of that same old story. As far as a sequel, I would love to return to Pandora. The whole planet eco-system was so interesting.
I too loved dances with wolves. As did a lot of other people considering what it made. I think people like beating up on the movie for some reason that I still haven't figured out.
I liked DWW as well - I just couldn't help but notice the parallel.
Did you happen to see the new story about the thousands of people facing depression because they want to live in the Avatar world? I heard that on the national news this morning. WOW
Sounds like some Star Trek and Star Wars fans I know. Just saying. :)
Quote from: Just X on January 13, 2010, 11:12:04 AM
Rico, I see what you're saying about timing, but I think it's the same thing that could be said about star wars. It was a pretty basic story that was released with good timing. People outside of the uber fans really don't and have never seen what other people saw in it.
I think that when you have a simple story and great timing, you make a blockbuster. Star Wars and Home Alone both sort of prove that.
Oh, absolutely. People have studied the phenomenon of "Star Wars" coming out in 1977 for a long time. A good part of the popularity of that and any film release is timing and the luck that comes with that - just like I said.
Quote from: Blackride on January 13, 2010, 05:08:45 PM
Did you happen to see the new story about the thousands of people facing depression because they want to live in the Avatar world? I heard that on the national news this morning. WOW
I joined a facebook group about it. I never would have thought someone would get depressed from that...
They just released this incredible 22 minute behind the scene special on the making of Avatar. James Cameron and company are true geniuses. Watching this special brought tears to my eyes.. this is truly amazing technology.
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809804784/video/17711648 (http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809804784/video/17711648)
I'm going to see it tonight for the 3rd time, this time in IMAX 3D. Can't wait. And I totally disagree with the idea that this movies release timing is a major contributor to it's success. To say so takes away from the fact that the movie is, IMO and in that of clearly many others, outstanding. It seems that people who were not as moved by the film are looking for other reasons to qualify it's success. It's a success because it's that good.
Enjoy it Bryan.. going to see it again this weekend with Dad and Harry.. seeing it in 3D but no IMAX
I saw this on Friday in IMAX 3D and while my initial reaction wasn't overwhelming, the whole thing has grown on me in the the few days since. (Being up all night on Friday and finding myself thinking about the film while in a sleep-deprived state may have had something to do with it!)
Talking about it at work today, I realised that what I'd forgotten through most of the film was the fact that it was actually an animation rather than live action. Job done, I'd say.
While the story wasn't the most innovative ever, it was easy enough to buy into and provided enough of a background off which to hang the characters and the world. What really sold it to me (looking back) is the scenes where animated and live action characters worked together. It simply didn't register as such with me.
We're a long way from 'Who framed Roger Rabbit' here!
To a degree I think I'd like to leave the story there. I'm not sure I can see an obvious sequel in story terms and a bad story would detract too much from the overall experience.
The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films and then check back on Tuesday for the final figures based on actual box office.
For the sixth week straight, the box office is all about James Cameron's Avatar, as it added another $36 million this weekend to set a new record for a movie's sixth weekend gross. More importantly, it has now grossed $552.8 million domestically, making it the second-highest grossing movie domestically, passing The Dark Knight's $533.3 million over the weekend and putting it in sight to cross Titanic's long-standing record of $600.8 million sometime next month. Internationally, Avatar earned $107 million this weekend to push its overseas total to a massive $1.28 billion, surpassing Titanic's previous international record of $1.24 billion. Worldwide, the film has collected $1.836 billion and is about to surpass Titanic's global record of $1.843 billion.
I just saw Avatar in standard 3D(not IMAX) this past weekend and was very impressed. I didn't feel that the 3D was unnecessary, rather that the movie really needed the added dimension for the alien environment of Pandora to be fully appreciated. I just don't think that standard 2D could have really done it justice.
It's true that the plot felt very familiar, but I don't see that as a negative, but as a plus since it allowed me to become more involved in the film without being distracted by complex plot points. I actually had to cover my mouth to keep from cheering out loud(You guys know which parts i'm referring to) and even became a little teary-eyed a few times, which is very uncharacteristic for me, and I'm sure that I'm not alone there either. Just a really good movie IMO :thumbsup
It was also the $5.50 matinee which was pretty sweet too.
Sorry Kenny, I didn't mean to step on your post.
Quote from: ChadH on January 25, 2010, 10:47:34 AM
I just saw Avatar in standard 3D(not IMAX) this past weekend and was very impressed. I didn't feel that the 3D was unnecessary, rather that the movie really needed the added dimension for the alien environment of Pandora to be fully appreciated. I just don't think that standard 2D could have really done it justice.
It's true that the plot felt very familiar, but I don't see that as a negative, but as a plus since it allowed me to become more involved in the film without being distracted by complex plot points. I actually had to cover my mouth to keep from cheering out loud(You guys know which ones) and even became a little teary-eyed a few times, which is very uncharacteristic for me, and I'm sure that I'm not alone there either. Just a really good movie IMO :thumbsup
It was also the $5.50 matinee which was pretty sweet too.
Sorry Kenny, I didn't mean to step on your post.
Well said, Chad. I think your comments really explainvery well why this movie is so strong and resonating with the audience today.
And Kenny, I was wrong, this film WILL eclipse "titanic" deservedly so.
I was going to razz you because of your lack of faith in Avatar passing Titanic.. but the good guy that you are admitted that you were wrong takes all that fun out of it. :)
I went to the IMAX show last Wed night and the theater was 75% full still! Amazing. What i didn't anticipate was how well the movie is playing to the female audience. Chicks dig AVATAR too!
It's the 10' tall blue skinned warriors. They all have big feet and chisled abs. ;)
Quote from: ChadH on January 25, 2010, 02:10:10 PM
It's the 10' tall blue skinned warriors. They all have big feet and chisled abs. ;)
How's that different from the rest of us males then?
Oh.
I saw this movie (and stupid frakkin internet ate my post) so here are the basics of my review:
Visuals were stunning in 3-D.
Story while not anything new was really good.
Actors did an excellent job. The female actress (the first one you see) who's name escapes me is a favorite of mine.
3-D is the bomb, for this movie anyway. I'll miss it when I go to Blu-Ray.
Music was really good. Already purchased it.
Overall: 9 out of 10.
Well it's official.. Titanic has sunk and Avatar reigns king of the box office.
Quote from: Kinglinksr on January 25, 2010, 02:51:04 PM
I saw this movie (and stupid frakkin internet ate my post) so here are the basics of my review:
Visuals were stunning in 3-D.
Story while not anything new was really good.
Actors did an excellent job. The female actress (the first one you see) who's name escapes me is a favorite of mine.
3-D is the bomb, for this movie anyway. I'll miss it when I go to Blu-Ray.
Music was really good. Already purchased it.
Overall: 9 out of 10.
You are thinking of Zoe Saldana. She was terrific.
So - who's heading out tomorrow (4/22/10) to buy this?
AVATAR BD & DVD TRAILER (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83M6jszIFkE#)
I'm not because the two disc is a disc with the movie in blu-ray and the second disc is a regular DVD.. no extras. That Blu-ray will be out later this year.
Just found this snippit.
"Avatar will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on Thursday. The release contains the 2-D theatrical version of the film only. Buyers will have access to exclusive online content. A more comprehensive package is expected in November, with a host of bonus features."
Thanks for the heads up Kenny. I'm guessing this is one movie that will see multiple releases for a few years to come. Of course, wouldn't you need a 3-D TV to ever see the 3-D version at home?
Quote from: Rico on April 21, 2010, 04:22:40 PM
Thanks for the heads up Kenny. I'm guessing this is one movie that will see multiple releases for a few years to come. Of course, wouldn't you need a 3-D TV to ever see the 3-D version at home?
Yeah if and when they release the 3D version you'll need a 3D TV.. I'm just looking for the 2D version but with a bunch of extras.
Quote from: Geekyfanboy on April 21, 2010, 04:23:34 PM
Quote from: Rico on April 21, 2010, 04:22:40 PM
Thanks for the heads up Kenny. I'm guessing this is one movie that will see multiple releases for a few years to come. Of course, wouldn't you need a 3-D TV to ever see the 3-D version at home?
Yeah if and when they release the 3D version you'll need a 3D TV.. I'm just looking for the 2D version but with a bunch of extras.
I want a 10' cardboard cutout figure of Neytiri.
I'm in, I'll likely end up getting a better or even 3D version at some point down the road, but i really want Jamie to see it now.
Am I the only one that thinks they are rushing the heck out of it? So the DVD has 2 discs one for someone with DVD and one for Blu-ray. No bonus features, no 3-D version, no director's cut. Do they think the Avatar buzz will end so they need to sell it NOW? they are already in discussion on another IMAX 3-D showing with more scenes
It's still playing in a few theaters too. But, it will still make a ton of money on DVD/Blu-Ray. And there is your reason - well, for just about everything. ;)
Follow the money trail. :)
So, anyone pick this up yet today?
I did! Jamie saw it and said,"So, I guess this means I have to watch it now.." :). All she wants to watch is "Firefly" which is great.
It's being re-released in theaters with additional footage.. who's going to see it again..
I am and hopefully in IMAX 3D this time.
(http://www.thinkhero.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Avatar-rerelease-movie-poster-limited-1-691x1024.jpg)
Soooo worth it!!!!
I've heard that the extra footage is about 12 minutes.....If I were to go see it again, it wouldn't be for that!
I think the movie was a tad long on the original release. Adding 12 minutes is not something I would want to see.
I would go with no new footage just to see it in 3D again.
Quote from: Bryancd on August 10, 2010, 12:35:43 PM
I would go with no new footage just to see it in 3D again.
I'm with you Bryan... just want to see it on the big screen again in 3D
Ditto in seeing it again to see it, but at least JC is giving you more value to your visit.
Is it coming out again over here?
If this film taught me one thing it's that my eyes don't 'do' 3D so if I wanted the extra footage I wouldn't pay the extra for the third dimension.
Yeah 3D does the same thing that shakycam does to me. Incite nausea.