James Cameron's AVATAR discussion thread

[DinoLast]

Wow, good to see things are as light hearted as ever around here.

I have a question that a Pandora expert might be able to help me with, if there is one out there. Did Cameron publish his field guide to the planet yet; I heard one was mooted as a kind of realistic study of the flora, fauna and geology of the planet. Any way, the question is when flying through the 'levitating mountains' you could see waterfalls tumbling from them... how? Where would this water source come from? Or was it meant to be a dense gas venting from outlets that was denser than the atmosphere so fell before dissipating... it just annoyed me because if it was meant to be water a floating rock can have no water source un less its being channelled from above it... which makes no sense.

There is so good Info here
https://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/12/29/the-science-of-avatar-part-ii/
and here
https://browseinside.harpercollins.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061896750

 

[Toni Plutonij]

Wow, thanks for the links Very interesting!

 

[wookster]

There is so good Info here
https://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/12/29/the-science-of-avatar-part-ii/
and here
https://browseinside.harpercollins.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061896750

Cheers, I had a scan and it's fun stuff, I do like me a fully realised 'universe', I couldn't see a direct explanation for the waterfalls yet though, and I have to admit I still think calling the mineral/ore 'unobtainium' was a bad move, just too comedic!

 

[Toni Plutonij]

Cheers, I had a scan and it's fun stuff, I do like me a fully realised 'universe', I couldn't see a direct explanation for the waterfalls yet though, and I have to admit I still think calling the mineral/ore 'unobtainium' was a bad move, just too comedic!

I thought so too, but it turns out, it's actually a technical term!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unobtainium

 

[IrishJedi]

Interesting that about 25-30% of the movie's overall box office take will come from the extra premium 3D fees added to regular ticket prices. Dave Poland had an article about that yesterday. Yes, they are counting the extra $2-$4 a ticket in the movie's b.o. numbers. That's A LOT. I think this means you'll see a lot more than just animated films and B-grade horror flicks in 3D soon.

 

[LOTRFan]

So question:

If he fathers little blue kiddies are they actually his brother's kids?

Are the kids born with long "ponytails," they would have to be right? How else could they plug into Pandora?

If I were Jake I would serious look into Pandoran paternity law.

 

[agen_kolar]

Wow, good to see things are as light hearted as ever around here.

I have a question that a Pandora expert might be able to help me with, if there is one out there. Did Cameron publish his field guide to the planet yet; I heard one was mooted as a kind of realistic study of the flora, fauna and geology of the planet. Any way, the question is when flying through the 'levitating mountains' you could see waterfalls tumbling from them... how? Where would this water source come from? Or was it meant to be a dense gas venting from outlets that was denser than the atmosphere so fell before dissipating... it just annoyed me because if it was meant to be water a floating rock can have no water source un less its being channelled from above it... which makes no sense.

I thought about this, too, but if they'd had a recent downpour, it would have collected on the mountains and eventually fallen off. After all, we saw that the mountains move and tilt a bit, so I can understand how that action would rush the water off. That's how I explained it to myself, at least.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Jesus this guy needs to get a life.
Move on dude, move on.
Better still, just start up an 'I HATE AVATAR' thread and be done with it.
I don't have complaints when someone says they don't like a movie, but when they keep harping on about it you've gotta start wondering what goes on in their little pee brains.
Snakedoctor = ignore list

Ignore away, kemo sabe. I couldn't care less. Don't get your panties in a wad ... it isn't your movie, so I'm not technically criticizing you. I hadn't previously realized this was an "I love Avatar" thread (thus necessitating an "I hate Avatar" answer thread). I've stuck around because the discussion here has actually been far more engaging than the movie itself (which, I suppose, isn't saying much).

I would also note that the "haters" around here have engendered some of the more entertaining conversations. We wouldn't want the thread to descend into a Chris Farley SNL skit ...

"You remember the part when he tamed the big pterodactyl?"
"Yeah."
"Heh heh ... that was awesome!"
"Yeah, my Na'vi brother, it was."

The thread would've died weeks ago.

And, on the "get a life" front ... sorry I couldn't reply to your 1:30am post -- I was busy getting laid by my way-out-of-my-league wife. Haha! My life is fine -- thanks for your concern.

You know, I don't have complaints when someone says they don't like my comments ... but I have to wonder what goes on in their little pea-brain when they have to storm off in a hissy fit after someone expresses distaste for a movie they didn't even make. It isn't personal, chief ... lighten up.

SnakeDoc

 

[SnakeDoctor]

is this avatar thread or avatar's fanboys thread? maybe it's you who should start another thread. snakedoctor also said this:



you can love or hate the movie and still be objective. it's the blind fanatics that get on my nerve sometimes.

Back atcha. Your vote of confidence is much appreciated.

SnakeDoc

 

[wookster]

Come on guys, lets at least try and keep this light, we are after all just talking about a movie!
Once people are as fundementally opposed as some seem here then the 'ignore' option is worth using.

I thought about this, too, but if they'd had a recent downpour, it would have collected on the mountains and eventually fallen off. After all, we saw that the mountains move and tilt a bit, so I can understand how that action would rush the water off. That's how I explained it to myself, at least.

That's good enough for me, but the volumes of water needed to sustain a waterfall would be monumental. I prefer to think that a bi-product of the massive forces involved to levitate a mountain would compress the ore that it is made of that has to vent through outlets. As the 'unobtainium' repels the planet below the dense gasses would fall from these out lets falling away untill they dissipate into the atmosphere. gasses that would be, and indeed are noxious to human life... but not Na'vi... do you think Cameron needs someone to invent crap for him?

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Come on guys, lets at least try and keep this light, we are after all just talking about a movie!
Once people are as fundementally opposed as some seem here then the 'ignore' option is worth using.

Seems pretty light.

And, if its just a movie ... why ignore people who disagree? This is hardly a religious conversation. People should be able to endure disagreement about a movie without going into a tizzy. It is the "ignorers" that should lighten up ... its just a (lousy) movie.

SnakeDoc

 

[Shropt]

Come on guys, lets at least try and keep this light, we are after all just talking about a movie!
Once people are as fundementally opposed as some seem here then the 'ignore' option is worth using.



That's good enough for me, but the volumes of water needed to sustain a waterfall would be monumental. I prefer to think that a bi-product of the massive forces involved to levitate a mountain would compress the ore that it is made of that has to vent through outlets. As the 'unobtainium' repels the planet below the dense gasses would fall from these out lets falling away untill they dissipate into the atmosphere. gasses that would be, and indeed are noxious to human life... but not Va'vi... do you think Cameron needs someone to invent crap for him?

It could be the humidity in the air that collect constantly on the mountain. We don't know enough about the Na'vi body to say how humid it might be up there.

 

[agen_kolar]

That's good enough for me, but the volumes of water needed to sustain a waterfall would be monumental. I prefer to think that a bi-product of the massive forces involved to levitate a mountain would compress the ore that it is made of that has to vent through outlets. As the 'unobtainium' repels the planet below the dense gasses would fall from these out lets falling away untill they dissipate into the atmosphere. gasses that would be, and indeed are noxious to human life... but not Na'vi... do you think Cameron needs someone to invent crap for him?

Oh yes, there's no way these waterfalls could be permanent fixtures. Your explanation works too, but really I guess we can never know unless Cameron addresses it. Maybe on the blu-ray commentary?

 

[cr`]

cr` listen to me, hoodonit00 is right, Jake Sully has full knowledge of the enemy because he was a Marine. There is no way the Na'Vi would know how to win a war against an advanced technological army if Jake was not there to tell them of the enemy's weaknesses.

The Humans were given even more of an advantage by the information of the Na'Vi passed on to them by Jake, early on in the movie.
So what possible chance do you think the Na'Vi would have without him?
To say Jake was not needed, Is like saying the Ewoks could beat the Empire without the help of the Rebels

what weaknesses did jake know about the baddies that was of great help to the na'vi? that the military ships have no radar and they have to aim to shoot? surely that little bit of nugget pales in comparison to the fact that jake did become the 'chosen one' by riding the red beastie when all the na'vi around him could not, that jake rallied all the clans together when all the na'vi around him didn't even think of it, that jake talked to the mother tree when all the na'vi around him couldnt even conceive of the idea. all these 'achievements' by jake and the na'vi just turned into mere soldiers who follow order.

i'm not saying jake was not needed. i'm saying let's share the workload. let's have the na'vi be more responsible for their own victory as well(not just following the white man's lead). a single white man saving an entire indigenous culture? that's just too much of an ego, dont you think?

I'm hardly an Avatar fanboy. It was a good movie, I enjoyed it. That's it.
I'm more of a Star Wars fanatic than anything.
You're just another dik who thinks everything he says is bible.
Seriously dude, the way you ramble on sometimes you really need your head read.

my opinion is just that.. my opinion. if you see it more than it is, then it's your own problem. not mine.

Back atcha. Your vote of confidence is much appreciated.

SnakeDoc

not like you needed it. cant say i dont enjoy giving the occasional spanking to punks though. but really, does the missus know you posted pic of her in an internet forum crowded with geeks? dont think that was a wise move, personally.

Come on guys, lets at least try and keep this light, we are after all just talking about a movie!

i'll try. but that's only because you said it.

 

[Darklord Dave]

Derailing and some insults removed. Some non-offensive posts removed due to quoting a deleted tangent.

I've mentioned it once - but I think it's possible to disagree about this film without resulting to name calling.

Infractions will start flying if we can't adhere to that.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Derailing and some insults removed. Some non-offensive posts removed due to quoting a deleted tangent.

I've mentioned it once - but I think it's possible to disagree about this film without resulting to name calling.

Infractions will start flying if we can't adhere to that.

Fair enough. My apolgies for my part in the derailment (though I don't think I had any part in any namecalling).

SnakeDoc

 

[meth head]

Darklord Dave i was caught name calling in a heated debate with somebody and i was never warned! I just got a straight infraction.

Now i am not calling for these guys to get an infraction just thought mine was harsh

 

[Dusty]

Okay, okay, I can forgive all the other plot holes, but for some reason, this one just won't leave my head... if the purpose of moving their small science camp (the one that was formerly in the Hallelujah Mtns) to a place closer to the tree was so that the marines couldn't track them and electronic signals couldn't be sent/received (or whatever)... how were they able to talk so clearly with the other scientist guy, who was still at basecamp, and find out about Quarritch's (spelling?) plans for bombing? Like I said, I'm okay with the many other holes, but that one just got under my skin since they spent so much time/dialogue on how badly that area messes with communications...

 

[IrishJedi]

Okay, okay, I can forgive all the other plot holes, but for some reason, this one just won't leave my head... if the purpose of moving their small science camp (the one that was formerly in the Hallelujah Mtns) to a place closer to the tree was so that the marines couldn't track them and electronic signals couldn't be sent/received (or whatever)... how were they able to talk so clearly with the other scientist guy, who was still at basecamp, and find out about Quarritch's (spelling?) plans for bombing? Like I said, I'm okay with the many other holes, but that one just got under my skin since they spent so much time/dialogue on how badly that area messes with communications...

The same answer for many questions: The movie (especially the script) is not as smart or heavenly as some think.

 

[Khev]

For those who see Avatar as anything more than a crowd pleasing fairy tale it has proven to be a truly fascinating rorshach test.

It literally has a hero come from the sky, walk the planet in the flesh of the inhabitants, and save them. Yet the Vatican reviewer is apparently blind to the Christian symbolism and only sees a movie about worshipping nature. People who want to make it about race seem to either see it as holding whites as the savior of other peoples...or the destroyers. And I've seen more than one person who has served in our own armed forces stating how much they related to and identified with Jake as a military man fighting for a worthy cause, and yet there are others who believe the entire film is quite literally either anti-military or at least anti-US military.

Its amazing that the movie is capable of being so many things to so many different people.