James Cameron's AVATAR discussion thread

[Maglor]

I've seen movies that don't have explosions in them. Maybe that has something to do with it?

Heh, me too.
Some of my favorite movies are sans explosions.




But, as far as movies with explosions is concerned, I don't think a lot top Avatar.

 

[ironwez20]

Why you people still answer the post of Ironwez?

when he post this:


He lost any chance of getting a point in his arguments XD

what are you crazy, if you didnt know what was going to happen in that movie then you lost your mind. Seriously good conquers evil all the same. You must be a huge fan if you took that seriously.

 

[GrueSam]

There were characters in that movie? That was my biggest problem with it. Avatar is basically the world's longest FX showreel. The "characters" have the life and depth of those in The Phantom Menace or Transformers, which is a sign of how pedestrian the script is.

Wow, If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trolling.

In my opinion, the characters were one of the best things about it.

Since I agree with his comment, I am then Proud To Be A Troll.

 

[Maglor]

Those of you who didn't like Avatar:

Did you like Dances With Wolves?

Just curious.

 

[LChinoz]

LOTR a complicated story? Two midgets take a ring to a mountain and some ____ happens along the way. The End.

Clerks 2 pretty much summed it up.

 

[Maglor]

I hope that gets pulled.

 

[Maglor]

Ah, you already did.

 

[Maglor]

For the record, I saw (in the theater):

FOTR 5 times.

TT 3 times.

ROTK 5 times.

 

[LChinoz]

There were characters in that movie? That was my biggest problem with it. Avatar is basically the world's longest FX showreel. The "characters" have the life and depth of those in The Phantom Menace or Transformers, which is a sign of how pedestrian the script is.

That is an opinion of course. Many people did feel moved by the characters, hence the whole "avatardation" taking over the world. Furthermore, I think, story aside, the characters in Avatar have just as much ability to connect with the audience as the ones in UP or Wall-E. Neytiri's father dies, the land of an entire population is destroyed. Done before in movies? Yes, but still powerful to many people.

 

[LChinoz]

Ah, you already did.

yea. Thought I should. it's funny as hell though.

 

[barbelith]

Many people did feel moved by the characters, hence the whole "avatardation" taking over the world.

I'm unsure how much of that has to do with the characters, as opposed to the broader "back to nature" themes. I'm also completely fine pointing out that most people are lacking in context and critical faculties. Somebody bought all those Transformers 2 tickets, and I've seen cardboard boxes with more humanity than any of its characters. I can't even find anyone in real life (read: as opposed to Internet geeks) who can even name a single character from Avatar. That says a hell of a lot for a movie with that box office!

When we look at the Top 10 movie lists on forums like this, I somehow find it difficult to take things too seriously. We've seen posts here by people who find it unfathomable that someone could watch a movie more than 10 years old, and by people who don't appear to like anything that couldn't sustain a Sideshow license. So when some of them cite Avatar for its amazing characters, I'm not going to beat myself up for assuming they haven't exactly had a cinematic education that includes Bogart, Mamet or Merchant Ivory.

But then again, I'm sure I thought Willow was a stunning example of character scripting when I was in junior high, too.

 

[darthviper107]

This thread should die now that it's reached 400 pages

 

[Maglor]

I'm unsure how much of that has to do with the characters, as opposed to the broader "back to nature" themes. I'm also completely fine pointing out that most people are lacking in context and critical faculties. Somebody bought all those Transformers 2 tickets, and I've seen cardboard boxes with more humanity than any of its characters. I can't even find anyone in real life (read: as opposed to Internet geeks) who can even name a single character from Avatar. That says a hell of a lot for a movie with that box office!

When we look at the Top 10 movie lists on forums like this, I somehow find it difficult to take things too seriously. We've seen posts here by people who find it unfathomable that someone could watch a movie more than 10 years old, and by people who don't appear to like anything that couldn't sustain a Sideshow license. So when some of them cite Avatar for its amazing characters, I'm not going to beat myself up for assuming they haven't exactly had a cinematic education that includes Bogart, Mamet or Merchant Ivory.

But then again, I'm sure I thought Willow was a stunning example of character scripting when I was in junior high, too.

A bit of arrogance in that post.

When we look at the Top 10 movie lists on forums like this, I somehow find it difficult to take things too seriously.

Does it matter that the "Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences" decided to put it in their 'top 10 list'?

But then again, I'm sure I thought Willow was a stunning example of character scripting when I was in junior high, too.

Madmartigan ruuuulz!!!!

 

[Darren Carnall]

A bit of arrogance in that post.

quite a bit of insulting and generalisation too.

Not everyone who likes Avatar is under 16 or 'lacking in critical faculties'... I consider myself to be a serious movie buff (i also like slow paced, non CGI filled films... hell, even foreign subtitled films. But then I'm British, most Americans won't watch anything if it has subtitles) - and I really liked this film.

The sense of discovery was amazingly handled, the love story was brilliantly acted (by CGI characters), the sense of loss when their home was destroyed was powerful... and yes, the action scenes were incredible. And i don't apologise for liking them.

What's wrong with people, that they need to think people are difficient in some way if they like something that they themselves dont?

 

[devilof76]

Those of you who didn't like Avatar:

Did you like Dances With Wolves?

Just curious.

Nope.

For the record, I saw (in the theater):

FOTR 5 times.

TT 3 times.

ROTK 5 times.

FOTR - 9 times

TT - 5 times

ROTK - 7 times

Wait, what thread is this?

 

[agen_kolar]

Wow.

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[Sithlord1975]

Wow.

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WTF is this?? lol

 

[barbelith]

quite a bit of insulting and generalisation too

Presumably you don't fall into the "some" I mentioned.

And if pointing out the characters in Transformers 2 have the depth of cardboard is "arrogance," well, I'm perfectly fine with that.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Those of you who didn't like Avatar:

Did you like Dances With Wolves?

Just curious.

Never saw Dances With Wolves, and I am in no hurry to do so. I didn't like Pocahontas, for what its worth.

That is an opinion of course. Many people did feel moved by the characters, hence the whole "avatardation" taking over the world. Furthermore, I think, story aside, the characters in Avatar have just as much ability to connect with the audience as the ones in UP or Wall-E. Neytiri's father dies, the land of an entire population is destroyed. Done before in movies? Yes, but still powerful to many people.

I don't think I'd argue that the characters were flat simply because they were computer generated. I've found quite a few memorable and relatable characters in Pixar movies.

The characters were flat because they lacked personality or depth aside from simplistic caricatures that can be captured in once line blurbs. The bloodthirsty marine commander, the noble indian chief, the wise indian priestess, the feisty but curious indian daughter, the greedy corporate stooge, the marine-turned-nature-buff protagonist, the gung-ho marine polit that sees the error of her ways ... blah, blah. They're all one-dimensional caricatures that could've been written in a screenwriting 101 class.

People that like the movie rarely claim to like it because of its character depth. As a spectacle, it was fine. The story was lame, and the characters were flat.

SnakeDoc

 

[LOTRFan]

quite a bit of insulting and generalisation too.

.... hell, even foreign subtitled films. But then I'm British, most Americans won't watch anything if it has subtitles) - and I really liked this film.

Hooray for glaring hypocrisy!