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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Amph James Cameron's Avatar (The Way of Water + sequels)

Discussion in 'Community' started by Clonuscant, Jan 8, 2007.

  1. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Well, to be fair- Cameron has had his share of game-changers also- ie: water psuedopod and the T-1000.
     
  2. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000
    True; I'm just saying that comparing any film to something as iconic as JP's dinosaurs in terms of public memory is rather ridiculous.
     
  3. Blue_Jedi33

    Blue_Jedi33 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 12, 2003
    [image=http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/a00d7f194ec7.jpg]

    Click to enlarge

    I thought it looked pretty real, how much is your mind saying I know this isn't real.
     
  4. armin

    armin Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Aug 12, 2009
    I am always in awe of his originality. Except when he's not.

    Img.denihilation.com
     
  5. Only-One Cannoli

    Only-One Cannoli Ex-Mod star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 20, 2003

    I don't find any of those to be a rip off at all. Both films take from traditional fantasy concepts (ie the floating land, flying dragons, fantasy armies, etc). The creatures don't even look similar.
     
  6. armin

    armin Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Aug 12, 2009
    Denial. Egypt.
     
  7. Kyle Katarn

    Kyle Katarn Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 10, 1998
    The trailer looks alright, the CGI is OK, but the people look a little too CG for what this film has been hyped as.

    Personally, District 9 had me far more interested both before and after seeing it. A cast of unknowns, a lead who more or less improvised his dialogue, believeable characters (both human and alien) and a story that stayed in my mind long after the credits rolled were what really captivated me. Hollywood needs to take notes from D9 and tell good stories and not rely so much on pretty pictures. This is not to say that Avatar sucks, I can't say one way or the other yet, but if the CG is the main selling point and the story blows, then we'll all know that Cameron should have just stayed in the late 90s.
     
  8. Coruscant

    Coruscant Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2004
    Just came back from the "avatar day preview."

    Okay.


















    Crap. I gotta wait four long, long months. :(
     
  9. Jabbadabbado

    Jabbadabbado Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Mar 19, 1999
    This is a good point. If you look at a frame where every element in it is CGI then there´s no point of reference for comparison to reality and so the whole thing ends up looking cartoonish.

    In Avatar, Cameron is dealing with another problem. There´s a subplot of alien love. If District 9 had a subplot of 2 prawns falling in love, let´s face it, it wouldn´t have been very sexy. In the past, sci fi movies often didn´t let their aliens deviate much from human form because of the limits of makeup and practical effects. Cameron has a different problem. He wants his love subplot to be sexy, so his aliens can´t deviate from the human form so much that the eroticism is destroyed. In the above frame, that closeup could have been achieved with makeup. The alien female has completely human lips and humanesque skin texture and is designed to be sexy. Mission accomplished!

    But the end result is that Fern Gullz effect someone mentioned earlier.
     
  10. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000
    Her (?) cheekbones are a tad mannish for me, thanks. :p
     
  11. Sith_Sensei__Prime

    Sith_Sensei__Prime Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    May 22, 2000
    Thanks to Coruscant, my wife and I were able to catch the free footage of Avatar. I thought there was going to be some type of physcial search for recording devices before the presentation as the email confirmation sugguested, but there wasn't. Additionally, I thought the IMax theater would be filled to capacity, but it wasn't either. I estimated only about 30 or so people in attendance.

    As for the footage. Well Jim, (as Cameron introduced himself as) introduced the film and noted that there wasn't any spoilers as all the footage was from the first half of the movie.

    One of the footage clip is just an extended scene from the trailer where Jake is transferred from his human body to his Avatar.

    Here's the rest of the footage clips that were presented:

    First clip were of space marines gathered for a meeting describing the alien world and the danger thereof.

    Second clip was the extended scene of Jake tranferred his mind into the Avatar and him walking around the lab in his new body.

    The third clip is of Jake, Sigourney Weaver and the other scientists, all in Avatar bodies, on the Alien planet pitted up against the monster-like creatures of the planet.

    The fourth clip is of Jake alone in the jungles of the planet being attacked by wolf-like creatures, but is save by a female alien. Jake tries to thank her, but she's upset and tells him not to thank her because it's very sad that she had to kill the animal to save him. Jake asks, why did she save him, and she replies, "because you have a strong heart."

    The fifth clip is of Jake and his new tribe approach a flock of pterdactyl on a mountainous cliff. It appears to be a tribal ritual where a member of the tribe must tame one of the pteradactyl like creature and bond with them in order to secure a relationship of rider and creature.


    The final images from the preview presentation where that of the teaser trailer. Included with the Avatar Day screening were matinee prices coupons for any movie playing that night, and the opportunity to purchase tickets for the 12:01 Dec. 18th screening before they were sold to the general public. We were told tickets for the general public would be available to purchase today. Haven't checked to confirm, yet.

    The images of the Avatars still looked video game like, even in 3-D. However, the surrounding backgrounds and the 3-D effect are outstanding. My wife jumped out of her sit once, and move my head at least one to avoid an object from the screen. There is so much use of color in the footage of the Alien planet, it's truly amazing. Even when nightfall hits the planet, there's still visuals of billant colors.

    My wife is excited to see the rest of the movie, as she can't wait to see how it unfolds. Myself, the storyline doesn't appear to be all that original (as Miana Kenobi mentioned, probably akin to Dances with Wolves) and the main characters don't look at realistic as been hyped. However, the 3-D effects and the CG settings/backgrounds are truly works of art that top Pixar's Oscar winning works, which is probably enough to go out and see Avatar on IMax.
     
  12. Sith_Sensei__Prime

    Sith_Sensei__Prime Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    May 22, 2000
    It's Saturday, so I'm feeling a bit a lazy from the work week, so I'm just copying and pasting my report of the "Avatar Day" screening I posted in the YJCC.

    Thanks to Coruscant, my wife and I were able to catch the free footage of Avatar. I thought there was going to be some type of physcial search for recording devices before the presentation as the email confirmation sugguested, but there wasn't. Additionally, I thought the IMax theater would be filled to capacity, but it wasn't either. I estimated only about 30 or so people in attendance.

    As for the footage. Well Jim, (as Cameron introduced himself as) introduced the film and noted that there wasn't any spoilers as all the footage was from the first half of the movie.

    One of the footage clip is just an extended scene from the trailer where Jake is transferred from his human body to his Avatar.

    Here's the rest of the footage clips that were presented:

    First clip were of space marines gathered for a meeting describing the alien world and the danger thereof.

    Second clip was the extended scene of Jake tranferred his mind into the Avatar and him walking around the lab in his new body.

    The third clip is of Jake, Sigourney Weaver and the other scientists, all in Avatar bodies, on the Alien planet pitted up against the monster-like creatures of the planet.

    The fourth clip is of Jake alone in the jungles of the planet being attacked by wolf-like creatures, but is save by a female alien. Jake tries to thank her, but she's upset and tells him not to thank her because it's very sad that she had to kill the animal to save him. Jake asks, why did she save him, and she replies, "because you have a strong heart."

    The fifth clip is of Jake and his new tribe approach a flock of pterdactyl on a mountainous cliff. It appears to be a tribal ritual where a member of the tribe must tame one of the pteradactyl like creature and bond with them in order to secure a relationship of rider and creature.


    The final images from the preview presentation where that of the teaser trailer. Included with the Avatar Day screening were matinee prices coupons for any movie playing that night, and the opportunity to purchase tickets for the 12:01 Dec. 18th screening before they were sold to the general public. We were told tickets for the general public would be available to purchase today. Haven't checked to confirm, yet.

    The images of the Avatars still looked video game like, even in 3-D. However, the surrounding backgrounds and the 3-D effect are outstanding. My wife jumped out of her sit once, and move my head at least one to avoid an object from the screen. There is so much use of color in the footage of the Alien planet, it's truly amazing. Even when nightfall hits the planet, there's still visuals of billant colors.

    My wife is excited to see the rest of the movie, as she can't wait to see how it unfolds. Myself, the storyline doesn't appear to be all that original (as Miana Kenobi mentioned, probably akin to Dances with Wolves) and the main characters don't look at realistic as been hyped. However, the 3-D effects and the CG settings/backgrounds are truly works of art that top Pixar's Oscar winning works, which is probably enough to go out and see Avatar on IMax.
     
  13. Jedi_Reject_Jesse

    Jedi_Reject_Jesse Jedi Grand Master star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 26, 2004
    Sorry, but I have doubts about this movie - imho James Cameron is a terrible solo writer. T2, Aliens, he wrote alongside other writers. Titanic's dialogue was cringeworthy. I respect his vision, like Lucas, he's a fine storyteller, a fine creator of worlds, he just can't write well (Maybe a little better than Lucas, but not much).
     
  14. slimybug

    slimybug Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 14, 2001
     
  15. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000


    So wait, that's two big Cameron-related films with Sam Worthington where ;)
     
  16. JohnWesleyDowney

    JohnWesleyDowney Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2004
    The Abyss also didn't make over a billion dollars, nor did it have the commercial success of the Terminator films. Generally speaking studios are going to reference the director's more popular films in promotion and advertising.
     
  17. slimybug

    slimybug Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 14, 2001
  18. Ludo_Kressh

    Ludo_Kressh Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 30, 2005
  19. Ghost

    Ghost Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2003
    This is going to be confusing, because Avatar: The Last Airbender liveaction movie is coming out soon too.

    I actually thought that's what this was for a while!

    Sorry, but after seeing the trailer, the graphics look horrible and the storyline does not look original.
     
  20. Aytee-Aytee

    Aytee-Aytee Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 20, 2008

    I think that's the reason the studio shortened it to just The Last Airbender.
     
  21. DarthLowBudget

    DarthLowBudget Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jan 17, 2004
    In what universe do those graphics look "horrible"? Sure maybe they don't provide the "eye-ball rape" that some people started talking about (not Cameron and his crew, btw, but detractors of the film looking to build it up so they could tear it down) but "horrible"? No way.
     
  22. Coruscant

    Coruscant Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2004
    New trailer this Friday! 3 minutes and 30 seconds. :D
     
  23. Jedi_Reject_Jesse

    Jedi_Reject_Jesse Jedi Grand Master star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 26, 2004
    This movie looks awful...like the Star Wars Holiday Special with Jake Lloyd, Jar Jar, and the Ewoks all rolled into one.
     
  24. Coruscant

    Coruscant Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2004
    Bah. I shall retain my faith in James Cameron. [face_not_talking]

    BTW, the New Yorker just published an amazing, 12-page article on the man. A must read.
     
  25. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    The New Yorker has a great 12-page article on James Cameron as well as Avatar online. Some great Cameron quotes in there (though WARNING: language!). Also even comments on the reaction to the trailer, etc.