I wasn't sure if there was a thread already,... but thought there ought to be.
Anyhoo, here's some news from Empire with some interesting quotes from Jim.

I'm really looking forward to this, but Cameron may have just ruined it:



There is no point if it's going to be shit, surely?

Even if it's shit, plot-wise (which it won't be, ... this is Cameron, not McG) then it'll still be a fantastic watch. ... photo-realistic CG characters? ... in 3D?!!

+ you know it'll be better than Titanic.

I've got everything crossed that this will be good. Especially since we haven't had a big action movie from JC in 14 years.

Funny!

Its about time we had some original Cameron science fiction, has the wonderful Sigourney in it as well as Giovanni Ribisi so it cant be too bad.

I'm looking forward to this but with reservations. I'm not convinced that 3D and, urgh, 'syn-thespians' are the way forward for cinema and any film that seems to be just pushing that technology for its own sake has a high chance of being shit. I also don't know if Cameron's still got it in him to make good films since he's been away for so long.

Not just 3D,... but IMAX3D!!
Empire news.

Avatar Power suit!:

I was just looking for this thread. Some images from Ubisoft's game adaptation have been released, and they are distinctly underwhelming. I'm starting to wonder if this film is better in the imagination than reality. So far, the power suits and other tech look like your run-of-the-mill science fiction designs, when I was expecting some kind of live-action version of Gundam.

Some quite cool creatures and environments, but that APC design is boring and REALLY impractical.


The suits are just armoured versions of the Powerloader from Aliens. Clunky and not cool.


The whole universe just seems really conventional. It's about time film and TV sci-fi caught up with genre literature. This is the first time my vague excitement for the project has been tempered.

I'm going to have to agree with myself here. I'm still not completely sold on the idea and, based on the dribs and drabs of information that are starting to percolate down to us normal folks, it sounds like the technology, whilst it has the potential to be revolutionary, is draped around a story that sounds fairly unoriginal. Cameron's clearly been wanting to make this project for ten years and whilst the technology now allows him to realise his vision, the story seems like something that has been done in science fiction literature before and specifically in videogames in recent years. It just seems so terribly dated even before it's been released.

I can't remember where I read it, but there was a funny comment made about the videogame images the other day that said that Cameron had promised that the game would be just as revolutionary as the film, but all the images showed were space marines and mech suits. Revolutionary!

Found it, it was from this Cracked article.

He never had it. Terminator was a fluke.

We should send a robot back in time to assinate the mother of the man who designed the Titanic thus preventing Cameron from making a terrible film about it.

And also preventing 1500 or so people from icy drowny death, right?

Oh well yes, that too.

OK so it's only a few sizeable clips on TV, and it's not in Super Dooper Magic Cameronvision, but it all looks a bit crappy and computer gamey to me. Well the "alien world" aspect does.

Not sure if Sostie is talking about this trailer (probably is) but I agree. It looked alright until the guy turned into a CGI alien. Did we learn nothing from I Am Legend, apart from don't have one of your two characters be a dog then kill it an hour in, even the most bankable star in the world can't compete with that.

My brother was right - it looks like Ferngully 2.

And the character design is what you'd expect on the boxart for a graphics card circa 1994.

I was almost getting interested in this, but frankly, I don't think any amount of 3D wibbly-immersive-wobbliness is going to sell it to me. One of those "I'll go if a bunch of mates are going" sorta films.

Surely these shots aren't the final renders though? ... There's a few months before the film's released and a film's post production can continue up until a couple of weeks before release.

Oh I'm not quibbling with the quality of the effects, more the design and concept. Seems a lot of money's been blown on what looks like Arthur and the Minimoys for grown-ups.

This site says the trailer's been temporarily pulled, and will return soon.
...Perhaps Jim read your comments.

After watching some of Coraline in 3d I am utterly turned off by the idea. 3d films are horrible and lose so much quality and clarity to gain an effect that isn't even that great.
Havent seen the trailer but I am still quite interested in what everything looks like,

Ever the arbiter of good taste, Hitler chimes in on the trailer

I think it looks interesting.

It does, but in a way I wasn't expecting. It seems more aimed at a younger audience than you'd expect from Cameron: Pocahontas with gangly Smurfs. I've had to adjust my expectations for it, so now I'm more interested in what they've done technology-wise than what the story is. It might then be a nice surprise if the narrative is good.

err, not sure about this. then again, it is james cameron and he's only really had two great films, which were 20 years ago and, i'm beginning to think, were flukes...

True Lies and Piranha 2, right?

Well I saw it last night, and though it's not perfect, it still deserves 9/10.
The only down point being that you know the plot already. Once you see the set up, you know what's going to happen, and you know how it's going to end.
That doesn't really matter though. This film's all about the journey, not the destination. The visuals are beautiful. The animation is perfect, and the designs are classic Cameron. This is a must-see for everyone. You'll never have so much empathy for giant blue cat-faced people.

Both are epic in their own right!

Avahahaha.

(genuine mirth)

I finally saw Avatar between Chrimbo and New Year. I loved it. Sure the story isn't the best, or the most original, but it was one heck of a spectacle and quite an achievement. I hope to catch it on the big screen again before it concludes its run which, given its apparent box office success, may prove to be a while away yet.

And here's an interesting article on its success. Already the fourth biggest film of all time in a mere three weeks. Woah.

I thought it looked fantastic, the 3D really did immerse you more thoroughly into the action scenes making them more exciting. However, most of it was incredibly dull. I was seriously bored for the most part, often wishing they'd done something with this medium that I liked. I looked at my watch 4 times. I rarely (if ever) look at watch in the cinema.
At times it was like one long Final Fantasy game cutscene for both good & bad - basically some kind of In the Jungle special with Kimahri Ronso episode.
It'll be interesting to see where they go with Digital 3D & if it will enhance movie going or in the end just become a fad we become bored of. I won't be watching Avatar again.

I'm easily pleased.

Bronagh loved it.

I really liked it. Basically the same review as everyone else who's commented on it so far - too long, nothing special story-wise, but very pretty to look at. Personally, I didn't find myself bored, but I think I'm just easily pleased as well. Would like to see it again as there seems to be no point in buying it on DVD, so I probably won't get another chance!

I thought I'd posted in this thread. Odd.

Anyway, I think my view on the film falls somewhere between Rua's and Ade's. I thought the effects were stunning and the 3D was well-implemented (though I don't think it immersed me in the film anymore than the film would have otherwise) but the story was pretty dull and predictable; Mark Kermode's description of it as being like watching an ocean liner turn, you can see where it's going but it takes so long to get there, seems more and more apposite the more I think about the film. However, I wasn't bored whilst watching it, I just wasn't that engaged with it. I liked it, but I doubt I'd watch it again in the cinemas, unless I could watch it in 2D since I'm fairly certain that I'd enjoy it just as much and wouldn't feel more or less immersed in it.

This appears to be happening to you a lot recently, I've noticed. Your epic reviews must be melting holes in the threads. Or something.



Probably something.

My internal monologue whilst watching Rambo Goes To Ferngully went something like...

"Ohh that's pretty. That's pretty. That's pretty racist. Ohh That's pretty."

It oxmddly didn't feel as long second time.

oxmddly?


Is this still English? [/Morris]

Oh my, my iphone makes some very odd decisions. sometimes I forget to check it hasn't deccided to change words when I really ought too.

I really don't think they should have had tails. It very difficult to take someone making a very dramatic, motivating speech seriously when his tail keeps wagging furiously after every other sentence.

Otherwise, smashing fun. It's hardly Aliens, but then what is?

Did anyone else think that when they fused Sigorney Weaver's DNA with the aliens the genes they fused were mainly those for having a huge rack? She was like the Lola Ferrari of the flat chested people of Pandora

It's already the second highest grossing film of all time. But more importantly, the fans are awesome, My classmate tried to say Lucas was better, and i asked him “can you speak ewok, cuz i can learn Na’vi”.

I think I've discovered why I wasn't that fussed about Avatar - The 3D is too good for the film.
It's a testament to the effects that I accepted the giant smurfs as real, and a shame that they had these cool blue people in a fairly dull film.
It was still loads better than a lot of the blockbusters this year, just not in my top ten movies of 2009.

Andrew Collings: It doesn't matter if it's in 3D if the characters are all 1D.

The Vatican criticises Avatar...for being bland, cliched and overly-sentimental

The Phantom Menace guy reviews Avatar It's not as good as the Phantom Menace review but it is only 20 minutes long.