Avatar...Modern Masterpiece or Hippie Propoganda?

[Squatson]

So I finally watched Avatar for the first time this weekend. It was a 2 and a half hour long version of that commercial where the Indian guy is crying because there was a bunch of litter everywhere.

All that movie gave me was a headache and a mean case of White Man's Guilt.

[sergeant_81]

Eh, good special effects, although I just don't see the allure of the whole 3D thing. It was fun to look at.

The basic plot is something we've seen a million times before. Cameron is going the way of Lucas in terms of big-budget effects and zero storytelling ability.

I wouldn't read too much into it.

[Squatson]

I don't know man...I didn't have to look into it because Cameron was beating me in the head with the bullshit bat. It was basically playing Americans as imperialist pricks who don't give a fuck about nothin but the cash.

[sergeant_81]

As do the vast majority of Hollywood productions :) I guess I've just grown accustomed to it.

[Campbell]

After everyone telling me how great it was i finally went and watched it and i thought it was pretty crap.

I hate how all new movies have crap stories, crap acting and 20 million in CGI. I would prefer a movie with less effects and more story.

I still think one of the best movies ever is "The treasure of the sierra madre".

[gzt]

Eye candy, nothing else. Utter crap. Look up Red Letter Media's video review of it.

[Sami]

http://www.thefunnyblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/avatar_pocahontas.jpg

[Squatson]

Nice on the Pocohontas...you could do the same thing with Dances With Wolves...

[Braindrop]

Can't it be a modern masterpiece of hippie propaganda?

[Squatson]

Pearl Harbor sucked, and I miss you.

[Gwynn]

Avatar = Excellent Eye Candy, who cares about the tired plot?

I've become totally hooked on the other "Avatar." Yes, a children's cartoon. My 4 year old nephew was watching it, that's who hooked me up. Great martial arts, great themes, far more complicated characters than you would expect from a cartoon, total kick-ass girl characters who actually do their share and more of the fighting, and every episode has a relatively happy ending.

I saw a trailer for the upcoming movie (it's called The Last Airbender). I think it's going to get Hollywood-ized and that will be very sad. However, the effects look incredible. Martial arts & magic. I guess I'm just a cheap date.

[LondonTiger]

I guess you like it or you hate it based on whether you're left wing or right wing.

[Scott_Robison]

Eh, good special effects, although I just don't see the allure of the whole 3D thing. It was fun to look at.

I didn't get it either until I saw the 2D version. VERY different.

The Blu-Ray 2D version looks really weird, though. Like it's all fake. I think they're using the newer 40-60 fps technology, and I must say, I'm not a fan.

[51M0n]

In 3D the film was amazing, but watching it in 2D is just painful, once you get past the special effects the plot is paper thin, and I felt like I was being bashed around the head by the 'eco loving' message.

Hopefully the sequel will ditch the whole human vs navi thing.

+1 to Avatar 'the last airbender', one of the all time great cartoon shows.

[gzt]

I guess you like it or you hate it based on whether you're left wing or right wing.
No, you like it or hate it based on whether you're shallow or intelligent.

[Rorschach]

I guess you like it or you hate it based on whether you're left wing or right wing.

wut?

[Weakling]

No, you like it or hate it based on whether you're shallow or intelligent.

wut?

[PVC]

I guess you like it or you hate it based on whether you're left wing or right wing..

[gamedog]

Avatar = Excellent Eye Candy, who cares about the tired plot?

I've become totally hooked on the other "Avatar." Yes, a children's cartoon. My 4 year old nephew was watching it, that's who hooked me up. Great martial arts, great themes, far more complicated characters than you would expect from a cartoon, total kick-ass girl characters who actually do their share and more of the fighting, and every episode has a relatively happy ending.

I saw a trailer for the upcoming movie (it's called The Last Airbender). I think it's going to get Hollywood-ized and that will be very sad. However, the effects look incredible. Martial arts & magic. I guess I'm just a cheap date.

The Last Airbender is going to fucking rock and I'm so stoked to see it.

[BCGuy]

Avatar was decent for special effects. The plot was nothing special.

On a random side note, Steven Spielberg's upcoming Tintin movies should be interesting. As a big fan of Hergé, I hope Spielberg does the comics justice (sure he will).

[Squatson]

If you haven't seen Master of the Flying Guillotine and H.P. Lovecraft's Reanimator then you aren't allowed to watch any other movies.

[LeonidasfromSparta]

Well, apparently I'll have a different opinion than most here. I actually liked the movie, every aspect of it (not only visuals) and I think it was the last good movie I've seen this year. We must not forget what the conquistadors did to the Indian people, but given the fact that history is written by winners, we all have nothing against it (while we all know and hate Hitler, right?). Think about it.

[Kyle Aaron]

It was basically playing Americans as imperialist pricks who don't give a fuck about nothin but the cash.
This is how I see Americans, and even I thought the movie was crap. I mean, I'm a greenie and everything - but even I was cheering for the foreign invaders. I hated those blue pricks.

[rdp]

Why didn't the military try to negotiate with the blues for the mineral? Get the blues to mine it or some such.

I was wondering what will happen when the military comes back in force. That would seem the logical next step.

Both sides were 1 dimensional and stupid. Great 3D effects. I wouldn't dream of watching it in 2D.

[TomF]

Very, very tired plot. Even without leaving the kids' movies genre, it's not hard to find half a dozen that did essentially the same story, sometimes with better writing, with the technology or animation style of the day providing special effects.

I've got some pretty hard words for a lot of the way the corporate world works - seeing the results of industrial clear-cut logging when I lived in British Columbia, of the Tar Sands mining operations when I lived in Alberta, and the collapsed cod fishery now I live in Atlantic Canada. In each case, there are ways of structuring the industry to provide ongoing jobs and income, while not leaving a smoking ruin. Sustainability often comes down to making a bit less up-front profit.

But even with my lefty and enviro-sympathies, I couldn't stand Avatar. Neat effects, no plot, no solutions. No interesting dialogue, no interesting characters. If the film-making is supposed to be an impetus for change, then do it in a creative and novel way. If the film-making's only supposed to be a money-maker, then recognize that in real life Cameron and his production pals are the nasty Corporate guys in the film ... not the blue soulful ones.

[gzt]

Here is the review I referred to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJarz7BYnHA

It is the definitive word on Avatar.

[drlvegas]

If you haven't seen Master of the Flying Guillotine and H.P. Lovecraft's Reanimator then you aren't allowed to watch any other movies.

Nice. How about throwing in Toxic Avenger, or Basket Case?

[Squatson]

Nice. How about throwing in Toxic Avenger, or Basket Case?

Yes...proof that you don't need a bunch of money or technology to make an awesome movie.

Most of my favorite movies have little to no "production value"

Seriously...if you have ever watched a martial arts film, or played a fighting video game, you must see Master of the Flying Guillotine.

"We wouldn't be here today, if the Old School didn't pave the way." -2pac

[ColoWayno]

Very, very tired plot. Even without leaving the kids' movies genre, it's not hard to find half a dozen that did essentially the same story, sometimes with better writing, with the technology or animation style of the day providing special effects.

I've got some pretty hard words for a lot of the way the corporate world works - seeing the results of industrial clear-cut logging when I lived in British Columbia, of the Tar Sands mining operations when I lived in Alberta, and the collapsed cod fishery now I live in Atlantic Canada. In each case, there are ways of structuring the industry to provide ongoing jobs and income, while not leaving a smoking ruin. Sustainability often comes down to making a bit less up-front profit.

But even with my lefty and enviro-sympathies, I couldn't stand Avatar. Neat effects, no plot, no solutions. No interesting dialogue, no interesting characters. If the film-making is supposed to be an impetus for change, then do it in a creative and novel way. If the film-making's only supposed to be a money-maker, then recognize that in real life Cameron and his production pals are the nasty Corporate guys in the film ... not the blue soulful ones.
Haven't seen the movie... so apologies in advance.
Do you think that part of your frustration is that every decent impulse we have as humans is almost immediately capitalized on by the political class for political ends*? Look at all of the time, energy and money we've spent and are getting ready to spend to fend off the global warming calamity. Does anyone else think maybe there are more important immediate concerns that we'd be better served addressing... like figuring out how to drill for oil safely, cleaning up real pollutants, figuring out how to make agriculture sustainable and healthy, and helping third world countries clean up their act and become prosperous?
I'm not supporting corporations that plunder our natural resources and yes, we should spend some time trying to figure out long term problems as well. It's just not productive to let a singular focus like global warming drive everything else just because it's easy for politicians to use that to capture peoples imaginations and votes.
That was a rant... sorry.
Long live Polar Bears.

* not to mention Hollywood for $$