Why is Avatar the Number 1 Movie of the Century?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cube137
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the reasons why "Avatar" is considered the number one movie of the century, exploring themes of storytelling, character development, and comparisons to other films. Participants also speculate about the plot and implications of the film's narrative, particularly regarding the protagonist's mind transfer to an Avatar body and the anticipated sequels.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue that "Avatar" is ranked highly due to its novelty and storytelling, contrasting it with sequels and franchise-building in other films like Marvel's.
  • Questions arise about the protagonist's decision to transfer his consciousness to an Avatar body, with some suggesting it is a straightforward choice for a better life.
  • There is speculation about the fate of the human body after the transfer, with some participants expressing curiosity about future plot developments in sequels.
  • Some participants draw parallels between "Avatar" and other narratives, such as Disney's "Pocahontas" and "Dances with Wolves," suggesting thematic similarities in the portrayal of conflict.
  • Concerns are raised about the portrayal of technology and its impact on primitive societies, with some noting that the film reflects historical themes of colonization and sacrifice.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the significance of "Avatar," with no clear consensus on its ranking or thematic interpretations. Some agree on its merits as a film, while others contest its comparisons to other narratives.

Contextual Notes

Discussions include varying interpretations of character motivations and narrative implications, with some participants referencing external sources for context. There is also mention of the impact of inflation on box office comparisons, indicating a need for careful consideration of metrics used to evaluate film success.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in film analysis, narrative structure, and thematic exploration in cinema may find this discussion relevant.

cube137
Messages
360
Reaction score
10
The number 1 movie of the century is Avatar.
The number 2 movie fo the century is Avengers Endgame.

I watched Avatar again at home as it's been 10 years since I last watched it and wondering why it's number one movie of the century when there were no 22 movie introduction or prequels like Marvel's.

The following are spoilers for those who still haven't watched Avatar I back in 2009!

In the last part of Avatar, the hero transferred his mind from human to Avatar body. Why would he do that? Does it mean his human body would be destroyed, or is it transferrable either way?

Just curious. If there was a human body form serving as Avatar by say dwarf like aliens. How could you recognize an Avatar human from a real one? :)

Also is there an Avatar novel? What is the rumor or guess of what would be the storyline in part 2 to 5? Maybe wars between Earth and the blue skin planet?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
You can read more about Avatar here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar_(2009_film)
Great movies aren't measured by their ability and success at spawning sequels, they are measured by the level of acting, the believability in the world creation and the test of time. Some great movies have dropped in the listings because we look at them with our current vision and not how novel they were when they first came out.

A good example is how B/W movies fare in this age of colorful fast action, cgi creations believability. Basically B/W movies relied more on character development and close shots of the actors with great shading but sometimes the props get in the way and ruin the effect now (like clunky computers and walkie talkie like cell phones seem so out of place in contemporary settings.)

I think Avatar was a great movie with a lot of novelty that told a story of technology overrunning more primitive peoples and how they can't really fight back against it without great sacrifice. We know this from history but people shy away from the sins of the past but can absorb the message through a science fiction setting.
 
cube137 said:
In the last part of Avatar, the hero transferred his mind from human to Avatar body. Why would he do that? Does it mean his human body would be destroyed, or is it transferrable either way?

I thought the 'why' seemed pretty straightforward: trade your crippled human body for a superior Na'vi one and a love interest, why wouldn't you?

As for what happens to his human body, I guess we'll find out when Avatar II comes out sometime around 2021.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: russ_watters and jedishrfu
Tghu Verd said:
I thought the 'why' seemed pretty straightforward: trade your crippled human body for a superior Na'vi one and a love interest, why wouldn't you?

As for what happens to his human body, I guess we'll find out when Avatar II comes out sometime around 2021.

In the movie the company approved the replacement of his feet with new ones so he was supposed to be fixed. About the ezla or spirit networks in the trees. Only voices can be heard. It would be nice for them to have forms. In real life. I have a friend who can see nature spirits in trees and forests. I guess they being network of some kind is great idea. I can't wait to see part 2.
 
jedishrfu said:
You can read more about Avatar here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar_(2009_film)Great movies aren't measured by their ability and success at spawning sequels, they are measured by the level of acting, the believability in the world creation and the test of time. Some great movies have dropped in the listings because we look at them with our current vision and not how novel they were when they first came out.
I believe the OP is referring to box office receipts as the measure.

...It's worth noting that for headline-making purposes the numbers are never inflation adjusted, but those numbers are more relevant and are available.
 
cube137 said:
In the movie the company approved the replacement of his feet with new ones so he was supposed to be fixed. About the ezla or spirit networks in the trees. Only voices can be heard. It would be nice for them to have forms. In real life. I have a friend who can see nature spirits in trees and forests. I guess they being network of some kind is great idea. I can't wait to see part 2.

He had rebelled against the company, his conscience taking hold and the realisation that what the company was doing was wrong. he wasn't getting his legs back. he'd made his choice, and found that he could leave his crippled, diminutive body which couldn't breathe the air and move to his big, strong, blue body which could.

The minds of the naa'vi are stored in the "brain" of the planet, and their consciousness, so they could, in theory, have someone who is connected to the tree hallucinate a vision of those stored. A conscious hallucination, if you will - the planet-brain is telling his eyes he's seeing something, rather than his own jumbled brain creating it.
 
BWV said:
The first Avatar movie was a resetting of Disney's Pocahontas, so presumably Avatar 2 will follow the same plot as Disney's direct to DVD sequel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocahontas_II:_Journey_to_a_New_World
No, to me Avatar was essentially dances with wolves on another planet with Navi instead of Native Americans. Very similar conflicts.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
4K
  • · Replies 37 ·
2
Replies
37
Views
32K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
  • · Replies 41 ·
2
Replies
41
Views
5K
Replies
13
Views
6K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
5K
Replies
14
Views
5K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
3K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
7K