Have You Watched "Avatar" Yet? It's AMAZING!

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The discussion centers around the film "Avatar," highlighting its impressive 3D effects and visual storytelling, which many found to enhance the immersive experience without overshadowing the narrative. While some participants praised the film as a top contender for best movie of the decade, others criticized its plot as unoriginal and predictable, drawing parallels to earlier films like "Dances with Wolves." The balance between story and special effects was a key point, with some arguing that the visuals alone do not compensate for a lack of depth in the script. There were also discussions about the scientific plausibility of elements within the film, such as the floating mountains and the concept of "unobtainium," with varying opinions on how much explanation is necessary for a science fiction narrative. The film's themes and character development were debated, with some viewers expressing disappointment in the stereotypical portrayals and overt moral messages. Overall, while "Avatar" was recognized for its groundbreaking visual achievements, opinions diverged on its storytelling and originality.
  • #121
Gold Barz said:
Theres one in Brampton too, in Trinity Commons

Brampton. That's part of Mississauga, kind of like Cooksville, right? :-p
 
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  • #122
DaveC426913 said:
Brampton. That's part of Mississauga, kind of like Cooksville, right? :-p

They wish they were part of Mississauga, we're too great of a city to be associated however. :smile:

I never knew that Toronto only had one 3D IMAX theatre... is that the Scotiabank Theatre... I'm pretty sure out near Wonderland there's another theatre.

Mississauga only has one too the one Dave spoke of near Square One but Oakville-Burlington border also has one now which isn't too far... I actually think it's closer than the one at Square One for me :smile:
 
  • #123
Nah Brampton and Mississauga are two different cities, they are right beside each other though
 
  • #124
Is there hidden meaning in Avatar? Seems to parallel the "Gaia hypothesis" very closely.
The Gaia hypothesis is an ecological hypothesis proposing that the biosphere and the physical components of the Earth (atmosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere) are closely integrated to form a complex interacting system that maintains the climatic and biogeochemical conditions on Earth in a preferred homeostasis. Originally proposed by James Lovelock as the Earth feedback hypothesis,
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_hypothesis

Maybe the author wants to make a point that all things on Earth are inter-related. My impression was that there could be a lot of ways of re-interpreting the movie, this being just one perspective.
 
  • #125
Gold Barz said:
Nah Brampton and Mississauga are two different cities, they are right beside each other though
It was a jibe. :devil: Don't Bramptonians have city-envy?

Q_Goest said:
Is there hidden meaning in Avatar? Seems to parallel the "Gaia hypothesis" very closely.

Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_hypothesis

Maybe the author wants to make a point that all things on Earth are inter-related. My impression was that there could be a lot of ways of re-interpreting the movie, this being just one perspective.
I think that is the surface-level obvious message. It's kind of too much a part of common philosophy to be worth much attention to those who like to pick apart movies. The idea is that there are more subtle but darker undertones to the movie that sneak in under our awareness. It is these that are interesting to discuss.
 
  • #126
Good to see that so many people are in the Toronto area! I'm from Richmond Hill and my friend is in Toronto proper, and the closest IMAX 3D theater to both of us (as well as the only one in Toronto proper) was the Scotiabank one downtown. I was thinking about going to the one in Vaughan, but that seemed too far from my friend's home. In hindsight, it would have been better to travel as far into the suburbs as possible instead of going downtown.

I may see this movie again when it's well past its peak. That would be my 3rd time watching it. Now I see why people watch movies 3 times: poor planning.
 
  • #127
I'm going to watch this movie later on tonight for the first time lol. I've been trying to go for the past couple weeks but no time really. I'm not going to be watching it IMAX 3D though. Whatever the other 3D option at the local theatre is is what I'll be watching. I don't mind though lol :smile:
 
  • #128
DaveC426913 said:
A friend of mne pointed out something really telling.

Cameron said he's been thinking of this idea for about 15 years.

You know http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104254/" 17 years ago?

The similiarities are startling.

:biggrin:
And this, 12 years ago:
IMDB said:
...the land lay covered in forests, where, from ages long past, dwelt the spirits of the gods. Back then, man and beast lived in harmony, but as time went by, most of the great forests were destroyed. Those that remained were guarded by gigantic beasts who owed their allegiances to the Great Forest Spirit...

Preceded by https://www.amazon.com/dp/0425032795/?tag=pfamazon01-20:
A Customer said:
On the planet Athshe, there is no word for war, there is no concept of murder, there is no language of hate. The world is one vast, green, gentle forest full of people who live between the world-time and the dream-time, who resolve their conflicts by means of ceremonial singing. Then the Terran League discovers Athshe's existence and a pattern of "colonization"-very similar to the exploitation of "primitive" cultures on Earth-begins to destroy the planet and its people; and, eventually, one young Athshean named Selver learns how to hate.
 
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  • #129
mgb_phys said:
The first rule of PF - everybody writes rouge by mistake

I think you meant "rogue", not "rouge". Everybody writes "rouge" by mistake.
 
  • #130
Borg said:
I tried to see it this weekend but, the IMax 3D screens were sold out for the entire day. I guess I'll have to get the tickets online next time. I haven't seen a movie in 3D before so this should be a good first one. I'll watch for the bugs and other details. Thanks for the heads up.

ideasrule said:
You got into the same problem as me. I was planning to see it in IMAX with a friend on Saturday. Due to an amazing lack of foresight, we forgot to consider:

(1) That Avatar is currently the most popular movie.
(2) That there was only one IMAX 3D theatre in the city of Toronto.
(3) That the whole city of Toronto was going to converge on this one theatre.
(4) That we were planning to arrive at 3 p.m., 20 minutes before the start of the movie.
(5) That many people are going to have the same stupid plan as we did.

Guess what happened?

Finally got IMAX 3D tickets for tomorrow. Looking forward to it.
 
  • #131
Borg said:
Finally got IMAX 3D tickets for tomorrow. Looking forward to it.

Only tomorrow?? Too late. Good seats are already gone. :-p
 
  • #132
Hmm the movie was ok... it wasn't as great as I was expecting with all the hype around it. As well the 3D didn't really make it any more impressive IMO. I could have just as easily watched it in 2D and felt the same way about the movie.
 
  • #133
Sorry! said:
it wasn't as great as I was expecting with all the hype around it.
Hype has become corporatized and funded.

In my world, hype is counter-productive; the more hype there is, the more suspicious I am.
 
  • #134
Sorry! said:
Hmm the movie was ok... it wasn't as great as I was expecting with all the hype around it. As well the 3D didn't really make it any more impressive IMO. I could have just as easily watched it in 2D and felt the same way about the movie.

Thats why you should watch the movie on opening. I pretty much stumbled into the movie theater because a couple of friends wanted to go to the movies. I had no expectations about the movie, did not see the trailers, and did not read any reviews.
 
  • #135
Sorry! said:
Hmm the movie was ok... it wasn't as great as I was expecting with all the hype around it. As well the 3D didn't really make it any more impressive IMO. I could have just as easily watched it in 2D and felt the same way about the movie.

Are you missing an eye or something?!

Edit:

Or did you sit too close to the screen? 3D is better in the middle-back area of the theater.
 
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  • #136
Do you have (uncorrected) myopia? I conveniently lost my prescription glasses on the day I went to see the movie, and that definitely made the far-away scenes less realistic. (It even made reality seem less realistic since I had gotten so used to having the glasses.)
 
  • #137
You realize that in 3 weeks this movie was out it already grossed $1.137 BILLION ?
 
  • #138
Finally saw it. Wow! :!)
 
  • #139
Borg said:
Finally saw it. Wow! :!)

The person sitting next to me in the movie theater asked if this is my first time. I said it's my second. The person said it's her third time.
 
  • #140
waht said:
The person sitting next to me in the movie theater asked if this is my first time. I said it's my second. The person said it's her third time.

I'm guessing that's not because of poor planning?
 
  • #141
The only thing keeping me from repeated visits is the length. Fun movie to watch but just too long. I'll bet this is typical for a lot of people.
 
  • #142
Borg said:
Finally got IMAX 3D tickets for tomorrow. Looking forward to it.

DaveC426913 said:
Only tomorrow?? Too late. Good seats are already gone. :-p

I actually got there an hour and a half before it started (first showing of the day). I was the first and got seats right in the middle. A lot of people arrived an hour early.

Even though I already had my tickets, I checked availability and they were sold out for the whole day except for the 10:30 pm showing again. Looks like it's going to stay popular for a while. Any bets on the gross? The first 2 billion dollar movie? :bugeye:
 
  • #143
I've read a number of discussions about hidden meanings in the movie. Maybe I'm odd but, I couldn't help but, notice this:

The attack on the Home Tree reminded me of the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9/11, complete with an ash-covered landscape afterward.
 
  • #144
waht said:
The person sitting next to me in the movie theater asked if this is my first time. I said it's my second. The person said it's her third time.

And you didn't get her number??
 
  • #145
I enjoyed it, but leaned over to my son at one point in the movie and said

"you turned injun on us, dincha"
(from Dances with Wolves)

A pretty movie, but also a linear and predictable plot.
 
  • #146
rolerbe said:
I enjoyed it, but leaned over to my son at one point in the movie and said

"you turned injun on us, dincha"
(from Dances with Wolves)

A pretty movie, but also a linear and predictable plot.

Ooooooh! That's why it's being compared to Dances with Wolves!

I feel silly.

Halfway though Avatar I turned to myself and said "He's going native - that's what this story is about".

And then everyone's been talking about the comparsion with DwW. I assumed they were talking about gthe Westerners sweeping in and showing the natives how backwards they were and saving them. It made no sense.

But duh. Going native is the critical commonality.
 
  • #147
DaveC426913 said:
Halfway though Avatar I turned to myself and said "He's going native - that's what this story is about".
I tend to try to avoid analyzing a movie while I'm watching it, but halfway through I started looking for a way for him to become permanently native...then Sigourney Weaver died and I knew.
 
  • #148
russ_watters said:
I tend to try to avoid analyzing a movie while I'm watching it...
Me too. I try really hard to experience a story in-the-moment, to not predict (and I dislike people who ego-stroke by doing-so).

But some stories are like runaway trains heading into crowded stations. To not see what's coming, you'd have to be on the other side of town.
 
  • #149
http://failblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/epic-fail-avatar-plot-fail.jpg
 
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  • #150
NeoDevin said:
clipped

I'm thinking this is possible with many, many movie combinations.
 

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