Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Best SF I've seen in yonks.

I'm seeing it at the BFI Imax, which is by far the biggest screen in Britain (20m high and 26m wide). Getting tickets was a pain in the ass so it's nice to hear the movie is good. Can't wait. Weeeeeeee

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

This film would be incredible in Imax. In fact I may have to see it again at the iMax theater when it makes its way here.

Did you see it in 3D?

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Yes, 3d. I don't think it's even offered in 2d. I'm not really a big fan of 3d movies, but I have to say that it was done really well in this one. There were only a few times when you actually noticed the "3dness" and it was usually still subtle. For example, leaves appearing to blow around the movie theater, or other stray floating particles. For once, 3d added to the background atmosphere instead of trying to wow the audience with cheap gimmickry.

>> ^campionidelmondo:
Did you see it in 3D?

For some reason I always heed your movie advice

>> ^rottenseed:
For some reason I always heed your movie advice


QFT.
But Macs still suck, dag.

>> ^dag:
Best SF I've seen in yonks.


Better than Moon? I thought this was more of an action-drama than proper Sci-fi. Anyway, I'm seeing it on Monday in 3D on allegedly the biggest screen in Northern Europe (24x10 m). Should be a blast and for once I'm glad I'm not too hyped about a film and have only read only mildly-positive reviews thus far, so hopefully there won't be much disappointment if the story's too generic and predictable.

I was already excited, now I'm excitedly excited!!

I'm seeing it on the 21st.. looking extra forward to it now!

I insist on keeping my expectations low, mostly so there's a chance I will be actually be impressed. Despite that, this is a good sign.

I'm still planning on it being an overly glitzy live action remake of Fern Gully.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

You can't really compare Moon and Avatar. Moon is like a delicious home cooked meal. Avatar is like eating chocolate off your partner while you simultaneously climax.

Rottenseed, the only downside to this movie is that they thanked Microsoft in the credits.

>> ^EDD:
>> ^rottenseed:
For some reason I always heed your movie advice

QFT.
But Macs still suck, dag.
>> ^dag:
Best SF I've seen in yonks.

Better than Moon? I thought this was more of an action-drama than proper Sci-fi. Anyway, I'm seeing it on Monday in 3D on allegedly the biggest screen in Northern Europe (24x10 m). Should be a blast and for once I'm glad I'm not too hyped about a film and have only read only mildly-positive reviews thus far, so hopefully there won't be much disappointment if the story's too generic and predictable.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

The preiews make it look like a movie around elven woodsprites. There is a real message about nature and conservation - but don't think going in that this isn't a SciFi movie - no wizard staffs or spell books present.>> ^NetRunner:
I insist on keeping my expectations low, mostly so there's a chance I will be actually be impressed. Despite that, this is a good sign.
I'm still planning on it being an overly glitzy live action remake of Fern Gully.

...guess I'll be bringing a towel and a glass of milk then....

Premiere was a big fail at my local theatre, thanks to DRM: they couldn't get the proper keys to decrypt the fucking thing.

Irony is a bitch.

>> ^rasch187:
I'm seeing it at the BFI Imax, which is by far the biggest screen in Britain (20m high and 26m wide). Getting tickets was a pain in the ass so it's nice to hear the movie is good. Can't wait. Weeeeeeee


Fuck you Rasch.

I couldn't book tickets everything is taken. They are doing even 3 AM and 6 AM screenings.

You shouldn't insult a man who has an extra ticket...guess I'll be giving it to someone else now

>> ^Farhad2000:
>> ^rasch187:
I'm seeing it at the BFI Imax, which is by far the biggest screen in Britain (20m high and 26m wide). Getting tickets was a pain in the ass so it's nice to hear the movie is good. Can't wait. Weeeeeeee

Fuck you Rasch.
I couldn't book tickets everything is taken. They are doing even 3 AM and 6 AM screenings.

I'm really looking forward to this one.

I think this is one of those movies that people "need" to see.

This is by far the best film I've seen in 2009. The 3D isn't the usual "Look, we have 3D, look how awesome we are", and the animation feels alive.

Anyway, go see it.

I was not that thrilled by the trailers, but was still psyched to see it just because it is James Cameron and there's nothing he's done that I haven't loved.

I completely agree with you Dag, it was SENSATIONAL. Absolutely agree on the CG thing, the Na'vi were completely believable, the world was stunning, the creatures amazing, and the story was a rip roaring adventure.

And I saw it on the 3rd largest screen in the world (Melbourne IMAX) in 3D... quite frankly I think it was a little too large as some of the action sequences were hard to watch.

But man the 3D was incredible, and ... well, I'm going to see it again this week, just stunning film... stunning.

Wow, I just read this rather unfavourable review in the local rag, from a dude who loves action flicks:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/film/film-reviews/avatar/2009/12/16/1260639221604.html

My expectations were diminished.

^Hmm, I initially had a thing here about 'how the hell can you listen to Jim f'ing Schembri?' as I was of the opinion that I was always at complete odds with how he rates things. But looking back on his reviews, I'm not actually that different.

BUT

He gave 2012 FOUR STARS and Avatar Three. I rest my case for him being a reliable reviewer.

Really? Four stars for 2012? I saw it on the big screen, I actually enjoyed it for what it was, a really dumb action movie with ridiculous, over the top action sequences... but FOUR STARS? F*ck me. To put that anywhere in the league of Avatar, and in fact rate it as a better movie is ludicrous.


To be honest the plot of Avatar is pretty darn predictable, you can see things telegraphed a long way out, so really he is right on that front, and I guess if you go into this film looking for deep characters and a convoluted plot you are going to be disappointed.

However, if you go into it wanting to be transported to the world, to be blown away by how much you are immersed, and let yourself be swept along with the whole thing then it is sensationally enjoyable.

No it's not subtle, no it's not an emotional tour de force. But I was just gobsmacked by the way I just let myself go almost immediately just by how it all looked and felt, it was one of the best movie experiences I've had in some time... And that's what it was, an experience... and a damn brilliant one. I was just drinking in everything I was seeing.

I can't wait for the multi disc box sets of this, because the making of will be pretty damn fascinating for this film, it just is leaps and bounds above everything else in terms of creating believable CG characters.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

^Agreed. Giving 2012 a higher rating than Avatar means I don't listen to this guy anymore.

The very last lines in 2012 were a product placement for Huggies® for chrissakes:

Daughter: "I don't need Pull-Ups™ anymore"

John Cusack: "Nice!"

(And ... Scene!)

Fair enough, Spoco. Shembri gives me the irrits sometimes, but he usually has a point to his critique.

I haven't seen Avatar or 2012, but what I love the most about SciFi is when it makes me think. Avatar seems like a good popcorn flick regardless.

2012 was like watching a really cool screensaver for 2 hours.

Avatar was like Kevin Kostner came back through time with a fully functioning holo-deck and asked if anyone felt like re-making some random oscar winning movie.

Neither will make you think terribly much, they use rather cliche classic storylines.. but Avatar has far more integrity to it in what it does do. The attention to detail in nearly every shot is amazing, despite being made by Kevin Kostner from the future. I will say 2012 was surprisingly good for an Emmirch flick though. It's up there with his civil war one.. definitely better then Independence Day (though I wasn't a big fan of that one)... not better then Avatar though, not even close.

There's a cute jab at James Cameron in 2012 btw, near the beginning.

>> ^kymbos:
Fair enough, Spoco. Shembri gives me the irrits sometimes, but he usually has a point to his critique.
I haven't seen Avatar or 2012, but what I love the most about SciFi is when it makes me think. Avatar seems like a good popcorn flick regardless.


Oh, absolutely, the BEST Sci Fi is indeed that which takes ethical or philosophical questions and places them in another time/place to deal with in a fascinating way... I completely agree.

But this... this is just such an awesome experience I can forgive it not making me think, because... well, sometimes I just want to be transported and entertained, and Avatar does that in overflowing spades...

> Not only was the story great, but it's the first CGI movie

Thanks for the spoiler, I thought the blue people were real!!

It was great, really great. One of the things the 3D added was detail to textures - skin, surfaces all looked very detailed and awesome. I also like that they grounded the fantasy elements in reality, giving at least a hint of reality to spirits and so on, it worked really well.

It's like the Na'vi were all what the native americans claim to be, without the bullshit.

Saw it today, and it's fantastic. Like dag said, a must see, and a must-see in IMAX 3D.

The characters and story managed to elicit quite an emotional response, the visuals are absolutely breathtakingly beautiful, the ethical resonance is strong and it hits uncomfortably close to home.

BTW, the storyline isn't cliche or classic, it's epic. You've seen it before a thousand times, but it still gets you when it's done right, and this is done right.

Alternatively, if you're like me, and need your expectations lowered, it is a retelling of Fern Gully with giant alien smurfs, with about 90% of the movie in CGI.

Or, it's like the Wizard of Oz for the 21st century.

^or..think "a man called horse"=epic win

who cares! so yeah.the movie was formulaic but in a damn good way.cameron is a master.
look how he took that pig of a screenplay in armageddon and made it...well..decent.
im going to see this movie again,and i totally concur with those above,it must be seen on the big screen.

the movie was what? 288 minutes long? and i was sad when it ended.
good lord i am a dork.

Visually stunning but the story is incredibly cliched and locked solid in the paradigm of present day earth, which makes the shit wholly unbelievable. The idea that earthlings, once they breach the science to be able to travel to other worlds will still have a system of currency exchange is fallible and insulting, not to mention it's a world where no one wants to believe will be a reality.

Before a future earth exists where we can get off this rock while at the same time continuing to exploit en-masse a bucnh of robotic homosapien, quite frankly......a fucking nightmare.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

^I actually agree with you there Choggie. When SciFi is supposed to be 100 years in the future- I wish they would take a stab at really projecting what life would be like in that future- instead of taking today's technology and giving it a fresh coat of paint. Most movie SF is guilty of this.

Saw it on IMAX 3D last night and at the end I was speechless. The best I can come up with is: Wow.

I'll be back to see it in IMAX 3D again soon and I hope dearly it's released in 3D on Blu-Ray.

I think my hopes were a little high, because I had to give it a four out five.

But I loved it and want to go see it again in the movie house. I think the teenagers got on my nerves, so I couldn't get lost in the film. Also, I was stone sober, which always takes a star off an otherwise good film.

I loved the message, though, hands down, and I'm hoping it really rubs off on the youngsters--and sticks.

It is a thinly disguised illustration of what America is doing right now in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sorry for saying the obvious.