AVATAR in 3-D

[Darth Tanner]

Went to see a matinee showing of this the other day in Real 3-D and really enjoyed it. I was really excited when I heard that James Cameron was making another movie, but I also feared that all of the hype would ruin it for me. Much to my surprise, AVATAR turned out to be pretty decent. It certainly isn't one of the best movies ever but it is still pretty fun. The story and cast are somewhat weak IMO, but the 3-D and awesome CGI effects (courtesy of WETA) are what make the movie worth checking out. The 3-D is filmed with remarkable depth and actually does more for the movie than giving the filmmakers an excuse to throw things at the audience. The CGI is also some of the best I've ever seen. It is very realistic without having that "fake" look to it. The only bad thing is that the movie drags in spots. For a film that is at least 2 1/2 hours, I think it could have easily lost 15-20 minutes without hurting the story. But the ending features some great action scenes that only Cameron can deliver. Funny thing is that a lot of the military vehicles look like they were recycled from ALIENS and TERMINATOR 2:) As far as Cameron films go I still prefer his earlier stuff, but this is still worth seeing at a matinee if any of you are curious. Just be sure to see it in 3-D if you can.

The best part of the movie for me were the 3-D trailers at the beginning for Tim Burton's ALICE IN WONDERLAND and Alexandre Aja's PIRAHNA remake. I definitely looking forward to seeing those (even though I never saw the original PIRAHNA).

[Morbid]

I plan on seeing this soon (once the crowds wear down) in IMAX and have heard nothing but positive comments about it, so I'm pretty excited and hoping it's not just another 300.

[Darth Tanner]

I plan on seeing this soon (once the crowds wear down) in IMAX and have heard nothing but positive comments about it, so I'm pretty excited and hoping it's not just another 300.

I would have seen it in IMAX but the "Real 3-D" showing was the only one I was able to make in time. Aside from just wanting to see the movie, I was mainly curious to see how well the 3-D and the CGI worked out. As I mentioned above, I thought they worked out really well. If you see it in IMAX let me know how it turns out. I might cave in and see it again in IMAX 3-D if I can.

[Chris Slack]

Thin on story but the visuals (and 3D) were more than enough to keep me interested the whole time.

As far as I am concerned Avatar has set a new bar for CGI, some seriously great stuff there.

[mickey brown-eye]

As far as I am concerned Avatar has set a new bar for CGI, some seriously great stuff there.

I agree! It was breathtaking to watch

[Remo D]

Well, I finally saw it. And I'm resolved to trust my own instincts from now on. For about the first 90 minutes, AVATAR was everything it was cracked up to be, and it did, indeed, present a breathtaking 3-D alien world, the likes of which I'd never seen before. But then the cliches set in with a vengeance. Starting with "I was sent here to..." just before the bad guy pulls the plug on him. And continuing with "You knew all the time?" "Well, yes--at first it was just orders, but now it's different..." "I TRUSTED YOU! GET AWAY FROM HERE AND NEVER COME BACK!" Oh, and the ALIENS music with the ALIENS lifter equipment.

Honest to goodness, by the two hour mark I was mentally screaming "END, MOVIE! END!!!" But it never did. I couldn't stand it. I just couldn't STAND it. And I'll scream even louder if/when this wins Best Picture. I forgive slasher movie cliches because they don't go on nearly as long and because such films don't present themselves as the latest "greatest movie ever made."

Wonderful stuff to look at. But I can only look at it for so long. The plot, the dialogue and the excruciating extension of what could have been a truly wonderful experience if properly tightened caused me to resent AVATAR more than I thought I ever would.

Never again will I see a movie just because I apparently "have to."