[movie] Avatar: The Way of Water

[The Meal]

I think the big cinematic feat that everyone is raving about is that Cameron has made the first 1D movie ever.

I'd see that.

Meh, what's the point?

[Malificent]

I think the big cinematic feat that everyone is raving about is that Cameron has made the first 1D movie ever.

I'd see that.

Meh, what's the point?

I see what you did there.

[hepcat]

[Hyena]

This is one of my family's most anticipated movies. It's my daughter's favorite movie, and when we went to Disney this past year, we rode the "Banshee Ride" together. It was probably one of the greatest rides I've ever been on.

I know we're all old on here, but I think time has made people truly forget the cultural impact this movie had when it came out. There were stories of people entering clinical depression because Pandora wasn't real and they wanted to live there. Yes, it was basically Dances With Wolves with Night Elves, but the visuals were beyond anything we've seen. I think it's brilliant to give a change of scenery (water vs. more jungle) for obvious reasons, and I think it will be no less stunning and engrossing. The story will probably be analogous to how The Force Awakens followed A New Hope's story line, but it's kinda set up that way. I just hope they haven't changed the characters too much, such as making the female lead suddenly be a timid, over-protective mother instead of the badass hunter and warrior she was in the first one.

[Zaxxon]

I'll definitely give it a shot, but I am both easy to please and not getting my hopes up.

It me!

I did enjoy the original quite a bit, and saw it in theaters multiple times. I don't need several more Avatar films (well, not this Avatar--I'll take all the Aang I can get), but I'm gonna see this one, and I will in all likelihood enjoy it.

[Torfish]

I''m ready Mr. Cameron. Got my imax 3D tickets for Dec 16th. I want water splashing in my face!

[em2nought]

I liked the first movie quite a bit. Normally with so much action on the screen I'm a bit put off, but Avatar 1.0 looked somehow different than the average too much going on CGI.

[Rumpy]

I'd read that Cameron tried to keep the action and editing simpler due to the 3D method used, so that may be why.

[Daehawk]

‘Avatar 4’ Script Got Zero Studio Notes and Left Executives Saying ‘Holy F—,’ Says James Cameron

[Zaxxon]

‘Avatar 4’ Script Got Zero Studio Notes and Left Executives Saying ‘Holy F—,’ Says Guy Who Wrote It

FTFY.

[hepcat]

I''m ready Mr. Cameron. Got my imax 3D tickets for Dec 16th. I want water splashing in my face!

Go see it in 4DX. That way you get water splashed in your face, multiple internal injuries from the chair whipping you around like a rag doll in a Rottweiler’s mouth, and blasts of ice cold air that will remind you god hates you.

[Torfish]

Very good movie. My kids loved it. Visually it's the best movie I've seen. It was worth seeing just for the visuals and highly recommend anyone to see it based solely on it.

Story is just ok. Wish it was better for sure. You definitely need to buy into the plot from the original.

The last 90 minutes was awesome and changed my mind from an OK movie to very good.

I thought it was better than the original. I'll be seeing it again with the rest of the family during Christmas break and I'll see how much more or less I like it.

[Daehawk]

So will this be playing still in Jan or should I get to the theaters now in Dec to catch it.?

[Holman]

So will this be playing still in Jan or should I get to the theaters now in Dec to catch it.?

I assume it will stick around. Theaters don't really have anything else going on.

[Jeff V]

Took a family friend's of ours to see it. Tickets: $150. Food and beer: $200. Consensus: Good movie.

I thought the special effects were good, but no improvement over more than a decade ago. It's a very long movie, but does a good job keeping you engaged. The other family didn't see the original and still liked it. I first saw it first run while n the Philippines, my kids saw the first one when they re-released it in October.

The Avatar VR at Disney was by far the most awesome experience we had there this past summer. They should take that on tour.

[hepcat]

Saw it today with my mother and stepfather for our annual Christmas movie. I felt the same way about it as I eventually did about the original. It’s pretty, but I just can’t connect with the characters in the same manner I can real human actors. They don’t feel real and it keeps me detached. I also think I expect too much from Cameron.

Thoughts

Spoiler:

I truly believe that a humanity that has achieved interstellar travel would eventually have the foresight to install bullet proof glass on all their ships to prevent natives with bows and arrows from continuously killing their pilots.

It seemed weird to come out of the gate with a one line reveal that there was essentially a virgin birth with Weaver’s avatar. That or she got busy in the jungle while avatar-ing. Or was victimed while comatose. In any scenario, it just felt oddly abrupt. I know it’s going to be the focus of the next movies, though. May as well just call her Blue Neo.

Did they ever mention that gung-ho sarge (now avatar sarge) had a kid in the first movie? You’d think that would come up.

I mentally checked out when the talking whales showed up. I just kept picturing the Narwhal from Elf. “Bye, Buddy!”

The story was barely serviceable. Even for a vehicle for special effects. Once again we get fish out of water (pardon the pun) learning to fit in with another group…then a battle where everyone puts aside their differences to fight together. I fully expected them to leave Atlantis at the end and announce they were going to live with the rock elves of Pandora next.

I didn’t hate it, but I honestly don’t think it’s a good film. It’s a special effects film first, second and last…and even in that I had hoped for more after 13 years.

[em2nought]

I'd read that Cameron tried to keep the action and editing simpler due to the 3D method used, so that may be why.

Felt like he did the same thing with this newer version too. If I can stay awake in a theatre recliner for a three hour movie it must not be too bad of a movie. I liked the first one better though.

[Hyena]

I'd read that Cameron tried to keep the action and editing simpler due to the 3D method used, so that may be why.

Felt like he did the same thing with this newer version too. If I can stay awake in a theatre recliner for a three hour movie it must not be too bad of a movie. I liked the first one better though.

That's where I was. I liked it a lot. My wife loved it, but she thought there was "too much war stuff" which disagree with.

[El Guapo]

Saw it today with my mother and stepfather for our annual Christmas movie. I felt the same way about it as I eventually did about the original. It’s pretty, but I just can’t connect with the characters in the same manner I can real human actors. They don’t feel real and it keeps me detached. I also think I expect too much from Cameron.

Thoughts

Spoiler:

I truly believe that a humanity that has achieved interstellar travel would eventually have the foresight to install bullet proof glass on all their ships to prevent natives with bows and arrows from continuously killing their pilots.

It seemed weird to come out of the gate with a one line reveal that there was essentially a virgin birth with Weaver’s avatar. That or she got busy in the jungle while avatar-ing. Or was victimed while comatose. In any scenario, it just felt oddly abrupt. I know it’s going to be the focus of the next movies, though. May as well just call her Blue Neo.

Did they ever mention that gung-ho sarge (now avatar sarge) had a kid in the first movie? You’d think that would come up.

I mentally checked out when the talking whales showed up. I just kept picturing the Narwhal from Elf. “Bye, Buddy!”

The story was barely serviceable. Even for a vehicle for special effects. Once again we get fish out of water (pardon the pun) learning to fit in with another group…then a battle where everyone puts aside their differences to fight together. I fully expected them to leave Atlantis at the end and announce they were going to live with the rock elves of Pandora next.

I didn’t hate it, but I honestly don’t think it’s a good film. It’s a special effects film first, second and last…and even in that I had hoped for more after 13 years.

It's funny, when I watched the original Avatar a week or so ago with my son, I enjoyed it more than I remembered enjoying it the first time. Basically I think both Avatar movies are basically well executed action films with some nature documentary stylings mixed in, and as long as you turn your brain off somewhat they're pretty enjoyable. I think part of what bothered me the first time I saw the original was just all the pretentiousness around the film - "James Cameron has redefined the blockbuster and made an incredible original world!". But once you accept that it's semi-silly it's enjoyable.

But yeah, I really had a good laugh at the whale blinking "it's too painful" to the younger son, and I don't think that's what Cameron was going for.

[Hipolito]

Saw this over the weekend. Great Mother, it was awful.

I thought the first Avatar movie was enjoyable, but I'd never want to sit through it again. This sequel was basically sitting through it again, and it was far too long.

I did enjoy the first half of the final battle. It was really fun.

And I liked the Kiri character. Her scenes were all good. (The follow might be considered a spoiler).

Spoiler:

Apparently Sigourney Weaver did both the physical and voice acting for that teenage character, and even did the diving and underwater parts. Very impressive for a 70-year-old woman.

Anyway, I hated this movie, and I look forward to hating the next one.

[hepcat]

I think my favorite character in the entire movie was Spider. But I like the Tarzan movies, so it makes sense.

[Hipolito]

I think my favorite character in the entire movie was Spider. But I like the Tarzan movies, so it makes sense.

Ha ha, oh man now I wish they had a scene of Spider swinging from a vine and going "AOAOAOAOAOAO!"

[hepcat]

All kidding aside, I enjoyed his story the most in the film. His was the only one that didn’t dissolve into pseudo spiritual claptrap.

[Jeff V]

All kidding aside, I enjoyed his story the most in the film. His was the only one that didn’t dissolve into pseudo spiritual claptrap.

I did too, but I had to check my brain when it came to the genetic improbabilities of it all. Not Spider, who was thoroughly human. But the Avatars themselves -- they contain human DNA? How and why? When Jake's consciousness transferred to his Avatar at the end of the first movie, I would thing he would be occupying a body with Navoonean DNA? So his kids wouldn't be freaks from an improbable coupling of human and alien?

I wanted to like the movie, so I successfully ignored such improbabilities.

[Zaxxon]

I haven't seen the 2nd movie yet, but the avatars aren't Na'vi--they're genetically-engineered human/Na'vi hybrids. Note in the first movie that the avatars look like their drivers, and have five fingers/toes unlike the actual Na'vi.

[hepcat]

If I remember correctly from the first film, they had to fill in some gaps when it came to DNA so that human consciousness could occupy the avatars. So they’re more like genetic hybrids than they are pure smurfs.

But at the end of the day, it was Cameron’s way of establishing a way to differentiate between the two.

[Hipolito]

Found this YouTube interesting: the central chord pattern in the Avatar soundtrack. (C#m - B - F# - C#m)



I don't know whether it's the same chords, but the Avatar 2 music repeatedly reminded me of the chorus from Nightwish's "The Greatest Show on Earth."

[Daehawk]

It's science fiction....just roll with it.

[Jeff V]

I haven't seen the 2nd movie yet, but the avatars aren't Na'vi--they're genetically-engineered human/Na'vi hybrids. Note in the first movie that the avatars look like their drivers, and have five fingers/toes unlike the actual Na'vi.

The problem is the avatars, which seem to be some sort of clones which would be Navi DNA, somehow contain human DNA, which is compatible with an alien species? If the avatars contain Navi DNA, then the offspring should be pure Nave and not 5-fingered freaks.

[Kraken]

Everything we know about exobiology says DNA is the same throughout the Milky Way -- with the catch that we don't know anything about exobiology.

[TheMix]

Everything we know about exobiology says DNA is the same throughout the Milky Way -- with the catch that we don't know anything about exobiology.

[El Guapo]

Everything we know about exobiology says DNA is the same throughout the Milky Way -- with the catch that we don't know anything about exobiology.

I mean, pretty much every sci-fi show allows for both inter-alien sex and child bearing, so I feel pretty safe saying that this is ok.

[Holman]

I mean, if we can successfully mate with cnidarians, it seems likely than we can successfully mate with alien species as well.

[Jaymann]

No plans to see this. Will watch on the small screen (or the big one in my living room) when it eventually drops to streaming.

[hepcat]

And thus missing out on 90 percent of the reason to watch it.

[Jaymann]

But it's that 10% that has all the value.

[Holman]

I'm going to put this in spoilers because I'm shitting on something people enjoy that I haven't seen.

Expect the worst.

Spoiler:

I gotta admit: I went to see AVATAR 1 when it came out and I was just not impressed. I have no interest in AVATAR 2.

The special effects were expensive, and we were told that they were the Best Ever, but I can't remember a single scene, let alone an iconic shot. (The whole point of special-effects movie-making is that there's at least one shot you'll never forget.)

The plot was totally derivative of Ursula LeGuin's novel The Word for World Is Forest, except that all of LeGuin's suggestion that humans aren't capable of understanding nature were submerged into a human-savior-hero narrative. Pretty retrograde.

Maybe I'm a snob, but this has always been my opinion of James Cameron SF movies. He makes things look great and can do disasters on a grand scale, but his themes and characters are paper-thin. Compare Ridley Scott's ALIEN to Cameron's ALIENS and you'll see what I mean.

Challenge: if you haven't very recently seen an AVATAR movie, name two characters from AVATAR 1. Or just name one. Tell us what made them interesting. Don't use Google.

[Jaymann]

I'm going to put this in spoilers because I'm shitting on something people enjoy that I haven't seen.

Expect the worst.

Spoiler:

I gotta admit: I went to see AVATAR 1 when it came out and I was just not impressed. I have no interest in AVATAR 2.

Challenge: if you haven't very recently seen an AVATAR movie, name two characters from AVATAR 1. Or just name one. Tell us what made them interesting. Don't use Google.

I can name 4, but not by name. There was the big officer in the mech warrior, Sigourny Weaver doctor, the cripple in the alien machine, and they weasily exploitation dude (though I may be confusing him with Aliens). They were interesting as stereotypes.

[Holman]

I'm going to put this in spoilers because I'm shitting on something people enjoy that I haven't seen.

Expect the worst.

Spoiler:

I gotta admit: I went to see AVATAR 1 when it came out and I was just not impressed. I have no interest in AVATAR 2.

Challenge: if you haven't very recently seen an AVATAR movie, name two characters from AVATAR 1. Or just name one. Tell us what made them interesting. Don't use Google.

I can name 4, but not by name. There was the big officer in the mech warrior, Sigourny Weaver doctor, the cripple in the alien machine, and they weasily exploitation dude (though I may be confusing him with Aliens). They were interesting as stereotypes.

I remember none of the those, except that I vaguely recall an injured immobile person getting an avatar because it has been an SF trope since the 1950s.

[Kraken]

I mean, if we can successfully mate with cnidarians, it seems likely than we can successfully mate with alien species as well.

I read that as "canadians" and nodded in agreement.