A few days ago, I took my son Mike and a couple of his friends to see the movie Avatar, the new film from director James Cameron. I had no preconceived ideas about it, except I've always like Cameron's films. I liked Titanic so much I bought it. [If you're a film snob and you just shuddered, screw you. Read something else.]
And, OK, I saw the lead actor on the Today show the other day and he is pretty hot.
I was impressed by the special effects. The 3-D experience was quite something. I am not a huge fan of 3-D movies, but I have to admit they have gotten really intense lately. I can't wait until I can take my grandchildren to 4-D movies - like Wii, plus a plot. Hmm...
However, there were a lot of political overtones to the film which made me uncomfortable. There is nothing overt, mind you. Mostly it's archetypal - the innocent natives against the evil invaders. Same plot as Disney's Pocahontas, Dances With Wolves, and countless other famous stories. However, Avatar shows military guys painted as arch villains which made me really uncomfortable, seeing as how my brother just got back from Iraq 6 months ago. I have a lot of respect for the military, especially for the sacrifices military families make.
Giovanni Ribisi, an actor I admire very much, was such a searingly villanous jerk that I wanted to repeatedly slam his face into the floor. That's fine acting there. I bet there's an executive at Halliburton who won't be seeing Avatar any time soon.
The "noble savages" in the movie are 10 foot tall, incredibly skinny people, who look rather "ethnic" in the loosest sense of the word. Why did they have to be so dang tall and skinny??! Do we really need to glorify tall and skinny people some more?! Why couldn't they be short and fat?! I imagine they will be on the cover of Vanity Fair soon, the mecca for all tall skinny people...
Movie technology is a funny thing.
I remember when Star Wars came out in 1977, and how it was hailed as something totally new and exciting. Ditto for Tron in 1981. Avatar breaks new ground in CGI entertainment, no question of that. It's fun to watch. I predict in 10 years it will be largely viewed as a film oddity, though, a relic, with primitive technology. I've lived long enough to see technology advance exponentially.
Your review is awesome :> Thanks for posting it. This is superb and best movie by James Cameron. Also a big part of creative team. Thanks again.
Posted by: Sabeen | May 30, 2010 at 06:05 PM
Do we really need to glorify tall and skinny people some more?! Why couldn't they be short and fat?! I imagine they will be on the cover of Vanity Fair soon, the mecca for all tall skinny people
Posted by: cheap laptops canada | May 26, 2010 at 02:05 PM
I think i like the movie Avatar it sure was innovative.
Posted by: cheap laptops canada | May 07, 2010 at 01:20 PM