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Old 2009.12.22, 05:00 AM   #21
Inaudible-Whisper
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Hedo, I don't think you should miss out on the movie even if you don't like the Na'vi design. 80% of the film is CGI including the entirety of Pandora, not just the Na'vi. When people say it looks astounding, they're not just talking about the Na'vi and the motion capture, they're talking about the entire world that was created which is totally unique and compelling.

I can't believe that the guy earlier who said it's just a mixture of South America's rainforests and the forests of California was watching the same movie, because aside from the fact that tree's are typically green there is nothing remotely similar about the creatures and plant life. Sure, it at first looks like a typical forest (particularly from above) but each individual aspect is wholly unique (and based on underwater life, if anything). I don't think you should miss out on the visual experience because of one dodgy review and a dislike for the Na'vi design. The trailer, when it came out, had huge backlash. People laughed at the Na'vi calling them smurfs, saying that they look stupid. They said the CG wasn't that good. Heck even I was underwhelmed after all the hype. But that has totally switched now that people have seen the final product, so you should give it that chance too. You're not going to get the chance to see the most visually compelling movie ever made (thus far) on the big screen in 3D again, so why not spare a few dollars? What have you got to lose? You can still come back and say you hated it, but at least you tried. I don't see how it's possible to hate the visuals though.

There is a fantastic article here in which an astrophysicist who has worked on SETI and the Hubble space telescope talks about the science of Avatar and Pandora. Read his response after the initial article too where he finds out how certain things work via Pandorapedia. It really goes to show how much work Cameron has put into the movie. Geologists have been emailing in to explain that the vast rock arcs seen at the climax look to be mineral growth following magnetic field lines. That is stuff 99.999% of the audience will never notice, but it's there and it's awesome.
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Old 2009.12.22, 07:58 AM   #22
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Yeah, Hedo, I understand all your reservations--and have not seen Avatar (yet) either--but I still wouldn't be so sure if I were you. After I was fully convinced Star Trek wasn't going to be my thing but then I ended up loving the movie and seeing it twice, I've realized sometimes (SOMETIMES) the hype is real, and I can't always be so stubborn all the time about what I will like or dislike. I'm not saying you should go out of your way to see it, but if you get a chance, maybe don't dismiss it.

Personally, although I really have not had good experiences with IMAX 3D in the past (I remember going to an IMAX 3D show at a museum as a kid and starting to feel sick; I've just never been big on 3D stuff), I think I'd still like to see this at least on an IMAX screen, though I may not wear the glasses.

Also, I saw The Princess and the Frog the other night and it was really, really good. Completely proved that Disney still has it and I hope this leads to a lot more quality hand-animated films.
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Old 2009.12.22, 01:24 PM   #23
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If you don't like IMAX 3D, you should look out for a RealD cinema. Just avoid MasterImage, these suck so much that you will really MISS some of the magic of Pandora.

On the movie:
I talked to one of my coworkers today. She went in with her boyfriend, just to do him the favor. She hadn't seen anything about the movie, just some pictures with those blue people and she thought it looked stupid. She thought it could be fun to watch it, because it's 3D, but she didn't really want to go.
She bought popcorn and cola as usual, and then the movie started and from the first second she was in total awe until the end. Amazed by the effects, the story and the emotions, she completely forgot to eat her popcorn and drink her cola. And even though the movie was almost 3 hours long, she was so amazed that she would have just watched it again if that was possible.
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Old 2009.12.22, 06:07 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by golem09 View Post
I talked to one of my coworkers today. She went in with her boyfriend, just to do him the favor. She hadn't seen anything about the movie, just some pictures with those blue people and she thought it looked stupid. She thought it could be fun to watch it, because it's 3D, but she didn't really want to go.
She bought popcorn and cola as usual, and then the movie started and from the first second she was in total awe until the end. Amazed by the effects, the story and the emotions, she completely forgot to eat her popcorn and drink her cola. And even though the movie was almost 3 hours long, she was so amazed that she would have just watched it again if that was possible.
That is almost exactly what happened with 2 of my friends. They knew virtually nothing of the movie other than the trailer, which they weren't particularly enthusiastic about. They both ended up crying, one of them 3 times, and they both wanted to watch it instantly again. One of them told me today "It's my favourite film of all time" and she has tickets booked to see it again this Thursday.
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Old 2009.12.22, 07:49 PM   #25
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whisper, i'm not really put off by the review, i only mention it because it seemed to confirm my own ideas. i usually don't read reviews at all because i like to make up my own mind on things.

the fact that i appreciate the reasons for most of you guys' opinions really makes me want to see it but i really cannot see myself enjoying this no matter how stunning. part of me wants to go see it just so i can come back and say i told you i'd hate it, but i also know about the self-fulfilling prophecy and don't want to make myself not like it on purpose.

at this point, i almost conceded to your urging and went to go see it, but money is superhero tight with me right now. i tutor essay writing at school and that has been over for two weeks now and won't be back until mid january so i have to be very frugal so that i don't end up having to ask my parents for cash. i already have a couple of trips with friends planned to go to new york during the winter break and that's always costly so i'm going to have to wait. the time off from discussing it would do well to let me be more clear-minded about it, too. sometimes the mainstream hype annoys me even about stuff i'm already excited about.

and, i would never ever ever watch that star trek movie. ugh i can't stand those actors and, well, i won't go into it. it really gets me angry.

more about hype: i don't think the hype is ever true because the hype is always for the wrong reasons, or at least, not the reasons i value most. when i see a great movie that the public agrees is great, it's usually really underappreciated. even something simple like the hangover, for example, i thought was pretty funny but most people in the theatre laughed over all the great jokes that usually come after a more obvious one and it just shows how many little things go unnoticed by the masses.
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Old 2009.12.22, 08:26 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by golem09 View Post
If you don't like IMAX 3D, you should look out for a RealD cinema. Just avoid MasterImage, these suck so much that you will really MISS some of the magic of Pandora.

On the movie:
I talked to one of my coworkers today. She went in with her boyfriend, just to do him the favor. She hadn't seen anything about the movie, just some pictures with those blue people and she thought it looked stupid. She thought it could be fun to watch it, because it's 3D, but she didn't really want to go.
She bought popcorn and cola as usual, and then the movie started and from the first second she was in total awe until the end. Amazed by the effects, the story and the emotions, she completely forgot to eat her popcorn and drink her cola. And even though the movie was almost 3 hours long, she was so amazed that she would have just watched it again if that was possible.
everyone I has talked to said if it looped and started up again they wouldn't have gotten out of their seats, haha.

I'm going again tomorrow, three times in a week, insaaaane. lets see if it holds up!
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Old 2009.12.23, 03:08 AM   #27
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The impressions here have made me want to see this while I still can (It's the kind of movie I should have been excited about anyway, but something went wrong along the way)
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Old 2009.12.23, 05:38 AM   #28
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Well Hedo there is no rush. I think they've booked 10 weeks with IMAX. If you are going to see it, probably best to do so in your own time and not due to peer pressure
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Old 2009.12.23, 09:09 AM   #29
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Originally Posted by HEDOfloe View Post
whisper, i'm not really put off by the review, i only mention it because it seemed to confirm my own ideas. i usually don't read reviews at all because i like to make up my own mind on things.

the fact that i appreciate the reasons for most of you guys' opinions really makes me want to see it but i really cannot see myself enjoying this no matter how stunning. part of me wants to go see it just so i can come back and say i told you i'd hate it, but i also know about the self-fulfilling prophecy and don't want to make myself not like it on purpose.

at this point, i almost conceded to your urging and went to go see it, but money is superhero tight with me right now. i tutor essay writing at school and that has been over for two weeks now and won't be back until mid january so i have to be very frugal so that i don't end up having to ask my parents for cash. i already have a couple of trips with friends planned to go to new york during the winter break and that's always costly so i'm going to have to wait. the time off from discussing it would do well to let me be more clear-minded about it, too. sometimes the mainstream hype annoys me even about stuff i'm already excited about.

and, i would never ever ever watch that star trek movie. ugh i can't stand those actors and, well, i won't go into it. it really gets me angry.

more about hype: i don't think the hype is ever true because the hype is always for the wrong reasons, or at least, not the reasons i value most. when i see a great movie that the public agrees is great, it's usually really underappreciated. even something simple like the hangover, for example, i thought was pretty funny but most people in the theatre laughed over all the great jokes that usually come after a more obvious one and it just shows how many little things go unnoticed by the masses.
Ok here are two reasons for you to go:

1. You should have read the stuff about people who thought the trailer was stupid and then sat there in such an awe that they were just speechless by now. Think about that

2. No matter what special Edition DVD or BluRay, you won't ever have the chance again for all the money in the world to EXPERIENCE this movie for the 10$ as you can now.

There is a nice (even if clicheed line in the movie): "It's hard to fill a bowl that already full". Just go in, trusting us, and forgetting everything you already know about the movie.
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Old 2009.12.23, 11:07 AM   #30
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ok, I have now three videos for you:

1. For Hedo to watch:

Avatar Feature

Better than the trailer. You should also watch the next video:

2. Small video about the motion, and the emotion capturing

Motion Capturing


3. And now a stunning 30 minutes video interview with Cameron sitting on a cheap couch, talking about the development process of the tech that made Avatar possible:

Cameron Interview


This is brilliant. You can't even begin to describe in a few words, just HOW MUCH work this requiered. 1.5 years of R&D just for the basics, and the design on Pandora. All while developing a new 3D camera, then developing a camera that can take you through the CG set in real time ON the motion capturing set BY moving the "CG camera" through it. Then combinging both technologies so that you can film real humans WHILE having the CG sets on the camera.
After that they needed about 9-12 months for EVERY character individually to get the finetuning on the mimic capturing done. All with horrible drawbacks and no one to turn to, because they were the ONLY ones even trying to do it. As cameron said, it wasn't just hard work, but also very scary, because he had no idea if it would work in the end.
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