Have You Watched "Avatar" Yet? It's AMAZING!

[BobG]

People don't like the name unobtainium, but that's nitpicking. Maybe they named it that before they developed a way to get it.

Unobtainium has a long tradition. Unobtainium

Engineers have long (since at least the 1950s[2]) used the term unobtainium when referring to unusual or costly materials, or when theoretically considering a material perfect for their needs in all respects save that it doesn't exist.

Clearly, the precise resource they desired wasn't as important to the story as the fact that they were after something they couldn't obtain without displacing the residents.

 

[Chi Meson]

Those who are fans of very, VERY bad science fiction will recall that "unobtanium" was used for the stuff that the ship "Virgil" was made of in the movie "The Core."

And not EVERYthing in a decent or half-decent SF film must be explainable. The problems arise when they attempt explanations that are completely false or implausible (see "The Core" for far too many examples of this; such as: "So everyone knows, Physics 101, hot swirling liquid metals create magnetic fields"). Even the superconducting scenario that has been suggested will only become annoyingly bogged down as the smaller details need to be explained. We have no idea how such massive, high-temperature superconductors could occur (not even synthetically, nevermind naturally) so that really doesn't bring it any closer to plausibility.

It's best to just go with it and say "cool." And if you can't get past the disbelief, then you're missing the fun.

Floating islands? Any fan of Yes album art (Roger Dean) from the 70s will be with me when they say: "Alright!"

"In and around the lake..."

 

[ibnsos]

Wow, I saw it yesterday in IMAX 3D. I had no idea how far 3D has come, truly amazing. The SFX are enough to make this one of my favorites, even with the tired, old evil Jarheads and corporations killing off the idealized, life loving natives theme.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Was anyone else annoyed by the alien horses? I actually thought their movement looked stiff and fake. Not to mention completely unoriginal. I would have preferred them riding jaguar creatures instead of cliched horses.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

OMG, am I seeing this right? The movie is two hours and forty minutes long?!

Wow, that is a long movie. We were going to see it today but now I'm not sure.

 

[leroyjenkens]

The only thing I didn't like about it was Michelle Rodriguez. I just don't like her. She always plays the tough girl role. To get into character, she puts on a tank top and a scowl on her face. Then she goes on screen, says her tough girl one-liners and that's about the extent of her acting.

 

[cronxeh]

The only thing I didn't like about it was Michelle Rodriguez. I just don't like her. She always plays the tough girl role. To get into character, she puts on a tank top and a scowl on her face. Then she goes on screen, says her tough girl one-liners and that's about the extent of her acting.

You never dated a latina, have you

 

[Newai]

Was anyone else annoyed by the alien horses? I actually thought their movement looked stiff and fake. Not to mention completely unoriginal. I would have preferred them riding jaguar creatures instead of cliched horses.

I don't see how. They were motion-captured, just like the the humanoids.

The only thing I didn't like about it was Michelle Rodriguez. I just don't like her. She always plays the tough girl role. To get into character, she puts on a tank top and a scowl on her face. Then she goes on screen, says her tough girl one-liners and that's about the extent of her acting.

That's the extent of the parts offered to her. She's not at a point where she can be too picky.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I don't see how. They were motion-captured, just like the the humanoids.

I think it was mostly their necks. Didn't seem right to me.

 

[Winzer]

I saw it in 3D at the theaters. What a spectacular movie.
I have not seen a film as epic as this since The Lord of the Rings, although Lord of the Rings still beats it.
The battle scenes were sweet!
The Colonel made a great villain.

 

[DaveC426913]

A friend of mne pointed out something really telling.

Cameron said he's been thinking of this idea for about 15 years.

You know http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104254/" 17 years ago?

The similiarities are startling.

 

[cronxeh]

A friend of mne pointed out something really telling.

Cameron said he's been thinking of this idea for about 15 years.

You know http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104254/" 17 years ago?

The similiarities are startling.

Wow thats.. funny/sad. It actually does look like Cameron ripped off the plot from that cartoon. On the bright side he created interesting characters and setting

 

[Chi Meson]

He said the movie came to him in a dream. Maybe he fell asleep in a theater?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

omg i loved that movie, and you are so right. it seems others are picking up on it. check this out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-SVpZrnF34

 

[Tobias Funke]

But the special effects look slightly less fake than other movies, so it must be good. Let's just stop finding fault with it and start buying Avatar merchandise.

 

[ideasrule]

Wow, it looks like this thread isn't dying any time soon.

About unobtanium: It's probably a good thing that the movie avoided mentioning why it's so expensive. Humanizing the enemy is dangerous. If you knew that unobtanium was needed to relieve an ecological disaster that would otherwise kill 2 billion people, would you still sympathize with the NaVi? Even if unobtanium was somewhat less useful--say, if it promised to revolutionize computing--viewers would sympathize with any legitimate human needs.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

About unobtanium: It's probably a good thing that the movie avoided mentioning why it's so expensive. Humanizing the enemy is dangerous.

yeah, I think they hint it isn't for humanitarian/benevolent purposes by them introducing the humans as private mercenaries.

 

[cronxeh]

Wow, it looks like this thread isn't dying any time soon.

About unobtanium: It's probably a good thing that the movie avoided mentioning why it's so expensive. Humanizing the enemy is dangerous. If you knew that unobtanium was needed to relieve an ecological disaster that would otherwise kill 2 billion people, would you still sympathize with the NaVi? Even if unobtanium was somewhat less useful--say, if it promised to revolutionize computing--viewers would sympathize with any legitimate human needs.

Who the viewers sympathize with is of no significance. The viewers do not affect the direction of the movie, they are simply passive observers. That being said a romance between the humanoid and the native girl is always more exciting than excavators. No matter how touching the human story could be presented, in comparison with love angle in the movie, the humans are just pests who overbred in their own right and deserve no retribution. You could push this idea so far as to say that this is the last of humanity and they came in search of water, and it still wouldn't make the viewers emphathize with humans

 

[Math Is Hard]

omg i loved that movie, and you are so right. it seems others are picking up on it. check this out!

Too funny!

From Bill Kroyer..

The Director of..

..Not much else, really.

I think I want to see Fern Gully more than I want to see Avatar.

 

[LBloom]

About unobtanium: It's probably a good thing that the movie avoided mentioning why it's so expensive. Humanizing the enemy is dangerous. If you knew that unobtanium was needed to relieve an ecological disaster that would otherwise kill 2 billion people, would you still sympathize with the NaVi? Even if unobtanium was somewhat less useful--say, if it promised to revolutionize computing--viewers would sympathize with any legitimate human needs.

A fact like this may make us sympathesize with the NaVi less (btw,NaVi? stolen from Legend of Zelda?) but it would lead to a more nuanced film. A film that is maybe less black and white, but more truthful. Either way, I doubt that's what they were mining it for.

Personally I thought it was boring. Yeah the effects were great, but they mean nothing if they're not backed up by a good plot, not a recycled one. Think about it like this, if Avatar were a book, would you read it? Most likely James Cameron would be sued for plagiarism.

 

[DaveC426913]

Think about it like this, if Avatar were a book, would you read it?

I like this. A litmus test for a good story.

 

[DaveC426913]

About unobtanium: It's probably a good thing that the movie avoided mentioning why it's so expensive.

One of the big weaknesses of the movie, and one sign of a poorly-written story.

Unobtainium is a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin" . (I would say "nothing more than a MacGuffin", but that is redundant).

Who the viewers sympathize with is of no significance. The viewers do not affect the direction of the movie, they are simply passive observers.

What a strange thing to say. It is the experience of the viewers that is the goal of the film. If the viewers got the wrong message (by, say empathizing with the humans) the movie has failed.

You could push this idea so far as to say that this is the last of humanity and they came in search of water, and it still wouldn't make the viewers emphathize with humans

I disagree. When you start ... uh ... humanizing the enemy you can' help but generate sympathy.

 

[DaveC426913]

My boy brought up an interesting plot cheat.

They went into the Fluxomatic Vortexification Zone specifically because it scrambled the navigation and targeting signals. But apparently nothng else, like the Avatar link, or the communications links.

Another weak plot hack: the bad-guy-technology-neutralizer-bubble. (At least in STII:TWoK, the Mutara Nebula neutralized good AND bad guys equally).

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Well, we only lasted an hour, but the 3D was impressive. It was worth a look.

I just can't get into the animated movies yet. They still have a little ways to go before they will be convincing enough for me to forget its animation. To me it is still like watching a cartoon.

 

[OmCheeto]

One noticeable glitch in the biology of the Na'vi. The tails are just kind of stuck on like a cartoon character. No real tail would project out at a right angle like that since tails are an extension of the spinal cord.

I've a tail that sticks out at a right angle that isn't part of my spinal cord.

How do the Na'vi reproduce?

See above.

ps. I haven't seen the movie yet, so I don't know what you are talking about.

 

[cronxeh]

My boy brought up an interesting plot cheat.

They went into the Fluxomatic Vortexification Zone specifically because it scrambled the navigation and targeting signals. But apparently nothng else, like the Avatar link, or the communications links.

Another weak plot hack: the bad-guy-technology-neutralizer-bubble. (At least in STII:TWoK, the Mutara Nebula neutralized good AND bad guys equally).

I would assume the Avatar link is in RF range, and the flux is magnetic. That being said its possible the flux generates frequencies in the radar jamming range (1ghz-50ghz), while the Avatar link can be low frequency or high frequency and still unaffected by the flux.

A skeptic without a working knowledge of a subject matter is a fool :)

 

[leroyjenkens]

Yeah the effects were great, but they mean nothing if they're not backed up by a good plot, not a recycled one.

It's a different version of a good plot.

I don't understand why the plot being done before takes away from how good the movie is.
The enjoyability of the movie is dependent on if you've seen the plot done before? That would mean people who haven't seen the plot done before would think it was great. So in other words, some people will like the movie and some people won't, just like every other movie.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I don't understand why the plot being done before takes away from how good the movie is.

Do you read the same book over and over but maybe replace some names? People like fresh content, fresh ideas and twists. If you know what is going to happen, it's not as thrilling.

 

[DaveC426913]

I would assume the Avatar link is in RF range, and the flux is magnetic. That being said its possible the flux generates frequencies in the radar jamming range (1ghz-50ghz), while the Avatar link can be low frequency or high frequency and still unaffected by the flux.

A skeptic without a working knowledge of a subject matter is a fool :)

We try not to call other PF members fools. And I have a good knowledge of the subject matter, not sure why you think I wouldn't.

The obvious answer is that they are in different ranges. It's just too convenient. As you point out, it's not as simple as RF vs. magnetic; it's at least Rf versus radar, or whatever other EM freq the missile tracking systems use.

 

[cronxeh]

We try not to call other PF members fools. And I have a good knowledge of the subject matter, not sure why you think I wouldn't.

The obvious answer is that they are in different ranges. It's just too convenient. As you point out, it's not as simple as RF vs. magnetic; it's at least Rf versus radar, or whatever other EM freq the missile tracking systems use.

Obviously since you have a working knowledge, as well as the PF community, the comment wasn't aimed at you

I just think this movie is very plausible in every way and people saying negative comments are ruining the fantasy world!

Also, if you notice in the movie the 'suit' team had a working portable radar, or infrared, so the upper Ghz range is not affected by flux, and by symmetry I would assume the lower (1-900 Mhz) wasn't affected either - illogical, but nonetheless plausible

 

[leroyjenkens]

Do you read the same book over and over but maybe replace some names? People like fresh content, fresh ideas and twists. If you know what is going to happen, it's not as thrilling.

You don't know what's going to happen until you read it. Just because a book so far has resembled something else you've read, doesn't mean the rest of the book will. And two movies having the same premise doesn't mean they're carbon copies. The premise of Independence Day is the same as War of the Worlds. Do you automatically know all the details of both just from seeing one?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

You don't know what's going to happen until you read it. Just because a book so far has resembled something else you've read, doesn't mean the rest of the book will. And two movies having the same premise doesn't mean they're carbon copies.

Look, I liked the movie, but 15min in and I had the movie mapped in my head and it all came true.

 

[Q_Goest]

My daughter wants to see this one, so we'll probably go see it soon.

I've heard there's a lot of symbolism woven into the story. That's always a plus for me. Even better are layers - tell me a story about one thing but have hidden meaning throughout. Any symbolism? layering?

 

[cronxeh]

Speaking of symbolism.. The Na'vi only have 4 fingers, no ring finger. Perhaps they don't need rings to show their fidelity, and they mate for life compared to humans.

 

[leroyjenkens]

Look, I liked the movie, but 15min in and I had the movie mapped in my head and it all came true.

You can guess what's going to happen in any movie. I guessed what the twist ending for The Village would be, and I just happened to be correct. I hadn't seen any movies similar to The Village before, I just thought based on the director's proclivity towards twist endings, I thought that would be a likely scenario.

I had Avatar mapped in my head before I even saw the movie, just based on what I saw in the trailer. I thought of what would be the likely scenario and it just happened to be correct. It could have went a totally opposite way, but it didn't.

After years of watching movies, we all have an idea of how movies will go. We know it's almost guaranteed that it has to be a happy ending and based on what we knew of the storyline, even before we saw the movie (you could get the story from the trailer), we know there's not that many options for how that plot could end happily and fittingly.

Spoiler

I even predicted that he would change bodies at the end and the very last scene before the credits would be him in the other body opening his eyes. I just happened to be correct, but it's a fitting ending, so I'm happy with it. Just because I predicted it, doesn't take anything away from it.

I've heard there's a lot of symbolism woven into the story. That's always a plus for me. Even better are layers - tell me a story about one thing but have hidden meaning throughout. Any symbolism? layering?

That depends on the viewer. Some people may see this and think it represents that, or see something else and say there's a hidden meaning. The director may have made it completely straightforward, so you'd have to find out from him if you're basing it on the director's intentions.