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

  • Thread starter Oerg
  • Start date
In summary: Na'vis only have 4. That has to mean something - it's not the sort of thing that would be an oversight.There are some flaws in the cloning process, but they are minor and don't really detour from the story. Overall, the movie was very entertaining, and I'm looking forward to seeing it again after the 24th.
  • #106
Chi Meson said:
And I did notice at the beginning of the film that the "marines" who were on the planet/moon were called "nothing more than mercenaries working for the corporation" (OWTTE). Cameron could have done a better job at heightening this distinction between these and "legitimate" marines.
Yes, this does change things, albeit subtlely. It would have helped to have this made more clear.
 
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  • #107
Chi Meson said:
And I did notice at the beginning of the film that the "marines" who were on the planet/moon were called "nothing more than mercenaries working for the corporation" (OWTTE). Cameron could have done a better job at heightening this distinction between these and "legitimate" marines.
Wasn't that the whole political message of the film though?
A savage indictment of the role of the Royal Marines in attacking the innocent American colonists in the 18Century?
 
  • #108
i STILL haven't watched it yet!:D
:(
 
  • #109
we_get_it.png
 
  • #110
mgb_phys said:
Wasn't that the whole political message of the film though?
A savage indictment of the role of the Royal Marines in attacking the innocent American colonists in the 18Century?
Out of all the "whap in you face" messages of this film, I have to say I did not see that particular one.

I saw the US corporate takeover of Hawaii all over this film (with the US Navy "observing and complacent"). The Navi people seemed to be visually and linguistically a deliberate blend of native Americans and Africans and Pacific Islanders.

I saw the ongoing corporate stripping of Alberta for tar-sand (not "Tarzan"), I saw the UK heavy-handed control over India, the Japanese control over "Indochina," the Brazilian devastation of the rainforest, the gold-dredges of Alaska, the poisoning of lake Baikal, the fish wipe-out of the Snake and Columbia rivers...

There is no end or beginning to examples of corporations/empires taking whatever they want from wherever they want. All you need is the monetary or military might, and the rationalization and justification will follow.
 
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  • #111
mgb_phys said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2y8Sx4B2Sk
Hah! I didn't even notice that typo (obviously) :duh:

I meant to say "...a maroon platoon of marines." Gosh, I feel silly.
 
  • #112
Chi Meson said:
Hah! I didn't even notice that typo (obviously) :duh:
The first rule of PF - everybody writes rouge by mistake
 
  • #113
mgb_phys said:
The first rule of PF - everybody writes rouge by mistake

I though the first rule was "don't date your sister."
 
  • #114
Chi Meson said:
I saw it again in digital 3D. I held my nose through the dippy dialog, but the amount of detail that came through in 3D was astounding. I noticed there wasn't so much "up close in your face" effects, but a lot more "deep into the distance" sensations. And all those tiny insects, which were only blurs in 2D, were all individual bugs whirling in circles throughout the depth of field.

I tried to see it this weekend but, the IMax 3D screens were sold out for the entire day. I guess I'll have to get the tickets online next time. I haven't seen a movie in 3D before so this should be a good first one. I'll watch for the bugs and other details. Thanks for the heads up.
 
  • #115
Very awesome, awesome movie...love it and with the success its having it will probably be made into a trilogy

James Cameron is a genius!
 
  • #116
Chi Meson said:
I though the first rule was "don't date your sister."
I always thought the first rule was
Never throw poo at a man holding a gun.
And the second rule was
Never stand beside someone throwing poo at a man holding a gun.
 
  • #117
Borg said:
I tried to see it this weekend but, the IMax 3D screens were sold out for the entire day. I guess I'll have to get the tickets online next time. I haven't seen a movie in 3D before so this should be a good first one. I'll watch for the bugs and other details. Thanks for the heads up.

You got into the same problem as me. I was planning to see it in IMAX with a friend on Saturday. Due to an amazing lack of foresight, we forgot to consider:

(1) That Avatar is currently the most popular movie.
(2) That there was only one IMAX 3D theatre in the city of Toronto.
(3) That the whole city of Toronto was going to converge on this one theatre.
(4) That we were planning to arrive at 3 p.m., 20 minutes before the start of the movie.
(5) That many people are going to have the same stupid plan as we did.

Guess what happened?
 
  • #118
ideasrule said:
(2) That there was only one IMAX 3D theatre in the city of Toronto.
Well it is a world class city !
 
  • #119
ideasrule said:
You got into the same problem as me. I was planning to see it in IMAX with a friend on Saturday. Due to an amazing lack of foresight, we forgot to consider:

(1) That Avatar is currently the most popular movie.
(2) That there was only one IMAX 3D theatre in the city of Toronto.
(3) That the whole city of Toronto was going to converge on this one theatre.
(4) That we were planning to arrive at 3 p.m., 20 minutes before the start of the movie.
(5) That many people are going to have the same stupid plan as we did.

Guess what happened?

You're in T.O., eh? We went to the Coliseum near Square One. It's also in Woodbridge at 400 and 7.
 
  • #120
Theres one in Brampton too, in Trinity Commons
 
  • #121
Gold Barz said:
Theres one in Brampton too, in Trinity Commons

Brampton. That's part of Mississauga, kind of like Cooksville, right? :-p
 
  • #122
DaveC426913 said:
Brampton. That's part of Mississauga, kind of like Cooksville, right? :-p

They wish they were part of Mississauga, we're too great of a city to be associated however. :smile:

I never knew that Toronto only had one 3D IMAX theatre... is that the Scotiabank Theatre... I'm pretty sure out near Wonderland there's another theatre.

Mississauga only has one too the one Dave spoke of near Square One but Oakville-Burlington border also has one now which isn't too far... I actually think it's closer than the one at Square One for me :smile:
 
  • #123
Nah Brampton and Mississauga are two different cities, they are right beside each other though
 
  • #124
Is there hidden meaning in Avatar? Seems to parallel the "Gaia hypothesis" very closely.
The Gaia hypothesis is an ecological hypothesis proposing that the biosphere and the physical components of the Earth (atmosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere) are closely integrated to form a complex interacting system that maintains the climatic and biogeochemical conditions on Earth in a preferred homeostasis. Originally proposed by James Lovelock as the Earth feedback hypothesis,
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_hypothesis

Maybe the author wants to make a point that all things on Earth are inter-related. My impression was that there could be a lot of ways of re-interpreting the movie, this being just one perspective.
 
  • #125
Gold Barz said:
Nah Brampton and Mississauga are two different cities, they are right beside each other though
It was a jibe. :devil: Don't Bramptonians have city-envy?

Q_Goest said:
Is there hidden meaning in Avatar? Seems to parallel the "Gaia hypothesis" very closely.

Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_hypothesis

Maybe the author wants to make a point that all things on Earth are inter-related. My impression was that there could be a lot of ways of re-interpreting the movie, this being just one perspective.
I think that is the surface-level obvious message. It's kind of too much a part of common philosophy to be worth much attention to those who like to pick apart movies. The idea is that there are more subtle but darker undertones to the movie that sneak in under our awareness. It is these that are interesting to discuss.
 
  • #126
Good to see that so many people are in the Toronto area! I'm from Richmond Hill and my friend is in Toronto proper, and the closest IMAX 3D theater to both of us (as well as the only one in Toronto proper) was the Scotiabank one downtown. I was thinking about going to the one in Vaughan, but that seemed too far from my friend's home. In hindsight, it would have been better to travel as far into the suburbs as possible instead of going downtown.

I may see this movie again when it's well past its peak. That would be my 3rd time watching it. Now I see why people watch movies 3 times: poor planning.
 
  • #127
I'm going to watch this movie later on tonight for the first time lol. I've been trying to go for the past couple weeks but no time really. I'm not going to be watching it IMAX 3D though. Whatever the other 3D option at the local theatre is is what I'll be watching. I don't mind though lol :smile:
 
  • #128
DaveC426913 said:
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.

:biggrin:
And this, 12 years ago:
IMDB said:
...the land lay covered in forests, where, from ages long past, dwelt the spirits of the gods. Back then, man and beast lived in harmony, but as time went by, most of the great forests were destroyed. Those that remained were guarded by gigantic beasts who owed their allegiances to the Great Forest Spirit...

Preceded by https://www.amazon.com/dp/0425032795/?tag=pfamazon01-20:
A Customer said:
On the planet Athshe, there is no word for war, there is no concept of murder, there is no language of hate. The world is one vast, green, gentle forest full of people who live between the world-time and the dream-time, who resolve their conflicts by means of ceremonial singing. Then the Terran League discovers Athshe's existence and a pattern of "colonization"-very similar to the exploitation of "primitive" cultures on Earth-begins to destroy the planet and its people; and, eventually, one young Athshean named Selver learns how to hate.
 
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  • #129
mgb_phys said:
The first rule of PF - everybody writes rouge by mistake

I think you meant "rogue", not "rouge". Everybody writes "rouge" by mistake.
 
  • #130
Borg said:
I tried to see it this weekend but, the IMax 3D screens were sold out for the entire day. I guess I'll have to get the tickets online next time. I haven't seen a movie in 3D before so this should be a good first one. I'll watch for the bugs and other details. Thanks for the heads up.

ideasrule said:
You got into the same problem as me. I was planning to see it in IMAX with a friend on Saturday. Due to an amazing lack of foresight, we forgot to consider:

(1) That Avatar is currently the most popular movie.
(2) That there was only one IMAX 3D theatre in the city of Toronto.
(3) That the whole city of Toronto was going to converge on this one theatre.
(4) That we were planning to arrive at 3 p.m., 20 minutes before the start of the movie.
(5) That many people are going to have the same stupid plan as we did.

Guess what happened?

Finally got IMAX 3D tickets for tomorrow. Looking forward to it.
 
  • #131
Borg said:
Finally got IMAX 3D tickets for tomorrow. Looking forward to it.

Only tomorrow?? Too late. Good seats are already gone. :-p
 
  • #132
Hmm the movie was ok... it wasn't as great as I was expecting with all the hype around it. As well the 3D didn't really make it any more impressive IMO. I could have just as easily watched it in 2D and felt the same way about the movie.
 
  • #133
Sorry! said:
it wasn't as great as I was expecting with all the hype around it.
Hype has become corporatized and funded.

In my world, hype is counter-productive; the more hype there is, the more suspicious I am.
 
  • #134
Sorry! said:
Hmm the movie was ok... it wasn't as great as I was expecting with all the hype around it. As well the 3D didn't really make it any more impressive IMO. I could have just as easily watched it in 2D and felt the same way about the movie.

Thats why you should watch the movie on opening. I pretty much stumbled into the movie theater because a couple of friends wanted to go to the movies. I had no expectations about the movie, did not see the trailers, and did not read any reviews.
 
  • #135
Sorry! said:
Hmm the movie was ok... it wasn't as great as I was expecting with all the hype around it. As well the 3D didn't really make it any more impressive IMO. I could have just as easily watched it in 2D and felt the same way about the movie.

Are you missing an eye or something?!

Edit:

Or did you sit too close to the screen? 3D is better in the middle-back area of the theater.
 
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  • #136
Do you have (uncorrected) myopia? I conveniently lost my prescription glasses on the day I went to see the movie, and that definitely made the far-away scenes less realistic. (It even made reality seem less realistic since I had gotten so used to having the glasses.)
 
  • #137
You realize that in 3 weeks this movie was out it already grossed $1.137 BILLION ?
 
  • #138
Finally saw it. Wow! :!)
 
  • #139
Borg said:
Finally saw it. Wow! :!)

The person sitting next to me in the movie theater asked if this is my first time. I said it's my second. The person said it's her third time.
 
  • #140
waht said:
The person sitting next to me in the movie theater asked if this is my first time. I said it's my second. The person said it's her third time.

I'm guessing that's not because of poor planning?
 

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