Avatar.

Thanks Tony. I was thinking of going and based on your review I now will. In fact we offered to take the kids last weekend, thinking they would be dead keen to go, but they vetoed it. Instead, we had to endure Alvin and the Chipmunks 2.

We got as far as ordering 2-4-1 Orange Wednesday, got to the Cinema and it was queuing out the door, we left.
Looking into seeing it at the IMAX.

I saw it yesterday in 3D with my 21 and 19 year old children

We all really enjoyed it and the 3D effects add to the action without being too in your face (if you'll excuse the pun).

We went to Oxford at 12.30 so no queues and noisy children. I suspect the bigger the screen the better. 3D will work best when you only see the movie in your peripheral vision - not the side walls of the cinema.

It is a very good movie but a bit too long at 162 and editing could have been tighter - nevertheless one to see - and when the queues settle I'm off to see it a monster screen

Enjoy - John

Saw it on Sat night with the missus... first time in AGES I can remember walking into a cinema after the first week of a showing and still struggling to find a seat.

Even sitting in the front row, which I normally consider WAY to close, the 3D was convincing and allowed us to immerse ourselves in this absolute delight of a movie.

four thumbs up!

Fantastic film.

The last time I was blown away by such a ground breaking visual feast was the Matrix in 1999.

It was certainly very immersive and one to see in a cinema on as big a screen as possible.
I am sure it would not be as enjoyable in 2d on the telly, a lot of the experience would be lost.
Bit of a headache by the end though!
Simon

Mrs JWM normally HATES anything sci-fi. She absolutely LOVED this film (3D), and was the one who volunteered an opinion that she thought it was a ground-breaking movie in the way that Star Wars was when it first came out (albeit both having derivitive story lines). I concur heartily.

The modern 3-D glasses, even when worn over normal specs (not ideal), were really good.

I enjoyed it very much. A very impressive visual epic. It was quite disappointing that JC didn't take more risks with the storyline, which was very predictable. The characters were stereotypical, but well acted. CGI N'avi were stunning. I also liked the confluence of Sigourney's Ripley and Jane Goodall roles. A nice little in-joke.

The 3D worked very well and added more in impact than it took away in distraction.

We're taking the kids again (they've not yet seen it 3D) this weekend.

Just to be different - I thought it was the most average film Cameron has made.

Glad I saw it at the cinema, won't be buying the DVD.

I would recommend everyone to go and see it, it is a technical tour de force.

I thought the use of 3D was subtle and effective.

The story was in two halves, the first engrossing, the second disappointing.

I won't go into any further detail - or else this will need spoilers warning.

M

Do those who liked the film like Cameron's other films, Aliens, Terminator 1 & 2, Titanic, The Abyss?

I am likely to be impressed by the effects, but would rather watch a making of, as I work in computer effects. Sitting through lots of them, as like being at work, and not something I enjoy very much in a film.

I am just trying to gauge why people like the film, or Cameron's films in general, a couple I have hugely enjoyed, especially the two Terminator films he directed, but others just seemed like a formula run through with expensive effects on top. I have only tried watching Titanic once, and channel flicked through it to make it bearable.

Seeing Terminator 2 at the cinema was rather like seeing Tangerine Dream in the early 80's, I was blown away by what technology could achieve in combination with creativity. Both did something that was hard to comprehend could be possible, I had never seen shape changing, liquid metal, killer robots, or heard the kind of sound that Tangerine Dream generated in those days, and it was exhilarating.

I have no problem with people enjoying computer effects and lively action, just as well as it sometimes pay the bills, but from a personal point of view I am interested to gauge what is the appeal of Avatar, spectacle, plot, character, good straight fast paced action, or all of these?

Saw it last weekend with my wife, great movie. Yes, the story line is predictable but the special effects are amazing.

quote:

Originally posted by JamieL_v2:
Do those who liked the film like Cameron's other films, Aliens, Terminator 1 & 2, Titanic, The Abyss?

T1, T2, Aliens - OK. The other two sucked IMHO.

quote:

....what is the appeal of Avatar, spectacle, plot, character, good straight fast paced action, or all of these?

Spectacle and action. Plot and character, less so.

I've seen it twice now, both in 3D. Enjoyed it a second time, too.

Thanks for the reply, my gut feeling is to give it a miss, as I am very much in a plot and character mood for films at the moment, but it is good to see a film can still excite through spectacle, as I was starting to feel that we had reached a point where we had 'seen it all'.

I went to see it over Christmas, knowing nothing about it other than it was crammed with CGI. I wanted to see a 3D movie so this seemed as good as any.

I have to say I thought it was awesome. As the story unravelled it was fairly quickly apparent that it was a mish-mash of ideas, many of which were fairly corny (much as mentioned above in the original Star Wars), but by that time I didn't care - I was totally drawn into the world not just in a gosh-look-at-that-thingy-drifting-into-the-audience sort of way but emotionally too.

I have no idea now whether I'd feel the same way had I seen the 2D version, but the bottom line is I don't care - I just enjoyed it for what it was. Call me shallow!

3D is coming to Sky this year. Can't see it taking off - now almost everyone who wants one has a pretty new HD ready flat screen, so only a few enthusiasts will buy the new TV, and will 3D be as impressive on a domestic screen - even my 50" looks too small!

Will football and movies be enough of a temptation or perhaps Sky should think about making presents of 3D cameras to the leading porn studios ;-)