Pocohantas - Avatar Mashup

CFV 426 - Avatar/Pocahontas Mashup FINAL VERSION from Randy Szuch on Vimeo.

Hat tip: Awards Daily

How Avatar Should Have Ended

James Cameron wants Kathryn Bigelow to win the Oscar

 

Who wants Kathryn Bigelow to win the Oscar for The Hurt Locker?  Her ex-husband James Cameron, that's who.  In a very gracious statement, the Avatar director said about the nominations today:

"I always believe it's very unlikely that lightning will strike twice. I believe it's very unlikely that we will win because I made such a jackass out of myself last time. Although there might be some curiosity about what I might do. The Hurt Locker is a very, very strong picture. Of the contenders, it's definitely the strongest. Certainly it's Kathryn's moment. I would happily lose to her. I've already got one of those damn statues. I'd be pissed off if somebody else won, but I wouldn't mind if she won."

And at least he knows that King of the World thing got old very fast.

Hat tip:  Perez Hilton

Avatar - Mini-Review

I saw Avatar this weekend in 3D and it totally lived up to the hype.  We couldn't get into the IMAX showing, but I just couldn't wait to see this movie.  In a word, the movie is simply amazing, and incredibly beautiful.  Avatar does what movies should do -- it transported me to a different world.  The 3D was mostly subtle, and made me feel that I was truly in that forest on the planet of Pandora.

The story was a bit of Dances With Wolves in space, but James Cameron makes movies for the main stream audience.  My husband was deriding Titanic as we waited for the movie to begin, but I love that movie and all it's hokey plot lines.  James Cameron delivers something for everyone.  A little romance, a little action, stuff blowing up, and visuals that just plain stun.

The way that the motion capture and animation totally immersed me in the story, and never left me doubting these blue Na'vi 10 foot tall beings were real is just amazing.  I felt walking out of that movie like I did after seeing the first Matrix film with all the bullet time effects.  I had just seen something totally new, and game changing.  And I wasn't the only one.  Here's what Steven Spielberg said after seeing Avatar:

Steven Spielberg: “The last time I came out of a movie feeling that way it was the first time I saw Star Wars.” … “The most evocative and amazing science-fiction movie since Star Wars.”

This is a movie not based on a comic book, or a toy, or a sequel or spin off of something else.  The movie plot may be predictable, but it's an original movie, which seems very unusual these days.  I just love how the production team just let their imaginations run wild.  The planet of Pandora is full of visual surprises, and it's all fresh and new.

Sam Worthington was the best thing about Terminator Salvation as the Terminator who didn't believe he wasn't human.  He was very good here, and he's certainly an up and comer.  I was pleasantly surprised at what a large role Sigourney Weaver has in Avatar.  I thought she'd be not much more than a cameo, but she is in most of the movie and it's just great seeing her again.  Giovanni Ribisi twirled his mustache amusingly, too. 

The biggest disappointment in the film is the villain, the military Colonel played by Steve Lang.  As my husband said, he's too much of an archetype.  He's like a stock character, with no other motivation than, I'm military and bad ass therefore I get my way and enjoy killing people for the fun of it.  A wee bit of depth with him would have helped.

Even with that flaw, I give Avatar a resounding 4 stars.  See it on a big screen, and definitely in 3D.  It is an experience not to be missed.  This film could even garner best picture this year, making James Cameron king of the world again.  He should be lauded for what is a stunning achievement in film. 

Avatar TV Spot during Glee

This played during Glee on Fox this week, taking up an entire commercial break. At first, I couldn't think of the connection between a musical high school show and a sci-fi movie, and then the trailer began with the soldier in the wheelchair. The entire episode of Glee had been about the character, Artie, who is in a wheelchair and all the other characters were using wheelchairs to see what his life was like. Very clever marketing! There are a few new scenes that we had not previously scene in the trailers.

Avatar International Trailer

The Thai version of the international trailer for Avatar. We get quite a bit more of an idea of the story from this trailer.

It's Avatar Day

Are you like me, and you didn't score tickets to the 16 minute Avatar preview at IMAX theaters today? Well, we've got a trailer. Check it out on Apple in HD to see it the way it really should be experienced (for those of us without an IMAX theater in our homes - lol). And here's the Avatar movie website. James Cameron's film opens this December 18th.