James Cameron's 'Avatar' - The next gen of cinema

Soldato
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Ahhh... So you haven't actually seen the film? Oh sorry, from your comment of "stereotypical and utterly predictable plot" I thought you actually knew what you were talking about, rather than just playing the "30 second bunnies" card :)

Let's see then...

Shawshank Redemption - "Innocent guy gets thrown into prison." How stereotypical and utterly predictable!

Star Wars - "Goodies blow up some baddies." How stereotypical and utterly predictable!

12 Angry Men - "A jury with a seemingly guilty man, find him innocent." How stereotypical and utterly predictable!

Terminator - "Bad robot comes back through time to kill the goodies." How stereotypical and utterly predictable!

Wow! This is fun :)


Maybe, just maybe though, it's the detail between the lines that's the important bit... And not just the premise to the story?


As for your final comment, "Just because Titanic made lots of money doesn't mean it was good cinema." Clearly it WAS good cinema (at least for the time) as voted for by people wallets :)


Quoted for truth!


Predictable cinema in unavoidable these days esp in scifi, its how well the charictors tell the storys that matters.

Im a scifi fan so for me men on a space ship flying through space encountering life that may not be so friendly is about as "How stereotypical and utterly predictable!" as you can get. Still made some of the best movies ive ever seen though.

At the end of the day a good direcotor and a cast of actors that interact well and are good at what they can do can take a plot line that has been done too a thousand deaths and still grip you for 90 minutes. but you really have to watch the movie first to know weather they have accomplished this.

One thing you rally cant take as gossple is the word of a critic!
 
Caporegime
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Ahhh... So you haven't actually seen the film? Oh sorry, from your comment of "stereotypical and utterly predictable plot" I thought you actually knew what you were talking about, rather than just playing the "30 second bunnies" card :)

Of course I know what I'm talking about; the entire plot has been almost completely given away by the trailers. There can't be much more to know about it.

Let's see then...

Shawshank Redemption - "Innocent guy gets thrown into prison." How stereotypical and utterly predictable!

Star Wars - "Goodies blow up some baddies." How stereotypical and utterly predictable!

12 Angry Men - "A jury with a seemingly guilty man, find him innocent." How stereotypical and utterly predictable!

Terminator - "Bad robot comes back through time to kill the goodies." How stereotypical and utterly predictable!

Wow! This is fun :)

Nice try, but no cigar for you. The movies you've listed have plot twists, new angles, different stories; they actually brought something new to the table. What does Avatar have to offer except tired old cliches? Unless you can honestly tell me that the bad guys win and the good guys lose, it'll be a paint-by-numbers dumbflick from start to finish. Hell, even the reviewers that liked it, are criticising the plot. Doesn't that tell you something?

Maybe, just maybe though, it's the detail between the lines that's the important bit... And not just the premise to the story?

Sure, that's absolutely right. So let's look at Avatar: big nasty corporation wants to subdue the noble savages; soldier from big nasty corporation falls in love with noble savage and changes sides in an attempt to save her and her people. Hey ho, it's Dances with Wolves on an alien planet! Gee, I'm impressed. :rolleyes:

As for your final comment, "Just because Titanic made lots of money doesn't mean it was good cinema." Clearly it WAS good cinema (at least for the time) as voted for by people wallets :)

No. Good cinema is not merely determined by financial success. There's plenty of junk out there which sells, but just because it sells doesn't mean it has artistic merit. Porn flicks sell by the millions every year, but how many of them have won Oscars?
 
Associate
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I went to see Beowulf in 3D at the Imax and was amazed, it felt like I was in the movie, watching what was going on from behind a rock or hiding in the bushes. Or like I was on a rollercoaster during the action sequences. Maybe its not for everyone but it really worked for me and I cant wait until 3D home cinema and gaming become mainstream.

Now combine that 3D with the best action director of all time using state of the art CG technology and giving him free reign to put the camera anywhere he likes without any technical limitations.

Add to that the pure escapist fantasy story of a man confined to a wheelchair who gets to become a lithe 10 foot athlete in paradise, who gets the girl and saves the world, usual blockbuster fantasy fare. Actually, not usual, as it does appear to have a heart and morality in there too, along with gunships and giant monsters woohoo! No-ones expecting The Godfather though.

Add in one of the best composers in the business for the soundtrack.

Put it all together and its going to be an awesome spectacle. Maybe or maybe not redefining cinema, but certainly moving action blockbusters a long way on from the the recent poor offerings we've seemed to buy into.

And if your saying porn isnt art because it doesnt win Oscars, how about Titanic, which won bucket loads.

One week tomorrow till I see it and I cant wait.
 
Caporegime
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And if your saying porn isnt art because it doesnt win Oscars, how about Titanic, which won bucket loads.

That's not what I'm saying. Some porn might indeed have artistic merit (though I argue that most does not). I am simply saying that just because something sells doesn't mean it has artistic merit.

Yes, Titanic won bucket loads of Oscars. Sometimes the Oscar judges are sucked into the hype. There was nothing special about that movie. It doesn't even hold a candle to A Night to Remember (1958) which is a cracking film despite being black and white, and has the added advantage of historical accuracy. Cameron's movie is just a teenage sob story about two kids who have sex with each other on a boat that happens to be sinking.
 
Associate
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That's not what I'm saying.

Heh, I know you weren't, but you did make the comparison between the Oscars and artistic merit. For what its worth Titanic is my least favourite Cameron film and you could easily chop off the first hour or so, but once the iceberg strikes it picks up enormously.

And like it or not, adding that huge love element to it got the ladies in and helped make it the massive success it was.

Think hes trying the same with Avatar, and with all the comparisons with Dances with Wolves, dont forget that was another big Oscar winner.
 
Soldato
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That shows a shocking lack of imagination.



:p



Not what i was trying to get across, the point i was trying to make was that a great plot is a great plot, there arnt that many so id rather have a done to death plot by a great director who uses it to tell a great story than a daring new plot that stinks of fail and destroys what could have been a great movie.

A film does not have to be a bad one just because it has a story that has been told many times before. id love each film to be a brand new plot never before seen but theres only so many good storys to be told.
 
Soldato
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Of course I know what I'm talking about; the entire plot has been almost completely given away by the trailers. There can't be much more to know about it.
Stop being a numpty :rolleyes:

You've seen the trailer, so you know every twist, turn, character and piece of dialog in the film? :)

For goodness sake...

Nice try, but no cigar for you. The movies you've listed have plot twists, new angles, different stories; they actually brought something new to the table. What does Avatar have to offer except tired old cliches? Unless you can honestly tell me that the bad guys win and the good guys lose, it'll be a paint-by-numbers dumbflick from start to finish. Hell, even the reviewers that liked it, are criticising the plot. Doesn't that tell you something?

I don't know who wins... I suspect the goodies do. But I suspected much the same when I saw True Lies, Star Wars, The Matrix, Aliens, Terminator and a mountain of other films... Didn't mean I didn't enjoy the ride...

I've not seen 'Avatar', and my crystal ball isn't as good as yours, so I really don't care to comment on the 'ride' it offers. Why not wait until you've seen it until you start throwing mud?
 
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Soldato
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I dunno why the script premise matters so much in this movie. The special effects ARE a major factor and the visuals are a major selling point.

This type of film (like Titanic) has never been achieved before from a technological standpoint. I also don't get the arguments against CGI seeing as about 1% of movies have it. There are plenty of independent movies being made every year (most are bad admittedly) that no-one bothers to watch that could never afford to use CG.
 
Soldato
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Just watched the little T4 'Documentary' on this, and now I'm super super hyped.

I think I might have to bring a helmet, because It's going to blow my mind.

Well, it is the most expensive film of all time, from one of the greatest scifi/adventure flick directors, using the most upto date cutting edge film technology. So it's going to get hyped :)

+ They've got 1/2 a billion dollars to recoup :)
 
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