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The unOfficial "Avatar: Thread--James Cameron's next Project


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The unOfficial "Avatar: Thread--James Cameron's next Project
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jcoley2
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2009-08-20, 21:52

I have not seen a trailer yet in the theaters but heard about this plot and just watched the trailer--looks promising!

Official Apple Trailer

The plot summary:

Avatar, already being tipped for an Oscar, is set during the 22nd century on a small planet called Pandora. The martian land is inhabited by the Na'vi tribe, made up of ten-foot blue humanoids that are peaceful unless attacked. Humans cannot breathe Pandoran air, so they genetically engineer human/Na'vi hybrids known as Avatars that can be controlled via a mental link. But when a paralysed Marine, played by SAM WORTHINGTON, volunteers to exist as an Avatar on Pandora, he falls in love with a Na'vi princess and is caught in the conflict of her people and the human military consuming their world.

Seem pretty trippy. Comes out in December 2009.

Now that I got a job, I can buy more Apple products!
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709
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2009-08-20, 22:05

I watched the trailer a few times this morning, and, I don't know, it doesn't look to me like the CGI revelation that everyone was going on about. Mind, the animation looks pretty great*, but I was expecting something mind-blowing I guess. I should mention that I fucking hate the mo-cap stuff ala "Polar Express / Beowulf," and this just looks like a better execution of that, but still not believable.

I don't know. I'll have to see it to be sure, by my excitement meter upon seeing the trailer held at a steady "meh."

District 9 ruined all CGI for me for the foreseeable future.


* The world and machinery looks great. The characters looks like a Disney movie circa 2012 to be perfectly honest.

So it goes.
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curiousuburb
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2009-08-21, 06:16

In 2D it looks pretty impressive, but the whole point is supposed to be the new 3D technology and cameras Cameron waited for/helped develop.
He seems convinced (from the interviews I've read) that the immersion of 3D alters the whole experience... 'revolutionary' was thrown down.

Sadly, the number of theatres capable of displaying it as intended is tiny. Only a few % currently... perhaps a few more by December.
The BBC story last night said it was $80,000 to upgrade a cinema to take advantage of the 3D... until there's enough content in the pipeline to support it, I'm guessing most cinema owners won't invest, and it'll be a struggle to find a cinema that does it justice.

Small town viewers may say meh, while those who see it in full gee-whiz 3D cinemas may have a radically different experience.
Lots of pans and tracking shots that seem built to show depth of field, and thankfully few gratuitous 'projectile towards screen' shots that hark back to hokey old school 3D.

Looks like lots of attention to trippy detail, though.

All those who believe in telekinesis, raise my hand.

Last edited by curiousuburb : 2009-08-21 at 06:26.
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jcoley2
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2009-08-21, 06:20

Quote:
Originally Posted by curiousuburb View Post
The BBC story last night said it was $80,000 to upgrade a cinema to take advantage of the 3D... until there's enough content in the pipeline to support it, I'm guessing most cinema owners won't invest, and it'll be a struggle to find a cinema that does it justice.
Wow, had no idea. you are right--no theater could justify that. What about IMAX, though?
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benkraft
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2009-08-21, 07:14

Just tried watching it from Apples Trailer website and keep getting an Error 47: Invalid URL.
Does anyone know what might be causing that? It seems to happen with all of the trailers on Apple's site for me. I've already re-installed QT and made sure it's allowed through the Windows Firewall... Any ideas?
Thanks!

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Edna Crabtree
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2009-08-21, 08:18

AVATAR was heralded as a 'game changer.' So why does it look like Delgo meets Ferngully at Jar-Jar's house? I guess I'm not feeling the excitement with this yet. Still, Titanic was predicted to be an absolute debacle and I *awaits razzing* liked that movie. So I give Cameron a free pass and I'll be there opening week. Might look revolutionary in 3D.

Or could be Captain EO. Who knows.
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Edna Crabtree
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2009-08-21, 08:19

AVATAR was heralded as a 'game changer.' So why does it look like Delgo meets Ferngully at Jar-Jar's house? I guess I'm not feeling the excitement with this yet. Still, Titanic was predicted to be an absolute debacle and I *awaits razzing* liked that movie. So I give Cameron a free pass and I'll be there opening week. Might look revolutionary in 3D.

Or could be Captain EO. Who knows.
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Moogs
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2009-08-21, 12:35

Looks like it has an interesting story line at least... kind of reminds me of Myst or something the way the worlds look. Curious too to know if the current "available in IMAX 3D" theaters will do it justice?

...into the light of a dark black night.
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Eugene
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2009-10-31, 10:00

The new trailer reveals much more about the story and the characters/sides involved. Like the Star Trek trailer, this one has me excited again.
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jcoley2
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2009-10-31, 10:09

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eugene View Post
The new trailer reveals much more about the story and the characters/sides involved. Like the Star Trek trailer, this one has me excited again.
Yes, just watched it. Basically gives you the plot line. Very very interesting. . .
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psmith2.0
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2009-10-31, 10:13

Where can I watch this new, full trailer? I've seen the vague teaser, but is the new full one online yet? I've poked around my usual places (Apple, AICN, etc.).

Or are you guys seeing it at the theater?
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Eugene
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2009-10-31, 10:14

http://www.avatarmovie.com/

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809804784/video
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psmith2.0
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2009-10-31, 10:25

Yeah, I just found it here, too.

Always nice to see Sigourney Weaver (and as a redhead ).

Looks great, but stuff like this (sprawling, dense sci-fi and high-level eye candy) usually isn't my cup of tea. I've got no true, genuine desire to see it (I've not been following it, talking about it, waiting for it, etc. like many have). That might change in December, if I'm hearing good word-of-mouth reviews and praise. But, viewing the teaser and now the full trailer (which does explain stuff, finally), it just looks like a video game. And I'm just not really into that stuff.

Looks like some of those "Episode III" scenes on Chewbacca's home planet. Doesn't look real (but I realize I'm not viewing it as intended). But it still looks cartoonish/video game-ish.

Plus, the hype and build-up tend to put me off because I've seen it (dozens of times) build up, and lead, to absolutely nothing.

But James Cameron has a better track record than most, I'll give him that. I've enjoyed his "big four": "Aliens", "Terminator 2", "True Lies" and "Titanic", so maybe I'll wind up seeing this at some point, and it'll be better than I think...



It did take me 7-8 years to get around to seeing "Titanic", so I doubt I'll be standing in any geeky lines come December.

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thegeriatric
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2009-10-31, 10:30

Quote:
Originally Posted by pscates2.0 View Post
Yeah, I just found it here, too.

Always nice to see Sigourney Weaver (and as a redhead ).

But, viewing the teaser and now the full trailer (which does explain stuff, finally), it just looks like a video game. And I'm just not really into that stuff.
Have to agree, exactly my thoughts. Well apart from the Sigourney Weaver bit. But I can see where you're coming from!
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Moogs
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2009-10-31, 11:14

Checking out the new trailers in HD I still have to say... there's a little bit of over-satured-and-too-perfect-looking-CGI going on here. Doesn't look organic in those flying battle scenes. Had the same thought as Scates: Gungan-wars all over again. That said the plot looks about 10x more interesting than anything George Lucas has done with his preqrap trilogy.

Will probably rent or PPV this one unless reviews are outstanding and either way I'll be going alone. No way my wife will want to watch this one...

...hey, what was the verdict on District 9 (speaking of sci-fi movies), that being a much more organic looking thing I was interested but never got around to seeing it. Thumbs Up?

...into the light of a dark black night.
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Dave
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2009-10-31, 13:43

Quote:
Originally Posted by Moogs View Post
...hey, what was the verdict on District 9 (speaking of sci-fi movies), that being a much more organic looking thing I was interested but never got around to seeing it. Thumbs Up?
I thought it was quite good. But it's a "makes you think" movie, not an "entertainment" movie. My friend & his wife were expecting entertainment and hated it.
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Moogs
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2009-10-31, 19:02

I don't mind makes you think as long as there's some good effects and a little bit of drama / action mixed in. A 70/30ratio in favor of think is pretty good. What would be bad is if it's like Syriana which is a 90/10 think-to-action ratio when it should've been more like 70/30.

...into the light of a dark black night.
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Dave
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2009-11-01, 05:20

I haven't seen, or even heard of, Syriana, so I can't make a comparison.
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Eugene
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2009-11-01, 05:45

Quote:
Originally Posted by Moogs View Post
Checking out the new trailers in HD I still have to say... there's a little bit of over-satured-and-too-perfect-looking-CGI going on here. Doesn't look organic in those flying battle scenes. Had the same thought as Scates: Gungan-wars all over again. That said the plot looks about 10x more interesting than anything George Lucas has done with his preqrap trilogy.
It's a stylistic choice to show the extreme differences in industrial humankind vs. the unspoiled nature on Pandora. The bright colors of the various organisms are a stretch, but I don't think the actual landscapes are too far out there. We're too used to living in our industrialized country to notice that there are very vibrant colors out there...not just in the tropics either. And who's to say there isn't a fertile planet out there with even more saturated colors than Earth? Think of what an inhabitant of a barren planet like Mars would think when he first stepped foot anywhere on Earth.
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2009-11-01, 07:32

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eugene View Post
It's a stylistic choice to show the extreme differences in industrial humankind vs. the unspoiled nature on Pandora.
Bingo.
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Moogs
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2009-11-01, 09:28

It's less the landscapes than the pixel-perfect looking skin, eyes, etc of the big inhabitants of the island. They don't look real from where I sit.
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ezkcdude
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2009-11-01, 10:26

That's the famous uncanny valley effect.

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Moogs
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2009-11-01, 11:14



That graphic is right up there with the Caring Continuum. Not sure I'm buying it though. I know a video game character when I see one.
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billybobsky
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2009-11-01, 12:24

The alien characters look like cartoons. It's true.

Their movements aren't sinewy enough if you know what I mean...

I still think the textures of the skin are wrong -- CGI still has yet to capture oily skin, or any surface that has dynamic variations in reflectivity...
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Eugene
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2009-11-01, 12:38

Quote:
Originally Posted by billybobsky View Post
I still think the textures of the skin are wrong -- CGI still has yet to capture oily skin, or any surface that has dynamic variations in reflectivity...
Seems like they added special details for close-ups, because in some of the headshots they faces are very detailed down to the pores.
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Moogs
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2009-11-01, 19:35

Just saw it on TV and it actually looked less plastic-like on my 720p 42" screen than it did on my LCD monitor at 720p. May be a function of how large the screen is too, to some degree. Although with these digital cinemas, no idea. It might actually look less plastic-like on a traditional cinema screen / projector. Also I think there are such subtle lip movements with normal dialog that we normally perceive but don't register, that when we see lips moving that are even 1% off in their timing or flexion, we know it's wrong.

...into the light of a dark black night.
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Argento
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2009-11-02, 08:06

My take? It looks like Very Pretty CGI Ewoks vs. The Empire
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spotcatbug
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2009-11-02, 14:08

Is the entire movie CGI? Because, if it is, then I don't know what trailer you guys are watching. A lot of the shots where there were just humans doing normal stuff looked absolutely, OMG real to me.

I'm wondering if the parts that don't look real simply don't look real because you're brain just knows that it couldn't be real. Your eyes see giant blue aliens flying in spaceships. Your brain says, "That's CGI, dummy!" Your eyes see a guy in a wheelchair rolling through a bar. Brain says, "Don't over-think it. It's a guy in a wheelchair rolling through a bar."

Ugh.
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ezkcdude
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2009-12-10, 20:10

Thought I'd bump this. Avatar's getting some great buzz. I had a feeling. That James Cameron knows his movie stuff.
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Robo
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2009-12-10, 20:42

I don't know what I think about Avatar's prognosis.

The budget has been estimated at anywhere from $250-500 million. Anything above $300 million would make it the most expensive movie ever (beating Pirates 3). With that sort of budget, it doesn't have to be a hit, it has to be a phenomenon. Does it have that large an audience? Does it have a audience larger than Pirates, for that matter?

Some people are saying it's going to be the next Titanic, but it just isn't. Titanic had incredibly wide appeal -- it was essentially a love story with a disaster film in the middle. It offered the proverbial "something for everyone." Titanic dramatized an already-dramatic event that was already in the cultural consciousness. Avatar is a sci-fi story set on another planet. Is it really going to have the same human element? I mean, Titanic's biggest day for tickets was Valentine's Day, months after opening. Avatar doesn't strike me as...that sort of movie.

Avatar's draw arguably isn't even the story or characters at all, it's the visual effects. That's what the hype is about -- just look about what we've talked about in this thread. And some people are going to see it just because they want to see what the hype is about, technology-wise. But will your average movie-goer -- who only just bought an HDTV, and is still watching DVDs on it -- know or care about it being an alleged technical milestone?

All it will take is a few reviews to say that it looks fantastic but the characters are boring and the dialogue is dry and they will have lost the mass market (the portion that still reads reviews, that is). "Buzz" can quickly change directions. (By the way, all those things were criticisms of Titanic. That didn't sink Titanic, but then again viewers had a super-dramatic love story with heartthrob actors to distract them. Will they care enough about the plight of aliens to give this film the same chance?)

If you read any interview about Avatar ever, it's obvious that Cameron's passion seems to be about the amazing 3D technology. Everything else seems almost an afterthought.

Did anyone see the Avatar-themed episode of Bones? It was as desperate as it sounds. I think there's a reason they haven't told us the budget: It was high, higher than expected, and now they're worried they might not make a huge profit. (I'm not saying they won't make any profit, mind. I think they will. But a film is typically expected to earn back it's pre-marketing production budget in its theatrical run in the United States and Canada alone. I'm not sure if they'll make that.)

I hope Avatar is a success, but, well, it's a spectacle film. You know how I feel about those.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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