Unobtanium? Hallelujah Mountains? Tsayhalu?

Spoiler Alert: If you haven't seen Avatar, see it before you read this. Expect to hate it so you can see it with low expectations. I did. Thank goodness.

We watched Avatar last night, at home on our 36" TV, sans 3D, HD or the IMAX® experience. I expected to yawn through it. Worse, I was pretty sure I'd actually dislike it. Intensely.

For starters, I don't like James Cameron. I can't think of a reason why other than that he appears to be an egomaniac. Why I would dislike a fellow egomaniac is beyond me. You'd think we'd try to stick together. I've thoroughly enjoyed his other movies: Titanic, The Terminator, The Abyss, Aliens and True Lies, which was filmed in the Florida Keys (some of my friends had bit parts) and proved he has a wicked sense of humor.

But Avatar. Could a movie survive such a buildup, then survive a rep for smashing all box office records to date? Survive being called "Pocahontas with blue people"? Besides, any movie that has to rely on gimmicks must not be very good to begin with, right?

"It is hard to fill a cup that is already full." ~ Moat

Imagine my surprise when he had me at "When I was lying there in the VA hospital..." I was hooked from frame one. A good solid story told with an unbelievable imagination. The plants, the bugs, the people, the weapons, the animals, all fantastic, wondrously exotic. Whoa.

"Don't play with that. You'll go blind."
~ Dr. Grace Augustine

The animation was wicked good: expressions, attention to detail (Jake pulling at his new thong), movements, from batting at an angel to riding an Ikran, perfection. I was as thoroughly drawn into this as into any movie I've ever seen.

And I believed it. Even though it's complete fiction drawn with an imagination run amok, the action and characters still have to proceed along believable lines within the boundaries of the framework set forth. Avatar did not disappoint. I was afraid the moment would come when I'd have to throw up my hands and say, "That couldn't happen." Well, that didn't happen.

"When people are sitting on shit that you want, you make them your enemies, and then you can justify taking it away from them!"
~ Jarhead Jake Sully

Maybe Avatar hooked me because it's such a solidly anti-war movie. If there's one thing I would change about U.S. politics today, I'd pull us out of all entanglements and bring our tribe home. Every single one.

As I was researching the movie, looking for quotes, photos, etc., I came across a few blog posts, comments and forums. Apparently, some people feel Cameron did a disservice to our troops, depicting our military as relishing the battle. But of course they do. They must. Otherwise, how could they stomach what they are doing over there? Is there a Colonel Quaritch commanding our troops? You betcha. Likely more than one. If colonels and sergeants couldn't muster a righteous enthusiasm in their soldiers, who'd get out of bed in the morning? 

"Everything is backwards now, like out there is the true world, and in here is the dream."
~ Jake Sully

One of my favorite bits from the movie is the Omaticaya greeting: "I see you." Not like I see you standing in front of me, but I see into you, I understand you. I get you. Exquisite. What a concept. If the rest of us would take a moment to see each other, we'd live in peace.

And Happy Pi Day! I'm spending it watching Avatar. At least one more time.

Comments

[robin]

Bravo! I haven't seen it yet. :) Prob the only person on the planet. Thankfully it's still playing and we do intend to actually go to the theater and watch. I know. This 3D thing will actually get us into theater seats. Who would have thought.
We saw Alice in 3D last night. Wonderous. Beautiful. I'll never be able to appreciate a 2D film again I'm afriad. It's all ruined now and we will need to put theater going into the budget now I think.
This new tech rocks!
I'm pleased you enjoyed Avatar. I look forward to seeing it. Soon I hope!

[Saratica]

After seeing it in 2D, I'm curious to see it in 3D or even IMAX®. If I can see it cheap. I'm so cheap! (Good thing or I'd be out of money right about now, lol!) But this was good. Alice is here in 3D... maybe I'll actually go for $10.

[james]

I watch movies on line for free. Usually the quality is good and so it was with Avatar. I don't do this to save money. I do it because it is comfortable and because I do not tolerate the usual inconsiderate audience noise makers. In cinemas, people are either talking in loud voices as if they were the only people present or they are crunching popcorn and slurping drinks within earshot. It utterly ruins the viewing experience for me. I don't mind an occasional group gasp or laughter when the movie action warrants, but all the conversation and food consumption noises are a major distraction.

[Saratica]

Then you would hate movies in theatres in Costa Rica! Everyone talks. I hated it at first, but now I don't mind. Adds to the party atmosphere! And it's all "good clean fun" noise. But I rent to save money - you can rent a video for 7 days for about $2.40 or so. So... where do you watch movies online for free?

[deb]

Could not agree more...brilliant. Just hope sequels won't let us down. Daughter back in the states went to see Avatar in 3D Imax...she is easily prone to motion sickness so took a dramamine before hand! didn't help her, had to shut her eyes through the whole movie...sheeeesh. We watched a pirated copy on our tiny little 20" and still it was an entertainment joyride. I want to see it on bigscreen especially now that I get the plot, can then focus on the visual trippiness.

[Paul M.]

Hi Sally,

It took me a long time to go see this movie; I kept getting sidetracked by other stuff. But it looked like it was being pulled from about half of the houses here in Tampa two weeks ago so I went kwik to see it in 3-D before it got away. (Sadly it didn't sweep the awards, but got enough so that it will be around a few more weeks, I'm sure.)

Fortunately when I went it was still playing in an adjacent room in the same multi-cinema in Imax 3-D and everyone went to see it in there, so the 3-D house itself was empty and I had a private showing. It was well worth the wait.

I strongly recommend the 3-D experience with Avatar. But I also went into the Imax house afterwards to see the setup and apparently Imax 3-D is only 3:4 ratio, like TV -only a great huge image, not widescreen like what I sat thru.

Several folks I know had seen it both ways and each of them commented that the Imax version doesn't really add enough over the widescreen 3-D format to make the Imax version your first choice to see.

Just thought I'd pass this along and encourage you to see it in 3-D on the big screen before it gets away. It was breathtaking to see alll the detail that I'm sure will not be so apparent on a TV, even a big screen TV!

Cheers!

[Paul M.]

Oh, one thing more... If you paid attention to Avatar's plotline, it's not the US military threatening the Na'vi culture. It's military-like mercenaries. Even though many viewers have missed this detail, it is a significant plot point which has apparently allowed this movie to be acceptible to a much broader international (and domestic) audience overall.

JM2CE...
==

[Saratica]

Yes, I think I will make the leap and see it in 3D if/when I can.

I did get that detail when it was presented at the beginning, but of course, by the time we were into battle, forgot it.

To me, this is what we are really doing over "there" anyway. Most of the recruits have signed on to the military because it's the only job around. Since there's no declared war, we are mercenaries over there, fighting for control of the shit on which they sit. I think this is one of Cameron's brilliant details. Deep. Thanks for reminding me!

[Heidi]

I thought it was great too, and I also had low expectations. It was moving. I cried at the end. I ditto everything you wrote, esp., the anti-war message.

I saw it in 3D (definitely very fun to do) in Escazu and that was the first time I'd ever been to that huge mall. I felt like I had gone to the US for a day... First time I'd been to a movie theatre since 2008. It was a fun way to celebrate seeing something on the big screen again. I'd say if you have not seen it yet and it is still playing in theatres- GO! It's totally worth a trip to the movies.

[Nancy Ellis]

I see you :)Nancy