AVATAR, the movie...

[jeffsg4mac]

Are we to conclude that your wife is hateful and war like ... like Jeff?

It's a joke !!! I love war too !!!

I only like it if we win of course!

I have read several articles by Vets that were insulted by Avatar and one goes on to say no Vet should even see this movie. Not so much anti-war as anti-soldier. Cameron is a jerk.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I only like it if we win of course!

I have read several articles by Vets that were insulted by Avatar and one goes on to say no Vet should even see this movie. Not so much anti-war as anti-soldier. Cameron is a jerk.

But I thought those guys were greedy mercinaries, and Jake (& some others) was a morally sound soldier.

It wasn't like the US military vs Pandor. Those heartless mercinaries did not represent the US military. It was a greedy company vs Pandor. That's what I saw.

 

[skizzerflake]

Well, no IMAX of this in my neighborhood
Almost saw it 20 miles away that has the Dolby 3D that I read was supposed to be great but they changed the start time on me
The local 3D is the RealD that we saw it in in Phoenix over the Christmas that didn't do anything for me

I guess people will see any number of messages in the film depending on what their subconscious decides, I guess. I saw Cameron's interview with a French newspaper guy. I agree with him that this can be any number of stories from today or from the planet's history or the universe's.The strong conquers or tries to conquer the weak. Avatar just happens to show a powerful modern army. What was Star Wars about but conquest?

The story behind Avatar (a threatened golden age culture, a garden of eden, etc) is as old as writing and probably much older than that. It's been used in different times and cultures as long as there have been humans. It's one of the most basic story lines there there is.

 

[mtrycrafts]

The story behind Avatar (a threatened golden age culture, a garden of eden, etc) is as old as writing and probably much older than that. It's been used in different times and cultures as long as there have been humans. It's one of the most basic story lines there there is.

Yes, and you see how people see it so differently

 

[jeffsg4mac]

But I thought those guys were greedy mercinaries, and Jake (& some others) was a morally sound soldier.

It wasn't like the US military vs Pandor. Those heartless mercinaries did not represent the US military. It was a greedy company vs Pandor. That's what I saw.

I guess people see things very different. I also don't like the anti-capitolist message you saw either. Both are offensive to me.

 

[Seth=L]

I guess people see things very different. I also don't like the anti-capitolist message you saw either. Both are offensive to me.

I'm not against capitalism, however I am against doing it at the expense of those that wanted no part of it and are basically used/abused/killed for it. The American Indian is a great example. White man came to America first as explorers, naturally curious. Then the powers that be turned curiosity to greed and the eventuality is that the indians got shafted royally.

Same thing in Avatar. Curious people visit a planet with intelligent life and naturally they think they just own the place because they found it. How would you react to an alien species discovering our planet then taken all our resources and destroying our way of life. I seriously doubt your reaction would be "Well, they are just doing what capitalists do, can't be mad at them for that." You'd be to arms and doing everything to defend your home is what you would be doing, even against overwhelming odds.

All that said, it's a movie, not reality. It's meant to be entertaining and it is. PRINT

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I'm not against capitalism, however I am against doing it at the expense of those that wanted no part of it and are basically used/abused/killed for it. The American Indian is a great example. White man came to America first as explorers, naturally curious. Then the powers that be turned curiosity to greed and the eventuality is that the indians got shafted royally.

Same thing in Avatar. Curious people visit a planet with intelligent life and naturally they think they just own the place because they found it. How would you react to an alien species discovering our planet then taken all our resources and destroying our way of life. I seriously doubt your reaction would be "Well, they are just doing what capitalists do, can't be mad at them for that." You'd be to arms and doing everything to defend your home is what you would be doing, even against overwhelming odds.

All that said, it's a movie, not reality. It's meant to be entertaining and it is. PRINT

I was going to write that similar example, but I got lazy.

Capitalism is great, but you gotta do it peacefully.

Those guys in Avatar did not do it peacefully.

 

[mtrycrafts]

But I thought those guys were greedy mercinaries, and Jake (& some others) was a morally sound soldier.

It wasn't like the US military vs Pandor. Those heartless mercinaries did not represent the US military. It was a greedy company vs Pandor. That's what I saw.

I am not sure I should post this as I may be pounded to bits
but here is an interesting war hero of yesteryears, 2 Medal of Honors, and one of his comments:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler

I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class thug for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.[11]



But, one can ready any part of the world's history into that film.

 

[jeffsg4mac]

I am not sure I should post this as I may be pounded to bits
but here is an interesting war hero of yesteryears, 2 Medal of Honors, and one of his comments:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler

I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class thug for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.[11]



But, one can ready any part of the world's history into that film.

After looking at it all on wiki, sounds like the guy turned into a kook. Because he believed thats what he was doing does not make it so. What I am saying is just because he was involved in some conflict and the sugar industry did well because of it; that does mean the conflict was started on behalf of the sugar industry. There have been others in the past that have made such claims, and they were usually proven to be kooks.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

*** WARNING ***

*** ONLY FOR THOSE WHO CARE ABOUT BOX OFFICE ***


Box Office Mojo as of Jan. 31, 2010:

Avatar Domestic: $594,472,000

Avatar Worldwide: $2,039,222,000

 

[jeffsg4mac]

*** WARNING ***

*** ONLY FOR THOSE WHO CARE ABOUT BOX OFFICE ***


Box Office Mojo as of Jan. 31, 2010:

Avatar Domestic: $594,472,000

Avatar Worldwide: $2,039,222,000

Yep and still holding steady at #21 after adjusting. I just threw that in for some perpesctive

 

[Quickley17]

Yep and still holding steady at #21 after adjusting. I just threw that in for some perpesctive

It was at 26 last weekend.

 

[skizzerflake]

It was at 26 last weekend.

Not too bad for a movie that's been out for a couple months. As I recall, GWTW has been out for 70 years. It's worth noting that all of the movies above Avatar and most of them below it in the top 100 have been released, had their run and then been re-released a number of times for decades. Avatar is the ONLY recent film in the top 25.

 

[jeffsg4mac]

21 or 26 I think it has just about reached it's peak and will most certainly not have the lasting power that some of those other movies have. In 10 years or less people will say Avatar? what the hell is that?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Only time will tell how "Great" a movie will become.

A lot of people say, "Gone With The Wind", "Casablanca", and a lot of other movies are great.

But I think Avatar is better than all of them. Cameron took a basic classic human story and REMADE it into an exciting, fun, and heart-warming movie.

Come to think of it, "Gone With The Wind", "Casablanca", "Home Alone", and most of the movies that are said to have better attendance than "Avatar" SUCKS.

 

[Alex2507]

James Cameron is a God.

With his help, Obama will be able to fix the universe.

... and beat back the conservative clones.

 

[KEW]

21 or 26 I think it has just about reached it's peak and will most certainly not have the lasting power that some of those other movies have. In 10 years or less people will say Avatar? what the hell is that?

The acting was blah and the plot was average. However the execution was stunning!
It will be interesting to see what legacy this formula can accomplish. If there are new releases that match or exceed Avatar's execution and add better acting and plot, it may well fall into obscurity; but I feel it definitely set a technical standard.
After this movie, my reflections were primarily on the imagery rather than the story.

 

[jliedeka]

The guy that did that great 70 minute review that shredded The Phantom Menace is back at it with a 20 minute review of Avatar.
(You Tube)

Jim

 

[Seth=L]

The guy that did that great 70 minute review that shredded The Phantom Menace is back at it with a 20 minute review of Avatar.
(You Tube)

Jim

That guy is hilarious. His "it puts the lotion on it's skin" voice makes me crack up.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I like AVATAR a lot, and I think it's the best movie ever made.

But I have to admit that YouTube review was hilarious! LMAO!!!