Avatar

I find that I go to the movies more and more, expecting to see art that will expand my horizons regarding a subject or idea; something that will allow me to see in a new light, the relationships that we build in life and our reasons for doing the things we do. It is rare that I go and see a movie, let alone find a good one, that is just a pure, fun escape from reality. Once again Mr. James Cameron fails to disappoint with his latest triumph: Avatar.

Avatar is a futuristic space movie, and I was a little scared going in that there would be some sort of intergalactic senate or some other form of space politics that I wouldn't really care to follow, but this movie kept it damn simple. They explain how everything works within the first twenty minutes or so, and while keeping it simple as far as the story goes, they show you so many details that your imagination can run wild. It feels very much like 2001 A Space Odyssey, in that you look at the machinery and can tell that everything in the world was done with a purpose. Each creature, machine, or environment you can dissect to the smallest level; blades of grass and leaves have beautiful textures and flow to their movement; it is incredible. At the same time you could point your standard 65mm camera at a lush patch of greenery on a windy day and get the same effect; having said that, Mr. Cameron is trying to reinvent the wheel here, so yeah.

As the box office numbers keep rolling in, it is clear that Mr. Cameron has an unprecedented hit on his hands, and it is clear why. Say what you will about his films, Titanic wasn't my personal favorite, but Terminator 1 & 2, Aliens, The Abyss, and True Lies... This is a director that knows how to keep cinema fun!

There are no weird sub-plots to follow to anything like that, it is just straight old fashioned hero's journey type stuff. The characters are very stock, and each one follows their respective character archtype to a tee, but they are well acted, and very likeable. The viewer can just sit back and take in the gorgeous visuals without having to be bothered by a complex story or a surprise ending. If you want a surprise go see Sixth Sense, actually don't; Bruce Willis is dead, that's the big surprise.

Some people may be reading this blog's title, and think 'There is nothing elitist about this film. Why would the author choose to write about this mainstream film?'

"Fuck you. That's Why"

A Day at the Previews

Oh previews, how I love previews. The cornerstone of the theatre going experience. Today, I went to go see the blockbuster hit Avatar (in Imax 3d of course), and was greeted with a whole slew of new previews that just had me tickled!

1) Some silly movie about with Greek mythical gods that looks like Harry Potter
I don't remember the title of this film, and I typed into google "new zeus movie" but got no results, so I just sort of stopped looking. Basically this movie looks like one of the Harry Potter movies (and it appears to have based on a book as the film was titled "so-and so's magical greek academy movie"). This movie looks like it would keep my nephew or niece entertained if I had either.

2) Knight and Day

Now perhaps it was because I was gearing up to see a James Cameron spectacular, but
this action thriller looked like a really fun film; fun in that True Lies sort of way. The picture stars both Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, where Something About Mary plays a
sassy, clumsy, and cute ditz caught in the middle of some sort of CIA plot against her,
which requires Top Gun to save her cute little butt. The humor was right on in that True Lies sort of way, and the film seems to know that it is an over the top film, and the cheesy lines and unreal sequences look like grounds for a good popcorn flick.

3) Alice in Wonderland
I booed at the end of this preview. Tim Burton should just stop re-making classic films
(see Planet of the Apes, Willy Wonka). His originals are great, his re-makes are shit.
Johnny Depp won't save you now Tim.

4) New Shrek Movie
The first Shrek movie was pretty alright, but they have pretty much gone down hill since. This movie looks like it will continue on in this tradition, and when they announced that this would be the last film in the series, I breathed a sigh of relief.

5) New Toy Story
Pixar has yet to disappoint me, and their last two films, Up and Wall-E, would have
made my top ten lists for each corresponding year they came out if I kept such lists. From the looks of the preview, there is some fun stuff, including Buzz getting a "jolt" after one of the other toys sticks their finger into his reset button which is conveniently located on his butt. Kudos to Pixar for the ol' finger in the butt reference in the preview. After he is reset, Buzz speaks Spanish, and we all know kids love Dora-the-Explora...

6) Hubble Space Telescope in Imax 3d
They sent a 3d Imax camera into space when they went to go repair the Hubble
Telescope. Looks like the sorta thing where one would want to take mushrooms and
bring a pair of headphones and a copy of Darkside of the Moon or perhaps OK
Computer... I just don't know what you would do with the other 5 hours after the
film ended...