Sunday, December 27, 2009

Hey! A new movie!

I went and saw Avatar yesterday. I never even saw a preview of this movie, had no idea who was in it (other than Sigourney Weaver), couldn't have told you what it was even about other than an alien planet. But I'm a huge James Cameron fan, and I went to see this movie on the strength of my faith in him as a director. Boy, was I not disappointed. This has to be the most beautiful and visually stunning movie I've ever seen. Holy smoke. The 3D was wonderful. It was never intrusive, never in your face, or used as a trick. It merely let you be a part of the world. I loved the characters, loved the world, loved James Horner's music, loved the sense of wonder the film evoked.... I haven't been this thoroughly grabbed by a modern movie since... er... I can't remember when. I can barely stand not heading back to the theater today to see it again this instant.

I don't know about your film experiences, but modern film audiences can be rather rude. Not in this movie. Nobody got up, nobody talked, nobody's cell phones went off. They were thoroughly attentive to the film and nothing else. I was sitting next to some young kids... you couldn't even tell they were there, they were so engrossed in the movie. The only time I noticed them was when they started bouncing in their seats and cheering at one point in the movie (an entirely appropriate moment; I felt like doing the same thing). They didn't budge otherwise. Can't tell you how refreshing that was.

Highly recommended. And definitely see it in 3D. In the theater. This is a movie that will never be the same on the small screen.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

And definitely see it in 3D. In the theater. This is a movie that will never be the same on the small screen.
Precisely why I'll never see it. With my eyesight, 3D is worse than a waste of time, it's actually an annoyance. I'm afraid I'm hoping it sinks without trace (again), though I suspect it won't this time around.

Still, glad you enjoyed it. :-)

DKoren said...

I didn't just enjoy it, it was one of the coolest viewings of a film I've ever experienced in my life.

Now, this is the new 3D technology and projectors, so are you sure it'll suck for you? There were a ton of people in the audience with glasses and none of them were heard to be complaining afterwards when they walked by me. And it did take me about 15 minutes to get used to the 3D glasses and way of seeing, but after that I never noticed anything out of order again.

If you want to wait, my sister and Dad will going to see it shortly and I can let you know how it is for them. My sister can't really see anything without her glasses. My dad is just about as bad.

Anonymous said...

Nah, my trouble is that I've got more or less monocular vision to start with - my right eye is so much stronger than my left that I don't see 3D normally, let alone with the specs. It's the main reason I don't drive: because I don't have the 3D, I can't judge distances properly. I've been to one new 3D movie, to see if it worked for me or not, but it did little other than give me a headache.

My worry is that if 3D movies take off in a big way, they'll become the norm. If that happens, people in my position end up unable to go to the cinema. Admittedly that's a worst case scenario, but I'm already seeing films released solely in 3D (like Avatar has been here). Guess I'll have to wait and see what happens.

DKoren said...

Gotcha. Yeah, that would make it really hard to take. Sorry about that. And that's just plain weird they're not showing it normal anywhere (cuz it's well worth seeing without the 3D too). Over here it's playing in so many variations you can't even keep track of them, and that's at the same theater no less! 2D, 3D, 3D digital... Quite complicated, actually.

Anonymous said...

One of the problems of living in the UK, methinks. The cinemas are all smaller than in the US - with the exception of one or two in London, I suppose. I have three cibenas within striking distance of where I live, only two of which are showing Avatar: the third is actually my favourite, and shows mpstly independent and what would probably be called art-house films, but virtually no "blockbusters".

Anonymous said...

And, no, I don't know what a cibena is, either.

*shakes head*

Flippin' laptop keyboard... :-P

DKoren said...

When I come to England one of these days, can we visit one of those cibenas? 'Course it sounds like it's in Spain or on the Mediterranean or something, but it does have a cool ring to it. You can always give Harry a new restaurant to hang out in... Cibena's... LOL!

Speaking of Harry... how's novel going?

Anonymous said...

Heh. Yeah, I can just see that - "see you later, Jace. Me and Dec are off to Cibena's for a couple..." LOL.

Novel's taking a break for the minute, partly because I'm at my mum's for the next few days and I feel guilty disappearing into a laptop all day when I should be being sociable. Partly...partly because I've got a stinking cold. Again. I swear, my immune system is like non-existent. I'll get back to it after New Year, hopefully get a draft done by February. We'll see how things go.