Friday, January 15, 2010

Avatar Review

When I first heard about this movie, so many years ago, I said it sounded stupid. I kept thinking of that anime Avatar crap and couldn't get those images out of my mind. Then I started to hear bits and pieces of what the movie was truly about. Still, it wasn't making my blood heat up.

But, and you can ask many people about this, I said that I didn't want to hear anything more about this movie until it comes out. This was a James Cameron movie. The man who brought us Aliens, T1, T2, The Abyss (all of which could easily be in my top 10 or 2o influential movies) and to some extent Titanic. I never liked Titanic but could certainly appreciate it for the special effects and scope of the movie. Even though I didn't care for the story, and knew the ending, you now see how the path of special effects changed once that movie came out.

So having said all this, I didn't want to know anything and would take faith that JC (huh, never thought of that connection before) would know what he's doing.

Avatar proves he does. The movie is spectacular. I wouldn't call the story ground breaking or some of the ideas and designs so new that it will change the way people think, but the execution. This movie does what Titanic did, changes the path of special effects and opens doors to what future film makers and story tellers can do.

The film is a good, solid film which is what is needed to hold up with the eye candy that would make a fat kid cum. The love story and themes of technology vs nature are all strong and well done. This wasn't My Life where I'm crying half way through the movie. The 3D worked well. Once I even found myself jumping at an effect. What made the 3D good was that it didn't try to be a 3D movie. No gimmicks just, come see this world and get immersed in this world, which you do.

Another masterpiece by a master. A film maker that doesn't take crap, knows what he wants, has a clear vision and makes that vision come to life. At the end of the day, that's what I'll remember. It's what inspires me to create and pisses me off that I'm not creating as much. At the end, all I kept thinking was, what's holding me back. Now I know that no matter what I think of is possible. And to not limit myself to what I know can be done, but take my ideas further because technology can make them attainable.

It's a great movie and will make Billions. But better yet, it will make better film makers and inspire better films. James Cameron is a limit breaker. It reminds me of the Matrix where the young child tells Neo, there is no spoon (which is the secret of the Matrix). Avatar reminds us and tells us that there is no spoon. Once you understand that, you're mind will be free.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Let's see what all the hub-bub is about

Any of you who know me, knows that I hate the Watchmen. Ok, I feel a geek sniper aiming in on me now.

Maybe it's because I read it so long after it came out, I feel current writers are taking what Moore did to higher and better levels. Or maybe I prefer more superheros in my super hero books. Or maybe I just like good books and so many have been persuaded over the years to say this is a great book when it's really not.

Either way, I don't like Watchmen. I do like when people tell me the story and what it's all about and the intricacies inside the book, but I couldn't even stay awake reading Watchmen. Instead of Ambien, I'd read a few pages of Watchmen and I'd be out like a light.

Never the less, this weekend on HBO is the movie's big premier. I've already got it set to record. I'm sure there are some really good points and I'm a fan of Zack Snyder so in a way I am looking forward to watching the Watchmen. The long asked question will be answered this Saturday. Who watches the Watchmen, well... the BEAR will be. I'll let you know how it was.