Avatar - A new Era of Cinema begins
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I just went to see James Cameron's new film Avatar, produced in 3D and IMAX format (but also showing at normal cinemas).
I had rather high expectations, with all the news and rumors about it being something completely new. I just couldn't help joining in with the hype. that probably is why I sat on a monday morning at 0:20 in front of Britains biggest screen - expecting to be impressed...
but I was blown away! literally swept off my feet. the images were so fantastic, the world of pandora so incredibly detailed and beautiful, that I instantly forgot I was watching a film, where half of the images are computer generated.
I had always thought of 3D films as a fancy little gimmic for 20 min IMAX shows, where the audience "whooo"s once for the effect, when someone throws a ball towards your eyes. but here on pandora, with the insects buzzing all around you and the characters right in front of you, so that you want to grasp out and help them up, when they fall... that was a completely new, immersive experience.
but even more than the 3D experience and the fantastic landscapes, designed with loving detail into the last leaf and pebble, was I impressed with the character animation. imagine seeing gollum - but twice as realistic. and hundreds of them. these blue creatures, that in the trailer seemed a bit... well, blue and too alien somehow, are of such grace and beauty, that after only a moment you admire them, can't take your eyes off them (well, partly because the screen is too vast to look anywhere else...
).but even the story (which I won't reveal here of course) on its own as well as the actor's great performances would make a thrilling movie of it's own.
what James Cameron did with Avatar is truly leading the way into a new era of cinema.
of course there are minor things, like the fact that the camera dictates the depth of field and you have no choice but to focus on the object you are supposed to (although you are constantly tempted to have a look at the detail of the background). but you'll get used to that quickly and be rewarded with a film experience, as intense and gripping as never before.I left the cinema, lost for words. and before I went to bed to get some three hours of sleep, I went to the IMAX website to book new tickets for Avatar (unfortunately shows are almost sold out, until the end of january).
I might be biased, because I am just fond of special effects and like sci fi. but if you have the chance to see avatar - ideally in 3D and on an IMAX screen - do it! you won't be disappointed. I will definitely try to get my hands on another set of IMAX tickets. but in the meantime I will most certainly watch it in a normal cinema too; for it is a great movie.
thank you James Cameron! thank you for making such a great masterpiece of cinematography - in every respect!
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I have just seen it (on a "normal" screen though) and indeed, some of my best movie experiences for quite a long time even this way. I can (although obviously just hardly) imagine what an extra experience it would've been to watch it in 3D.
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Just saw it my self on Friday. It was the first movie i've seen in 3d, man it was awesome, with a capital AWE. I don't know how I will be able to see movies in plain 2d again.
The story is good, though not completely original, but honestly , WHO CARES??, you won't have time to think about where you've seen that idea before, for more than two hours you'll be in another world.
I went to see it with a friend of mine and 2 girls, I love sci fi and after I read an article about the journey of this movie from idea to cinema screen i knew i would love it. I didn't expect the girls to like it too, but it has just the right amount of humour, action and touchy feelly stuff that works well for everyone. So don't hesitate to take your girl friends, wives and children to this one.
And as far as i'm concerned this film comes only in 3d so try to see it that way, trust me, it's worth it. -
Gaieus: off to Budapest then... they've got an IMAX!!!
@marian said:
... for more than two hours you'll be in another world.
actually, I don't think I so much as twitched a muscle during the whole movie
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Well I couldn't stay still, i was to excited, I felt like a kid in a candy store, i had a big grin on my face the whole time. I hope they make sequels, but probably they'll be prequels or both, in Star Wars fashion.
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Didn't see it yet, probably won't have time because the tickets seem to vanish over here!
Avatar is awesome I know, the trailers are too much of a give away.
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@unknownuser said:
Avatar is awesome I know, the trailers are too much of a give away.
You're wrong, you'll find out after you've seen the movie, the big give away are some articles about it on the net.
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What is REALLY cool is the director talking about how they made Avatar. I saw a quick video clip and 'behind the scenes' making of Avatar while I was watching Autodesk University Virtual. To quote him "Avatar would not be possible without Autodesk software" They used Autodesk Motionbuilder and the actors had all kinds of sensors all over they body and a green screen behind. They could not even see the finished product. The director had what looked like a small video monitor that showed him what the scene was going to look like (rendered and all).
It is quite a great feat that others will be clamoring to embrace. I have yet to see the movie, but I will sometime soon.
Rick
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I know!
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And ZBrush
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Darn, those 3d glasses don't work for me. I guess soon we'll even see them and some sort of VR modeling tools someday.
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Just watched it last night in a RealD-equipped theater. Visually amazing. Story-wise, rather predictable and boring.
Note to Cameron for any future stereoscopic movie he might have in mind: Please use a higher framerate to avoid the strobo effect.
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I also saw it on 3d IMax. I was very impressed! I thought the story was good. Sort of obvious, but still good.
I was not very impressed by any of the previews I saw at all. But the movie as a whole is quite impressive. The 3d aleins do become very believable, which I was not expecting. Perfect 3d? No. But a great step in the right direction! And see it in huge 3d if you get the chance!
Chris
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Well, the story line is kind of a mixture of "Dances with wolves" and the Little Big Horn battle.
But where have native Americans ended up afterwards?
Anyway, I enjoyed the movie - as well as its "predecessors" so not complaining. And as I heard, we may even have a 3D cinema here where I live (would've never though)
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I finally got to see it last night and was impressed. The visuals were fantastic. Even though the plot was way too predictable I would see it again no problem. Right after we saw it we went back to the theater and saw Sherlock Holmes, that was good as well.
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And yesss! As it turned out, we also have a 3D movie here where I live (so much about me and going to the cinema - I haven't been there for years now)
Anyway, it's going to be tomorrow when I watch it!
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I saw it in 3d today...and I was blown away. It was just amazing. What a treat.
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I want to go and watch it in 3D, but as I wear glasses I'm wary of whether the 3d glasses will work properly over my glasses. Has anyone used the 3D glasses as well as their normal glasses?
I tried using the free glasses given away for Channel 4s 3D week, but they were a complete waste of time.
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My wife wears glasses and she said it worked just fine over the top of her glasses. I don't know if different theaters use different glasses or anything though.
Also something interesting about the 3D in this movie is that it was used largely to add depth to the screen, instead of making things pop out at you. So it was a bit different than anything else I had seen in 3d that treid to bring the action into the theater. This really just tried to add depth to the world you were immersed in. I thought it was very well done.
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I have to confess that I haven't seen Avatar yet, as it tends to be the type of film I avoid.
I know I shouldn't really say it, but I'm far more of a Wallace and Grommet, 'stop-frame' type of guy. The first 3D film I saw (of the new 3D generation), was "Coraline", by Henry Selick, which I thought was awesome. Roald Dahl's "Fantastic Mr Fox" is also awesome!! Anyone seen these?Here's the stop-frame master, IMHO, Jan Svankmajer, at work;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQkWrZw05P4
and if you liked that....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39j7bypVxL8
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQSdZWgflAA
Happy new year!
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