Avatar -Science Fiction or Disgrace ?

[wkmac]

Back on topic
I finally saw this in 3D (the IMAX in Guilderlands was sold out) and thought it was absolutely stunning. Both the story and the writing had some weaknesses but they were way overshadowed by the film as a whole. Great movie.

My wife and I went Saturday night and saw the 2D version because I'm to cheap and the other (3D and 3D IMAX) were sold out. When we came out of the movie at 1:15 am I told my wife this will be this generations Star Wars in that it changes everything in how we watch movies and movies will be made. The movie manager overheard my comment and being about our same age started talking to us and then ased if we had a few minutes. He then went a got a pair of 3D glasses and took us into the IMAX as this movie was still running and OMG! Last time I saw 3D IMAX was in 1996' but this blew me away.

Sunday night we went back to take the kids, which we would have done anyway but we sprang for the 3D IMAX (manager is smart salesman LOL!) and it was an incredible experience. Felt the story was more native American/Pocahantus than anything else and what some see as environmentalism (and I'm sure that was some intent) I saw native American and ancient pre-Roman Celtic spiritualism so considering the Na'vi, I thought that belief system worked well and fit the storyline. HomeTree could obviously be seen in a politically charged way as it pertains to foreign processes but at the same time and in an equally charged way, think of Hometree in a case of domestic eminent domain run amuck or equally in the case of wealth extraction from the working/middle class into the hands of a central elite so they can build a world that benefits them.

Ironic where some only see leftist collectivism and object to the movie I'm able to see a movie that addresses the abuses of an authorterian collectivist ideal (absolute violation of individual property rights) that stamps out the individual in order to propogate a hegemic order of corp (business/economics in RDA Corp) and State (brute force and portrayed by the good Colonel) who in fact was a mercenary and not a State soldier. Ironic no mention of State involvement from planet earth nor even a mention of the United States itself yet people objected not because of what was named but rather objected to what was glaringly obvious. Very telling IMO.

Yes it mentioned marines which is an obvious term and the focus of marine seems to shift to the good Colonel but IMO the Semper Fi quality of a good marine because he held true (faithful) to ideals of freedom and principle was seen in Sully who himself was a marine too. One sold his soul and the other found his if you will!

All that nonsense aside, I do think Stefan Molyneux had a point that the movie was very much about one finding empathy. But on a technological scale, like Star Wars, I do think this movie is a game changer and will be the comparison for decades just like Star Wars. I've heard there are 2 sequels planned and IMO that's a mistake as this movie should stand alone but I guess "RDA" corporation wants further wealth extraction to be done at the box office!

 

[moreluck]

Wow wkmac....I find that absolutely amazing...oh, not the movie, but the fact that both you and the wife stayed up 'til 1:15 AM. Haven't done that in many, many years!

 

[wkmac]

Wow wkmac....I find that absolutely amazing...oh, not the movie, but the fact that both you and the wife stayed up 'til 1:15 AM. Haven't done that in many, many years!

It's mainly our normal hours anyway so it wasn't to big a deal.

 

[tieguy]

Ironic where some only see leftist collectivism and object to the movie I'm able to see a movie that addresses the abuses of an authorterian collectivist ideal (absolute violation of individual property rights) that stamps out the individual in order to propogate a hegemic order of corp (business/economics in RDA Corp) and State (brute force and portrayed by the good Colonel) who in fact was a mercenary and not a State soldier. Ironic no mention of State involvement from planet earth nor even a mention of the United States itself yet people objected not because of what was named but rather objected to what was glaringly obvious. Very telling IMO.

I am reading through your post and wondering if this is how you speak when you interact with others in your daily wanderings? If you get the urge to speak blue collar english I'm ok with that and I'll try to keep up with you.

its a part of the arts in todays world and needs to be at least acknowledged when it is injected into the story. I don't think anyone here said they "only saw leftist collectivism" You can't ignore the political messages injected into the story by those who control the various forms of media.

With that said I found the 3d version breathtaking. And many aspects of the story beautiful. The woman apologizing to the animal for taking its life, the tree of life , the connection of nerve information with animals. I think your star wars point is right on. This movie has raised the bar for future movie makers.

 

[dilligaf]

I am reading through your post and wondering if this is how you speak when you interact with others in your daily wanderings? If you get the urge to speak blue collar english I'm ok with that and I'll try to keep up with you.

its a part of the arts in todays world and needs to be at least acknowledged when it is injected into the story. I don't think anyone here said they "only saw leftist collectivism" You can't ignore the political messages injected into the story by those who control the various forms of media.

With that said I found the 3d version breathtaking. And many aspects of the story beautiful. The woman apologizing to the animal for taking its life, the tree of life , the connection of nerve information with animals. I think your star wars point is right on. This movie has raised the bar for future movie makers.

Thanks Tie, I had to reread this several times and I think I only understood 50% of it. I'm glad to hear that you were thinking the same thing I was. Guess I'm not that dumb afterall.

.................................................


Yes it mentioned marines which is an obvious term and the focus of marine seems to shift to the good Colonel but IMO the Semper Fi quality of a good marine because he held true (faithful) to ideals of freedom and principle was seen in Sully who himself was a marine too. One sold his soul and the other found his if you will!

All that nonsense aside, I do think Stefan Molyneux had a point that the movie was very much about one finding empathy.

In the spirit of making this a little shorter I took out part of your post Mac. Not because I didn't agree with it. I did. But I wanted to focus on this particular part.

How very true about one selling their soul and the other finding his. This movie makes for a brilliant life story. Maybe brilliant isn't really a very good word to use but isn't this what life is really about? The right and wrong of the marine point of view reminds me a bit of the movie, "A Few Good Men". The morals and ethics of being put in a position of power. Or being in a position of having to take orders from someone that has authority. We all have to decide where our own level of ethics and morality begins and ends.

 

[island1fox]

dill,
Your last post -rang a bell --"Jiminy Cricket --Tabula Rasa" Our principles --how they are formed and how they make up the person we were --we are --and best of all what we will be !!

 

[dilligaf]

dill,
Your last post -rang a bell --"Jiminy Cricket --Tabula Rasa" Our principles --how they are formed and how they make up the person we were --we are --and best of all what we will be !!

I hadn't really thought of it like that but I believe you are right.

 

[JimJimmyJames]

I was listening to a radio program and an interesting point was brought up.

The movie goes to great lengths to show how the natural should be upheld, and technology shunned. Or, at the very least, one is better then the other.

The irony is, James Cameron, as he does with most of his films, relies heavily on technology to produce his movies.

George Lucas, with Star Wars, shares this in common.

My thoughts:

It is as if they, and we (for eagerly going to see their movies), are almost embarrassed of our technological success. Thus we flock to movies that constantly remind us of the supposed sins against nature we have/are commiting.

But we still cannot escape technology. Nor do we really, after all is said and done, want to. We'll just keep making and watching movies that speak to our collective guilty conscience of what we have wrought upon this world.

 

[wkmac]

I am reading through your post and wondering if this is how you speak when you interact with others in your daily wanderings? If you get the urge to speak blue collar english I'm ok with that and I'll try to keep up with you.

Heck no! I don't understand that nonsense either, just copy and paste from junk I find on wikipedia. I find no matter what it'll stir some of you up and I get to have my fun too!


I'm just completely amazed after all this time that you guys just continue to fall for it! Hoax has his ways and I have mine!

I was listening to a radio program and an interesting point was brought up.

The movie goes to great lengths to show how the natural should be upheld, and technology shunned. Or, at the very least, one is better then the other.

The irony is, James Cameron, as he does with most of his films, relies heavily on technology to produce his movies.

George Lucas, with Star Wars, shares this in common.

My thoughts:

It is as if they, and we (for eagerly going to see their movies), are almost embarrassed of our technological success. Thus we flock to movies that constantly remind us of the supposed sins against nature we have/are commiting.

But we still cannot escape technology. Nor do we really, after all is said and done, want to. We'll just keep making and watching movies that speak to our collective guilty conscience of what we have wrought upon this world.

That's a good observation and I can see a type of luddite message but like anything, it's how you use it that counts. Living in a tree might be fun in certain climates but I'd sure hate to do that in my neck of the woods. Give me heat and AC!