Topic: Critter's Films at Cinemas Reviews

[Critter]

I hadn't planned on seeing this film in the theater but after reading your review I think I must. I hope I feel the way I did after seeing Star Wars in the cinema for the first time - goosebumps.

Ah Kathy I am jealous of you for that, Star Wars is one of those films I wish I saw at the cinema. I hope you enjoy Avatar but don't get your hopes up too much based soley on my review. I think it's beter to go into films like this without any expectations and then just seeing what happens, whether the result of that is positive or negative.

I understand most people compare it to Fern Gully or Dances With Wolves

As I said in my review the plot did strongly remind me of FernGully but in the end I didn't mind.

[Achim]

As I said in my review the plot did strongly remind me of FernGully but in the end I didn't mind.

I haven't seen Fern Gully myself, but I think I catch the drift.

Anyway, sorry for not having your review yet, I just wanted to avoid possible spoilers as I haven't seen the film yet.

[Critter]

Anyway, sorry for not having your review yet, I just wanted to avoid possible spoilers as I haven't seen the film yet.

No worries, I don't believe I put any spoilers in it all, I usually tend to not talk about plot that much when I review films but just ramble on about various other things haha. And by the way I highly recommend FernGully. It is a fantastic animated film that I still love just as much today as I did when I was a child 

[Achim]

No worries, I don't believe I put any spoilers in it all, I usually tend to not talk about plot that much when I review films but just ramble on about various other things haha.

Good to know. Thanks.

[Jimmy]

(...) for me, cinema progresses in writing, not tech.

Me and Jon agree on this
For me what is important in a film is the story and the cinematography. Computer effects and any other gimmick have no importance for me...

[Najemikon]

(...) for me, cinema progresses in writing, not tech.

Me and Jon agree on this
For me what is important in a film is the story and the cinematography. Computer effects and any other gimmick have no importance for me...

And a recent example (which you may not quite agree with me on!), is Inglorious Bast... NO! I'm kidding.  though it does have it's moments, like the cafe scene... But I'm digressing.

The recent example I meant was WALL.E; not so much the story itself, but how the animators created virtual cameras that could mimic real ones and they worked with live action cinematographers to learn how they should work. As one said, it was funny, because since the camera was invented, they've been trying to hide the 'faults', yet Pixar choose to imitate them! In a way, they were handicapping the computers. And so for the first time in animation, you had realistic zooms and depth of fields. Importantly, they did this to add another dimension to the story and I think it was amazing, and commendable that they didn't shout about it. You may not have even noticed, which is the best sort of step forward.

[Critter]

PIXAR had to do a lot with WALL-E to make it what it was. Not only with the zooms etc in the camera like you said but also in the animation itself. As they said, animation likes to be clean and polished, but what they were doing for the first time was trying to make dirty animation (all the Earth scenes). This posed a challenge as it had never been done to that extent before, but being PIXAR of course they pulled it off.

A lot of you seem to be mentioning how you feel you will be let down by the plot of Avatar and that computer effects aren't everything without actually seeing it. I myself loved the plot, and the story. It may have seemed a bit preachy to some but hell, I'm a hippy-type who never gets sick of seeing the anti-global warming etc messages in film. As an environmentalist I loved the message and I found the story itself to be always compelling. Yes I did say I found it somewhat predictable and I stand by that, but predictable as it may have been it was still executed exceptionally well. It was the inner struggles of these characters and the smaller srorylines within the plot that made me enjoy the story so much.

[snowcat]

So I went to see it...

...I can't say its the big deal its been made out to be.

All I think its done is establish Cameron in the 21stcentury. I agree with alot of people, if he had so much time to make this technology, surely he had time to develop the story?

[Critter]

It's a shame that you didn't like it Emma.

I myself am hoping to see it at least one or two more times in the cinema while I can still enjoy the 3D magic  .

[snowcat]

There are many impressive 3D films in the cinema. both Up and A Christmas Carol were very good.

Avatars 3D was impressive, but

as films go I always say

the visual side is like the looks and the story is like the personality..... no matter how good something looks without personality its no good.

[Critter]

Yes but you see as I said previously I did enjoy the story. I enjoyed it a lot, even with it's clear environmentalist message etc etc. So mixed with a story I loved and visual effects of a high standard like that then you can see why I loved it so much.

[Najemikon]

The thing I always try to remember is how I frequently defend Tarantino. Nothing is original and in Scorcese's documentary series about the history of American film he devotes a section to the director as a "smuggler"; stealing bits here and there. I've said the story sticks out to me because it's Dances With Wolves, but Last Samurai did the same and both owe a debt to Lawrence of Arabia.

Everything goes in cycles, so if you aren't familiar with any of those, this will be fresh anyway. I'm not going to complain too heavily until I see it! Empire's review called the plot "prosaic", but agreed with you, Critter, that it is a hugely immersive (is that a word? It'll have to do!) experience...

[Critter]

Wow Jon, immersive is definatly the word I would choose for this film. I couldn't think of a way to describe the experience more.
And I agree with what you said about storylines of films more often than not being borrowed from other films. That doesn't bother me as long as it is excecuted well, which in my opinion, Avatar is. Which is also another reason why I am a fan of Tarantino films.

[goodguy]

I admit I'm not very interested, but it is fun to read the various reviews. For example, Roger Ebert gushes that most of the budget has been put on the screen, while his editor Jim Emerson talks about the CGI equivalent of Astroturf and is reminded of the decoration in Thai restaurants.

[Achim]

There are many impressive 3D films in the cinema. both Up and A Christmas Carol were very good.

Did you mean the 3D effect or you thought that A Christmas Carol was a good film? Surely it being in the same sentence as Up refersw to the 3D only...?

I admit I'm not very interested, but it is fun to read the various reviews. For example, Roger Ebert gushes that most of the budget has been put on the screen, while his editor Jim Emerson talks about the CGI equivalent of Astroturf and is reminded of the decoration in Thai restaurants.