Avatar

I noticed there are 3 versions of this movie - regular, 3D and 3D IMAX? I don’t know why anyone would want to watch the regular non 3D version. But is it worth it to go see it in IMAX 3D (for me that would mean a trek from Taichung to Taipei) or would the standard local 3D version be good enough?

My :2cents:

Great story, terrific effects. Visually, it is cool without being overwhelming. I was concerned about getting dizzy with the whole thing on 3D but it is done elegantly and does not go overboard. It is a well seasoned, well cooked dish. Definetively a winner.

I’d say IMAX 3D might be overkill. I think small scren gives you an intimate feeling, more “manageable”, but IMAX would be just too much in your face.

My only complain: it is frigging’ long! It was another Titanic for me -I must have been the only one cheering when DiCaprio died. By the time the big battle roared in, I was like: kill the bad guy! Kill the good guy! Kill them all, just get me outta here!!! I had leg cramps and had already driven the poor Taiwanese in front of me nuts with my fidgeting, dropping stuff, moving around… I was not bored, it is just there is so much sitting still I can take.

I know two Taiwanese girls in their early 20s who saw it and both told me they were completely bored.

I still can’t wait to see it though.
I’ll see in in 3D at the IMAX.

I just saw it in 3D and I thought it was awesome but I was annoyed that I couldn’t understand what they were saying in the alien language (I can read some Chinese but not fast enough to follow subtitles) and while most of the alien dialogue is actually ‘translated’ into english by other characters there were definite moments where people were making fun of the human guy or other rude/funny things were being said that didn’t get translated. It was a bit annoying but like a previous poster said, about 95% is in English and most of the alien lines get translated.

Avatar made me think of

(a) Ramayana art (blue skin, archery, simian features like snouts and tails, name and concept of “avatar”)

(b) games like “World of Warcraft”

(c) “furry” fetishism

The planet looks great, and the aliens look real (though not really alien). As for the story, it’s at once preachy (think Oprah mated with Daniel Quinn) and classically imperialist (white guy dropped in savage environment proves himself better than the natives).

Two minutes after Sully wakes up at the end, he’s either going to find out that (choose one):

(a) It was all a dream designed to prepare him for life on Pandora, and he’s only NOW waking up from cryonic suspension;

(b) Actually the Na’vi have FOUR sexes.

(c) The “native” DNA which contributed to his avatar was actually taken from Princess Nayitri’s dead brother. Shades of Star Wars!

(d) The little dragon felt hurt and betrayed when Sully abandoned it for a bigger, more impressive dragon. The situation can only be solved by getting predator and prey to bond with their little thingamajigs.

Where can I see this movie in IMAX 3D? Are there any theaters in Hsinchu that happens to have this feature?

Can you guys stop posting spoilers? Little things like “sully wakes up at the end” and so on. Yes, I’m talking to you, Screaming “Jesus” . :slight_smile:

Just came back from watching Avatar on 3D. It was absolutely awesome. Don’t want to spoil it, so I’ll say the main question I had when I watched the trailer was excellently answered in the movie. Totally Brilliant!

Also, early accounts has it doing very well at the box office.

The movie is good, but not great. The story is predictable and doesn’t really offer anything new. The aliens and most of their world is lifted straight from our own. In that regard alone, Star Wars–and Star Trek for that matter–far surpass it. The characters were fairly flat and run-of-the-mill. There is no Han Solo, Obiwan Kenobi (sp?), C3P0, Chewbacca, or Darth Vadar. The bad guys are stereotypical corporate and military types. The action and adventure, however, was quite good.

This was my first experience with 3-D, and it was kind of neat. We paid $320NT for tickets. They gave us some pretty heavy glasses to put on, which we gave back after the movie. Apparently they are disinfected after every use. It was neat, I’m glad I saw it, but I’m not sure if I’ll rush out to do it again. Next movie I see will likely be in 2-D. I had some mild eye strain going on after the movie which lasted for about half an hour. The experience was worth it once, but not something I’m willing to pay extra for. I don’t think it adds that much. The best part for me was the jumping into the waterfall scene.

However, I don’t recommend it for people who have any kind of motion-related sicknesses. My wife threw up in the bathroom. When she came back, she sat at the back and watched it without the glasses. She said the colors were prettier without the glasses anyway.

$10.50 here in Calif. I think I will go see it, but not sure want to do the 3d. Sounds like a good yarn. But yeah, no buzz like Star Wars was. Everyone was talking about Star Wars way before it started showing. So far I have only read bout this movie here, nobody at work talked bout it.

I watched it today - believe the hype - this is probably the new Starwars - certainly the only thing close in 40 years.

The story is VERY Hollywood in places, the love scene is a bit unnecessary IMHO but overall it hangs together well - it is long and I had 2 toilet breaks but I planned for it and booked an aisle seat :slight_smile:

Cameron is clearly some kind of genius and this will make lots of money. The 3D is special and I’m glad I paid the extra and waited another hour for the 3D version but I think it will hang together on DVD and TV.

From the trailers there is clearly a rush of 3D stuff coming and I guess this is a last blast attempt to beat the Pirates. 3D has been around since my grnadmothers time and comes back every 10-15 years slightly improved - this was a big step beyond anything I had seen before but there were moments of “fuzziness” and at one point I was worried about motion sickness - there are also several flashing light scenes so epileptics beware.

One other thing I thought of: I can’t imagine people quoting “I see you” they way they quoted “May the force be with you.” I don’t think Avatar will have much cultural impact at all. It will, however, have a technological one. 3-D will be the only way for theaters to compete with the internet…for now.

I’ve been waiting for a movie to really exploit the 3d medium. wouldn’t think of seeing this one except on the BIG screen, hoping it fits the billing.

Watched it last week. Liked it a lot. I cried like a baby near the end.

I also watched Xmen Origins and the new Star Trek movie recently. Both movies go back to the origin of the stories. I liked them both. Awesome FX in Star Trek. I was never a fan of ST, but I liked that one. It was pretty cool to see the old Spok in it.

[color=#FF0000]Tonight I watched a cam version of Avatar. Audio and video quality wasn’t great but I still enjoyed it.[/color][/quote]
You should go see it in 3D. Absolutely awesome!

As the Totally Rad Show said it is a “game changer”.

I watched it twice today. F’n incredible. I’m with you. I think I heard Lucas and Speilberg shitting their pants.[/quote]
Me three! I went and saw it with the wife today. Absolutely awesome. I wish I could get my own avatar, become Na’Vi and move to Pandora. It was bloody brilliant!

The whole thing was subtitled here, but the alien language part was only translated into Chinese, not English. But the subtitles float in mid-air. Very cool.[/quote]
In Tainan we had regular subtitles (Chinese for English dialogue) and the the Na’Vi language had the regular Chinese subs with English subs in Yellow. It looked like the Na’Vi was subbed into English as a standard part of the movie. :idunno:
So I got everything. English audio with English subs for the Na’Vi audio.

cbs5.com/local/ilm.saved.avatar.2.1382322.html

As the Totally Rad Show said it is a “game changer”.

I watched it twice today. F’n incredible. I’m with you. I think I heard Lucas and Speilberg shitting their pants.[/quote]
Me three! I went and saw it with the wife today. Absolutely awesome. I wish I could get my own avatar, become Na’Vi and move to Pandora. It was bloody brilliant![/quote]

My first thought at the end was: this was the setup for the next 3 sequels…

I agree that it was definitely something you HAD to see at the IMAX in 3D and all that. BUt I’m still in two minds as to whether it was a great film or not. The story was not exactly revolutionary, and were it not for the 3D, nobody would be talking about it today.

That said, the world is awesome and I enjoyed the end fight.

So, is there a 3D theater in Taichung that’s going to run this?