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[stew-S160]

watched it last night. whilst i agree with it being the same story as many other films, concpets of man coming along, destroying nature etc, i thought the film on the whole was one of the best i've seen.

the CGI work was utterly amazing. the acting was top rate.

i don't know what else the film could have been to be interesting. if it was simply humans and aliens meet, get along, happily ever after, then the film would be over in 5 minutes. it's the same for any human/alien film.

[GnuBee]

Saw it yesterday - visually beautiful to behold but I'm struggling to give it anymore than 3 out of 10. A "plot" we've all seen a thousand times, played out like an extended and better funded version of the Act on Co2 advert - sorry I awarded a higher score to the Honda advert which was much better.

Also anyone who's ever been in Azeroth will have seen some of those places before...

Maybe I need to watch it again it may just be Christmas making me grouchy

[croyde]

People! If you wanted some tossy arthouse movie ps off to Hoxton. Who gives st if it is an old story for it is spectacular entertainment.

Having a st Christmas thus very grouchy.

[Eric Mc]

croyde said:

People! If you wanted some tossy arthouse movie ps off to Hoxton. Who gives st if it is an old story for it is spectacular entertainment.

Having a st Christmas thus very grouchy.

Aaah - nothing like reasoned debate and valuing other's views and opinions.

Do you watch "Newsnight Review" by any chance?

I'm willing to give "Avatar" a go - but greenie propganda does irk me somewhat - especially when it is propogated by the multi-millionaire Hollywood set.

Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 21st December 09:13

[Emeye]

Am I missing summat here? I watched the free HD clip from xbox live on my relatively decent home cinema setup and whilst the CGI was impressive and sounded amazing, it looked like a cartoon and not very realistic.

Ok so it wasn't in 3D, but many people have mentioned how realistic it looked and felt!!!

My gf said it reminded her of Jurassic park (a film from 1993!) So more like Action Smurfs do Disney Alien Dinosaurs.....

I will still go and see it at Imax in 3D.

[funkyrobot]

Saw it yesterday in 3D. Thought it was quite good actually. The 3D element and the CGI is used really well and it doesn't feel like the CGI has been used for the sake of it.

The story is a little weak (but I expected that) but it does fit the nature of the film well. We have seen this sort of cliche'd story before (baddies pillage underdogs, underdogs fight back, hero rises up etc etc) but what do people expect with this sort of film? If I wanted a more complex plot I would read a book.

Overall I was quite impressed and it was nice to see something that really was pushing the boundaries of CGI and films even further. As others have mentioned, there was no distinct separation between the CGI effects and the live action filming. It was spot-on!

Pandora was a beautiful world and it felt alive. As has also been mentioned above, you felt like you were part of the planet all the way through. I think the 3D may have helped a little, but even so, I bet it is just as nice in 2D!

[Eric Mc]

Why is it called Pandora?

Seems avery unimaginative word for a planet seeing as it is drawing on an old Greek legend.

Is that the name given to it by the Earthings or by the natives or, by some highly unlikely coincidence, they both call the planet by the same name?

[Vipers]

GnuBee said:

Saw it yesterday - visually beautiful to behold but I'm struggling to give it anymore than 3 out of 10.

What film did you give 10 out of 10? or as close to it?

[GnuBee]

Vipers said:

GnuBee said:

Saw it yesterday - visually beautiful to behold but I'm struggling to give it anymore than 3 out of 10.

What film did you give 10 out of 10? or as close to it?

One or two; Inglorious Basterds this year for example but something from the same genre then The Fifth Element, Alien (but not Aliens) etc

It's all personal opinion - that I suspect many will disagree with (the 2 others with me did for example). It'd be boring if we all like the same stuff and gave 10/10.

I think all the hype probably sealed it's fate; it's been touted as 10 years in the making, $300 million dollars, a bar raising and genre defining landmark film but, in my opinion, it wasn't.

I wanted it to be like the very first time I saw the Matrix and you saw the first scene with Trinity suspended in mid air and you knew you were seeing something new.

They also committed the number one cardinal sin in any 3d movie; the ball rolling towards camera shot. Come on putting in the "office" in 2156 on an alien planet - perhaps it was in joke...

[ukaskew]

Emeye said:

Am I missing summat here? I watched the free HD clip from xbox live on my relatively decent home cinema setup and whilst the CGI was impressive and sounded amazing, it looked like a cartoon and not very realistic.

Ok so it wasn't in 3D, but many people have mentioned how realistic it looked and felt!!!

I assumed that considering the main characters are blue, it would take a huge leap of faith to actually 'believe' it in any way. At the cinema though, I honestly didn't think about CGI once during the entire movie, it was completely seamless and not once did I ever come out of the moment due to some ropey effects. Usually motion captured characters fall down in one way or another (usually the eyes, or when they are moving quickly), but I honestly thought they were 100% believable.

Apart from the first few minutes when I was getting used to the 3D (I get horrific motion sickness, so I was expecting to be ill) I was completely engrossed for the full length of the film. Contrast that with something like 2012, which although impressive, had many moments that were not quite right (I think it's called 'uncanny valley'), Avatar had none of that.

[Pesty]

GnuBee said:

One or two; Inglorious Basterds this year for example but something from the same genre then The Fifth Element, Alien (but not Aliens) etc

...

We are in similar agreement. I find it fascinating that others get all prissy just because we don't like a film they did.

Inglorious was fantastic especially the German officer guy. 5th element also up there.

I would also give it 3/10 and that just because of the effects

having said that while good, in fact very very good. I just don't get how somebody can say they couldnt tell the difference between that and real life.


this film for me was just noise just like eastenders I will not be able to be in the same room once it makes it to tv.
I called the plot all the way along exactly how the movie planned out right to the battle. I genuinly did facepalm during the film and thats never happened before.

It could have been done better with a slightly more grown up script

Edited by Pesty on Monday 21st December 10:25

[Mr E]

Eric Mc said:

How do people feel about the underlying sentiments of the film - that mankind is essentially nasty and exploitative?

We use various sky fairies as an excuse to be really, really stty to one another. What do you think we'd do to another species completely?

Eric Mc said:

This film definitely seems to set a new standard for CGI. But is the actual story and script any good?

Not really, no.

Eric Mc said:

Why is it called Pandora?

Seems avery unimaginative word for a planet seeing as it is drawing on an old Greek legend.

I think it's a nod to the "we could make something up, but what's the point". The mineral that the nasty humans want is called "unobtainium" after all. I laughed. Nobody else did.




Go see it for the stunning way it looks, and believable CGI characters. Don't worry about the green leaning plot, it's about as thin as the bad humans characters are.

[rich1231]

Eric Mc said:

Why is it called Pandora?

Seems avery unimaginative word for a planet seeing as it is drawing on an old Greek legend.

Is that the name given to it by the Earthings or by the natives or, by some highly unlikely coincidence, they both call the planet by the same name?

You really are a tedious arse sometimes.

Go see the film, dont go wanting to dislike it. Watch it on its own merits, make up your own mind. It's a good fun film in all sorts of ways. Ignore the green eco message.. I'm the least green eco friendly person I know and I can still enjoy a Film.

You know its a film, a movie and place you go to suspend disbelief and escape from the snow/ice tedium of normal every day life.

[funkyrobot]

Pesty said:

GnuBee said:

One or two; Inglorious Basterds this year for example but something from the same genre then The Fifth Element, Alien (but not Aliens) etc

...

We are in similar agreement. I find it fascinating that others get all prissy just because we don't like a film they did.

Inglorious was fantastic especially the German officer guy. 5th element also up there.

I would also give it 3/10 and that just because of the effects

having said that while good, in fact very very good. I just don't get how somebody can say they couldnt tell the difference between that and real life.


this film for me was just noise just like eastenders I will not be able to be in the same room once it makes it to tv.
I called the plot all the way along exactly how the movie planned out right to the battle. I genuinly did facepalm during the film and thats never happened before.

It could have been done better with a slightly more grown up script

Edited by Pesty on Monday 21st December 10:25

Well, aren't you clever!

[Eric Mc]

rich1231 said:

Eric Mc said:

Why is it called Pandora?

Seems avery unimaginative word for a planet seeing as it is drawing on an old Greek legend.

Is that the name given to it by the Earthings or by the natives or, by some highly unlikely coincidence, they both call the planet by the same name?

You really are a tedious arse sometimes.

Go see the film, dont go wanting to dislike it. Watch it on its own merits, make up your own mind. It's a good fun film in all sorts of ways. Ignore the green eco message.. I'm the least green eco friendly person I know and I can still enjoy a Film.

You know its a film, a movie and place you go to suspend disbelief and escape from the snow/ice tedium of normal every day life.

Whatever my opinions are, I don't tend to resort to name calling.

Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 21st December 11:01

[croyde]

Eric Mc said:

croyde said:

People! If you wanted some tossy arthouse movie ps off to Hoxton. Who gives st if it is an old story for it is spectacular entertainment.

Having a st Christmas thus very grouchy.

Aaah - nothing like reasoned debate and valuing other's views and opinions.

Do you watch "Newsnight Review" by any chance?

I'm willing to give "Avatar" a go - but greenie propganda does irk me somewhat - especially when it is propogated by the multi-millionaire Hollywood set.

Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 21st December 09:13

Hangover and kids fighting over the Wii downstairs does not a good critic make.

Each to their own and I was forced by little miss to see St Trinians 2 and what a pile of shyte that was but plenty of people were laughing uncontrollably throughout. People appeared to be choking on their popcorn and I felt like finishing the job (Another hangover from a booze up that found me waking up in the middle of Avatar on a late night showing with no recollection of how I got there, enjoyed the rest of the film tho' and it now means I have seen it 1.5 times and will go again ).

I personally can't see why people are talking about having green issues forced down their gullet, it's just a cliched story that we have seen before in many guises but is not human history the same?

If you are a film fan, and I go to the flics at least twice a week and am normally disappointed, go and see it as it is the first of a new kind of cinema experience and I for one would like to say that I was there as I was for Star Wars back in time as well as Apocalypse Now and all the other films that made people talk about them for years afterwards.

It's a soppy love story set on an imaginary world with some great military hardware. What's not to like.

BTW I agree with the previous poster about Nuke 'em from orbit as that is what would happen in real life, especially with so much money at stake. Maybe that's what happens in Avatar 2: The Corporation Strikes Back.

[peterpeter]

Pesty said:

GnuBee said:

One or two; Inglorious Basterds this year for example but something from the same genre then The Fifth Element, Alien (but not Aliens) etc

...

We are in similar agreement. I find it fascinating that others get all prissy just because we don't like a film they did.

Inglorious was fantastic especially the German officer guy. 5th element also up there.

I would also give it 3/10 and that just because of the effects

having said that while good, in fact very very good. I just don't get how somebody can say they couldnt tell the difference between that and real life.


this film for me was just noise just like eastenders I will not be able to be in the same room once it makes it to tv.
I called the plot all the way along exactly how the movie planned out right to the battle. I genuinly did facepalm during the film and thats never happened before.

It could have been done better with a slightly more grown up script

Edited by Pesty on Monday 21st December 10:25

blimey are you really as miserable as your posts make out?
No ones getting prissy are they? You keep posting about how st it was.
BTW Not all the Baddies were "white.".Some were black too. -geez...if you pick up on something like that, you really are a bit strange.
Did blue mans big willy make you feel a bit inadequate? - you might want to avoid the Watchmen too then.
You don't have to like anything, its up to you, but this is one of those occasions you will be in the minority.
Its only a movie..a fantasy movie. A bit like LOTR and there are quite a few people who just cannot get into those films too.
Nothing wrong with that, but IMO people are missing out big time.

[Pesty]

funkyrobot said:

Well, aren't you clever!

nope, and thats the point.

if you enjoy predicable films good on you.

[Pesty]

peterpeter said:

blimey are you really as miserable as your posts make out?
No ones getting prissy are they? You keep posting about how st it was.
BTW Not all the Baddies were "white.".Some were black too. -geez...if you pick up on something like that, you really are a bit strange.
Did blue mans big willy make you feel a bit inadequate? - you might want to avoid the Watchmen too then.
You don't have to like anything, its up to you, but this is one of those occasions you will be in the minority.
Its only a movie..a fantasy movie. A bit like LOTR and there are quite a few people who just cannot get into those films too.
Nothing wrong with that, but IMO people are missing out big time.

1)I said I was in a minority myself
2)I loved watchmen
3)I didnt like it I have as much right to give my opinion as you
4)other people agreed with me
5)if that is not a prissy post I don't know what is.
6)I even said to Eric don;t take my word for it! I have not told anybody not to go see it on my opinion

Rather than attack me why not post a review yourself

I have been called a muppet and misserable just because I didnt enjoy a film. To make a post like you have above makes you sound a bit of a 'fanboy' upset because somebody does not agree with you

I am happy that you enjoyed it, good on you

Edited by Pesty on Monday 21st December 11:34

[im]

Mr E said:

Go see it for the stunning way it looks, and believable CGI characters. Don't worry about the green leaning plot...

Exactly.