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October, 2024

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Just saw AVATAR.... Hoooooly balls...

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HiroProtagonist
Posts: 304 - Karma: 11
There's been plenty of hype around Avatar, so I was both excited and a bit skeptical going in.

For those not familiar: Cross Vietnam with Endor, add a bit of Dinotopia and a dash of The New World... Create a conflict over natural resources between 8' tall, blue natives, and the slash and burn humans... Let James Cameron work on the thing for 15 years... Spend around $300 million... And you get Avatar.

Being a filmaker, I am constantly critiquing the shots, the music, the sound, the lens choice, the color grading, etc... 10 minutes in I forgot about all of that.

When I'm not critiquing the picture, I'm half-consiously figuring out how they shot the scene. Lighting placement, camera movements, etc... I usually have a pretty good idea of how things are set up. But, for the entire 240 minutes, I was asking myself "HOW THE HELL DID THEY PULL THAT OFF??"

The answer of course, is CGI. Did it look like CGI? Hell no.

Go see Avatar. The best part about watching 8' tall, blue, aliens being chased through the jungle by dinosaurs... Is that you believe every second of it.






Now I need to figure out if I'm the most excited about moviemaking I've ever been... Or if I need to rethink my career path, and leave it too the professionals.
Dec 18 2009 7:20AM
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*TURBONERD*
Posts: 15081 - Karma: 9,158
sick! can't wait to see this!
Dec 18 2009 7:26AM
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Mr.Panda
Posts: 17711 - Karma: 564
I'll rent it. Saving some extra cash to see Sherlock Holmes since I am a Robert Downey Jr. fanboy/slightly gay for RDJ.
Dec 18 2009 7:29AM
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rudeboy
Posts: 270 - Karma: 375
I saw it, thought it was amazing, although if someone was to say the story moved too slowly, id understand.

But yea, amazing film.

question, whats CGI or watever those 3 letters are^^?????
Dec 18 2009 7:31AM
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yuck
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 2,090
im so stoked to see it. looks so sick
Dec 18 2009 7:33AM
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HiroProtagonist
Posts: 304 - Karma: 11
But can you rent it in 3D? THATS why you see it in theaters.

But word on Sherlock Holms. Cant. Wait.

Also agree on the Robert Downy Jr. man-crush. He is, without a doubt, the only man I'd let fuck me. (Of course... we wouldn't actually have sex. We'd just tell people we did. Instead, we'd spend the night drinking hot co-co, engaging in witty conversation, and staring into each other's eyes.)

CGI is Computer Generated Imagery. It's the reason why most modern blockbusters blow.
Dec 18 2009 7:38AM
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Mr.Panda
Posts: 17711 - Karma: 564
1.) I get motion sickness from 3-D movies. I would be puking everywhere

2.) Even if I didn't get motion sickness the nearest 3-D theater to me is like over 100 miles away and would have to pay for multiple tickets in order to get to it.
Dec 18 2009 7:39AM
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Chickendodo
Posts: 1426 - Karma: 33
ghahahahahha +k for making me lol hard.
Dec 18 2009 7:41AM
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Mr.Capone
Posts: 1227 - Karma: 109
best movie ever created

seriously
Dec 18 2009 8:39AM
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TheDude
Posts: 2058 - Karma: 117
arg im torn between seeing it and skiing. i would rather ski but my dad thinks other wise :( oh well at least it sounds good
Dec 18 2009 9:20AM
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soulskier
Posts: 17806 - Karma: 3,841
good to hear, i was a skeptic i must say
Dec 18 2009 9:28AM
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1337
Posts: 31054 - Karma: 29,240
computer generated images
i'm pumped to see the movie! looks super dope and i love a good movie from a cinematography standpoint
Dec 18 2009 9:32AM
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Luc.
Posts: 7540 - Karma: 59
the first time i saw the trailer i thought it looked queer.

now every time i see the trailer i think it looks doper and doper
Dec 18 2009 9:44AM
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skithebert
Posts: 2163 - Karma: 16
if it looks good visually fine...that means nothing  if the story is poorly written.  all you film majors need to accept that fact.  that being said, i'd like to see I just hope its more like the matrix than another fucking spiderman.
Dec 18 2009 9:50AM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
It's not a type of movie I'm usually interested in but I've been hearing more and more people say how awesome it is so I might have to check it out.

And as to Sherlock, my fucking role model.
Dec 18 2009 9:52AM
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KapitolPhoto
Posts: 1399 - Karma: 3,250
I was made immediately uncomfortable with that post.
Dec 18 2009 9:59AM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,272
yeah when i saw the trailer i was like wtf is this lame shit

now it just looks AWESOME

i might see it today
Dec 18 2009 10:00AM
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japanada
Posts: 13784 - Karma: 1,957
The movie looks laaame to the make. WOW and CGI movies that arent even anywhere in the realm of possibility just dont do it for me.
Dec 18 2009 10:12AM
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dunkaroos
Posts: 2574 - Karma: 633
definitely going this weekend. looks so sick
Dec 18 2009 10:47AM
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max69
Posts: 34 - Karma: 10
damn sounds sick
Dec 18 2009 10:52AM
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sickskisman
Posts: 72 - Karma: 13

going to watch it tonight. sooo STOKED

Dec 18 2009 11:02AM
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darco
Posts: 845 - Karma: 336
sooo stoked to see this
Dec 18 2009 11:25AM
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Dbouch
Posts: 1059 - Karma: 13
The technology that used to make this movie is amazing. CGI scenes are traditionally done by pretty much drawing an image that you manipulate/ redraw, so just computer animation. But for this, they developed a program that renders an entire 3D environment that that you can move the "Camera" through to get the dramatic shots you can't get with traditional animation.
Dec 18 2009 11:29AM
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prontocuts.com
Posts: 5244 - Karma: 42
I remember watching a "making of" segment and cameron or whatever his name was like "in this world, there isnt much take off and landing space for planes so we had to create these REVOLUTIONARY and LIFE CHANGING planes that can HOVER!!!!111"

i loled
Dec 18 2009 11:52AM
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foodisfun
Posts: 5427 - Karma: 287

saw the 3d midnight showing high and the preview for alice in wonderland was indescribable.  i have never been overcome with such emotion watching anything ever it was so nuts. 

when the movie got in like 10 or 15 minutes the craziness of the 3d wore off, but instead it just turned to pure amazement because i really was having a hard time telling the difference between what was real and what wasn't.  i kinda wish it was shorter but maybe that's cause it was like 230am and i was tired, but it's definately worth a see in theatres

Dec 18 2009 12:18PM
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blindside
Posts: 5619 - Karma: 1,199
more like hot co-caine.

But ya I definitely want to see this movie.
Dec 18 2009 12:31PM
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TechnoPotamus
Posts: 11626 - Karma: 3,522
agreed, but it was funny at the same time. funny in a make you awkwardly shift your weight around in your chair way
Dec 18 2009 12:41PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24725 - Karma: 29,944
As a film student, I pretty much had to see this.

Indeed, i'm most blown away at how they were able to recreate facial expression... and how they were able to take the actual actors, and make their own expressions, body language, and their own acting skills come to life in this.

The title says it all when it comes to how they were able to portray this... they took the actors, and gave them an onscreen avatar to portray their own actual movements, and expressions.

All I can say about it is it's amazingly well constructed... and is incredibly appropriate for our times, when most of us realize what imperialism and manifest destiny can do to indigenous peoples.

The humans in this movie are quite corrupt, and imperialistic... the indigenous are very tribal and simple.

This movie basically takes cowboys and indians to a whole new level. Imagine setting Little Big Horn, and Custer's Last Stand on another crazy whacked out planet with huge lizards and shit that straight up want to murder your face. Then, imagine giving custer, mechassult vehicles, airplanes, helicopter thingys and all sorts of explosive ordinances and ammunition... and then giving the indians terydactyls, 3' of extra height, blue skin, way more agility, tails, and way more desire to wreck shit.

AVATAR = AWESOMEEEEEE.
Dec 18 2009 12:43PM
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-Dan
Posts: 7130 - Karma: 51,753
2hours and 40minutes.

160minutes.

I was like, "fuck watching a 4hour movie."
Dec 18 2009 12:47PM
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Elden-JR
Posts: 199 - Karma: 10

im going to see that tonight after school.   Is it really only 2 hours, i figured for how much they have been advertising it i would have thought it would be about 2 hours and 40 min  somewhere around there

Dec 18 2009 12:51PM
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MatRich
Posts: 4789 - Karma: 1,813

this.

is false. C.G.I is not done by drawing an image over and over to create the animation. That is called animation, and a lot of animations are now done with programs which make the drawings move. C.G.I is and always has been created using 3d models shaped with polygons that are manipulated with the program to create movement. your basicaly creating a 3d digital puppet and manipulating it. not drawing one and drawing it in different pisitions to creat the illusion of movement.

Dec 18 2009 12:57PM
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Elden-JR
Posts: 199 - Karma: 10
yah i was going to say 240 min is 4 hours but than i had a stupid minute and thought 240 min was 2 hours
Dec 18 2009 1:39PM
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WikiWiki
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 426
yes you can- you just need a tv with a 3d ready engine- ie. mitsubishi diamnond series etc
Dec 18 2009 2:03PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
i can't sit for 2 hours and 40 minutes
Dec 18 2009 2:12PM
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R@ggaMuffin
Posts: 321 - Karma: 34
I honestly felt like I was watching star wars again as a 10 year old
Dec 18 2009 2:28PM
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yellav
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 1,217
seeing it today in imax 3D at 530 YEEHHHHHEHEHHEHHEHHHHHEHHHHEEEEEHHHH!!!!
Dec 18 2009 3:06PM
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theblacktaco
Posts: 1462 - Karma: 82
could of had more original names .. avatar banshee pandora ect
Dec 18 2009 3:09PM
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jmason
Posts: 1595 - Karma: 136
The most interesting part of this film is the technology they used to make it. Aside from whatever CGI was used, the cameras that they used are brand new technology. To create the most 3D effect, two lenses are needed to film at two different points - simulating the two eyes in our head. However, the lenses used in such cameras are too large, and therefore cannot be placed close enough together to simulate eyes. What they did for this was to create a rig with two camera's pointing at approx 90º from each other. They used a mirror-like device to reflect the image from the scene into one of the lenses of the camera, while allowing it to pass directly through into the camera behind it, both at the same time. By using this mirror-like device, they are able to make it seem as if the cameras are close enough together to simulate human eyes, when in actual fact they aren't (they'd be overlapping), but are in two completely different places looking through a partially reflected image.

The outcome of Avatar is going to greatly influence the path that Hollywood takes over the next little while. If it is extremely successful, Hollywood is going to put a lot more effort into researching and developing this type of technology.

It's very interesting to see what will come.
Dec 18 2009 3:22PM
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dwigt
Posts: 461 - Karma: 2
saw it at midnight last night...easily the most visually stunning movie ever made
Dec 18 2009 3:31PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
it looked pretty good from the trailer, but im not sure if i will like the cgi, i just hate it so much when every fucking shot is trying to be so damn epic, swooping in from a half mile away, then swooping through the fighting, and circling around the main characters fight, while a billion impossible things are going on both in the fight and in the back ground.  its such a stupid shitty fad thats been going on recently in hollywood movies and it turns so many potentially good movies into complete shit.

is this movie like that? im going to see it anyway, but i wanna know what to expect.
Dec 18 2009 3:36PM
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R@ggaMuffin
Posts: 321 - Karma: 34
Nah this really isnt like tthe 2012 bull. Its made to look epic but they set it up in a way that is realistic
Dec 18 2009 3:37PM
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gwhitey
Posts: 2249 - Karma: 312

I WANT TO SEE IT SOOOOO BAD

made a thread about it earlier in teh year about the trailor, made me skeptical, now, for these reviews i have to see this movie

Dec 18 2009 3:41PM
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M+M
Posts: 7935 - Karma: 25
for those who have no idea


this movie has been written for a number of years but the technology was never good enough to actually produce it...they have technology so good, to the point that when they are filming clips with the actors, they have a camera focused around them, that will actually put them in the scene in the movie, so they can see what they are actually doing in the movie while they are acting it out right in front of them...the technology for this shit is just crazy
Dec 18 2009 3:50PM
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garrets
Posts: 1447 - Karma: 60
I couldve either gone to see this or go to opening day at my home mountain... I chose this and it was worth it! The best movie, visually, I've probably ever seen. And if you're considering renting it instead of going to see it in theaters dont make that mistake. The few extra bucks to see it in 3D are completely worth it. It's not the kind of 3D movie that just uses 3D to do some stupid gags like throwing stuff at you, this movie was made for 3 dimensions. do yourself a favor and go see it!
Dec 18 2009 10:56PM
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DDrem.
Posts: 3552 - Karma: 24
i have been pretty skeptical about this movie since the beginning, like not planning on seeing it whatsoever, but i have heard some nectar reviews so i think i might just drop the 10 bones and see it
Dec 18 2009 10:59PM
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doublexl
Posts: 8407 - Karma: 27
wow that was really gay
Dec 18 2009 11:02PM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
Isn't this that movie about smurfs?
Dec 18 2009 11:08PM
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yellav
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 1,217
muy bueno. only gripe i have is there were three us armed forces commercials in the previews. which isn't really a gripe but more hilarious because the movie is really about imperialism and how humans and the armed forces suck incredibly bad.
Dec 18 2009 11:11PM
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InkShrink
Posts: 1079 - Karma: 30

I feel the same. The trailers and interviews with cast members have made it seem so ridiculously amazing that I'm somewhat skeptical about all the hype. But after my best friend saw it today he said I'd be stupid to not see it. Now I can't wait to see it.

Dec 18 2009 11:14PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37391 - Karma: 120,145
1st niggas
Dec 18 2009 11:17PM
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PagesHouse
Posts: 6024 - Karma: 104
Holy jesus I just got back from seeing it and I'm literally exhausted. I'm in awe... I wish I could actually go to Pandora... holy shit... insanity... wow... james cameron is a technological genius.
Dec 18 2009 11:29PM
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