AVATAR

[aunaturale]

youtube "The Bioluminescence Of The Night".

magical. Movie made my top 10 of all time, nothing like it.
I don't want to spoil the theme for anyone but lets just say it involves nature 

worth the time and $ to see it in 3D!!!!!

[yon yonson]

i personally loved the movie. yes, it had some shitty acting, michelle rodriguez, and some lame one-liners. BUT it hands down had the best graphics i've ever seen and i loved the plot. if you love aliens and/or native americans then go see it. i've heard a lot of shit being talked about the plot. i mean yeah, it could have been better but i think it had an amazing overall message: western civilization is killing our environment and it's native people. anyways, i don't want to give too much of it away, but my advice is to go see it and try to make it through michelle rodriguez's "acting".

thanks for bringing this up aunaturale, i really think it's an important movie to see

[RawZi]

    It was good.  Saw the 3D this Saturday night.

    Here, youtubed it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECMIw7K8Iwc (it's just the song)

[extralizard13]

I didn't go in for the 3-D because I know it gives some of my friends headaches. Also, I wear glasses, lol. (You can still wear both glasses, but its a little clunky.)


I've had a few discussions with my friends on this movie. I loved the Nav'i, a lot, and so did they. (Also, I have a thing for bioluminescent plants and animals.)



In case people worry about spoilers (it shouldn't be too big), WARNING!



I know I like them for their basic lifestyles and closeness to nature. I've always liked Native American philosophy as well, for that reason. But some people seem to just want to look the Nav'i, or live on their world with their 'cool stuff'. Not really sure if you can live like a human and still live in the Nav'i world, but whatever. It sort of defeats the purpose.

[aunaturale]

I know I like them for their basic lifestyles and closeness to nature. I've always liked Native American philosophy as well, for that reason. But some people seem to just want to look the Nav'i, or live on their world with their 'cool stuff'. Not really sure if you can live like a human and still live in the Nav'i world, but whatever. It sort of defeats the purpose.

This is the first movie in a years that has truly touched the masses!
Simply, humans as a whole long for this Na'vi world to be a part of theirs, when
in reality it CAN BE!!!

sure, for the majority of us who work a 9-5 cant experience it wholeheartedly but we can
express ourselves in a manner that is calm and caring. Call it the 'placebo effect' or what have you,
people need to use their imaginations to create their own "paradise"

Using this knowledge is the first step... attaining good health steps it up another level!!!!
Before I lost my health, life was vivid. I had my Ecstasy-goggles on 24/7
Ill return to Eden once more, and so will everyone on this forum

[yon yonson]

sure, for the majority of us who work a 9-5 cant experience it wholeheartedly but we can
express ourselves in a manner that is calm and caring.

OR you could quit your job, and start a real live working community with real relationships and an inherent sustainability... just like the Na'vi, just like native americans, just like every paleolithic human. i think it's really sad that this concept is so exotic to most people. that's how life has been for the majority of human existence. it takes a huge blockbuster movie to make people aware of the fact that people can live without 9-5 jobs or high technology...

[extralizard13]

...

i think it's really sad that this concept is so exotic to most people. that's how life has been for the majority of human existence. it takes a huge blockbuster movie to make people aware of the fact that people can live without 9-5 jobs or high technology...

It's annoying that I've been sucked into technology. I'm always on my computer but I'm addicted, I can't stop. I most likely never will. Living in a small hunting and farming town, I'm luckier than those who know only of the city. My bf hadn't seen a shooting star until, when he was 21, he went to my house and looked it. First time he saw millions of stars and the Milky Way arm as well. He's seen a lot in the last few years compared to his 21 years living in a suburb. When I first met him, he didn't care about birds or animals other than cats. When I caught a blue jay in winter and handed it to him (alive), he realized that they were alive and quite interesting. Same goes with lizards. Still can't get used to snakes, though. (Where I live, there aren't many poisonous ones.)

I think everyone should have an experience in their youth to interact with the wild. To realize its alive. There's a few programs where I live to take kids from Baltimore onto boats. They generally adore it.

[aunaturale]

I think everyone should have an experience in their youth to interact with the wild. To realize its alive. There's a few programs where I live to take kids from Baltimore onto boats. They generally adore it.

ya I bet they love it! subconsciously, they know its home

[TylerDurden]

Well, I suppose I'll watch that youtube video, at least it's better than watching that crappy film. Judging from the more honest critics, it's typical mass-produced hollywood rubbish with appalling acting/dialogue and a painfully obvious cliched Dances-With-Wolves-type "plot" that will make people like me want to vomit in disgust at the dreary, fake sentimentality of it all. I used to admire James Cameron for his Terminator movie, but when he bowed to pressure from producers to make a rather tame sequel to that movie and that abysmal Titanic movie, I just thought he ought to be put out of his misery. Great special effects do not, IMO, compensate for an appalling plot/bad dialogue etc.

[yon yonson]

Well, I suppose I'll watch that youtube video, at least it's better than watching that crappy film. Judging from the more honest critics, it's typical mass-produced hollywood rubbish with appalling acting/dialogue and a painfully obvious cliched Dances-With-Wolves-type "plot" that will make people like me want to vomit in disgust at the dreary, fake sentimentality of it all. I used to admire James Cameron for his Terminator movie, but when he bowed to pressure from producers to make a rather tame sequel to that movie and that abysmal Titanic movie, I just thought he ought to be put out of his misery. Great special effects do not, IMO, compensate for an appalling plot/bad dialogue etc.

haha, without seeing it...

yes, it has some really cringe-worthy moments, but i really like the overall message. i don't think there has ever been a mainstream movie that directly attacks western civilization and its affect on nature (including natural indigenous humans). and for that i applaud it. but i can't convince you if you've already decided it's 'appalling'.

[Sitting Coyote]

For what it's worth, having studied primitive skills and the Native American ethics for years I found Avatar pathetic and even a little offensive.  A movie in theaters I found far more inspiring was Book of Eli, which blew me away.  Of course, Avatar will make far more money than Book of Eli thanks to its FX wizardy and cheesy Native American caricature, but par for the course, I guess...

[djr_81]

I think everyone should have an experience in their youth to interact with the wild. To realize its alive.

I wholeheartedly agree.
There's a brook behind my house which my brother and I would spend hours is every single day of the summer. It taught us a lot about wildlife & tracking not to mention got rid of any fears of animals we could have had. I try to bring my nieces and nephews to the same brook as often as possible so they can experience that same commune with nature and hopefully it will foster that same love for it I have.

[yon yonson]

For what it's worth, having studied primitive skills and the Native American ethics for years I found Avatar pathetic and even a little offensive.  A movie in theaters I found far more inspiring was Book of Eli, which blew me away.  Of course, Avatar will make far more money than Book of Eli thanks to its FX wizardy and cheesy Native American caricature, but par for the course, I guess...

true, it's not accurate in the least with respect to indigenous people. but, for what it is (a hollywood blockbuster) i think it has a great message. millions of people who wouldn't have thought twice about mining, resource extraction, or 'progress' might actually gain something from this. i think that's a great thing

[extralizard13]

I wholeheartedly agree.
There's a brook behind my house which my brother and I would spend hours is every single day of the summer. It taught us a lot about wildlife & tracking not to mention got rid of any fears of animals we could have had. I try to bring my nieces and nephews to the same brook as often as possible so they can experience that same commune with nature and hopefully it will foster that same love for it I have.

I find that when people don't go face to face with a wild creature when little, they tend to not care about nature at all--thinking that environmentalism or the need to preserve the wild as hockey and crap. (More or less, that the wild is a myth.) They think that other creatures are worthless. I've had a few roommates who hated animals and only liked monkeys, purely because they're little 'people' and even then, its not respect, but condescending.

[TylerDurden]

haha, without seeing it...

The trouble is I've seen such nonsense formulaic movies before, so I know what to expect. Plus, if I didn't judge movies without seeing them, then by now I would have wasted a large portion of my life on dud movies I could have avoided. Depending on multiple reviews of various movies helps as they can give examples of poor dialogue/acting so I know what to avoid.

And besides native americans aren't too happy with avatar criticising it for its substandard dances with wolves type plot involving a white man saving the natives from the depredations of other white men. There are good movies involving Nature(Dune, for example) but this isn't one.

[aunaturale]

The trouble is I've seen such nonsense formulaic movies before, so I know what to expect. Plus, if I didn't judge movies without seeing them, then by now I would have wasted a large portion of my life on dud movies I could have avoided. Depending on multiple reviews of various movies helps as they can give examples of poor dialogue/acting so I know what to avoid.

And besides native americans aren't too happy with avatar criticising it for its substandard dances with wolves type plot involving a white man saving the natives from the depredations of other white men. There are good movies involving Nature(Dune, for example) but this isn't one.

See the movie, then critique it

[yon yonson]

as i've said before, im not saying it is an accurate description of indigenous life. and i can totally see and understand how it is offensive to native people. i accept that. im saying it is important in that it has the potential to open peoples minds who are already living in western civilization. but do what you will tyler. judging from your avatar (tylerdurden) im assuming you already realize how fucked up western civilization is. in that case, i can understand you not wanting to see it. but i still think it's an important movie for others to see. i'll have to check out dune. never heard of it.

[extralizard13]

...

There are good movies involving Nature(Dune, for example)...

Which Dune?

[TylerDurden]

Which Dune?

THE Dune movie with all the sand-worms, an ecology where water is as precious as gold etc., and the guy who later appeared in twin peaks. Though I gather there's an OK TV movie version of Dune as well.

[djr_81]

THE Dune movie with all the sand-worms, an ecology where water is as precious as gold etc., and the guy who later appeared in twin peaks. Though I gather there's an OK TV movie version of Dune as well.

Have you read the books? Much better than the movie (as they usually are; it's hard to compress that much into a 2 hour movie) and I highly recommend them.
It'd be a hard life but I bet it would be nice to live like a Fremen.

[extralizard13]

Have you read the books? Much better than the movie (as they usually are; it's hard to compress that much into a 2 hour movie) and I highly recommend them.
It'd be a hard life but I bet it would be nice to live like a Fremen.

They are indeed. (I'd stay away anything from Kevin J Anderson or Brian Herbert, though.) Although, I like Children of Dune. (I own Lynch's Dune, but haven't gotten around to seeing it yet.) It'd be nice so long as you weren't water-fat! It'd be quite hard to adjust to the Fremen lifestyle

I was wondering which Dune movie, as there are two: David Lynch's Dune and Dune 2000. There is also the sequel to it, Children of Dune (which encompasses the books Dune Messiah and Children of Dune), which was a series.

[djr_81]

They are indeed. (I'd stay away anything from Kevin J Anderson or Brian Herbert, though.)

I'll agree that it wasn't all that great but it was still nice to read a little backstory on things. Brian doesn't have the chops his father had though IMO.

As for Lynch's Dune it really falls flat compared to the book as a result of diminished internal dialog. It's kind of hard to follow if you haven't read the books since so little of their intentions are overtly explained.

[extralizard13]

I'll agree that it wasn't all that great but it was still nice to read a little backstory on things. Brian doesn't have the chops his father had though IMO.

As for Lynch's Dune it really falls flat compared to the book as a result of diminished internal dialog. It's kind of hard to follow if you haven't read the books since so little of their intentions are overtly explained.

I don't mind some of the first books they (KJ Anderson and Brian Herbert), but the new ones are awful. Primarily because they're fighting dirty. I know a man who fights a lot (verbally) with Anderson and they absolutely loathe each other. A lot of the newest books are just to spite my friend. It's very dirty fighting that's going on between the two of them (I don't stand on either side for that reason, but I lean more towards anti-KJA--I truly have never liked his writing).

I think everyone should, first, read Frank Herbert's books. I think they complete themselves nicely. When I finished the Dune series, I had a choice--to be done with it and accept the ending, or to, possibly, ruin my view of Dune. I chose finish it. I can always go back on that choice, but most likely won't. But if you need to, read the others, but stay away from the Hero ones--Paul of Dune, Winds of Dune, etc. (Those are the newest and the ones that are truly just angry spatterings against the pure Herbertarians.)

[TylerDurden]

Have you read the books? Much better than the movie (as they usually are; it's hard to compress that much into a 2 hour movie) and I highly recommend them.
It'd be a hard life but I bet it would be nice to live like a Fremen.

  I have indeed read the books. I'm a fanatic re older science fiction and consider myself a bit of an expert re the subject ,if only in terms of number of books/short stories read(anything before 1990 as I don't want to read an SF book until it has been "proven" good by at least a decade or two of readers).

I loved the complexity offered by Frank Herbert. The mix of religion, ecology and philosophy was most intriguing. Sadly, modern scientists claim that the ecology Herbert suggested for Dune could never have worked in real life.

[TylerDurden]

I'll agree that it wasn't all that great but it was still nice to read a little backstory on things. Brian doesn't have the chops his father had though IMO.

I read the later books by Brian Herbert with storylines after Chapter House Dune. I wasn't too impressed by the writing style or the ultimate ending, really. Haven't read the prequels, though.

As for Lynch's Dune it really falls flat compared to the book as a result of diminished internal dialog. It's kind of hard to follow if you haven't read the books since so little of their intentions are overtly explained.

I disagree. Lynch was absolutely perfect for Dune - the  2 TV movies may have been more authentic but the whole plot etc. seemed to drag.Sure, critics argued that the back-story re Lynch's Dune wasn't properly explained etc., but it meant that there was a certain level of mystery that enticed the viewer. At any rate, seeing those sand-worms on the screen at the tender age of 12 was akin to a religious experience for me.