“Avatar”. Or as I’d like to call it, “Dances With Aliens”. Regular readers of this blog would know that I rarely do movie reviews because I haven’t really been touched by a movie in a long time. Until now. I just watched it an hour ago, and I’m still a bit stunned, still reeling, actually. I can’t seem to shake off the hangover that the movie gave me. Like one of my all time favorites, “Dances With Wolves”, “Avatar” explores the same premise, peppered with eerily similar issues. An outsider joins another culture, is treated as a barbarian by what he thought were barbarians himself, has to learn the culture, proves himself as a equal, is eventually accepted by the “tribe”, forced to fight his own people because he eventually realized that he was one of the “bad guys”, and eventually abandons the culture he was born in, and adopts the foreign culture in its stead. The similarities are aplenty, so I guess that’s why I loved both movies.
Many films try to create an alien world, or “the future”, but they often fail. Somehow, it always looks like the present, trying hard to be the future, or another planet. Even the aliens in movies like the newer Star Wars series seemed dated, like they came from some bargain bin alien warehouse. And the alien planets, with the requisite multiple moons, just seemed, well, earthly. With “Avatar” though, the ideas were refreshingly new, and unexpected. In this age of sci-fi and comicbooks, CGI, and Steven Spielberg, it’s a tall order to still come up with fresh ideas that still inspire awe. This movie did it for me. Many of the aliens and the Pandora landscape made me a child again, bringing me to state that I rarely get into these days: the suspension of disbelief. I allowed myself to immerse into the movie’s make-believe world, abandoning logic and a critical eye. Very few movies have whisked me away completely into their worlds — LOTR and Harry Potter for instance — and I thank them for it.
Like I said, it was a film plot that was explored many times before, but it unfolds as if it were the first time I ever encountered it. There were many highs in the film — the SFX, the acting, the set design, the directing, the fake language, etc., but for me, the strongest point of the movie was the story-telling. This is my main beef with some of my childhood favorites like George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, it’s as if success somehow dulled their peerless narrative skills. It’s nice to know that James Cameron still has it. I remember when “Titanic” went up against the critical darling “L.A. Confidential”, it was sooo uncool to be rooting for the sappy shipwreck story. But critics be damned, I was cheering “Titanic” on, even if I lost a lot of movie geek cred. So I’m so glad Cameron delivered…in spades. For me, my best bellwether for a good movie is if I don’t even notice the SFX, I don’t notice the acting, and all that matters to me is that the good guys win. It means I don’t see the strings that are masterfully manipulating my emotions. Be it native american indians or blue aliens, I need to care about these characters for me to enjoy the movies. Snazzy SFX means nothing if there is no heart beating at the very core of the story.
Suffice it to say, I loved it. Dramas are easy to get into, because it’s realistic, close to our own personal dramas, and they’re real people. But when the main characters are giant blue aliens on a fictitious planet, and yet you care for them just as much as you would with real people, then the film succeeded. It is therefore a foregone conclusion that I will start buying action figures of characters from the movie, which is the ultimate sign that I loved it. And is it just me, or were the aliens…a bit…you know…sexy?
i would love to watch it. hmmm…
I will watch out for the sexy aliens… thanks Chico.. Merry Christmas to u and Delamar
Oh my, now I’m really all hyped up to go watch this movie. Just reading this brilliant review of the film, you got me ‘dying to see the movie’. I’ve been wanting to watch this one for weeks since I heard about it.
Oooo…I totally agree with you Chico…I particularly love the “jellybird” as what i call it, that looked like the amorseco plant. I SEE YOU.
yeah i love that: “i see you.”
Maganda talaga. As in, lalo na kung sa 3D pa. hayst. I’m so in love with them too. LOL 😀
http://ayettelovesyou.wordpress.com ♥
go watch it guys, before the 25th!!! thanks to RX for the screening they had. ang ganda talaga. and the flying jellyfish-like creatures are sooo cute, i want one!!
don’t forget to include the weird flying alien-insect. yung mukhang helicopter na umiilaw? tapos pati yung katawan umiikot. i want one too!
yeah that one rin kuya! and of course the turuk maktu hahaha 😀
yeah i loved that too! most alien planet creatures look uninspired. this was REALLY good!
oo nga pala, the filmfest starts friday…
“And is it just me, or were the aliens…a bit…you know…sexy?” — *PERV ALERT* LOL. Chico, you should do this — reviewing movies — more often. Thanks for sharing. I’ll be watching it later. Good day!
yeah, i think i will review more movies. go watch it and tell me what you think.
I was also blown away. I almost cried during one intense scene. I agree, when you start to care about blue aliens that you just knew for a few minutes, the storytelling was successful.
strange reaction, but even our friend felt like crying the first time he got to fly his “bird”. i had goosebumps.
hmm. now i’m curious too. i don’t usually watch sci-fi movies. hmm…
glad you made a review chico!…we also watched it last night…i still have a hangover til now….i have two words for you guys! “WATCH IT!”
I went to see Avatar in 3d today and it was AMAZING!!!!!! The animation was mind blowing. The creativity to bring this imagination of life and love was outstanding . James Cameron is a genius!!! Truly a movie worth seeing again and again and again.. I’M A FAN OF THIS MOVIE!!! You HAVE to go and see it!
You should try watching it on 3d cinemas as well. it’s really cool, and you can almost feel like you’re in pandora! 😀
I not sure though how good 3d cinemas are in the Philippines, but im quite sure it should be the same. 😀
so my advice, enjoy the movie in 3D! ;D
i really plan to watch it on imax! it must be awesome…
I watched it in 3D and IMAX 3D, the bigger screen made a lot of difference, well to me that is. You should go see it on IMAX. Btw, I checked with SM Cinemas and they said that they’ll continue showing Avatar even during the MMFF week. 🙂
i loved avatar too!!! wanna watch it again. 🙂
i agree, chico. this movie really is worth every cent you pay. I would still watch even if the ticket was double it’s price. that’s how i love the movie. it way cooler than i expected it too be.
it could pass as the sci-fi movie of the year!
When this movie’s released to blu-ray or dvd, it’s a collector’s item. The movie was so stunningly spectacular.
It definitely is a feast for the eyes! it somehow reminded me of Fern Gully hehe. I want to watch it again!!!!
hayee, chix!
if u want d toys right away, swing by mckiddies 😀
wsnt able to catch it last wkend. cnt w8 to do so! aaavaaataaar!!!
(>”<)
what a way to end your movie review Chico! 😀
and yes, the movie is pure awesomeness.. a very nice treat for your creative minds. i LOVE every part of the movie. Thanks to RX!!
must see in 3D!
I was near tears towards the end of the movie! Yes, I “cared” for the Na’vi tribe, I wanted Jake and Neytiri to live happily ever after…..and I want a sequel! Which would happen with 2 more installments accdg to Director James Cameron! Yey! But for now, I’ll watch it again and savor the Pandora moments!
“I see you.” Nice!
have always liked Zoe Saldana. even her alien-ized look as Neytiri looked hot! will watch it again later this week! hehe!
hey, chix! 1 of d things kc na i know i really liked d film I’m watching is when i didn’t noticed that it was that long…mesmerized talaga ako…super. & to think we’re now saturated with movies/adapted screenplays…refreshing no? na this time, original naman. More than the high-techyness, i’d go for d storytelling at any day. Loved it!!! I hope din u’ll post more of this 1 sa blog mo..missed those days when u & delle having a portion like this sa show. mwah!
James Cameron is one awesome Alien!!!! I thought so din with Steven Spielberg…brilliant…brilliant minds…
Chico i remember, when u rate d movie War of the Worlds back then, sabi mo, u thought Steven Spielberg is somehow losing his touch, but not with this movie…so i know na blown away ka talaga more sa storytelling. I’m with you right there.
I soooo agree with you. This is actually the kind of place / environment I was expecting to see when I watched the “Journey to the Center of the Earth” but it has failed to do that.
With Avatar, you’d really wanna wish that there’s a place like that or Atlantis perhaps. Napanood ko na siya sa 3d yet one day before the MMFF so I hope by January, IMAX na talaga. 400pesos is very worth it! I wonder if some ideas were taken from the anime “Vision of Escaflowne” so many alike pero may ginaya man, stand out pa rin above all ang movie na ito.
Just like you, i’ll be collecting the action figures of this movie and ill upload it in my phone to watch it over and over again and be amazed, amused, thrilled again and again!! 🙂
They really made my cup empty … 🙂
as for the sexy part….
that was just you.
oh and didn’t you find it weird that when the alien race (navi i think) turned their backs on him, the minute he got the big red bird he was accepted na, and the chick alien forgave instantaneously?
mga babae talaga, basta malaki bird okay na lahat….
i soooo agree with you, Chico. The movie rocks not only my mind but my world! truthfully, james cameron is really the king of the world (world of movies)… nice review! 🙂
nice review!
strange..what i really remember about the movie is their god, whom they refer to as a “she”.. maybe its the same idea of the feminine side of god mentioned in paulo coelho’s “by the river piedrs i sat down and wept”, or maybe i’m just thinking too much.. 🙂
{but, seriously, if i only have the courage, i would have asked a priest about it]
akala ko sexy aliens na lalake
sana magkaroon ng Disneyland version ang Avatar..bale Avatar land..tapos as in katulad ng sa movie yung magagarang lights and special effects.
I thought the same thing when I watched it, with one additional detail. This movie is a lot similar to Fern Gully too. So I thought it was a cross between Dances with Wolves and Fern Gully. Really nice movie.
Hi chico! You don’t know me but I’m a regular visitor of your blog! 🙂
My comment is long overdue coz I just watched the movie last night…in 3D!!! And I was not disappointed. I am generally not a fan of alien movies, but this one got me! I watched it coz of the good reviews and I say all of them are true.
Aside from my head aching with the 3D glasses (probably due to my astigmatism), the entire movie experience was great for me. The story, the effects, and more importantly the characters impressed me so much, that I was holding my breath a lot of times!
And yes Chico, I overheard a comment in the theater that the aliens kinda look sexy… (lol)
This is a great review, and I think you captured the inescapable awe and wonder of “Avatar” well.
But they’re not aliens! They’re the Na’vi, and Pandora–their home–is where the movie takes place. Humans are the aliens here.