Rate the Last Movie You Saw

A movie I've been anticipating to see ever since I heard about the legendary box office numbers. Since I don't really like the movie going experience, I eagerly awaited the Blu-Ray release. I mean, I know box office gross does not equate to quality, but this seemed universally successful.

I should have listened to my gut instinct...Before any Avatards get mad at me, I will say the movie is a visual masterpiece. The effort is definitely there, but all in the wrong places. I love visual effects just as much as anyone else, but I like a good story too. Avatar's was just...so bland and basic. I could predict almost everything that happened in the movie.

I don't mind cliched plotlines. Even the most basic of cliches can make a good movie if done well. For example, Spider-Man is a pretty basic story of the unsuspecting hero and the twists of fate that happen to him. However, the writing and directing made it so enjoyable. Avatar did not seem to make any effort to connect us with the characters. I also had this strange sense of deja vu, like I've seen something like this before...

I also became bored with the movie about halfway through. I usually like long movies, but this seemed too drawn out. The script became so formulaic and the characters so one dimensional that it almost became a chore to sit through. The visual effects also lost its impact about two hours in because we've seen it nearly the whole movie. I guess you can say it desensitized me to the wonders it supposedly accomplished.

I guess after seeing Titanic, I was hoping Cameron could at least match that. But I have to say, Titanic is the far superior film. The Hurt Locker, which was made with what, 1/20th of the budget of Avatar, was a lot more suspenseful and enjoyable in five minutes than Avatar was throughout the whole movie. I know it was sort of considered an upset by some that The Hurt Locker beat out Avatar, but trust me, it definitely deserved the win, as it's one of the best movies I've ever seen period.

Overally, Avatar was a colossal disappointment for me. Usually, I'm able to forgive more priority on visuals than story, but the difference was too great in Avatar. Not only did I not care about any of the characters, but everything seemed so formulaic and static. Visually, Avatar is the best any movie can achieve. But storywise, a movie of this caliber leaves a lot to be desired.



James Cameron, I am disappoint.../10

Watched this last night. Its a fun little movie, what can I say? The animation is absolutely wonderful. its fluid for the most part, but occasionally the stop motion animation becomes much more obvious, and when it kicks in, it just looks a little weird when a majority of the movie looks smooth as a babys bottom. lol. Unfortunately the story is not so great. i mean its enjoyable, dont get me wrong. but its just not very creative. the back story has been done to death, humans create war machines, war machines betray humanity and wipe everyone out. but thats just a prelude to the real movie which is about 9 little puppet people living in this post apocalyptic world. i wont spoil it, but the story really doesn't make any sense logically. they do explain what the little puppet people actual are and their purpose, but they dont explain how any of it really works. i guess they don't need to, its beyond the point. but the story really felt like more of a catalyst to show off the animation style rather then vice versa as is typically the case. and the ending is just a real head scratcher. i understood exactly what happened, i just didnt understand how or why. it just doesnt make sense if you try to think about it realistically. it is pure, unexplainable fiction. but again, i guess it doesn't matter. its good to just be imaginative like that, even if its really not very deeply creative. more like something you'd find in a children's book. in other words, the story is simplistic, unexplainable fiction. also, the progression of the film felt a little strange to me. slow moments felt very slow while faster moments seem to go by too fast. it just feels slightly rushed. and its short 80 minute run time doesnt really help this fact. it feels like they might of been a little desperate for filler moments but didnt have the budget to make the exciting (and yes they are very exciting) action moments a little longer. idk, i dont really understand the technical aspects. my last ltitle complaint is not a significant one, but this movie seems to try to show off facial expressions a little too excessively. again, i think they were just trying to show off their animation abilities. and its not that they do a bad job of it, its just that they do it a little too much and it begins to feel silly. but i may be criticizing it a little harshly. the movie is simple, enjoyable fun. story is satisfying and the animation is unique. there is a moral undertone to the story, but its hardly pushed in your face and very little depth is givin to it, so its easy to just ignore it all together if you wish too. anyways, it was a nice little film, but not something ill probably ever care to watch again. worth a rental if you like animated films, otherwise your not really missing anything special. also, don't be tricked by the tim burton stamp of approval, hes just a producer hes not the creative mind behind it. thats a good thing in my opinion. tim's been... slacking lately. but thats another topic entirely.