James Cameron's "Avatar"

[OrARoundabout]

Have any of you guys heard of it?
I’ve been following news regarding Avatar for a while now and seriously, WTF is up with this movie? Apparently this December we will be subjected to a film that boosts the best visual effects in a movie ever…employing Stereoscopic 3D Cameras that mimic the human sight.

YouTube - James Cameron Stereoscopic 3D camera

I have read many reviews promclaiming it "revolutionary”, “a film that will change history"

Is this film really THAT GOOD?

Comic-Con: James Cameron's Avatar High-Res Na'vi and Trailer Date | TheHDRoom

Yesterday at Comic-Con, James Cameron brought the house down when he unveiled Avatar to the public for the first time. Along with the reveal comes some new information about the film you won't want to miss.
First, Fox has launched the official Avatar website at Official Avatar Movie site | In Cinemas December 18th Worldwide where you can sign up for Avatar updates. The site is still in an early phase so there isn't much to look at per se, but it does proclaim August 21 is official "Avatar Day" when approximately 15 minutes worth of scenes from the film will be screened in select theaters and on IMAX for FREE. I anxiously await the list of theaters to be released along with all of you.

Fox also released the key art for the Avatar Comic-Con banner hanging in the streets of San Diego. The original was in super high resolution so I am passing it along in an appropriately gigantic size which you can view by clicking it below. Also note the original was only half of the Na'vi face so what you are seeing below mirror's that half to give an approximation of a complete face.

Here is the new official Avatar synopsis: Avatar is the story of an ex-Marine who finds himself thrust into hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms. As an Avatar, a human mind in an alien body, he finds himself torn between two worlds, in a desperate fight for his own survival and that of the indigenous people. More than ten years in the making, Avatar marks Cameron's return to feature directing since helming 1997's Titanic, the highest grossing film of all time and winner of eleven Oscars® including Best Picture. WETA Digital, renowned for its work in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and King Kong, will incorporate new intuitive CGI technologies to transform the environments and characters into photorealistic 3D imagery that will transport the audience into the alien world rich with imaginative vistas, creatures and characters.

 

[No spoken words]

Our beloved Lancemc's life hangs in the balance as far as this film is concerned.

 

[UberBeaver]

James Cameron does not make good movies, so as much I like me some special effects, I am not looking forward to this one. The story will be bland and contrite and predictable, because I'm sure James King O The World Cameron has to improve upon the anime/comic that it's based on.

 

[No spoken words]

James Cameron does not make good movies, so as much I like me some special effects, I am not looking forward to this one. The story will be bland and contrite and predictable, because I'm sure James King O The World Cameron has to improve upon the anime/comic that it's based on.

Why are you the way you are?

And, do you feel like this because you're Cyborg-American and you and your kind loathe Cameron on principle?

 

[UberBeaver]

Why are you the way you are?

Awesome? I dunno, that's how elfa built me. I don't question it.

And, do you feel like this because you're Cyborg-American and you and your kind loathe Cameron on principle?

No I feel this way cause Titanic sucked, The Abyss (which I rewatched recently) sucked, Dark Angel sucked, and the Terminator films kinda sucked, True Lies sucked, and though I've never seen it, I think it's fairly safe to assume that Piranha II: The Spawing sucked. Aliens was good, but that was 23 years ago and a sequel - and really all he did was take Alien and make it plural - and put a little cliche girl named "Newt" in there. Alien was way better.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

No I feel this way cause Titanic sucked, The Abyss (which I rewatched recently) sucked, Dark Angel sucked, and the Terminator films kinda sucked, True Lies sucked, and though I've never seen it, I think it's fairly safe to assume that Piranha II: The Spawing sucked. Aliens was good, but that was 23 years ago and a sequel - and really all he did was take Alien and make it plural - and put a little cliche girl named "Newt" in there. Alien was way better.

I built you well...

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

14 year old Eliza Dushku frowns upon you for saying that True Lies sucked, Beav.

And if Terminator 2 sucks, then my life up until now is forfeit.

 

[Lancemc]

The opinion of a man who feels Cameron's Terminator films sucked is worth less than nothing.

 

[UberBeaver]

Technically I said they "kinda sucked" and I do plan on going back and rewatching them actually (added them to my Netflix queue) cause it's been a while since I've seen them. That has to make my opinion at least equal to nothing now, right?

 

[No spoken words]

Technically I said they "kinda sucked" and I do plan on going back and rewatching them actually (added them to my Netflix queue) cause it's been a while since I've seen them. That has to make my opinion at least equal to nothing now, right?

Beav, for whatever it's worth to you, your opinion has meant nothing to me from day one.

 

[UberBeaver]

Beav, for whatever it's worth to you, your opinion has meant nothing to me from day one.

That's fine, so long as it's not less than nothing. That hurts, you know?

 

[UberBeaver]

Sorry if I ruined your topic, ORARoundabout.

 

[powerhour24]

The world will find out next friday if the hype he's been spinning will be at all based in reality, he's been claiming this as the game-changing motion picture of our lives since long before he ever started actual production, yet for all the hype its built online, no one in the real world has a clue about it because he's shown us nothing, and it comes out in a matter of months. But he's supposed to premiere the trailer, as well as show 15 minutes in IMAX for free next Friday, if that actually happens he may be able to bring that anticipation to the regular folks who'll make it either a success or failure at the box office.

 

[LMP]

The footage got a pretty solid reaction at Comic Con.

The Free Avatar Day promotion is ballsy, and just the sort of advertising a movie like this needs. I know I'd pay the $15 to see it in 3D and IMAX, but will the guy who usually waits for everything to hit the dollar theater? Driving home the point that this will be an experience that cannot possibly be replicated in a home-viewing situation is essential for this movie to succeed financially.

 

[Lancemc]

Only problem with Avatar Day is the only people who are likely to attend it are already anticipating the film. The only way to get tickets for the two showings of the footage that day is to go onto the film's website and and try to reserve tickets. Which isn't something those on the fence or unfamiliar with the film are going to ever do. However, letting a good number of Avatar fans see some footage in advance will do wonders for popular word-of-mouth, which is what makes of breaks these sorts of films these days anyway.

 

[LMP]

Oh most definitely. I wonder if this is a big success that they'd showcase the same footage at different points during the Fall season, too.

 

[powerhour24]

True, Avatar day will play to those already aware of it, but their reactions and the trailer will give them something tangible to goad their friends into being interested.

 

[Lancemc]

Also, apple.com/trailers has a countdown to (if my long-hazy-after-late-night-work-tired math skills are to be trusted) Thursday morning for the teaser trailer. And then of course Avatar Day friday.

 

[powerhour24]

I've heard they'll only be doing Avatar Day at digital IMAX theaters (read: the lamer, smaller IMAXes) and only creating film prints for a few huge markets, it makes sense as it'd be very expensive to make lots of prints to just show twice for free, but as the IMAX in my town if film, it'll probably mean I'll miss out on it.

 

[Lancemc]

Yeah, I don't believe my closest IMAX, in Atlantic City, is a digital theater either. Probably not getting a film print. Oh well.

 

[Lancemc]

Details are up on the website. It's getting hammered from traffic though. Nothing in Atlantic City, as expected. Oh well. I'll have to make due with the trailer.

 

[powerhour24]

Damnit, the Jordans on the other end of my state is participating, but not the one in my town, lame!!! (FYI for those of you not from MA, Jordans is a furniture store, and yes the have IMAX theaters, in fact they're the only 2 theaters in the world with Tempur-Pedic seats)

 

[If you shout...]

Looking forward to this, on Friday. Should be fun, regardless of how impressive it does or doesn't look.

 

[Lancemc]

I'm not going to lie. I'm kind of grinning.

 

[Lancemc]

http://images.apple.com/movies/fox/avatar/avatar2009aug0820a-tsr_h720p.mov

Here's the proper trailer site if you don't want 720, but Apple seems to still be uploading/fixing the files here so they're currently not working.
Apple - Trailers - James Cameron's Avatar

I'll say this. That's one wretched trailer. Like Inglourious Bastards Teaser level wretched. Maybe the guy cutting it thought it would be fun to capture every shot in the film where a character, live-action or otherwise, is pulling a goofy face into the camera and just cut them all together and call it a day. I don't know.

But the stuff in the film looks pretty nifty.

 

[Lancemc]

Here's like 20 480p grabs from the trailer. In the spoiler tag so it's no obnoxious.

Spoiler

 

[Lancemc]

Spoiler

 

[Justin24]

Enjoy

 

[Lancemc]

Yeah, I'd recommend everyone not watch it in that small resolution Justin posted. You won't be impressed. Since it's not a particularly well cut trailer, you really need to look at it in HD for some of the imagery.

 

[Justin24]

Let me see if I can fix that