love

Author Topic: FS Reviews: Avatar/Nine  (Read 17489 times)

tjwells

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1909
FS Reviews: Avatar/Nine
« on: January 01, 2010, 07:37:23 AM »
You guys shouldn't really give any clues as to what you think of a movie in the episode summary. Lost a little interest in listening to the show now, I have to say. No offense.

Adam

  • Administrator
  • Elite Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4572
    • Filmspotting
Re: FS Reviews: Avatar/Nine
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2010, 08:32:57 AM »
Be honest though... that can really only be big because you loved the movie and aren't in a hurry to hear us bash it, right? I mean, knowing we did or didn't like a movie shouldn't matter, and it's not the first time show summaries included notes like this.

Plus a strong case could be made that a leading line like that will pique more people's interest and encourage them to listen.

That said, I've made an edit to it. I don't care. It was something I threw in at the last second to add some spice.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2010, 08:52:17 AM by Adam »
Follow Filmspotting on Twitter at http://twitter.com/filmspotting

Listen to Filmspotting at https://www.filmspotting.net/ and on Chicago Public Radio (91.5 FM)

zblaesi

  • Member
  • **
  • Posts: 150
Re: FS Reviews: Avatar/Nine
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2010, 09:06:43 AM »
The review is pretty much what I expected. Avatar looks overrated to me. I'm not sure if seeing it for the visuals alone is worth it. Then again... there's not much else to see at my local theater.

David Chen

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 3
    • /Film
Re: FS Reviews: Avatar/Nine
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2010, 09:07:48 AM »
First of all, this Avatar review is awesome, if only because it's always interesting to hear intelligent critics go against the status quo.

I enjoyed the film more than Adam and Matty, despite is flaws, but there is something I wanted to direct all of your attention to:

http://www.chud.com/articles/articles/21969/1/PROJECT-880-THE-AVATAR-THAT-ALMOST-WAS/Page1.html

This link details Cameron's original script treatment for "Avatar," initially titled "Project 880." Cameron's original scriptment would have made for a movie three times as long as the existing 2hr45min runtime, but it addresses almost all of the issues that Adam and Matty (and me and other people) have with the film's story and characters.

Thus, my final take: Cameron still knows what he's doing, and actually probably understands the problems with his own movie. But due to his time/budget constraints, or the constraints of the feature-length-film medium, he was unable to stop them from showing up on screen. Nonetheless, I think Adam and Matty's critiques of the film before us remain valid.

tjwells

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1909
Re: FS Reviews: Avatar/Nine
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2010, 10:07:40 AM »
Yeah, I take critics not liking a movie I loved really hard for some reason. I still love you guys.

Adam

  • Administrator
  • Elite Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4572
    • Filmspotting
Re: FS Reviews: Avatar/Nine
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2010, 10:09:49 AM »
Yeah, I take critics not liking a movie I loved really hard for some reason. I still love you guys.
I think we all do.
Follow Filmspotting on Twitter at http://twitter.com/filmspotting

Listen to Filmspotting at https://www.filmspotting.net/ and on Chicago Public Radio (91.5 FM)

IDrinkYourMilkshake

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1288
  • a souless automaton who can't feel any emotion
Re: FS Reviews: Avatar/Nine
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2010, 12:12:16 PM »
Ive got to say i think you absolutely nailed Avatar. It reminded me of last year, when Transformers 2 came out, Mark Kermode said that Michael Bay had a "pornographic sensibility". I think that could be applied to Avatar too except that where Transformers 2 is just full on gonzo, Avatar is one of those porno's that aspires to be taken seriously as high art, but it doesnt matter how many references to Dostoevsky or how many little surreal little bobbins you put in there, it ultimately is what it is. And Avatar is ultimately James Cameron saying:

"PHWOAR!!!! LOOK AT THIS!!!!!!!! PHWOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

bullshit is bullshit, it just goes by different names.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2010, 12:21:18 PM by IDrinkYourMilkshake »
"What should have been an enjoyable 90 minutes of nubile, high-school flesh meeting a frenzy of blood-caked blades, becomes instead an exploitational and complex parable of the conflicting demands of agrarianism and artistry. I voted a miss."

Itri12

  • Member
  • **
  • Posts: 95
Re: FS Reviews: Avatar/Nine
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2010, 12:52:34 PM »
I feel like...I can ignore the problems for the wonderful world Cameron creates. It's different than the Star Wars prequels because his world is far more compelling than Lucas's new world. But almost all of your complaints are valid, except if you were implying that the story was bad, it wasn't. It's a story we've seen a dozen times before and works, it's just incredibly boring and predictable. But yes, the dialog is terrible.

FroHam X

  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 17792
  • “By any seeds necessary.”
    • justAtad
Re: FS Reviews: Avatar/Nine
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2010, 02:44:17 PM »
It's a story we've seen a dozen times before and works, it's just incredibly boring and predictable.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. No story is bad. There are unique stories, and complex stories, and simple stories. But none of those adjectives define the quality. Any story can be good because a good story is a story well told. The problem with the story in Avatar is not that it's a "bad" story or a simple story or even a cliche or derivative story. The problem is that it' not especially well told. It works fine enough to keep me entertained, but it never engaged me.
"We didn't clean the hamster's cage, the hamster's cage cleaned us!"

Can't get enough FroHam? Read more of my musings at justAtad

Adam

  • Administrator
  • Elite Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4572
    • Filmspotting
Re: FS Reviews: Avatar/Nine
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2010, 04:47:34 PM »
It's a story we've seen a dozen times before and works, it's just incredibly boring and predictable.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. No story is bad. There are unique stories, and complex stories, and simple stories. But none of those adjectives define the quality. Any story can be good because a good story is a story well told. The problem with the story in Avatar is not that it's a "bad" story or a simple story or even a cliche or derivative story. The problem is that it' not especially well told. It works fine enough to keep me entertained, but it never engaged me.
This is kind of just splitting hairs though... As you say, any story can be good because a good story is one well told... so if Avatar's story is one executed poorly, and it is, then isn't it a bad story?
Follow Filmspotting on Twitter at http://twitter.com/filmspotting

Listen to Filmspotting at https://www.filmspotting.net/ and on Chicago Public Radio (91.5 FM)