Page 4 of 5
Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 2:41 pm
by Mister Tee
For what it's worth, the NY Daily News gives it only 3 stars (out of 5), basically saying dazzling spectacle, silly dialogue. Of course, Cameron got away with that once before.
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:35 pm
by Sonic Youth
Greg wrote:Sonic Youth wrote:In Entertainment Weekly, Owen Glieberman gives it a B grade. Uh-oh.
What's interesting is that most of the comments beneath the review are thanking him for his honesty, and not calling him an asshole like commenters usually do.
That link goes to an article that says "Tiger Woods must die."
LOL! Oh, yeah. I was reading that, too. Good article!
Here's the link to the review:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin....109.DTL
Both Gleiberman and Ebert use "King of the World" in their reviews. Enough!
But read the Tiger Woods article as well, from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Edited By Sonic Youth on 1260589064
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:31 pm
by Greg
Rgoer Ebert gives it 4 stars:
Avatar
BY ROGER EBERT / December 11, 2009
Watching "Avatar," I felt sort of the same as when I saw "Star Wars" in 1977. That was another movie I walked into with uncertain expectations. James Cameron's film has been the subject of relentlessly dubious advance buzz, just as his "Titanic" was. Once again, he has silenced the doubters by simply delivering an extraordinary film. There is still at least one man in Hollywood who knows how to spend $250 million, or was it $300 million, wisely.
"Avatar" is not simply a sensational entertainment, although it is that. It's a technical breakthrough. It has a flat-out Green and anti-war message. It is predestined to launch a cult. It contains such visual detailing that it would reward repeating viewings. It invents a new language, Na'vi, as "Lord of the Rings" did, although mercifully I doubt this one can be spoken by humans, even teenage humans. It creates new movie stars. It is an Event, one of those films you feel you must see to keep up with the conversation.
The story, set in the year 2154, involves a mission by U. S. Armed Forces to an earth-sized moon in orbit around a massive star. This new world, Pandora, is a rich source of a mineral Earth desperately needs. Pandora represents not even a remote threat to Earth, but we nevertheless send in the military to attack and conquer them. Gung-ho Marines employ machine guns and pilot armored hover ships on bombing runs. You are free to find this an allegory about contemporary politics. Cameron obviously does. . .
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps....2119998
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:30 pm
by Greg
Sonic Youth wrote:In Entertainment Weekly, Owen Glieberman gives it a B grade. Uh-oh.
What's interesting is that most of the comments beneath the review are thanking him for his honesty, and not calling him an asshole like commenters usually do.
That link goes to an article that says "Tiger Woods must die."
Edited By Greg on 1260588658
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:06 pm
by Sonic Youth
In Entertainment Weekly, Owen Glieberman gives it a B grade. Uh-oh.
What's interesting is that most of the comments beneath the review are thanking him for his honesty, and not calling him an asshole like commenters usually do.
Edited By Sonic Youth on 1260588787
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 9:37 pm
by Big Magilla
The Original BJ wrote:In one of the trades, James Cameron commented about how outrageous it was the night Star Wars -- a movie which changed filmmaking forever -- lost Best Picture to Annie Hall -- a nice little movie. I hope he is looking forward to Avatar losing Best Picture to another nice little movie.
Up in the Air may well be that nice little movie.
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:27 pm
by Okri
The Original BJ wrote:I wish in my list of 10 Things I Hate About Awards Season I had included the daily b.s. of online bloggers.
I've decided that anyone who thinks this is going to win Best Picture hasn't ever watched an Oscar ceremony. It's like they never learn either. None of them say things like, "Well, Dark Knight wasn't even nominated last year, guess genre movies have an uphill battle with this organization." Nope, they just keep trying to spout the same nonsense, like conservative commentators, about maybe The Hangover will be a Best Picture nominee, or about how maybe Avatar will win Best Picture. And then they express shocked outrage when their little pipe dreams which had no basis in reality anyway don't come to fruition.
In one of the trades, James Cameron commented about how outrageous it was the night Star Wars -- a movie which changed filmmaking forever -- lost Best Picture to Annie Hall -- a nice little movie. I hope he is looking forward to Avatar losing Best Picture to another nice little movie.
Besides, I'm sure there are many who people think Titanic's sweep was reward enough for him.
Heh. For every oscar Avatar wins, he has to give two of Titanic's back.
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:01 pm
by OscarGuy
Here's what's going to happen. I can see it now.
Oscar nomination morning comes out. Avatar earns an impressive 10 nominations, managing to top all other nominees of the year (wouldn't it be funny for Nine to get 9 nods, but I digress). Suddenly everyone's saying: "Most nominated film wins!"
Of course, they would then need to have pointed out to them that the most nominated film winning meme hasn't been very accurate in recent years. Like 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2008.
But, of course they'll ignore any rational data, especially if Avatar, as I expect, loses the Globe and the PGA.
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:36 pm
by Greg
Well, there is no Annie Hall this year; and, with ten nominees, the vote could be evenly split enough among the "nice little movies" that an enthusiastic minority of 1/6 of the Academy could enable Avatar to win Best Picture where it would not have in a field of five.
Edited By Greg on 1260574665
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 5:54 pm
by The Original BJ
I wish in my list of 10 Things I Hate About Awards Season I had included the daily b.s. of online bloggers.
I've decided that anyone who thinks this is going to win Best Picture hasn't ever watched an Oscar ceremony. It's like they never learn either. None of them say things like, "Well, Dark Knight wasn't even nominated last year, guess genre movies have an uphill battle with this organization." Nope, they just keep trying to spout the same nonsense, like conservative commentators, about maybe The Hangover will be a Best Picture nominee, or about how maybe Avatar will win Best Picture. And then they express shocked outrage when their little pipe dreams which had no basis in reality anyway don't come to fruition.
In one of the trades, James Cameron commented about how outrageous it was the night Star Wars -- a movie which changed filmmaking forever -- lost Best Picture to Annie Hall -- a nice little movie. I hope he is looking forward to Avatar losing Best Picture to another nice little movie.
Besides, I'm sure there are many who people think Titanic's sweep was reward enough for him.
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 5:28 pm
by Greg
Here's a new trailer on the official web site. Wow. I'm not surprised it is being touted as the front-runner for Best Picture.
http://www.avatarmovie.com/
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 2:29 pm
by OscarGuy
I don't think that it will.
I've had it in my predictions for some time even when people were saying there was no way it was goign to get nominated. But I've never EVER considered it a contender for the prize and it's largely because it's science fiction. Another thing Titanic had going for it was the strength of its actors. From Kate to Leo to Kathy to Gloria. From what little I've read (trying to avoid spoilers and too much opinion that could taint my own impressions), it doesn't sound like the performances are to be commended.
The last film to buck the genre trend was Lord of the Rings and it was universally held as a great ensemble piece as well as a technical and literary marvel. They should compare it more to LOTR than to Titanic...because for all its bluster, Dark Knight should still be recent enough for people to remember just how little alternative genres are respected by the Academy.
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 1:48 pm
by Mister Tee
The folks over at Awards Daily have jumped quickly to Avatar is The New Clear Front-Runner -- invoking Titanic's trajectory.
A few thoughts:
Clearly, this will be a best picture nominee, given the enthusiasm level and the original nature of the material (original as in "not based on specific other sources"). I was skeptical Star Trek could capitalize on the new 10-ness of best picture, but this film meets all the criteria.
But it's still a sci-fi movie/action movie, even if it has a romance in it. (So did Transformers, if you want to be literal about it) Avatar may be more The Matrix or Terminator 2 -- significant number of tech nominations/win , but not seriously considered for best picture. Titanic's Oscar triumph came from threading the needle rather perfectly: a technical triumph to draw in the fanboys married to an historical recration that gave the film narrative cred (albeit not enough to win over the Writers' branch).
Titanic also came at the end of a year without a strong front-runner. LA Confidential of course swept the critics' derbies, but it had almost legendarily mediocre box-ofice relative to the raves. (Certainly compared to the grosses of best picture winners in the year's just previous) As Good As It Gets and Good Will Hunting were too lightweight. Titanic slipped into an open niche. This year, by comparison, Up in the Air has been getting excellent, best picture-level reviews, and opened to high numbers (and has at the least a commercial/entertaining air about it).
I also note that the people raving most are on-liners -- almost all of whom swore the Dark Knight was a shoo-in -- and the trade press. I want to hear some real critics weigh in. Titanic, recall, finished in the top 3-4 at the NY Critics' voting in 1997, and critics like Janet Maslin, Gleiberman, David Kehr and the ever-popular Travers actively promoted it as the year's best movie -- not best entertainment (which Avatar may well be), best overall movie. Will Avatar get the same push?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 12:54 pm
by MovieWes
Well, I'm starting to feel more and more confident about my box-office prediction for Avatar. I wouldn't bet money on it, but if it's as good as the reviews seem to indicate, this could outgross The Dark Knight domestically and possibly dominate the box-office in ways not seen since Titanic.
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 12:53 pm
by Zahveed
OscarGuy wrote:Of course, that's how ILM was before Lucas got a big head...or did he always have that
Photographic evidence suggests it's always been there.