Grunt

[cupiscent]

Went to see Avatar on Tuesday night. Some preliminary notes: I haven't been this unexcited to see a big new spec release in a long time; I hate 3D; when they're talking about breaking box-office records, does that include a factor for the way 3D tickets are more expensive than regular tickets (especially on cheap day, when they are no cheaper than

Comments

[azewewish]

Yes, but that's true of ALL of James Cameron's movies. I mean, the dialogue & acting of both his Terminator films are awful, especially Linda Hamilton in the first one. Titanic is filled with more cliches in screenwriting than you can shake a stick at. Aliens & The Abyss are wholly derivative in the narrative.

It's the IDEA you remember. The story. The characters that you draw in your mind after it's all said & done. Not the way Cameron wrote them.

In his own way, he's like Tolkien. Who had great stories to tell, but was a really boring story TELLER. Cameron also has great stories & great characters & great visual acumen. But not a great story TELLER from an original standpoint.

And maybe that is the point. Who knows. Who else could make so much money essentially telling action-oriented love stories over & over again?

[cupiscent]

You are entirely correct. And Aliens is my least favourite of that franchise, and I was once part of a ritual burning of Titanic. *G* I guess James Cameron and I just don't often overlap. Which is cool. But when he has all this shiny new whatever, I want it to elevate the story. It might not be what he does, but it's what I want.

(I've also hard harsh things to say about Tolkien before. *G*)

[azewewish]

Whereas Aliens has always been my favorite, because the stakes for Ripley are higher, and I love Cpl. Hicks something fierce. Plus, I love the whole Marine aspect of the story. The last two in the series, on the other hand, don't exist for me, because they fucked Ripley's character up & everything that Ridley & James built in the first two films. *g*

[cupiscent]

*thumbs up!*

I also endorse alternative plans, but here's how we did ours: a friend of mine built a big, paper replica of the Titanic (ok, not a replica, just a big paper boat) and we went down to the creek, put the tape in the boat, set it on fire, and pushed it out into the water.