I don't get the Avatar phenomenon
I saw Avatar. I really enjoyed it. The effects are amazing and the story - while not the most original thing I've ever seen - was told very, very well. If James Cameron has accomplished nothing else in the past 12 years since Titanic, he's at least improved on his writing skills. The dialogue in Avatar was WAY better than in Titanic.
So, yes, I enjoyed the movie a lot. Even paid the extra money to see it in 3D, although I wasn't that overwhelmed with the 3D aspect of it. I mean, there weren't many things leaping out of the screen at me which I think is the whole point of 3D, but maybe I'm wrong. It really doesn't matter anyway.
Moment of truth: I saw Titanic six times. In the theater. I LOVED it. It made me cry and if you people think I'm a black hearted bitch now, I was even more stone cold back in high school. I did NOT cry during movies. But Titanic totally hooked me and even now, twelve years later when I can admit the flaws of the movie and how overrated it is, I understand why it grabbed not only me, but the entire world. It's the Twilight effect. Source material that isn't War and Peace or Citizen Kane but manages to clumsily capture the very essence of true love and high stakes in just the right way to play havoc on the emotions make people lose their minds and money over and over again.
I get that. I'm not insane over Twilight, but I understand why people are. I'm no longer insane about Titanic (I think I've only watched it once since seeing it in the theaters) but I understood why I was. I do not get Avatar. What's in it that's pulling people back over and over again? I understand why everybody wants to see the movie and I think they should. It's highly enjoyable, but this repeat offender stuff boggles my mind.
Is it the special effects? The personal journey of Jake as he goes from reluctant lab rat to resistance fighter? Is it the love story between Jake and Neytiri? Is it the inspirational battle of the tree-hugging Na'vi who bring down the technologically advanced violent Humans? Is it the epic battle scenes? The allure of exploring the true final frontier of space? Is there some instinctual desire programmed into our psyches leaving us aching for a return to the simpler life that Jake embraces on Pandora?
To me, none of these themes runs strong enough through the movie to inspire the kind of repeat business Avatar is getting. Titanic was a love story set against man's greatest overestimation of his own superiority in recorded history. It was love vs class, love vs the law, love vs a huge hunk of ice, etc. Romance carried that film.
What is bringing people back to Avatar?
See, I've seen this movie before. Many times, with many different actors, directors and titles. The only thing unique about the film is the special effects and I'm having a hard time believing that the blue people who glow under black light have so captured the hearts, minds and wallets of the world at large that they're returning in droves over and over to catapult Avatar to the highest grossing film of all time.
So yeah. Am I alone in my confusion? Anybody have any insight into this?
So, yes, I enjoyed the movie a lot. Even paid the extra money to see it in 3D, although I wasn't that overwhelmed with the 3D aspect of it. I mean, there weren't many things leaping out of the screen at me which I think is the whole point of 3D, but maybe I'm wrong. It really doesn't matter anyway.
Moment of truth: I saw Titanic six times. In the theater. I LOVED it. It made me cry and if you people think I'm a black hearted bitch now, I was even more stone cold back in high school. I did NOT cry during movies. But Titanic totally hooked me and even now, twelve years later when I can admit the flaws of the movie and how overrated it is, I understand why it grabbed not only me, but the entire world. It's the Twilight effect. Source material that isn't War and Peace or Citizen Kane but manages to clumsily capture the very essence of true love and high stakes in just the right way to play havoc on the emotions make people lose their minds and money over and over again.
I get that. I'm not insane over Twilight, but I understand why people are. I'm no longer insane about Titanic (I think I've only watched it once since seeing it in the theaters) but I understood why I was. I do not get Avatar. What's in it that's pulling people back over and over again? I understand why everybody wants to see the movie and I think they should. It's highly enjoyable, but this repeat offender stuff boggles my mind.
Is it the special effects? The personal journey of Jake as he goes from reluctant lab rat to resistance fighter? Is it the love story between Jake and Neytiri? Is it the inspirational battle of the tree-hugging Na'vi who bring down the technologically advanced violent Humans? Is it the epic battle scenes? The allure of exploring the true final frontier of space? Is there some instinctual desire programmed into our psyches leaving us aching for a return to the simpler life that Jake embraces on Pandora?
To me, none of these themes runs strong enough through the movie to inspire the kind of repeat business Avatar is getting. Titanic was a love story set against man's greatest overestimation of his own superiority in recorded history. It was love vs class, love vs the law, love vs a huge hunk of ice, etc. Romance carried that film.
What is bringing people back to Avatar?
See, I've seen this movie before. Many times, with many different actors, directors and titles. The only thing unique about the film is the special effects and I'm having a hard time believing that the blue people who glow under black light have so captured the hearts, minds and wallets of the world at large that they're returning in droves over and over to catapult Avatar to the highest grossing film of all time.
So yeah. Am I alone in my confusion? Anybody have any insight into this?