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]

Or Dances With Wolves but with aliens!
You are SO RIGHT!

And double-ditto on the unobtanium. Because history shows that when humanity gets smacked, they never get their mates and come back to get revenge.

[rogueapprentice]

You pretty much summed up my feelings exactly. It was a fucking gorgeous movie, but painfully forgettable. I liked it. I don't feel like I wasted my money, cause it wouldn't have look so amazing at home. But, yeah. I'm not entirely sure I could tell you any of the character's names.

[airgiodslv]

Some of his creative team apparently explained to him that the female humanoid aliens wouldn't have breasts because of their biology, and he classily replied, "I don't care. She's got to have tits."

That's a movie I'm just rushing out to see, let me tell you.

[cupiscent]

Pure class!

Also, the aliens have the ability to mind-meld with things, but they only do it with animals, not during sex. How the hell did he miss that one? (Plot reasons, but still...)

[airgiodslv]

...no telepathic sex?

Clearly you and I should have written this movie. It would have been so much better.

[phaetonschariot]

Telepathy is MADE for sex! Actually I'd prefer empathy, but you know, any kind of mental feedback loop.

[phaetonschariot]

I like to note where my attention should be (the main focus of the shot) and then check out what's happening on the other side of the screen, in the corners, over there. I'm nosy. When I try that in 3D, the lack of focus makes me dizzy. BOO HISS.

Heh, when I was watching second season Torchwood the first time, every episode I would watch twice. Once for the episode itself, and once to watch Ianto in the background, because he makes awesome expressions during other people's conversations. (Like this one, at the suggestion of an orgy.)

[cupiscent]

That is an excellent expression! He looks like he's figuring logistics which, this being Ianto, he probably is. *G*

I think this probably started out as a fannish habit, like you describe (yes, but what's character X doing?) but it's turned into a general watching habit for me. I like taking the visual road less travelled and getting a different experience.