James Cameron's Avatar Blockbuster-o-logy

[Keg]

Im not trying to be a dick or anything but was Terminator 2, Aliens, or True Lies any deeper or meaningful than Avatar.

No - But he exercised subtlety. He didn't beat the message into your head repeatedly with a sledge-hammer, and he didn't make it painfully obvious he was ripping off everyone in sight.

certainly cant deny that. im with you there.

[That Yellow Alien]

In the end, that is was separates Avatar from his better films. His earlier pictures, while nothing special in terms of story and writing, were more subtle with their message, thus making the action and drama more meaningful.

[SiL]

Plus Avatar lacked any sort of iconic imagery.

Ripley holding Newt and her BFG, or Arnie on the bike with his shottie > Any of the million dollar special effects shots of Avatar.

[CELTICPRED]

Give it 18 + years to age like the others.

The Venture Star opening.
The first shot of Jake standing in the bioluminescent forest.
Neytiri holding Jake.

Of course what some find iconic, others don't.

[SM]

Trying to think of a stand out shot from the film and having trouble.  Certainly none of them are popping out.  Probably some wide angle of the floaty mountains from the trailer.

The thing with the stuff SiL mentioned is they were on the posters.  I found the posters for Avatar pretty bland and dull.

[CELTICPRED]

Trying to think of a stand out shot from the film and having trouble.  Certainly none of them are popping out.  Probably some wide angle of the floaty mountains from the trailer.

The thing with the stuff SiL mentioned is they were on the posters.  I found the posters for Avatar pretty bland and dull.

Certainly some of the worst posters for any big movie in recent memory.

[SiL]

The thing with the stuff SiL mentioned is they were on the posters.

Cos they were awesome images from the film itself and summed it all up perfectly. Avatar lacks any real single shot that could be used as visual shorthand beyond some of the designs.

[SM]

Quite.

They could showed Jake with super sized flying lizard thing or something.  Not like no one saw it coming.

[SiL]

Yeah, but that doesn't tell you anything.

"Oh look, it's a blue smurfycat thing on a giant red birdy".

It's like half of every fantasy paintings ever.

You look at the image of Arnie with the black camo makeup and the vest adorned with grenades, a shotgun strapped to his back, big f**kin' machine gun in one hand and a rocket launcher in the other, and you know that Commando is all about kicking some everloving ass.

...Actually, I guess that would make Jake riding the red birdy dragon thingy perfect for summing up Avatar: It's everything you've ever seen before, slightly prettier.

[SM]

It's like half of every fantasy paintings ever.

Yeah but how ace would it have been if the whole thing was done Vallejo style?

[SiL]

Too ace for such a crummy movie.

[SM]

And furthermore

[SiL]

That right there begins and ends my understanding of the 1980s.

What a wild time.

[DoomRulz]

And furthermore
http://roflrazzi.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/129145775174169989.jpg

This picture is full of Epic Win. Carry on.

[SpaceMarines]

Jesus. My mentioning how I don't think Avatar is a very good sci-fi movie led to a massive debate, resulting in several suicides. What have I done? Anyways, since I started it (inadvertently), and wasn't present for a large portion, I would just like to get a final word in. Avatar is undeniable science-fiction. However, it is very, VERY soft science fiction, whilst I prefer much harder stuff. That is what I meant by it not being very good sci-fi.