Flutterby™! : Avatar 2010-01-16 04:55:58.89248+00

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2010-01-16 04:55:58.89248+00 by Dan Lyke 3 comments

Just got back from seeing Uncanny ~~Valley~~ Fern Gulley, aka Dances with NPCs. Visually stunning, though the previews were a bunch of films from directors who clearly haven't gotten the "subtle works better in 3d" message. Animation had a bunch of places that pulled me right out of the story, and the story? Well...

I mean, it was fun watching jakesully2154 level up, sex under the rope lights with the blue chick gives me some ideas for bedroom decor when Charlene gets back in town, but I was seriously considering leaving around the time when they introduced the stiffly flying creatures that flapped mechanically, and got downright disappointed when no one hollered "Leeroy Jenkins" (YouTube) (Wikipedia explanation) when the humans take on the tree boss.

And at the end, when the Ewoks are taking out the At-Ats?

Give me the film about the Sigourney Weaver character and the helicopter pilot and I'd have been transfixed. As it was, I was itchy in my seat from not too far in.

This was all made worse because I rented The Big Country last weekend. Also visually stunning, but with characters played by actors who could carry scenes with no dialog, and a screenplay that wasn't so on rails you could almost hear the conductor screaming "All Aboard!".

#Comment Re: made: 2010-01-16 20:42:48.911592+00 by: petronius [edit history]

You should have had a syfybotomy before watching it. I self-syfybotomized myself and enjoyed the ride with Nancy. Lovely visuals and a fun train ride at 6 flags. Yes, it had a completely predictable story borrowed from so many sources I lost count, including a childhood favorite of the story of the handicapped telepresence operator running a remove 'avatar' on a planet surface and becoming it. "Call me Joe" by Poul Anderson add "Dragonriders of Pern" and a few more just for background stories. Add Mechwarrior and some first person shooter games to the list. It was full of borrowed stories, imagery and cliche stereotypes. The only plot twist I missed was I expected the Sigourney Weaver Character to re-animate at the big tree.

Why was it so successful? Partially because it drew in from so many franchises and pre-existing meme's that everyone found what they were looking for. Something to identify with, a favorite fantasy.

What we forget, while we praise good movies, and the rarer good science fiction movie, is that commercial success is often found attempting to underestimate the intelligence of the masses.

Nancy saw a visually appealing fantasy world, I took a syfybotomized tree-hugging ride, and yes, I'd like to see it again. It was a fun bit of escapism.