Avatar Discussion

[DC 536]

I thought Sigourney Weaver as a Hum-vi (a human-Na'vi DNA-spliced Avatar) was kinda cute.

[Guest Nemesis Enforcer]

I know sod all about John Wayne movies, so feel free to correct me here, but weren't the Indians usually the bad guys?

Not having seen a lot of John Wayne myself I couldn't say for sure but I think his point was more Cowboy and Indian films normally follow the same plot of one of the Cowboys falls for an Indian girl and realises that its the Cowboys who are the ones in the wrong, to start with persecuting and killing the natives and taking their land and stuff and thus switches sides.

[DC 536]

The juggernaut rolls on...

Avatar Now Third Biggest Movie Ever

Cameron's epic passes Dead Man's Chest

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

07 January 2010

 

And so Avatar continues its rise and rise and rise, almost as if it were a Na’vi warrior soaring high on the back of a great leonopteryx.

 

James Cameron’s game-changing epic has just become the third biggest movie of all time, easing past Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

 

That movie pulled in $1.066 billion by the end of its 154-day theatrical release cycle. Avatar, in only its nineteenth day, has $1.098 billion in the bank. And, sometime in the next 48 hours, it’ll overtake The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King’s $1.191 billion haul to become the second biggest movie of all time.

 

After that, it’s a long way to Titanic’s $1.842 billion gross. But Avatar seems to be rewriting records and box office rules on an almost daily basis and, while it’s still unlikely at this stage, only a fool would entirely discount its chances at this stage.

 

That Avatar gross, by the way, combines $367.5 million from its US run, and the whopping great international figure of $731.2 million. That’s quite a chunk of change.

 

Keep checking back for more Avatar box office updates as Jim Cameron seeks to topple, erm, Jim Cameron from his box office perch.

 

 

Chris Hewitt

Credit: Empire

 

That is a truly astounding achievement for both the movie and for Cameron himself. Regardless of whether Avatar tops Titanic or not, he'll still have written/directed/done virtually everything on the two highest-grossing (non-adjusted for inflation) movies of all time. For any movie to take that amount of money in less than three weeks is incredible.

[Guest JC]

Keep trying to remember this is all about money..

 

It's an amazing feat no doubt about it. Even though passing Dead Mans Chest doesn't mean a lot to me, in terms of the movie itself as Pirates 2 is pretty rubbish overall as a movie.

 

Quite funny though for Cameron, as much as I'm fan of his work and him now having two huge blockbusters to his name, I can't see him being remembered alongside the great directors of the past. Great story-teller though.

[DC 536]

Quite funny though for Cameron, as much as I'm fan of his work and him now having two huge blockbusters to his name, I can't see him being remembered alongside the great directors of the past. Great story-teller though.

He won't be as regarded as Hitchcock, Coppola, Scorsese, Spielberg and Kubrick, which may be a little unfair when you consider the films he's directed.

 

Ignoring Piranha II (which everyone should), he's directed, in order, The Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, Terminator 2, True Lies, Titanic and now Avatar. That's quite a run of hits, both critically and commercially. Both Terminator films, Aliens, The Abyss and Avatar are stunning films, with the first three mentioned among my favourites of all time.

 

He also wrote another of my favourite movies, Strange Days, so, for me, the guy can do no wrong when it comes to putting a film on the big screen.

[Guest JC]

He won't be as regarded as Hitchcock, Coppola, Scorsese, Spielberg and Kubrick, which may be a little unfair when you consider the films he's directed.

 

I wouldn't say it's unfair, Hitchcock, Coppola and Kubrick especially are better directors in a big way to me.

 

But then again this is just opinion.

[etz 78]

Yeah, Cameron also produced Dark Angel, which was a fantastic concept let down by some poor writing/planning.

 

Much like DC, if his name is on the marquee, I'll probably go see it, even if I've never heard of anyone in it. I even sat through Titanic (only once though) which is not exactly my kinda movie.

 

On the directors note, I always feel Hitchcock is very good, but somewhat overrated (in the minority, I know). Coppola can be hit and miss. Kubrick is a genius, no doubt, but he can be very, very long winded to no real purpose. Scorsese is good, as is Spielberg.

 

Of course, this all depends on the kinds of films people like. I have no problem admitting that I prefer action and storytelling to wandering off into moral quandries and absurdity, in the same way that I'd rather read the latest Pratchett book or Peter F Hamiltons' latest space opera epic novel than read Mosquito Coast or Wuthering Heights or War and Peace. In the same way, I'd rewatch Terminator over 2001 or Eyes Wide Shut, even though I've seen it loads of times. The other just bore me, not to tears but to sleep.

Edited January 7, 2010 by etz

[DC 536]

I wouldn't say it's unfair, Hitchcock, Coppola and Kubrick especially are better directors in a big way to me.

 

But then again this is just opinion.

I think the fact he hasn't directed a bad movie, or a movie that's lost money (again, Piranha II doesn't count), whereas those others have, is a testament to his standing as a director.

 

I guess it comes down to what you're rating the director on, critical and financial success or "worthiness" of their output.

[Guest JC]

Kubrick is a genius' date=' no doubt, but he can be very, very long winded to no real purpose.[/quote']

 

Agree with you on Kubrick sometimes being long winded and just never going anywhere.

 

He created (for me anyway) more outstanding individual scenes than movies. There are some moments in one of the movies you mentioned, Eyes Wide Shut (which isn't a great movie at all to be frank) where I can literally sit in amazement how he thought about setting up the shot. His use of music aswell in nearly all his films are always spot on.

 

I actually appreciate all types of directors but I will admit Kubrick's type works best on me.

 

I actually think Titanic is slightly underrated in terms of the general comments you hear about it. Nearly every young director I hear on Radio 1 or whatever else always names it as the most overrated movie and I just don't get it.

[etz 78]

I think the fact he hasn't directed a bad movie, or a movie that's lost money (again, Piranha II doesn't count), whereas those others have, is a testament to his standing as a director.

 

I guess it comes down to what you're rating the director on, critical and financial success or "worthiness" of their output.

 

A very good point. I'll list the reasons why I rate Cameron

 

1) Cameron may not make the best or most artsy of films, but he does make films which are eminently watchable

 

2) Those same films also don't really alienate huge sections of the audience, unlike most of the other directors regarded as greats who have done that at least once. I am truly amazed at the success of Avatar in the US, considering the wide disregard that the American people as a whole have for environmental issues, and how blatant, almost preachy, Avatar can be at times.

 

3) I also find it amazing that he manages to make films with massive run times that I can watch without being bored. That's an achievement in itself :P

 

4) He seems to be one of the only directors/producers who consistently makes films that I will pay money to go sit in a cinema and see, as opposed to, um, alternative means of acquisition. To give you an idea, Tarantino and Spielberg are the only others I can think of offhand.

 

Basically, I know he isn't the world's greatest director from an industry standpoint, by any artistic measure. But he makes movies I enjoy, which is really the only thing that matters with movies anyway.

[Guest JC]

Exactly what my original point is referring to. He, Cameron, has now made two huge blockbusters with Titanic and Avatar and unfortunately because his films are big budget, spectacular and generally feeding to the popcorn crowd, he won't be given the same recognition as other big name directors.

 

Personally though, I can understand why people put craft over money taken.

 

I'm not saying he doesn't deserve huge credit. I'm just pointing out he won't.

[DC 536]

Two big wins at the Golden Globes, with Avatar taking Best Picture and Cameron scooping up Best Director.

[DC 536]

In an update, as well as taking home two of the top GGs, Avatar is still at the top of the US box-office, taking a further $41.3 million at the weekend and pushing its domestic gross to almost $500million.

 

With that added to overseas takings, the film has not grossed $1.6 BILLION (that's $1,600,000,000) since being released at the tail end of last year. Titanic took $1.8 billion over its entire run, so the odds are in Cameron's favour that he'll top that figure with his latest opus.

[Guest JC]

Well done Jimbo.

[DC 536]

Well done Jimbo.

While I'm sure Cameron was very happy to walk away with those two Golden Globes and the news the film is up for 11 nominations (and the man himself is getting the lifetime achievement trophy) for the Visual Effects Society awards (basically, the techie Oscars), I'm pretty sure this will dent the mood a little.

 

Credit: Empireonline.com

 

Hustler To Make Porno Avatar

The game changer just got even more blue

Source: Hustler (NSFW)

19 January 2010

 

Well, we always thought it would come (fnar), but at long, long (really long) last, a porno version of James Cameron’s Avatar is on the way.

 

Those mucky fiddlers over at Hustler have just announced that they will make This Ain’t Avatar XXX as part of their forthcoming line-up of porn parodies of top films and TV shows. It may not be a game-changer, but it will be a pants changer. Ahem.

 

Also, no word on whether it’ll be shot in 3D, although we sincerely hope not. One thing's for sure, though - it'll Kleenex up at the box office.

 

But we won’t just be taking on a magical journey to an exotic land where blue people roger each other rotten. We can also XXX-pect fun sexy times with This Ain’t Curb Your Enthusiasm XXX (the mind boggles at this one), This Ain’t Glee XXX and This Ain’t CSI XXX: Chatsworth.

 

This follows rock-hard on the heels (and other parts) of their wildly successful This Ain’t Star Trek XXX, the sequel to which will be, ahem, released in April.

 

Of course Empire, being a good family website, has never seen or heard of any of these films, and we’re reliably informed that if you do, you’ll go blind. But then we’ve been hearing that old wives’ tale for years and it’s never done us any ld;o298kn.

 

 

Thanks to those sexxxed-up mofos at Latino Review for the heads-up.

 

Chris Hewitt

I'm with Empire in relation to the Curb Your Enthusiasm porno. The others, I can see how they would work with regards to the characters involved (and how porn actors could parody them in a sexual way), but not CYE. Hustler also have parodies of Saved by the Bell and, in a moment of TV blashphemy, HAPPY DAYS!!! Edited January 19, 2010 by DC

[Guest Anime Otaku]

I'd say that the thing that prove something is important is when there's a porno of it. Also China has suddenly decided to ban Avatar after it's already been released, seems some officials are annoyed that their own movies aren't doing well in comparison.

[DC 536]

Yesterday, Avatar officially overtook Titanic and became the highest-grossing movie of all time.

 

Good going for a film that's not even been in cinemas for two months.

[Guest The Beltster]

Unbelievable. I honestly couldnt see any movie ever surpassing Titanic given that there have been so many HUGE releases since that havent even come close.

[DC 536]

It took Titanic close to a year to make $1.8billion, while Avatar did it in less than seven weeks. Of course, you do have to take into account the higher cost of ticket prices today, but even then, to make that amount of money so quickly is astounding, especially for a sci-fi movie, which, in theory, doesn't have the crossover mainstream appeal of a "true" story with two beautiful romantic leads.

[Guest The Beltster]

Wasnt Titanic a relative flop initially, and then it boomed around Valentine's Day or something?