Avatar

Everyone thought that James Cameron was mad to attempt making a movie like this, one that was far more ambitious even than the already impactful Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Titanic. However, he knew deep down he had something special on his hands. Cameron started developing the technology right after he finished directing Titanic, and it wasn’t until 2009 that his vision could finally be realized on the biggest screen possible. The motion capture technology was unlike any other movie before it, proving how this technology in fact doesn’t hold back on the art of acting but rather pushes it forward. To make the aliens feel as human as possible, life casts were made of the actors to design their Na’vi counterparts.

​Sony helped James Cameron create a new lightweight IMAX camera system to make the immense world of Pandora so dense; with this camera, there were actually two lenses: one pointed straight up, another pointed straight ahead, which to this day continues to influence how 3D is filmed for major tentpole blockbusters. The work of the animators ought to be applauded as well with the challenge that came about with the six-limbed alien creatures and the four-fingered Na’vi. Although the common criticisms about its character, dialogue, and predictable story are valid, Avatar still rightfully made its mark on filmmaking with the possibilities it opened for exhibition on the giant screen.

PG-13 (DLSV)
Sci-fi/Action
2 hr. 42 min.

Watch it for FUN.
Watch it to feel HAPPY and AFRAID.