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"Have we forgotten about Avatar?"
- Thread starter bengraven
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Black-Wind
Member
People "forget" if you go years with out showing shit.
I "forgot" about HTTYD at 1 point cause they took too long to capitalize on it ... and it's my favorite 3D animated movie.
I "forgot" about HTTYD at 1 point cause they took too long to capitalize on it ... and it's my favorite 3D animated movie.
nintendork666
Member
One of the rare times I actually fell asleep in the theater - in the middle of the day, no less. Such a dull film, despite the technical achievements it ostensibly brought to the table. I really hope the sequels tank, James Cameron should be focusing on much cooler things.
I highly doubt it. They haven't begun filming yet and we are entering 2015 and he is filming 2 & 3 back to back. 2017 at the earliest.
jhmtehgamr20xx
Banned
Big fat "Nope Nope Nope" with a cherry on top. Not buying this for even a split second. There is still lots of room for original stories. It's just that the mainstream channels aren't giving them a chance to come through.
And a lot of people telling stories right now aren't that inventive.
Yeah, like the Alita adaptation,...if he hasn't sold back the rights already.
Box of Kittens
Banned
It was like something that was left in the script as a placeholder until they came up with a real name for it and then they just forgot.
Agree with others that it's a very forgettable film. It looked nice and had a positive message, but the characters were one dimensional and the plot always took the obvious route. It really didn't do much that hasn't been done elsewhere and better.
Exactly. People only forget because Camron seems to have no problem letting the property rot in obscurity between the movie releases.
I'm actually surprised that he spent all that time creating a believable, immersive world...and is doing absolutely nothing with it outside of the films that are spread more than half a decade apart.
Pop-O-Matic
Banned
Best character in the movie was killed off.
So sad to see a movie where the heroes die and the villains win.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
What happens when a creator/studio DOESN'T rush out more sequels, but instead takes the time necessary to create something worthwhile for the follow up?
Usually a bomb because people stopped caring and they usually end up creating something that isn't that good to begin with. I feel like T2 and Aliens are the only real exceptions, which doesn't mean Avatar 2 could follow in that because T1 and Alien were classics and Avatar was forgettable CGI trash.
Pop-O-Matic
Banned
The audience loses interest in the franchise by the time it comes out.
Edit: Stro beat me.
It makes me wonder about Cameron as a whole. So long between films you could probably ask the same question as the OP. And whenever he does make a film its surrounded by 'this is going to be a megaflop' campaigns that have proven to be laughable.
Wasn't it 7 years between Terminator and Terminator 2? Had people lost interest in that film franchise/IP? (different world without the internet of course)
Still can't believe it has already been 5 years since Avatar. I guess though if the 2016 date holds it will be 7 years in between these as well.
Underestimate Cameron at your own peril
Still can't believe it has already been 5 years since Avatar. I guess though if the 2016 date holds it will be 7 years in between these as well.
Underestimate Cameron at your own peril
JumpJeff84
Member
Wasn't it 7 years between Terminator and Terminator 2? Had people lost interest in that film franchise/IP? (different world without the internet of course)
Still can't believe it has already been 5 years since Avatar. I guess though if the 2016 date holds it will be 7 years in between these as well.
Underestimate Cameron at your own peril
Terminator still had a certain cultural cache even in the long period before part 2 came out. Big part of that is that it was one of the movies that launched Arnie into superstardom- he was pretty much the most famous actor in the world at that point, and people were already quoting his lines from T1
There are lots of exceptions to your "rule". The movies don't even have to be particularly good. Look at Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, the Star Wars Prequels, The Hobbit, or MIB 3 (to a lesser extent).
I agree. It is a film that was pretty much made to be seen in a large theater, with the big IMAX screen and the super sound system. No home system can replicate that experience.
And although Sam Worthington ended up as a nobody actor, Zoe Saldana became pretty big (though I guess it'd be argued that Star Trek put her name on the map).
TheGreatDirector
Banned
Avatar recycled many old stories and tropes about the meeting of two cultures.
In fact looking back on it, I'd say this entire movie could be seen as a visually improved Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
In fact looking back on it, I'd say this entire movie could be seen as a visually improved Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
All of those franchises (key word here, FRANCHISES, not just film) are an ingrained part of popular culture and have spawned dozens of related media from games to toys to spinoff books. People quote the films in everyday life and even other films frequently parody them.
None of that happened with Avatar (they tried with the toys, I was working at toysrus at the time and they spent years languishing our discount section).
It's the same ol shit that Jimmy C gets no matter what. First it was the pre negative hyping of disaster of Titanic, Avatar went through the same thing, people claiming James Cameron name held no sway anymore (though people sure love to claim its only because of his name that the movie was hyped after the fact), blue people, etc, every excuse to damn the movie before release. Of course now, history is being revised to say the movie was overhyped and was not an event (motherfucker are you serious? Id argue no movie since Avatar has felt like a true event movie)
Now it's "the movie isn't a part of the cultural lexicon" as some kind of bullshit bullet point to point to the future failure of it's sequels. A hilarious thing to grab onto considering how disposable popular culture has become.
It was never going to be any different.
But I guess we'll see in 2016/2017. The wait will make no difference. The movies will be huge successes as usual, people will eat crow and the worldwide success will be unprecedented just as the first when you had chinese audiences fainting and crying in theaters and so on.
Basically, people never learn.
I didn't say it was a rule. The examples I gave were the only ones I felt like really worked. Generally, sequels that don't happen with in 2-5 years aren't as successful as the original and are usually shittier movies. It just happens to be that my examples are both James Cameron movies. I don't think a True Lies sequel in 2015 would set the world on fire or anything. Aliens made less money than Alien (although still very successful). T2 had the success of Aliens, Abyss, and Arnold being exponentially a bigger star than he was in the first movie. The longer you wait, the more likely the sequel is to be less successful. 2-3 years seems to be the sweet spot between movies.
I too remember the pre-Avatar negative hype
It was exactly that.
"Alien Blue people"
"Overbudget"
"Not a known IP"
"Not a sequel"
"No name actors"
So many were naysaying and predicting it would be a bomb. And now that it's made more money than any film ever (screw inflation numbers) people are still trying to downplay the success.
TAJ
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Anyone who actually believes what you're saying is sheltered, culturally speaking. Or very young.
Even the saying "There's nothing new under the sun." is thousands of years old.
"12 years since his last movie"
"too colorful"
"3D wont catch on for Avatar"
"Only made 70 mil opening weekend, its a mild disappointment"
etc, etc. Every excuse used.
James Cameron is the only director alive who can make billion dollar movies and somehow still come in as an underdog every single time.
Gnome Scat
Member
Wasn't a fan.
Hypemaster
Member
I remember enjoying watching it at the movie theater but I can't remember anything about the movie.
Kai Dracon
Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
I rewatched Avatar a few months ago for the first time since its premiere. It was the extended cut which I did find noticeably more engaging for many small key moments which the theatrical cut was lacking in.
However I came away feeling that the film is very tiring by the end. It is far too serious and dour about itself in a way that even Cameron's darkest films were not. Colorful, witty characters like Quaritch and Grace were the best parts of the film. The cardboard cut out Pocahontas primary thread was pretty grating and I suspect it really pushes the film out of the viewer's mind after the credits roll.
A shame because there's fantastic and rich world building at play, meticulously detailed.
However I came away feeling that the film is very tiring by the end. It is far too serious and dour about itself in a way that even Cameron's darkest films were not. Colorful, witty characters like Quaritch and Grace were the best parts of the film. The cardboard cut out Pocahontas primary thread was pretty grating and I suspect it really pushes the film out of the viewer's mind after the credits roll.
A shame because there's fantastic and rich world building at play, meticulously detailed.
I liked the movie but it wasn't anything revolutionary outside of it's use of 3D. There was nothing in the movie itself that was actually fresh ala other hits in the past like Star Wars and similar movies that were at the right place at the right time. Plus the 3D trend has died off quite a bit as well ever since then.
For the top grossing movie ever or whatever it is, there is a lack of people talking about. What is there to talk about? Everything that needed to happen already happened. There's no need for a sequel or anyone to debate about anything.
For the top grossing movie ever or whatever it is, there is a lack of people talking about. What is there to talk about? Everything that needed to happen already happened. There's no need for a sequel or anyone to debate about anything.
kame-sennin
Member
Oh yeah not a product at all
its totally different from this other sell out movie blockbusters
If I was a kid, I wouldn't want to play with these toys. People forgot about Avatar because the world, in spite of how detailed it is, wasn't very good. Contrast that to Star Wars and LOTR, or even movies like The Godfather. Those movies have really charming settings. Pandora is just a jungle made out of Jolly Ranchers.
Captain Europe
Member
It didn't have much under all that pretyness. It looks good and that's it.
Everyone went to see it because they hyped up the 3D and the need to see it in IMAX.
The only thing good about the movie is the cinematography and post-editing. They did a great job with it and it was visually an amazing movie.
Everything else was awful and was a cut and paste of awfulness. The story was bad, the acting was pretty mediocre, the setting was boring. It's no wonder everyone forgot about it and I fully expect a sequel to bomb unless they use smellovision.
The only thing good about the movie is the cinematography and post-editing. They did a great job with it and it was visually an amazing movie.
Everything else was awful and was a cut and paste of awfulness. The story was bad, the acting was pretty mediocre, the setting was boring. It's no wonder everyone forgot about it and I fully expect a sequel to bomb unless they use smellovision.
jhmtehgamr20xx
Banned
I watch many indie and foreign films, so no I don't think it has anything to do with being sheltered, or young.
You shouldn't take figures of speech to literally mean what they're saying, either.
There's financial success...and then there's creative success. The reason people don't talk about the movie that much isn't because it did or didn't make bank, it's because there's nothing really to them creatively to keep people talking. It didn't really inspire much artistically.
I'm gonna have to disagree on this one. I work in retail and Frozen has not gone away or even slowed down since it came out more than a year ago. It is absolutely huge with kids and has massive cross-gender appeal as well. It's not going anywhere. Whether adults think it was as good as Disney movies from their own childhoods, it's going to join the pantheon of classic family movies once today's generation grows up.
PhoenixDark
Banned
I predicted this years ago. It's a completely forgettable film with a bad script/story, propped up entirely by CGI and the 3D hype. I'll admit the last action scene was pretty amazing but that's about it.
After Avatar, we got Scorcese's Hugo.
That alone is more creative inspiration than any other blockbuster in the last 10 years. Nevermind the filmmaking and artistic craft in the film itself which shits on anything featuring a cape.
Sin City 2 happens?
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