AVATAR

Viewed in 3D at the local multiplex

3D always makes me feel a little claustrophobic, but only for a few minutes until I get acclimated. There's something about knowing that you cannot see the movie properly without the glasses, sort of like you are trapped behind them. Silly, huh? Well, anyway, I get over it.

Avatar was engrossing and very beautiful. When I eventually do watch it in 2D, I can tell you whether or not the 3D really enhanced it or not. I do know that sometimes it seemed blurry, but maybe that was my eyes trying to focus on those 3D pop out features like very cool jellyfish like creatures floating right before my eyes.

There were many imaginations at work in the making of this film, not the least, of course, was that of the director, James Cameron (he of the "Titanic" and "Terminator" films). Just thinking up the scenario of the avatar, which by the way, is a computer term meaning to make a computer generated creature in your own likeness, was very inventive. The avatars are big and blue, sometimes possibly a little skinny around the hind quarters, but nevertheless, very entertaining to watch. They have big thick tails that also serve as a sort of USB hookup - you have to see it to understand. A vast myriad of fantastic animals and plants exist on the avatar inhabited planet of Pandora, all in great peril to the evil, greedy mining company backed by the even more evil military. That's the story. Peaceful, new age avatars that are up against violent, nasty humans.

Aren't we humans just the pits?

OK, there are some nice humans - a couple of them.

My favorite actor in this film was not one of the nice humans. He is a guy I've seen recently in "Public Enemy". Below is a picture I pulled up from Google Images. He is very watchable and in Avatar menacing and nasty. When he is on the screen his performance is riveting, at least to me it was. According to IMDB he has been around for awhile and there is an impressive list of his acting accomplishments. I hope to see him starring again in something one of these days as it appears his career might be taking at turn into the movie star realms.

I'm not a Sigourney Weaver fan, but she did a good job of playing a good human/avatar. Her face has always been a little off putting to me. There's something about the mouth area that isn't appealing - at least to me. Most men just remember her when she kicked some serious alien ass back in her Alien movies days wearing skimpy, space station underwear and I think that's been why she has appealed to many of them. But now she's well into her 50's and although appears to be in good shape, is not skimpy underwear material as far as I can see. Then again, maybe she is. Lot's of older women are keeping it in shape these days.

The humans are there and other than Stephen Lang, they are secondary in importance to the avatars. We are mostly interested in their awesome appearance and how real they appear to be. It's a fantastic film and everyone should see it (according to the statistics, almost everyone already has).

Rating for "Avatar"

Here's the trailer.