Original Avatar 2 and 3 Plots Revealed!

So this is no shocking news but James Cameron announced there will be two more Avatar movies, thus creating a trilogy. Look, I love J.C. I mean the guy has had a brilliant career filled with some of my favorite movies. Who can argue against Aliens, Terminator 2, The Abyss, and I hate to admit it, but I even liked Titanic. (One of my forbidden 5.)

However, when they announced the new Avatars, I just felt…defeated. Here we go again, Hollywood milking a series to the point of bleeding the public to death. I know I wasn’t one of the many who lauded praise upon praise on Avatar. So I will say it right now, just to make it known, Avatar is visually the most amazing movie ever made. The ground breaking 3D is awesome and the graphics and colors are astounding and the action is great as well. That being said, the story sucked. It was Pocahantas or Dances with Wolves in space. So that being said, since Cameron copied those films for his first movie, I am worried he might have writers block and thought he might need help ripping off other movies for his next two films. So I compiled this list of possibilities. I tried to keep with his “native” theme.

The bear necessities of screen writing?

- The Jungle Book – Taking the story one step further, a local human child is lost in the Pandora jungle and raised by the numerous mysterious creatures that live there. You could even turn this one into a musical.

- The Alamo – The RDA Corporation returns with overwhelming force and the locals must stall for time to gather their forces. They defend a strategic position in a hopeless battle that buys the rest of the Na’vi (the blue people) the time they need to rally. This is perfect for the second movie because it would end on a low note, with the defenders being overrun in the end.

- Terminator 2 – Going so far as to copy one of his own movies (might as well) a Na’vi from the future goes back in time to stop a human assassin who has gone back in time to kill the leader of the Na’vi resistance.

- The Bridge on the River Kwai – Captured Na’vi are forced into a labor camp by the humans and are completely demoralized and abused.  A Na’vi leader rises up and inspires them to build a bridge to raise their moral. The Na’vi are whistling happy away under their brutal conditions completely unaware of the free Na’vis plans to destroy their hard work.

- The Searchers – A remake of one of  John Wayne’s most famous films. This time the natives play the bad guys, wait, we can’t do that anymore…

Tom Hanks Avatarized

- You’ve Got Mail – A big time, corporate, human Pandora bookstore owner falls for a local Na’vi female whose bookshop he is trying to put out of business.

Anyway Mr. Cameron, these are just a few examples of possible plots in case you need some inspiration for your next two movies. Let me know what you think!

Dear John ends Avatar’s box office dominance

 

After an 8 week run, Avatar ends its domination at #1 at the box office. Adding its domestic gross of $630 million to its 1.5 billion, Avatar my have slipped from #1 but continues with world-wide domination a 2.2 billion. Romantic drama Dear John, was able to de-throne James Cameron’s juggernaut with a $32 million opening weekend. Avatar still boasts impressive numbers after two months with $23 million. Big movie openings this coming weekend from Wolfman and Valentine’s Day will also contribute to the end of Avatar dominance in the box office.

This Wk		Title	Dist.	Weekend Gross	Cumulative Gross	Rlse Wks
1		Dear John	Sony Pictures Releasing	$32,400,000	$32,400,000	1
2		Avatar	20th Century Fox	$23,600,000	$630,093,000	8
3		From Paris With Love	Lionsgate	$8,120,000	$8,120,000	1
4		Edge of Darkness	Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution	$7,005,000	$29,097,000	2
5		Tooth Fairy	20th Century Fox Distribution	$6,500,000	$34,333,000	3

I see blue people…

After years of oppression, the blue community is finally vindicated with the success of Avatar. Blue people, unjustly enslaved to a life of servitude in the entertainment industry, are finally able to celebrate cinema domination with their Na’vi brethren from Pandora. After breaking the world-wide record last week, Avatar is just millions shy of breaking the all time domestic record of $600 million- the last stronghold held by Titanic. The ’Blues’ creative voices will finally be legitimized and they will no longer be relegated to trivial children’s programming or Las Vegas shows. Although the Blue Man Group helped paved the way years early, Avatar’s enormous success has ushered in a new era in ‘blue rights’. Still yielding ‘opening day’ numbers at $30 million this past weekend, Avatar will no doubt hold this record for many years to come. Not only is this a celebration of the American dream but to the to red, white, and BLUE.  

This Wk		Title	Dist.	Weekend Gross	Cumulative Gross	Rlse Wks
1		Avatar	20th Century Fox	$30,000,000	$594,472,000	7
2		Edge of Darkness	Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution	$17,120,000	$17,120,000	1
3		When in Rome	Walt Disney Studios Distribution	$12,065,000	$12,065,000	1
4		Tooth Fairy	20th Century Fox Distribution	$10,000,000	$26,106,000	2
5		The Book of Eli	Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution	$8,770,000	$74,373,000	3

AVATAR breaks historic record!

January 26th, 2010 marks a significant day in the history of cinema. The 12-year-old world-wide record previously held by Cameron’s own Titanic has officially been sunk. Experts thought it would never happen considering today’s ‘fast food’ movie era in which the average theatrical run is about 6 weeks. The 1997 Titanic domestically and internationally made $1.84 billion. Today’s reports is that Avatar has made $1.85 billion and is still growing. Which is pretty impressive considering the current economic crunch. Titanic still retains the domestic record at just over $600 million. Avatar just climbed to #2 with $554 million bumping the Dark Knight to #3 with $533 million. It is projected that Avatar will make the domestic record within the next few weeks. Looks like 3-D is here to stay. Congrats Jimmy.

Check out our posts, reviews, and exclusives on AVATAR.

Avatar = energizer bunny…

 

For a 6th straight week, Avatar has dominated the box office. Avatar’s run is reminiscent of the good ol’ days when movies like Star Wars and ET remained king of the box office for months at a time. Not only is it only 50 million short of the domestic record held by Titanic, its international sales has also been very strong. With it continually amassing profits for the next month, it looks like Cameron’s ‘Unobtainium’ of sinking his own record will become a reality. 

A smattering throw away movies didn’t stand a chance this weekend. Wolfman (Feb 10th) might be the first movie to challenge Avatar’s firstplace status anytime soon.

This Wk		Title	Dist.	Weekend Gross	Cumulative Gross	Rlse Wks
1		Avatar	20th Century Fox	$36,000,000	$552,797,000	6
2		Legion	Sony Pictures Releasing	$18,200,000	$18,200,000	1
3		The Book of Eli	Warner Bros. Pictures	$17,000,000	$62,003,000	2
4		Tooth Fairy	20th Century Fox	$14,500,000	$14,500,000	1
5		The Lovely Bones	Paramount Pictures	$8,800,000	$31,624,000	7

Yes, I dare criticize Avatar.

So the Golden Globe’s was last and left me with a sort of “meh” feeling. I can only watch about an hour of these award shows before the pomp and pretentiousness finally get to me. However a couple of thoughts do stand out to me.

Our very own Faith Peralta gave you a rave review on Crazy Heart and apparently the rest of the world agrees. Once again as reported by Scott North, Jeff Bridges won Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture. However it also won Best Original Song for “The Weary Kind” another great win by the brilliant T-Bone Burnett. No small feat here folks, he beat out Bono and Paul McCartney for this award and this movie now is on my must see list.

Also reported by Scott North. Congratulations to Michael C. Hall for his win as Dexter. This has recently become one of my favorite shows as I have just finished season 1. I mean a show where the protagonist is a serial killer/blood pathologist? Brilliant. He does a great job and after having three prior nominations, this is his first win.

Oh Avatar!

Now for something a little more original. “Avatar” won best picture, and I am afraid this is an omen of things to come.  At B5 we have held this movie in pretty high praise, including myself. The visuals are simply amazing. More so then I would have ever thought possible and when I first walked out of Avatar I had this thought: Here at B5 we are normally really big on the importance of story and not relying on special FX to make up for it, but the case of Avatar is an exception, the visuals DO make up for it. Now that I have had time to soak it in and think about it. I completely disagree.

Avatar’s plot was, simply put, pretty lame. It had some very original ideas ie. The symbiotic planet, the paralyzed vet being able to experience legs etc. but the more I think about the more it annoys me. At first I thought it was merely Dances with Wolves in Space, or for you 40k fans, Dances with Space Wolves, but I disagree with that is well. Here is why.

Dances with Wolves did something that Avatar doesn’t. It moves you. You connect with the plight of the Native Americans in the movie and you realize some of the evils that were incurred on them. Avatar never really does that. In fact to me, Avatar felt forced and even old hat.

It felt more like, “Yeah Yeah, we know, the western world uses up natural resources without regards to nature or indigenous populations. Yeah we know, 150 years ago we did horrible things to natives. Blah, Blah, guns and violence are bad.”

Never mind the fact James Cameron and other Hollywood type don’t mind make making a fortune using these very guns and resources to entertain us. Sort of like all the people in Hollywood who promote feminism yet still use sex to sell everything. To me, Avatar felt whiney and a little dull. It felt like James Cameron simply came up with awesome visuals and then half assed a plot around it.

Many of you will point out that he wrote this story 15 years ago and has been working on it ever since. I think that makes things even worse because he has had 15 years to come up with a better plot or at the very least, make the plot feel real.

James Cameron staked his reputation on this film and his reputation is intact. The movie deserves every technical, special effect, visual and sound award we can throw at it. Maybe even best director for the vision he had to implement new technologies. Avatar won best picture at the Golden Globes and as far I am concerned it did not deserve it. I hope it doesn’t win an Oscar for Best Picture. I hope, as far as Hollywood is concerened, story still matters. I know it does for me.

My rating – I want to give it 4 Babbles based on the visuals and graphics but I don’t think I can. I have to ask myself? If this movie is on a DVD on a30 inch TV would I still enjoy it? Yes, but not nearly as much. I think movies that get high rating should not be dependent on a big screen. I might be being a little snobby here but I give this movie 3.5 Babbles.

Avatar is #1 for 5th week

This Wk		Title	Distributor	Weekend Gross	Cumulative Gross	Rlse Wks
1		Avatar	20th Century Fox	$41,300,000	$491,767,000	5
2		The Book of Eli	Warner Bros.	$31,615,000	$31,615,000	1
3		The Lovely Bones	Paramount Pictures	$17,060,000	$17,527,000	6
4		Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel	20th Century Fox	$11,500,000	$192,592,000	4
5		Sherlock Holmes	Warner Bros. Pictures	$9,825,000	$180,018,000	4

Golden Globes 2010 – an incomplete summary

Not too much to say about the Golden Globes except “Oh, was that tonight?”

Honestly, I wasn’t watching them; I prefer to see all of the winners in a handy list at the end of the evening and to watch the highlights that are put online. That said, the list is in and I am delighted to see Avatar win Best Picture! Despite my love for the movie, I am a little surprised. I would have guessed Inglourious Basterds would win. Of course, I didn’t see Precious, Up in the Air, or The Hurt Locker, either. Love at the box office does not necessarily translate into love at the awards shows. So kudos to James Cameron, and may the Academy Award considerations abound!

The Dude and Mrs The Dude.

Jeff Bridges won Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama)! I haven’t seen Crazy Heart yet , or Up in the Air (George Clooney), A Single Man (Colin Firth), Invictus (Morgan Freeman), or Brothers (Tobey Maguire), from which his fellow actors were nominated, but I’d give it to Jeff just because he’s The Dude. And he runs Flynn’s Arcade. Seriously, Jeff Bridges has built up decades of instant good will with me for his performances in The Big Lebowski and Tron. The Dude can do no wrong. And he abides.

Sandra Bullock won Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) for her role in The Blind Side. Hers was the only movie in her category that I had seen, but she deserved it nonetheless. Wait, drama? But you didn’t win for the Comedy category? I don’t understand! Sandra, I loved your wisecracking, sassy bad self as a Memphis super-mom! Really, she definitely deserved to be in both categories (Drama and Comedy-or-Musical), and I am glad she won in one of them.

Christoph Waltz won Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture. Heil, yes! His portrayal of Hans Landa was spectacular. How could you not see (Nazi?) this movie without giving him an award? Please forgive the puns.

Best Animated Feature Film went to Pixar’s Up. No surprise there, but good on ya’, Pixar, for making a great movie and getting into the 3D game right before Avatar changed the rules on you.

Michael C Hall killed his competition with his performance as Dexter in Dexter, taking home Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series (Drama) to, no doubt, place it inside his air conditioner. Mr Hall recently revealed that he has been fighting cancer, and that it is currently in remission. Congratulations on both victories, Michael! We wish you the best!

Glee beat 30 Rock and The Office for Best Television Series (Comedy or Musical)?!? I can’t believe it! Maybe it’s time to sit down and watch an episode.

But… Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series (Comedy Or Musical) went to Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock. Now that’s more like it. As Liz Lemon would say, “<something witty>”. Or as Tracy Jordan would say, “Liz Lemon!” And that’s why I don’t have a Golden Globe for Best Entry on a Movie Review Blog.

Anyway, there were other winners in other categories, but I don’t have any comments for them.

Quentin didn't win anything, but he did get pretty close to some golden globes.

No review equals no Babbles, so I leave you with this random quote: “Write a wise saying and your name will live forever.” – Anonymous

Avatar podcast has landed!

The official BabbleOn 5 Avatar podcast has landed here on earth! We called it the “Welcome to Pandora” podcast. The Babblers had high expectations for this long anticipated epic film by the legendary James Cameron. But did it meet expectations? Check out this podcast as we discuss not only our thoughts on the record-breaking Avatar but how it compares to Cameron’s body of work. 

Listen to it here and check out the library of podcast from other movies of ’09.

You can also check out a our wide variety of other Avatar posts here.

Avatar IMAX 3D

I have to first apologize for my late review of James Cameron’s Avatar. By now, everything about this movie has been said by one critic or another.

Alright. Since seeing approximately 30 minutes of Avatar (in 3D) at this past year’s Comic Con in July, I could not stop telling people that this was the ‘movie of the year’ and that they HAD TO GO SEE IT. I became a part of a small minority of nerds that had seen something incredible. Unfortunately, I was met with skepticism, confused looks, disinterest, and patronizing nods. People kept asking, “The Last Airbender?” Which brought on a long explanation that this was NOT M. Night Shyamalan’s terrible looking Avatar: The last Airbender but James Cameron’s Avatar.

You are on Pandora…(and staying for a while)

Perhaps this world hasn’t gone to the crapper afterall. Avatar surpassed Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen as the highest-grossing 2009 release. I have a little more faith in Hollywood knowing that the awful mess of T-2 isn’t going to be declared the King of 09.

James Cameron’s unstoppable force added another $48.5 million to its domestic total, now at $429 million; it has earned $1.3 billion worldwide so far. (“Transformers” topped out at $402 million in the U.S.)

New releases were nowhere within reach of this mega-hit. Only vampire flick “Daybreakers” nudged its way into the top five; the Amy Adams rom-com “Leap Year” came in sixth with $9.1 million, while raunchy Michael Cera comedy “Youth in Revolt” nabbed $7 million and landed in ninth place. It’s rare these days for any movie to be in control of the box office for more than a couple of weeks. Avatar is now in week 4 and looks to be there for a while longer.

This Wk		Title	Dist.	Weekend Gross	Cumulative Gross
1		Avatar	20th Century Fox	$48,500,000	$429,040,000
2		Sherlock Holmes	Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution	$16,610,000	$165,178,000
3		Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel	20th Century Fox Distribution	$16,300,000	$178,184,000
4		Daybreakers	Lionsgate	$15,000,000	$15,000,000
5		It’s Complicated	Universal Pictures	$11,007,000	$76,370,000

avatar 3d

Cinema needed this film. Every so often a film comes along and, in one way or another, raises the bar of expectation. In sci-fi, Star Wars took the genre to mountain-like levels. Most recently, The Matrix eclipsed James Cameron’s Terminator 2 as the movie that changed the proverbial game for high tech action adventure, but Cameron is back to push the limits of cinematic wonder with Avatar.

I won’t rundown the synopsis but, in case you missed it, Tony covers it well. I actually passed up a chance to see this film in IMAX and it’s proved to be one of the worst decisions I’ve made in a while. Why do I say that? Because this film is one of the single most incredible visual spectacles I ever seen on film. I often wished I could pause the frames and just rest in the shots to take it all in. When it comes to 3D, CGI motion capture and performance capture, James get it right. While he made some improvements in the technology, none of it is completely new. What is new is the way the 3D enhances nearly every part of  frame of this epic feature. It never takes a backseat and is so masterfully done that I felt myself flinching at moments; not only dodging projectiles but yearning to reach out and touch lush scenery.

The motion capture (mirrors actor’s body movement) and performance capture (actor’s facial nuances) give the blue cat-like Na’vi true character and emotion. I saw this technique, with 3D enhancement, in Robert Zemeckis’ A Christmas Carol only a month earlier. I was stunned by the way it allowed the actors to, not only voice the animation, but give life to the characters in a way that draws the viewer deeper into the story. As I compare that with what is done in Avatar, the technology of the films seem to stand 4.3 light-years away from one another (the distance from Earth to Pandora). This may seem like overstimulated fawning, but the images in Avatar are almost a story in themselves. Please don’t cheat yourself and see this in standard 2D format.

One understated element of Avatar is the power of performance by several of its actors. They can get overlooked because the dialogue and story leave much to be desired. When the words are broken and the story is rote, what makes you care once you adjust to the visual spectacle? Emotion. You can feel for the plight of a computer generated alien race of people. Your fury can burn against an advantageous corporate figure head trying to move “savages” out of their physical and spiritual homes to acquire an element ridiculously named “unobtainium.” Heartfelt work by Sam Worthington (Terminator: Salvation), Zoe Saldana (Star Trek 2009) and Stephen Lang (Gods and Generals, The Men Who Stare At Goats), in concert with veterans Sigourney “Siggy” Weaver, CCH Pounder (The Shield), and Giovanni Ribisi (Saving Private Ryan), help Avatar to hurdle it’s shortcomings.

This film is destined to be a milestone in technology and the history of movie making. It was so wonderful that it made me overlook glaring contradictions like having a chain-smoking, tree-loving doctor. I give James Cameron’s Avatar a whopping 4.5 out of 5 babbles!