Thor

Thor

3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (277 customer reviews)

The Mighty Thor, a powerful warrior reignites an ancient war.

• Starring: Natalie Portman, Chris Hemsworth
• Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
• Runtime: 1 hour 55 minutes
• Release year: 2011
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures

Product Details

Synopsis: The Mighty Thor, a powerful warrior reignites an ancient war.

Starring: Natalie Portman, Chris Hemsworth

Supporting actors: Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard, Rene Russo

Directed by: Kenneth Branagh

Runtime: 1 hour 55 minutes

Release year: 2011

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Epic, heroic fantasy., May 8, 2011

By Kolwynia (Hawaii, USA) -

This review is from: Thor (DVD)

Thor is Marvel's best superhero movie yet. It is even better than the first Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk films. It is also the most visually stunning of any Marvel film, with gorgeous fantasy settings, great costumes, and spectacular special effects.
In the same way as Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight worked just as well as a crime drama as a superhero movie, Thor works just as well as a standalone fantasy film. Even if I had not known that I was watching a comic book movie, I would have been just as happy with the story. In fact, I would say that you don't actually need to be familiar with the characters or the comic mythology to enjoy the film.
The story is set half in Asgard, the realm of the gods, and half in our world, Earth. Thor, the son of the king of Asgard, the wise Odin, is a proud and arrogant king-in-waiting. He makes a foolish mistake that brings his world to the brink of war and his father exiles him to our world as punishment, and maybe to teach him how to be a better man. On Earth, Thor makes some new friends and even begins to fall in love with a pretty scientist. Meanwhile, in Asgard, his brother Loki begins to put into motion a plot that may threaten Thor's home.
Two things about the film really stood out to me. The first is the absolutely beautiful settings and solid world-building in the movie. Asgard looks amazing, with settings such as the Rainbow Bridge, a crystal structure with colored lights running through it, spanning a sea that flows into a massive waterfall, cascading down into the open cosmos. Also, great costuming really makes the gods stand out, and adds to the film's epic feel. The second thing was the character of Loki, the film's antagonist. Watching the trailers, I expected a greasy, honorless villain (someone like Wormtongue from the Lord of the Rings). Instead I got the story of a hero, told in reverse. Loki's story mirrors his brother Thor's, but where Thor starts out as an arrogant royal brat and through his time on Earth comes to realize what it means to be a hero, Loki begins the story as a mischievous but honorable man, and over the course of the film turns into a really bad guy. As Thor rises, he falls. And when his final plan is revealed at the end of the film, it totally fits his personality and everything you know about him. In other superhero films, we're used to seeing the bad guy go on some kind of mindless rampage at the end of the film. We saw it in The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, the Spider Man movies, the Fantastic Four...but not here. Loki acts like a man with a purpose. Actually he has two purposes, both very personal to him. One is to do commit a terrible act of destruction, partly out of self-loathing and partly out of a twisted sense of honor toward his father. And the other is simply to beat his brother, proving himself Thor's equal. He is easily the deepest villain of any of the Marvel films so far.
The film is directed by Shakespearean actor Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart!), who handles the epic material perfectly. More than any Marvel film so far, this one focuses on the hero's journey. Even more than a comic book movie, this is a fantasy film about a hero. Expect father-son drama, palace intrigue in the realm of the gods, and an epic confrontation between two brothers who have been become very different people over the course of the story. There is also plenty of humor, with a few real laugh-out-loud moments. And there is a very sweet, almost cute romance woven into the story. It carries an innocent, young-love kind of feeling. It also takes the two characters, one a god more concerned with war and glory, the other a scientist more concerned with solving the mysteries of the universe, and brings them down to earth in their budding love for one another.
I would recommend Thor to any lover of fantasy films, as well as any fans of comic book movies such as Marvel's Avengers lineup. It is solid fantasy fun with a strong sense of the epic and the heroic. And when you see Thor finally wield his hammer and summon the lightning, you'll want to stand up and cheer.

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Limitless

Limitless

3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (165 customer reviews)

An unsuccessful writer's life is transformed by a top-secret "smart drug" that allows him to become a perfect version of himself.

• Starring: Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro
• Directed by: Neil Burger
• Runtime: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Release year: 2011
• Studio: Relativity Media

Product Details

Synopsis: An unsuccessful writer's life is transformed by a top-secret "smart drug" that allows him to become a perfect version of himself.

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro

Supporting actors: Abbie Cornish, Anna Friel

Directed by: Neil Burger

Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Runtime: 1 hour 45 minutes

Release year: 2011

Studio: Relativity Media

Theatrical Release Information

• US Theatrical Release Date: March 18, 2011
• MPAA: Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving a drug, violence including disturbing images, sexuality and language
• Production Company: Relativity Media, Virgin Produced, Rogue, Many Rivers Productions, Boy of the Year, Intermedia
• Also Known As: The Dark Fields
• Filming Locations: Bahia de Banderas, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico | Chinatown, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA | Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, USA | Henry St & Oliver St, New York City, New York, USA | Islas Marietas, Nayarit, Mexico | New York City, New York, USA | Philadelphia Soundstages, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA | Punta de Mita, Nayarit, Mexico | Soho, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA | Tribeca, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA | Wollman Skating Rink - 830 5th Ave., New York City, New York, USA

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

118 of 133 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS YEAR'S SLEEPER, May 28, 2011

By 

Michael Ledo (Windsor, SC United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Limitless (Unrated Extended Cut) (DVD)

I was taken in by the opening credits as an outline of a brain turns into a city. I am a big sucker for that microcosm/ macrocosm stuff.
Edward has writer's block. He has a book contract for some reason, yet hasn't written a word. His girlfriend, who was his meal ticket leaves him. Bummed out he decides to go live on a bunk bed at Dad's place in New Jersey, but then bumps into his ex-brother-in-law, who is a drug dealer. He offers Edward a pill that increases a person's use of their brain. They can recall everything they have seen or read and can correlate it to increase intelligence. The smarter a person is to begin with, the more data they have to work with. Edward is a smart guy to begin with, so he is able to start his book. The downside is that the pill wears off. Not only does one lose the abilities, but they get a little ADD, and throw up like a heroin addict. Too much of the pill causes a Mr. Hyde type of character including blackouts. Edward's supplier is murdered and Edward finds his stash of pills and a wad of cash.
Edward uses his ability to make money on Wall Street. He catches the attention of big time corporations as well as the Russian mafia. He quickly finds out people who take the smart pill eventually die from either taking too much or running out. Edward must try to balance his life.
I loved the concept. I loved how they did the drug effect with simple but effective camera tricks. Anyone who has come down off of cocaine, LSD, or heroin knows how Edward feels and he portrays a man coming off drugs very well.
I even liked the ending, although the last few minutes should have been stretched out. No nudity.

Must see for action junkies!!!, June 15, 2011

By 

Oz "Oz4u" (ATL, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Limitless (Unrated Extended Cut) (DVD)

When we watched the preview we were drawn in by the action and with Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro we figured it had to be good. We really liked the storyline and how Bradley Cooper uses being limitless to maximize his potential and with De Niro as the bad guy it just clicks, especially with the chemistry these guys have. This movie is filled with twists and turns over a pill that lets Cooper use 100% of his brain and of course what will happen when the pills run out? This movie definitely delivered on our expectations and if you like action movies it should exceed yours as well......

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Gattaca [Blu-ray]

Gattaca [Blu-ray] (1997)

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman Director: Andrew Niccol Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Format: Blu-ray

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Product Description

Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Alan Arkin and Jude Law star in this engrossing sci-fi thriller about an all-too-human man who dares to defy a system obsessed with genetic perfection. Hawke stars as Vincent, an "In-Valid" who assumes the identity of a member of the genetic elite to pursue his goal of traveling into space with the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation. However, a week before his mission, a murder marks Vincent as a suspect. With a relentless investigator in pursuit and the colleague he has fallen in love with beginning to suspect his deception, Vincent's dreams steadily unravel.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16 in DVD
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2008-03-11
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English, Esperanto
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Korean, Thai
• Dubbed in: French, Portuguese, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 106 minutes

Features

• ISBN13: 0043396154339
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

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Customer Reviews:

“How do you hide when you're running from yourself?”,
Review Date : March 16, 2004
Reviewed By : cookieman108 "cookieman108®" (Inside the jar...) -

This review is from: Gattaca (DVD)

Gattaca (1997) is a beautiful movie that takes place in the not-so-distant future where genetic manipulation prior to birth brings out the best qualities of the parents while eliminating the worst, specifically, predispositions to diseases, additions, poor eyesight, etc. That is, if your parents choose to do so...

The film tells the a story about Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), a man born naturally, a 'God-child', one who didn't benefit from advanced technology during his development within the womb, and subsequently has various conditions many are familiar with like poor eyesight, heart problems, etc. Vincent has his sights set on the stars, wanting to travel to distant planets, visit far away places (I mean really far away) but due to advanced science, he has no chance as people can now determine the status of your health, your future health, by any number of ways, a strand of hair, a bit of spittle on a cup, a flake of skin, and while biases due to genetic profiling are illegal, the practice is common and widespread, resulting in Vincent relegated to working in less than desirable jobs like cleaning offices.

This practice of genetic stereotyping has lead to a new kind of crime, one where a person of impeccable genetic make-up but who has found themselves a victim of fate due to a permanent injury or such, can broker their identity to a natural born person, supplying that person with various blood and urine samples, strands of hair, flakes of skin, allowing that person to pose as a 'valid' individual, and garner a choice position in corporate society. Jude Law plays Jerome Eugene Morrow, a superior individual who suffered a crippling accident and has now agreed to sell his identity to Vincent Freeman, in exchange for Vincent supporting the lifestyle Jerome was accustom to prior the accident. This involves a very elaborate daily routine by Vincent, including a complete scrub down of his entire body to remove any 'loose' material that could possibly be found, analyzed, and give him away. In order for Vincent to pose as Jerome, he must carry on him samples of Jerome's blood, urine, and other identifiers at all times.

Vincent manages to pull off the sham, securing himself a position at Gattaca, a 'corporate' NASA, and is on the fast track to achieving his dream of space travel...but for one problem. A high-ranking official in Gattaca was recently murdered, and the police are thoroughly investigating all individuals. Will Vincent's shell of deception crack under close scrutiny of a murder investigation?

I really enjoyed this movie, watching for a second time last night. The picture has a very texturized feel, with the subdued lighting, immaculate sets and costumes giving the entire movie a very `noir' quality. The story was very well laid out, allowing for rich development of the main characters, creating a real interest and empathy for me for the proceedings on the screen. Ethan Hawke and Jude Law played their roles wonderfully, one as the struggling `inferior' with dreams that reach beyond his genetic make-up, and the other as the spoiled near-perfect specimen forced to deal with a physical infirmity due to fate, one that couldn't be corrected for with pre-natal DNA manipulation. Followed up with a strong supporting cast including Uma Thurman, Alan Arkin, and Elias Koteas, we are presented with a very plausible science fiction tale, one that may cause you to give some thought and provoke conversation on the concept of human messing around in Mother Nature's domain.

The picture here looks wonderful, and is available here in both full screen and wide screen anamorphic formats. Special features also include a trailer for the film, a featurette, deleted scenes, and production notes.

Cookieman108

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“A Triumph of the Human Spirit”,
Review Date : May 29, 2002
Reviewed By : J.D. (Jim Thorpe, PA) -

This review is from: Gattaca (DVD)

"Gattaca" is an incredible example of a science-fiction movie entirely based on plot, low-key twists and development, and not on special effects. Married couple Hawke and Thurman, along with Jude Law, and the direction of Andrew Nicol prove that there is no gene for the human spirit.

Vincent (Hawke) is an invalid, a "degenerate" born of natural conception without any advanced genetic engineering. Several seconds after he is born, his parents know how Vincent will die, and his life expectancy. As he grows, his heart dysfunction limits his career choices. As a result, his parents have another child, this time genetically engineered to be totally superior. The feuding siblings prove themselves over a game of swimming chicken, but it is inevitable as Anton grows more faster than Vincent that the younger child will be the favored. As a result, Vincent leaves the home and begins a job as a janitor at the Gattaca Aerospace Center, the closest he can be to his dream: the stars. But he finds that a janitor is the farthest away. Vincent trains his body and mind, but still cannot get past the cleaning job. Then, he makes a call.

He wants to be a defective ladder, or, a stand-in for a enhanced person. Vincent stands in for one of the most prized people, Jerome Morrow (Law). His disguises are perfect. Jerome supplies the blood, urine, and hair to Vincent. Then, just as Vincent is getting along at Gattaca, there is a murder of the exact mission director that was in charge of the flight to Titan that included Vincent. Enter enhance Irene (Thurman) and investigators Hugo and Josef. Vincent adequately, with the help of Jerome, sneaks past the investigators at every turn while a relationship develops between himself and Irene. Drama, suspense, incredible acting follow.

Hawke, in one of his first dramatic leads, shines as he plays an ordinary man who is extrodinary in using everyday techniques. He is the most human character in the entire movie, but holds the weight for all the the genetically enhanced. Uma Thurman, who's not given such a role as Hawke, does well with what she have. Director Niccol really accentuates on her beauty and innocence as he plays Irene, and enhance that really has no idea of the real life that Vincent is so accustomed to. There is excellent chemistry between the two. The two dated after the movie was over, and eventually were wed. There is a great supporting cast, including Alan Aarkin, Jude Law, and Ernest Borgnine.

"Gattaca" is an under-rated movie that suprises all, and wonders how much spirit we can all have.

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“Slight improvement over previous editions”,
Review Date : March 13, 2008
Reviewed By : S. Audette -

This review is from: Gattaca (Special Edition) (DVD)

I have two topics to mention: The "special features" and the "image quality".

It is worth noting that I own the both the original Gattaca DVD and Super-Bit version for comparison.

1) Special Features:
While maintaining the original DVD's ugly menu system, this edition contains a 22 featurette on the making of Gattaca with interviews of Ethan Hawke, Jude Law, and a number of the production crew. I enjoyed this addition. There is also a new clip on gene manipulation (history, current, and future) which was somewhat interesting.

2) Image Quality:
The original DVD was only a single layer 4.5gb disk, which resulted in a grainy image with a slightly blue tint. The Super-Bit disk was disappointingly mastered, with visible dust and hair in the copy. The Super-Bit version took on a more natural tone but suffered from over-saturated browns and greens.

Finally, this reproduction seems to have a good balance between color and image quality, although some scenes are a little grainy and the movie overall seems darker.

Conclusion:
Is it worth buying this edition if you have one of the others? Probably not, but with the HD format wars over, I might be inclined to splurge on a Blu-Ray player to give the new Blu-Ray Gattaca disk a spin.

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The Thing [Blu-ray]

The Thing [Blu-ray] (1982)

Starring: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley Director: John Carpenter Rating: R (Restricted) | Format: Blu-ray

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Product Description

Horror-meister John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape from New York) teams Kurt Russell's outstanding performance with incredible visuals to build this chilling version of the classic The Thing. In the winter of 1982, a twelve-man research team at a remote Antarctic research station discovers an alien buried in the snow for over 100,000 years. Soon unfrozen, the form-changing alien wreaks havoc, creates terror and becomes one of them.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #65 in DVD
• Brand: UNI DIST CORP. (MCA)
• Released on: 2008-09-30
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 109 minutes

 

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Customer Reviews:

"Gorror"/suspense classic comes to Blu-ray September 30th, 2008 - Updates on features, quality,
Review Date : August 8, 2008
Reviewed By : Sanpete (in Utah) -

This review is from: The Thing [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

Though The Thing shocked with its new level of gore when it came out in 1982, popular taste has pretty well caught up to the gore factor. Now fans will be able to see it all in Blu-ray high-def.
The Thing takes its title from the influential 1951 sci-fi classic The Thing from Another World, a film it otherwise resembles only in similarity of location and a few plot points. (If you're interested in a less scary, more campy, funnier black-and-white version, with women in it, check out the older one.) The location is an isolated antarctic research station, cut off from radio contact with the outside world, where Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David and several other men unknowingly take in an alien creature that can adopt the form of members of the crew as it destroys them. They quickly find themselves in a desperate and paranoia-inducing situation, each not knowing who among the others might be an alien waiting to kill him. Internal organs are spread into view in various creative ways, while violence and tension build.

Director John Carpenter specializes in gritty, intense, violent suspense, and he doesn't disappoint here. Though it didn't do very well when it came out, maybe because it was up against the much cheerier alien E.T., it has become a favorite since.

The movie has already been released in HD at the same 1080p resolution the Blu-ray will have, so the transfer should be of similar quality. The HD transfer is very good, with strong color and good detail and sharpness, definitely improved over the standard DVD. The sound will be English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, with French DTS 5.1. There will be English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles. *Update* 19 September: The early reviews verify that the transfer is high quality, as expected, with excellent picture and good sound (not much surround in a movie this old).

*Update* Universal has said in its promotional material that this release will include the extra material from the current DVD, but according to the early reviews, that isn't true. First, here are the special features announced in the main press release:
-- audio commentary with star Kurt Russell and director John Carpenter
-- U Control Picture in Picture
-- U Control tutorial
-- BD-Live
In addition, most of the 84-minute making-of documentary from the older DVD has been incorporated into the Picture in Picture (PIP) feature, meaning that you watch it in pieces in a window along with the movie. The rest of the special features from the older DVD aren't included. Just as a reminder of what those old features are, missing here:
-- outtakes
-- deleted stop-motion animation
-- work-in-progress visual effects footage
-- behind-the-scenes location footage
-- behind-the-scenes photos
-- storyboard and conceptual art
-- annotated production archive
-- original theatrical trailer

Again, those are old features that Universal has *not* included on the Blu-ray.

I'm not into gore, but the suspense is well done here, and Kurt Russell is in his element. Fine video transfer and good commentary make for a good package, but the missing features from the older DVD mean you may want to keep the old one too.

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“Would have given 5 stars but Universal down graded the features.”,
Review Date : December 18, 2008
Reviewed By : GadgetGuy (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Thing [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

The movie itself is 5 stars no question, but this review is for this particular release of it.

I love John Carpenters "The Thing", but Universal Studios should be ashamed of themselves for releasing a Blu Ray version of the film with almost ALL of the extras REMOVED.

Inexcusable.
It's a shame Universal chose to do this, since this Blu Ray's picture quality and sound are both great.

Buy the Uk Blu Ray release instead. It includes the many extras not found in this US version.

Does Universal Studios value their UK customers more than their US customers for some reason?

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“Carpenter's classic looks extremely good on Blu-ray but not all the extras were ported over”,
Review Date : November 19, 2008
Reviewed By : Wayne Klein "If at first the idea is not absu... (My Little Blue Window, USA) -

This review is from: The Thing [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

John Carpenter's "The Thing" is an atmospheric, claustrophobic thriller that manages to be both a tribute to the original film by Howard Hawks and Christian Nyby as well as a scary often surprising thriller on its own. Universal has ported over most of the extras from the original DVD for this set (although it is missing the deleted scenes as well as some of the visual effects outtakes)the only problem that exists with the presentation is that the extras are available to be viewed ONLY via U Control and, as a result, those with 1.0 Blu-ray players WILL NOT be able to access the pip extras. Those who have Playstation 3's or 1.1 players will be able to access these special features.

"The Thing" looks extremely good in its Blu-ray debut with a sharper, clearer picture. Audio sounds extremely good as well.
For those who haven't seen the film the title creature infiltrates a remote science station in the Arctic. Cut off from the rest of the world when a blizzard hits, the crew of the science station discovers that the creature acts almost like a virus killing the original person and becoming a perfect replica of that person down to memories.

Featuring strong performances from Kurt Russell, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Wilford Brimley and Donald Moffat "The Thing" is much more graphic than the film that Hawks made in the 50's but just as powerful and scary.

My only complaint with the Blu-ray is that Universal didn't port over ALL the extras on the original DVD so fans will probably want to keep their DVDs as well. The U Control feature allows you to watch the original documentary in chunks related to sequences throughout the film. That's good but I do wish that Universal had designed this to shift all the music, effects and dialog into one set of surround speakers while the dialog and music from the documentary would come from the other with both given equal prominence.

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Avatar (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) [Blu-ray]

Avatar (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) [Blu-ray] (2009)

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana
Director: James Cameron Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | Format: Blu-ray

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Product Description

A reluctant hero. An epic journey. A choice between the life he left behind and the incredible new world he’s learned to call home. Return to James Cameron’s Avatar — the greatest adventure of all time.

Please note: This edition of the film is not in 3D

Stills from the movie Avatar:

 

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3 in DVD
• Released on: 2010-04-22
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 162 minutes

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Customer Reviews:

“AVOID THIS EDITION - 20-40 minutes of new missing storyline and no special features. SPECIAL EDITION COMMING SOON!”,
Review Date : March 18, 2010
Reviewed By : M. Western "MYD Movie Fan" -

***THINGS YOU MUST KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY***

1. A special edition likely including 20-40 minutes of additional footage is already being leaked to media for release later THIS YEAR!

2. No special features. If you are a fan, of all the discs in your collection this is the one you really want the extra stuff. It really should be amazing!

3. No 3D presentation. New technology in TVs is out this year and should enhance the home 3D experience. I don't usually care about 3D at home but things are changing. Be ready!

4. There is also news that the movie itself will be re-released shortly with the 20-40 minutes of additional content I mentioned above. Why buy the Blu if you can see it with additional content and in the best possible 3D at theaters--- then buy the special edition just a few months later?

I have to echo the comments of a previous reviewer. The studios are becoming so brazen. They released this edition and tried to explain the poor accoutrements by saying "they wanted to save all the space on the disc for the best possible presentation". Are you kidding me? Bust out the extra discs already! Offering this bare bones BR right before re-releasing the movie with additional footage was also a classless act that spits in consumer's faces. Just rent the movie or see the enhanced version in theaters. It will tide you over until the Special Edition comes out.

Lastly, there are plenty of people adding comments that you shouldn't wait for 3D because the home experience with 3D is lack luster or most people don't have the new 3D TVs. That's partly true, however...

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT 3D! The lack of additional storyline, missing special features and blatent disregard for consumers (in an economic downturn) are what make this a bad deal. There is new home theater technology out this year that should enhance the home 3D experience. Your home theater will catch up. People who are excited about this movie should be standing together against a poor release offering, especially when there are terrific alternatives to hold us over.

Wait a few months and get a much superior release for similar money.

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“Avatar”,
Review Date : December 19, 2009
Reviewed By : Jason C. Wilkerson (Green Bay, WI) -

This review is from: Avatar [Theatrical Release] (Theatrical Release)

Initially conceived in 1999 as Cameron's follow up to Titanic, Avatar was put on hold when Cameron realized the technology did not exist yet to support his vision. Over the course of the next decade, Cameron created much of the technology he needed to make this movie possible. In 2002, Cameron watched The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and through the character of Gollum realized that his vision was finally possible. Twelve years have passed since the release of James Cameron's Titanic, will his new film prove that Cameron is still "King of the World"?

Much has been made of Cameron's Avatar long before it's release. Hailed as a revolution in 3D and CGI technology, Avatar holds a lot of expectations, not the least of which is the fact that the budget and marketing for this film add up to approximately half a billion dollars, making it the most expensive movie ever made. Of course, Cameron has been here before. Titanic cost $200 million to make, the largest budget for a feature film at the time, and just when it looked like it was going to goose that laid the rotten egg it proceeded to make $1.8 billion worldwide, making it the highest grossing film of all time. Cameron's also not new to the idea of revolutionizing the world of film with almost every movie he makes: with The Abyss he had the first all digital water effect, with Terminator 2 he had the first CGI character with realistic movement, and so on. Can lightning strike yet again?

I'm generally someone who's adverse to using all caps for anything, but: DO NOT WAIT TO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!! Also don't wait for it to come to DVD or to a TV station near you. Why, you ask? Because this movie is a movie that has to be seen the way it was intended to truly get the fully immersive experience. I watched the trailers on TV and online, and none of that compared to seeing the film in theaters in 3D. With Avatar, Cameron has truly outdone himself. When District 9 came out, I raved about the CGI effects in that movie, but Avatar is a whole other monster. With Avatar you truly cannot tell where the CGI begins and reality ends and vice versa, and on top of that it is the most beautiful film I've ever seen, CGI or otherwise. On top of that, Cameron's new 3D cameras create an experience that is in no way uncomfortable. No headaches and no motion sickness for those of you who suffer from that sort of thing. Instead, you get a highly immersive experience that leaves you begging for more (which is saying something, considering the film's run time is 162 minutes) and wanting to return when you leave.

I've seen a lot of reviews lately that talk about the film having a weak script with too many clichés and one dimensional characters. What you really get, in my opinion though, is old school story telling with a message, even though the message is drowned out in special effects and action. The script moves quickly, there is no downtime, but you also never feel like the pacing is off, or that it's moving too fast. Cameron has built a complete world, we don't just see characters and action, but we see complete eco systems, and are introduced to many characters. While the entire cast is amazing, Sam Worthington as Jake Sully and Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch are the real standouts here. Sam Worthington creates a character that you feel for, and through his progress from pawn to leader is truly believable and heartfelt. Stephen Lang, on the other hand, gives us a character that starts off just trying to do his duty, but eventually becomes a character on par with Sergeant Barnes from Platoon or Colonel Kurtz from Apocalypse Now.

I purposefully chose not to mention anything about the plot for this movie. I think this movie is going to be the revolution of movies that Cameron believes it's going to be. I've seen reviewers compare it to The Wizard of Oz (the movie to truly lead the color revolution) and King Kong (the 1933 version, which revolutionized special effects), and I wholeheartedly agree. I still can't completely fathom what I just saw, and will probably see it at least one more time on the big screen if not more. Anyone who's into film, the tech of film, or just wants to keep up with where film is going in the future should see this film. On top of that, this movie touches on so many different genres (Sci-Fi, fantasy, romance, war films, drama, etc.) that it will appeal to almost everyone. Once again, James Cameron is "King of the World"!

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