I saw Avatar on Saturday. My opinion of the film isn’t all that important or interesting — but I basically agree with EW’s estimable Owen Gleiberman, although I must admit I continue to think about it more than the usual “B” grade movie. More interesting and perhaps more noteworthy was the reaction of my 8-year-old son Ben. He’s a big Star Wars fan (so you know that I’m raising him well) and interested in sci-fi stuff (especially sci-fi stuff that involves spaceships and loud battles), and so he’s been obsessed with Avatar for weeks. Until now, Ben’s only cinematic experiences have been 3-D animated movies like Wall-E, Up and Madagascar. I tried to take him to Speed Racer last year, but he asked to leave one hour into it, saying, “Daddy, I think I’m too young for this movie.” (I was pretty impressed that he could think that way for himself.)
With this as context, Ben walked out of our 3-D Imax screening of Avatar totally blown away. And then he said the words that left me floored: “That was even better than Star Wars!” Not sure I heard him correctly, I asked him, pointedly: “What’s your favorite movie: Star Wars or Avatar?” He said, without hesitation, “Avatar.” Three days later, he’s still talking and buzzing about it, and more, he’s suddenly hungry for more cinematic experience — very similar to my reaction to A New Hope when I first saw at as a 7-year-old in ’77. With Avatar, the medium of movies (or what it is movies have become) has captured my son’s imagination.
My questions: Have I gone horribly awry in my parenting? Is my son just peculiar — or is Avatar this generation’s Star Wars? And if you can’t relate to the question because you don’t have kids, let’s make it relevant to all. Star Wars or Avatar: Which one is better — and which one do you like better?
While I don’t think that Avatar is better than Star Wars, I do believe that it has redefined movies just like Star Wars did back when and that it will prove to be the 21st century’s Star Wars and I personally cannot wait to see what Mr. Cameron comes up next with the Pandorans
You kid, right?
3D is 3D. He didn’t do anything dramatically technical with 3D.
You are misinformed. Cameron created new 3D camera rigs that break significant ground in the performance capture and master recording/playback of video. You sound like someone who would comment without seeing the movie, or doing even the slightest bit of research.
Oh Sally, you obviously didn’t see the movie…visually, it’s easily the best movie ever made.
You guys kidding me? Although this is all subject to personal opinion I would have to go with AVATAR. I love the star wars franchise but find it to be dried up and lacking the “flavor” or “color” to keep its place as sci fi movie of all time. For its generation it was ground breaking but as with everything in life we must move on. Starting from just the technology created for avatar it is already and evolution in creative design. I personally loved the story and found it extremely deep allowing you to feel the distress of a spiritual people. It reminded me of everything we have lost along the way including our “halo” with nature or God.Lessons that every person living right now can be reminded about. I hope to see another story from Cameron in the Avatar universe.
Are you all kidding me?!?!? Avatar is NOTHING comapred to Star Wars, I can’t believe you even posed that question. Everyone who says that Avatar is better than SW, obviously everyone doesnt watch movies. Avatar is all for show, graphics, 3-D…who cares?! Since when does graphics and technology count for a storyline. It basically took teh storyline of Dances with Wolves, Pocahontas, and Fern Gully! Star Wars was an orignal story that took several years to develop. Now I know Cameron tooka supposed “15 years” to develop it, thats rediculous! He had the story 15 years ago when he stole it and just stalled for time (i.e. made Titanic) until the technology for movies was developed. Everyone told me “See it in 3-D, you should ONLY see it 3-D” … listen…I’m only going to say this once…if a film should and can only be viewed in 3-D…IT’S NOT WORTH SEEING!!! How short are your attention spans?!? Hooray! I paid $10 to have leaves and ferns thrown at my face, did you people constantly need to have fauna thrown in your face for 3 hours?! Otherwise, what? The film would have been boring?! Give me a brake, cheap tactics to capture a boring audiences attention. Nothing happens for the first hour or so, and the story was soooo predictbale, or really? the lead male fell in love with the native na’vi girl, and then decides to help them, who wouldve thought that would happen?! The acting was horrible, Sigourney Weaver was probably the best human actor, while the lead na’vi girl was the better of the CG (in the context of ONLY the film). I can’t believe how overrated this film is…best picture at the GG’s, PLEASE! Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds was instant classic and another contender was Up in the Air. So many better films in 2009 than Avatar (ie Up, Up in the Air, Inglorious Basterds, Coraline, Funny People, District 9). Star Wars had a real storyline, real character depth…Who didnt need cheap tactics liek graphics and technology (I’m referring to the first trilogy). SW of course didnt have the technology to do these things but instead they made it themselves it revolutionize the filmaking industry, what did Cameron do?? Nothing new, green screen, capture animation suits? Thats been done before. I did appreciate the colurful scenery he created but thats it. Star Wars had passion and had the audiences drawn into the emotions of its characters. There was no slap in the face environmentalist agenda. Although important topic – WRONG VESSEL! This movie was a nerd’s fantasy, skantily-clad blue alien women, rediculous! Star Wars will always be classic and live forever, don’t you ever say to move on or that Avatar is better, in 5 years another movie come along with better technology and claim Avatar’s spot and start this fiasco all over again. May the force be with you! (where’s Avatar’s tagline…I want that unobtanium! ….. doesnt have the same ring).
Star Wars had a real storyWhat????
You’re talking about how predictable Avatar is, and you’re right, but what about the plot in SW?
Come on, a good boy who wants to fight the Empire, and meets an old general to give him a message from the Princess, and joins the rebels to fight the Evil. It’s so original that i would cry. Oh, i forget, there are lightsaber fights, and robots. Yep, that makes it the best movie ever.
And what about the characters? The always good boy, the always complaining princess who can slap bad guys, the mercenary who cares about people, the bad guy who (in the third film) redeems himself, the bad bad guy, and Fluffy, i mean… Chewbacca, and the two buffoons. It’s just like you say, nothing new. It has been done before, a fairytale, but with robots.
And taglines? May the force be with you! Waw, it sounds incredible… let me think about Avatar’s tagline… it doesn’t need one, but if you like… get “i see you” as a way to look at someone’s heart.
What it’s ridiculous, is thinking that Star Wars is incredible just because it was “new”, and Avatar is a bad movie because of its plot. Come on, if you analyze both films, you’ll get the same results.
If you say that Avatar is a nerd’s fantasy, and you can’t see what SW really is (another nerd’s fantasy), then the debate is over.
Talking about the topic… which is better? Well, both can be great, each on it’s way. The plus that SW has is that it’s been developed over the years, and has a fastinating universe surrounding the films. Let’s hope Avatar can reach so far. It deserves its own more realistic universe (Think that we’re in 2154)
you must be kidding. If by this generations star wars, you mean sci fi hit directing by a big headed weirdo then yes, but actually comparing the two is just silly. Star Wars had a point… something Avatar is lacking
I agree. There was so much that they could have done in this film plot/story-wise and I think that they failed to give it any depth whatsoever.
Kudos, however, to what was(for me) one of the most beautiful, spectacular other-worlds ever created. It, for the most part, made me forget about the contrived plot, superfluous characters and poor acting. Genius filmmaking in that regards.
I will readily admit that I’m very biased on this because I am a huge Harry Potter fan, but I would say that Harry Potter is this generation’s Star Wars. Avatar, while great in its own right, doesn’t seem very comparable to Star Wars to me. This could very well be because I need to see another Avatar movie before then, but with the characters that were killed and the overall story–it seemed like a singular movie event to me. While I loved it and it might be one of my actual favorites of the decade, I personally don’t see the need for a sequel. Harry Potter, on the other hand, tells good vs. evil story much like Star Wars–and has a similar number of “episodes.” They are obviously different in that Harry Potter is primarily biggest as a book series, but I think it is also worth noting that Harry Potter is the highest-grossing movie franchise of all time (and best-selling book series of all time). I’d definitely compare the two cult-following-wise (although HP gets the advantage of both book and movie fans), and both create new worlds that still concentrate on character development and story (which I will also grant to Avatar, although some will disagree). I think looking at the numbers, the themes, and the fan bases, Harry Potter is the Star Wars of this generation. I love them both, but being from this generation and growing up with Harry Potter on the page and on the screen, I’d choose the magic over the force (please don’t hit me).
I believe that Harry Potter the BOOKS will have the lasting impact that Star Wars did for film but do I think the HP movies will be like Star Wars? Only in a world where books are completely destroyed and devalued a là Fahrenheit 451.
I definitely get what you’re saying. But as franchises, I’d say they are very comparable. As specifically movie franchises, Star Wars is obviously much more creative since it’s not going off source material.
As just a franchise in general, i’d say Harry Potter is the biggest of this generation. And I think the films are fantastic, but once again go off source material unlike Star Wars.
Harry Potter may be very popular, but does it/will it have the pop culture resonance like Star Wars? Will people be quoting it and dressing up like characters? Will references from Harry Potter enter the lexicon?
I can’t tell if you’re joking or not lol. If you aren’t, then in one word: yes.
YES. to your Harry Potter question. I haven’t seen Star Wars and I don’t want to see it. The same can be said for a large part of the population. Most younger people who HAVE seen it were introduced to it through the last three or four films that were made and according to fans sucked. There’s a Harry Potter theme park. Harry Potter is a BOOK series that upcoming generations will no doubt read and fall in love with just like we have. The books and even the films definitely will stand the test of time. I know I still get enjoyment out of the earlier Potter films that were made 8 years ago.
Harry Potter is NOT this generations Star Wars! Sorry but that is a ridiculous statement. There is ZERO comparison. Try actuall watching the movies!!!! What the hell is the matter with people? That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard.
does Harry Potter compare to Star Wars? No, they are two completely different stories. But, will Harry Potter have pop culture resonance like Star War? Absolutely! Harry Potter has been going on too long and too strong not to have an impact similar to that of Star Wars.
I absolutley agree with you! And yes, HP has “pop culture resonance,” the word Muggle was added to the dictionary and they are making a section of univeral studios in Florida just for HP, how can anyone not say that HP is this generations Star Wars, they are absolutley comparable!
Obviously Harry Potter and Star Wars have two completely different stories–and if a “new” Star Wars had the same story as it, then it would be rejected. The new Star Wars can’t have the same story, but can have the same theme–which if you have read Harry Potter, it does. Good vs. Evil, and magic his harry potter’s “force”. And also, like I said earlier, the numbers and fan bases are very comparable. Both are iconic worldwide and have theme park rides. I think they seem pretty similar in ways that they should be. I mean, would you even really like a movie that’s just ripping off Star Wars?
Harry Potter is not this generations’ Star Wars. It may be as popular or more popular, but it’s not going to change filmaking the way that Star Wars did. Comparing the two is an apple to oranges proposition.
Avatar, on the other hand, may change filmaking. It may be this generation’s Star Wars. Only time will tell.
@Henry completely agree.
I love Harry Potter, even more than Star Wars, but come on, it’s like saying that Twilight is going to be like the Star Wars of our generation. It just doesnt compare in any way.. plot, status, etc.
its like comparing lebron to Kobe. LeBron hasnt been in the league long enough and doesnt have the accolades to say he is better than kobe… as of now.
Just a side note, are you gonna tell me Dumbledore is a better teacher than Yoda? Oh ya, according to spell check, Dumbledore is not a word, yet Yoda is…
Harry Potter….. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! that’s great. Thanks for giving me a chuckle on an otherwise boring day.
I agree with you entirely
Star Wars even today holds up. I don’t think Avatar will hold up. Besides, is Avatar fantasy or sci-fi? It can’t make up its mind.
I don’t think that Sci-Fi and Fantasy are mutually exclusive. Especially in the case of Avatar, in which they use science to create an avatar Na’vi to send into the fantasy world of Pandora.
Star Wars (especially the first one) blurred that line too…one of the first films to do so.
Sci-fi or fantasy… who the hell cares? It’s an enjoyable movie. And once again for the jury: Sally has made it very clear in other threads that she was turned off by the pro-environment message of Avatar.
I care. I think film genre is interesting, and quite frankly don’t care that you don’t. She didn’t say anything about being pro or anti environment in this comment, so why did you even bring that up?
its james cameron with too much money to waste and too little imagination and too much COKE
Why did I bring it up? Because Sally has a personal agenda. Her opinion of the movie is not objective. She’s been all over the internet spewing the same garbage. I’d honestly be shocked if she actually saw it.
And your agenda is to thus discredit any comment she makes.
Yup, pretty much.
Avatar is Science Fiction. No elements were Fantasy.
Avatar is definitely sci fi. The spiritual backstory and setting has more in common with the themes of “2001: A Space Odyssey” than “Lord of the Rings”
Ah, Sally again? One of those private agenda critics who thinks SciFi and Fantasy represent an unbridgeable dichotomy. FYI, you ignorant troll, your beloved Star Wars (the first one) is a classic precisely because it bridges that supposed gap. (Or did you somehow miss that bit about the mysterious FORCE?)
its james Cameron on Crack.
Sally,your cool .
Tell Franksf and crispy to eat a douche-they been talking s…t about you
I can’t believe you could so ignorantly claim that avatar had no “point”. The point lies within the debates that arise from this movie. Country over Conscience, and the struggle to belong to two different worlds! It is captivating, moving, and something that I found was lacking with Star wars. I personally found star wars to be alot of hype. Sure it was interesting, filled with plot twists and hidden meanings at every turn, but lets not forget they had to create more movies just to explain the first one. So to shoot down avatar without giving it a fair fight is quite short sighted of you. This IS MY generation and I agree, its better than star wars.
get over yourself. I can’t believe you could so ignorantly and absurdly compare a movie that has been out for a week to a movie franchise that changed film making as we know it and has stayed in the collective minds of the movie going public for over 30 years.
Avatar may be pretty, but I dont see it being one of the most loved movies of all time when it turns 30.
Would you love it so much if you watched it with your eyes closed? Is the story that great for you that you could love it without the visuals or the 3D experience? Could you listen to a broadcast on NPR and will it still have the same power for you if do? When that happens, as it did with the original SW trilogy, then you can say it is better. Until then, all you have is a pretty, shiny new movie with amazing visuals. And there’s nothing wrong with loving that, but it doesn’t prove anything. And other people are entitled to disagree with you.
I would argue if you watched the original Star Wars movies with your eyes closed (and objectively), they are not that great. I love me some Star Wars, but it is the combination of the visuals, the characters, and the story that made it great. But w/o the visuals I don’t think it would have made near the impact that it did.
Disagree entirely. Avatar, while very fun, is nothing new and the only fresh thing about it is the technology used to bring it to life. While Star Wars can very well be argued that it is nothing new, either, it was constructed in such a way that the rehashed ideas seemed new and original. Watching Avatar, I can clearly see where Cameron was influenced and how little he deviated from his sources. Avatar doesn’t have a potent point because it’s been done before, and better. It shouldn’t take a movie to spur discussion on colonialism, a hot topic in science fiction since its conception, because it’s a problem that still exists and is being discussed without an IMAX 3D experience. And environmentalism– have we not beaten that horse? Also? This is MY generation as well. Generation gaps have very little to do with product quality.
Star Wars had all that stuff wrapped in the cloak of Good vs. Evil. The Jedi vs. The Dark Side is a metaphor for so much in the real world. It’s unfortunate, in my opinion. Most conflicts are far more complicated than Good vs. Evil.
Good ,now go back in the closet,before your mouth becomes another useless tool like your brain and your ass
dude are you kidding me.. if it wasnt for the lightsaber fights, jedi action, and ewoks i would pay to see star wars at all.
STARWARS
Avatar was disappointing – the visuals were incredible, and broke new ground, but as RA pointed out, watching this movie with your eyes closed would be 3 wasted hours!
There was no amazing music which punctuated the film (think twin suns setting or handing over the lightsaber from Star Wars). There were no defining moments (eg Ben Kenobi being killed by Vader, or blowing up the death star).
As soon as the military chief pulled the handicapped guy aside, I could tell you how the rest of the movie would play out. It was so predictable, I was left disappointed. I don’t need 3 more viewings to fully enjoy all the sub-plots the way I did with Star Wars or The Dark Knight. It was a flat story. The sub-text was great, but it’s the same story as fern gully – James Cameron is capable of so much more!
Hopefully no oscars have been set aside.
Avatar should be compared with A New Hope, and not to the entire Star Wars mythology. A New Hope had a pretty simple storyline as well (good over evil). I think Avatar is better than A New Hope, but as a franchise, it’s too early to tell.
I love Star Wars; those are my favorite movies of all time. But some people around here seem to have revisionist history… A New Hope has some of the worst dialogue and stiffest acting seen in film. There’s a reason Mark Hamill never amounted to much after Jedi.
yeah He only has more Money and a resume that most actors would kill for.You really are Stupid,Crispy
Put your crack pipe down and Think before you speak.,You Moron
your totally wrong, avatar had a point.
and *what* was the point? Blue Skinned Natives Need love to?
Or interspecies Sex is COOL?
Or Ugly Austrailan actors are “in” these days?
yeah Avatar had a point people…………………………………………………………………………….it was a special effects demo HELLO. and honestly even the effects fail times. seriously ive rolled my eyes at the knives the machines were holding. i could barely hear the music. for an advance civilization of the future they were to reckless and aggressive. and for a unadvanced race of the past they were too peaceful and calm. a quote from a movie reviewer: The biggest problem with avatar was despite the fact that it was shot in 3d, the characters and plot were 1 dimensional. star wars had memorable scenes, music, and story that to this day people still remember. im the new generation and honestly i barely even remember avatar scenes. my dad made me watch a new hope. i was officially hooked (im a high schooler) and so i watched jedi and empire and while i barely liked the prequels its more about the original trilogy. overall avatar was boring, pointless, and nothing more than a special effects demo reel to appeal to people who were rejected by society or people who cant seem to watch good movies, or people who want to escape to reality when all of them fail to realize thats its a movie. im 100% sure that when star wars trilogy was completed people said “Hey i wanna live on cloud city, or a could be a jedi on tatooine and have speeder bike chases with my friends.” But see they were kids and they knew it wasnt real. their are people mainly in their 20′s saying that pandora is possible……..all i have to say is that a mind is a terrible thing to waste……………on special effects demos ps what makes star wars even more beast is that they didnt need to use computers to be a success. it was organic and i can picture myself in their. with avatar i cant because its obvious cgi and it looks too colorful and bright….seriously people go to a campsite forest.
LACKING???
There is this idiodic woman I know who once said “well, when the Europeans came, the Natives weren’t doing anything useful with the land.” Besides being ignorant and red-neck beyond belief, I realized that many people don’t see conservation as DOING something. Apparently deforestation, polution, the raping of the planet and the wasting of resources is progress. This movie fights that naivete.
Conservation?
Is that the point of this movie?
I havn’t seen it yet but if that’s what it is about, I think I will sit home. That’s the same reason “The Day the Earth Stood Still” sucked. It was a great movie up until I found out why the aliens were there.
Avatar had a point, but it’s been done in so many movies before. It’s even been done in Stargate SG-1.
White man comes into forgien area for a resource to make money, native people don’t like them so they fight, 1 white man ends up creating a bond with the nativs and saves the day.
There’s nothing new thrown into Avatar besides the cool special affects. (I do admit it is visually great, story line sucked)
Avatar didn’t sell nearly as many tickets that Star Wars Return of the Jedi did in ’83.
Tickets sold: 181,809,523 @ $3.15 per ticket ($572,700,000 gross) – Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
Tickets sold: 95,302,709 @ $17.50 per ticket imax 3d ($1,835,300,000 gross) – Avatar
I used Imax 3D for Avatars prices because everyone saw it in imax 3D.
We’ll find out in a couple years…but for right now, I think it’s unclear…
I have to agree that it is way too early to tell which movie is better. I think that Avatar may spell the end of 2D for big movies. A friend of mine made a telling comment after seeing Avatar: Is there a 3D version of 2012 that I can go see?
3D is like home HD. You want the action, Sci-fi and fantasy stuff in 3D but I cant see regular movies benefitting from 3D…
Right now I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!!
Might be too early to tell. But I think it could be similar, although I doubt Cameron will invest the time into making a trilogy… If he did so then it def. would be this generations Star Wars, but I think it will remain a standalone film, a fantastic one at that. I think it’s hard for todays kids to relate to the Stars Wars films of the 70′s and 80′s. They are masterpieces in their own right.
I agree that its hard for kids to relate to the early STAR WARS movies. Mainly because their more quiet movies compared to what were shoving into their eye sockets today. If something is not blowing up on screen every ten minutes most kids are bored to death.
Ha! My 16 year old brother is the perfect example of that. He judges how good a movie is based on the number of deaths and explosions there are.
thats why we must kill the future generations
I completely agree, younger generations today just can not accept anything that is not action packed, this translates well into what they are watching on TV nowadays too, for example you would never see a “Full House” type show on today
what the hell are you talking about ashley? I LOVE full house
the reason there are no full house type shows is because it was awful.
no no no this generation’s star wars IS STAR WARS i love star wars its what got me in to scifi hell its what got me in to movies im 14. When i saw avatar i thought it was good not original or amazing but good (one thing did suprise me though, in movies usually film makers take you down a familiar path and than twist it or tare you off it, but with avatar it just so predictable)
Ryan, James Cameron has already stated that he would like to make two more Avatar films, as long as the first one turns out to be a success. And it looks to a be a big success right now. So I think we are in store for a couple sequels.
then good so i can go take a huge dump at each theatre showing that crap tastic epic.avatard is for retards
Oh wow Bridget, you’re going to use the bathrooms at the theaters where Avatar is playing! That’ll teach ‘em!
We’d better pray that she’s housebroken.
well if Cheryl or Bridget won’t do it,i will gladly take a dump on*your* face
Cameron will make much more money with Avatar the game than Avatar the movie. Trust me, the Matrix made a ton of money in gaming.
Why do you think there hasn’t been another Matrix movie? (besides, it had nowhere to go)
Cameron wants to jump on the game wagon in the worst way and that’s why Avatar was made.
Well The MF Ain’t getting any mo of mine!!
I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!
There were THREE Matrix movies, or perhaps you missed them the way you forgot about the Force. (Which, despite the hogwash about ‘midichlorians,’ is clearly a MYSTICAL/FANTASY plot element.)
I haven’t seen “Avatar”, but I always got the idea that “Lord of the Rings” was this generation’s “Star Wars.”
I realize “Star Wars” is sci-fi and “LOTR” is probably considered fantasy, so the sci-fi “Avatar” is probably more on the nose.
P.S. I don’t know why, but I’m amused by the fact that Doc Jensen’s son’s name is Ben. Obviously, since he’s 8, he pre-dates “Lost”, but with all the time traveling, how can we be sure?
I also get the fact that “Avatar” is an original work and the “LOTR” books were around well before the movies this decade, probably makes “Avatar” an even more direct comparison.
Is Avatar really science-fiction? Why didn’t Neytiri shoot Jake Sully (“jellyfish” alighted on her arrow), and why did she introduce him to the tribe (“jellyfish” enveloped him)? Both were mystical signs that seemed more inline with the fantasy than science-fiction.
Unfortunately (for me), Kim you lost me.
As I stated up top, I haven’t gotten a chance to see “Avatar” yet. I classified it as sci-fi just based on what I’d heard from friends and read in reviews. Since, I haven’t seen it your comment may as well be written in Na’vi to me. (Though I AM looking forward to checking it out and finding out what your comment actually means.)
You could very well be right and it may not be sci-fi at all.
I think the movie is an intentional blend of the two genres, as is the movie’s concept of the avatar itself. If you look at the way the technology brings a man into being a typically “fantasy”-type character, I think it all makes sense. If that doesn’t work for you, consider what happened here when technology (sci-fi) and nature (sci-fi) collided. There are all kinds of similar comparisons that could be made in this film.
boy you are really one dumb MF
I’m a dumb melonfarmer? I’ve been called worse.
I Would have to agree whole heartedly. Lord of the rings also used ground breaking technology with gollum, and I know I can definitely watch the trilogy on 30 years. I actually find star wars slightly boring, but maybe I should give them another chance. But for our generation, lord of the rings would definitely be the defining trilogy. They’re the only movies I have ever thought were better than the books they were based on.
I completely disagree. While I will always love and treasure the LOTR book series, as a movie (although highly anticipated) it failed to deliver. Peter Jackson’s “creative liscense” adding over an hour of film time to a love story that is inferred in three or four paragraphs was ridiculous. It was made to sucker in a demographic to watch the movie, and it took away from the feel of the story and made me wish I was elsewhere.
LOL about Doc Jensen’s son. Hilarious.
Though AVATAR is a great movie. I think STAR WARS is obviously a much better film. When I think of movies that have completely blown me away over the past decade Avatar is definitely on that list along with The LOrd of the Rings and The Dark Knight. I think only time will tell if its this generations STAR WARS.
Thats not to say I think AVATAR is as good as those movies but I think I may have enjoyed it just as much.
Star Wars was the bar-setter. I mean, everything after that tried to emulate or imitate it. It still stands up today.
bullsh*t! Lol Avatar is the new bar setter in town. That film was an amazing blend of filmed actors and animation. It literally blew my mind. I was greatly impressed. BY FAR the new Bar Setter!
If it “literally blew your mind”, I guess that would explain your comments.
Jordon tell you what..take *that* bar bend over real wide and shove it in your ass.
Now was THAT Amazing?,Are you impressed? you dumb motherfocker
Star Wars. But Avatar is a great movie. Cameron made me get into films with The Abyss, so I was eagerly anticipating this. Saw it twice already and this is one of those movies that keeps getting better as you see it. I can’t see however how you could rate a mind-blowing visual experience like this lower than that boring Harry Potter 6!
Anyway, the box-office and the audience reaction speaks for itself: it made close to $17 million on Monday which is third only to Dark Knight and Pirates 2. This movie will gross $400 million or more in the US and will easily blow past the billion dollar mark worldwide. Cinemascore gave it an “A” and it got an 8.6 on imdb.com. A total triumph for Cameron.
Star Wars had compelling characters. Avatar didn’t, in my opinion. Therefore, I don’t think that Avatar will stand the test of time.
I think Avatar’s Pandora was more unique than some of the Star Wars planets, but the heart of the movie was missing.
Totally agree. The characters of star wars were memorable even today. Princess Lea. Hans Solo. Come on — we all remember them! They were crazy, were fun, they were adventurous. I doubt anyone will remember Jake Sully or the Netryiyi(?) next year. Won’t happen!
LOL!!!!!!!! BS. Star Wars’s characters were as cardboard and archetypal as AVATAR’s. The Idealistic Hero, The Princess, The Charming Rogue, The Hissing Villain, The Funny Sidekicks. And SW’s script was as full of cheesy lines of dialogue as AVATAR. I love STAR WARS, but its script was the weakest thing about it, and people either forget it or conveniently try to forget. The reason SW’s characters are memorable is because they are archetypes…and they were framed in a fantastic, and compelling way. Just like Neytiri, Jake and the rest
Just like Cameron, George Lucas has never been a great writer, and their characters are neither nuanced nor complex, but both Cameron and Lucas are fantastic STORYTELLERS. Their characters are memorable and iconic because they make us CARE FOR THEM, in spite of not being anything more than archetypes and tropes.
And yes, AVATAR is this generation’s STAR WARS.
OH SHUT THE F,…UP TELLY YOUR RETARDED AVATAR WAS CLICHE BEYOND CLICHE AND THAT SAM WHATS HIS FACE LOOKS LIKE YOUR HAIRY PIMPLY ASS
“RAWR” said Bridget. “LISTEN TO ME, I CRAVE ATTENTION!”
Bridget also had the classic Text Generation comment of “YOUR RETARDED”. This always elicits a chuckle from me.
ah Pandora looked exactly like some of the planets in Revenge Of The Sith-the order66 montage.
Sigourney weaver was the best reason to endure this “epic”..and james cameron lost his mind
^ LOL
its because he has not really seen good films..,the Fine works of Linda Lovelace,Or Seka,Or Marilyn Chambers,you know -The Classics
Star Wars need not worry. Avatar may excite some and many…but not all. Star Wars created something that we have never seen,nor will we ever see,again. It created a legion of followers (even still to this day)that no other movie ever has or will,see again. And there’s no disputing that.
amen!!
er…I know this is more of a TV show (along with movies) but…Star Trek?
thank goodness someone still has their mind in tact in this discussion!
I don’t think you should have world wide blogged this dude! You are so going to get shit on for it. Kids have fads and at his age of course he will be in awe, teens or older not at all! Star Wars all the way!
I’m not going to say Avatar is better than Star Wars (I’m 23 years old and saying that would be akin to the pope rejecting Jesus) but I will say this: growing up I, like all other kids from my generation, grew up hearing about the “wow” factor the first time the lights went out and that Cruiser filled the screen. I’ve never had an experience like that, having seen Star Wars for the first time on a 27″ screen on tape. The experience of seeing Avatar is something I’ve waited for my entire life, the cinematic equivalent of the first time I heard The Beatles. I can’t say it is better than Star Wars but I can say your son, and anyone younger than 12, can’t go wrong calling Avatar their favorite movie. There’s simply no experience like it today. I’m still reeling and in awe of not only the 3D, the CGI and the performances but also the fact that along with District 9 and Lost on TV (PS – I read your column as soon as it goes up every morning after an episode) original sci-fi might not be dead. Original storytelling, period. Thank you James Cameron!
Star Wars was successful because of fast action. Most of the special effects were ripped from 2001 A Space Oddysey, and if you have at least 7th grade science, it was an insult to your intelligence. As far as a “point” it was the same old good vs. evil. Avatar is clearly the better.
I agree. Star Wars was the film of its time, but when Cameron saw Star Wars he said that was the movie HE wanted to make. SW was the bar set for Cameron, and I think he’s jumped wayyy over it. With all due respect to SW IV.
will we talk about Avatar in 30 years (heck, 15 years) the same way we talk about Star Wars? I doubt it.
you are on crack.Avatar is already passe
your as stupid as Crispy
Irony alert. The word is “you’re.” You neanderthal.
It seems to me that the only people here that didn’t like Avatar are coincidentally the same people that have a horrible grasp on the English language. Go back to your coloring books, children.
Most of them are the same person. You can tell by the language used and the consistent errors in grammar. I’m not sure what she gains by pretending to show a large consensus other than she just really hates this movie and wants it to fail.
yeah he jumped and tripped over the fence
your a really weird dumb mf randygreiner
I can easily see how Avatar could be this generation’s Star Wars. It’s changed the way that today’s kids look at movies and new worlds as a whole. And for those that say that Avatar didn’t have a deep plot, I’m sure that older generations didn’t view Star Wars as being very deep either. And either way, Avatar didn’t have siblings making out so it has that going for it.
Very good points!
But — will the kids remember the name Jake Sully one year from now?
And here we go again… neo-con parrot Sally from Chicago chirping away at EVERY comment because the talking heads on Fox News told her that Avatar was un-American.
i had already forgotten what the lead character’s name was..or the actor who played him.Sigourney Weaver was the only worthwhile reason to endure Avatar and she did not have Enough to do.ALIENS IS BETTER. TERMINATOR as well
Wanda, did you forget to put on your 3D glasses when you watched the movie and I think you must have forgotten to actually listen to the dialogue of the movie. IT WAS FREAKING AMAZING! I think it displayed Humanity in the proper light showing how discraceful we would act in the same situation. Its profound and moving. Just because the states is protrayed in an unfavourable light, showing the true nature of peoples greed, you simply didn’t like it. Its Shame that you could be so close minded.
i can;t even remember the actor’s name who played james or jake
Oh Boy. Here’s Sally From Chicago. This is the 3rd website I’ve found you on dissing Avatar. Is this your mission in life or something? Pretty sad if you ask me.
nope but his smell i will ..ughhhhhhhhh
Nope who is that?
I Know who Linda Lovelace and Seka are,however.
kid-
“who’s Jake Sully?”
trust me i am that new generation and all of us who arent failures didnt liek avatar we seriously in my school always tease it
I honestly think we’ll have no way of knowing what Avatar’s impact will be for a long, long time. Star Wars has been around for 30+ years and has had time to gain a loyal fan following. Avatar came out four days ago.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved Avatar. Loved it, thought it was terrific and think a lot of the story complaints are overblown or just people looking for something to nitpick.
Having said that, I think it’s premature, unfair and unreasonable to expect it to compare to something like Star Wars, which has had the time to develop into much more than just a movie or even a series of movies. Could we eventually look back on it as this generation’s Star Wars? Maybe, maybe not. But now’s not the time to tell.
I agree with you Kelsey. It’s way too soon to even think about comparing the movie to the Star Wars franchise in terms of cultural impact. And I hate that a lot of people react to a movie that’s been out for almost two weeks in such a negative way simply because Star Wars was released first. It’s completely unfair. Avatar needs time to make, or not make, its own impact before it can be compared to Star Wars.
In my opinion, Avatar had a surprisingly weak storyline.
So no, I don’t think it has a shot at being this generation’s Star Wars.
I agree. Avatar is disposable. It doesn’t have memorable characters. The action in Star Wars is still thrilling today. Lucas need not worry.
I’ll make it simple. where you might compare Avatar to Star Wars or Harry Potter. Nothing can quite touch what Peter Jackson did with The Lord of The Rings, which in my opinion is up there with the ’77’80′ and’83 Star Wars films.