Movie: AVATAR

2009, Directed by James Cameron

Although I was concerned about watching AVATAR in 3D because I'd be adjusting a crappy pair of cardboard glasses over my real glasses for 2.5+ hrs., it was not a problem at all. The "Real 3D" glasses were made out of study plastic, Wayfarer-style, and large enough to fit over prescription glasses quite nicely. By the time the short 3D previews were over, I had adjusted to wearing them.

I don't think I've been so immersed while watching a movie since LOTR: Return of the King in 2003. "Immersed" as in I didn't check my watch or cell phone, and never considered getting up to pee. From what I can remember, neither did the rest of the audience. I was so lost in how stunningly amazing AVATAR looked, I sort of forgot about the rest of the audience, who didn't make a sound during the entire movie. (How often does that happen anymore?) Had I actually seen AVATAR in 2009, it would have made my movie picks for the year.

Admittedly, the story was a bit... familiar. I actually think it would have been interesting to end the movie right after the destruction of the Hometree, leaving things kind of ambiguous instead of neatly resolving them. Yes, it does tread the familiar territory of "white man goes native, is at first rejected but then accepted when he saves the tribe and becomes native himself". See Annalee Newitz's excellent essay When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like Avatar?; also Sam Adams' Going Na'vi: Why Avatar's politics are more revolutionary than its images for thoughtful commentary about this. (The comments on the posts though... not so much.)