Avatar and the Cinemas

posted on January 4th, 2010


I must have seen the trailer to Avatar a year or more ago.

I believe it was one of those films where they release a trailer over a year before the actual film is released. You know, you watch it, think ‘that looks awesome’, and then forget about it until the trailer is re-released.

I go through most of the new trailers on apple.com/trailers every month or two, so I’m pretty sure I saw the Avatar trailer a long time ago.

When all the hype about Avatar started cropping up in the middle of 2009 I decided to watch the trailer again. I remembered it. I also remembered how it didn’t do much for me.

I decided to discover what all the hype was about. I read a couple of reviews1 online, but most of the information I received was from the short reviews people gave on twitter.

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Okay, so the storyline isn’t amazing, but the computer-generated effects are supposed to be mind-blowing. Sure, I’ll see it just for that, but do I really need to? NB: I’m in the digital/new media business. Would it be important for me to see it in 3D on an IMAX screen the size of a sky scraper?

For an adult to see a movie at a major cinema it costs AUD$17.00 (US$15.00; $C16.00; 10€; 1,425¥). Obviously, concessions are less, and on ‘Cheap Tuesday’ you can get a ticket for about AUD$11. That’s expensive!

I’m told it’s between US$5-$10 to see a movie at the cinemas in the USA. (La dee da; everything is cheaper there; blah blah.) That’s not a bad price!

Price aside, there really isn’t much that excites me about the cinemas anymore. The popcorn is covered in butter and I don’t care for that; I don’t drink soft drinks (water is $5+ per bottle); I buy my lollies/candy elsewhere; even the seats in Cinemaxx don’t excite me that much anymore.

I like my couch, our large LCD screen (or even my computer screen), and my loved ones by my side. I LIKE THE PAUSE BUTTON!!!!! ;)

Alrighty, back to Avatar.

Maybe the fact that I can’t get 3D at home (yet) is reason enough to go see it. I saw Final Fantasy in 2001 (wow, has it been that long?) with my Dad and we were pretty amazed at how realistic the animated human characters looked. Is Avatar any better?

Despite all the amazing reviews, I don’t plan on seeing Avatar at the cinemas. I’m sorry if that upsets you. (Change my mind? Or try to.)

Avatar reviews I’ve read: Quick review of Avatar by Dave Winer, Maria and I went to see Avatar… by bloodtasteslikepennies, and this funny tweet from Phillip Ryu.

Short URL: http://djsteen.com/wp/p/586

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  • Miiitch
    I saw Avatar earlier today. The storyline isn't anything new, really. Sometimes it's predictable. But it's easy to follow, and will keep your attention. The special effects are absolutely phenomenal. Pasquale said the same thing. I'm certainly not an expert on these things, but I've seen good special effects and bad ones. Avatar is top notch.
    As for 3D, that's a different issue. The 3D effects were, for the most part, subtle. Mostly they just added depth to a scene, putting distance between the foreground and background. I'm glad I saw the movie in 3D, though admittedly not IMAX. The 3D is a cool experience, but I certainly don't think it's necessary. The movie will hold its own in 2D on DVD. I'll certainly get a copy. The movie is beautiful.
    I'd earned enough points on my credit card to pay for the movie tickets for my roommates and I, so all we had to buy was food. We still spent nearly $40. Going to the movies isn't a cheap activity, and it isn't getting any cheaper. At $15 a ticket here, we probably wouldn't have gone to seen the movie at all if it weren't for my points.
    All things considered, including the uncomfortable 3D glasses, Avatar was one of the best movies I've seen in a while. For a movie of that genre, I think if you leave the theatre and you spend the rest of the night imagining yourself in that world, then the movie has done its job. Avatar certainly did that.
    Seeing Avatar in the theatre actually has very little to do with the movie itself. It's about the food. It's about seeing something in the big screen with the volume turned way up. We showed up 45 minutes early, and couldn't find seats other than in the front section. It's about seeing the most visually advanced film, ever. We waited in line for overpriced movie theatre food and sat in less-than-incredible seats to watch this movie. And it was absolutely fantastic.
    You'll always be able to watch the movie on your large LCD screen with friends and family and a pause button for snack and bathroom breaks. But Avatar won't be in the theatres forever.
    It's worth it.
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