Cast: Sam Worthington (Jake Sully), Zoe Saldana (Neytiri), Sigourney Weaver (Dr. Grace Augustine)
For complete info, see IMDb's Avatar page.
Avatar is definitely as visually amazing as advertized, though I was pretty disappointed with the use of 3D overall. I definitely recommend seeing Avatar in IMAX 3D if available and digitally or 3D if IMAX is not available in your area. It's a beautiful movie. Did Avatar deserve to be one of the 10 (way too many - I think they should break them up like the Golden Globes do) Oscar nominations for Best Picture? I don't think so. The story isn't all that unique or super interesting. It was very predictable.
It is amazing what amazing visual effects can do for a story, since people talk about Avatar as if it's a lot better than they would without the beautifully designed visuals. Without the special effects and amazingly well done graphics, Avatar would be another standard Sci-Fi movie with a very predictable story line. With the special effects, Avatar is a movie I highly recommend seeing before it leaves IMAX 3D theatres early next month (when Alice in Wonderland starts). I'm sure it will be playing a lot longer in regular theatres, but IMAX is the way to go for a movie this visually stunning.
If I were just grading the visuals, they'd probably get an A or A-. If I'd seen it in a standard theatre, I'd give them an A+, but the 3D effects were pretty disappointing. The movie as a whole definitely doesn't do as well.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2009, action, adventure, movie, Sam Worthington, sci-fi, special effects, Zoe Saldana
Reviewed by Kat at the 11:45 AM show | 0 screams
Cast: Sam Neill (Dr. Alan Grant), Laura Dern (Dr. Ellie Sattler), Jeff Goldblum (Dr. Ian Malcolm)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Jurassic Park page.
Loved the book! I know that it's often not a good idea to see the movie version of a book you love and Jurassic Park is the perfect example of one of these. Michael Crichton's book was wonderful! The screen play wasn't nearly as good. From the very beginning with the girl on the beach and the little dinosaur, you could tell they weren't going to go as far as the book did and that's a shame.
Of course, like almost every Hollywood version of a book with no major love story, they had to add one... The dinosaurs were the real star of this movie. Forget the real plot, the movie is about dinosaurs and hoping that they won't eat you. That's it.
If you haven't read the book, I hear that the movie is enjoyable. If you can somehow forget how good the book was and go to see this for the dinosaurs and special effects alone, go for it. If you really enjoyed the book, consider skipping this one.
Grade: C+
Labels: 1993, action, adventure, movie, sci-fi, special effects, thriller
Reviewed by Kat at the 5:30 PM show | 0 screams