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On the tide of Avatar

April 12th 2010 06:55


2010 looks like to be the year of 3D... conversion. After Avatar showed that a 3D motion picture can become a huge blockbuster (top grossing movie of all time), something happened that was, well, predictable. Studios jumped on the bandwagon, to churn out as many 3D movies as possible.

Unfortunately they seem to prefer the easy way, or the less expensive way, to be precise: 3D conversion, instead of native 3D. What this means is that a movie is converted to stereoscopic 3D in post production, and what the problem is: many of these conversion "victims" were not intended to BE in 3D. As a proper and fluid 3D experience needs planning (longer takes, different editing, less "Greengrassy" camera movement, plus planning for the stereospace, so that it won't cross your eyes too wildly), these adhoc conversions can become rather irritating to watch, so would one think. But think again.

Two large titles: Alice in Wonderland, and Clash of the Titans. The first was intended to be in 3D, but was still shot in 2D by Tim Burton. The second wasn't even considered to be in 3D, just after Avatar's success. The result is a mess, as perhaps 80 percent of the critics expressed. While Titans, has it's own standalone 2D faults, the 3D adds a whole another level of bismal. With Alice, it's evident that Burton left the 3D-thingy to the post production team, resulting in a awfully ghosting, and often blurry IMAX experience. You know, the best way to see it in 3D. Not this time.

So is the tide of Avatar an Epic wave or just a ripple? Well somewhat surprisingly it seems to be building up. The audience loves both movies, and pays the cash. Does this mean that they're blind to the difference between Avatar's 3D and Titans' for example? It's too early to tell. 3D is on the rise again, and perhaps more popular than ever. Maybe the larger audience needs to develop a kind of finesse to appreciate quality 3D.

Let's just hope that low quality 3D conversion won't pollute the scenery with Snappers, unless studios want an unsatisfied crowd leaving the beach before the real Epics arrive.
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Let's make it clear that it's IN 3D, aight?


I'm not saying it's a bad thing, since I love stereoscopic 3D, obviously, but some recent 3D conversion announcements seem to try to ride the tide of Avatar's success, that has much to do with 3D.

As you've probably already heard, Louis Leterrier's Clash of the Titans remake will get the 3D treatment this spring. Now will it be good? How much directorial influence will Leterrier have on the stereoscopy of the movie? Don't forget that all 3D is done in post by a conversion company, it was not planned like Avatar was from the scratch.

What's your opinion on the 3D-post-conversion-bandwagon? Is it a good thing, merely a transient phenomenon, or will it even overtake the native 3D planning and shooting of movies?

Click here for a featurette from Latino Reviews!
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AVATAR

December 18th 2009 08:45
Ney'Tiri, a true being that exists through movie magic



Enter another World, the World of Pandora.

That could be a clichéd tagline for the film, and it is advertised like that indeed. Cliché or not, it's true. Being able to see Avatar last night in it's full IMAX 3D glory, in Budapest's Cinema City Arena was a bit of a dream come true for me, I must admit. Being so, I'll hardly be unbiased but I'll try to be honest.

There will be some SPOILERS below, so beware. I won't go into the deepest details, but some themes will touch sensitive material, that could reveal elements of the story for the lucky ones amongst you, who don't know too much about the movie.

James Cameron had this dream goal for quite some time, the scriptment dating back to '95, but the idea to do something like this probably preceeds his adult years. Avatar is a vision of visual revolution of cinema. It was impossible to do it even a few years back, and even now, they had to invent ways to achieve some of the visionary techniques to put the whole thing together. The movie is not just about 3D, while it's brilliantly submersive, never gimmicky, and professionally orchestrated, it's not the main thing. The movie is probably awesome in 2D, or any other format available.

The real improvement is twofold (at least). First, the image based facial performance capture, that allows to capture the slightest nuance of an actor's performance, replacing makeup, but never the actor. And second, the virtual camera, that enables the real time view of a whole effects heavy shot, during the actual shoot. Why is this good? Because the director has immediate feedback and can adjust the scene just like live action, filling it with dynamism, and his or her own style.

Of course let's not forget the countless artists and craftsmen of cinema working on what seems like a whole ecosystem of an alien world, and making it believeable, and for most of the time undistinguishable from reality. The epic collaboration of the crew, with a truly visionary director, and an almost clinicaly commited cast makes the journey for the audience possible.

The story follows a simple yet effective path. We're in 2154. A paraplegic ex-marine, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) travels to Pandora, a moon orbiting a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri solar system, to fill in for his twin brother who before his tragic death was working for a corporation called RDA in the Avatar program. The sole reason for this opportunity is their matching genom, and the greed of the corporation running the exploitation of Pandora. A material unavailable on Earth, jokingly named Unobtanium is in abundance on Pandora. Although it's not explained in the movie, it's a room temperature superconductor, that feeds the dying and overpopulated Earth's energy hunger, allows near light space travel, and interstellar communication, ah yes and it's 20 million a kilo! But most importantly it's the symbol of human greed.

The Avatar program is led by Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) a no nonsense bitter woman, sort of a missionary mixed with David Attenbourough, whose goal is to understand the life on Pandora, and the place of the Na'Vis in it. Meanwhile the chief of security on Pandora, Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) sees an opportunity in Jake, to place a mole within the indigenous tribe, to find something against them, a way to make them move or pass away, so that the RDA can mine the richest Unobtanium deposit that sits right under the Hometree, the living place of the Na'Vi.

On Pandora there is an ancient, unspoiled ecosystem, and the Na'Vi, an intelligent humanoid species on stone age level. A tribal princess, Ney'Tiri (Zoe Saldana) meets Jake in a seemingly fateful manner, and soon they and their worlds become entangled on many levels.

Who wins in this classic tale of technology vs. nature, greed vs. the respect of life? While it can seem naive or idealistic, the story that leads to the film's truly epic climax has some nuggets of thought provocation. Thoughts about enviromentalism, imperialism, the respect of other cultures, and our place in the universe.

What is the brainchild of James Cameron is a game changer indeed. A visual experience with a basic but well crafted story, decent to strong performances, and most importantly with the power of true awe.

At around 160 minutes, the movie feels even short, I barely wanted to get up from my seat or to remove my 3D glasses. I was definitely missing some lead up at the movie's start, some exposition, and more scenes of the grey and dying Earth. It's dealt with flashbacks, and this way you literally plunge into Pandora. A viewer not aware with the scriptment, might not miss these scenes that much, but I do. Well I guess I'll have to wait for an extended DVD or Bluray edition. Other than that I had some issues with the dubbing (it's done that way here in Hungary), but even these couldn't decrease the effect of pure cinematic joy.

I was literally smiling through the movie, with images burned into my brain. It's really a no brainer, but if I have to articulate it out:

IT IS A MUST SEE.

9 out of 10

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Avatar Featurette: Human hardware

November 20th 2009 11:34
The image that already has a cult status among Avatar fans.


An awesome new featurette is up on Rottentomatoes.com about the Human technology used in Avatar, with lot's of new footage. If you want to remain unspoiled by the shear visual orgy, then don't click! Other than that, storywise it's not too spoiler heavy, so just gaze with eyes wide open


[ Click here to read more ]
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Avatar Featurette on youtube

October 30th 2009 15:49
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Jake, you cannot imagine what adventures are up ahead...


Here it is finally! So what do you think? This got me way more excited for the movie than the teaser trailer


[ Click here to read more ]
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You might have already seen it the bootleg, but if not, don't bother, just one more day, and it will be available in HD online! Be sure to check back for the links tomorrow. It's going to be awesome, trust me...


[ Click here to read more ]
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AVATAR Teaser Trailer Discussion

September 10th 2009 06:36


It's been quite a few days, but the Avatar trailer is finally here. So what do you think? Has it met your expectations, or perhaps raised them even higher? Is it a bit of letdown? Were you at the Avatar day


[ Click here to read more ]
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Ghosts of the Abyss

May 20th 2009 08:03
ghosts of the abyss
Hungarian poster for the IMAX version


It has been almost eight years, that passed since James Cameron shot Ghosts of the Abyss. A technological experiment, a vivid enterprise and probably one of his lifetime goals at the same time. The Titanic was a milestone in the Canadian director's career, and actually the movie was a milestone for the history of cinema, as the financially most successful movie to this date


[ Click here to read more ]
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Hungarian poster for the movie


Well, what can I say? First and foremost I'm not 7 years old, so I cannot state that this movie is utter garbage. What's undeniable though is that it doesn't succeed as a family fun animated movie. It's not Shrek, nor The Incredibles. It's something I would rudely explain as a geeks with money movie


[ Click here to read more ]
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Monsters vs Aliens

April 1st 2009 08:33
A bug-eyed ...err, bug: Insectosaur!


Another 3d stereo movie up ahead (opens on the 2nd of April)! Monsters vs Aliens or simply MvA is Dreamworks Animation's first film that was intended to be 3D from the start, or at least it was conceived before a single storyboard was drawn. Probably it's the first time for a major animated feature to utilize the possibilities of stereo right from the start, and not just using it in post production


[ Click here to read more ]
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Coraline 3D

March 30th 2009 11:18


Henry Selick's and Neil Gaiman's lovechild, Coraline is the best film I saw in 3D. Notice the emphasis. It was not especially the 3D that struck me, but the content. Why is it such a big deal? Because it flashes like a light of a beacon: "Hello! 3D isn't just gimmick!". You can entertain with quality story and movie magic, while you're doing it in stereo


[ Click here to read more ]
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SCAR 3D

February 6th 2009 09:01
The title... obviously.


A few days ago I caught a screening of Scar 3D, the first ever digital 3D live action feature film, never released in theaters in the US. Fortunately I'm in Croatia at the moment so I could get a glimpse of a rare screening


[ Click here to read more ]
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Wild Safari 3D

January 26th 2009 08:35
Wild Safari 3D


I got the chance, if somewhat late, to check out Wild Safari 3D thanks to the IMAX theatre in Budapest run by CCI, so read on if you're trying to decide which IMAX to see next


[ Click here to read more ]
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