BLOBBY'S BLOG

Drawn to the Rhythm

Apparently, Avatar wasn't about me and my Yahoo-like drawing. It should have been, it wouldn't have been as predictable.

Visually, the film was pretty cool - and we saw it in 3-D. And we saw it in a renovated theater, which was also pretty cool. I love that they are spiffying up a part of town on the rebound. The best part? They didn't show crappy ads or play bad music while you waited for the movie to start. Unheard of!

The seats were older but redone, which was cool too, for authenticity, but my butt hurt in them. Actually, my butt hurt before we got there. Big time. While cleaning off the driveway with the snow blower, my feet hit a patch of ice and I went down. I went down hard. I took the snow blower down with me too. With them blades and all - it could have been a Fargo moment.

But yes, I landed hard and there I lay in some serious pain. No one was home and clearly the neighbors didn't hear or ignored my loud scream that was filled with expletives. So, yeah, I was in pain - but nothing that sitting in a movie theater for three hours wouldn't cure! NOT!

So, perhaps I went in with the wrong state of mind, but I really don't think so. I mean I had Milk Duds. All was right with the world.

Yes, the movie was long, but that wasn't an issue. The visuals were great and as we all discussed afterwards (we went with friends), you really don't weigh in that the avatars were, well....avatars and not real characters. So with that, James Cameron did ok. The 3-D effects were not essential to the viewing, but they were done very well. And now I have a second pair of dorky glasses I can use nowhere else.

Unfortunately, it seemed the story was built around visuals. I'm not psychic, but it is safe to say 15 minutes in, I knew how the entire story would go, save a few lives and deaths.

From here, I'm putting in a Spoiler Alert thingy, because I'll probably say something to ruin the movie for you. But since it has been out for three weeks, most of you have probably seen it.

First - I love that Cameron cast Michelle Rodriguez in it. She was the best thing in Lost and she was probably signed before that whole drunk driving incident that got her booted from the show. Hell, this movie has been in production for a half-decade. It's possible. But I knew what her character would do and where she'd end up.

Hell, I love that a 60 year old Sigourney Weaver was in it at all. Always good to see her.

As for some of the movie: I never thought the tree falling down was so Twin Towers, but the other three with me did. I did, however, find the entire movie an allegory for the Iraq war. The brute force of the military to assimilate (and/or kill) the people they invaded. The war-mongering of the Blackwater/Bechtel types. The precious material these forces mongers and military are after. So maybe the 9/11 or twin towers thing was intended and I just missed that piece.

I do think the rest of the guys liked it more than I did - and I didn't think it was bad, just predictable. I wanted to see it. I'm glad I saw it. I cannot imagine this transferring well to cable or DVD. I would think you need the big screen for this - if you see it in 3-D or not.

Oh - and there is also a shiteous theme not sung by Celine Dion, but the song and the voice isn't all that different than the Titanic theme.

On a positive note: day one of 2010 and the first of 12 movies are under my belt. You know, where my sore butt is.


Song by: Sarah McLachlan