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Re: James Cameron Returns
The 'King of the World' Returns
--- by Mike Krumholz / Yahoo! Buzz Log
Back in 1997, James Cameron made a wee film you may have heard of called "Titanic." The movie lived up to its grandiose title, becoming the biggest, most financially successful film ever and winning a boatload of awards along the way. But that was 12 years ago, and Mr. Cameron hasn't directed a movie since. This December, the wait comes to an end... with "Titanic 2: Jack's Revenge."
Kidding. Actually, the self-proclaimed "King of the World" has created something called "Avatar." It's a futuristic, sci-fi 3D flick that combines CGI and live action. Mystery and anticipation have been running high ever since the film was announced years ago. At long last, we have a clue what it looks like. The film's first trailer was released, and from the looks of Search, Cameron is still a huge draw.
Queries on "avatar trailer" soared an amazing 470%, and related lookups on "avatar screenshots" and even "avatar tickets" all surged. That last query is especially noteworthy, considering the film doesn't hit theaters until December. Talk about planning ahead.
Cameron has long been known for pushing the envelope on special effects, and this latest project looks to be no exception. An article from CNN explains that Avatar could revolutionize the kinds of films we watch. An industry expert predicts that the "3D is going to be mindblowing." Jon Favreau, director of "Iron Man," calls Cameron's latest "the future."
Also gaining some big buzz: the extended preview that Cameron is offering some lucky fans. For one day only (Friday), they score an extended look at the first 16 minutes of the film, along with a glimpse at the related toys, video games, and other merchandise. The event is boldly called "avatar day," and fans are eating it up in Search. Lookups spiked 589%.
Look below for the teaser trailer for "Avatar." Hopefully it will tide you over until December 18, when the movie hits theaters.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: James Cameron Returns
I am seriously pumped for this. James cameron is an absolute film making god!
Re: James Cameron Returns
Yeah, looks like it'll be great. I like how it's original, unlike the Star Wars 1-3's (the recent ones, NOT the originals) and LOTR was a bit, too "untouchable" from some people for my taste. This movie at least has to prove it's worth, whereas the recent SW & LOTR were immediately deemed epics & legendary.
On a side note this looks kinda like The Matrix in a way, however this movie will be one of those which takes it to the next level. How long has this been in production?? I bet over 3 years ago with all the graphics & rendering.
Full disclosure: I never saw 'Titanic'. 
Re: James Cameron Returns
Titanic is a great film, if you can suspend your disbelief and go into it with an open mind. The film is the biggest hit ever, and I think alot of that can be creditedto women loving the love story in the film, which is mostly what it's about. The relationship between Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslet.
I think the first time or two, it's really good... then it starts to turn sour. When you really look back on it, in 2009, it comes across incredibly melodramatic and cheesy. It might be the big hit, but it certaintly won't have the following a "Gone With The Wind" has or anything like that in the years to come, and rightfully so.
The irony is, Cameron has made BETTER films than Titanic, yet Titanic is his biggest hit. Aliens, The Abyss, Terminator 2... all better films.
I find it kind of ironic that Sam Worthington is the lead in this, who was just in Terminator 4. Sigourney Weaver will also be in it from Aliens. Both Cameron-connections from the past. Michael Biehn was also supposed to originally be in it (T1 & T2, Aliens, The Abyss).
It'll be make or break on comeback standards for Cameron. It's been over 12 years since Titanic, and he hasn't done one single film in the 2000's. He HAS to come back with something revolutionary to really gain his throne back as a director. If it bombs... he'll be labeled a 'has been'.
Cameron originally attempted to get this film made in 1999 as his immediate follow-up to Titanic (1997). However, at the time, the special effects he wanted for the movie ran the proposed budget up to $400 million. No studio would fund the film, and it was subsequently shelved for almost ten years.
- tejastech08
- Rep: 194
Re: James Cameron Returns
I thought the CGI was very underwhelming in that trailer. They (Cameron and 20th Century Fox) were claiming it was "revolutionary" but it isn't from what I can tell. Some of it looks flat out cartoonish when it's supposed to be "photorealistic." King Kong and Davy Jones had better CGI than what I've seen from Avatar so far.
By the way, Avatar isn't as original as you might think. The storyline is pretty much a ripoff of Pocahontas.
Re: James Cameron Returns
I thought the CGI was very underwhelming in that trailer. They (Cameron and 20th Century Fox) were claiming it was "revolutionary" but it isn't from what I can tell. Some of it looks flat out cartoonish when it's supposed to be "photorealistic." King Kong and Davy Jones had better CGI than what I've seen from Avatar so far.
By the way, Avatar isn't as original as you might think. The storyline is pretty much a ripoff of Pocahontas.
You know how that goes. Every new movie with CGI claims it'll be revolutionary (Star Wars anyone?). It usually just ends up being a slight upgrade.
The only Cameron film I ever remember being overly visual anyways, was The Abyss.
As for story originality, Cameron may be a good director, but let's not turn him into the greatest director that ever lived. His flicks are highly entertaining.
Even The Terminator, when you really look at it, is not in-depth in story, and is fairly simple as a film. T2 simply made it more action than sci-fi, nothing more. Only in T4 and The Sarah Connor Chronicles (non-Cameron) did they attempt to go in depth with their own backstory and writing.
Aliens was a sequel to a film Ridley Scott setup.
Terminator 2 - sequel.
True Lies - one of the great believeable films of our time. A true masterpiece. And of course i'm referring to Tom Arnold. 
Titanic - took a real life event, and added a standard love story to it.
So just look to be entertained by Avatar.
I'm a little confused by this movie. Is it going to be a kids film?
May or may not. They are apparently going to market toys and such, and it's definitely being set up from the get to be a franchise film.
But... doesn't mean it'll be a kids film. Terminator 2... R-rated, had all kinds of toys and promo towards kids, and they also got a ton of backlash for it too. Aliens, R-rated, had all kinds of toys marketed to kids.
Re: James Cameron Returns
Saw the trailer and knowing that Cameron's been shepherding this project on an on/off basis since the 90's, I was mildly interested, albeit not sinking under the excessive hype machine already churning gullible fanboys into demented drones; not taking away from those simply interested in seeing the film, as I'm referring to the lost souls who gleefully proclaim Avatar as the greatest film ever based on some screenshots, the teaser and the off-hand technical remarks Cameron and his crew have made in the course of the years.
To me, that's part of the problem: Avatar is a 'Hype' film in every common sense of the word, and it's not even out yet. This is unfortunate, as I personally wish to give the film a fair shot when I do eventually get around to seeing it (hint: might not be down for the opening weekend). To further accentuate the problem, my personal relationship to Cameron's filmography has always been a troubled one. I grew with films like The Terminator, The Abyss and, obviously, T2: Judgment Day. Never really cared for Aliens, even though friends on- and offline keep telling me there's an emotional spark buried underneath the truncated dialog of gung-ho would-be marines, whose base camp appears to be a nameless casting office in LA.
When looking at the Avatar teaser, I made the immediate mental leap: Finally, Jim, you've pulled it off. The video game antics that made T2 move so slenderly with ever-increasingly difficult 'boss' moments in every T800/John/Sarah vs T1000 scene came to an impressive climax with a Super Mario Brosian lava level as the setting for the ultimate comeuppance. If you were set to make a film in the standard arcade format - an impression further emphasized by John's penchant for the coin bandits early into the film, you certainly succeeded.
What is Avatar then, but the next level of the escapism of the video game experience? It's like World of Warcraft set against the early 90's platform - the technology has advanced in leaps and bounds, but the basic premise persists; be someone else somewhere else. The chance to assume a completely new physical outlook and thus alternate your identity to a more heroic pattern and set out to carve yourself a brand new destiny in the outworlds is appealing to anyone who wants to cherish his/hers childish imagination and spirit of adventure, or just prefers to have a temporary lease on the banes of everyday existence. Nothing wrong with that.
However, that's what Avatar is selling, the opportunity to experience life vicariously, a life never intended for you to be led under such circumstances to begin with. An idea Cameron first goofed around with during his scripting duties of Kathryn Bigelow's Strange Days, turning it into a less mainstream appealing plot element of second-hand rape and murder. This may very well be the future hybrid of man and machine Cameron has so obsessively studied ever since The Terminator, elements of which can be found in varying degrees in most, if not even all of his films. The birth of a superior intelligence, freeing the mind from its physical constraints, creating a no-death situation in which a new body can be whenever necessary, where - obviously - nations need saving and damsels seek comfort in their distress.
Therefore, it will be very interesting to actually see the film and learn where Cameron's ultimate motivations and ethical stance in regards to the storyline eventually fall: Will he be saying the otherworldly Messiah figure (who just happened to adopt a shape familiar to the natives) is better off with them - implying our own world has simply become too dull to be considered a platform of similar ventures by its own right - or will the Messiah die, or leave from his own accord, after man has satisfied his primal fascination towards imperialism long enough and realized the next stage of evolution, which would span beyond the mere will to survive, reaching a point where one could simply 'be', as an omnipotent deity? Or will he become like the eponymous leading man in Mark Twain's A Conneticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, where the stranger from a strange land, after solving various issues through his superior technological knowledge and alternate worldview, stayed around to discover the terrible toll world finally set upon him?
I kind of doubt the last one, but I'm curious nonetheless. Props for Cameron for being honest even with the title - the logical alternative of which would've probably faced slightly more scrutiny.
That would've been "1UP".
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