Nerd vs. Avatar

So many things to say about this movie:

1. James Cameron - This guy makes goreous movies and I love the way he's always pushing the technology farther than anyone thought possible. The CGI actually looks organic at times and is very impressive.

2. The Story - Sorry, Mr. Cameron, but your story is not original. Someone beat you to it and it was called 'Ferngully: The Last Rainforest.' For those that have seen this 90's cartoon movie, 'Avatar' follows it's plot pretty closely. It is not exact but the similarities are enough that it was a naturaly conclusion for me. I won't go into the specifics because frankly, the differences would be a much shorter list. Normally my other gripe would be about the political message behind this movie but I never felt like the concept was being pushed on me. It was there, I just didn't have to pay attention to it if I didn't want to. Suffice it to say, this is an AWESOME live action remake of 'Ferngully'. Just not original - in the slightest.

3. The Acting - Solid.......there's not much more to say. It's just great all around. James Cameron seems to be able to acknowledge an actor's strengths and weeknesses and use those to the betterment of the film. This as opposed to another director who seems to bring out the absolute worst in everyone - I'm lookin at you, Lucas!!

4. 3D - This movie is quite amazing in 3D. It's not forced and is only used to enhance the picture and not for novelty sake. I will say that if at all possible see it in IMAX 3D and not Digital 3D. The latter is lacking in it's technology and the IMAX experience makes you feel much more immersed. This has nothing to do with the film itself mind you. Just an observation.

I personally would recommend this movie to everyone who's a fan of adventure films. It's entertaining and that's kinda the point, huh? Even though it's a recycled story and the political points are more than obvious - I'd give this move a solid 4/5. I'm sure there are more flaws and positives that I've missed, but this is one man's experience.

Nerd Vs. George Lucas

I consider Lucas to be the father of modern nerdism. Star Wars started a movement, the greatest in Scifi history some might say, and no can deny his impact on the genre and nerd culture has been substantial. It is with a heavy heart that I write the following article about the Lucas abuse of power.
Nerds don't agree on everything. Playstation or Xbox? WOW or SWTOR? Windows or Mac OS? But there is one thing on which we all agree:  George Lucas ruined Star Wars. And we all know how. With three abhorrant, unwatchable monstrosities that will forever taint the Star Wars brand.

Artifact 1. Every character speaks English
 In the original trilogy, almost none of the aliens spoke English. And the humans didn’t speak alien languages either, at least not out loud. Everybody said what they had to say, and they were understood. We in the audience got subtitles.
In the prequels, the aliens don’t just speak English, they speak English with annoying and perhaps even racist accents. . Jar-Jar is just the beginning. Everyone, from the Trade Federation lackeys to the most minor alien characters puts on some dreadful accent and slogs through the worst dialogue spoken on screen since “Battlefield Earth.”

Artifact 2. Lucas is a Terrible Director
A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away George Lucas directed a great movie called Star Wars. He was an unproven director, early in his career. He had no kids and was broke by Hollywood standards. It was a prime opportunity to make a break-out film and by God, he did it.
Lucas did not direct the next two movies in the original trilogy. He produced  and funded the movies, which undoubtedly gave him final say. But he didn’t direct, and he didn’t even write the screenplay, just the story.And everybody was happy. The directors he chose were inexperienced, and neither of them went on great things. But between the other directors, the screenwriters and everyone else involved, there was at least some input. People to tell Lucas No.
More than 20 years later, George Lucas got behind the camera again and directed all three of the prequels. He wrote them, adapted their screenplays and directed them. He did everything, and nobody had the power to tell him how horrible the films were turning out.
How about when Ben Kenobi stand on the bluff above Mos Eisley and calls it "a wretched hive of scum and villanay"?Back in '77 it sure looked like that. But in the prequels it seems they drive into Toon Town; Comic Jawas and silly robots mugging for the camera. I half expected the talking taxi from Roger Rabbit to zoom by and flick off the camera!

Artifact 3. Too much Backstory
I knew The Phantom Menace was going to suck when I saw Jar-Jar for the first time. I knew it was unsalvageable when they discussed the "midi-chlorians". Midi-chlorians are the technical, scientific and totally lame explanation for the force. In the original movies, nothing was overly explained. And plenty wasn't explained at all! What’s the force? It’s all around us, it flows through us. What’s a Jedi? A knight protector; a good guy. Who is Darth Vader? An epically dressed, rogue jedi.  ANYone could be a jedi. There were no medical requirements.
In the prequels, Lucas answers every single question that we never asked. We don't care about any of those explanations. Where does C-3PO come from? How did Darth Vader hurt his hand? What was the Emperor's day job? WE DON'T F**KING CARE!!!
Episodes 1-3 should have started where “Revenge of the Sith” ended.  Anakin Skywalker getting disfigured in a battle with Obi Wan, and then spending the next three movies chasing Jedis across the galaxy. The Clone Wars is a good plot device, but Lucas didn’t need to spend half a movie explaining where the clones came from and who made them. We get it, they’re clones. Move on.
It’s like Lucas didn’t realize what made the first trilogy so cool. Instead, he read about the things everybody liked, and decided to make three movies explaining where cool came from.

Article 4. All the Actors had already seen Star Wars
The problem isn’t that they’ve seen Star Wars, everyone has. The problem is that they all act as if they are in an epic Star Wars movie. They act like every word is going down in history. Every action and plot device is important. Nerds will pour over details for decades to come. Except that the movies all suck, so we won’t.
In the original trilogy, nobody had a clue what was going on. But all the coke and partying on set sure made it look fun! Everybody is having fun, even at the most serious moments. They trade barbs and jabs. They steal kisses and swing from the rafters . . . literally. They call each other “nerf herder”, “fuzz ball” and “laser brain,” and it all sounds natural. In the prequels, everyone is too serious and solemn. Perhaps because they were in really long, boring movies about a trade dispute and a power grab in the senate, and the actors decided to take themselves very, very seriously.

And we have all pleaded with Lucas to step away from the director's chair. But it isn’t going to happen, of course. Star Wars is dead; strangled and beaten by a serial killer. Who, by the way, then went and committed horrible, unspeakable acts against our old friend, Indiana Jones. My only hope is that in six years, I won’t be sitting down to write an article about how Disney ruined Tron, because Tron might be all I have left to hand down to my children.

**Note** My opinions were originally my own, but have since been digitally enhanced by George Lucas.

Welcome to The Rage Room

If you were born with half a brain and a decent sense of taste than you are probably having a hard time coping with the last 15 years of  nerd culture. Do you feel pained by the rape of beloved childhood icons? And blinding rage at the resulting cinematic abortion? Well don't get sad, brothers and sisters of nerdom, get mad!  If dragging a pleading and crying Michael Bay into a prison yard and filling it with angry, hungry shank-toothed dogs that shoot fireballs out of their mouths gives you a warm, fluttery feeling inside, this blog may be for you. I am going to take on some of the heaviest hitters in Hollywood with the rage-fueled war machine that is this website. First in the ring - fan favorite George Lucas. Game on.