A quick note about Avatar....

I thought I'd give a bit more thought to Avatar. But not a lot.
Sometimes too much thought can ruin a perfectly good movie.

Which is probably why I've come to hate the Star Wars movies. Any of them.
I love the Clone Wars cartoons, though. So go figure.

I read some where that there are only about 7 original stories and anything that's done now - is just one of those 7 redone. I'm starting to believe that what Solomon said "There's nothing new under the sun" was true with the Entertainment industry, too.

However, you find the "not new" thing that suits you and go with it. I found Avatar and I liked it.

I heard the comparisons and the love/hate about Avatar before seeing it.
But I was curious.

My brother in law HATED it with a PASSION. Vehement passion.
My other brother in law said it was okay. Not ground breaking as advertised - but still not horrid.

I heard the comparisons to "Dances with Wolves" and "FernGully" (you'll have to google that one - I'm being lazy) ... I hadn't heard the comparison to "Pocahontas" until after I'd seen it. I laughed. It was the talking trees that did me in.

Hearing the comparisons, though I wondered why I didn't make the connections and I came to the conclusion that -- I've never seen those movies and I really didn't like Pocahontas...(I had a problem with the history...like .. there being NONE! Give me a fairy tale any day).

I was afraid Avatar would be like District 9. Evil corporations. Bad government.

And the corporation was evil... - well actually they were apathetic and uncaring -- but that's not necessarily evil. But I didn't feel like I was being preached at, (EVIL capitalists!!) like I did in District 9.

There was a moment of fear - looking at the big blue people and having a "Watchmen" flash back. That movie had a big blue person in it too. A NAKED blue person. Luckily, these were mostly modest blue people. I liked that about them.

One of the things that I think helped me with the movie was the setting. It was in space.
and I liked it. Everything glowed there....which was rather cool to see on the big screen.
I liked that they hissed at each other when they were mad.
made me laugh. There are some people I'd like to hiss at.

They were one with their environment. Which was cool -- it basically made them ninjas in their world. Really tall blue ninjas. That's just difficult to pull off, I'm guessing.

The other thing that helped me enjoy the movie?? I'm easily amused.

It's not a new story. I mean - it's in the Bible!! (When hasn't someone been trying to take land and possessions from someone else??) (Or desecrating something sacred?)

but really -while it wasn't new, it was a fun story. I enjoyed watching the main characters. Even if they were big blue CGI creations. My dad said "For pure escapism...it was good."

I really, REALLY liked the last 45 minutes.
If the ending had sucked the entire movie would have followed into the toilet.

A quick note:
I don't know if I would take kids to see it. There were many who did...but it would have to depend on the kid. Mini-Me would coo and make goo goo eyes over the love story - but get all melancholy at the melancholy stuff and be bothered by the death scenes.

G-man would love the action and really not like the romance -- I'd take him, to be honest, before I took Mini-Me. He's 9 and she's 11.

Kids or no - See it in 3D if you have an interest.

And that's my quick note.