Avatarded

Avatar will probably end up being the highest grossing movie of all-time before things are said and done. I didn't run out and see it right away because it didn't look all that interesting to me. However, through word of mouth I was encouraged to go see it. I was a little bit amazed by how much money it was making and how adamant people were that I go see it so I thought I'd give it a try. I saw it last weekend in 3D to get the full effect.

My overall impressions of the movie were that it was worth seeing in 3D. The effects and visuals were pretty amazing. Complimenting the visual effects is about the only positive thing I have to say about it. If I had seen the flick in 2D I would have been annoyed at best. First off, the movie was 2 hours and 40 minutes long. By my estimation it could have lost about 45 minutes and the movie and effects would have had the same impact on me. At several points in time there were extended shots that felt like they were included only to showcase the effects. Many of these shots did absolutely nothing to advance the story. Many of them could have been cut down substantially and the effects would still have been showcased in sequences that actually did advance the story.

My next gripe was that the story was neither interesting nor original. Many people have already stated the plot's similarity to Pocahontas and Dances with Wolves. Both of these comparisons are unfortunately fairly accurate. The writing and dialog felt forced and immature or childish. The motivation for the antagonist seemed to be nothing more than the fact that he was a complete psychopath. At one point the bad guys had basically accomplished their mission and they decided to press on and attempt to annihilate the good guys for no apparent reason. This might not seem like a big deal, but it really took me out of the movie.

Special and visual effects are great, and in the case of Avatar they are about the only reason to pay for a ticket, however in my opinion these things should simply add to a movie rather than be the reason for it's existence. Perhaps I am too fussy, but I do not think that good effects equal a good movie. I would prefer that Hollywood would start with a good movie/script/idea and polish it up with some effects. Avatar was worth watching in 3D for the effects, but there is no way that it deserves to win any awards other than those for effects or sound. It should not compete in any best picture category because simply put, it had a nice picture, but it wasn't a best picture.

Top 10 Flicks of the 00s

Here are my favorite flicks of the decade.

Honorable mention: The Wrestler, Gran Torino, Kill Bill, Brokeback Mountain, Apocalypto, Zack and Miri Make a Porno.


10. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
When I read the book 10 years ago I felt like it wouldn't translate to the screen. It was amazing to see one of my favorite books brought to life on the big screen in a way that was true to the story and tone of the original work. It isn't exactly an uplifting movie, but life isn't always uplifting either.





9. Memento
Memento is one of those movies that you need to watch multiple times in order to really grasp and understand it. The movie deals with a man who cannot form new memories. The director (Nolan) did an amazing job of putting the viewer in a similar situation as the main character.





8. V for Vandetta
Although the big screen adaptation of the graphic novel stripped away some of the anarchist tones, it is still a great watch. Hugo Weaving did an amazing job of conveying feelings and emotions even though he was wearing a mask throughout the entire movie. Watching this movie always makes me feel like the people do have the ultimate power in any society, whether or not they wield that power is another topic altogether.



7. The Orphanage
This fulfills my desire to include both a horror movie and a foreign movie. I thought the Orphanage was outstanding because it was a horror movie throwback where tension was high through the whole movie and the tension was not due to graphic blood and guts.





6. No Country for Old Men
Being from Minnesota I have to include a movie from the Coens. No Country was my favorite movie from the Coens. I think what I remember best about this movie was how little dialog it included. The characters didn't talk often, but when they spoke every word counted.





5. Dark Knight
What can I say that hasn't already been said? I was so excited for this movie more than a year before it released. As soon as I heard that Heath Ledger died I jumped around the internet to see if he had finished filming all of his scenes and if Dark Knight was still on schedule. Even with all the anticipation and expectations the final product did not disappoint.




4. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
Hellboy was outstanding, but the sequel knocked it out of the park. The undertones about belonging and priorities make this movie shine. Movies like this are why I go to the theater. It has adventure, comedy, romance, action and sci-fi. The world Del Toro created was amazing and I hope he gets around to doing Hellboy 3 in the near future.




3. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
I wasn't a huge fan of Episode I. I thought Episode II was pretty good, but Episode III was the payout everyone had been hoping for since Lucas announced he was doing the prequels. I like dark movies and this movie is dark. It makes Darth Vader into a character that you don't hate but that you pity. It makes you think about how a few bad choices and situations can turn the most well meaning person into a monster.



2. Clerks II
This has to be the movie from this decade that I have watched the most times. Jeff Anderson delivers as Randal in a major way. If the conversation between Dante and Randal in the jail cell doesn't touch you in some way you are made of stone. Plus it has a donkey show.





1. Donnie Darko
My favorite movie of the decade and possibly all-time. You have to watch this movie multiple times to pick up on everything. There are still things that I am not sure how to interpret. This is another movie that has it all; action, romance, time-travel and comedy. You can draw any number of conclusions from this movie and no two people are going to interpret it in the same way. The outstanding thing about this movie is that everyone's interpretation is right.