Here be dragons

[Malchik]

Dragons are gay.

[Segaholic2]

I watched Avatar in 3D, supposedly the example that would prove the technology to the unexperienced masses. I was largely unimpressed. Nothing about the 3D itself stood out to me as memorable or mind-blowing. Sure, it was kind of interesting, but that was really about it. I don't feel like I gained anything additional from the 3D compared to what a flat 2D viewing would have offered. It took a short while to get used to, the contrast and brightness and colors were all muted thanks to the stupid glasses, and it was really just like those 3D movies at theme parks but less gimmicky. Maybe I'm spoiled because I'd already seen Up in 3D beforehand, but honestly I prefer regular 2D movies.

Also Avatar was crap. Maybe that altered my opinion.

[gr4yJ4Y]

I watched Avatar in 3D, supposedly the example that would prove the technology to the unexperienced masses. I was largely unimpressed. Nothing about the 3D itself stood out to me as memorable or mind-blowing. Sure, it was kind of interesting, but that was really about it. I don't feel like I gained anything additional from the 3D compared to what a flat 2D viewing would have offered. It took a short while to get used to, the contrast and brightness and colors were all muted thanks to the stupid glasses, and it was really just like those 3D movies at theme parks but less gimmicky. Maybe I'm spoiled because I'd already seen Up in 3D beforehand, but honestly I prefer regular 2D movies.

Also Avatar was crap. Maybe that altered my opinion.

Again, I mostly agree with you. Avatar wasn't that great of a movie, while everyone goes crazy for it. It took a little while to adjust to this kind of 3D. When I tilted my head at all (10 degrees or more), I noticed an odd effect it had on the 3D.

I would think that 3D is like sound, color, or any other innovation in film over the years, but 3D really feels shallow to me at the moment. Maybe I just need to be exposed to it more so I can develop a taste to see when it's being used tactfully or not. (After all, taste is developed by exposure and learning what you like and don't like.)

People said that color and sound took away from film and were gimmicks in their times too. So we'll have to wait and see.

[Opa-Opa]

I think the problem is that sound and color didn't require us to wear ridiculous apparel that makes my eyes tired. But I do think that 3D will be the new "thing". At least in animation and films that are high on special effects, since it seems to be so easy to make a 3D animation into a 3D 3D animation.

[G.Silver]

So who else watched it? I really liked it! I would be interested in a Panzer Dragoon-knockoff game adaptation.

[Radrappy]

Yeah I saw it too. It was pretty good but a little disappointing story-wise. A big issue for me was that the major revelation concerning the nature of dragons, the one that drives the entire third act, is ambiguous and ultimately unsatisfying. Toothless was pretty charming though!

[plasticwingsband]

At the very least, I've heard that Cars 2 will not only be a true race movie, but will take place across all of Europe, so it might actually be watchable.

How exactly would being set in Europe make Cars anymore watchable. Unless you're some kinda Europhile this makes absolutely no sense. It is still going to be a film about talking Cars that race, I hardly see how the setting would have any bearing on one's enjoyment of it.

[Radrappy]

At the very least, I've heard that Cars 2 will not only be a true race movie, but will take place across all of Europe, so it might actually be watchable.

How exactly would being set in Europe make Cars anymore watchable. Unless you're some kinda Europhile this makes absolutely no sense. It is still going to be a film about talking Cars that race, I hardly see how the setting would have any bearing on one's enjoyment of it.

Well one of the more compelling things about Cars(and there aren't many) was the world and how they treated different cultures. I think a world tour in that sense could prove to be pretty cool. it's the interpretation of different cultures that will be interesting.

[Crisis]

I'm tempted to watch Cars just because I'm apparently from otherworld and like all the Pixar films that got the worst reception. Am I the only person who didn't think Ratatouille was anything special? All I remember was nearly 2 hours of Tom and Jerry (really pretty Tom and Jerry, mind you) along with a vague moral message about getting along. And then everyone telling me how awesome it was.

I should also get around to seeing WALL-E or Up, although even the premise of WALL-E makes me roll my eyes a little bit in my skull.

Oh and that dragon movie looked good too I guess

[Shadow Hog]

Actually, no, I never really cared for Ratatouille. I liked Cars, though, so... yeah.

But if you don't like Up, then you probably have no soul. Just sayin'.

[Yami CJMErl]

So who else watched it? I really liked it! I would be interested in a Panzer Dragoon-knockoff game adaptation.

I just saw it today. I liked it a lot too, even with the 3-D.

Some of the trailers were amusing as well--apart from Toy Story 3 and Shrek Forever After, there's that live-action Avatar (whoops, sorry Cameron) The Last Airbender movie...directed by one M. Night Shamallamamon.

the twist ending here is everyone being aliens on modern-day Earth while Mel Gibson goes mad from tree spores and impales himself on a grain thresher

[plasticwingsband]

Ratatouille was awesome. It wasn't their best work, but it was so damn charming. And effortlessly so, I felt.

Wall-E still gets my vote for best Pixar movie. I cared so much for that damn robot! I love the "space dance," if that doesn't affect you in some small way I do not think I would be far off in concluding that you're dead inside.

[Delphine]

There is nothing not awesome about robots in love. :|

[Radrappy]

yeah except the second half of wall-e sucks.

[gr4yJ4Y]

I thought Wall-E was awesome, through and through.

[Delphine]

Your mother sucks. Rather well, I might add. She should go pro.

Also, use capitalization, it's in the rules.

[Radrappy]

Ahem. So you're telling me that the human characters didn't feel forced or stilted? Don't get me wrong, the first 30 minutes of walle are fantastic. It's when they start shoving the goofy narrative down your throats when it starts to go awry. I couldn't care less about a plant or obese primates. I only care about robots in love.

[G.Silver]

It's when they start shoving the goofy narrative down your throats when it starts to go awry.

I hate it when movies shove narrative down my throat! I didn't ask for this! And the visuals! They shove the visuals right into my eyes! And all this damn socialized health care!

I liked every bit of Wall-E, it felt like a very natural progression to me and the humans were great characters. Well, the one human they bothered to characterize anyway--it never really stopped being about two robots in love.

A big issue for me was that the major revelation concerning the nature of dragons, the one that drives the entire third act, is ambiguous and ultimately unsatisfying.

I felt that way too, but I decided it just wasn't worth worrying about since everyone on the show (even the other dragons) seemed pretty happy with how things went down. It almost felt like maybe a scene got cut or something. I would have liked a better explanation of how the dragons got themselves into that situation in the first place, but it's not hard to just make one up on my own.

[Delphine]

So you're telling me that the human characters didn't feel forced or stilted?

Nope. I liked the backdrop for the robot romance -- a world created by humans has turned us into, essentially, machines, and the actual machines that we created have a higher level of individuality than we do. Then, the most individual robot in the movie inadvertently wakes us up, giving us OUR individuality back. We created machines who turned into people as we turned into machines and then they turned us back into people. IT'S COOL DAMNIT.

[Esrever]

I hated the humans, too. Not conceptually, mind you... just their dialogue. It was painfully overwritten. You've got this great story -- being communicated so subtly and expertly without the use of words at all -- until the bloody human captain shows up. It's like the writers suddenly lost confidence that their message was getting across, so they wrote in a character who tells you what it is, over and over and over.

[Green Gibbon!]

I kind of had trouble wrapping my head around the logic of humanity's devolution and the evil main computer's motive. I wouldn't go so far as to say it ruined the movie, but I agree that the first half hour or so is the best.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

Please explain to me how a robot's entire age-induced idiosyncrasies can be restored by a single electric "kiss" is brilliant. I can't help but hating the movie after that stupid cop-out.

Please, by all means, change my mind.

[Rob-Bert]

It's a movie. Get the fuck over it.

[Crowbar]

It's a movie. Get the fuck over it.

Given that I make a living from animation, and take alot of pride in my work, I'm going to tell you to go fuck yourself.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

It's a movie. Get the fuck over it.

Every movie story should end with "A wizard did it. Thanks for your time and money. Go fuck yourselves."