AVATAR!!!!!

CALI:

O.M.G. That's how real journalists start their reviews these days. I LOVED this movie. In fact, I loved it so much I can barely muster a semblance of a review other than to say that I will most definitely shell out another 9$ to see it in 3-D. I am officially a huge James Cameron fan---regardless of his take on ecoterrorism and the fact that he lives in a compound whose carbon footprint far outdoes half of the state of South Dakota....this film is genius. And I LOVED Titanic and saw it 13 times in the theatre with Melissa McCarthy in 7th grade...only, I'm not ashamed to admit this like the rest of America. SOMEONE made it gross that much money and now it's not the cool thing to like Titanic...so in 15 years when he has another huge hit and everyone is pretending they didn't aboslutely adore Avatar--I will be there with my blue face paint (okay maybe not that far) saying I LOVE THIS FILM.

Now to review:
The story was well done-maybe not the most critically acclaimed (it's hard to beat tales of drunken oppression and climactic comebacks) but it was beautiful. The love story was simply-elegant-and gorgeous-and when it could have been waaay creepy (think furries) it saved itself in it's romantic simplicity. I enjoyed the scientific elements and visually it was beyond amazing. The way that they portrayed nature and the idea that we are all connected was exquisite and this was only made more so by James Cameron's outstanding visual effects. It made me think-it made me tear up-and it made me feel like I had put out a worthy amount of cash. Maybe it's not the "best" movie ever made but it was ENTERTAINING in every way movies are supposed to be. I would definitely have given Cameron an Oscar nomination for screenplay because he took tropes that are not always shelled out in our cinematic wonderland and made them beautiful (I see the comparrison to Ferngully and I appreciate it)....I just think it was a beautiful film in every sense of the word. And the words "I see you" have never sounded more exquisite. I thought the acting was spot on (Sam Worthington charms like none other)...Zoe (I can't spell her last name) had a perfect accent and dialogue without going too far or holding back too much, and Giovanni Ribisi is just delightful-as always-in everything he says and does. Whether Cameron is your cup of tea or not Avatar is pure entertainment and sometimes, in this world, we need that. Also, the reminder to hug a tree and not cut it down is something our industrial world could stand to hear every now and again.

My final note would be props to Michelle Rodriguez for having the msot bad ass line of the film---maybe someday I can be tough like her.

GRADE: A