"Avatar" - the longest running pre-release thread ever?

[Jason Yavor]

I have to admit I have no idea how this will play. On one hand it just has flop (relatively speaking) written all over it these photo real action movies have not made money. FF flopped while Beowulf failed to make triple digits in the states. On the other hand its Cameron and everyone was saying the same thing about Titanic. I just don't see it here though. Titanic was a bunch of love sick teenage girls going to see the film over and over. Who will be that audience for this? If this thing turns out to be as Blah as a lot of the buzz is they could be hurting.

I'm sure it will have a large opening but at 3 hours second weekend numbers could come crashing down if this is a dud.

[Alan "Nordling" Cerny]

Originally Posted by Chris Myers

In a world popcorn movies like The Abyss, Terminator and Aliens are considered actually not that good the list of what's considered good has to be so small, watching simple movies doesn't seem to be that much of a fun at all.

Look, I think Cameron's overreaching in regards to AVATAR. But I'll defend THE ABYSS forever. It's not great because it's sci-fi, it's great because Harris and Mastrontonio are just fantastic in it, bringing a real verisimilitude in what could have been incredibly cliche. I dare anyone not to feel moved by Bud's "LOVE YOU WIFE" moment. I don't expect this in AVATAR because I don't think that filmmaker exists anymore and he didn't cast actors who can bring the audience to that level of emotional power. What I hope in AVATAR is a fun pulpy sci-fi ride, and if it even approaches THE ABYSS in emotion I'll be very pleasantly surprised.

[mcnooj82]

I won't be sure of Avatar's emotional power till I hear behind-the-scenes stories about how Cameron reduced Worthington and Saldana to tears of fear and despair.

[Bitches Leave]

I predict it will have a VERY small drop on the 2nd weekend but I don't belive the opening weekend will be overwhelming.

This will be mainstream crowdpleasing at warp 10 and the girls will love it just as much as the boys if not more. It's a tough sell through marketing but the movie itself will sink its teeth deep into the flesh of the romantic and hopelessly naive teens (yup I realize how that makes me look). Someone posted female twitter reactions on the new trailer the other day and 9/10 were very positive. It doesn't prove much I know, but those who think young girls find the notion of blue elves in love retarded, (gliding across the sky on dragons), may be a little out of touch themselves .

But I don't see having much pull on the 40+ so naturally it won't break any records and all this is dependent on it being a proper crowdpleaser with a feel good ending.

[mcnooj82]

What's the OW?

[Bitches Leave]

Sorry, opening weekend!

[Ryan S~]

Originally Posted by Brad Millette

What makes a man turn neutral? Lust for wealth? Power?

Or is he just born with a heart full of neutrality?

I miss me some good Futurama.

[Ryan S~]

Originally Posted by Bitches Leave

I predict it will have a VERY small drop on the 2nd weekend but I don't belive the opening weekend will be overwhelming.

This will be mainstream crowdpleasing at warp 10 and the girls will love it just as much as the boys if not more. It's a tough sell through marketing but the movie itself will sink its teeth deep into the flesh of the romantic and hopelessly naive teens (yup I realize how that makes me look). Someone posted female twitter reactions on the new trailer the other day and 9/10 were very positive. It doesn't prove much I know, but those who think young girls find the notion of blue elves in love retarded, (gliding across the sky on dragons), may be a little out of touch themselves .

But I don't see having much pull on the 40+ so naturally it won't break any records and all this is dependent on it being a proper crowdpleaser with a feel good ending.

I will say this, after the success of the dreadful Twilight movies and books never underestimate the stupidity of teen girls and their love for crap.

[Bitches Leave]

Yeah I have a feeling the Twilight crowd will love the hell out this movie after all the two movies share similar themes.

Edit: just imagine those girls when this music is playing as Jake and Neytiri playfully chase eachother on their pet dragons. hahaha I can just see Ryan's face as he taste the bit of vommit he just threw up in his mouth.

[Cornelius Cardew]

http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/0...m-china-alone/

Apparently Avatar will be on 80% of screens from Christmas until the Chinese New Year. Maybe it doesn't matter but I thought it might interest the B.O. betting pool.

[mcnooj82]

Originally Posted by Bitches Leave

Edit: just imagine those girls when this music is playing as Jake and Neytiri playfully chase eachother on their pet dragons. hahaha I can just see Ryan's face as he taste the bit of vommit he just threw up in his mouth.

Reminds me of James Newton Howard's score for the opening of Dinosaur (add it to your Cameron Crib List, BL!). I like it. But I'm already on this movie's side.

[damimegood]

Originally Posted by mcnooj82

Reminds me of James Newton Howard's score for the opening of Dinosaur (add it to your Cameron Crib List, BL!). I like it. But I'm already on this movie's side.

Don't believe everything you hear. That little snippet is from the score to the ghost and the darkness.

[mcnooj82]

D'oh!

...

But BL should still add Dinosaur to the list. Just in case.

[joeypants]

Originally Posted by Jason Yavor

On the other hand its Cameron and everyone was saying the same thing about Titanic.

Titanic also had two major, major things going for it:

1) Leo

2) a HUMAN romance. Outside of sci-fi geeky girls, not too many are going to give a flying shit about two blue aliens falling in love, surrounded by overbearing and hammy machismo.


Also, that was the 90s. Things have changed significantly enough that if everything outside of the effects is as cheesy as these trailers let on, word of mouth isn't going to be good.

[Jason Yavor]

Originally Posted by joeypants

Titanic also had two major, major things going for it:

1) Leo

2) a HUMAN romance. Outside of sci-fi geeky girls, not too many are going to give a flying shit about two blue aliens falling in love, surrounded by overbearing and hammy machismo.


Also, that was the 90s. Things have changed significantly enough that if everything outside of the effects is as cheesy as these trailers let on, word of mouth isn't going to be good.

I totally agree about everything your saying and that was my point with the rest of my comment. I just felt it was worth adding that this is almost a mirror image (in a way) of 1997. It's too expensive, to long, and Camron's ego has finally got the better of him. 12 years ago he made everyone eat their words. This time I agree there is a lot more working against it. As far as girls showing up. I'll beleive it when I see it. Photo-real CGI, guns/military and space movies aren't exactly their first choice in movie going.

[joeypants]

Originally Posted by Jason Yavor

I totally agree about everything your saying and that was my point with the rest of my comment. I just felt it was worth adding that this is almost a mirror image (in a way) of 1997. It's too expensive, to long, and Camron's ego has finally got the better of him. 12 years ago he made everyone eat their words. This time I agree there is a lot more working against it. As far as girls showing up. I'll beleive it when I see it. Photo-real CGI, guns/military and space movies aren't exactly their first choice in movie going.

Oh I know. I didn't mean that to sound/seem like I was contesting what you said. I was just making the statement generally.

[Matches_Malone]

Originally Posted by Ryan S~

I will say this, after the success of the dreadful Titanic movie never underestimate the stupidity of teen girls and their love for crap.

Fixed that for you.

[machiav]

You know you're in a nerd locker room when Titanic's 1.8 billion (un-fucking-adjusted) world-wide success is lamented as solely due to those damn teenage girls.

Delusional.

[Matches_Malone]

Originally Posted by machiav

You know you're in a nerd locker room when Titanic's 1.8 billion (un-fucking-adjusted) world-wide success is lamented as solely due to those damn teenage girls.

Delusional.

I stand by my stereotyping. Anybody who saw this movie more than once in the theater is, at heart, a teenage girl.

[Bitches Leave]

I don't think I know a single person who didn't watch Titanic during its theatrical run. This is why it made a lot of dough.

Avatar won't come close to Titanic but it won't be because of the girls. They wil LOVE the shit out of this movie.

[joeypants]

Originally Posted by Bitches Leave

They wil LOVE the shit out of this movie.

The few that see it might. Might.

I don't know how you can think this is some film that's going to drag the women out in droves.

Just because there is, in fact, a love story, doesn't mean women will automatically like it either. If I was snarkier than I am, I'd go on some tirade about how you're lowering the female gender by asserting that they'll lap up any sappy garbage thrown their way.

Many people, women especially, will disconnect from a love story like this simply because it involves blue cat people. Cameron ain't the guy with the chops good enough to really make you empathize when some "alien" love story. Jackson pulled it off in a way with Kong, and that was an easier task than this, because Kong could've easily acted as a substitute for any sweet pet you've ever had.

[Barkatthemoon]

Yeah, AVATAR is about hardware, not silverware.

Women won't get it.

[Bitches Leave]

Girls (not nescessarily women) will go gaga. Just wait and see.

[duke fleed]

The women that will see Avatar are...science fiction/fantasy/space opera fans. Most guys, especially ones that are fans of Cameron, Giant/Super Robots (me), and high tech military porn (me), in general will...Love the tech, but hate the blue cat people (me),!

[Ryan S~]

Originally Posted by Bitches Leave

Yeah I have a feeling the Twilight crowd will love the hell out this movie after all the two movies share similar themes.

Edit: just imagine those girls when this music is playing as Jake and Neytiri playfully chase eachother on their pet dragons. hahaha I can just see Ryan's face as he taste the bit of vommit he just threw up in his mouth.

Why would you wish that scene in to existence? Why do you hate me, BL? We've always been reasonable when dealing with each other. I think we've had some laughs, some tears but I thought we at least had respect. Clearly, I was wrong.

[Hammerhead]

Caught a 16-minute 3D presentation at a NATO event today. Presume it's the same one previously shown. I'm most impressed with how the Sigourney Weaver avatar plays like it's actually her onscreen. They also showed a couple of the theatrical trailers, and I may be a chump but that shot of the sobbing princess gets me each and every time.

[Merriweather]

Originally Posted by Bitches Leave

Girls (not nescessarily women) will go gaga. Just wait and see.

Because they all rushed to the star-cross'd romance at the centre of ATTACK OF THE CLONES.

[Domingo]

I don't know if you know, Attack of the Clones... Made some bank.

[Nexus-7]

I don't think that movie sold one ticket, one it wasn't already going to sell anyway, based on the romance though. Avatar needs to.

[Merriweather]

I'm pretty sure said bank wasn't from the pockets of teenaged girls looking for their romance fix.

[Domingo]

Why not? Seems like the type of crap Twilight fans would dig.

[Brad Millette]

Attack of the Clones made a lot of money because it's fucking Star Wars.

[Merriweather]

Forget it, Brad. Apparently the tweenage Twilight fanbase - you know, the ones who were still in elementary school when AOTC was released - drove those numbers up after hearing of the epic Anakin/Padme picnic montage.

[Nexus-7]

Don't underestimate Twilight's epic housewife fanbase!

[Barkatthemoon]

According to a TV spot I saw this afternoon, this is the greatest adventure of all time.

[Timothy Q]

Originally Posted by Brad Millette

Attack of the Clones made a lot of money because it's fucking Star Wars.

I can't believe this had to be written.

[Jan]

I am sold. I love the fact that the trailer shows that poor Sam is recruited from a bar where he has to watch a football match. But see, he has no legs! He can´t play ball! Oh, the sad little wheelie. Show don´t tell indeed!
It´s gonna be glorious camp. And I hope it´s rather a game changer in the sense that you people in the states finally accept football as the superior sport. That´s all I´ve got from the trailers.

[stelios]

You're a heartless German. Of course you can't sympathize with the poor guy. You're the kind of guy who would probably be in the bar yelling "Do a cross dribble, cripple!" and then laugh while your girlfriends stroke your biceps.

[Jan]

Cripple me this,
cripple me that,
who is afraid of a big, blue cat?

[Timothy Q]

Wait... is he talking about the other football?

[duke fleed]

Timothy Q, Of course, Jan must enjoy...Soccer, which is called...Football outside the US.

[Timothy Q]

What do you mean enjoy it? I don't follow. Don't they just kick it back and forth across the center of the field for an hour or two until someone gets lucky? None of this is making any sense to me.

[duke fleed]

Timothy Q, I personally do not like soccer, but there do seem to be...alot of fans that do.

[joeypants]

Originally Posted by Timothy Q

What do you mean enjoy it? I don't follow. Don't they just kick it back and forth across the center of the field for an hour or two until someone gets lucky? None of this is making any sense to me.

Ahahaha. Glad Timothy's taken it upon himself to do the appropriate "American 'real' football" ribbing.


Seriously though, soccer is one of the most boring fucking sports I've ever watched. It's so much better when it's played in the winter and called "ice hockey."

[Bitches Leave]

"Welcome to a place beyond your imagination, where wonder lives and adventure rules"
I gotta say that this move is pretty brilliant. Aired on Nicklelodeon it's presented as the new Disney movie and I'm sure the kids will digg this. I wonder if the movie really is this very familyfriendly "kids" movie that I have suspected for a long time or if they shamelessly sells it as such just to bring the kids. I really hope it's the first!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxuNtDhCZZI

[mcnooj82]

That made the movie look a LOT more fun. The voiceover really made it feel like a summer blockbuster from the 90s. It's cheesy, but it works for Avatar.

[Bitches Leave]

Yeah I hope this spot gives a better feel of the actual movie than those other trailers. It's a complete opposite marketing angle compared to the teaser. I wonder if this should have been the teaser instead

[mcnooj82]

It's all TDK's fault! Hahahah. Glom glom glom.

[joeypants]

The tone in that Nickelodeon ad is far more appropriate.


But sweet mother of god, "the greatest adventure OF ALL TIME?!" Why can't James Cameron/this movie crawl out of its own asshole, even for two minutes?

And they wonder why there's already backlash against it. Ugh.

[mcnooj82]

Ehhh... most trailers/TV spots/magazines pull that kinda hyperbole. It's not specific to just Cameron and this movie.

It just sticks out a lot more because it's Cameron and this movie. Hahahahah.