Avatar (2009) - ONE OF THE BEST!

DESCRIPTION: AVATAR takes us to a spectacular world beyond imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on an epic adventure, ultimately fighting to save the alien world he has learned to call home. James Cameron, the Oscar-winning director of "Titanic," first conceived the film 15 years ago, when the means to realize his vision did not exist yet. Now, after four years of production, AVATAR, a live action film with a new generation of special effects, delivers a fully immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film disappears into the emotion of the characters and the sweep of the story.

We enter the alien world through the eyes of Jake Sully, a former Marine confined to a wheelchair. But despite his broken body, Jake is still a warrior at heart. He is recruited to travel light years to the human outpost on Pandora, where corporations are mining a rare mineral that is the key to solving Earth's energy crisis. Because the atmosphere of Pandora is toxic, they have created the Avatar Program, in which human "drivers" have their consciousness linked to an avatar, a remotely-controlled biological body that can survive in the lethal air. These avatars are genetically engineered hybrids of human DNA mixed with DNA from the natives of Pandora... the Na'vi.

Reborn in his avatar form, Jake can walk again. He is given a mission to infiltrate the Na'vi, who have become a major obstacle to mining the precious ore. But a beautiful Na'vi female, Neytiri, saves Jake's life, and this changes everything. Jake is taken in by her clan, and learns to become one of them, which involves many tests and adventures. As Jake's relationship with his reluctant teacher Neytiri deepens, he learns to respect the Na'vi way and finally takes his place among them. Soon he will face the ultimate test as he leads them in an epic battle that will decide nothing less than the fate of an entire world.

MOVIE REVIEW: With Avatar, James Cameron has created a cinematic journey that movie goers have never experienced! It is that good!

The visual effects are spectacular! The movie stills of the CGI characters do not do them justice. Simply put, you have to experience them in action, at the movie theater. You will never look at other CGI characters the same again. They will seem amateurish. Cameron breathes life into his generated actors. You will witness facial muscles twitching, skin around eyes stretching, and facial expressions that look 100% authentic.

The world we are taken to shines with life and realism. One side of the film puts us into the real world, where the 3D never seems forced. The other side of the film is done almost completely with special effects, CGI, real life actors, and green screen. The thing is, after viewing this world for a few seconds, you will completely forget that it is computer generated. Oh yeah, I'm serious.

All I can say is wow, wow, wow!!!

The story is good. It's not the greatest story ever to shine on the screen, but it's still good. Plain and simple. Some say it is a little preachy.... that it deals too much with hot button topics, like the environment. Well, while it may not be your cup of tea, remember that it's just a story. Dive into it! A film's story has to deal with some sort of topic, right? This movie's story did not seem forced at all to me. It fit very well and flowed seamlessly.

That's about all I have to say about the story. You can read all about it in other reviews.

Finally... and this is VERY IMPORTANT! 1) You have to experience this film in a theater. 2) And, in the theater, you must see this film in 3D. If you don't, you will be doing yourself a severe disservice. 3) And, on top of that, if you can see it in IMAX, DO IT! It's worth the extra distance driving and also worth spending a couple of extra bucks at the ticket stand. Believe it! Also, get there early and sit in the Middle-Middle of the theater. If you can't get that, sit further back. If you are forced to sit in the front, do yourself a favor.... walk out, go to the ticket booth, and exchange your ticket for the next showing. You do not want to waste your experience squished at the front. You will miss too much, and that's just a waste. Come on, you can do better then that! You know it!

Go see it. Now! Go ahead. I'm serious! Why not? You will be taken to a world that will knock your socks off! ....Wait..... What are you doing still reading this? For real! Get up... now! Find out where the closest IMAX 3D theater is and go. NOW! Bring your significant other, if you have one. If not, go by yourself. That way, you can put a jacket on either side of you and have extra leg and arm wiggle room! If you're reading this in the wee hours of the A.M., that's fine. Don't stress out, home-slice. Drive to the theater and wait out front for the doors to open. You'll be first in line. Get it? Ah-Hah! You'll get your choice of the very best seats!

Go! Now! Tell the ticket dude that I said hello. Snag your 3D glasses as a souvenir, even though they ask you to return them. That way, you can show them to your friends or family many years from now, and say, "Hey, these are the glasses that I wore when I saw that amazing movie Avatar! I saw it, because I read this stupid review on yahoo. It wasn't even that great of a review, but it made me go see it! And now, my friend... I give these 3D glasses... to you!"