Avatar 3D Movie Review

Written By: Jacob Scarberry

3D

Simply put Avatar is a James Cameron 3D movie. James Cameron knows how to do 3D movies, and he is a pioneer in 3D technology. I could just stop right there and you'd get the point, but I'll elaborate in this review. The point is, Avatar is an absolute 3-D powerhouse, and with it being shot (largely) in 3D it aids in how beautiful the 3D can be in this movie. I didn't see this movie in 2009, but Avatar has a ton of 3D depth, and many instances of 3D pop-outs and a terrific use of color. It will be difficult to limit my appreciation to only a few noteworthy moments or scenes. I have to mention the floating mountain islands, they look amazing in 3D. The various aerial scenes are also top notch in 3D. The sequence with the tree of souls, and the floating seeds is amazing to see in 3D. I definitely appreciate what Avatar has done for 3D, and 3D storytelling, and how James Cameron has helped to make 3DTVs a thing. In closing the entirety of Avatar is fantastic to see 3D.

Final Verdict:

Great 3D & Editors Choice Award

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Movie

James Cameron is a powerhouse director, having directed some amazing films, with Terminator 2 being one of my all time favorites, and with his previous film being Titanic netting him 4 Oscars, expectations were sky high for his follow-up. Cameron knew this, and instead of sacrificing his vision, he took twelve years to bring it to life, in-between dives down to the Titanic, of course. Were the high expectations met? In my eyes, no.

Avatar is practically a CGI-addled remake of the 1990 movie Dances with Wolves, but done with even less subtlety and class. The plot revolves around a former Marine, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), who is a paraplegic whose twin brother who was murdered in a robbery gone bad. To salvage an important mission, he's hired by a corporation to take his brother's place going to the planet of Pandora. Pandora is chock full of unobtanium, and it happens to be in the centerpiece of the indigenous tribe, the Navi.

Jake is sent to infiltrate the Navi in an avatar, to try to diplomatically remove the Navi and mine the super rare mineral. Things get complicated as Jake begins to assimilate into the tribe, becoming one of them, falling in love with Neyteri (Zoe Saldanha) and gaining an enemy with Colonel Quarritch (Stephen Lang). Jake must use his military knowhow, his newfound Navi skills, and his brotherhood to stop the destruction of Pandora.

The film is a 2 and a half hour feast for the eyes, delivering a high-quality visual experience that is colorful and well-shot, and the HDR helps to make the world of Pandora look like a stunning beautiful place. Avatar looks pretty , but it’s also a pretty hollow movie. Avatar’s message is rammed into your head repeatedly to the point of hatred, and the world isn't fully developed. Creature designs are also rather lazy and the Navi themselves are just blue cats with a tentacle attached and more human-esque eyes. The acting ranges from decent to over-the-top, the writing, especially the dialogue, is rote and predictable. When Avatar is done you're left feeling overwhelmed by the whole endeavor instead of being inspired or in awe.

Despite these problems, seeing it in 3D on the largest screen available to me within a reasonable driving distance, in a heated recliner, with Dolby Atmos surround sound, made this worth the trip. The whole film is clearly Cameron's, and he has a firm grasp on pacing and action, and I wasn't lost or confused during the action or expository scenes. Avatar has a terrific score by the late, great James Horner. The wonderful music helped make this an easier pill to swallow.

Does Avatar deserve to be the highest grossing film of all time? No. But I can see why it is, especially having never viewed the film before today (September 24, 2022) as it's an experience moreso than a work of art.

Avatar is a showcase of CGI spectacle and gripping action of the highest order. Regardless of the flaws, see it on the biggest screen you've got handy and in 3D, it's a treat.

Final Verdict: 7/10

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Lightyear 3D Movie Review

Written By: Jake Jarvis

3D

The 3D is an afterthought with Lightyear. It is so shallow, I bet you can probably watch the 3D version without glasses, and hardly notice a difference. It's a real shame, because the few times it does pop-out or goes deep; it is glorious. The various flight sequences are the 3D stand out scenes. Unfortunately, those moments are few and far between. The animation is top tier and the textures, lighting and shadows are all gorgeous. It’s too bad that not as much care was spent on the 3D aspect of Lightyear. Lightyear easily has the weakest 3D in a Pixar film in recent memory. In closing, I don’t hate the 3D aspect of Lightyear, but I can only barely recommend it.

Final Verdict:Good 3D

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Movie

Lightyear is Pixar's attempt at a summer box office extravaganza. Disney really tried to do something different with the Toy Story franchise with this movie and, it doesn't all work.

Depending on your relationship with Disney nostalgia and Pixar canon, Lightyear could really trigger your nerd-rage. A pity because, overall, this is a good film; something that will probably be lost in the aftermath of the major spoiler filled twists to the film. Chris Evans is fine voicing Buzz Lightyear in this movie. Tim Allen (in the Toy Story movies) and Patrick Warburton (in the Buzz Lightyear of Star Command TV show) were also fine in their versions of this character. The film opens with a text crawl stating this was the movie that inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy that Andy got in the original Toy Story movie. Why was this a text crawl and not an animated scene in this movie? This could have tied in perfectly with a remastered opening of the original Toy Story movie. Wouldn't we all like to revisit Andy and his toys with modern 2022 CGI animation? Lightyear is kind of a throwback to the 1950s sci-fi books and their "hard" science approach to storytelling, but with 21st century values. This movie is slowly paced, so don't be surprised if the kids doze off between the various action sequences. Of all the new characters introduced in Lightyear, Sox the robotic cat is the real stand out. He gets all of the best lines, most of the laughs and probably will sell millions and millions Sox the cat toys. Why Andy preferred Buzz to Sox is a mystery for the ages. Please be sure to wait around after the movie ends for the mid-credit, and the two post-credit scenes.

Lightyear is a good movie that doesn’t exactly reach the same quality as the other Toy Story films. It’s not going to make everyone happy, but it’s a solid movie that most people will be able to enjoy.