Hexapuma vs. the water fountain follow-up report

[rolanni]

Hex still Does Not Believe In the new water fountain, though the water bowl remains acceptable for brief drinks. The black mountain has been disguised and put away. Thanks to everyone for their advice; I'll keep you posted on progress, or lack thereof.

The weather today is a bright, sunny and perfectly calm 0F/-17C; tomorrow to be a thought warmer. I see that my old hometown, Baltimore, is about to get whacked with a nasty snowstorm; everybody down that way stay safe, 'k?

Yesterday, or the day before, I was, as is my habit, perusing the Apple trailer site. I believe that I may wish to see the Tim Burton Alice in March, in an Actual Movie Theater. On the other hand, there's no way I'm going within ten miles of the new Robin Hood. Anybody seen Avatar yet? Is it something more than Noble Blue Indians being Exploited by an Evil Corporation? Should I put it in my Netflix queue?

Comments

[barsukthom.livejournal.com]

The review I heard his morning is basically Noble Blue Indigenous Peoples* being exploited by an Evil Corporation... that cost eleventy zillion dollars to film, and maybe $29.95 to write.

*Ah, the power of a Liberal Arts Education.

[muirecan.livejournal.com]

Sadly the reports I have are that it a second rate Dances with Wolves. Pity, I'll probably get it from Netflix but I doubt I'll see it in the theater. The graphics and special effects are apparently great but I want a good story from my movies as well. Fancy special effects are nice and all but not something I'll go and see a movie for. At least not anymore.

[doccolt.livejournal.com]

Also the Evil Military I think.

[kimuro.livejournal.com]

Is it something more than Noble Blue Indians being Exploited by an Evil Corporation?

Every time someone describes Avatar in these terms, I am reminded of the Randall Garrett short story "Despoilers of the Golden Empire" - which is written as a classical science fiction story but is about the taking of the Peruvian Empire by 500 Spaniards.

[mardott.livejournal.com]

It's a pity about the story, but we'll probably go see it. When the scenery is spectacular, like this is supposed to be, I like to watch it on the big screen.

blue people...

[(Anonymous)]

At 2 hours and 40 minutes it is very unlikely that I will see it in the theater. Even though its gotten a 80%+ approval rating on rotten tomatoes.

rfalken

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

On a mildly related note, I have to ask: Why is Hexapuma named Hexapuma? It's a great name and I've been wondering. Is this a case of polydactylism?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

It's a great name...

Isn't it?

Is this a case of polydactylism?

Formally, Hex is "Blueblaze Hexapuma," his home cattery (http://www.blueblaze.com/) is owned by elektra_h, an avid SF reader. Following an operation on his ear, Hex came to live with us. We had also assumed extra toes had prompted the name, but it turns out that David Weber postulates a race of six-legged cat-like predators indigenous to the planet Sphinx called...hexapumas.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Ah! Okay. My goodness, he's a handsome fellow, isn't he? And a fine name he has, too. :-)

5 inches, 4 authors, 2 staff and a partridge in a pear tree

[(Anonymous)]

Sigh, I should know better than to schedule 4 kids' authors to a signing during winter - but how was I to know it was gonna snow right before Xmas? Talk about timing!

Ok, ok, I'm done whining. If nothing happens (slim probability now)
we'll have sales. If we do get the 5-10 inches of snow that's
predicted, well, it's gonna be a bad weekend.

Stay warm and safe, y'all
Lauretta (Constellation Books)
Reisterstown, MD

[masgramondou.livejournal.com]

Avatar - there's a snarky slightly spoilerish whine here - http://hradzka.livejournal.com/378981.html

[ariaflame.livejournal.com]

For a fairly non spoilery one from someone who did like it (though had personal issues with the 3D) http://angriest.livejournal.com/436419.html

[robotech-master.livejournal.com]

Saw it today.

If you're going to see Avatar, see it on the biggest movie screen you can find, IMAX if you can, in 3D.

Seen like that, the movie's lush cinematography is overwhelming. YMMV, but in my opinion it more than made up for the underwhelming "Dances with Smurfs" story.

On a big screen, in 3D, Avatar is an experience.

On a small screen, it will be just another Dances with Wolves clone.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

If you're going to see Avatar, see it on the biggest movie screen you can find, IMAX if you can, in 3D.

Saco's (http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=254973) kind of a long drive for a movie, especially a movie that's telling a story I've heard many times before. If the only thing going for it is Teh Pretty, I may give it a miss, even in Netflix.

[robotech-master.livejournal.com]

Well, if the story is an old one, it is at least told well. And again, Teh Pretty is not just "pretty", it's downright amazing. It is no exaggeration to say this is the best CGI that has ever been seen on the screen.

James Cameron has filled in the "uncanny valley" with a bulldozer.

[robotech-master.livejournal.com]

And Peter Watts nails it (http://www.rifters.com/crawl/?p=959):

It’s been years now since special effects were enough to entice me into a theatre. Ever since the ascension of CGI, it’s been possible to render pretty much anything a writer can imagine. The highest production values have been devalued by the relentless onslaught of Moore’s Law. I didn’t care how eye-popping something looked; there had to be more to lure me in. No modern movie can succeed solely on the strength of its special effects.

But then I saw Avatar, and in terms of sheer technical virtuosity it just blew me away. Every frame is gorgeous. Every two minutes of footage looks as though it must have cost as much as any other whole movie to make. Every perfectly-rendered dust mote and shaft of filtered sunlight forces me to smile and widen my eyes despite my most jaded intentions.

I have a lot of problems with Avatar as a story. As a movie, though — as an experience — it has made me change my own rules, at least for now.

Avatar is a movie that succeeds on the strength of its effects.

[(Anonymous)]

Go see it. It is amazing. O.K. the story is not great, but its still a must see. My wife and I saw it on Friday and my son and his wife saw it yesterday. Neither my wife nor my daughter-in-law is a sci-fi fan and both criticised the story and 2 dimensional characters, but also said they would go to see it again because it is so beautiful and so real.My son had read a review criticising the music score, but afterwards said he hadn't noticed the music he was so overwhelmed by the visual experience. I'm thinking about a trip to the nearest Imax next week
Melvyn

Avatar

[(Anonymous)]

Avatar is amazing. The concept of the world of Pandora is amazing. The storyline is predictable, but it's a visual spectacle that should be seen in 3D, and yes, probably the bigger the screen the better.

Those of us who wear multifocals should be prepared for some serious focal adjustment with 3D glasses. I might have been brewing a headache before I went in, but my head was thumping by the end. Maybe a bigger screen would have helped, or single vision glasses.