"Avatar" and James Cameron waxing poetic on global imperialism

I saw "Avatar" today. And I was moved, along with some audience members sitting near me, by the underlying anti-imperialist message of this movie.

Before I get started, if you haven't seen the movie, go see it. You'll understand what you're about to read a lot more if you have. But if not, I'll do my best to summarize without giving too many spoilers.

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http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/1/2/25751/58350

By the way, this movie was stunningly beautiful. Forget the rather predictable 'dances with wolves meets blackwater' plot, the imax 3d visual experience was literally breathtaking. I liked this movie simply from a visual arts perspective.

I though Gollum was well done, but the characters in Avatar were so breathtakingly realistic that, for the first time ever, I completely forgot they were computer models.

If CG teams end up being able to create completely convincing human characters and animate them using this motion capture system, Hollywood actors will very quickly find themselves becoming motion capture artists. I think we might be on the cusp of creating a whole new class of Hollywood character that could well eliminate the need for 'actors' in general.

After all, this film proves that a good CG team, believable voicing, and an exquisite motion capture system can completely and convincingly represent an actor that cannot possibly exist. Were I a Hollywood actor, this film's technology would threaten me on a pretty deep level. Technology always advances in this particular field; I can foresee a future in which Oscar-winning movies are made without the use of real, human actors at all.

I wonder what we'll make of that....

That movie was the exclamation point of my New Year's resolution to curb excesses.

in IMAX 3D. Absolutely stunning. Cried several times. Am still in that world, emotionally. After the first two minutes, I totally forgot I was watching a movie.

Yes, the Blackwater stuff was a bit blunt, but most people aren't really up on all that stuff. Maybe this will wake them up.

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things we've ever seen. A major human achievement, IMHO.

The story was strong also, although I'm aware others disagree. The story is familiar but is not weak because of that. It has Dune overtones, ferngully references, dragon stuff from science fiction books I read in high school, and of course impotant historical and political references.

I'm a little surprised more hasn't been posted about Avatar on DU....pretty amazing visually, politically, and cinematically.

But the lack of overwhelming adulations may have to do with the fact Fox's own Rupert Murdoch's media group produced and is reaping great rewards with the movie. He now has big bucks pouring in from the left and the right.

I wonder which will win at the Oscars?