The Social Network

Let's Face it... The Social Network is not only relevant to our current view of the world and our over-eager use of that precisely, social networking sites... It is also a movie well worth watching. Over half a billion of us can see the utility in a tool that lets us stay in touch with our friends and families and fuels our need to reconnect with people from our past like kindergarten sweethearts, high-school buddies and long lost bosses and aunts. I would guess this to be a movie that would interest a lot of people, but sadly it seems not to be the case. As I write this, many more people have chosen to watch things like Jackass 3 and just a slight fraction of us have enjoyed the real drama behind this Facebook phenomenon through David Fincher's excellent story telling.

On the one hand we have Mark Zuckerberg, subtletly played by Jesse Eisenberg. On the other, we have his antagonists: all the people who helped him build this great idea that has become a lifestyle for quite a few of us. Although, at times, Zuckerberg is portrayed as a jerk, we can still glimpse at his human side, a hard working entrepreneur looking for status and payback to become a player in the broader scheme of things. To me, his character seems just like an easily manipulated social misfit that doesn't quite know how to handle the ladies and has a big pressure of belonging to certain social clubs from which he'll always be looked down upon. This fine line between likable genius and arrogant jerk is crossed back and forth in such a way that although most of us will come out of the theater hating him a little, we'll all feel for him and root for him, not only because he's helped us strengthen our social lives at no apparent cost to us, but also, because we realize that it was his genius, and only his, that let a lot of people ride his coat-tails to become immensely rich.

In the end, no matter how much the ladies will root for the Severins and the Winklevosses of this earth, I think we all like it when a seemingly challenged underdog (socially challenged in this case), comes out ahead and sticks it to the man. Add to this the True Story Factor and voila, we have a winner.

Instead of my usual Steal it, Buy it, Rent it... etc. I'm rating this one with a... Like it!

(little blue thumb up). Starting off the race for next years Oscar, I am, for now, placing The Social Network as my front runner. Now turn off your Facebook for a couple of hours and go watch it!

El Secreto de Sus Ojos

The Secret In Their Eyes... Hoorray for Latin American Films, this is a good take on a murder mystery. Long evolved from the style of film noir, this film moves us back and forth through a) a murder investigation and b) an unfulfilled love, or more of a crush I must say. The pace is carried lightly with a note of wit and sarcasm here and there that give it a refreshing comedic touch unlike those of other films in its genre.

While Esposito, a criminal attorney at the court investigates into a rape/murder case, he starts looking inward as well and has revelations about his own feelings... 25 years later, long after everything cooled down, he retakes the reigns of the story to start his own novel and put out there what really happened, beyond the court room and within its confines... just to rediscover that things tend to remain the same. With the standoffish cool of film-noir detectives, Esposito is willing to break some rules in a romantic idea to have justice made. This trip could be same-old same-old if it wasn't for his sidekick Pablo Sandoval, which throws some good humor into the mix, really having this dark subject viewed under a renewed light.

As far as spanish spoken romantic-thrillers with a punch, this is one of your safest bets. Definitely Buy it.

Kick Ass

What happens when Mystery Men go Kill Bill? Move over Dark Knight, Kick Ass is in the room! Though the idea is not completely novel, it is good to have this "ordinary guy turns super hero" genre to view once in a while. When you think of super heroes like Iron Man and Superman, they really live in a fantasy world beyond anyone's grasp, but Kick Ass is really just some ordinary dude... Or maybe not so ordinary as soon as he starts getting help from sidekicks like Hit Girl.

In any case, if you throw in some Michael Ceraish youth (in Revolt), Some Beatrix Kiddo (Uma Thurman in Kill Bill) attitude, colorful photography (or was that just the Vivid setting on my TV?), A funnier than Tom Cruise Nick Cage with his full leftover arsenal from Lord of War, and some cool kitchen integrated living room area that overlooks part of New York, you got yourself this "Nerdy guy befriends and gets the hot girl" -and makes the city a safer place in the mean time - comedy that is definitely a fun way to kill, not Bill, but 90 minutes of your valuable TV watching time... "With no power comes no responsibility" Touché Spider Man! (Now I don't think so many characters and super heroes were ever mentioned in such a short blog ever... beat that!) If you like some goofy humor and don't mind much the formulaic, you're in for a good time with Kick Ass. Rent it.

Oscar Ballot 2010. Best Screen Play - Best Picture. Revisited.

OK, really, I didn't mean to convey the idea that I'm not actually opinionated and that I do believe there are some very good movies out there this year and that I do believe The Hurt Locker is taking home 2010's film industry's golden dildo. Having that said, let's get into a bit of the nominated movies... in no particular order:

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. Quentin Tarantino has a knack for telling a story in an intriguing way, both funny and suspenseful, breaking any previous idea you had on timing and delivery... In this sense, I think Tarantino is an excellent screenwriter and also showed quite some talent directing Christoph Waltz... Inglourious Bastards won't go home completely unglorified I think Best Supporting Actor should honor it. Strong contender for Original Screenplay too, but not strong enough to my taste.

AN EDUCATION. Although Peter Sarsgaard's Jewishness was hardly relevant to the story, this story seems somewhat autobiographical, so I think it shows a cultural difference belonging to the time and place where the story is being told. Also, we have to take into account that something that could seem enraging under today's puritanical standards would easily be more commonplace forty years ago. However, trying to get me to pass judgment on circumstances beyond my context, as if they were current, is not a fair trick. The way this movie takes us to that place is good, Carey Mullingan's interpretation is lively, the story works but no Oscar for this one in my ballot.

DISTRICT 9. This is quite a metaphor of settlements amongst different peoples... or species. The story itself works better than Avatar... it could be some sort of sequel to Avatar! It has a mockumentary touch to it in a very original manner, I don't think the alien theme has been explored in this manner before, but it shows us the discerning feelings of different cultures that have to withstand each other's closeness. A bit too "alien" for my taste but interesting nonetheless.

UP. I'm not much into animated films, but this one takes much attention into detail... plus the opening sequence makes for a really good movie, afterwards though, it drags on for too long, I guess even some of the adults might have fallen asleep. Still, the story line is compelling so this could be a contender for original screenplay, and I think, being nominated for best picture, makes it quite obvious it is the best Animated Feature Film, although I'm really looking forward to watching Fantastic Mr. Fox. Also, I think Up, could take some music related award!

THE BLIND SIDE. This is my theory, I think after counting votes, Oscar producers realized popular pictures like Avata, District 9 and The Blind Side, clearly fell out of the top five, and so they decided to nominate ten movies instead of five. I think this was a wise move, though I admit nine of the nominees will go home losers, I think they're all good movies and are very well worth your time. The Blind Side had perfect timing telling the story of a current NFL player that actually made it to the playoffs this season, plus, it's a feel-good movie without it being overly corny. Sandra Bullock is a delight to watch and she could contend for best actress, but that's about it for this movie tonight.

PRECIOUS. This is the type of movie I had to sort of drag myself to watch, and only because of its good reviews and the nominations it has, I figured it might be worth my while. I was right. Although the theme and tone of this movie are real downers, it leaves you with a sweet-n-sour taste. It also opens your eyes to situations that it's hard to admit, still occur in our modern day occidental world. Definitely interesting and powerful. Mo'Nique will for sure take the Best Supporting Actress award and I won't discard Precious on any other category, period.

A SERIOUS MAN. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed with this one, but maybe I've just placed too high expectations on the Coen brothers. The movie starts out strong and intriguing but then I guess it dwells on and on too long on situations very pertaining to the mid-century American Jew, recently empowered by the Second World War and facing a new identity crisis. As usual, the Coens have very funny sequences which are worth watching, but overall I felt it lacked consistency, or timing, who knows... No awards for this one on my ballot, sorry.

UP IN THE AIR. I have to admit this is one of my favorites, hands down. I think it is very emotional, it touches a nerve on the current standing of American life and it IS very real (most of the interviewees are real unemployed people). The casting is excellent, as I can't seem to figure who could play a bit arrogant bachelor with a soft side better than George Clooney, and both his co-actresses play nominated roles as well. What I think this story has going on for it in terms of well delivered screenwriting and acting, it lacks for in cinematography, color, etc... The story mainly takes place in conference rooms, airports, etc, which really doesn't do much for the visual aspect of it all, as opposed to say, Avatar. Definitely, I'm voting for Up in the Air in the Best Adapted Screenplay category. George Clooney and Anna Kendrick could be contenders in their categories. Kudos to Jason Reitman, with Juno and Up in the Air, he's definitely becoming a powerhouse in the industry.

AVATAR. This is a popular favorite which I've reviewed earlier on this blog. www.RentalMovieWeek.blogspot.com (for those reading the note directly from facebook). I won't discard this one either but as the visual aspect of it works beautifully, the story doesn't quite cut it for me. Look out for several Oscars in Music, Cinematography, Art Direction, Visual Effects, etc. I don't think it has a great story or acting which are usually requirements to bring on a fulfilling emotion. But James Cameron pulled this off before with Titanic, which incidentally wasn't nominated for Acting (Not DiCaprio at least) or for Screenwriting (Which I felt it should have been nominated for). So..... will see, though not in my ballot!

THE HURT LOCKER. I have also reviewed this one briefly and I stand by my decision to back this one throughout the night. Excellent story, not overly complicated, delivers emotion and thrill throughout without diverging. Excellent Cinematography too... impacting. In terms of Film Editing and the like I don't consider myself very knowledgeable (not that I am knowledgeable in the rest of the categories), but I just know this one works. My ballot has The Hurt Locker for Best Film Editing, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture... This will be the ultimate showdown as to what an ex-wife can take from under one's nose... move over James Cameron!

For further references, reviews, and synopsis on these and other films, I recommend www.IMDB.com, www.RottenTomatoes.com and www.filmcritic.com., and of course...www.RentalMovieWeek.blogspot.com

Have an excellent Oscar night!

Oscar Ballot 2010. Best Screen Play - Best Picture.

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Oscar Ballot 2010. Best Female Acting.

BEST ACTRESS

This is a tale of two continents.. (two countries, more so). On the one hand we have those rooting for Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock, the first of whom is the longest standing Academy favorite of ANY category whatsoever, with roughly the same nominations as Tiger Woods has won majors or Roger Federer has won grand slams. This feat, for movie making, is exceptional and should not be dismissed. As for Sandra Bullock, she's one of "America's Sweethearts" and her love-hate relationship with her viewership is all over the board, delivering a Razzie Award winning performance in All About Steve and her very strong role in The Blind Side, which we have to credit for having the movie nominated for Best Picture.

On the other hand we have Carey Mulligan portraying a young woman's assertive wanna-be break from childhood in what could simply be deemed as mere innocence in An Education; and Academy Award winner Helen Mirren as Tolstoy's wife in The Last Station delivering a huge range of emotions of a loving woman embittered by circumstances created by the state planning of her husband.

As I said, Meryl Streep's performances are never to be dismissed, though sometimes it makes me wonder if there are no other actresses... I admit I didn't pay much attention to Julie and Julia, as I was watching it out of the corner of my eye while, incidentally, cooking. The few scenes I could appreciate, though, seemed a tad bit over the top... but that's just me.

Sandra Bullock, truly delivers... this is her role of a lifetime, and it is refreshing to see a role of such character that makes a difference both on and off the screen. I mean, the strength of this woman to break from the traditional is something to reflect upon. If you haven't watched The Blind Side, I recommend it.

Now here's where my scale is tipped... For some reason, I found this year's British female acting slightly more amusing than that of their American counterparts. Carey Mulligan's role could've been stronger had it bounced off a stronger role than that of her supporting male actor, Peter Sarsgaard. Carey Mulligan's part speaks loudly of a young adult's need to break from her childhood. I like the fact that both her and her movie are recognized.

Helen Mirren, has accurately played "The Queen", before, and although I couldn't speak for how accurate her role as Countess Sophia is, I can only say it is very emotive and it carries a wide range of emotion of a character whose experience and toughness could make her the exact opposite of Carey Mulligan's.

As for Gabourey Sidibe in Precious, I think her character is not as much shaped by what she says and does as it is from the circumstances that surround her... plus, whatever light might shine through her role is strongly opaqued by the presence of Mo'nique as her supporting actress.

Though I've heard Sandra Bullock is leading her category as a favorite, which I wouldn't doubt, considering she also has more leverage to pull her weight through the Academy, I'm voting for Helen Mirren, a seasoned actress on the same level as Mrs. Streep. Honorable Mention of course to Carey Mulligan.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick, had the luck to land roles in Up in the Air, which is truly an outstanding screenplay. For this reason, their roles are very relevant, though I'm not sure they carry enough range and depth to garner an Oscar. If anything, I think Anna Kendrick's role as both an up and coming career girl and an obnoxious little brat really pushes a button.

Maggie Gyllenhaal's role seems a bit weak to me, but it bounces off the overwhelming presence of Jeff Bridges's role in Crazy Heart. I didn't get to watch Penelope Cruz in Nine but I think last year's award for her role in Vicky, Christina, Barcelona should suffice for now... and her role in Almodovar's Broken Embraces should also get some recognition.

Mo'Nique, or however her name is written, plays the Tour de Force role of this year, both surpassing any other role, leading or supporting, male or female. I think her interpretation, along with the poignant story told by Sapphire, put Precious up on the board amongst this year's top films. I won't even bother you with an honorable mention, this category is the clearest no-brainer of them all.

Oscar Ballot 2010. Best Male Acting.

So here they are, my long awaited predictions for this year's Oscar's, thanks to my readership for their unrelenting patience.

BEST ACTOR

I tend to compare roles and situations, so Colin Firth, in A Single Man, portraying this year's gay conflict, is the equivalent of last year's Sean Penn's Harvey Milk... though not quite. To get an Oscar you have to a) Play the role of a lifetime or b) Play a role that makes a movie truly relevant, so in this case, I think Colin Firth comes close, but this year's gay conflict really doesn't get us rooting for the gay cause as much as last year's... bad break! (not back-break... Brokeback).

On the other hand, we have Jeff Bridges as.... Bad Blake, (go figure), whose role I'd say is similar to last year's Mickey Rourke's Wrestler. Bridges's performance is truly heartbreaking as it makes us wonder about the ways we often go wrong and how painful it'd be not to take charge in time and fix them. This is a truly touching role, emotionally, of course. (Last year, Sean Penn seemed to be, as well, truly touching... both emotionally and physically).

Then we have of course two roles that I won't dismiss for both the emotion they convey and the relevance they play, in what, to me, are the best movies of the season. Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker, and George Clooney in Up in the Air. I think you always have to have this level of good acting to move the story forward with the emotion it's meant to carry, both roles are truly outstanding as one of Clooney's top 2 and quite frankly, I had never even heard of Renner before this movie... So I take my hat off for both of them too.

As for Sir Morgan Freeman (at least I know he'd be called that if he was British), I can't give you my opinion as I haven't watched Invictus.

My convinced vote goes to Jeff Bridges. Honorary mention: George Clooney, his role seems to genuine to me and I think it was an excellent casting for Up in the Air. I wouldn't mind it a bit, though, if Jeremy Renner won halfway through The Hurt Locker's race against Avatar for the very coveted best picture statuette.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Not only did I not watch most of the movies nominated in this category, but the two I watched, didn't strike me as truly outstanding. I guess the American public is fascinated by a character that will make you hate him in several different languages, because hate is not an easy thing to achieve so, come Oscar night, Cristoph Waltz as the Nazi polyglot from Inglourious Basterds very well might take it up one notch and make the rest of the nominees hate him too.

I can say this, the only other role I watched in this category was Christopher Plummer as Leo Tolstoy. I must admit, I did like his role, but as I said before nothing was truly outstanding.... In this category, I abstain from voting... of course, though, my money is on Christo.....

Silent Light

After I read the synopsis on this movie, I didn't know it included, literally, everything shown in the movie. I mean, I can tell you in one paragraph everything that happens in this movie, and you know I'm all for movies that show more depth and less action but this one goes to the far end. I could place Carlos Reygadas as the exact opposite of James Cameron, he tells a good story, I liked the story, but in such a slow way, that it makes it a bit painful to watch. ( you can always play it in fast forward, as not much is being said either.) (Cameron for example, takes an average story, but makes it colorful and dynamic... fun to watch)

Considering the fast rythm of hollywood movies we're used to, I wouldn't recommend this movie. I figure, if i've "trained" my movie watching by opening up my spectrum to lots of foreign and independent movies, I think I'm used to "slower" films...but this one just takes the "Old Honey" price for being the slowest thing out there.

So, having tackled the slowness of it all, I think the story is good, the main character is colorful, and the conflict is real. Johan is a menonita, sort of like a modern life Amish of German ascent settled in the high plains of Northern Mexico. He has fallen in love with another woman and has been open about it to his wife, whom is feeling deep pain. (hell yeah, I could even nominate her for a best supporting actress role). These people lead a very simple life style and their deep religous beliefs and traditions make a real problem of this diversion from the straight expected path.

Overall, I think this is a good picture of a lifestyle we're not familiar with or we just tend to ignore, so for that, kudos to Carlos Reygadas. His recognition has come from personalities like Roger Ebert, Martin Scorcese, Manohla Dargis and a Jury price from Cannes... and so I don't feel compelled to give him any more recognition than that. My readership should be warned, that although I found the thematic of this film very interesting, I found the film itself very boring as I thought this story could've been told in half the time... but that's just me.

Watch it (this is like 2 out of 5 stars) but be warned, or altogether Avoid it if you only have so much time to watch some other good movies. But, if you don't expect as much as I was expecting from it, you might, not enjoy it, but probably find it interesting (Arghh, such a fine line to draw). Later dudes... Taco time!

Crazy Heart

Kudos to Jeff Bridges for so randomly portraying an old addict has-been, a-la-Wrestler. Crazy Heart is definitely this year's Wrestler (As in Mickey Rourke's last year's movie -Watch it).

If 60's is the new 40's, then I guess a mid-life crisis, accordingly, comes a few years later than at "actual mid-life". If you've been up and down the musical scale of life and suddenly you hit a note way below the F clef note, "no matter how far you've walked in the wrong direction, you have to go back" as the old Turkish proverb says... and so it is that Bridges's character, BAD Blake, hits a wall where redemption or tragedy, or both, might fall his way.

Supposedly based on Country Music artist Merle Haggard, but not openly disclosed due to legal battles amongst a few of his ex-wives for rights to his story, Crazy Heart portrays a poignant battle between addiction, love and overall sense of accomplishment, for a knocked down- but not out- has been.

Through the eyes of Bad Blake you'll experience the ups and downs... though mostly downs, of a hard hit life that goes in and out of relationships without any discernible quest for stability, until he finds comfort and peace in the arms of a lovely reporter (Maggie Gyllenhaal)... will he be able to hold on. Definitely Rent or Buy this movie, it's strong performances will likely convert this one into a classic.

The Last Station

I haven't read Tolstoy. I admit to it. Either it wasn't a requisite at my school, or I just skipped it. Later in life I've been too caught up in pop culture to take any interest in War and Peace and really, I don't care much about Cliff Notes. To come clean, I also admit I don't watch American Idol or play video games, but I guess that just leaves me as a half-assed snob, because I'm not well read but I despise anything overly pop... So having come clean I must recommend The Last Station.

I found this movie a little better than I expected. I wasn't really expecting much either as I wasn't quite sure what it was about. I don't know wether I missed it in the trailer for lack of attention or due to ignorance on the subject but I didn't even know this movie was about Tolstoi. For that I'm glad, because having not read him I would have felt a little illiterate on the subject and maybe would have felt not informed enough to understand it. Without this piece of information, I headed to the theater to watch the acclaimed performance by Helen Mirren and I'm glad I did because I enjoyed it.

This movie is not so much about Tolstoy but about his wife's (Countess Sophya) battle for his love and for the rights to his legacy, facing an old Tolstoy with fixed ideas and confronting the advocates that surround him and try to keep him on a pedestal. This movie is truly about the sacredness of marriage and the sometimes beautiful sometimes ugly face we'll see from sharing a long life together. The movie strikes a balance with a parallel story that contrasts new love vs. old love, spontaneity vs. rigidity... this is a true love story, with all of its faces.

You don't need to know much, or anything, about Tolstoy to get this movie. It is a period piece but it tells a universal story that transcends time or place. It speaks a clear language of love, jealousy and sense of belonging. It shows both ends of the spectrum and the real beauty that lies in-between. The good are not all good and the bad are not all bad, nice! Rent it!

Precious

Rejoice... Our average existence is not half bad... but also, take a little time to look into the lives of those less fortunate. Take Precious, a sixteen year old girl, pregnant for the second time, which, you might figure, suffers from a lot of domestic abuse.

This movie is a downer, but at the same time it has a glimmer of hope. Acting is powerful, the story is simple and there aren't any more complications than needed (Precious's life is complicated enough as it is). If you thought Slumdog Millionaire was eye-opening and touching, Precious is a true picture of despair and dysfunction without the Deus-ex-machina happy-making machine. This Movie doesn't go lightly soooo.. no popcorn for this one, instead you might want to grab a box of facial tissues (aka Kleenex but I'm not being sponsored here). I think this is one of the best movies of the year, hell, it could even be the best one if it wasn't for it's somber low-down tone, which is never too popular at the box-office.

Drag your feet to rent it, because this is not the easy-going fare you might like to enjoy on a Sunday afternoon, after you're done, if you manage to stay awake, you might thank me for it... This of course, i'm rating with a Buy it. (Remember Steal it..Buy it... Rent it... Watch it)

The Hurt Locker

Grab your popcorn and hold on to your seats cause you're in for an exciting ride. Decision making at its maximum... if you ever come to a crossroads and don't know where to go, imagine having to choose between the red and the yellow wire. This is a story about a seemingly care-free E.O.D operative in Iraq (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), i.e. the guy that disarms bombs. If you think some times that your job is tough, this guy makes it look like a walk in the park.

Considering The Hurt Locker is a war movie, it has a good balance of suspense and action. It is NOT an action movie so it is not overly shaky and violent. It is more of a view of "your average" tension creating war situation. On the other hand, this movie does not try to address the dysfunction of those taking part in the actual battle so it is not a movie that dwells in the introspective look at the “demons” of war. It does not satanize war and it does not deconstruct its perpetrators. It is actually a relief to think that some of these adrenaline junkies are not out to get you, but to protect you...I think overall The Hurt Locker is a story well told.

Kathryn Bigelow took a cue from some award winning movie makers and struck a balance of imagery that will shock you without disgust and will paint a good portrait of character development. For now, I need not say more... for I don’t want you to expect way too much, but I can say this, come March 7, The Hurt Locker could very well top my list! Three Thumbs Up. (Buy it).

If you don’t usually like war movies for their action packed scenes and winners take all attitude, I’d like to take this opportunity to mention some notable ones you could enjoy,

Jarhead, a look inside the mind of the soldier, introspective... Rent it.

In the Valley of Elah, Tommy Lee Jones comes back as your usual crisis solver, trying to disentangle the doings of war affected kids. Well written and directed by Paul Haggis (Crash). (Watch out, this one is dramatic)

The Lucky Ones, with Tim Robbins. Life is not all bad after coming back from war, not if you can make some sense of it.

Avatar

Way in the future... maybe like 70 years from now, after proposition 8 was finally revoked, and thanks to some genetic engineering, the blue man group has finally been able to marry amongst themselves and reproduce like rabbits. After touring the world for a few years, the planet finally runs out of oil, and due to lots of lobbying and red tape, their vehicles which still ran on diesel, aren't able to take them out of the rain forest and so they are stranded there for life, which at first is kind of a bummer, until they figure out their life is no different than that of Ewoks from the Star War series and so they embrace the lifestyle with a tree-hugging spirit....

Meanwhile, back in good old USA, satellites are tracking images throughout the globe in search of illicit drug plantations and/or some sort of material that will make the Holy Grail seem like some silly religious legend from the Middle Ages. And so it is that they find the properly named "Unobtanium" in, where of all places?, deep inside the Rainforest, which is now believed to be thousands of light years away (which is about right now that all the engines have run out of diesel), and is also properly named "Pandora".

And so the same old story of cowboys vs. Indians, civilization vs. local organic farmers, big government vs. running around naked anarchists, etc. etc., begins:

If you haven't watched Avatar, do not take my synopsis literally; only later on... (maybe 15 minutes into the movie), you'll find the similarities. The story works well, it's another one of those David vs. Goliath formulaic Epics, it's worked for David, why not now. On the other hand it has your typical underlying love story, and we know we're all suckers for a good love story so let's face it, James Cameron is a genius when it comes to film-making, he knows what works and he uses every resource available to put it in there.

The story touches on subjects that are politically correct without going into any really controversial issues. It promotes the protection of some sort of rain forest or natural reserve, it encourages equal employment opportunities for the handicapped and it faces the truth about current or previous wars being imposed on cultures that are "not up to standard" with ours or countries that happen to have some resources able to fuel the current pace of progress and growth.

As a technological breakthrough, it is well worth watching in 3-D. The visual experience is OUTSTANDING, and, when you come to think of it, movies are about visual experiences. I think I enjoyed watching Avatar even more than going to the zoo. I would say this movie is the equivalent to this decade's Star Wars or Matrix, (I've thought of this and heard it from other people too). Don't expect too much out of it in any other sense than the visual one, (like say, acting, story-telling, etc.), nonetheless I encourage everyone to scrape some $14 dollars from under the sofa and go Watch it at the theater, cause if you don't experience this one to it's full extent, then it kind of misses the point!