Shot of the day 352: Game Day

Shot with iphone, click to enlarge.

So....today is the day. A day I've been waiting 4,379 days for (since the moment TITANIC rolled credits in front of me on opening day). James Cameron, a filmmaker I've been feverishly following since I saw Ahnuld pop an eyeball out of his head and into the sink in 1984, has finally released his new film, the ambitious 3-D Sci-Fi epic AVATAR. I've been hearing so much about the film for years, especially from a friend who is in the film (feels like FOREVER since we talked about it in Austin at FantasticFest in 07), so since the release date was announced almost years ago, my geek clock has been ticking down the moments before I put the glasses on to be whisked away to Pandora.

Since it was such a geek-tastic day, I convinced my supervisors to let us take the rest of the website crew to go see it as a Thank You for all the hard work they put in this year, one of our best years for the site ever, so it was a nice, richly deserved gift back. 40 tickets for AVATAR, please. Last time we all went out it was STAR TREK (and before it, HOT FUZZ) so our track record for "field trips" was 2 for 2. Plus, at the Cinerama Dome?

For weeks in the office there was much skepticism about the film, but I held tight with my faith in Cameron, believing he can bring the thunder, and was met with many naysayers giving me a scoopful of shit for being Pro-Avatar, even to the point where a verbal challenge was laid out on THE MMO REPORT where if the host does like the show, he will eat my shoe. Well, only one way to find out...

I woke up this morning feeling like there were Christmas presents already under the tree. Counting down the minutes till 3:15. I had even gotten there early to get my Arclight card re-upped...but then tragedy struck. I get to the concession stand at the Dome, and its like people trying to board the train to freedom; crowds upon crowds of people all trying to get their popcorn and Sausage baguettes. Damn....and there's nothing I hate worse than missing the opening of a movie. I HATE it. I'd rather get another ticket. But today, I didn't have that option. So I silently sucked it up, waiting for the molasses line to move....as the previews played....as the 20th Century Fox logo music played....NOW I was freaking out. Finally, I get to the front, throw 10 bucks at the guy and shout my order, grab my foodies and race in....and of course the film had started. Everyone else, even the naysayers, were all snug in their seats, taking in the magic unfolding before them in Stereoscopic 3-D...and Im balancing popcorn and soda, trying to find my fucking seat. After a few frustrating minutes, I just sit in any old seat (which wasn't bad actually) and throw on the glasses. If I missed 2 minutes or 20...it only took 30 seconds to fall right into the film, and 2 1/2 hours later, I emerged with a huge smile on my face.

Sure, I was kind of in the minority amongst the masses pouring out into the cool night, but where everyone seemed pissy about the story (or lack of an original one) my argument was this: It's not about the story for this type of film...it's the StoryTELLING. Sure, its a well-worn tale, one we've heard about for ages (most notibly in the Costner "classic" DANCES WITH WOLVES) but if one tries to "change the game" with new technology to tell the story, its always best to tell one that the audiences can at least side with simplicity in the story, and a complex, character-layered tapestry might fall on blind eyes.To me, seeing Cameron shoot this new world the only way he knows how (BIG, BURLY & BALSY), and that's what I wanted, and damn did i get it in spades.

I could go on for hours on this, but let's say this: I was fucking ENTERTAINED. That's all I asked for, and frankly, I know Ill be seeing the film many MANY times in the future. This is Remy's STAR WARS for sure, and while he might not see it on such a historic occasion like today was, Im sure we will both fall in love with Pandora and it's inhabitants for years to come. Was the game changed? Nah....but I do need to change my shorts.

Good show, Mr. Cameron....now the clock has been reset till BATTLE ANGEL. Tick tock....

Joe