Keeping It Reel: Avatar IMAX 3D

Foreword: Paying $16 to see a movie is something I never thought I'd have to do in my lifetime. I still remember paying $3.75 (matinee price) to see Batman in 1989. But this is IMAX and it is 3D so I figured why not. I have yet to see a movie in 3D since Captian EO at Disneyland as a kid. Back when they used Red and Blue lenses that made everything look like an acid trip. Skip to 2009 and the hand over some yellow plastic glasses with gray lenses that look like something Kanye West would wear. One bit of advice is to never get to an IMAX showing 20 minutes before it starts. Luckily, I was able to sneak in line when the ushers told everyone to get their tickets to present at the door. While the people were looked toward their pockets, I snuck in line. No one noticed. I was able to get great seats for me and my friends.

The Shrek 4 (is there really a need for more Shrek's?) 3D preview came on and I became confused. This isn't the 3D I remembered. This was far better and absolutely amazing. My eyes and brain were fighting each other trying to figure out what was going on. The depth perception had me in awe. I felt a buzz in my head from being excited. Yes, 3D is awesome. (Gotta leave the glasses on though or the screen looks like you had 2 too many martinis)

Movie Review: I came into this movie expecting a cliche story that has been previously explored in movies such as Dances With Wolves and The Last Samarai. Thats pretty much what this story is. James Cameron does a good job of making likable and hateable characters. The plot and story is very predictable but thats okay. Cameron isn't trying to wow us with a surprise climatic ending like he did with 'Titanic'. (Whoever would have thought that massive ship would sink?)

The acting is fair, considering we're watching motion captured CGI aliens most of the time. Sam Worthington is becoming an insanely huge star in the US already. He does a good job here. Zoe Saldana does an excelent job as one of the planet's natives. She's somewhat hot even has a giant smurf. The villain of the movie is a bit over the top, but he made me laugh on several occasions so I guess maybe thats what they were going for. I don't know.

The look of the movie is stunning. The special effects surpassed my hard-to-be-impressed expectations. The alien planet comes to life with imaginative creatures and creates a believable ambience. Especially with the 3D. I would suggest to watch this movie in IMAX 3D only. The visual benefit will be well worth the price of admission. As a 2D movie, 'Avatar' is a slightly above average adventure movie. As a 3D movie, its an experience you will remember for quite awhile.

I was very pessimistic about this film and to those that saw it and to those who told me it was great in 3D. I apologize. I was wrong. 'Avatar' is $500 million well spent for 20th Century Fox and $16 well spent for me.