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Posts: 3097 (02/05/10 08:38:13) |
Has anyone seen this movie yet? I saw it a couple of days ago and thought it was terrific. We saw the regular 3-D version, as I was worried that the IMAX might make me queasy. I had no problem at all, even though there were quite a few flying scenes. I wish there could have been more time spent on life on Pandora and less on the war aspect though. It was so lovely there, I wanted to see more. I suspect we will be seeing a sequel in a few years!
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Posts: 9379 (02/05/10 11:37:41) |
I heard the effects were awesome, but the plot was thin. I haven't seen it yet myself.
In Support of Our Guy 
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kohari |
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Posts: 570 (02/05/10 13:33:02) |
i went for the special effects and was not disappointed. the 3-d was so very cool.
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Lighthouse |
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Posts: 3098 (02/05/10 14:25:06) |
So what if the plot is somewhat thin, this is an 'event' movie. The critics just want something to complain about. Go see it and have fun. |
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malar2002 |
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Posts: 10179 (02/06/10 14:51:25) |
Loretta, could you tell how the director intended the title of the movie to apply to the movie?
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ElizabethF |
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Posts: 19440 (02/07/10 12:30:30) Board Administrator |
Absolutely! The main character of the movie himself had an Avatar that he controlled with his mind while his real body was in a sort of "hibernation." It is a fantastic movie! I saw it twice in 3D! Unfortunately, the local IMAX theater took it out before I could get there to see it!
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malar2002 |
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Posts: 10183 (02/08/10 09:36:07) |
Thank you, Miss Ellie, for explaining how the title fits the movie.
I asked because I am on the horns of a moral dilemma regarding whether or not to see this movie. 'Avatar' is a sacred word for us, the Hindus. As I grow into my middle years, I have become really incensed by how our sacred words have been stolen and used in evil as well as inane ways - Aryan and Swastika are examples of the former and Avatar is an example of the latter. I and people of my race are of Aryan descent. Swastika is a symbol of all that is good in the universe. Nazis stole them, and used for evil purposes. So far, I have refused to see the movie 'Avatar' because what Avatar really means is ... watch this video and you will see, when you keep in mind that 'Krishna' is an Avatar, 'Rama' is an Avatar, and Hindus can accept Jesus as an Avatar - the song begins in Sanskrit and uses a phrase from Kannada, but switches to English, so you will have no trouble following what they are trying to convey ... We have lost so much that is sacred in our lives to evil and the inane. I am using 'We' to mean all of us, of all faith and religions. I love many others of Director Cameron's movies, but with this one, I am drawing the line in the sand, unless in some way, the title 'Avatar' has some sacred connotations. I know, I was Don Quixote in some previous birth ...  |
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Lighthouse |
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Posts: 3100 (02/08/10 11:21:42) |
Malar, I believe that the pictures we use under our names here are called Avatars. According to Websters Dictionary, Avatar means what you said regarding Hinduism, but the second meaning is: any incarnation or embodiment, as of a quality or concept of a person. I think this would apply to the movie's story. As for words being taken from your language to mean something else, join the club. What about the word 'Gay'. It was a perfectly nice word to mean happiness. Now it has taken on an altogether new meaning. Many English words have done that. Must be human nature to do this or just that things like this evolve.
Loretta |
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malar2002 |
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Posts: 10185 (02/08/10 12:02:19) |
Loretta, I guess I make a distinction between everyday words whose fine shades of meaning are lost by misuse and abuse, and the sacred words in any religion that are similarly lost.
Funny thing is, if anyone asked me, I would have to say that I am not religious, but I have faith. Therefore, I distinguish between the sacred and the profane. Since dictionaries have become merely descriptive and stopped being prescriptive, I do not treat them as authorities in any setting, including this one. I understand what you are trying to say - but I cannot accept it. Just as my really religious Chrisitian friends had a tough time with accepting Nikos Kazantzakis's novel Last Temptation of Christ. I don't think I would be reacting this way if Nazis had not put our sacred words to evil and the evil still lives on in the form of "Aryan Nations." So, this far and no more ... we all say that at one point or another, don't we. This is just a stand I have taken for myself. My husband wants to see the movie, and I will certainly find an IMAX theater for him (that is how he wants to see it), along with help of finding show-times, giving him a ride and so on. It is just how I feel for myself ... |
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Lighthouse |
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Posts: 3101 (02/08/10 16:40:41) |
Malar, you certainly have the right to feel the way you do. I understand your feelings on this.
Loretta |
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malar2002 |
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Posts: 10190 (02/08/10 17:02:07) |
Thanks for your understanding Loretta! It is a sad thing for me, because I really like some of this director's other movies very much.
My best friend wrote in a recent email that she had seen the movie a second time, and during the second viewing, she felt that the title of the movie was closer to its cosmic meaning than the computer usage into which it had now fallen. I was going to talk to her later in the week and ask exactly what she meant. This is was the reason why I asked that question of you in the first place - what you thought the title meant in this instance. The three of us - she, you and I - have a lot of common ways of looking at some things, so I was curious about your take on it. |
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Lighthouse |
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Posts: 3102 (02/09/10 09:07:30) |
Well, since I had no knowledge of Avatar being a sacred word originally, it only meant a computer image to me. I have heard the word for years, from message boards using them and had no idea it was actually a religious word. The inhabitants of the planet Pandora seem to be a spiritual people, similar to the American Indians. The story is much like Dances With Wolves. In the context of the movie, the meaning is just that humans were able to transform themselves to look like the inhabitants of Pandora, but with their human minds.
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malar2002 |
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Posts: 10193 (02/09/10 10:31:37) |
Thank you, I appreciate your taking the trouble to give me your intepretation.
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ImShellyC |
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Posts: 9384 (02/11/10 08:45:56) |
I had no idea Avatar or Swastika were Hindu words. I also was not aware that Aryan refers to India. The only context I have heard is the Nazi connotation. I'm sure it is upsetting to have sacred words used in such a way. I am equally sure that most Americans are not aware that this has been done.
You are educated me on this subject and others as well I'm sure. Interesting...
In Support of Our Guy
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malar2002 |
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Posts: 10199 (02/11/10 09:04:31) |
Shelly, thank you for the kind message.
Most of the people of my faith never take it as an insult when anyone from another culture and a different religious background uses the sacred Sanskrit words in the evil and inane contexts to which they have become acclimatized, thanks to the Nazis. We know that the historical reference has been lost, and none of us know why the Nazis picked on the Hindu religion's words and symbols for their evil ways. The word 'Arya' refers to anyone of the Indo-Persian race, since Hinduism itself seems to be in part from the persons who escaped from ancient parts of Eastern Europe and Persia, to escape in part, some great flood event and also some form of religious persecution. Their beliefs got commingled with the native population of India, the people of the 'Dravidian' race - as did the genetics of the people who commingled. That is how we finally arrive at modern day Hinduism. The samples of the people of Dravidian race remain unmixed with other populations among the elders of the Australian aborigines (there is scientific evidence now that supports that the Australian aborigines are descendants of Indian aborigines who migrated from my province via a land bridge that existed a long time ago via the Indonesian archipelago (when that was a contiguous land mass) and Australian continent). It is all extremely thrilling when you think about it. All of us are related - not just in principle, but actually, in fact! Here are some related Wiki entries that you may find interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aryan_race http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svastika http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar I am very grateful for your appreciation and understanding of my reactions to the lost and abused sacred words. |
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ImShellyC |
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Posts: 9385 (02/11/10 12:02:05) |
It would make sense the the Australian aborigines migrated there over a land bridge eons ago. After all they are "native" to Australia and Australia is an island. I believe "other" Australians came to the island because European countries used it as a penal colony, correct? They would have arrived via prison ships. I never really thought about how the Aborigines got onto the island...interesting.
In Support of Our Guy
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