Visually Dazzling Avatar Is Ferngully for the 21st Century And So Much More

A few weeks ago, when my brother Nathan came home for Christmas break, we compared our list of movies we were hoping to see before they left the theater. I mentioned Avatar, about which I’d heard nothing prior to seeing a trailer the week of Thanksgiving, and he balked, finding the over-promotion and spectacle distasteful. I held out in my suspicion that it would turn out to be a pretty good movie. He ended up going to see it with friends before Christmas, and when he returned home, upon being asked how he liked it, he told me, “Erin, I owe you two things: a heartfelt apology and a ticket to see Avatar.”

I’m not sure how a movie buff like me managed to miss the fact that James Cameron, director of the record-shatteringly popular Titanic, was releasing a new movie that was years and millions of dollars in the making, but when I finally did see the trailer, it looked to me like a cross between Ferngully and V, with humans the aliens this time, donning indigenous disguises, gaining trust and then, presumably, wreaking devastation upon the natives. (Mild spoilers ahead...)

Ferngully remained the stronger point of reference as I watched, with the main character, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), an oblivious outsider who, like Zak in that movie, becomes immersed in a world of tree-hugging harmony courtesy of a strong-willed, beautiful woman. In this case, that’s Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), the fiery but compassionate daughter of a chieftain. Like Zak, Sam owes his life to Neytiri, who rescues him from a local carnivore (though not without a lecture on his stupidity for putting himself into such a situation). And like Zak, he is initially part of the team coming to destroy this community that will come to feel like home, and there are nearly identical scenes of these men attempting to disable the equipment sent to ravage the land.

Along with Ferngully, there’s a strong hint of Dances With Wolves, not to mention all sorts of other movies in which technologically advanced humans pose a threat to native societies and their habitat. Meanwhile, the film’s final battle scene reminded me of the attack on Endor in Return of the Jedi, with a hint of Tolkien-style Deus Ex Machina thrown in, and the bonding of the Na’vi with their flying reptilian steeds seemed like a page out of Anne McCaffrey’s book.

I’m always on the lookout for LOST parallels, and there were plenty to be found here. Most obviously, LOST alum Michelle Rodriguez is among the cast members, though her tough-talking, conscientious pilot is more like season-four addition Frank Lapidus than her own much-hated season-two addition, Ana-Lucia Cortez. There’s a strong hint of John Locke in Jake, who at one point utters a line strikingly similar to John’s “Don’t tell me what I can’t do!” Like John, Jake comes to Pandora, the planet where the Na’vi live, a broken man, but among the natives he is whole and strong, developing a powerful a connection to their world and even stepping into the role of a long-prophesied leader. Colonel Miles Quaritch (Steven Lang), like season four’s Martin Keamy, initially seems like a reasonable enough fellow but is soon revealed as a merciless mercenary. Finally, one of LOST‘s most iconic images has been the opening of eyes. That was the first shot of the series, and we’ve seen it many times since. In Avatar, due to the nature of the human-avatar connection, there are more opening eyes throughout the movie than I could count.

But enough of the comparisons, for these are not meant to indicate that Avatar is a mere jumble of previously used ideas, but rather that it fits into a particular storytelling tradition. Avatar is a tale of imperialism, of strangers from a devastated world seeking out new life forms and new civilizations - to exploit. The sense we get here is that the men behind this mission are not so much interested in settling this Edenic planet as they are in mining it for the rather laughably named unobtanium. These hunks of rock are worth millions, but the planet’s biggest deposit is situated underneath the Na’vi’s most sacred tree. Leading the operation is Parker Selfridge (Giovanna Ribisi), a businessman who disdains the natives but would rather avoid the mess of an invasion. (Rather encouragingly, he also fears a public outcry over exterminating the Na‘vi, which seems to indicate that not all of humanity is as self-centered as he is.) While he’d like to find a diplomatic solution to their problem, it’s clear that impatience could prompt rash action, especially with the trigger-happy colonel looking over his shoulder.

Colonel Quaritch is overjoyed when he discovers that Jake, who has been brought into the Avatar program to replace his late brother, a brilliant scientist, is a Marine. He figures he can use him to get valuable intel on the natives, and as he‘s promised the disabled soldier new legs upon the completion of his mission, Jake is eager to comply. The Avatar program allows his consciousness to occupy a custom-made Na’vi body while his own body rests in a special chamber.

This body was built for his brother, but because their DNA is so similar, he is still able to use it, much to the annoyance of Sigourney Weaver’s Dr. Grace Augustine (a heavy-handed name if ever I heard one), the biologist in charge of the program. Fascinated by the Na’vi, she has studied their culture for years and taught several of them to speak English, but she is no longer a welcome guest in their village since Quaritch’s men have opened fire one too many times. Like Grace, geeky Norm Spellman (Joel Moore), who underwent intensive Avatar training alongside Jake’s brother, has his doubts about Jake initially and is visibly jealous that the Na’vi allow him into their inner sanctum. But he is a valuable ally for Jake as he tries to immerse himself into the culture as quickly and seamlessly as possible, with his promise to his commander becoming more distasteful by the day.

While the basic story is a fairly familiar one, it remains compelling, particularly when coupled with the stunning visuals, which are every bit as eye-popping as every description I’ve heard about them. Nathan, who’d seen the movie in the traditional format the first time out, suggested we spring for 3D this time around. As someone who has never been able to see the hidden image in a Magic Eye picture, I wasn’t sure how much of the impact I would get with my off-kilter eyes, but then I wasn’t expecting such heavy-duty glasses either. It was certainly a help to have real glasses that stayed on my face instead of flimsy cardboard things that kept falling off every couple of minutes. I put my glasses on and from the previews on, I was mesmerized (though I really could have done without the 3D preview for Pirahna).

Avatar in 3D is a wholly immersive experience. The lush jungle surrounds you. The delicate leaves caress you; the flowers’ vibrant colors enfold you until you nearly feel as though you’re wrapped in a rainbow. Tiny objects such as droplets of water are thrown into sharp focus, while sweeping shots of towering waterfalls become even more epic. And after you’ve joined Jake in a magnificent dragon-back flight, you’ll long for a 3D touch to the final Harry Potter movies. Everything about Pandora is startlingly gorgeous, from the luminescent plant life to the tall, sinewy, cat-eyed Na’vi, whose blue skin seems to emphasize their connection with the nature that surrounds them. Spend enough time among these arboreal people and you’ll likely cringe at Parker’s abrasive laughter when Grace tries to explain the trees’ networked structure. When the tree-clearing begins, it’s a horrific sight akin to the destruction Saruman wreaks upon Fangorn Forest in The Two Towers.

The hauntingly beautiful score has James Horner written all over it. Reminding me more of Braveheart than Titanic - as well it should, I suppose, given the subject matter - it is rousing at times, serene at others, with the choral offerings of the Na’vi particularly affecting. A Celtic influence is less apparent here than in those scores but still evident. Following the movie is a pop song inspired by the Na’vi greeting “I see you”. Repeated many times in the film and song alike, I suspect that this will be a catchphrase for 2010, and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear Leona Lewis overtaking the airwaves a la Celine Dion, though I’m hoping they’ll leave out the spoilery dialogue clips this time.

Avatar is the most expensive movie ever made, and it looks like it. The visuals speak for themselves, making it so much easier to fall in love with the Na’vi and their way of life. But James Cameron provides not just dizzying spectacle but also a grip-the-edge-of-your-seat story, making Avatar easily one of my favorite movies of 2009 and of the decade at large.

Beam Aboard the Starship Enterprise With Zachary Quinto and Company

This weekend, two of my all-time favorite televisions shows are united on the big screen. LOST creator J. J. Abrams helmed the 2009 theatrical reboot of Star Trek, perhaps my most anticipated film of the year, bringing with him fellow LOST head honchos Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk, along with composer Michael Giacchino and Greg Grunberg, whose part in the film, while even tinier than his brief turn as the doomed pilot of Oceanic 815, is certainly memorable, though you'll probably have to consult the credits to figure out who he is. I watched Star Trek regularly with my family when I was growing up, and Spock was one of the first fictional characters I came to adore whole-heartedly. No matter who was involved in this movie, I would have been standing in line on opening night, but the LOST connections sweetened the deal.

From the time I first heard about this new Star Trek, I was pleased by all the attention being lavished upon Spock but slightly nervous about the casting, since Zachary Quinto also plays Sylar, who sadistically sliced open many an unsuspecting head on Heroes before I gave up on the series. I imagine the reason for Quinto getting so much of the spotlight is two-fold: in full regalia (including, of course, the pointy ears), he bears an extraordinary resemblance to the original Spock, and the logical half-Vulcan - the only holdover from the show's first pilot - really is the glue that holds Star Trek together. The more I saw of Quinto's Spock in magazines and late-night interviews, the more I embraced him as Leonard Nimoy's successor, so that by the time my latest issue of Entertainment Weekly arrived with a cover bearing a crystal-clear headshot of New Spock, I could gaze at it enthralled and not be remotely reminded of the hated Heroes villain.

Still, looking the part and acting it are two different things, so I reserved total acceptance until the movie, in which Spock is every bit as central a character as I'd hoped. Quinto's Spock has slightly less control over his emotions than Nimoy's; for the most part, he is the same calmly detached officer, a cool voice of reason rising above the flaring tempers among his crewmates. But there is conflict within him, and never are his human emotions so strongly roused as in matters concerning his mother. The tender relationship the film presents feels like one of many throwbacks to Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Spock, it transpires, is a bit of a mama's boy, but that doesn't stop him from being one of the most brilliant minds Starfleet has ever known.

Quinto conveys each subtle inflection of his genius masterfully while keeping us aware that Spock's feelings are submerged rather than nonexistent. Speaking in a gentle but authoritative tone, he is polite and precise and, when the occasion calls for it, droll. And thankfully, writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman give him plenty of compelling material, not to mention opportunities to whip out many Spock trademarks, including the Vulcan salute, nerve pinch and mind meld and the acknowledgement that something is "fascinating".

Spock also lifts quotes from specific moments in the series and subsequent movies, my favorite of which is the touching "I have been, and always shall be, your friend." This line is uttered not by Quinto but by Nimoy, whose appearance midway through the film is the audacious anchor upon which the plot rests, allowing Abrams wide creative license as he proceeds with the series. The movie is loaded with references meant to appease long-time fans, but Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan offers especially integral inspiration for the plot, from the revenge-driven crusade of tattooed Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) to the unpleasant interrogation method he uses. The nod that excited me the most involves a cocky young James Kirk (Chris Pine) taking a casual bite out of an apple as he takes the Academy's no-win scenario test for the third time.

The movie is hardly a collection of catch-phrases, but each of the major seven characters gets some time in the limelight, and there were cheers in my showing each time the officers uttered a familiar command or exclamation. Keep an ear out for Kirk saying, "Beam me up"; communications officer Uhura (Zoe Saldana) opening hailing frequencies; helmsman Sulu (John Cho) putting the ship into warp speed; ensign Chekov (Anton Yelchin) talking about "wessels" and "Wulcans"; engineer Scotty (Simon Pegg) bellowing, "I'm givin' it all she's got!" and Dr. McCoy (Karl Urban) snapping, "I'm a doctor, not a physicist!" Keep an eye out, meanwhile, for a man of little consequence dressed all in red and a surprising song credit rewarding longtime fans who stick around after the movie is over. Even with my eyes peeled, I missed the cameo of late Last Lecture author Randy Pausch, an avowed Trekker, early in the film; I'm sure that the next time I watch it, I'll catch plenty of other Easter eggs too.

Fans should be pleased with all of these opportunities to prove their prowess, and newcomers aren't likely to be distracted by them. While they miss the fun of the in-jokes, they have the advantage of not constantly comparing new with old and wondering whether these incarnations are betrayals. I have little issue with the acting in terms of these characterizations. More eyebrow-raising are some of the details written into these characters' histories and personalities. The aforementioned critical plot point explains some of the discrepancies, but there's also an extent to which these characters are being reinvented.

This is most evident in the cases of Uhura, Sulu and Chekov, whose personalities were always less developed than the other four. Saldana, who I first saw as an unabashed Trekker in The Terminal, makes sweet Uhura quite a bit feistier, especially in run-ins with Kirk. I appreciate the emphasis on her smarts but found it annoying that demure Uhura evidently wasn't good enough the 21st century. However, I like her much better once she gets on the ship, at which point another surprising aspect of her character emerges. It gels more with the tender, compassionate woman Nichelle Nichols played, and mostly I'm okay with it, though it strikes me as a controversial direction to take. Cho lacks the vocal gravitas to have me entirely convinced that he's Sulu; of the main seven, he's the only one whose casting I question. His role is mostly light, and while he does contribute in important ways on a couple of occasions (I especially like the way his established fondness for fencing is integrated), he seems a little greener to me than he should. Chekov, meanwhile, doesn't seem green enough. In the original series, I tended to think of him as capable but ultimately little more than comical eye candy. This time around, he's a Wesley Crusher-esque wunderkind, just as funny and adorable as always but considerably more indispensable. Of the three second-tier characters, he is my favorite, both then and now.

I had doubts about Karl Urban as the irascible Bones, since I previously knew him as Eomer, who I found just about the most boring character in Lord of the Rings. Then again, he didn't make much of an impression on me in the book, either, so I wasn't sure if that was really the actor's fault. Bones gets almost as much screen time as Kirk does, particularly toward the beginning, and thankfully, my worries were unfounded; he absolutely nails the good doctor's drawl and good-natured crankiness and gets many of the movie's biggest laughs. Particularly funny, especially considering classic Kirk's unending aversion to Sickbay, is the sequence in which he chases Jim around the ship, attempting to administer a series of unwanted treatments. It feels most appropriate that the film establishes the two as firm friends long before they serve together on the Enterprise.

Hot-headed, libidinous Jim Kirk was always my least favorite of the Enterprise Seven. He may have been brave and heroic, but his lack of respect for authority and his arrogance always got on my nerves. Unsurprisingly, the early-twenties version is even more obnoxious. Like everyone else besides Quinto, Pine bears no especially striking physical resemblance to his predecessor, but he captures his mannerisms well. I also have to offer kudos to the writers and young actors alike on the scenes depicting Kirk and Spock in childhood. Rabble-rousing Kirk's (Jimmy Bennett) is hilarious, exhilarating and the first of several action sequences that seem inspired more by Star Wars than Star Trek. Contemplative Spock's (Jacob Kogan) stands in stark contrast, though it also demonstrates the half-Vulcan's struggle to come to terms with his opposing natures, exemplified by an amusing exchange with some older students causing my brother to exclaim, "Spock's bullies would get beat up by the bullies on any other planet in the universe!" Instrumental to Kirk's development this time around is Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), whose stern but kind mentorly role I love. Greenwood seems a little on the old side to be playing this captain who was in command in the show's original pilot, but the relationship feels believable.

That just leaves Pegg's Scotty, who takes so long to turn up I started to half-wonder if we were going to see him at all. Our introduction to him is a comical highlight, and he continues to steal the screen whenever he pipes up, usually with a cheerful assertion of some sort. I would speculate that of the seven, Pegg had the most fun; the Scottish engineer seems positively giddy throughout most of his all-too-brief appearances. I also like his interaction with one of the movie's few non-humanoid aliens. Few fans would argue with the statement that in the battle of Star Trek versus Star Wars, the latter has the coolest aliens. Abrams and his team seem determined to amend that, or at least remain open to the idea of a more diverse Federation. My favorite example of this is the disgruntled creature who finds himself lodged between Kirk and Uhura in the disastrous bar scene reminiscent of Top Gun in which he meets and puts the moves on her.

Giacchino's stirring score blends neatly with the action most of the time, with some of the more emotional moments containing hints of music we've heard on LOST. The special effects are impeccable, aside from a few moments that seem to be overdoing it just a little. I'm not too used to Jedi-style sword fights and escape from enormous hostile creatures on this series. Those new to the franchise at least aren't likely to complain that the movie lacks action. The movie offers something to love for viewers at any point along the previous Star Trek experience spectrum; as for me, I'm already looking forward to the sequel.

Leavin' On a Jet Plane, Don't Know When He'll Be Back Again

I am drawn to movies for a variety of reasons. One of them, which does not happen terribly often and is perhaps a silly excuse to see a movie, is that the preview contains a song that I like very much. It was the playing of Simon and Garfunkel’s America in the trailer that first attracted me to Almost Famous, and it was the melodic strains of a lovely cover of John Denver’s Leavin’ on a Jet Plane that grabbed my attention when I first saw a trailer for The Terminal. I cannot claim, however, that my interest stemmed from the song alone. I am generally a big fan of both Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Throw John Williams into the mix, and that’s one heck of a winning combination. I added it to my list of films I wanted to see.

I suspected that I probably wouldn’t catch The Terminal while it was still in the theater, but Mom proposed a trip to Tinseltown as a capper to Father’s Day, with this as the movie of choice. I’ve heard and read a number of negative reviews of this movie, though my favorite critic, Good Morning America’s Joel Siegel, loved it. As is generally the case, I agree with him. This will probably not go down as one of the major films in either Hanks’ or Spielberg’s career, but it is a perfectly enjoyable movie nonetheless.

Hanks turns in one of his most endearing performances yet as Viktor Navorsky, the gentle traveler from the fictional Krakozhia who becomes stuck in limbo at the airport when a coup breaks out in his homeland and his visa is declared invalid. He comes across as a very simple man, partly because his command of the English language, even at its best, is shaky, but also because of the naive decency he constantly displays. It’s not that this character lacks intelligence, but rather that he boasts a certain spark that can’t help but touch many of the airport denizens with whom he comes into regular contact. In addition to his overabundance of common courtesy, his skills as a builder and artisan are considerable and help him to pass his days in the airport in a useful manner.

Though Hanks is the film’s focal point and his performance is a brilliant mixture of befuddlement, devotion, charity and charm, the supporting cast members all enhance the film with their unique characterizations. Stanley Tucci brings an interminable twerpiness to the role of Frank Dixon, the airport administrator who antagonizes Viktor after the latter refuses to enter the United States through illegal or dishonest means. He’s an annoying fellow who generally lacks both common sense and compassion, yet Tucci brings a comedic touch to the role that prevents us from disliking him too much.

Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Amelia Warren, a stewardess with a knack for landing in bad relationships. Viktor is smitten with her on their first meeting, while she gradually comes to realize that he is unlike the men she has unsuccessfully romanced in the past. Although they have several sweet scenes together, the female cast member I most enjoyed was Zoe Saldana as Delores Torres, the icy security clerk softened by Viktor’s visits to her as romantic liason for his lovestruck friend, food service worker Enrique Cruz (Diego Luna). When she finally melts entirely, she is luminous.

Along with Enrique, Viktor bonds with Joe Mulroy (Chi McBride), a gentle baggage handler, and Gupta (Kumar Pallana), a crusty old janitor who gets his jollies from watching people slip on his freshly mopped floors. These three help Viktor navigate his way through life in the airport, providing equal helping of heart and humor along the way. Also very enjoyable is Barry Shabaka Henley as Ray Thurman, Dixon’s personal assistant. He is the first major character we meet after Viktor, and his quiet, sometimes statuesque manner stand in contrast to Dixon’s manic panic. Although his interactions with Viktor are limited, Thurman subtly demonstrates to the audience Ray’s growing respect and affection for the unintended guest. Aside from Hanks, he probably gave my favorite performance in the film.

Although this is a drama, at no point could I take the movie as seriously as, say, The Green Mile or Forrest Gump. There is a fairy tale air about it. We never have a sense of Viktor being in any real danger or discomfort. He’s such an easy-going guy, it seems as though he would be content in any circumstance, and if you’re going to be stuck somewhere for weeks on end, an airport isn’t such a bad place to be stuck in. Moreover, Viktor’s ability to re-align rows of chairs to his liking, support and repaint an entire wall and construct an intricate work of art on airport property without being stopped seems highly suspect. But it didn’t bother me. Balancing out the more unnatural aspects of the film are brand-name establishments, which reeks of product placement to some but which made it easier for me to accept this as a functioning current-day airport.

I found The Terminal to be funny and heart-warming. I enjoyed hearing Hanks take on an accent other than some sort of Southern dialect, and the character he produced stands among my favorites of his. Although the film is rated PG-13, there is little within its two-hour span to merit that rating. The profanity in the film is unusually sparse, there are only a few passing references that would make a prude squirm and the most violence we see is some silent video footage of a war-torn Krakozhia. With a cast of fine actors and an engaging story, The Terminal is a feel-good, family-friendly movie that I would readily recommend.