We finally got tickets to see Avatar in the ONE Imax theater in Shanghai.  You would think for a city with a 21+ million population they would have more than one Imax theater, but no. Fail. We sent Joachim's driver to get tickets, a massive amount of time in advance... while we were at school...and they were the last ones left!  Front row center, which actually wasn't as bad as it sounds.  You could prop up your feet on the bar in front, and you could stretch out like you are on a lazy-boy.



Before the show we bought massive amounts of candy!  What pigs we are!  The amount would cost roughly 50+ euros, but it only was 120 kwai, or $20.  We also took sushi into the movie theater, because we are just cool like that and you can do things like that in China.  I think you should all be jealous that we were eating eel while watching the magical world of Avatar. 



We were quite impressed with the CGI, and the land of those tall blue people.  Everything had a jellyfish quality, it either glowed neon, had flowing tentacles, or was shaped in the bell shape of jellyfish.  The neon ferns were reminiscent of the ET ride at Universal, Avatar's magical Billie Jean/Fern Gully land started reminding me of the old ET ride at Universal.  You know, where behind deteriorating neon painted ferms, and purple smog lights, a colony of ETs awaits to jump about and sing happy songs?  However, what was disappointing was the floating mountains and people calling them "unique to the movie."  Hayao Miyazaki did that ages ago, 1986, in Castles in the Sky.  A lot of the "natives vs. white man" could have been airlifted right from Dances with Wolves.  CGI can only carry a movie so far, and the plot, dialogue, and characterization was a bit weak.  While Star Wars IV also shares with Avatar in poor acting and dialogue, there is something so endearing and perfect about it.  Avatar lacks this fifth element, it was hard to care about any of the protagonists, or feel sorrow at their death (Michelle Rodriguez is the exception).  The movie was too long, it dragged on, and tried to fit too much in there. 

However, I must say I had a great night

Before (silliness) :





- Chrissy