Why Avatar is Fascinating

I'd expect a new trend in cinema these next few years. You see when Cameron tested out his new virtual camera, he invited Spielberg, Peter Jackson, and George Lucas. To catch you up to speed, the capabilities Cameron had were a hybrid of using computer-generated motions (CGI) with full live-action shooting. Normally, the actors motions are recorded first, and then the digital world is added and adjusted to the real time of the movie. This is why sometimes the backgrounds look fake or you can suspect green screen usage.

And if you wonder just how groundbreaking this is: let's just say it took over a thousand workers on this set, all of whom Cameron sent to a jungle to bond together first. How much did that cost, you ask? Try a cool: $310 million (plus the marketing cost of $150 million).

This pretty penny also covered the cost of behind-scenes talents like: James Horner (the dude who scored Titanic), Leona Lewis, Zoe Saldana (the love interest in the film), and a professional ethnomusicologist (yeah, I didn't know what is was either: wiki it).

And when all is said and wrapped, I must close by addressing this is not another pretty CGI film. The thought out depth and energy of this move fascinates its audience as much as it makes us question ourselves as humans.

I will close with a quote from Cameron: "maybe in the enjoying of [Avatar] makes you think a little bit about the way you interact with nature and your fellow man [. . .] the Na'vi represent something that is our higher selves, or our aspirational selves, what we would like to think we are."

I think I smell a Oscar for this one.