rawpow192

With all the hype surrounding Avatar, I left the cinema feeling underwhelmed. Sure, its visually beautiful and the visual effect are stunning. Pandora looks great. The 3D was great. But other than that, it has quite a few flaws. And I feel like the more I watch it (I have it on blu-ray) the less I like it, since once the novelty of discovering Pandora wears off, the flaws start becoming more apparent, the length of the movie is felt, etc. So basically: Pros: - Visual effects and spectacle. 10/10, the creation of Pandora is great, the 3D effects were very good, the CG is extremely well done, etc.

Cons: -Plot: 4/10. This is not a movie to be seen for the intricate, nuanced, complex, or unexpected plot. It is predictable, unoriginal, and there are very few twists that you won't see coming. The few details that could have made the plot a little more interesting/memorable/creative are not included or expanded upon in the movie, and the vagueness of these details only emphasizes the general lack of though-out plot. (what unobtanium does, the situation on Earth, etc)

• Characters: 4/10. Pretty much all of the characters are steroetypes, or caricatures, or your overused simplistic movie types. The reluctant- hero ex-marine who wants a new beginning. The marine vet who just wants to blow up the place and 'be home for dinner'. The snappy yet good-at- heart head of the science program. The dumb, money-obsessed head of the corporation. The nerdy friend in the program. The innocent, naive, yet powerful and spiritual tribe that is at one with nature. There is very little to no character development, and pretty much all characters can be summarized in a sentence like above, all stereotypes.

Its one of those movies where it is much too clear which side the filmmakers want you to be on. While this is OK in certain movies where this is much more specifically linked to characters in the movie (for example, Oceans 11, and even then, one does not really hate Terry Benedict), in movies like Avatar where its too generalized (humans vs Na'vi) it gets on my nerves. Its too much of the 'violent bad humans who want to destroy the place for money' vs the 'naive, beautiful, spiritual, tree-hugging native tribe that is forced from their homes' in my opinion. There is no nuance or finesse to the plot or premise.

Conclusion: Should you watch Avatar? Yes, you should. At least once, for the unique experience, the visual spectacle, etc. But its not a movie to watch over and over, and don't expect a nuanced plot, developed characters, etc.

Inception is one of those movies that doesn't come around often. The whole movie fits together so well, and does every aspect from good to amazing. The plot is intricate but not overly complex, the characters original, the visual effects amazing, etc. the broken down review:

• Plot: 10/10. The premise is completely original, the movie has you hooked for its entire duration. The pacing is excellent, the plot unfolds and develops beautifully. Nolan has shown he is very good at non-linear timelines and complex plots, and shows it once again with Inception.

• Characters 9.5/10. the characters are likable, each in their unique way, and all different from each other. The movie generally avoids the overused typical types used in some other movies and there is good character development. Some details are left vague but I think this adds to the movie's plot and feel. - Visual effects and presentation: 10/10. The visual effects are incredibly slick and very well integrated in the movie,giving Inception a unique feel and scope. The cinematography is also very well put together, with some truly excellent scenes in the movie. The sound is also great. - Lasting appeal: 10/10. I have watched Inception many times and still am not tired of it. I know I will keep watching it many more times years from now, and so far every time I've watched it I was just as hooked, just as into it, and it was just as good.

Memento is about a man who can no longer build memories. Thus he has to write things down on post-its and photographs to remember them, and tattoo things on his body to make sure he doesn't forget them later. Memento is masterfully edited and directed, with a complex plot and unique, intricate time line that puts the viewer in a unique state of mind. Due to the way Memento is directed and put together, you end up not knowing who to trust, what anyone's motives are, or even what happened when and in what order events took place. In short, the movie puts you in the character's state of mind - a man who has short-term memory loss, and all he knows is either tattooed on his body or written on some photos. Memento is disorienting, its confusing, and its a unique experience. Nolan really succeeds in putting the viewer in the character's frame of mind, and in keeping us hooked until the very end. Nothing is clear until the very last scene of the movie, and even then the motives and 'sides' of certain characters will not be clear, and it may take a while to fully understand what happened, in what order.

plot: 10/10 characters: 10/10 although they lack development, this goes in line with the movie's feel since the lack of development emphasizes that we are in Leonard's state of mind and point of view and only know what we see of other characters editing: 10/10