Avatar

[Traveler]

The movie had a very interesting premises that relates to LDS theology. In the movie a body was made for an individual in order to live and breathe – experiencing life on the planet Pandora. This allowed the human to have an physical experience otherwise impossible.

In essence is that not what we are doing. A spirit is put into a temporary avatar body so that we as spirit beings can have a physical experience on earth?

The Traveler

[mordorbund]

About 4 months ago I attended a funeral where the fellow speaking said that the body was just a shell and that the actual person was in the Spirit World (it was an LDS service). This sounds similar to what you saw in Avatar. I can see where you both are coming from, and if this were a Sunday School class (or a funeral) I would let it slide. But since it's a discussion board... :)

Our experience is different from Avatar because for us the body is a part of our resurrected glory. It is not "just a shell", but somehow acts as a conduit (when inseperably joined with Spirit) for a fulness of Joy. Don't ask me what role the body plays in the eternities because I don't know (oh, except the resurrected kidney gives you the ability to fly).

[Traveler]

About 4 months ago I attended a funeral where the fellow speaking said that the body was just a shell and that the actual person was in the Spirit World (it was an LDS service). This sounds similar to what you saw in Avatar. I can see where you both are coming from, and if this were a Sunday School class (or a funeral) I would let it slide. But since it's a discussion board... :)

Our experience is different from Avatar because for us the body is a part of our resurrected glory. It is not "just a shell", but somehow acts as a conduit (when inseperably joined with Spirit) for a fulness of Joy. Don't ask me what role the body plays in the eternities because I don't know (oh, except the resurrected kidney gives you the ability to fly).

Again, in the movie the avatar was a temporary existance until the individual was "resurrected" with his "new" body by the G-d of Pandora. Interesting - I wonder where that idea came from?

The Traveler

[MisterT]

I don't think that was part of the story or idea being portrayed by the creator of the movie; but I imagine there's nothing wrong with seeing parallels that might exist, even if they were not intentionally written in or placed there. Many people love to make a philisophical comparison between Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and the rise of Nazi Germany and the second world war; even though Tolkien very adimantly and planely stated it was an origional work of fiction having no basis in any factual event and was in no way a parable.

I found the movie to be droll and preachy. The special effects were not spectacular to me, but seemed to be nothing more than flashy window dressing on a tired used up story. You can put lipstick on a pig, or a loose woman for that matter, but it'll still be a pig or a loose woman.

I enjoyed Cameron's early work; Terminator, Aliens (although it was in no way a good story - it was just well put together and presented. Much of the dialog is non-sequiters, double-negatives, carelessly worded, factually impossible, irrelevant, rediculous, or otherwise inappropriate when viewed in context.. Yes, I watch it once or twice a month. Cameron ruined the look of Geiger's Necronomican-Alien, changed the behaviour, intent, and purpose of the creature, and used special effects to mask defeciencies of the story and to crete suspense instead of having a good script; in stark contrast to Ridley Scott who well adapted Dan O'Bannon's screenplay and invented the special effects that are now standard industry practices), The Abyss.

I did not care for Titanic as a story; the visuals were incredible and very well rendered, the script was engaging, the cinematography was groundbreaking; as was the realism of the sets (the engine room scenes and those of underdecks and machinery spaces were actually filmed in one of the two remaining seaworthy Liberty Ships built during the Second World War). The emotional impact was carefully designed, and I believe that Cameron either consulted with psychoterapists in order to maximize sentiment, or is almost inhumanly 'gifted' with the ability to tell a story that'll make you feel like crap.

His more recent work has been, in my never to be humble opinion, nothing more than special effects pieces; instead of telling a new story, a revolutionary one; with good dialogue, premise, and well researched 'science,' he's gone in the direction of putting lipstick on loose women, sticking them in a white dress, and marching them down the isle towards the audience who he treats as though they're blushing virgin bridegrooms.

I don't like 3D film; I like a film because of the story, because of how it makes me feel. The best movies ever made were black and white with no special effects; lighting, music, diaglogue, and excellent premises made the movie funny, suspensful, frightening, heartwarming, invigorating, angering, or just plain fun. Take "The Philadelphia Story" with Jimmy Stewart for example. Or the original "The Haunting."

Oh well, talk about being really off topic. Please, go back to your comparison of Avatar to Mortal life.. I'll get out of your hair... :) "Scotty, this place sucks! Beam me up."

Edited July 15, 2010 by beefche
clean up the language a bit

[Moksha]

Don't ask me what role the body plays in the eternities because I don't know (oh, except the resurrected kidney gives you the ability to fly).

That takes some pressure off the gallbladder.

[hordak]

Again, in the movie the avatar was a temporary existance until the individual was "resurrected" with his "new" body by the G-d of Pandora. Interesting - I wonder where that idea came from?

The Traveler

Ya know. I watched that movie a few weeks ago up until the scientist got arrested and the female solder came to break them out. I never saw the ending. Guess i don't have to now. Thanks for ruining the movie:mad:

Don't worry, i figured he would somehow get to become one of them anyway.

[hordak]

I don't think that was part of the story or idea being portrayed by the creator of the movie; but I imagine there's nothing wrong with seeing parallels that might exist, even if they were not intentionally written in or placed there. Many people love to make a philisophical comparison between Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and the rise of Nazi Germany and the second world war; even though Tolkien very adimantly and planely stated it was an origional work of fiction having no basis in any factual event and was in no way a parable.

I have heard this about Star wars 2-3 and George Bush/ Iraq war

I found the movie to be droll and preachy. The special effects were not spectacular to me, but seemed to be nothing more than flashy window dressing on a tired used up story. You can put lipstick on a pig, or a loose woman for that matter, but it'll still be a pig or a loose woman.

Seems to be a common thing these days. I see it allot in Kids films.

I actually saw Avatar when i was a kid, it was called Fern Gully

I did not care for Titanic as a story; the visuals were incredible and very well rendered, the script was engaging, the cinematography was groundbreaking; as was the realism of the sets (the engine room scenes and those of underdecks and machinery spaces were actually filmed in one of the two remaining seaworthy Liberty Ships built during the Second World War). The emotional impact was carefully designed, and I believe that Cameron either consulted with psychoterapists in order to maximize sentiment, or is almost inhumanly 'gifted' with the ability to tell a story that'll make you feel like crap.

Never saw it. I know how it ends:). Seriously though i never saw it nor had the desire to.

His more recent work has been, in my never to be humble opinion, nothing more than special effects pieces; instead of telling a new story, a revolutionary one; with good dialogue, premise, and well researched 'science,' he's gone in the direction of putting lipstick on loose women, sticking them in a white dress, and marching them down the isle towards the audience who he treats as though they're blushing virgin bridegrooms.

I don't like 3D film; I like a film because of the story, because of how it makes me feel. The best movies ever made were black and white with no special effects; lighting, music, diaglogue, and excellent premises made the movie funny, suspensful, frightening, heartwarming, invigorating, angering, or just plain fun. Take "The Philadelphia Story" with Jimmy Stewart for example. Or the original "The Haunting."

Oh well, talk about being really off topic. Please, go back to your comparison of Avatar to Mortal life.. I'll get out of your hair... :) "Scotty, this place sucks! Beam me up."

I agree. I think technology has hurt cinema now that special effect can overcome a bad plot/ dialogue/ acting. I really noticed this in Disney /pixar / Dreamworks computer animation films. I think they can put them out faster, and cheaper then cartoons and therefor are less concerned with making a good story.

now back to your regularly scheduled discussion.

Edited July 15, 2010 by beefche

[Hemidakota]

Again, in the movie the avatar was a temporary existance until the individual was "resurrected" with his "new" body by the G-d of Pandora. Interesting - I wonder where that idea came from?

The Traveler

True! There is too much religious overtones seen in the movie.

[UrbanFool]

Not religious overtones! They simply lived one with nature.

I figure there is not a story out there that hasn't been done yet. I just don't look for extraneous messages when I watch a movie, I just watch for fun.

[JudoMinja]

Hmm, I'm surprised no one has brought this up yet.... Am I the only one who sees the parallels between Avatar and Pocohontas? I thought it to be a splendid mixture of Pocohontas and FernGully, taking a more modern approach to it.

But really, those "religious" undertones can be fully explained by the connection to the Pocohontas story. These people were much like the Native Americans- deeply in tune with nature and practicing strong beliefs in animism. The invading earthlings much like the conquering whites that spread over America.

Of course this was not an original idea, but that does not change the fact that it was well made. I enjoyed Pocohontas. I enjoyed FernGully. And I most certainly enjoyed Avatar.

I do agree that the use of the "avatar" bodies in the recreation of this story created further links and parallels that make this a useful comparison to our own LDS doctrine.

[dorave]

Avatar imo is Cameron's liberal attepmt at demonizing Capitalism and consrvatives. That there is no god as we know it, only the planet, which is an uber physical god, and we must serve it. It teaches collective salvation not individual salvation thru the natives, so this is far from LDS doctorine and some of their religious practices in the film even appear Esoteric. Avatar is just a global warming (the Earth is God) promoting piece of indoctrination.

Avartar is wack garbage.

[UrbanFool]

Wow. I'm glad I don't think that hard about the movies I watch.

[dorave]

It's your loss.

[UrbanFool]

I'm willing to live with that.

It's like when my husband watches a movie and the whole thing is spoiled for him because they used the wrong machine gun or something.

[dorave]

That's what you call consistency and the keeping of the rules, all adds to the immersion.

[Blackmarch]

Hmm, I'm surprised no one has brought this up yet.... Am I the only one who sees the parallels between Avatar and Pocohontas? I thought it to be a splendid mixture of Pocohontas and FernGully, taking a more modern approach to it.

But really, those "religious" undertones can be fully explained by the connection to the Pocohontas story. These people were much like the Native Americans- deeply in tune with nature and practicing strong beliefs in animism. The invading earthlings much like the conquering whites that spread over America.

Of course this was not an original idea, but that does not change the fact that it was well made. I enjoyed Pocohontas. I enjoyed FernGully. And I most certainly enjoyed Avatar.

I do agree that the use of the "avatar" bodies in the recreation of this story created further links and parallels that make this a useful comparison to our own LDS doctrine.

and dances with wolves and the white indian boy

[Mute]

Avatar is Pocahontas and Ferngully put into one movie.

[UrbanFool]

I have not seen Pocahontas and I've never heard of Ferngully.

[NeuroTypical]

We're talking about the Disnefied movie Pocahontas, right? The one where the Native Americans didn't keep slaves, where the bloody wars were only to "defend our lands", and where Pocahontas didn't immerse herself in European culture and try to emulate it in her own life?

[Matthew0059]

Avatar imo is Cameron's liberal attepmt at demonizing Capitalism and consrvatives. That there is no god as we know it, only the planet, which is an uber physical god, and we must serve it. It teaches collective salvation not individual salvation thru the natives, so this is far from LDS doctorine and some of their religious practices in the film even appear Esoteric. Avatar is just a global warming (the Earth is God) promoting piece of indoctrination.

Avartar is wack garbage.

THANK YOU!!

I stopped discussing Avatar because no one else seems to agree with this assessment. Then again, I take this kind of evaluation to every movie that comes out nowadays and very, very few pass the "good doctrine" test.

Edited August 1, 2010 by Matthew0059