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 Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 3:29 pm
Okay, I know this isn't exactly Buddhism-related, but I just saw Avatar at the theater today and I was wondering what other people thought about it.
For me, the movie was like nothing I had expected. It wasn't just a movie, it was an experience, and no movie I've ever seen has touched me on such an emotional and spiritual level. I laughed, I cried... and I thought. When I walked out of the theater I felt like a different person. I felt like a better and wiser person, and I really felt connected with the rest of the world. It's because of this feeling of interconnectedness that I brought the subject of this movie to the forum.
I don't think I'll ever see the connections between myself, reality, and nature the same way after seeing that movie. I was wondering if anyone else saw the movie and had a similar experience or similar feelings as I did?
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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 6:02 pm
Wait, which Avatar? There is Avatar: The Last Air Bender, and there is Jame's Cameron's Avatar. This might confuse people. I haven't seen the movie but I would love to hear about it.
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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:51 am
I would assume this is Cameron's, as the Last Airbender one isn't out yet. 3nodding
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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 2:33 pm
Oh right, sorry guys. It's James Cameron's Avatar.
And it's such an amazing movie...
Basically, it's set in the future, and humans have found a moon in another solar system that supports intelligent life in the form of the Na'vi, who are the giant, blue-skinned native people. In order to learn more about the Na'vi, human scientists came up with the Avatar Project; humans link their minds to Na'vi bodies, allowing them to live as a Na'vi. They can then breathe the planet's atmosphere without a mask, and can link to other life forms, as the Na'vi can. The moon is called Pandora, and on Pandora all life is connected. If you've ever heard of James Lovelock's "Gaia Hypothesis," it's extremely similar to Pandora. The whole moon acts as a living organism, which each individual life form is a part of. The Na'vi call this Eywa, kind of like Mother Nature. She is their god. So the Na'vi are spiritually, physically, and emotionally connected to all life on Pandora. For me it greatly reinforced in my mind the Buddhist concept of interconnectedness... and it also gave me a perspective of mankind's relationship with nature. When I left the theater I was walking outside and trying to imagine the entire earth; one pulsing, breathing, living being. One consciousness to which we are all connected. Like Nirvana.
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Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 1:36 pm
Byaggha I would assume this is Cameron's, as the Last Airbender one isn't out yet. 3nodding I aswell assumed that, but alot of people have been getting them confused lately. Hmm... very interesting plot ghostO_Odancing. Do remember if it was based on a book or a game? I've been hearing it both ways.
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:58 pm
I think it's just a movie, period; James Cameron wrote the script and plans to turn it into a novel. There's a video game based on the movie. I have it, but it kinda sucks. x_X
The movie, however, is truly spectacular. I've seen it twice now, and hope to see it again very soon.
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TheManWhoLivesintheClouds
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Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 11:13 am
A quick way to tell them apart is if the word Avatar is in the title. The last air bender is just called The Last Airbender while James Cameron's Avatar is called Avatar.
Truly an amazing movie, and the lead man captured the military mind set very well.
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Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 5:25 am
eek I must see this! I believe that here on earth we are all connected. Part of the reason you can know what someone is thinking when they are thinking it. You just know it inside of you.
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:43 am
I saw the movie the weekend it came out. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!! I can fully agree with the OP. It was a full on experience and when I left the theater I was in DEEP thought. Trance-like thought, even. I was in such deep thought that it was difficult for me to drive home. Favorite movie. Of all time. It has inspired me to do so many things. I have almost successfully created a spoken language. I can't wait until this movie comes out on DVD.
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 6:16 am
I have always loved how similar Native american theology is to Buddhism and other east asian theologies. interconnectedness, nature worship (to a sense) even creation myths.
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 6:39 am
Well it is gentle and kind. It is not like 'worship Eywa or you are going to suffer for eternity' Like many other religions are. So it is like buddhism in the fact they have a way of life, not a way to force feed a religion.
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 9:39 pm
Honestly, Avatar is one of my favorite films to date as well, and I feel quite lucky to have been able to see it in a local 3D theater with my girlfriend while it was showing. In terms of science fiction alone, the realistic application of technology in the film was really exciting for me (I've always loved science fiction and am considering majoring in one of many engineering fields), and many ideas I (and no doubt countless others) had considered for things like making the mechs feasible saw life in Avatar.
However, Jungle Boots made a very good point by referencing the familiar theological themes present in the film and I personally took those thoughts a good many steps further (not to say JB didn't as well). To me, the film was more than a very well-written space epic with fantastic actors and special effects, and very much an educated retelling of the fates that befell countless indigenous peoples here on Earth when foreign settlers showed up at their doorsteps.
And, while the movie obviously ended on a better note for the Na'vi than it did for people here on Earth, it left me hoping that other people would see the line between Pandora and Earth and better educate themselves and others about the history of how mankind has treated itself so far.. and, in doing so, hopefully be more inclined to show other, if any, races in the universe more compassion than we've shown ourselves (and life on this planet in general).
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Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 5:01 am
Sweet as... I loved Avatar, the special effects blew my mind. I admit I laughed, and cired as well, and was shocked when I was told the original Ideology of the movie. Unaware Avatar is based from the thought of America corporations taking whatever they need, even if it means to destroy the environment and such. Plus, I still think they watched Ferngully, whilst drinking. XDD Yellow Bumblebees
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Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 10:29 pm
Personally I feel as the Na'vi do in their world, about
the Earth and everything in our world. I felt pain when they
were destroying the forest and killing each other.
I understand that it is just a movie, and I understand that
sometimes you must fight for what you wish to protect or
believe in, but those particular scenes caused thoughts and
memories of mine to resurface.
I wouldn't say it changed me, but it was sort of a reminder of
my beliefs.
the visualisations were beautifully rendered...
and did anyone else think the segments of Earth in the sky
seemed a lot like the floatweed from Final Fantasy XII?
i instantly thought of the Mosphoran Highwaste when I saw that.
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