Blog 4: Avatar

Director James Cameron's Avatar is this year's blockbuster hit! It is the highest grossing movie of all time, beating out the former title holder, Cameron's Titanic. It includes revolutionary animation and crystal clear 3D. Avatar is a must-see cinematic masterpiece.

Avatar is set in the future on a foreign planet called Pandora. This planet is inhabited by beautiful humanoid creatures called the Navi. The humans are on this planet to excavate and collect the extremely rare and value stone, Unobtainium. The conflict begins when it is explained that the largest deposit of this stone is directly beneath the Navi village. Jake Sully, a paralyzed former marine, is sent to infiltrate the Navi village disguised in an Avatar Navi body which he remotely controls (when controlling the Avatar, the person is put in a machine which allows them to feel, move, and live as if they were actually in that Navi Avatar body). Jake soon becomes entranced by the beauty of this world and the connection that the Navi have with it. He falls in love with his Navi teacher, Neytiri, who is the princess of the people. As the excavation date nears, Jake must choose between this magical new world and the home he came from.

Segourney Weaver plays the off beat and tough scientist who developed the Avatar program. The handsome Sam Worthington, known for his role in the latest Terminator, plays Jake Sully. The Navi people in Avatar were made to look incredibly real using the latest performance capture technology and Cameron's own creation of the image based facial performance capture. These technologies mean that that every movement of the CGI characters on the screen was performed by the actors. They are put into suits with sensors on them and they perform every stunt and every movement that the character does. There is also a little camera attached to the actor's helmet that records their facial expressions and then transfers every nuance of emotion to the Navi person. Therefore, what you are seeing on the screen is an almost exact performance and interpretation by the actors in the body of a Navi.

This movie is an amazing visual and cinematic experience that will leave you in awe. Avatar is the start of a whole new movie generation. Be sure you don't miss the epic film, Avatar!

Blog 5: Julie and Julia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjvJHsJD8ic

This is a trailer for the movie Julie & Julia. The opening images of this trailer is of Meryl Streep in black and white introducing herself as Julia Child followed by her catch phrase. This opening appeals to older people because it features the famous and familiar actress Meryl Streep playing Julia Child, an iconic television cook from the 1960's through the 1980's. Both of these people are familiar to this age group and therefore the trailer has grasped their attention.

The trailer then introduces that the movie will in fact have something to do with Julia Child and shows an amusing clip of Julia and her husband. A new character (played by Amy Adams, a familiar modern actress) is introduced as a "cubical worker" who has some connection with Julia Child. Another amusing clip is shown about her dissatisfaction with her job. These amusing clips lead the middle-aged viewer to believe that the movie is lighthearted and makes them want to see the film. The conflict of the new character is presented when she expresses her unhappiness with her life and the resolution is made that she could write a blog about something she loves, cooking. The trailer then states that the movie is based on two true stories. This connection with a modern day story and the familiar story of Julia Child makes the middle-aged person want to see it because they can be nostalgic and hip at the same time. Also the fact that they are true stories appeals to middle-aged viewers who usually prefer reality rather than fantasy.

The trailer continues on to show the development of both story lines with a few more amusing clips throughout. It explains that Julie is going to cook through Julia Child's cookbook and write a blog about it and depicts the life of Julia Child and her journey to becoming a "legend." The words in between the clips explain how Julia Child's work gave Julie "the recipe to change her life." This appeals to middle-aged viewers because it is inspirational and shows that something else from their lifetime has made a positive impact on the current generation. Concluding with a few more amusing clips and the older viewer is left with a happy feeling and the urge to go see Julie & Julia!