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I’ve talked enough about Zoe Saldana’s fabulous acting skills in this movie, but I think it will help to put a face to the name, or in this case, a face to the Na’vi. You would probably know her best from her recent role in Star Trek as Lt. Uhura. Sigourney Weaver’s Na’vi avatar was pretty distinct, it really looked like her, down to her jawline and unique smile. I know I don’t even have to put down Weaver’s film credits here – the woman is a legend even outside of Cameron’s films. I got a hint for the actor who played Eytukan, Wes Studi, if not from his facial resemblance but rather from his voice. I know him best from The Last of the Mohicans and Dances With Wolves, although he’s been in heaps of other stuff since then. CCH Pounder, you’d know best from The Shield as Detective Claudette Wyms. Joel Moore I recognized from Dodgeball and Fox’s Bones. And lastly (but not least), Laz Alonso you’d probably know from Fast & Furious and Stomp the Yard among other things.

So here you go. The Human and the Na’vi.

Sam Worthington aka Jake Sully

Zoe Saldana aka Neytiri

Sigourney Weaver aka Dr. Grace Augustine

Wes Studi aka Eytukan

CCH Pounder aka Moat

Laz Alonso aka Tsu’tey

Joel Moore aka Norm Spellman

A visitor to my blog sent me an email that the name of the neural connection between the Na’vi and their steeds (Direhorses or Mountain Banshees or in the case of Toruk Makto, the Leonopteryx) is called Tsahaylu so I thought I’d post an update in case anyone else wanted to know. In Na’vi language, it means the bond. The Na’vi also use the bond to become one with Ewya and hear the voices of their ancestor’s souls by joining with the Sacred Tree of Souls.

It’s pretty neat that James Cameron’s concept of the “avatar” trends throughout this film. I mentioned in my initial review that I felt like I was experiencing Pandora through the film as my avatar. In this case, when the Na’vi bond with another creature like the Direhorse or the Banshee, they guide and control its thoughts with their own via tsahaylu. So do they then become avatars of the Na’vi? It’s a mind-boggling concept. I think I actually get a bit dizzy if I think about it too much, so I may just stop myself now while I’m ahead. Do post if you’ve noticed similar though.

Seeds of the Sacred Tree – very pure spirits, seeds of the sacred tree of Ewya. Central to the Na’vi’s spiritual beliefs. Ewya connects the entire biological ecosystem of Pandora.

Great Leonopteryx (Toruk or last shadow) – similar to the Mountain Banshee although far larger and striped with red, yellow and black markings, with large blue bone-fins on its head and the under-side of its jaw. Looks like a pterodactyl. Central figure in Na’vi history with Toruk Makto (one who rides the last shadow).

Direhorse - similar to a horse, used as a transport animal by the Na’vi. Has a neural connector that bonds with the Na’vi’s connector (at the end of their long braid) to join their minds so they think as one.

Mountain Banshee – flying predator, also used as an aerial transport animal by the Na’vi warriors. One of the last rite of passage tasks of becoming a warrior is to fight a banshee and seal the bond. In James Cameron’s Avatar, a banshee only makes one bond with a Na’vi warrior for its lifetime. They roost in the Hallelujah Mountains. Same neural connection link as the Direhorse.

Hammerhead Titanothere - like a very large rhinoceros only with a hammerhead shark-like head made of bone. Territorial and attacks when threatened.

Hexapede - like an antelope with blue and white stripes. Elaborate webbed fins around its head.

Prolemuris - looks like a cross between a monkey, a lemur and a webbed frog. Move in large groups.

Viperwolf - looks like a shiny large dog-like animal. Hunt in packs. Reminds me of the mutated dogs in the Resident Evil films.

Thanator - a gigantic feline predator. Looks like a shiny black panther with a heavily muscled body.

I also found an early article from Ben Barna that talks about some of the creatures from Avatar with more information on size and eating habits as well as a Wikia entertainment site that has a ton of detail on most of Pandora’s flora and fauna.

Updated per comment by Christy.

Fan Lizard – looks like a baby reptilian lizard but has a swirling circular purple fan that opens when touched on the top of its body.

I read in a recent New York Times review that angels are the “new” vampires. Whether that’s true or not remains to be seen, but the latest book written by Anne Rice (the queen of vampire novels) is indeed about angels, Angel Time. People are naturally drawn to dark and light, and it will always be something that they can connect with, whether that’s vampires searching for redemption, or Jedis choosing the dark side of the force, or angels trying to save the human race from the wrath of God. Not to miss out on the trend prediction, Legion will hit theaters on January 22, 2010. Check out the trailer here.

So I went to see Avatar again, and yes, totally in IMAX. Read my initial review here.

I was not disappointed a second time. I did find myself wishing certain sequences would move more quickly so I could get to my the parts I loved, but overall, the impact was near the same. Gorgeous visuals and an emotionally-captivating story. This time I felt I focused more on Sam Worthington’s Jake Sully (he has some of the best expressions in Na’vi mode) rather than Zoe Saldana’s Neytiri, although she was still spectacular. I still stand by what I blogged about her amazing acting in my initial review, especially in the scenes with her dying father and when Jake reveals his betrayal. Still gut-wrenching and raw. And my favorite part? Yep, still that scene in the end where she cradles the human Jake Sully, and he says “I see you” to her while touching her face. One of the best films I have ever seen.

So I made the mistake of watching 2012 right after Avatar, which was probably not a good thing for any film, even if it was an above average film. 2012, sadly, was not. It was more of a hodge podge of “getting the hell out of dodge” when the world starts collapsing (literally) under your feet.

Apart from some decent earth-cracking magma and tsunami scenes, 2012 was lacking in a strong plot and the acting on the whole was sub-par, which for John Cusack and Woody Harrelson was a bit disappointing for me. 2012 tried to have the feel of Armageddon and it fell far short. The arc concept was neat but it was so poorly executed and undermined by the shoddy acting and loose ends all around (like the annoying Russian ex-boxer with twin idiotic sons) that it didn’t have as much impact as it could have.

Rotten Tomatoes has it at 39%. I’d give 2012 one star for effort, and say wait for cable television.

omg. OMG. What a fantastic film! I just saw AVATAR in 3D IMAX resulting in complete sensory overload! I don’t even know where to start on this review. All I know is that I can unequivocally say that AVATAR was the best movie I have ever seen. And I have seen a lot of movies. Hands down, five stars. Hell, I’d give it six stars. Rotten Tomatoes has it at a well-deserved 82%.

I know there was a lot of hype behind this film given the astronomical amount of money that James Cameron poured into it (upwards of $400 million in production with $100 million more spent on advertising), but seriously, for once the movie matched all the hype. AVATAR was phenomenal.

First, the cinematography (I talked about it in my last post – James Cameron’s Avatar Trailer) was amazing. Viewing the film in 3D was like being a immersed into the landscape of Pandora – a part of its lush forests with multi-hued fantastic flora and fauna of all kinds. It was uniquely magnificent, and I was transported into that world from the very first glimpse of the planet. The Na’vi were fascinating as a species, both to look at in terms of their cat-like beauty and grace to their way of life and deeply-rooted metaphysical relationship with their planet. I loved Zoe Saldana’s character, Neytiri. She was so fierce and beautiful and feminine, all in one package. What a fantastic character – such a strong female heroine! Neytiri was real and gritty and more “human” than some of her human counterparts in recent movies. She was so entrenched in her feelings. You could hear her raw emotion when she cried after her father died or when Jake revealed his betrayal. Zoe Saldana delivered a spectacular performance, worthy of recognition. Despite only seeing her in CGI’d Na’vi form, her ability to deliver that kind of gut performance goes beyond anything I’ve ever seen.

I had to admit I had some misgivings because I believed going in to see Avatar that there was going to be an unhappy ending – after all, how does a human possessing the body of a Na’vi via a machine get to live happily ever after? The human controller must survive for the Na’vi avatar to live. But I loved the way that James Cameron resolved this for me. Not to give away too much, but Pandora’s magic, the spirit of Eywa, just made it come together so naturally when Jake Sully assumes the consciousness of his avatar for good, that I was spellbound.

I loved Sam Worthington’s character, Jake Sully. I was rooting for him the whole time and I really wanted Neytiri to fall for him. Of course she had to be the daughter of the clan leader and seer! That was the only part that was a little predictable, but you always have to have an untouchable “princess” in these types of stories. Worked for me! When Jake Sully shows up with the Leonopteryx, as the sixth Toruk Makto, I felt my heart jump for him. That was just awesome!! In a lot of ways, the film itself became a medium for me to experience his character’s first interaction with Pandora and the Na’vi – almost as if it were the avatar and I, it’s human connection.  How’s that for a mind-twister?

The conflict battle scenes were spectacular. I felt so emotionally connected to the Na’vi that I found myself gripping the arms of my seat when their Hometree was destroyed and when they were attacked by the sky-people. Sigourney Weaver was as awesome as she was in Alien, although not in the lead role this time, but she is just made for these types of movies. I’ve always been a huge fan of hers and all the Alien films.

I was connected to this movie the whole time, feeling goosebumps and a sense of breathlessness many times throughout its 162 minute run-time. At the end when Neytiri jumps into the shack and saves the human Jake, that scene was so emotionally touching – you just felt that it didn’t matter what species they were – she loved him, and he, her. When they said “I see you” to each other, I felt their love in my toes. And that is an emotional connection, folks.

This film took me away from a very mundane reality to a fantastic world that I just didn’t want to leave. I would watch Avatar again in a heartbeat! One of the things that makes a movie great is its ability to draw in its viewers and to make them connect emotionally, visually, and aurally with its message. Avatar accomplished that and more. It was a movie that I didn’t want to end. I walked out of the movie theater with a fist pump and a huge grin, completely satisfied, which is more than I can say for many, many other films. You will experience the gambit of human emotions through the film, and for those critics who’ve said that it has no real plot or story, well they’re the ones without imagination. Avatar is not just a fantasy or sci-fi film, it’s a love story with a ton of action and some pretty neat concepts (like all life on Pandora being connected like the synapses of the human brain).

This film has no equal. I’d pay the $16 to see it in IMAX again no doubt. 5 stars.

I tried to read this book about a year ago, and just could not get past the first few chapters. I found the structure very difficult to navigate, and ended giving up not far into the story. It just didn’t pull me in even though the concept was quite interesting. When the movie came on during a recent flight, I decided to watch it because I like Eric Bana and I love Rachel McAdams, especially her role in The Notebook – an all-time favorite love story (book and movie both).

I won’t mince words. I was disappointed with The Time Traveler’s Wife. A very wise person once told me that in any fantasy world or any story that is based on fantastical elements, you must have structure and rules around and within it, enough so that the reader/viewer can sink into the world and trust it if that’s the right word. If you don’t, then you lose credibility with the reader. It doesn’t matter if the world is set on some fictional planet, if the rules are clear, then the reader will be drawn into the story and it becomes real.

That said, that was what was missing for me in The Time Traveler’s Wife. I just didn’t feel that the rules were clear. Why did he time travel? Was it caused by stress? Drink? TVs, I think at one point? How were those linked? Why were some periods longer and others not? There was some mention of genetics but no conclusive answers to Henry’s predicament. Also why did Clare fall in love with him? What drew her? Why did she stay with him when it must have been incredibly lonely? When he get s vasectomy, why does she cheat on him with a younger version of himself to get pregnant? How/why does the baby time travel? Where does it go? How does she manage to make it 9 months? How was it possible for Henry to come back after his death? How/why was his daughter able to control it? Was there something powerful about singing related to controlling the traveling? Too many questions – and not enough answers or resolution.

I also didn’t connect with any of the characters. In fact, the first time I felt any sort of connection was the first glimpse of their daughter when she saw them walking past her. Henry and Clare felt a bit bland to me, I just didn’t get the sense that there was any real relationship between them. And while there was some juxtaposition with a couple friends/family in the mix, it seemed very contrived – they felt too much like “extras.”

There were so many good possibilities with this film, especially with its messages – perhaps being able to fall in love with someone at different times in their life. Or maybe staying with someone through thick and thin. But overall, it just fell flat for me. If you compare this love story to The Notebook, it’s obvious that the hard-hitting message is missing. There’s no deep connection, no answers to the WHY (in fact, many, many whys), which just leaves you hanging and unsatisfied.

I would rate The Time Traveler’s Wife 2 out of 5 stars.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice with Nicholas Cage looks like it could be good and bad. Good because the special effects seem awesome – the first couple scenes in the trailer with the eagle off the Empire State Building  and the dragon ring are pretty cool. And bad because it’s Nicholas Cage and I’m not really a huge fan of his (although I did love him in Gone in 60 Seconds). Plus it’s a little hard to take Jay Baruchel seriously (Knocked Up, Tropic Thunder). For what it’s worth, it’s a Disney movie and it should have a ton of Disney dollars behind it which could translate into something neat to watch (i.e., sick special effects). With Jerry Bruckheimer at the helm, you know it’s going to be halfway decent. Still, jury’s still out on my end mainly because of the cast although Alfred Molina as the bad guy is a solid choice (Spiderman 2).

Check out the trailer and decide for yourself…

So I was finally able to taste the “Vampire” Cabernet Sauvignon wine thanks to my buddy Esquie (aka Pam) – she lives just down the block and figured we’d bust it open to toast our weirdness and of course shower some good luck on the novel. I have to say I was wary given my experience with “Werewolf” also reviewed on this site, you know where I said that I thought I’d been sledge-hammered? Yep, that one. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised. Vampire was fruity and not too heavy, not as you’d expect from a wine named after a blood-drinking fiend. It was pretty decent, definitely a “quaffing” wine, and no ring around the lips! Huzzah! No hangover either.

Would I recommend it? Sure, if just for the excitement of opening a bottle with such a cool name. Vampire versus Werewolf? Vampire hands down in this case. Although I do have to note that the Werewolf wine was from Romania while Vampire was from good old California (grown in the Paso Robles region of California’s Central Coast). Try it, like I said, it’s pretty decent, and it’s supposedly wined by actual vampires. Or so they say on their site. I’ll let you know if I wake up with a taste for blood and a fear of light – my very own Lost Boys transformation.

If you’re over 21, please drink responsibly.

Ok, so maybe Blade Trinity wasn’t one of the best, but seriously you have to love Ryan Reynolds and his dry, witty comments, “I picked Danica up in a bar, and spent the next five years playing hide-and-go-suck as her little vampire cabana boy.” He cracks me up everytime, not to mention his interaction with Parker Posey, “Her name is Danica Talos. You met her earlier. And unlike typical vampires, her fangs are located in her vagina.”

Blade Trinity was nothing like its two predecessors, but overall I enjoyed it for mindless, vampire-filled entertainment. And yes, complete with FANGS and BLOOD. Hooray!

I’m only posting about this because I watched it right after I went to see New Moon (check out my review), and it was cathartic. I needed blood, guts, and fangs. I needed “real” vampires. And I got them, even if they were bad ones. So the moral of this story is that some things are good for something.  Or maybe, the sad fact is that every not-so-good vampire movie ever made will get better after watching any one of the Twilight movies.

Take back your fangs, I say!

Just a quick note that I’ve finished my last round of edits on my manuscript, following some notes/comments from an editor (formerly of Harper Collins). I’ve just submitted it to my agent for review, and we will see what the next steps are. Looking to submission in January! Woo hoo!

So I finally dragged myself to the theater to see New Moon. I was really excited to see it and then when the reviews started to come in, I just felt my anticipation wear off. It wasn’t bad…it just wasn’t great. It did have some good, redeeming moments. But overall, it didn’t leave a huge impression on me. Rotten Tomatoes has it at a resounding 29% on the Tomatometer.

New Moon book fans will be happy that the script stayed very true to the book. In this installment of the Twilight Saga, I thought the chemistry between Bella and Jacob was awesome and believable. Taylor Lautner’s acting was very realistic. I’ve read that some people have said that he cannot act – I don’t believe this to be the case at all. I thought he played the character really well. In fact, I believed him more when he told Bella that she should go home and stay away from him, more than I believed Edward. I also thought Kristen Stewart acted heaps better when she was opposite Taylor Lautner than Robert Pattinson. Their relationship just seemed far more solid to me.

Speaking of Edward, Robert Pattinson once more failed to deliver for me. The best part of the movie with him in it was the fight scene with Felix which was pretty cool. But overall, his acting just makes me cringe. Although I will say that his acting in the scene with Aro was decent – but then again, who wouldn’t be decent with Lucian from Underworld!!! That guy is awesome! Aro was creepy and scary and very “vampire-ish” which is how vampires should be. I also thought Alice was pretty bad, as in B-grade actor, bad. Her jokes that were great in the book (especially in the scene with Jacob – wet dog) just felt flat with her poor delivery. Loved Charlie, even though he wasn’t as witty as he was in Twilight. Dakota Fanning was good in her very brief scene, although I would have liked it if she’d been a touch more PO’d after not being able to hurt Bella. Maybe a hiss or or a snarl or something. Oh right, these vampires use their hands to bash people in not their fangs.

Which brings me to my biggest peeve…

How can you have a vampire with no fangs? How can you have a vampire movie with no blood (I mean a paper-cut, come on)? Jasper’s face when he was rushing toward Bella didn’t look like a hungry vampire – he looked like a normal person with funny contacts who was constipated. And then the sparkling just undermines it all for me. I think we need to make up a new species for these vampires, something like Vamp-Sparkle-Fairies or Vamfairies or pansy-ass vampires. Cause they aren’t real vampires…Bram Stoker would not be amused, people.

Can I just requote Damon from the Vampire Diaries episode 4:-

Caroline: “How come you don’t sparkle.”

Damon: “Because I live in the real world where vampires burn in the sun….This book has it all wrong.”

Ok fine I didn’t mean to go off on a tirade just yet, but seriously, fang-less vampires? They’re like vampire eunuchs.

So my favorite part of course, despite having seen it a bunch of times, was the werewolf fight scene with Jake. And I loved the part in the end where he was the wolf and he said goodbye with Bella’s image in his eye. Man that was a tender moment. Silly Bella, letting him go.

I also loved the scene with Victoria and the wolves, I thought that was pretty cool. The movie had a pretty decent soundtrack too.

Now seriously I am a vampire girl, first and foremost. I’ve never been a werewolf fan (even though I love Lucian in Underworld). But in this saga, so far I am Team Jacob all the way. He just looked warm. He was everything I imagined Jacob Black to be from the book. It’s funny because after I read Twilight, I was an Edward fan, and now after the movie, I am totally a Jacob fan. And those abs…there are no words. He was yummy and I connected with him on screen. Plus his almost-kiss with Bella was far more believable and sexy than all of the terrible, terrible kissing scenes between Bella and Edward. You know, I can’t believe that those two are a couple given that they have ZERO chemistry. Their kisses are horrible. All I can say is that if they win MTV “Best Kiss” then people really have their eyes closed in the movie theater. It’s not even in the same realm as The Notebook or Spider-Man for “Best Kiss!” In fact, I would probably go as far to say that the girl-girl kiss in Not Another Teen Movie was a lot better. That’s how totally awkward they were, no kidding.

Lastly, I just didn’t get the over-tortured screaming in the dreams. That was just painful. Like nails on a chalk-board painful. I think the movie could have survived and been far better without it. I’d be having dreams like that after seen glowing red eyes in the forest in the middle of the night, not because some vampire dude who can’t act left me high and dry.

Overall, I’d give the movie, New Moon about 2 stars. I’d recommend waiting for DVD or Cable Television. Heard Showtime‘s got the rights. Save your $10. I think I felt exactly the same for Twilight.

You will remember my last post on the subject – the hilarious vampire parody that just makes you laugh so hard, it hurts – Intercourse with a Vampire. Well, get ready for more! Its talented, funny creator, Jake Fleisher, has just posted two new follow-up episodes. Get your New Moon anti-gas medicine here!

Dating a vampire in high school is awesome, but sometimes love shouldn’t be eternal.

Episode #1:  Something is cold in this bed, and it’s not your feet.

Episode #2:  Introducing your parents to your boyfriend’s family is always going to be nerve wracking.  A bit more so when his family are bloodsuckers.

Episode #3:  Vampires can move at superhuman speeds.  Where they squander that gift is their own business.

Intercourse With A Vampire, Episode 3

Ok so 30 days of “literary abandon” morphed into something else entirely. I did get a lot done so I am happy about that but unfortunately I just did not factor in the effect of the Thanksgiving Day food coma. This year, that teensy weensy little holiday completely undermined any so-called activity that wasn’t dedicated to culinary pleasure (and regret).

National Novel Writing Month ended yesterday, currently reporting a 2,147,483,647 collective word count for 2009 on the NaNoWriMo website. TWO MILLION + words written! That’s insanely awesome!

Basically my cumulative total is 36,880, the SAME from my update on Day 24. I could save face and maybe add in a word or two, but that would just be self-indulgence (not to mention completely shameless) on my part. I do not consider this a failure – 36,880 by all accounts is a freaking big number! So I will give myself a pat on the back, if not a NaNoWriMo “winner” certificate, and hop back to it.

Writing doesn’t stop just because the month does, so good luck to all the other aspiring writers out there!