Hugo (2011)

Genre

Adventure | Drama

Director

Martin Scorsese

Country

USA

Cast

Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Ray Winstone, Emily Mortimer, Jude Law, Helen McCrory, Michael Stuhlbarg, Christopher Lee, Frances de la Tour, Richard Griffiths, Marco Aponte, Kevin Eldon, Gulliver McGrath, Angus Barnett, Ben Addis, Emil Lager, Robert Gill

Storyline

Hugo (Asa Butterfield), an orphan who lives in a Paris railway station, gets interested and tangled in a mystery involving an automaton left by his dead father (Jude Law).

Opinion

Martin Scorsese making a children's film? I didn't see that coming, and I'm sure neither did you. Another thing I did not see coming was how disappointing "Hugo" would have been. While it arguably is a visual splendor - and you don't need the 3D to see and say that -, the film pretty much lacks substance.

The biggest problem is the execution. What a mess! The story really looked great on paper but apparently something went wrong because what was supposed to be a magical, engaging adventure filled with mystery and suspense ended up being a tedious, heartless story that goes on and on where nothing interesting happens for most of the time. And the plot holes definitely didn't help.

Another problem is the lack of warmth and emotions in the relationships between several of the main characters. It all feels so cold. And I believe the reason, other than Scorsese not doing his job well, is the main actor, Asa Butterfield, who looks like a piece of wood most of the time and makes you wonder whether it's an animation film you're watching or those are real people.

Anyway, despite all these emotional problems, Scorsese still manages to make a tribute to cinema while expressing his love for this art, and with some breathtaking scenes, he is able to show the sense of wonder the first audiences must have experienced.

And like I mentioned before, visually the film is spectacular. It's not only the special effects, but also the fantastic set design and costumes, and the stunning cinematography. The music as well contributes in providing the film with a little magic that should have been provided by the story.

Worth of a mention are Ben Kingsley who delivers a quite touching performance as an early film pioneer. Easily the best performance of the film, and Sasha Baron Cohen who is surprisingly effective as the Station Inspector.

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Genre

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

Director

Woody Allen

Country

USA

Cast

Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kurt Fuller, Mimi Kennedy, Michael Sheen, Nina Arianda, Carla Bruni, Yves Heck, Alison Pill, Tom Hiddleston, Corey Stoll, Sonia Rolland, Daniel Lundh, Thérèse Bourou-Rubinsztein, Kathy Bates, Marcial Di Fonzo, Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux, Emmanuelle Uzan, Adrien Brody, Gad Elmaleh

Storyline

While on a trip to Paris with his fincée (Rachel McAdams) and her family, romantic at heart screenwriter Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) finds himself mysteriously going back to the 20's where he meets his favourite writers, musicians and artists. 

Opinion

Probably it's because, just like Gil, the protagonist, I'm romantic at heart, but I don't simply love this film, I find it someway magical. 

Nostalgic, romantic and full of hope, "Midnight in Paris" is a terrific film, one of the best Allen film in ages.

After several not so appealing stories, Allen delights us with a charming, beautifully written story that blends comedy, fantasy and romance like never seen before, and that transports us into the director's magical world. The use of time traveling as plot device is simply brilliant, and it's incredible how Allen manages to make this story seem so real despite all the unrealistic things going on.

There are numerous themes in this film, and among them all the love for a city, in this case Paris, definitely stands out. Then there is the nostalgia for ages neither the protagonist, Allen himself nor we have lived in, but still believe only in that era it could have been possible to truly express oneself.

Then there are two layers, the surface that makes you understand how important is to live in the present and that we should start appreciating it, even though dreaming will always be more fascinating, at least for me. Then there's the core that makes you realizes that we have forgotten about the profound aspects of life.

The characters may be the typical Allen personas, but that also means witty, humorous, excellent dialogue as we are used to. And it balances to perfection the magic of both the story and the setting. To add an even bigger wow effect there is a stunning cinematography and an absolutely wonderful score.

And the all-star cast takes the film even a step further. I don't usually like Owen Wilson, but he was different here. Of course it's because of the character he was playing - a nostalgic, romantic writer -, but he gives his best performance ever in my opinion. The supporting performances are excellent as well, with a special mention for Rachel McAdams in the role of Wilson's finacée, and Marion Cotillard as the lovely girl who had an affair with Picasso and Hemingway.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Genre

Adventure | Animation | Comedy

Director

Lee Unkrich

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, John Morris, Don Rickles, Blake Clark, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Michael Keaton, Jodi Benson, Emily Hahn, Jeff Pidgeon, Timothy Dalton, Kristen Schaal, Jeff Garlin Bonnie Hunt, Whoopi Goldberg

Storyline

Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen) and the other toys are mistakenly delivered to a day-care center instead of the attic right before Andy leaves for college, and it's up to Woody to convince the other toys that they weren't abandoned and to return home.

Opinion

It rarely happens that the third film of a trilogy manages to not be a failure and to live up to the previous installments, especially if those films are spectacular. But this is Disney-Pixar and they barely know how to let people down, and "Toy Story 3" is a magnificent proof of that.

Structed like in the previous films, the storyline still is about the fear of being discarded and unwanted, and the obsession of being forgotten, but it doesn't get boring, not even for a second.

The screenwriters delights us with an emotional plot that will make cry even the most hard-hearted, and the characters have never been like this before; they are more courageous, sweet and the human characters are more involved into the story.

And that leads to the themes addressed by the film. Because of that, the film has the opportunity to portray the transition to adult life, necessitated with the departure for college and eventually to decide what to do with all those things, toys, that have been a huge part of a person's life.

But they didn't forget to keep it fun. Cast aside all the messages the film conveys, the film is a wonderful, entertaining ride whose interesting plot and cute, cuddly villain will make you keep your eyes glued to the screen.

Basically needless to say is how fantastic the animation is, but I'll still spend some words on it anyway. Whether 3D at the movie theater or 2D at home, the animation is better than ever, and the moves of the characters more than anything else are simply perfect.

Can't wait for "Toy Story 4". 

The Fighter (2010)

Genre

Biography | Drama | Sport

Director

David O. Russell

Country

USA

Cast

Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo, Jack McGee, Frank Renzulli, Mickey O'Keefe, Jenna Lamia, Bianca Hunter, Erica McDermott, Sugar Ray Leonard

Storyline

For Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), boxing is a family affair. His tough-as-nails mother (Melissa Leo) is his manager. His half-brother, Dicky (Christian Bale), once a promising boxer himself, is his very unreliable trainer. Despite Micky's hard work, he is losing and, when the latest fight nearly kills him, he follows his girlfriend's (Amy Adams) advice and splits from the family. 

Opinion

Not what I expected. This is the first thing that comes to my mind when thinking about this film. Maybe it's because I do associate Mark Wahlberg to mediocre films, and I thought this would have been just a film about boxing, with tons of fights and nothing more. But David O. Russell directed it, and Christian Bale did another of his amazing transformations for the role, so I couldn't help but give it a try: I'm glad I did. 

Based on a real story, The Fighter is a family drama with a boxing background that reaches a whole new emotional level for the genre.

Brilliantly written, as said before, the story isn't focused on boxing, but mostly deals with family problems, drugs addiction, and failures - of a crack addict on one side, and of a bartender who drinks to not think about the place she works in on the other side -, but also redemption. It is the story of a man who didn't give up, and the title couldn't be more appropriate.

Lot of people are wondering how different the film would have been if Aronofsky made it. I think we should focus on the incredible job David O. Russell did, and put the 'What ifs' aside. Because let's face the truth, his direction is flawless, and when it comes to biopics, he is the man.

What else can I say? The grainy, documentary-like cinematography gives the film an authentic look. The soundtrack features wonderful rock classics like The Rolling Stones "Can't You Hear Me Knocking", and Led Zeppelin's "Good Times Bad Times", and a newer rock piece, The Heavy's "How You Like Me Now?".

The acting is the best part of the film. Mark Wahlberg did really surprise me, delivering a great performance as Micky Ward. Amy Adams and Melissa Leo provide a good support. However, Christian Bale is star. Not only he did drop 30 pounds of weight for the role - we are used to see him continuously physically transformed -, but he did become Dicky Eklund: the desperate need to be appreciated for what he could have been can literally be read in his eyes. 

Quotes

Dicky Eklund: Are you like me? Huh? Was this good enough to fight Sugar Ray? Never had to win, did I? You gotta do more in there. You gotta win a title. For you, for me, for Lowell. This is your time, all right? You take it. I had my time and I blew it. You don't have to. All right? You fuckin' get out there, and use all the shit that you've been through, all that fuckin' hell, all the shit we've gone trough over the fuckin' years, and you put it in that ring right now. This is yours. This is fuckin' yours.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Genre

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Director

David O. Russell

Country

USA

Cast

Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Anupam Kher, Shea Whigham, Julia Stiles, John Ortiz, Brea Bee, Cheryl Williams, Patrick McDade, Dash Mihok, Matthew Russell, Paul Herman, Patsy Meck

Storyline

Released from a psychiatric hospital, and  determined to win back his estranged wife, Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) meets recently widowed Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), who offers to help him get his wife back if he enters a dance competition with her.

Opinion

While the most of the girls were, and still are, falling in love with what Hollywood has been calling romantic comedies, I felt for this masterpiece.

Based on Matthew Quick's novel, Silver Linings Playbook is a mess, but what a mess! It is an emotional rollercoaster ride about real people, real situations, and experiences that finds the perfect balance between comedy and drama, and deals with mental illness, depression, early death, gambling, football fanaticism, dance, hope, and family, all in 122 minutes.

David O. Russell brilliantly tells a sweet, hilarious, yet complicated story, and manages to turn the film into a romantic comedy without the audience even noticing it. 

The soundtrack really deserves a special mention, because we all know that when the music is in harmony with the scene, the film gets stronger. Each song has its own purpose, especially Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" and Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash duet song "The Girl from the North Country".

The best aspect of the film, however, is the acting. Even though it is a comedy, Bradley Cooper plays one of his most serious roles, and he is just outstanding. Jennifer Lawrence, the real star of the film, delivers one of the most powerful performances of recent years. The two fill their roles with so much life, it is impossible to not fall for their characters. The supporting cast does a brilliant job, and we finally get to see again De Niro truly engaged to his character. 

Quotes

Pat: The only way you can beat my crazy was by doing something crazy yourself. Thank you. I love you. I knew it the minute I met you. I'm sorry it took so long for me to catch up. I just got stuck.

Pat: I mean, the world's hard enough as it is, guys. It's fucking hard enough as it is. Can't somebody say, "Hey, let's be positive? Let's have a good ending to the story?"

Pat: This is what I learned at the hospital. You have to do everything you can, you have to work your hardest, and if you do, if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining.

Gravity (2013)

Genre

Sci-Fi | Thriller

Director

Alfonso Cuarón

Country

USA | UK

Cast

Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris, Orto Ignatiussen, Phaldut Sharma, Amy Warren, Basher Savage

Plot

Medical engineer Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) work together to survive after a catastrophe destroys their shuttle and leaves them adrift in orbit.

Opinion

Gravity is a flawless, astonishing, beautiful, emotional, thrilling and absorbing film that makes you forget you are watching. Instead, it feels like experiencing. 

The film, extraordinarily realistic, makes the audience feel in a constant state of anxiety, anguish, hope, fear and desperation.

However, the reasons that makes of it the great science fiction film it is are others. Most of the credits goes to the brilliant screenplay written by Alfonso Cuarón and his son Juan, the stunning special effect - basically everything you see on screen is fake, but it never feels like it -, but most of all the outstanding photography - the opening shot of earth and space is absolutely stunning. 

The acting is great. While George Clooney gets very little screen time, Sandra Bullock has the chance to shine, and she does throughout the whole film. She perfectly conveys each of her feelings, and seeing her alone out there makes you feel alone out there too.

I do really regret not watching it in 3D in theaters back in 2013.

Quotes

Matt Kowalski: You've got to learn to let go.

Matt Kowalski: So, what do you like about being up here?

Ryan Stone: The silence.

Matt Kowalski: Listen, do you wanna go back, or do you wanna stay here? I get it. It's nice up here. You can just shut down all the systems, turn out all the lights, and just close your eyes and tune out everyone. There's nobody up here that can hurt you. It's safe. I mean, what's the point of going on? What's the point of living? Your kid died. Doesn't get any rougher than that. But still, it's a matter of what you do now. If you decide to go, then you gotta just get on with it. Sit back, enjoy the ride. You gotta plant both your feet on the ground and start livin' life. Hey, Ryan? It's time to go home.

Moneyball (2011)

Genre

Biography | Drama | Sport

Director

Bennett Miller

Country

USA

Cast

Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt, Casey Bond, Stephen Bishop, Royce Clayton, David Hutchinson, Nick Porrazzo, Robin Wright, Kerris Dorsey, Ken Medlock, Nick Searcy, Jack McGee, Brent Jennings, Spike Jonze

Plot

Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's (Brad Pitt) successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players.

Opinion

Every time I watch a sports film about a sport I'm not interested in, my main concern is that the film is going to be boring. But this wasn't the case.

Moneyball is a solid drama about baseball that goes beyond being a film about baseball; it is less about game-winning and more about people, about one man's vision and determination to change the system. What makes this film stand out from the others of the same genre is the absence of all the clichés: the film is not action-packed, there are no emotional moments and no motivational speeches as usually happens.

The film is helped by the great cast. Brad Pitt does an excellent job with Billy Beane's character, and his superb acting ability carries the film. Jonah Hill finally shows off his fantastic acting skills, delivering a fantastic performance - better than The Wolf of Wall Street's in my opinion. Philip Seymour Hoffman is wasted to play Art Howe.

Quotes

Billy Beane: How can you not get romantic about baseball?

Billy Beane: Would you rather get one shot in the head or five in the chest and bleed to death?

Nebraska (2013)

Genre

Adventure | Drama

Director

Alexander Payne

Country

USA

Cast

Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk, Stacy Keach, Mary Louise Wilson, Missy Doty, Angela McEwan, Rance Howard, Devin Ratray, Tim Driscoll

Plot

Old and alcoholic Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) is convinced he has won a million dollar magazine sweepstakes, and all he wants to do is going to Lincoln, Nebraska to collect it. His son David (Will Forte) will grudgingly agree to drive him to claim his winning. 

Opinion

Slow, charming and hilarious, Nebraska is one of the most brutal and pathetic films ever made, and a brilliant, deep and painful portrait of life, that offers a view of some very unpleasant things: aging, greed, pettiness and ignorance.

Woody is a man who has done everything and nothing in his life, a man who believes his life has no worth, but he still may have a chance to change that for his sons, that's why he wants a new truck and an air compressor, so to leave something for his sons.

The photography is stunning, and the black and white added to the story. The sleepy music score from Mark Orton is fantastic.

All the acting is top class. Bruce Dern gives an Oscar-worthy performance as the semi-catatonic alcoholic. Will Forte gives a surprisingly good and sincere performance as the son. Bob Odenkirk is great as well as the concerned older brother. However, June Squibb steals the show, playing the extremely unpleasant wife. 

Quotes

Receptionist: Does he have Alzheimer's?

David Grant: No, he just believes what people tell him.

Receptionist: That's too bad.

Rating

9.0/10

Life of Pi (2012)

Genre

Adventure | Drama

Director

Ang Lee

Country

United States

Cast
Irrfan Khan, Suraj Sharma, Rafe Spall, Ayush Tandon, Gautam Belur, Tabu, Adil Hussain, Ayan Khan, Mohamed Abbas Khaleeli, Vibish Sivakumar, Gérard Depardieu, Po-Chieh Wang, Shravanthi Sainath, Andrea Di Stefano, Elli Alouf

Plot
A Canadian novelist named Yann Martel (Rafe Spall) meets an Indian man, Piscine "Pi" Patel (Irrfan Khan), with some knowledge from Pi's father's friend, for a good book. In several flashbacks Pi tells Yann his life story: young Pi Patel (Gautam Belur, age 5 - Ayush Tandon, age 11/12 - Suraj Sharma, age 16) grew up with  his family in touch with the paternal zoo, blending dreams and reality since his childhood.
While in the Mariana Trench, after his father (Adil Hussain) decided they will move to Canada and sell the zoo there, due to a frightening storm the ship in which they travel sinks. Pi will be alone with an unusual fellow traveler: tiger Richard Parker, the most feared animal in the paternal zoo. Pi can rely solely on his intelligence to survive and live with the tiger.

Opinion
Life of Pi is a journey into the human soul, among dreams, hopes and nightmares. Pi's quote «God, thank you for giving me my life.» is able to sum up the meaning of the film.
Ang Lee (Academy Award winner for Best Directory) is remarkable as usual. I believe any possible word that can be used to describe the cinematography would be in a way offensive. Visual Effects are perfectly used. This film is worthy its 127 minutes.

Quotes
I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye.

He was such an evil man. But worse still, he brought the evil out in me. I have to live with that.

Rating

7.0/10

Captain Phillips (2013)

Genre

Biography | Thriller

Director

Paul Greengrass

Country

United States

Cast
Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal ahmed, Mahat M. Ali, Catherine Keener, Michael Chernus, David Warshofsky, Corey Johnson, Chris Mulkey, Yul Vazquez, Max Martini, Omar Berdouni, Mohamed Ali, Issak Farah

Plot
The film is inspired by the true story of the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking, told by Richard Phillips in "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea".
Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) takes command of the Maersk Alabama, a unarmed container ship from the Port of Salalah (Oman), with orders to sail through the Gulf of Aden to Mombasa (Kenya).
In high seas, his ship is attacked by an armed crew of Somali pirates, Phillips is kidnapped and Abduwali Muse (Barkhad Abdi) asks for a  ransom of 10 millions dollars.

Opinion
Great film directed by Paul Greengrass (United 93), with the excellent screenplay by Billy Ray (Breach) and a brilliant Tom Hanks. Somali 'actors' have done a great job (credits to Greengrass). Keeping in Somali dialogue between the pirates makes the film more realistic. There are some small differences between the true story and the film but nothing important.

Quotes
Captain Phillips: There's got to be something other than being a fisherman or kidnapping people.
Muse: Maybe in America, Irish, maybe in America.

Rating
8.0/10

12 Years a Slave (2013)

Genre

Biography | Drama | History

Director

Steve McQueen

Country

United States

Cast

Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Brad Pitt, Lupita Nyong'o, Alfre Woodard, Sarah Paulson, Scoot McNairy, Taran Killam, Garret Dillahunt, Michael Kenneth Williams, Quvenzhané Wallis, Ruth Negga, Bill Camp

Plot

1841. A free-born black man, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), was kidnapped and sold into slavery. At first, he decides that cooperation is the best way to survive. At the moderate humanity of his first master, William Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch) is opposed the violent and unrestrained cowardice of Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender), the most fearsome of slaveholders. Epps, a frustrated and disturbed man, vents all his violence on mangled bodies of those who believed "owned" slaves, and his favourite victim is the young woman Patsey (Lupita Nyong'o), forced to pander the meanest instincts of the master. Wrapped in these heartbreaking images of inhumanity, Solomon, forced to respond to the more appropriate name of Platt, will finally surrender to surrounding cruelty and  his main target will be survive. Solomon's life change when he met the Canadian carpenter Bass (Brad Pitt).

Opinion

12 Years a Slave is a masterpiece! Steve McQueen made a solid and raw film, that brings us back in the horror of slavery and agonizing lives, defrauded of all their rights.

This film is fed by dramatic scenes through which come out all the brutality of the human being. The horror is so vast and unimaginable almost to freeze the emotions.

Chiwetel Ejiofor is stunning and unforgettable as Solomon Northup. Michael Fassbender delivers a performance plenty of emotions; arguably his best performance so far. Lupita Nyong'o is outstanding. Benedict Cumberbatch is good as the good slaver. Paul Giamatti and Sarah Paulson are both seen for a few minutes, but they are great.

Quotes

Solomon Northup: I don't wanna survive, I wanna live.

What Has The Academy Done Anyway? Nothing Short Of Lighting A Fire Under James Cameron

Jim here. To say I am disappointed with the Academy is an understatement. THE HURT LOCKER is an ok movie. Just ok. Could have and should have one an award or two, sure. But BEST PICTURE? C'mon. It is a political joke. THL made 2% of the gross of AVATAR. Think about that. 2%. It is the lowest grossing movie to ever win the Best Picture.

Bigelow is a great director, sure. Given another year and I could see myself leaning toward THL as Best Picture. But NOT 2009.

Yes, Chartier's email was wrong and yes it probably did swing some votes, but it was not the deciding factor here. It was good old fashioned politics. THL is NOT the best movie of the year - by any means you wish to measure it. AVATAR introduced new technology, and heck, a new paradigm in acting! A revolution was created with this project and further than that - it launched the S3D era with such a huge force of nature that we will never look back again to wonder how long 3D is here for. The answer is it is staying. AVATAR cemented that.

So now our children and our children's children will look back at 2009 and see THE HURT LOCKER as the crème de la crème of the entire year. They will wonder why AVATAR wasn't honored by the Academy because it will be AVATAR that will be in more trivia questions. It will be AVATAR that is viewed more often by future generations. It is AVATAR that will have spawned a franchise. They will see that other movies from previous generations that were nominated and then did not win too - like THE WIZARD OF OZ in 1939. Of course it lost to GONE WITH THE WIND. Wait a minute... Both of those were starting a new era of Hollywood too - COLOR.

Trouble is THL was not starting anything in Hollywood. It is an average film. I have no interest in seeing it a second time - even at home. Heck I would have chosen INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS over THL. There was nothing that excited me about the movie. It is not even a truly accurate representation of the effort being made overseas by the troops.

I saw THL in the theater. It was good. Enough said.

I think what happened Oscar night was ridiculous. Giving Bigelow the Best Director was about as far as I would go without wanting to throw up in my mouth a bit. And don't get me wrong - If Bigelow could have directed AVATAR to the same glorious outcome as Cameron than I would have backed her just as ardently.

Further, AVATAR clearly had the best editing in 2009 because it has the best editing for the whole decade put together. They were editing together live action, CG characters, CG environments and all on a scale UNHEARD of in Hollywood history. What they did was not even possible before they actually did it! I ask this question in all sincerity: How DARE the Academy NOT give AVATAR Best Editing? Heck Cameron was even editing the movie while he was shooting it with his Simulcam and Virtualcam.

Best Picture. Is it too much to ask that the most embraced movie of all time WORLD WIDE be recognized as Best Picture? I am not going to spend anymore time describing why AVATAR should have prevailed. Suffice to say the Academy messed up yet again.

Which brings me to my final point. The only thing that the Academy has done (other than make the Bigelow team VERY happy) is that they have lit a fire under James Cameron. In a similar vein to what Peter Jackson went through with his LOTR trilogy, Cameron is now facing with his AVATAR trilogy.

Some ask if Cameron will be coming back to direct the sequels for AVATAR. Get real. Of course he will be. He wants to hold those reins when it wins Oscar. Will he have to wait for the final part of the trilogy to do that? I don't think he will have to. I think AVATAR 2 will be everything that the original was - but amplified 10 fold.

The saddest thing of the entire night (yes even sadder than seeing Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin work together) was the fact that James Cameron did not set ONE foot on that stage. I was almost sick to my stomach. Almost like a slap in the face to Cameron. All that work. 10 years. Innovation and genius up the wazoo. At least the fans pay him homage. And in the end, they are the only ones that really count. And James Cameron? He's ok. He knows that the tricks he has up his sleeve will make it impossible for the Academy to ignore future AVATAR efforts... and of course, he still has f*ck you money.