In 1984, "The Terminator" hit the box office. In 1991, "Terminator 2" made box office record. In 1997, there was "Titanic" - the most expensive movie during that time. Titanic grossed 1.8 billion dollars and became the highest grossing movie. Who wrote and directed those movies? It's James Cameron. Now it has been more than one decade since "Titanic." What was happening with James Cameron? The answer - he was developing "Avatar."

As the first decade of the 2nd millennium reaches the end, "Avatar" has been the best movie I've seen for the decade. It's released on perfect time, "Avatar" closes the decade by being the best film and opens the new decade by being the revolutionary of Hollywood.

"Avatar" contains 60 percent Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI). By watching "Avatar," the audience cinematic experience will be taken to whole new level. Okay, maybe I said that because it's the first time I watched movie in 3D. However, watching "Avatar" brought me to new mystical world; it's beyond imagination. I hate fantasy movies but the imaginary in this movie is too fantastic. The moment you see Pandora, you will love the atmosphere and it will keep charming you until the movie ends. By the way, 3D glass are not comfortable for me. I must get used to it.

The development of "Avatar" is groundbreaking. I saw the "Making Of" on Star World Channel, weeks ago. The CGIs are absolutely realistic and the only reason you can say they're fake is for not existing in our world. Just forget about "Terminator Salvation," "Transformers 2" and even "2012." Avatar is different and better than any other movies made to impress audience with CGIs. This movie delivers what those movie promised.

James Cameron maintained his way of making films. You can watch never seen effects, are almost everywhere in the entire movie. The movie was inspired by science fiction books James Cameron had read since his childhood. Pandora is his own imaginary world and he touches every essence of it. The details are sharp and you will keep your eyes on the landscapes. I believe he constantly improved Pandora over the years during development.

"Avatar" is an epic adventure that drives the audience visually and emotionally. It's very rare to have beautiful movies like "Avatar" (and previously, we had Pixar's Up) because they have the ability to touch our heart. Besides being love story, "Avatar" contains brilliantly crafted action sequences. The climax battle scenes are totally mind blowing. While the war between human and Navi rages, you will be supporting the Navis. I guess "Avatar" will be remembered for the next decade for the breathtaking action sequences. Furthermore, "Avatar" has great musical scores and matches each scene it's made for. I'm looking forward to get the tracks.

Most critics said "Avatar" story has been copied from variety other works. I agree but that doesn't matter for me. Almost every movie that comes out have similarity with other movies. "Pocahontas" is one of the adaption for this movie. Though you might find same old thing in "Avatar" story but the way it's presented to us will make you praise the movie. James Cameron blended different movies into one. While Pandora can be the creative creation, the rest of the movie is total innovation.

Personally, I love the story line. It's simple yet keeps the audience entertained for 2 hours 40 minutes. Everything is easy to understand and the movie holds your attention from start until the end. I love every minute of this movie and that resulted in feeling time went too fast.

James Cameron first wrote the script in 1994 and it had leaked on the internet. You can guess the outcomes then. He said the movie was not produced earlier because the technology needs to catch up to allow him use Performance Capture and film them in 3D. Performance Capture is using real cast movement to make the CGI version of them. It's not only copies the physical movement but the facial expression as well. The Navis in "Avatar" are casted by real human but in the camera, it shows CGIs. This technology was available earlier but not good enough to make this movie and at the same time, it was too expensive.

Jake (casting by Sam Worthington) takes us on adventurous roller-coaster ride while Neytiri takes us on emotional roller-coaster ride. Neytiri (casting by Zoe Saldana) is the best character in the movie. Her expressions and movements resonates her emotion. Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana has signed for possible sequels. Other great supporting casts are Sigourney Weaver, Joel Moore, Michelle Rodriguez and more. I love the part Michelle Rodriguez said, "I didn't sign up for this shit." Some critics says the dialogues in "Avatar" are cheesy. However, I'm okay with it.

Everyone should watch "Avatar." The movie gives the audience more than the trailer had to offer. Watch it in 3D (or at least 2D) while it's still in cinema. I don't think DVD will deliver any better experience than I had in cinema. Besides that, DVD might have contents not suitable for children. James Cameron said there might be certain edition of DVD will arrive with scene of Navi making love. Most probably it will be Jake and Neytiri.

"Avatar" is good choice of movie to watch with anyone. It's the tale that captures the mind and heart of every age. "Avatar" makes you feel good, joy and sorrow. The humors will make you laugh out loud. "Avatar" gives you the opportunity to witness the turning point of film making technology. If you're young, "Avatar" will be memorable for you and if you're old, you'll thank James Cameron. ;)

Rating: 10/10

Everything is backwards now, like out there is the true world and in here is the dream. - Jake Sully

Now, for some personal post relating to Avatar movie. I've been using the name Avatar in Internet Relay Chat (IRC) for years. Some IRC chatters I chat with are too attracted to Navi and Pandora. Here are lines from some of the conversations I had.

Anonymous: Do you know Pandora?
Avatar: Yes, it's my new hometown.
Anonymous: I love Pandora. Can you take me there?
Avatar: I'm sorry. Pandora doesn't exist.
Avatar: Even if it exist, it would've been destroyed by now.
Anonymous: ... That's true.

Here's another transcript, conversation with someone who really loves Pandora.

Anonymous: Pandora!
Anonymous: Any beautiful creature there?
Avatar: Not any but MANY!!!
Anonymous: Can you speak Navi language?
Anonymous: Can you speak some?
Avatar: If I speak, you won't understand.
Avatar: I'm still learning.

Here's Live Messenger conversation with another friend. I saw her Personal Message said "I love Avatar." So I sent her IM:

Avatar: Who? Me?
Friend: No! The movie!

LOL.

Update: Avatar won Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture (Drama) and James Cameron won the award for Best Director.

Update: The 82nd Academy Awards (The Oscars) was held in Hollywood on March 7, 2010. Avatar won three awards - Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography.

Update: The movie surpasses worldwide number one Box Office record James Cameron had from 1997's Titanic. Now, Avatar's worldwide gross reached US $2.7 Billion. It's huge success for James Cameron.

Most of us knows the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. He's well known for his ability solving mystery by observing small details.

The movie had an attractive trailer and I thought the movie will be great because the early reviews was too positive. So I went to watch it with high expectation. While I was watching, I realize I was wrong. There's too much talking and barely anything else to be enjoyed.

"Sherlock Holmes" was created around 1890 and this movie looks classical with modern filming technology. It can be seen from the trailer itself, I do like this kind of movies. However, "Sherlock Holmes" did not deliver to the expectation. I personally think "The Legend Of Zorro," "Shanghai Knights" and "Public Enemies" have better visuals to display previous century. "Sherlock Holmes" sets in old London and I believe they should have worked more on the visuals.

I felt sleepy and the only reason I was awake was because of the humors. There aren't many but they have it all in right places. Maybe to keep people to be awake, LOL. Watching this movie felt like reading plain novel for the sake of reading.

"Sherlock Holmes" has adventure, mystery and some action. All these different elements mixed up without balance in one detective movie and runs for two hours. I would classify this movie nothing but drama. I could not find anything to admire about this movie except for the acting and humors.

Rating: 2/10

Dr. John Watson: Get that out of my face.
Sherlock Holmes: It's not in your face, it's in my hand.
Dr. John Watson: Get what's in your hand out of my face.

"All The Right Moves" by "OneRepublic." I love the song and the video. So, I decided to post the music video, together with the song meaning and lyrics. The beautiful element of the video is the masquerade ball performance.

SONG MEANING

According to OneRepublic, they intentionally made the music video to be abstract so that the song will be open for interpretation. So, it's difficult to give an accurate interpretation by combining both the lyrics and the video. Somehow, I have an interpretation based on the lyrics.

This song can be about OneRepublic themselves, having goal in competitive industry and they feel not good enough to reach above or higher than the top musicians. Even if they become the best, someone better will appear to bring them to the lower spot. So yeah, this song is rather negative than positive, LOL. Anyway, if you love music, you will surely want to sing along with this song. :)

This song is not limited only to music industry, it can be applied to other fields especially politics. If your competitor knows the right people, then you will go down. Besides that, even if everything seems to be turning well, sooner or later your competitor or enemy will turn you back down before you reach your goal.

The second verse is self questioning. The writer ask himself, if the band is good enough to make it to the spotlight or if the band will just remain normal, like the most bands out there. As I said, this song is negative, it says hard times can be possible and success can be possible too; however, success is far from reach.

As the song reaches the end, the writer says that although they are not the best, they will remain to be unique and will not change their style in making music.

It's kind of a self deprecating anthem and it's about how we've felt as a band at certain times. When OneRepublic came out, because of the other writing and producing I'd done, and because Timbaland was associated with our first single, we got completely discarded by the critics. Even if OneRepublic made the coolest art record ever, we'd never be able to erase the memory of how we broke. This song's aimed at all the cool bands that we'll never be. - Ryan Tedder

LYRICS

All the right friends in all the right places
So yeah, we're going down
They've got all the right moves in all the right places
So yeah, we're going down

Let's paint the picture of the perfect place
They've got it better then when anyone's told you
They'll be the King of Hearts and you're the Queen of Spades
Then we'll fight for you like we were your soldiers
I know we've got it good, but they've got it made
And the grass is getting greener each day
I know things are looking up, but soon they'll take us down
Before anybody's knowing our name

They've got all the right friends in all the right places
So yeah, we're going down
They've got all the right moves in all the right places
So yeah, we're going down
Said everybody knows, everybody knows where we're going
Yeah, we're going down
Said everybody knows, everybody knows where we're going
Yeah, we're going down

Do you think I'm special? Do you think I'm nice?
Am I bright enough to shine in your spaces?
Between the noise you hear and the sounds you like
Are we just sinking the ocean of faces?
It can't be possible, the rain can fall
Only when it's over our heads.
The sun is shining everyday, but it's far away
Over the world that's dead.

[CHORUS]

It don't matter what you see
I know I could never be
Someone that'll look like you.
It don't matter what you say
I know I could never face
Someone that could sound like you.