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All I have to say is....Holy. Shit.

I actually avoided temptation to watch the trailer that was posted on youtube and apple yesterday, to not spoil my viewing of it today on IMAX in 3D.

It started out a bit meh in the 3D department. Some of the shots looked pretty darn convincing with a convincing depth of field. But the preview started to really take off when we saw some of the CG. The level of detail and realism that is created and the imersion is pretty mindblowing. The imersion not so much, there are a few points where it really shines, but others where it's a bit off.

But if you've seen the apple trailer think about this. All of the Na'Vi and the wildlife on the planet (Pandorum?) are completely computer generated. The forest looks like a forest that was filmed with a real camera, with a real, 10 foot tall actor with blue paint and prosthetics on his face running. I mean, I know that the Na'Vi we see on screen are completely from the computer through some sort of "e-motion" capture system that is somehow brought literally to life. It has none of that weird "too" real look that often happens with motion capture or roto scoping live action. It actually looks.....real.

I know this because they actors have said that they just wear those motion capture suits, and run through "forests" of pool noodles on a special soundstage. Then through some magic, James Cameron is able to see on his monitor what they look like on the planet in a what I would guess, pretty rough render. But then he can go back and change camera angles and almost everything in post, without having to re-shoot scenes.

On top of that, the movie looked like it has a pretty good story behind it. The action was pretty decent as well. A montage they played at the end which is comprised of basically the trailer footage shows a bit more frenetic action than we saw.

Dam, I can't wait for this movie.