Also goes to show that alltalk servers ain’t that bad.

And last, but not least – by popular demand (feels good to say that) – wallpaper version of submission sized at 1200X1920.

As the impression still havent settled in my head (and i dont expect them to do so for some time) ill just try to answer the big question – is this the game changer everyone’s been talking about? Well, partially. From digital film-making process it definitely is – Volume, Simulcam (or whatever you call it), new 3D cameras and whatnot. That’s just mindblowing, and I sure do hope thers tens of hours of extras whenever Bluray comes out. Also youve never seen anything like this. But from regular viewer standpoint its just better. Better CG, better 3D, better everything, but not really new.

But still the achievements are groundbreaking – uncanny valley has been crossed, you see Jake’s avatar as a real physical being, with all the subtle facial expressions and personality, just like looking at Sam Worthington with a bunch of best makeup ever, thats even makes Benjamin Button look horrible. Its not just a bunch of pixels, its actually alive, and that can be said about whole world of Pandora. It’s actually somewhere out there, 5 and something light years away. When one thought that no CGI can really visually impress him anymore after being already kinda fed up with Baysplosions, this goes extra mile to knock you off your feet. You actually forget what you are looking at somewhere 5 minutes in.

Also 3D. To be honest first I had doubts weather to see it in 3D or regular, as from the experiences I had before in big, fast action scenes things went all mushy in 3D, or in other words one got to see lots of motion blur in glorious 3D. But I belive that this and U23D are some of the best 3D experiences Ive had. So enveloping, so subtle, where nothing is being thrown at your face (*looks at Journey to the Center of the Earth*). If 3D industry needed some push, then this is it. Well, this and Pixar’s movies, that also tend to have great 3D and depth application.

All in all this is a phenomenal feat that, the way I, and lots of other people, see now, will be remembered for decades. Ambitious in so many ways, including character design, with so many opportunities to fail, but still all out solid success and triumph despite all its flaws! As Ebert said – there’s still at least one man in Hollywood that knows what to do with 300m $. Oh, and as far as monies go – thanks to amazing word of mouth movie is doing perfect – after first weekend its somewhere at 230m $ mark worldwide. And that’s a good thing, as I sure do want to see Cameron’s promised sequels, thou I have no idea what they have in store for us. Thou the possibility of Naavi going to wipe out whats left of earth sounds fun. *wink, wink*

Now off to rewatch Aliens and True Lies after then probably.

Oh, and where does this leave Avatar in my years top list? Well, nowhere. Thers a special category for this. Just like Ebert just gave Avatar “Special Jury Prize”. It stands on its own terms. Besides the beforementioned big movies of the decade.

Oh, and if anything – I haven’t yet get the mail from Valve about what it what with the special thingy. Hopefully it arrives by the time I wake up tomorrow today. Will be sure to write up on what it actually is!

But anyway, thats not the point. As far as I can remember every Christmas there have been a new iteration of classic Band Aid “Do They Know it’s Christmas?”, and this year is no exception. Well, other then the fact that this years is one the most kickass yet. Recorded by Fucked Up it features voices (and not only) of Yo La Tengo, GZA, Tegan & Sara (<3), Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend, Bob Mould and more. All the profit goes for benefit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, DTES Power of Women Group and Sisters in Spirit. So go ahead and grab your copy on itunes. That is – those that have itunes available in their countries. Rest – listen to it here.