The Invisible Counterpoint

In the interest of scientific exploration, I offer a few random dialogue samples from the 3-D cavediveapalooza survival adventure Sanctum: “Life’s not a dress rehearsal — you gotta seize the day!” “The exit! Shit!” “Where’s my mask? Goddammit!” “I am not wearing the wetsuit of a dead person!” “You spend your lives wrapped in cotton wool! You want to play at being adventurous? Yeah, this is it!” And last but not least, the ever-popular “We’ve got to get out of here — now!” Sanctum wasn’t directed by James Cameron — he’s merely an executive producer — but the script is pure Cameron gibberooni, the kind of language that would embarrass a ’40s comic-strip character if he found it penciled into one of his voice balloons. (Stephanie Zacharek, “ Sanctum Wasn’t Directed by James Cameron, But It’s Dumb Enough to Seem So,” Movieline, 3 Feb. 2011) For what it's worth, I really like this bit of dialogue from "Avatar": GRACE: 
Alright, look -- I don't have the answ...

Like its star, Salt is a spare and lean piece of work; it’s everything a modern action movie should be, a picture made with confidence but not arrogance, one that believes so wholeheartedly in its outlandish plot twists that they come to make perfect alt-universe sense. The story — the script is by Kurt Wimmer — draws numerous outrageous loops, but Noyce neither dwells on them ponderously nor speeds through them in a misguided attempt to energize his audience. And he makes fine use of his star, an actress whose lanky gait is as delicious to watch as her spring-loaded leaps are. Noyce frames the movie around Jolie’s finely tuned sense of movement, and yet it’s her expressiveness that anchors the story emotionally: In an old-fashioned, old-Hollywood way, Noyce and his cinematographer, Robert Elswit, are wholly alive to her face and all its possibilities. [. . .] Noyce has made his share of action thrillers (he’s the director behind the Tom Clancy adaptations Patriot Games and Clear...

But this will not be a post about the tele-genic properties of this or that movie critic -- no! I would like to simply say that the "theme" of AVATAR is shmaltz, pure shmaltz, and no amount of discussion by a very cool-looking Columbia prof will disguise that fact. No amount of clever technology can disguise that fact. The bones of any good/memorable movie is STORY, and I'm sorry, but the story of "Avatar" is nothing new. In fact, it is a big yawn. (ginseng, response to post, "Stephanie Zacharek talks with Charlie Rose," 4 February 2010) Re: “The bones of any good/memorable movie is STORY, and I'm sorry, but the story of "Avatar" is nothing new. In fact, it is a big yawn.” This point gets mentioned a lot. Worth a debate at some point here on Salon (story is a sum of all the experiences you have during the film, much of which is often invisible in simple plot descriptions). I respect that you experienced the film as a yawn, but about i...

What passes for screenwriting these days is worrisome by any measure. "Avatar," the most successful film of all time (and a glorious spectacle), has some of the worst dialogue in recent memory. Now more than ever it's critical to recognize those that are striving to keep the art of the screenplay alive. The best-picture Oscar can and will remain a populist award. That shouldn't be the case for recognition of genuine craft. (Andrew Grant, “Screenwriting, the most meaningless Oscar,” 2 February 2010) - - - Extending on the comments above about what it takes to plot a movie, let's say that AVATAR *had* been nominated. Why might that have happened? Well, have you seen lengthy dissections of the Avatar plot on political blogs as well as on science and tech blogs? Have you seen the debates about whether the Chinese should be allowed to see the film? People aren't having these discussions about the future of 3-D. People are taking time out of their day, day after d...

Seriously. Ask anyone who's seen it, ask someone who's just walking out of the theater — ask them what happened in the movie or if they remember any particular lines or scenes or dramatic or memorable moments. (Amity, response to post, “James Cameron: Artist, termite, or elephant man?” Salon, 20 January 2010) It would be inaccurate (to how they experienced the film) and distracting for people to think of the particular, when they are still collecting themselves after being offered, not just an affecting experience, but almost a new philosophical/psychological/spiritual DIRECTION, a right-seeming/feeling way of being that has captured the kind of rescue they want for the way ahead. They're not quite sure why they like it, but they know there's something important in it -- some essence -- that has made them very happy, and are right now drawn more to cover, flame, and relish its overall fire than risk losing its source by stepping back to examine. They'll happily off...