Avatar ... "see it again for the first time" -- trust me on this!

It's not often that I review a movie, much less a DVD, but this time I can't resist! This one actually came out waaay back on November 16, but since it was gift wrapped and under the Christmas tree, I had to wait for it...

It's the Avatar Extended Collector's edition -- 20 minutes longer than the 3D version we saw about a year ago. Verdict?

Whooooooo! Words fail me. In places, it's like you're seeing the movie for the first time. It must have broken the hearts of James Cameron and company, having to trim the movie to the theatrical release version. Especially as you'll find, on the disks, that even after 20 was put back in to create the 3-hour version seen here, there's still another 45 minutes of deleted scenes!

Meaning, one day (next Christmas?) They might field the 4-hour version, in ultra-widescreen, not to mention 3D, for those people who have the occasional five grand to invest in the tv set to play it. I'm not investing in 3D tellies for a while. The first ones to go on sale just months ago are already being called obsolete, so I'm waiting a few years till the technology is passe, it's good enough to a) be worth the asking price, b) be stable enough for the hardware not to go obsolete while cringe over your credit card balance. And also, there needs to be a lot more 3D movies to feed it, to make it worth the hammering the Visa card is going to take!

But this version...

...is magnificent. There's no other word for it. If you've seen Avatar before, but haven't seen this version -- well, it only costs $19.99 in a sale, and if you can use it to invite yourself over to a mate's place, because you've got the DVD and they've got the bigscreen TV, so much the better. Have a look at this:



If you like your movies epic, as I do, and you like your SF breathtaking, just bite the bullet and buy it again!

One other thing: keep a box of kleenex handy, because the additional material puts a heavy kick into situations and scenes that were already highly-charged.

Viggo Mortensen -- trilingual is terrific!

I'm in a Viggo mood today ... because he's been on the box promoting GOOD, which is just one of his new movies.

So, what the hey? Let's have some Viggo stuff today.

Let's start with the GOOD trailer ... which is a marvelous piece of filmmaking in itself. Listen to that accent! Viggo is "doing" the gorgeous British accent we heard in Lord of the Rings. Aragorn speaks! Have a listen to this...



This is going to be such a good movie. Next ... since we're on the subject of
accents and languages, you have to check this out:



Being bilingual would be fantastic. I always wanted to speak a second language. Viggo, it turns out, speaks at least three. He did CAPITAN ALATRISTE in the Spanish language:



And yes, I have a copy of ALATRISTE ... in Spanish ... with English subtitles, thank heavens, or I wouldn't get one word in three of what's being said!

Lastly ... well, let's get naughty. Chuckle! Enjoy:

Brendan's back! But I doubt he'll be looking quite like this in his new movie...

Brendan Fraser is back on the big screen in a new fantasy movie -- heavy on the CGI and thick with thrills, chills, spills, one would imagine, with a thumnail sketch like Inkheart: "he plays a book collector with a magical ability to bring famous literary characters to life by merely reading their stories aloud. When his wife disappears into a rare, out-of-print book, he and his daughter (Eliza Hope Bennett) set out to find a copy and bring her back to the real world. (Want more? Go right to The Sunday Paper.)

Now, why couldn't he have gotten himself involved in a Mel Keegan novel?! Well ... maybe not for a family movie, I guess. But you can dream, right? Speaking of which --

There's some serious talent out there in cyberpace, boys and girls, and some of it's dialled in on Brendan, and a swag of it could have popped right out of something Mel Keegan might have written! Got your doubts? Try this one on for size -- and once again, if anyone has a credit and a back link, let me know, I'd be thrilled to post both ... if only to encourage the artists! Grab your hat -- here we go, now:





Now, this what I call art. Fine art. You got a problem with what?

While we're here -- have you seen the Inkheart trailer? It's been circulating for a looong time, but the movie is right around the corner now:

Wolverine's Day Off ... or, Logan at the beach

All work and no play makes even the Wolverine a dull boy. So every now and then ... and especially when the sun's shining and the weather's fine ... Logan takes the day off and pops down to the beach, there masquerading as an ordinary human being who enjoys a dip and doesn't have retractable claws. Don't believe me? Check this out:





There you are -- you probably believe me now! While we're here -- have you see the Wolverine trailer yet? No? Then stick around:



This is a movie I am definitely going to see in the theaters. Is it just my imagination, or has Hugh Jackman put on a lot more muscles for this prequel? Looking forward to this -- it opens in Australia in about five months, along with the new Star Trek movie and a swag of others.

We love you, too, Phillip Morris

Let's be topical ... since the movie just premiered in Sundance! Yes: I love You, Phillip Morris, with Ewan McGregor and Jim Carrey. Here's the trailer, and some assorted goodies:



The trailer doesn't show too much of Ewan, so let's run the clip too:



Woah. Cool. I wonder if this movie will play at the theaters in Australia?!