It occurred to me that a whole society of geeks could be born if Avatar is successful. Apparently, a very smart USC professor has created an entire language for the Jim Cameron movie:
“I’m still working and I hope that the language will have a life of its own,” the professor said. “For one thing, I’m hoping there will be prequels and sequels to the film, which means more language will be needed. I spent three weeks in May, too, working on the video game for Ubisoft, which is the name of a French company. That’s not a French word, though, I don’t know where they got Ubisoft.”
Apparently, this is going to give the Klingon language a run for its money. 29 days until Avatar.
22 Responses for "Nerd Alert: Let’s Learn Na’vi and Speak it in Public Places"
I don’t understand the lack of the Titanic angle in this film’s marketing. It’s there, but barely.
JAB – oh, the sinking of the unsinkable behemoth is definitely there in the mad Avatar build-up. We will see the second Titanic – and I mean the ship, not the movie.
Nerds don’t like being told that they will like something.
I see that 3 of the Big Four have been screened and early reactions (by non-Twitter and non-imdb.com plants and anti-plants) suggest none of them is the game changer. Lets see what still unscreened Avatar and Holmes have up their sleeves.
How utterly pointless.
LMAO, Sasha (or whoever) are you seriously going to pretend Sandra Bullock or The Blind Side don’t exist? You post the most trivial things about the people/movies you root for, but you seem purposefully trying to ignore the fact that Sandra Bullock has just become a serious Best Actress contender. By ‘just’ I mean the last week or so, but especially now that The Blind Side seems destined to make a lot of money at the BO too. This is the year of Sandra Bullock and she’s in play for at least a nomination. C’mon.
Why would you assume I’m avoiding posting about her? The movie got trashed. Or are you also saying we should be considering Hilary Swank too for Amelia?
Not with these kinds of reviews. From the NY Times:
And Ms. Bullock’s brisk self-confidence can be appealing — until it becomes annoying. The biggest problem here is that her character never changes, never experiences a moment of doubt or guilt or selfishness, and after a while her display of goodness sinks into vanity. And Michael is a curiously blank character, his inner life lost in the glare of Leigh Anne’s self-congratulation. His pre-Tuohy life is a flurry of flashbacks and vague stories meant — like that drug dealer and Michael’s drug-addicted mother, who appears on screen briefly — to conjure a world of violence, dysfunction and despair.
____
Yes, Bullock is getting decent enough reviews but they aren’t quite to overcome to general lack of positive reviews and praise overall. Just my opinion. If she gets a nomination by the Golden Globes or if The Blind Side gets an NBR award, of course, I would change my mind but right now all I have to go on are the reviews, and they ain’t nearly up to snuff.
off topic – sorry
but … “Me and Orson Wells” has a 100% rating at Critics Choice! Does anyone know something about this movie? I’ve never heard about it. Just saw the trailer – not too bad …
I was actually coming in here to also ask about Sandra Bullock. Now that the film has grossed $10 million on opening day, I believe the film will be around for awhile and will definitely snag her minor notice — and possibly the fifth slot at the Oscars. The Globes will recognize her, I’m 100% sure.
I don’t think the reviews are so terrible that it could derail a potential nomination.
Comparing the reviews to other fims that fit the profile — ‘Big Star Actress In Serious, Meaningful Hollywood Vehicle’ films, using Rotten Tomatoes ratings:
The Blind Side — 69%
Changeling — 61%
North Country — 69%
Erin Brokovich — 83%
It’s Oscar bait to be sure, but as the only actress carrying a box office blockbuster this year (The Proposal) I wouldn’t necessarily write her off. Just something to keep in mind, I guess.
I certainly appreciate Gregoire’s argument a hell of a lot more than the “Who”. There is a big difference between Charlize Theron, Angelina Jolie and Sandra Bullock. Julia Roberts is your best comparison and she was in a Best Picture contender directed by Steven Soderbergh. And plenty of actresses who didn’t deserve nominations got them because they were the year’s biggest films — like Working Girl. The Blind Side doesn’t have the prestige of Mike Nichols or Soderbergh, etc. Again, just my opinion. I might add her, though, since I have Michelle Monaghan on there and she doesn’t have a prayer either.
“…as the only actress carrying a box office blockbuster this year…”
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia, $93 mil
Mélanie Laurent, Inglourious Basterds, $120 mil ($299 mil worldwide)
Would Weinstein be crazy to push Laurent for Best Actress instead of Supporting? Or crazy not to?
Besides, check out the list of Best Actress nominees from the past decade. Aside from The Devil Wears Prada, there’s not a blockbuster-carrier among them. There’s zero relationship between box-office and Best Actress.
But there’s very little relationship between box-office and Best Actor too, so it’s not a gender bias. The best roles that attract the best actors just don’t very often attract Twilight crowds.
“Ubisoft, which is the name of a French company. That’s not a French word, though, I don’t know where they got Ubisoft.”
I’m not a really smart USC professor or anything, but it doesn’t take a cunning linguist to see that “ubi” — Latin for where or everywhere — is the root word for ubiquitous. Everywhere at the same time. Omnipotent.
Ubiquitious could be the market saturation dreamed about by the founders of Ubisoft.
What’s the Na’vi word for “common sense”?
hehehehehehehhe “cunning linguist”
ok , sorry, I’ll act my age from now on =P
Ryan, you’re so right about Meryl Streep. I should be stripped of my DVD collection! I guess I was specifically considering the top 10 box office grossing films of the year.
Believe me, I don’t want to consider anything about The Blind Side, which looks so artificial to me in comparison to Precious. I haven’t really seen it so I shouldn’t judge, but it just looks like People’s Choice fodder over Oscar.
However I just wonder in light of there being so many new unknowns vying for Oscar that they won’t want a couple recognizable names. I don’t see any coming into play except Meryl (and possibly Helen), of course. Sandra’s longevity assures some industry recognizition at some point. Thanks for including her on the side.
“I should be stripped of my DVD collection!”
I wouldn’t wish such a severe penalty on my worst enemy.
You’ve pinpointed the critical issue, Gregoire. We already have a movie about large black person being rescued by a surrogate MILF this season.
It doesn’t help that Sandra Bullock starred in the worst reviewed movie of the year — All About Steve. But the Golden Globes nom is a reasonable possibility.
Just what we need, another made up language for nerds to waste their time on.
Fryd y cdibet etay.
Its worthless unless they can translate it into Klingon.
that’d be horrible of bullock knocked someone out for an actress nod. i cried when angelina jolie knocked out sally hawkins.
“Would Weinstein be crazy to push Laurent for Best Actress instead of Supporting? Or crazy not to?”
Funny you should ask, Ryan. That very question was answered earlier this week:
http://incontention.com/?p=17695
Just a FYI: INVICTUS is now the new Best Picture hotdog. Played like gangbusters in LA Thursday/Friday via three independent reports sent to me from the SRO screenings. As of now, it’s the favourite for Best Picture. Count Clint in for Director, Freeman in for Best Actor, Damon for Supporting Actor. Take it from me, and take it to the bank.
I’ve been looking for the promised Pandorapedia or any other site with an introduction to the Na’vi language. No luck so far. Anybody seen such a thing?
Whether Avatar will get a fan following big enough to make Na’vi match Klingon is anyone’s guess, but I’m sure my fellow conlang nerds are suddenly interested in the movie.
I think the first post on this thread is interesting – the Titanic angle will surely come into play when we hear the Leona Lewis theme song. I can’t wait to see her perform it at the ceremony, British pride, when it will inevitably be nominated for Original Song. Yay!
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