Guest Jerry Dugan of the Beyond the Rut podcast joins Melvin to discuss James Cameron’s latest flick Avatar: The Way of Water, a sequel many years in the making!
Topics:
- (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 30-minute interview with Jerry Dugan about his podcast, the difficult experience of podcasting, and his favorite episodes (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
- Jerry Dugan shares some of his affinity for James Cameron as a director, and the two discuss what it is they’ve come to know about his style.
- Giving just enough plot setup for all the 10-year questions we’ve had about what an Avatar sequel would be about and saving spoilers for the end of the episode.
- When Avatar: The Way of Water’s initial trailer came out, Melvin was, admittedly, not excited in the least. Now that the movie is out, he can confidently say he loved it!
- One primary takeaway from Avatar: The Way of Water is how expertly directed the film is, clearly showcasing a confidence in its whimsical, simple-yet-complicated worldbuilding and storytelling.
- The directorial economy present in every scene of Avatar: The Way of Water far exceeds the inefficiency in virtually every scene from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which Melvin brings up because of some comparison’s he’s seeing due to each films visual setting. Ultimately, this makes the 192-minute runtime much more bearable.
- Discussing the state of CGI in the industry, things we dislike, and why Avatar: The Way of Water stands out from the rest.
- Opening spoilers so we can open predictions for future installments!
- Sequels are complicated because they need to converse with the previous film’s themes, tone, and general experience. We wonder how subsequent features will innovate on all of these things, including its visual technology and connecting with the Pandora section in Disney World (which, if you didn’t know, is canon to the film’s story).
Recommendations:
- Truce Podcast
- The Last Dragon (1985) (Movie)
Avatar: The Way of Water is Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence and intense action, partial nudity and some strong language. It features Sam Worthington, Zeo Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Jemaine Clement, Jamie Flatters, Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jack Champion, and Bailey Bass. Directed by James Cameron. Avatar: The Way of Water is currently in theaters.
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Melvin Benson is the Founder, Editor-In-Chief, and Lead Host of Cinematic Doctrine. He’s written fiction and nonfiction for over a decade with short stories featured on the Creepypasta Wiki and Wattpad. His novelette Ethereal Temptation, a teen drama with a tinge of magical-realism, can be read for free here. His hope is to see King Jesus glorified as far as the east is from the west!
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