Avatar (2009)

The people who have been criticizing the syory have missed the point. Yes, the story has amazing parallels to other films, most notably Dances With Wolves. But the story is not what makes it so amazing.

Avatar is an experience. And it is an experience unlike any other I've had in a movie theater. The depth of image in 3D and the lifelike wildlife convinced me while watching the film that Cameron's big budget wasn't spent on computer imagery, but on the cost of shooting on location on another planet.

This is a beautiful film, simply jaw-droppingly awe inspiring. Just the introduction of this world, with its native language and details of various creatures is well worth the price of admission. But Cameron established his reputation not just on visuals, but on his ability to tell a story. Every movie he has made is well-paced and exciting rides. He may not be the greatest dialogue writer, but his storytelling is really strong.

Does this raize the bar for everyone else in Hollywood? Yep. This decade has been filled with empty Hollywood spectacles, lots of big 'splosions without any sense of wonder. Ironically, one of the worst examples was the empty-headed sequel this summer to one of Cameron's films, The Terminator. Cameron has crafted a film with a sense of wonder and heart, and sends the empty heads back to the drawing board.

Or as one of my co-workers said to me today, "I saw Sherlock Holmes last night, and maybe it was just because I saw Avatar, but it seemed so ordinary." You are officially on notice, blockbuster filmmakers. Grade: A+