Best of James Cameron
I've yet to see Avatar, but Aliens is his best film so far. The problem with James Cameron films, though, is that they're far to long. His screenplay narative shouldn't allow for such a lenghthy run-time. His films are baggy and more often then not self-important.
From what I've read Avatar will be no different. I don't care, though. I want to see it. And in IMAX no less.
From what I've read Avatar will be no different. I don't care, though. I want to see it. And in IMAX no less.
Except Hayao Miyazaki allows that precious narrative resource that Cameron and others are forgetting to preserve: THE GODDAMN PAUSE. Avatar is not Cameron's best film, nor one of his best. It's his most dazzling moviegoing experience TO DATE. It's The Jazz Singer 3D in Blue-Face, somewhere between naive and disingenuous, the rare environmental film that reeks of excess.
I've only seen his films once or twice which marks me as not really as much acolyte as some on this board, but I staunchly believe that in Cameron's absence a wave of pretenders have arrived. As Titanic banked ashore, that summer wrought Armageddon and now the Scott Brothers and even Spielberg himself are going Bay. Cameron returns with sweeping compositions that suck you in and if only for that, Avatar would be a grand spectacle.
I say The Terminator is his best film because it's the simplest, strongest, most legacy-building and mythological blockbuster in his oeuvre. It's just sweet. Aliens is pretty awesome also, although I prefer the first Alien. Titanic is one of the more pleasurable Oscar-happy epic juggernauts in spite of its nagging flaws, but I would still rank T2 above it.
I've only seen his films once or twice which marks me as not really as much acolyte as some on this board, but I staunchly believe that in Cameron's absence a wave of pretenders have arrived. As Titanic banked ashore, that summer wrought Armageddon and now the Scott Brothers and even Spielberg himself are going Bay. Cameron returns with sweeping compositions that suck you in and if only for that, Avatar would be a grand spectacle.
I say The Terminator is his best film because it's the simplest, strongest, most legacy-building and mythological blockbuster in his oeuvre. It's just sweet. Aliens is pretty awesome also, although I prefer the first Alien. Titanic is one of the more pleasurable Oscar-happy epic juggernauts in spite of its nagging flaws, but I would still rank T2 above it.
"How's the despair?"
Now that I think about it, he's kind of like a much less complex, live-action version of Hayao Miyazaki... thematically at least.
Consider this:
environmentalism
usually female protagonists
tales of love over short periods of time
pacifism (followed by awesome action scenes)
The only thing that's missing is children. Of course, this probably could be attributed to a lot of directors but since I've been catching up on my Miyazaki the past couple of weeks, he's freshest in memory.
... just sparking conversation.
Edited By Zahveed on 1261422839
Consider this:
environmentalism
usually female protagonists
tales of love over short periods of time
pacifism (followed by awesome action scenes)
The only thing that's missing is children. Of course, this probably could be attributed to a lot of directors but since I've been catching up on my Miyazaki the past couple of weeks, he's freshest in memory.
... just sparking conversation.
Edited By Zahveed on 1261422839
"It's the least most of us can do, but less of us will do more."
-
- Emeritus
- Posts: 3650
- Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 3:57 pm
- Location: Illinois
- OscarGuy
- Site Admin
- Posts: 13668
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 12:22 am
- Location: Springfield, MO
- Contact:
I haven't seen some of these, but I safely chose Titanic. Though, I have a special place in my heart for The Abyss. It was one of the first visual effects films that I remember details of (though all murky at this point, suggesting I need to re-watch it some time).
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin