Why I wont go see Avatar...

I haven't seen Avatar yet, despite the fact that everyone else on the planet has. Nor do I have any real urge to go see a movie that's about strange Jar-Jar Binks look-a-likes and some space marines that were carried over from "Aliens."

There's this little nugget over at Huckleberries, asking people if they've seen Avatar more than once, and comparing it to Titanic...

Titanic charted a very different course into box office history, taking a leisurely 44 days to hit $300 million — a feat Avatar equaled in just over two weeks. Clearly, pricey 3D tickets are giving Avatar a (lanky blue) leg up.

But if memory serves, Titanic had an advantage of its own: repeat views. I remember classmates arguing over who had seen the movie more times, resorting to impromptu quote-offs to prove their claims. Avatar has earned plenty of raves, but is it inspiring the same level of obsessive devotion?

I'd go check it out if you've seen the movie. If not, I wouldn't even bother watching the movie. The problem I have is that the movie is directed by James Cameron. A lot of his movies rely on special effects and usually they turn out just fine, but if you listen to his director commentaries he seems to act as if everything was his doing as opposed to the army of special effects guys doing the work for him. Avatar's plot has also been called a clunker... something that is the responsibility of the director to make work.

So call James Cameron an artist if you want... I call him a hack.

(And I'm a big fan of Aliens)