I just saw the movie Avatar last night with my wife.  I know it’s been out for a while, but I very rarely see movies opening weekend.  Avatar, or as I like to call it, “Dances with Smurfs,” is visually interesting but so cliched and derivative that I actually fell asleep for a bit during the middle of it.

This movie is the equivalent of getting hit with a sledgehammer for 3 hours.  There is no subtlety to the storytelling, which begs the question:  is this movie necessary?  Here’s the thing for me, if I’m going to see a movie, I want to learn something, have a new idea or a new perspective presented to me.  The only thing this movie does is take the story of Native Americans and adds a wishful thinking ending.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m appalled when I think of what American history involves concerning the treatment of Native Americans and Africans.  I wish there was a way to turn back the clock and prevent these atrocities, and maybe there is something that can be done in the form of restitution for the Native Americans. 

To come back from my tangent, the only thing this movie does new is the CGI, but that’s not enough reason to make a movie.  Making a bunch of CGI trees, birds, and beasts without a good story gets you nowhere.  Maybe Jim should go back to making Titanic movies.