Avatar

Avatar was one of those movies I saw because I felt like I had to see it. It's got so much hype, it's gotten awards, it's the Most Expensive Movie Ever -- I have to see what all the fuss is about. But I can't say I was excited to see it. Let's face it - the movie is about Big Blue Cats.

And it's hard to see beyond those Big Blue Cats. However, there were definitely times when they felt real. The movie is breathtaking and groundbreaking and gorgeous. At first it's like, oooooh look - the horses have 6 legs, and the Big Blue Cats ride on neon pterodactyls, and the forest looks like everything is bathed in black light. But eventually you do get immersed in the world that's been created, and it seems less like an animated film and more like a real place.

The story is very simplistic and straight-forward. And the alien culture is all hippie-dippy, with its belief that all living things are intertwined. The movie really starts off in the middle of everything, and the plot is a wee bit confusing if you think about it too much. So instead focus on the pretty, pretty alien planet. And pretty, pretty Sam Worthington.

I think the best thing I can say about this movie is that it wasn't a complete waste of time. I mean, I could have been completely restless and bored during those 2 1/2 plus hours, but I wasn't. Just as it started to feel too long, there was a pretty epic battle scene that sucked me in.

It really is a lovely film. Not the best movie I've ever seen - and I don't feel the need to see it again - but it was good. I saw it in 3D too, which I'd recommend. The 3-D wasn't gimmicky at all.