Film Junk Poll: What is the Best James Cameron Movie?
It’s go time. With Avatar hitting theatres tonight at midnight, it seems only appropriate that we take some time to look back at James Cameron’s filmography as a whole. Most people will attest that the man has yet to make a bad movie (although those people may or may not have seen Piranha 2) and according to most reviews, Avatar would seem to keep his streak intact. But what is the one standout film from Cameron’s fairly concise resume? I am guessing this will be a battle between two or three movies in particular, but I have included all of Cameron’s films here (yes, even his undersea documentaries) so no whining about which movies I left out this time! Avatar is also on the list, so feel free to wait until you’ve seen it to cast your vote. Go ahead and discuss your favourite Jim Cameron film in the comments below.
Comments (28)
There is only one winner in this poll. The colour blue.
Posted by dirrrtyfrank on December 17th, 2009Not only is Aliens James Cameron’s best movie, it’s my favorite movie of all time.
Posted by Rian on December 17th, 2009There are no winners in this poll. Unless, of course, you’re still in middle school.
Posted by scoville on December 17th, 2009The original Terminator is my favourite by a long shot. Love that movie.
I prefer Alien to Aliens, so I could not vote for that, but it would probably be my second choice, followed by T2, then The Abyss, and then True Lies.
I’m not holding out much hope for Avatar, as the trailers look terrible and I absolutely loathe Michelle Rodriguez, but we’ll see what happens.
Posted by KeithTalent on December 17th, 2009Oy you guys i just came back from planet Avatar.
The movie is a transvestite.. its a chicks movie (titanic) mushed up with aliens.
And i don’t see lots of chicks going to see it judging from the poster or the trailer..
3 stars if you rate it just as a movie..
It has some great moments.. like the time that Stephen Lang drinks his coffee while bombarding ..the ..holly tree but overall as you might had guessed The plot is …so … stupid.. all fucking aliens have (spoiler warning) usb cable.. in their Hair? give me a kit-kat
But as a 3d experience … its a MUST see..
I am not sure though if i would like all future films to look like this..
Too much 3d stuff flying around sure add something but also take much more from the movie..
it kinda takes you away sometimes..
also
i found my self taking off the glasses to rest my eyes twice in the film..
It was my first time in A 3d theater…
i did not know you get to keep the glasses..
What am i suppose to do with them? throw them away?
Posted by KYriakos on December 17th, 2009Didn’t we do this poll already? I could have sworn this was on here before. Anyway, I voted for the Terminator, not only because I still watch it and enjoy it, and not only because I have had nightmares right out of that movie, but because Cameron was able to do so much with so little. Terminator was the District 9 of it’s day.
Posted by Matt on December 17th, 2009Aliens is so goddamn amazing its ridiculous. He defined space marines for everyone else. Still makes me wish space marines were real so I could join.
Terminator and T2 were also awesome but just not quite there. I need to go back and watch the Abyss again but I remember liking it. And despite all the haters, Titanic is still a pretty damn good movie.
Posted by Justice on December 17th, 2009I voted Titanic
yes – I LOVE Aliens, Terminator and Abyss and have watched them uncountable times.
But Titanic is a masterpiece.
Posted by Sly on December 17th, 2009You aren’t supposed to keep the glasses. Typically, you give them back at the end so they can be “recycled”. Sure, throw them away.
Posted by Falsk on December 17th, 2009I don’t get people ragging on this movie. I LOVED it – 12/10 from me no worries.
I Loved every second. I found the plot comforting. Sure, I knew what was going to happen but with the visuals so mind-blowing I liked being carried along nicely. I mean, what happened in the film is EXACTLY what I WANTED to happen.
I kept the glasses as a memento from the first time I saw Avatar, they’ll be a treasured relic for the rest of my life. Fuck recycling them – we pay too much for movies here as it is.
Please go and see this and make up your own mind about it – It’s fucking amazing. Don’t force yourself to be the stern, too cool internet asshole that you’re supposed to be. If you were 10 you know you’d love this thing and I guarantee that everyone here still loves the same films and toys and books they did when they were kids.
Posted by Nick Robertson on December 17th, 2009Oh! And I usually hate Michelle Rodriguez too but she’s really good in this for what she is. She’s actually hot in it too. She smiles and isn’t the typical tough butch thing she usually is.
Posted by Nick Robertson on December 17th, 2009and as always, people will undoubtedly vote en masse for the most recent picture!
Posted by tonci on December 17th, 2009I voted for T2 but I wish I could erase that and vote for T1…Not taking anything away from Aliens, but, T1 was an original script that he shot with practically no money. They made that movie for less than what Michael Bays one day craft food service bill would have been. and it rocks…the action is so visceral, the camera work the editing is awesome. The chase scene in the underground garage…or the way Arnold just strolls up to the door of another Sarah Connor and puts slugs into the lady’s head …ballsy! Come on if “Assault on Precinct 13″ still holds up than so does T1
Posted by xego on December 17th, 2009titanic is the best movie, its so great movie
Posted by watch movie on December 18th, 2009just came back from Avatar…
voted Avatar
Posted by Goon on December 18th, 2009Avatar has some good moments, But overall its not a good movie.
if you take out CG and put blue costumes in it you got a power rangers episode..
Thats how stupid the plot is..
And i am a guy who considers T2 as one of the best movies ever made..
Posted by KYriakos on December 18th, 2009“Thats how stupid the plot is..”
I say fuck off to the constant plot bickeering. yeah its Dances With Wolves in Space, but its still an actual story with a rich world built around it. A couple months ago Star Trek, which moves very fast and has a very simple plot as well that hopes the speed will make you ignore it, got praised for this same shit. Avatar is getting treated on a different curve in this regard already, and seemingly from a lot of the people who walked in still holding out trying to find something to complain about after months of bitching about FernGully character design. For a lot of people its a real complaint, but for others it comes off like a petty last resort.
Bottom line Avatar is a sensory experience, as far as this years blockbuster movies go only District 9 compared as well for me. D9 is definitely the better film, but they are equal as far as an entertainment experience to me. I’d say though that Avatar demands your theater dollar more.
“i am a guy who considers T2 as one of the best movies ever made..”
I am a guy who doesnt like Terminator 2 much at all. Edward Furlong itself makes it tough to watch.
Posted by Goon on December 18th, 2009“if you take out CG and put blue costumes in it you got a power rangers episode..”
you want to try this one again, because this logic could be applied to just about anything.
if you take the stop motion out of Fantastic Mr. Fox and put blue costumes in it you have Power Rangers Action figures for furries.
Posted by Goon on December 18th, 2009Aliens all the fucking way!
Posted by AdamH on December 18th, 2009@Goon: Word!
Posted by SirPrize on December 18th, 2009How do you have a power rangers episode????
I honestly cried during this movie for two reasons: 1 – I love film and filmmaking and this thing just hit all the right notes in totally engrossing me and bewildering me to the point where all I could do was appreciate the chance to see this in my lifetime. I felt Jim Cameron’s passion for this project and it took him this long to make – that much money and that huge fucking brain of his and I completely respect him. He doesn’t let anything stand in the way of making what HE wants, obviously. Not what you want.
2 – The scene where Jake gets his Banshee. I can not believe they were all filmed on a stage. The aerial photography is fucking breathtaking.
Again – people say the story is uninspired but it isn’t Memento or The Usual Suspects, it’s James Cameron putting his spin on the old campfire story you’ve heard a hundred times from 100 different people and still captivating you.
Posted by Nick Robertson on December 18th, 2009I’ve yet to see the film, or look to see what other message boards are saying about it but I would imagine that it is much the same. It is somewhat amusing to see all the vitriol coming from both sides. It is as though we are all participating in some big social engineering experiment or something? Testing of the publics backlash reflex or reflux or something. I think this is a well established reaction to overly large productions of this kind, and the motivations have less to do with the merits of the film. Take “Cleopatra” for example, it suffered much the same fate. Does anyone remember the talk around “Heaven’s Gate” or “Istar” how about all the talk around “Titanic” or “Star Wars Episode 1″ ,”Spiderman 2″. Jay Cheel insightfully pointed out that film audiences are conservative in what they want to see on the screen. I think he is right but I think there is a bit of fiscal conservativeness as well. When you hear someone spending the GNP of a small country on a movie there is going to be backlash. People might give lipservice to the notion of judging a film by its merits without respect to budget but I don’t think it is entirely possible.
Posted by xego on December 18th, 2009@Goon
Posted by hhh on December 18th, 2009I don’t agree with you Goon. If you did that with Fantastic Mr. Fox you would have something much better. What he meant by the switching was that Avatar doesn’t really have any good story, but Fantastic Mr. Fox does, and Fantastic Mr. Fox is already an animation so in the sense of a story, it is totally in another league.
I just wrote some big defense of Avatar but what’s the point.
Posted by Nick Robertson on December 18th, 2009Some of you have been ordered by your peers to dislike so you’ll dislike.
But why is everyone so against the love story? No one ever been in love before?
”I honestly cried during this movie for two reasons”
…You and my girlfriend Nick..
”I am a guy who doesnt like Terminator 2 much at all. Edward Furlong itself makes it tough to watch.”
..i think ED.FUR is awsome in it..
i ve watch T2 over 30 times…
Posted by KYriakos on December 19th, 2009God forbid a movie make you cry. EMOTIONAL REACTIONS ARE FOR PUSSIES.
Posted by Falsk on December 19th, 2009Kyri, I’ll apologize over the ESL thing when you apologize for Edward Furlong’s performance, or to Falsk for the unnecessary dig
Posted by Goon on December 19th, 2009I Love Titanic but The Terminetor is a serious shit and mainly it got ARNOLD………
Posted by Dragon on August 16th, 2010Leave a Reply