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Avatar. Six vague, spoiler-free (labyrinthine) sentences.

Critics: Yes, the plot is simple and predictable, and it has been done over and over —- there is a reason for that. I, for one, was ever so thankful that it stays focused, and that it doesn’t try to give me a Hollywood-science/-history lesson.

There are details to the world and the backstory that isn’t explored with as much depth in this movie, but could conceivably yield a detailed living world. More importantly, what are actually in the movie —- the species, the visuals, the culture and religion, the politics, the choices, the visuals, etc. —- are all the little details the fit and work to make the world feel whole.

Oh, and did I mention the visuals? the OMG visuals? It’s not just the CGI, or the 3D, but the cinematography that becomes a huge player in making CGI and 3D work, and why so many past and present 3D projects fail —- because of a failure to sufficiently consider the cinematography (whole other post that I’ve been jotting down since minute 1 of the movie), and this is just about the end-product and not the production technologies and techniques that were developed over the course of the movie.