Mike S (CloudStrife84)

Man, do I feel lucky to be alive in a time like this. A time when James Cameron is back on top of his game, and when the magic of special effects and CGI have become as breath-takingly flawless as it is. And breath-taking is truly the word here. Because not only is Avatar a fantastic sci-fi film, but it's taken movies in general to a whole new level, far beyond everything we've previously seen. The CGI looks so real that you can almost touch it (especially in 3D), and it's hard to believe that Pandora and its inhabitants were all made in a bunch of computers. That's just how amazing this movie looks.

My only complaint concerns the story and some of the dialogue, as its highly predictable and quite thin. Most of the plot events feel very familiar, and is unfortunately rife with clichés and stereotypes. It's a pity, because it dragged down the overall experience a bit. Even so, it's still an amazing movie, that had me drop my jaw more than a few times. And to give you an idea of just how awesome it really is, I've here gathered some of the titles it deserves to be awarded with:

* Best movie of 2009

* Best CGI effects of all-time

* One of my top 100 favourite movies

* Most realistic animation ever created

* One of the top 10 films of the decade

* One of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made

The bottomline is: this is no ordinary cinematic experience. It's a mindblowing and emotional thrill ride, that'll take you to a place beyond your wildest dreams. A visual masterpiece, that truly leaves you lost for words.

Update: Very few films are even better on the second viewing, but Avatar sure is one of them. My initial rating was 4 out of 5 stars, but after seeing it now again, I realise that was a bit cheap of me. Because a movie of this caliber, and of such stunning visual beauty, deserves at least half a star more than that. A definite buy when released on Blu-ray!

Clever, witty and better than I expected. I mean, when I initially saw the trailer for this, the first words that entered my mind were of doubtful and cynical nature. I thought to myself: "Great, another classic literary character, destroyed by the greedy and soulless Hollywood factory". Having now seen it in its full length, however, I have to say that I admit myself guilty. Guilty of the crime of jumping to conclusions, by condemning this film before the actual viewing. Because contrary to what I presumed, this wasn't your typical popcorn flick. Granted that they've turned Holmes into a fully-fledged action hero, but the intelligence and spirit of the novels, is still very much intact. At least as far as I can recall, because it's been quite a while since last I read one. That isn't to say it's a great movie though. Because even if the pacing overall is pretty good, it did have moments where my interest waned somewhat. I also found the main antagonist, Lord Blackwood, to be a pretty clichéd villian. Most of his lines felt way too familiar. I can't say I cared much for the gypsy-inspired music either. Not really my cup of tea, as they say in England. Other than that though, there was a lot to like about this film. Such as the parts when Holmes utilizes his observational skills. They made for a lot of fun and intriguing scenes; especially in the fights. And with classy actors like Robert Downey and Jude Law in the lead, you know that you don't have to worry about any bad performances. So if you can get past all the obvious alterations, and the slightly annoying soundtrack, this film is bound to give you a good time.

My favourite movie of all time (so far in my life that is). Even if it isn't perfect, I still feel it's a 4.9 out of 5. I'm a real sucker for the Lord of the Rings and fantasy in general, but this one is very special to me. Kudos to Peter Jackson for making such a great adaptation to screen. It really deserves its 12 oscars. Love every second of it, from start to finish. One of the few full pointers I've ever given a movie, which is saying a lot.

Epic movies don't get much better than this. Mel Gibson may be a nut to some, but he sure knows how to make quality that counts :-)