So by now you've probably heard that Avatar has become the highest grossing box office film of all time. In just a matter of weeks, Avatar has raked in more cash than any other film in the history of the genre. That's a scary thought, isn't it? What's even scarier to me is that the overall consensus of the film seems to be "ho-hum" and that it's lots of great effects with a average plot. Some people even say it's basically Ferngully.


I personally haven't seen the movie and have no real desire to. Everyone keeps telling me "You gotta go see Avatar" but then when I ask them why, they just tell me it's got good special effects. I wrote months ago that the CGI looked cartoony to me, but I'm sure it looks better on the big screen. I just have no desire. I've never been one to go see movies based on their special effects.

What bothers me most is that this film is being touted as the movie that knocked off Titanic and will soon also probably hold the domestic box office records as well. There's one slight problem with that, in my view. Titanic came out in 1997 and movie tickets were like $7. Now it's at least $12 in most places to see a regular showing of Avatar, but the film is making 90% of it's money on IMAX and 3D showings which can range up to $25 a ticket.

So if you factor in inflation, Avatar isn't anywhere near the top. Not that I think Titanic's throne needs to be defended, but I was always okay with Titanic being the #1 film. It was a sappy movie sure, but it had good FX, great actors, a solid love story and at least some basis on a truly compelling human interest tragedy. Now the #1 movie of all time is Tall Smurfs. If the world blows up tomorrow, I don't want the human race going down with Tall Smurfs as it's biggest box office film.

No sir, I don't like it.