Avatar

Look, this is the third time I've seen Avatar, and this movie is probably not worth a 5/5 in regards to being a near perfect movie. It has flaws. Probably needs 10-15 minutes of trimming, it has some VERY cheesy dialogue, and sometimes the humans feel a little campy in regards to how ridiculously evil they are. Giovanni Ribisi is grossly miscast as the leader behind the operation, cause he looks like he's like in his mid twenties, so it just doesn't feel credible. But I would be lying if I said I didn't absolutely enjoy every second of this film. Jake Sully isn't the strongest protagonist, but he doesn't really need to be because he is not the main character of this movie. The main character... is Pandora. This is some of the best world building I've seen in a movie. Pandora feels so lived in, and the escapism is truly phenomenal. When I watch this movie, I am a part of Pandora. The visuals are so striking that you feel like you are there. I loved learning their culture, learning their animal species', and it truly is heartbreaking when their land is getting destroyed. It hurts to watch, and it really propels you into investing in this third act. These humans deserve their comeuppance. So despite the flaws, I just cant help but have a blast with this movie. Its just gorgeous to look at and I actually find the story interesting. Sure, its sometimes derivative of other colonialism stories such as Pocahontas, but it makes it just different enough to feel at least somewhat original. Besides, 99% of mainstream movies nowadays are derivative, so its unfair to give those movies a pass while bashing this one for doing the same. I am itching to see Avatar 2 this year, cause I just want to be a part of the Navi for a few more hours. Score: 92%