Comments on: The Essentials: The Best Films Of James Cameron

By: James

James — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:28 +0000

Cameron also edited much of STRANGE DAYS. However he was not in the union at the time and so could not receive screen credit. He joined the union before TITANIC, allowing him to be credited there.

By: Nolan

Nolan — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:28 +0000

I actually just recently watched both "Alien" and "Aliens" for the first time. It sort of amazes me that not only is "Aliens" well liked, but it is often viewed as superior to "Alien." I didn't really care for it at all. It did nothing to add to the violently sexual imagery established in the first one, and I even found the violence to be more mundane. Not to mention the borderline unbearable two and a half run time. The themes were all very obvious and rote in that special James Cameron sort of way, and I was annoyed at how many scenes were dedicated to trying to get us to understand that these marines were all macho idiots (which, at least for me, is where the run time started to become very noticeable.) Weaver was great, but I wish I had the ability to create a new cut of the film with the little girl muted.

By: Ken

Ken — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:28 +0000

T2 is at least a B+, nothing less. Terminator is an A and is the better movie but there's not THAT much of a drop off between the first and second film. The action sequences are way more satisfying and even though Arnie is the good guy, he's still pretty badass. Plus, who cannot love Linda Hamilton's ass kicking performance whereas in the first Terminator she's just a scared young woman.

By: Oogle monster

Oogle monster — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:28 +0000

Kudos to not ripping into Titanic. It seems to be the trend- in anticipation of the re-release- to make digs at a movie that had nearly every critic foaming at the mouth when it originally came out. Titanic was a landmark film for its time and should be treated as such. I get that a re-release tends to prompt new perspectives/criticism but the amount of snark and unnecessary digs I've read in the past few days regarding Titanic is a little baffling. On another note, what's the grade for Avatar? You can't just leave that out!

By: StephenM

StephenM — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:28 +0000

Yeah, I think he peaked with Aliens. Terminator and Aliens are easily two of the greatest action films of all time, relentlessly thrilling and perfectly paced, with strong characters but minimum sentiment. Since then, he's continuously gone down the route of more extensive movies with bigger special effects and more and more silly, sentimental, unconvincing stories. Terminator 2 is still fun, but it's convoluted and doesn't have that same kick.

By: Wendo

Wendo — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:28 +0000

You are much much much to mild with THE ABYSS — one of the most ridicolous movies ever.

At the same time I would agree with Ken that TERMINATOR II is quite an acomplishment.

I am not sure if Cameron does indeed deserve the label âmost successful directorâ — Steven Spielberg seems more likely, relative to budget and the number of directing / producing successes

By: tristan eldritch

tristan eldritch — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:28 +0000

"The script creaks with cliches. The broad-strokes storytelling borrows from any number of sources, and the heroes and villains lack any shades of grey."

Here a thing that puzzles me. Why do people not mind cliches (and for that matter broad-stroke story-telling) in an art movie like There Will Be Blood (Day Lewis and Dano's characters are both broadly-drawn cliches, and Day Lewis winding up alone and insane in his mansion is essentially the cliche of how that character always ends up), and yet criticize a populist entertainment movie like Avatar for being cliched? The point of movie like Avatar is always how sincerely and effectively the cliches are manipulated, not original it is.

By: Xian

Xian — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:28 +0000

Cameron inspired "by a dream" for the original "Terminator??" Hmmmm, wonder what Harlan Ellison would say about that.

By: UGH!

UGH! — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:28 +0000

Cameron=Egomaniacal douche!

By: Carson Wells

Carson Wells — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:28 +0000

That is a remarkably bland filmography for someone so strangely well regarded.

By: jon

jon — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:28 +0000

Alien "wasn't a blockbuster hit"? Where are you doing your research?

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alien.htm

To make $78 million domestic on an $11 million budget in 1979 sure sounds like the definition of a "blockbuster" to me. Aliens brought in $85 million domestic 7 years later, for comparison.

By: whothehellareyoupeople

whothehellareyoupeople — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:28 +0000

True Lies, one of the 10 best action movies ever made, gets a C-? Terminator 2, also one of the 10 best action movies ever made, gets a B-? This is so wildly off base I had to laugh when I saw it. I never comment on threads, but this snobbery is just infuriating.

By: Goatboy

Goatboy — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:27 +0000

I must admit I disagree with the review of The Abyss. I think the movie's strongest part is the end. Once the action aspect goes it becomes an intelligent and emotional fantasy. I would probably go as far as to say it's my favourite movie of his (although The Terminator is not far behind it).

By: jimmiescoffee

jimmiescoffee — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:27 +0000

'T2' a B-? hilarious.

By: droopy

droopy — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:27 +0000

i dont get the cameron/tom hooper comparison/joke…

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:27 +0000

Two points:

1. The Abyss should get an A+
2. Wendo, Xian and Ugh! are talking out of their asses.

By: Who dat ninja

Who dat ninja — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:43:27 +0000

You rank Avatar and Titanic higher than T2 and True Lies? Your street cred is revoaked.