Avatar – another titanic success for James Cameron

Well, it looks like James Cameron has done it again. Avatar has already grossed over one billion dollars worldwide, making it the second-highest grossing film in history, second only to Cameron’s last film, Titanic, which you might have heard of.

I haven’t seen it yet myself, but it’s right up there on my list of must-see films at the moment. I’m particularly interested in the 3-D aspect of it – I’ve read a few interviews with James Cameron and he seems to think that 3-D is the way forward for films in the future. He’s said that he expects all his films to be in 3-D from now on – should be an interesting development if he turns out to be right.

Film event of the Autumn – Where the Wild Things Are

A little late for the summer market which is traditionally filled with big budget blockbusters, arguably the most anticipated film of the year is due for release at cinemas next month.

It experienced numerous delays but we will finally get to see it, and judge whether it lives up to our expectations given the large part the book has played in so many children’s lives.

Where the Wild Things are is an adaptation of one of the best loved children’s stories of all time. Spike Jonze is the director of the film version, and if the trailer is anything to go by it looks spectacular.

Click here to find out more about Where the Wild Things Are

Film of the summer – District 9

Produced by Peter Jackson, District 9 is an alien movie like no other. It is arguably the big movie event of the summer, given its low budget and extraordinary impact.

It is written and directed by Neill Blomkamp and is about stranded aliens in a refugee camp in Johannesburg. A bureaucrat charged with the task of relocating the aliens is exposed to an alien substance that begins to transform him into an alien, and tries to help the aliens escape the planet thus saving Earth.

Far fetch sci-fi plot but it is a rollercoaster of a film and it has some poignant roots. The premise of District 9 is inspired by events in South Africa’s history during the apartheid in an area of Cape Town called District Six.