James Cameron

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on December 8th, 2022, reviewing “Avatar: The Way of Water,” the highly anticipated sequel to the 2009 original, directed by James Cameron. In theaters beginning December 16th, in 3D and IMAX screen options.

CHICAGO – The creation of new worlds has always been a mainstay of the cinema, virtually since it was invented. And whether you love or are indifferent to the films of James Cameron (“Titanic”), he remains one of the prime movers in advancing the creative tools of films. His influence is all over “Alita: Battle Angel.”

CHICAGO – The legend of “Avatar,” one of the most popular movies of all time, has expanded to the Cirque du Soleil creative universe. “Toruk: The First Flight” is the latest touring show for the iconic performance company, and tells the story of the flying creature from the original film. The show is at the United Center in Chicago, now through Sunday, August 7th. For more information, including ticket purchasing, click here.

CHICAGO – Contrary to what James Cameron may have you believe, a 3D movie theater is not the best venue to showcase the super-human physical feats of Cirque du Soleil. In fact, it’s a pretty awful substitute for the visceral thrill of a live performance. The audience experiences it like an English-speaking agnostic attending a Latin mass—there’s plenty of loud pageantry on display, but none of it makes any sense.

CHICAGO – I have to admit that I greeted the new Blu-ray edition of James Cameron’s wildly-influential “The Terminator” with a raised eyebrow and heavy dose of skepticism. Another release for a movie that has hit the home market over and over again felt like a cash grab. A restoration? Sure. From the first minute, “The Terminator” feels new in this edition, a gorgeously remastered HD transfer of a genre classic.

CHICAGO – How can something this hyped feel so rushed and blasé? Gearbox Software must be counting on the strong “Alien” franchise fanbase to carry sales but word of mouth is going to kill “Aliens: Colonial Marines” quicker than a Xenomorph can kill an unarmed civilian.

CHICAGO – Some snobby film fans like to use “Titanic” as a punchline almost as if it’s un-cool to love one of the biggest movies of all time. It’s not a “serious” movie, just a popular one. It’s total nonsense. There are awful popular films you can point to but “Titanic” is not one of them. It’s a damn good movie, the definitive modern romantic epic. And people still adore this movie with good reason. It taps into something classic in filmmaking. Last week, Paramount released a beautiful set for the film’s debut on Blu-ray and fans who have been clamoring to own this movie in HD for years will admit that it was worth the wait.

CHICAGO – We are at the tipping point of a technology that has been used for a hundred years to capture the moving image. Shooting on film is going away as more and more filmmakers use digital technology to tell their stories. How does this change the art form? Is it a creative new landscape or the death of something important?

CHICAGO – It’s incredibly easy to make jokes about the 3rd and 4th subpar films in the “Terminator Anthology” but that’s missing the point. Yes, the series goes downhill a bit after the amazing “T2” and slides even further in the pretty awful McG finale but collectors don’t care. This is a set, exclusive to Best Buy and the WB Online Shop, for true collectors, those of you who get excited for nifty packaging and the ability to hold a whole series in your hands. It’s a great box set even if not all four movies could correctly be called “great.”

CHICAGO – It takes more than expensive effects, super-sized egos and exhaustive marketing campaigns to seduce the world. For all of its visual splendor, James Cameron’s “Avatar” has already evaporated from most moviegoers’ memories. Its derivative romance and preachy messages were stretched so thin that they failed to achieve any resonant impact.