James Cameron is one of the best filmmakers in the business, the mastermind behind iconic movies ranging from Titanic to The Terminator. He's particularly notable for a pronounced visual style, one that works best on the big screen and has proved a draw to audiences for decades. The first Avatar had a massive impact on the film industry itself, largely because of the remarkable technological innovations Cameron made during its production. CGI-heavy movies notoriously age poorly, but that isn't the case with Avatar, which remains beautiful and immersive to this day. This accomplishment is all the more impressive given Avatar's success led to a surge in films using 3D technology, and yet few managed to pull it off as effectively. It's exciting to see Cameron continue to develop this technology.

The cultural impact of Avatar tends to be underestimated. This is probably because the script is fairly derivative, and yet oddly enough that may well be a key part of its success; Cameron specializes in dealing with archetypes, and he uses them so confidently and authentically that they appeal nonetheless. And yet, Avatar has earned more money than any other movie in history, simply because audiences keep turning up - including for re-releases. Disney has wisely ignored the critical discourse, recognizing that people loved Avatar, keep turning up to watch it, and will indeed want to watch sequels. Smart promotion has served to remind viewers of everything they loved about the first film, while the focus on underwater environments assured Avatar: The Way of Water wouldn't just be seen as more of the same.