The Lamron

Issue date: 1/28/10 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Markus Schreiber/AP Images The stars of the box office-busting Avatar pose in Berlin, Germany for a screening of the film, which has grossed over $1 billion.

After six weeks at No. 1 at the U.S. box office, James Cameron's Avatar continues to rake in the money. In fact, last weekend Cameron broke his own record, held by Titanic (1997), for highest grossing film ever made.

While only four other movies have ever passed the $1 billion marker - Titanic, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and The Dark Knight - it took less than 3 weeks for Avatar to reach this goal, and it's certainly not without reason.

Cameron creates an awe-inspiring world and people that we are introduced to through the eyes of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington). As Sully explores the world of Pandora inside his avatar's body, we too are seeing everything for the first time. Like a child he playfully touches and stares at everything he passes, mesmerized by how they light up and react in unfamiliar ways, satisfying the audience's desire to do so as well.

The extraordinary visuals immerse movie-goers in the amazing world surrounding them (especially in 3-D), giving the feeling that they too are experiencing this fantasy alongside the film's relatable characters.

Though the visuals proved to be incredible, they only add to a well-developed storyline. This futuristic sci-fi epic offers everything an audience would want. Melding two worlds together, it mixes a familiar reality with a foreign land of imaginative sights, sounds and a different way of life. This place and its inhabitants - the Na'vi people - intrigue us immediately, leaving us with the desire to learn anything and everything about them and the environment with which they interact.

While it is action-packed with battle and excitement, the film also has room for beauty and romance. The romance between Sully and native Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) is sparked when they eventually "see" each other's inner beauty, even though they are strangers to separate worlds and traditions.

Conflict emerges when the beliefs of the different worlds collide and the human race tries to destroy the home of the Na'vi people for nothing other than resources and money. The home of the Na'vi people is not just a place, but has meaning and history behind it. With their home, the Na'vi share true love for the world in which they live.

The Na'vi tribe and traditions alone are enough to capture the audience's attention, but the battle to protect all they've cherished and built for years is what makes the film truly captivating.

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