As I'm recording this, it has been 16 years since James Cameron's avatar came out,

and I still don't know exactly how I feel about it.

I think I like it.

I mean, visually, I super like it.

That's as cool of visual experience as I have ever had in a movie in my entire life.

I saw it opening night in 2009 in 3D.

I'd never enjoyed a 3D movie experience ever until that one.

And I think I turned around the next day and watched it again in 3D.

But it wasn't because of the plot or the characters.

I don't know.

I liked some of the characters. But it wasn't because of the plot or the characters. I don't know. I liked some of the characters,

but it wasn't because of the plot.

The plot's just basically space dances with wolves.

So I'd already seen that story played out several times.

But the environment, Pandora, the imaginary space Eden, where all of this plays out,

was so engrossing and beautiful. I felt like an explorer

every time we panned around that world with my 3D glasses on, and I just wanted to get back

there. So it's a confusing relationship I have with the movie. I admit that. But something I learned

after the fact that's really interesting to me about Avatar is that it was

written way before it was made. James Cameron wrote it in the early 90s around the same time that

dances with wolves was being made, I guess. And he didn't make it for another 15 plus years. And his reason

was that the technology wasn't there to realize his vision.

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