'Avatar' a best picture? I don't think so

I've been ranting about Avatar for weeks now. The film definitely had quite the weekend. It surged past $500 million in domestic box office gross, passing the original Star Wars to become the third highest-grossing movie in U.S. history. On Sunday night, it took home the Golden Globe for Best Picture (Drama), giving it a huge boost for Oscar consideration.

This is where I am still completely unable to come around when it comes to Avatar. Yes, it's made more money world-wide than all but one film, Titanic, ever. In a culture that puts such high value on opening weekend box office, this is an achievement. Most movies don't have the longevity nor the ability to sustain themselves long enough to reach the upper echelon of box office history. Avatar has proven beyond a doubt that it's a money-making juggernaut.

Does this make it an excellent film, a film worthy of having its name etched alongside cinematic legends like Gone with the Wind, Ben-Hur, The Godfather, Schindler's List, Forrest Gump and Gladiator?

No. No, not at all.

James Cameron should be praised for the leaps in technology Avatar achieved. The CGI creations in the film are lightyears ahead of the creepy-looking people in films like The Polar Express and Beowulf. Technological achievement does not mean a movie is deserving of a best picture award of any kind. Best picture awards are reserved for movies that excel in all areas. Character and story matter just as much as the look of the film. Avatar fails when it comes to creating well-rounded characters and an original story. The film is predictable and is painted in only black and white, with no shades of gray.

Looking at Rotten Tomatoes, Avatar doesn't even make its list of 100 best reviewed movies for 2009. While there are a lot of unknown movies on this list, it's not hard to compose a top ten list of films that truly deserve the praise of critics.

1. Up (No. 3, 98%)
2. The Hurt Locker (No. 6, 97%)
3. Star Trek (No. 22, 94%)
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox (No. 30, 93%)
5. Precious (No. 41, 91%)
6. Crazy Heart (No. 44, 91%)
7. District 9 (No. 49, 90%)
8. Up in the Air (No. 50, 90%)
9. Inglourious Basterds (No. 56, 89%)
10. Moon (No. 59, 89%)

The Rotten Tomatoes top 100 list includes numerous other films that could crack a top ten list, yet Avatar isn't even in their top 100.

Our culture has allowed itself to become engrossed in the shininess of Avatar, forcing ourselves to completely ignore the fact that once you strip away the luminescent hues, there's very little substance left. A Best Picture win at the Oscars is something we're going to shake our collective heads at years down the road, much like we'll someday have to explain away the Twilight phenomenon.