Avatar 2: The Way of Water is finally available on Disney+. For the occasion, here are 4 other films by director James Cameron to watch in streaming: Avatar, Titanic, Aliens, the returnas well as’Alita: Battle Angel.
If you haven’t lived in a cave in 2022, you could hardly have missed the phenomenon created by Avatar 2: The Way of Water, directed by James Cameron. The second part of the saga was a hit in theaters (and in the hearts of some Numerama journalists). For those who missed it at the cinema, good news: Avatar 2 is finally available for streaming on Disney+.
While James Cameron is rightly in the spotlight in an exhibition dedicated to the Cinémathèque française in Paris, until January 5, 2025, here are 4 films by the filmmaker to (re)discover on the SVOD platform.
Avatar on Disney+, the original blue tidal wave
Before Avatar 2there was obviously a gigantic first part, which quite simply shook up the entire cinema industry when it was released in 2009. In Avatar, we thus discovered the world of the Na’vi, these blue giants who at the same time introduced the American soldier Jake Sully to the joys of nature and life. Together, they will fight to save the planet Pandora from a colonial invasion.
Deeply ecological, anti-colonialist and pacifist, Avatar develops extremely rare themes for a blockbuster. The film, which changed the way we think about 3D in cinema, remains, to this day, the biggest global success of the seventh art. A deserved triumph, for a spectacular feature film, with sumptuous special effects, which has not aged a bit, more than ten years later.
- To see if you liked: Abyss ; Pocahantas ; Princess Mononoke ; Rogue One: A Star Wars Story ; Pacific Rim ; video games Monster Hunter ; Atlantis, the lost empire
- To see if you are looking for: action ; adventure ; fantastic ; science fiction; ecology; fighting; explosions; golden casting; distant planet; romance; chills; impressive special effects; wanting to move to Pandora and meet the Na’vi; Michelle Rodriguez (Fast and Furious) in a supporting role as badass as ever; understand the true meaning of ” I see you “
Titanic on Disney+, love at first sight of the century
It’s difficult to talk about James Cameron without talking about the masterpiece of his career: Titanic, the most beautiful love story in cinema. The filmmaker thus imagined the overwhelming romance between Rose and Jack, passengers of the famous ship which experienced a tragic shipwreck in 1912. This catastrophe is recounted in phenomenal sequences, during which we hold our breath, even knowing the outcome of the story. .
As is often the case with James Cameron, the themes addressed are deeper than they seem. The character of Rose, an ultra-inspiring feminist heroine, thus goes through questions linked to class struggle and social conventions, and her relationship with Jack touches us from the first seconds with its crazy sincerity.
Titanic ultimately has everything you could hope for in a film: deep love, a cult soundtrack, breathtaking action scenes, and a couple of actors whose chemistry is always a dream. It’s well worth seeing the 3h14 of this monument again, right?
- To see if you liked: Romeo + Juliet ; Never forget ; Pearl Harbor ; Portrait of the girl on fire
- To see if you are looking for: drama ; romance; historical; golden casting; chills; disaster ; sob out ; the most beautiful couple in the history of cinema; a memorable Irish dance scene; a stunning (literally) shipwreck sequence; falling in love with Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio at the same time; wanting to be drawn like a French woman; participate in the debate on the famous too small board at the end
Aliens, the return on Disney+, the roller coaster of fear
Another room, another atmosphere: before the romantic air of TitanicJames Cameron took over from Ridley Scott to tell us the story of another feminist heroine, with Aliens, the return. In this second part of the saga, we find Ellen Ripley, slightly traumatized by her past encounter with visitors from elsewhere.
After drifting in space for 57 years, she is rescued by a corporation, which does not take her experience on the Nostromo seriously. Alongside soldiers, she will then have to return to the planet LV-426…
Aliens, the return takes over with dignity from its predecessor, greatly increasing the presence of unusual creatures, chain explosions and distressing sequences.
Sigourney Weaver proves to be more badass than ever, not hesitating to rush into the crowd to confront her enemies. The film is thus a peak of strong sensations, a sort of horrific roller coaster in which we willingly embark, without ever regretting it for a second.
Alita: Battle Angel on Disney+, the love of machines
We admit it: we cheat a little by integrating Alita: Battle Angel to this selection, since it is not directed by James Cameron. But the filmmaker still produced and scripted this film with completely atypical special effects, in line with his filmography in constant quest for innovation. Adapted from the manga Gunnmthe feature film follows a cyborg who discovers superhuman abilities in a futuristic post-apocalyptic world.
Alita: Battle Angel is one of those films with an instantly recognizable aesthetic, mixing live action and 3D animation with impressive fluidity. This graphic bias clearly does not please everyone, and probably put off a large part of the public when it was released, but this original attempt at least has the merit of existing.
There remains an intriguing quest for identity, mixed with an ultra-referenced SF atmosphere, in which we find James Cameron’s passion for machines, after Terminator.
- To see if you liked: the manga Gunnm ; Ghost in the Shell ; Lucy ; The fifth Element ; fallout ; Dark Angel ; Blade Runner ; Ready Player One ; Matrix ; Terminator
- To see if you are looking for: action ; science fiction; futuristic; cyberpunk; thriller; fighting; explosions; manga adaptation; post-apocalyptic; cyborgs; riddles; mix of live action and animation; a heroine with huge, almost creepy eyes; hundreds of SF references
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