James Cameron's finest hour?

[abake]

Right, so I've been watching Aliens again (SE) and damn if it isn't a fine movie. The dialogue (bar some very 80's one-liners) and script (bar the -to me- illogical failure of the colonists to have found the derelict ship before) are very good, the acting is great throughout, cinematography and effects are very well handled.
Overall, there really isn't much to criticize in the movie.

I'm not a huge fan of Cameron, his stories seem rather shallow and predictable, he is much more of a crowd pleaser than a great, visionary director, but I was really struck by how much I enjoyed watching Aliens again.

So, what do you think is Cameron's finest moment?

 

[prefused]

i find every movie in that list unwatchable now. i outgrew Cameron a long time ago.

 

[Shropt]

i find every movie in that list unwatchable now. i outgrew Cameron a long time ago.

And set to ignore.

I voted for Abyss. One great film and so ahead of it's time in the technological side of things.

 

[Dark_Spidey]

The first Terminator for me. I wish I'd been old enough to see it in theaters when it was released in 1984.
Perfect story, perfect mood, perfect cast. One of my all-time favorite films.

 

[LoneWolf]

Voted for Avatar, since it was a great innovation of a world, amidst in an already-advanced movie industry.

 

[Reinhardt]

For me, by far Aliens, although The Abyss and Terminator 2 are not far behind.

I was quite dissapointed in Avatar. While technically a masterpiece, the story left a lot to be desired.

 

[CelticPredator]

Terminator.

Avatar is his lowest. Cool effects, but a weak story, and average characters.

Terminator is just amazing all around. Same with Aliens and T2.

I also like True Lies a lot....

 

[DiFabio]

Terminator 2 is James Cameron at his peak . . . . . Avatar is Cameron at his lowest. Yes, even worse than Piranha 2 (not the movie, the Cameron).

Terminator is what put him on the map, so I'd say either two Terminator films are his finest hour. Though T2 more so since it was such a technological achievement as well as a blockbuster smash.

Titanic is worth mentioning too.

I like Aliens and True Lies, but they're not his finest hour. One was a sequel to an a previous film that he didn't create (which I'm not saying is a bad thing) and the other is a good film, but hardly his "finest hour".

 

[Pineapple]

Why is Piranha 2 on that list?

 

[greygoose]

Sanctum 3D

 

[CelticPredator]

^ He produced it....

 

[ExMem-LarjaThwei]

T/E/R/M/I/N/A/T/O/R THE FIRST ONE! ONE! one! one! one.. one... one.... one.....

 

[Batfreak]

terminator 2 no question. not a fan of those alien movies.

 

[a-dev]

Damn this was tough but given my obsession with Terminator thats what I voted for. However I love all those films...piranha 2 excepted, never seen it.

Not ashamed to say I love this guys work.

 

[EVILFACE]

The Terminator
True Lies
T2
Aliens
meh to the rest.

 

[YoNoSe]

I voted Aliens. My personal favorite is Terminator but I remember when Aliens was released people didn't know WTF just hit them. I think that's what he was going for and I don't think he's ever been as successful as he was then.
For me, Aliens is up there with Raiders of the Lost Ark as one of the few movies that accomplishes it's goal in a way that other movies in their genre can only aspire to.

 

[hoodonit00]

Toss up for me between The Abyss and True Lies. I catch myself watching them every time they are on TV.

 

[greygoose]

^ He produced it....

 

[abake]

Why is Piranha 2 on that list?

Because he directed it.

 

[Pred]

Terminator 2 for me.