Has there been a year this decade when we\u2019ve been sad to see it go?<\/p>\n
I thought about that while reading our \u201c25 ways to banish this no good, very bad year\u201d<\/a> list, which contains some terrific ideas, and I\u2019d be very happy to watch you jump into the Pacific on New Year\u2019s Day, if you feel so inclined. But they\u2019re all predicated on the idea that this year has given off a stench that needs to be smothered, the same way you\u2019d cleanse your dog in tomato juice after an encounter with a skunk. <\/p>\n And this is true. Even Game 7 of the World Series<\/a> can\u2019t erase the heartache that 2025 has inflicted upon us, though props to Kik\u00e9 Hern\u00e1ndez<\/a> for doing his best to distract from the headlines. <\/p>\n I\u2019m Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of The Envelope newsletter, wishing you and yours a better new year. It\u2019s a low bar. I\u2019m optimistic we can jump it. <\/p>\n Sign up for The Envelope <\/p>\n Get exclusive awards season news, in-depth interviews and columnist Glenn Whipp\u2019s must-read analysis straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service<\/a> and our Privacy Policy<\/a>. <\/p>\n Predicting \u2018Avatar\u2019s\u2019 Oscar chances<\/p>\n Did anyone really want to see a third \u201cAvatar\u201d movie?<\/p>\n Sure, someone must have. It sold $89 million in tickets<\/a> last weekend, though that number fell short of analysts\u2019 forecast for James Cameron\u2019s three-hour movie. For comparison, 2022\u2019s \u201cAvatar: The Way of Water\u201d<\/a> brought in $134 million in its opening weekend. That movie, like the series\u2019 2009 first film, built its $2-billion-plus box office over time. <\/p>\n \u201cAvatar: Fire and Ash\u201d may well do the same. <\/p>\n Still, doesn\u2019t it feel like there should be more excitement to go see a movie that might gross $2 billion worldwide? Maybe you were among the first in line to see it last Friday. No judgment. I\u2019ve seen every Cameron movie in a theater, a streak I suspect will continue as long as he\u2019s making films. <\/p>\n The thing is, Cameron himself is giving the distinct impression that he\u2019s ready to move on from \u201cAvatar,\u201d even though he has already written scripts for the fourth and fifth entries in the franchise. He has other projects in the works, adapting \u201cGhosts of Hiroshima,\u201d which revolves around the true story of the only survivor of both atomic bombs dropped on Japan. And he has teased a \u201cTerminator\u201d reboot.<\/p>\n Cameron is 71, a kid compared to Ridley Scott (88) and Martin Scorsese (83), but still … the clock is ticking.<\/p>\n Do you want him devote another three years (or more) to the lush, gorgeous world of Pandora?<\/p>\n Maybe if \u201cAvatar: Fire and Ash\u201d had spent less time repeating the same themes \u2014 and, sometimes, the same scenes \u2014 almost beat for beat from the \u201cThe Way of Water,\u201d I\u2019d feel differently. The new movie is, of course, a visual feast, though with just three years between the second and third films, the technological advances don\u2019t feel as awe-inspiring this time around. Cameron remains adept at world-building and creating tense action set pieces. He\u2019s also unrivaled at serving up lumpy dialogue, and the new film has serious pacing issues. \u201cFire and Ash\u201d feels every bit like a 197-minute movie. <\/p>\n