Avatar’: magic, thy name is movie

Fans of the new movie technology, plus those who love a decent sci-fi adventure, are likely to fall in love with James Cameron’s “Avatar.” I just got out of the 11:30 p.m. screening of the blend of reality and CGI animation and feel duly impressed.

“Avatar” is one of those films that will appeal to the kid in all of us. It’s got a familiar story, of the outgunned natives fighting back against the invaders (so much so you could call it “Dances With Tree-huggers”). Some of the dialogue feels lifted straight out of every war film ever made, and the characterizations are about as deep as the face paint worn by the natives of the new world, Pandora.

Still, the stereotypes allow Cameron - who both wrote and directed - an easier path to storytelling. Which, in turn, allows him more time to wow us with the CGI effects. And wow us they do, especially if you see the film the way I did: in IMAX 3-D (at AMC’s River Park Square Theatres , house 18). Things jump off that amplified screen in a way that shows you just what movies can be.

It was nice, once again, to sit in a crowded theater with people happy to be there, movie fans who oooohed and ahhhed and cheered with the bad guy got his and who applauded when the film ends, as it too abruptly did. The magic of the movies lives on, and its name is “Avatar.”