By Bryce Van Kooten

It seems, nowadays, that only once every blue moon does a bona fide blockbuster make the cut for the Best Picture at the Oscars. Though this year, it may only take some blue people to gain some respect.

James Cameron’s “Avatar,” an all-out immersion into this fictional land of blue natives, floating mountains and matrix-esque host-living could prove useful in the 20th Century Fox’s wallets as well as their trophy walls. Cameron’s ten-plus-year escapade into the lands of Pandora – his fictional planet – has racked up staggering production costs, some say are pushing $400 million, not to mention the critical and public distain for what some thought was a weak opening preview.

Can Avatar appease the appetites of the lurid fan-boys? Is it possible for Cameron to regain the astronomical budget he’s lofted into the hands of new 3D technology and a bright blue, non-human main character?

Many (including this writer) would say that he can, and that he likely will.

If anyone is capable of making a kind of movie like this, it’s James Cameron. In fact, when all is said and done – it might be only James Cameron. Granted, there’s a plethora of variables to such a film – the holiday release, the new cast, the daunting secrecy surrounding the movie, its fanatic fan-boys, the colossal production costs, the heralded journey and scope of the film – but when the dust settles, James Cameron will still be the reigning king at one thing: telling great stories.

“The Terminator” made history on nearly no budget ($6.4 million) and went on to change the face of fantasy/action forever. Cameron followed that up with his sequel, “Aliens” to a near-perfect movie (Ridley Scott’s masterpiece, “Alien”) reenergizing a franchise and making way for the onslaught of space-roaming saga’s to follow. “Terminator 2” changed the face of action movies (and special effects, wow!) again, “The Abyss” was criticized and yet incredibly gripping, and “True Lies”… was so fun! Time and time again, in the face of opposition Cameron delivers.

Then there’s “Titanic”.

More harshly criticized than any blockbuster before it, “Titanic” gained more money and success than any other movie in cinematic history. Can’t you just see Cameron smiling now like he must have been smiling then…

So can it be? Will it be? I suppose only time (and the Academy) will tell. But if Hollywood is a betting city – and we all know it is – I’ll put lots and lots of money on “Avatar”.