The good news is that Avatar screened in America and London today, and the critics are confirming everybody's best hopes. The bad news... we were here back in December 2005. This smells like King Kong all over again. Early reviews are fantastic, as the film ends up being better than even the cynics thought. That breeds unrealistic expectations of record box-office and Oscar glory. But when the film opens just like a regular smash hit (due to running length or other reasonable variables), the press turns, calls the film a failure and we all spend the next four years forgetting how much we liked the film in the first place. I loved King Kong and still do, so hopefully history does not repeat itself.Scott Mendelson
