A prominent figure in the post-New Hollywood era, James Cameron is known for creating masterpieces. Be it the 2009 epic sci-fi avatar — which is also the highest-grossing movie of all time, by the way — or the extraordinary 1997 romance Titanic, Cameron is the creative brain behind them. His recent achievement includes the newly released avatar follow-up, Avatar: the way of the water, which turned out to be another box office hit, securing the third spot on the all-time highest grossing list. That’s the level at which Cameron likes to work. All his movies have an overwhelming experience for the viewers with its incredible plot, super quality VFX and umpteenth user experience.
Throughout his career of directing and designing feature films, Cameron has given the world an unforgettable love story Titanicunique science fictions like avatar, action movies like terminator And true lies, and much more. Have you ever wondered what kind of movies the famous director likes? Fortunately, on several occasions, the director has listed his top picks, which everyone should see for a luxurious cinematic experience. Here are James Cameron’s favorite must-see movies.
8 Borat
The 2006 comedy, Borat, could be a surprising addition to a list of Cameron’s favorites. Following Sacha Baron Cohen in the lead role, the film follows a resident of Kazakhstan who visits America to make a documentary about the country. However, he discovers similarities between his country and the US. In an interview with rich, Cameron revealed that after watching the movie three times, he still hasn’t seen a scene due to tears in his eyes.
7 Start
Start deserved more – here’s what Cameron thinks of the movie. The avatar the creator really enjoyed the scientific saga of Christopher Nolan, in which Leonardo DiCaprio played the main role. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2011, Cameron shared that Start was the most amazing movie, in terms of creation and direction, of the year 2010.
The film follows Cobb (DiCaprio), a skilled thief who steals information from his targets by entering their dreams. Saito (Ken Watanabe), in exchange for erasing Cobb’s criminal history, wants him to carry out an assault on his ailing competitor’s son. The film offers an unprecedented experience with its top-notch art direction and stunning cast. No wonder it’s on Cameron’s list of favorite movies.
6 Dr. Strangelove
Cameron’s personal Pandora box has another favorite: Dr. Strangelove, a 1964 black and white masterpiece by Stanley Kubrick. Peter Sellers stars throughout the film’s political satire, with his mesmerizing rendition that will captivate you to the very end. The film follows an American brigadier general, who puts the world on the brink of nuclear disaster after stationing a B-52 on Russians, and fails to inform his superiors. With its classic appeal and unusual plot, Dr. Strangelove remains one of the greatest films ever made, and probably one of the greatest comedies of all time.
5 The Wizard of Oz
The classic children’s fantasy book turned into a technically brilliant creation, The Wizard of Oz is another fantastic cinematic masterpiece that has been placed on the list of Cameron’s favorite films.
In a Q&A with Empire in 2022, Cameron shared that his favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz. According to the acclaimed filmmaker, the classic film has stayed with him all his life and still gives him a certain feeling. He loves how Dorothy’s life in the movie transitions from a black and white environment to the Technicolor and magical world of Oz as she opens a door and goes outside. A real charmer, The Wizard of Ozreflects that your understanding and concern for other people will help you overcome all hardships. Undoubtedly, the movie is a must see for all age groups.
4 Jaws
A creation by Steven Spielberg based on the novel of the same name is also a favorite of James Cameron, but according to his confession he likes Jaws as a fan and not as a filmmaker. During a conversation with Spielberg himself, Cameron revealed his admiration for the film
unmistakable, Jaws is one of the best movies of all time, recognized and praised by several movie critics for its special horror touch and effects. Jaws follows a marine scientist and a fisherman, who must take action after a great white shark wreaks havoc and terrorizes the inhabitants of a tranquil island, Amity. Spielberg delivers a thrilling and thrilling cinematic experience throughout jaws, making it one of the most influential films of all time.
3 2001: A space odyssey
2001: A space odyssey is another Kubrick movie that makes the list. The model example of fine science fiction is once again held at the forefront by Kubrick as he brilliantly delves into artificial intelligence versus humanity throughout the film. Also known for its stunning visual effects, 2001: A space odyssey follows Discovery One and its supercomputer as they must work together to find the origin of a mysterious monolith found on the lunar surface.
2 Cab driver
Martin Scorsese’s Palme d’Or and four-time Academy Award recipient Cab driver is one of James Cameron’s favorite movies, like many others. The film is undoubtedly one of the most important, historically speaking, that represents the true side of New York City. The dark and twisted drama carefully focuses on two storylines – the chaotic city and its leading anti-hero – and, when mixed together, delivers a brutal power shock to viewers. Although disturbing, Cab driver is cleverly presented to the audience through script and direction. It also gave us the iconic ‘You talkin’ to me?,” which was masterfully improvised by Robert De Niro.
1 The godfather
Francis Ford Coppola’s crime drama, The godfather, is another mesmerizing movie experience enjoyed by Cameron. Even though the plot is slow and unfolds later in the movie, every scene and dialogue in the movie is important and necessary to understand. Therefore, it is very difficult for the viewers to predict what the next scene might bring them. Carrying the intensity to the end, The godfather keeps viewers on their toes while delivering top-notch performances from both the cast and crew.
From the godfather contribution to the movie industry is celebrated to this day and will continue to be for its truthful and raw depiction of the mafia world and one’s love for their family. Obviously, thanks to its amazing plot, characters, direction and screenplay, the 1972 film is also a winner of three Academy Awards, including Best Picture.