20 Most Important Blockbusters That Changed Cinema Forever

10. Avatar

From one expensive film to another, although this one fared slightly better. The current highest grossing movie of all time, Avatar was the defining release in the rise of 3D. Previously the reserve of family animations, for many James Cameron's sci-fi romantic action epic was their first experience with the format since its red-blue glasses days. Helping boost the film no end (when your previous run-in with 3D is the likes of The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D of course it'll look groundbreaking), it sparked a rush conversion of many in production films and made a stereoscope release essential for any live-action blockbuster.

Of course, as with Inception, lacklustre product since (aside from Gravity, Hugo and Life Of Pi there's been little praise of subsequent use of 3D) has led to this proving to be less of an impact. Where 3D does have a lasting effect on Avatar is its box office; it grew so high thanks to the ticket surcharge.

But for all its money, as a film Avatar was more a refinement of existing ideas that ground-breaker in its own right. The pre-Christmas release that had so helped The Lord Of The Rings was proven as a box office heaven (expect December to have a massive movie every year for the foreseeable future), while the mo-cap that brought the Na'vi to life had already been showcased in more rudimentary forms in Kong and the dead-eyes of Robert Zemekis' Christmas fare.