The Best James Cameron Movie Isn't 'Avatar'-Related

James Cameron’s imprint on movie culture is a big, beautiful mess. Though he started making hard-scrabbled, R-rated action and sci-fi fare (The Terminator, Aliens), he has evolved into the rarest thing in Hollywood these days: a visionary. We could even go a step further: he's a true auteur who not only gets his weird and expensive original projects greenlit—he also reliably turns them into massive hits.

Now, that’s not to say everyone loves Cameron’s work. There have been legions of Titanic haters since it came out in 1997 and went on to sweep the Oscars. Avatar awed audiences the world over with pure technophilic spectacle, but 13 years later, some feel cheated by what was essentially a 3-D spin on the Pocahontas story.

Sniping at Cameron is easy—sometimes too easy. The early reactions to the long-awaited, three-hour Avatar: The Way of Water (out December 16) indicate that he’ll wow critics and regular folks on his way to the bank once again (You can read our review right here.). Forget Marvel CGI; Cameron is motion-capturing whales for your eyes’ enjoyment! On the occasion of his latest Na’vi-vs.-human blockbuster, we decided to rank every feature-length, theatrically released movie Cameron has directed (the under-one-hour documentaries and collaborations with other directors, including ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow, don’t count).

Love him or hate him, in a sometimes bumpy yet always forward-thinking career, Cameron has continued to find ways to leave a lasting impression.