It's been an epic year for movies.

From James Cameron's return to the big screen with "Avatar," to "Star Trek" re-imagined to the star-studded cast of Rob Marshall's "Nine," Hollywood has been going big guns this year.

Meanwhile over in independent film a new star was born - Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe - the abused, overweight teen who grabs your heart and won't let go in "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire."

And a few foreign language films - "The White Ribbon" and "A Prophet," in particular - simply blew critics' socks off.

We canvassed a diverse group of movie experts to find out what films they thought were the best of 2009.

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CNN) - James Cameron unveiled his much-hyped, wildly-anticipated 3D sci-fi epic "Avatar" to audiences in full in London Thursday.

Here's what the critics are saying about the Oscar-winner's first outing since "Titanic," the most successful film of modern times.

Todd McCarthy, Variety: The King of the World sets his sights on creating another world entirely in "Avatar," and it's very much a place worth visiting.

...delivers unique spectacle, breathtaking sights, narrative excitement and an overarching anti-imperialist, back-to-nature theme that will play very well around the world..."

Mike Goodridge, Screen International: ...once again takes cinema to a new level of remarkable spectacle ...

An epic film born entirely of Cameron's imagination, "Avatar" uses tailor-made technology to create the most astonishing visual effects yet seen on screen and blends them seamlessly into a mythical sci-fi story about an ancient alien civilization fighting the encroaching human menace.

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London, England (CNN) - James Cameron's feverishly-awaited sci-fi blockbuster "Avatar" has enjoyed its world premiere to strong reviews.

Hyped as the most technically-ambitious and expensive film ever made, "Avatar," had a lot to live up to.

But, as the credits rolled following the 3D epic's world premiere in London Thursday, it looked like the "Titanic" director's decade-long gamble had paid off.

There were whoops and cheers as portions of the audience gave Cameron and cast members, including Sigourney Weaver and Sam Worthington, a standing ovation.

Later, outside, among the excited crowd, much of the talk was about the amazing spectacle Cameron had created on the fictional planet of Pandora, which has been invaded by military forces from Earth.

"It was an absolute marvel and I am left in awe after seeing it," audience member James Howard, 23, said of the magical jungle planet that lights up with phosphorescence at night.

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London, England (CNN) - Hundreds of millions of dollars is a lot to spend on a film featuring a bunch of blue aliens - but that's exactly what Fox Features has done with new 3D sci-fi "Avatar," which the movie studio says is the most expensive production it has ever made.

In an interview with CNN just before the movie's worldwide release later this month, James Gianopulos, co-chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment, wouldn't divulge the figure spent on the sci-fi blockbuster.

Guessing the multi-million dollar sum of the latest film from director James Cameron has been a popular game for industry watchers for some months: a recent article in the Wall Street Journal speculated the film's final tally could exceed $300 million.

"It is the most expensive film we've made, but now, having the luxury of hindsight, it is money well spent, so I'm not concerned about it," Gianopulos told CNN at the Thessaloniki film festival in Greece.

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James Cameron's 'Avatar' will premiere on December 10 in London. (PHOTO: 20th Century Fox)

Twentieth Century Fox has announced that the movie will have its world premiere in London’s Leicester Square on December 10.

A few lucky audiences have already caught a sneak peek at snippets of the highly-anticipated film, which is tipped as having the potential to change the face of cinema.

Do you like 3D films? Are you planning to watch "Avatar"? Tell us in the comments below

A 25-minute preview was screened at Comic-Con in July to glowing reviews, and a 15-minute clip of the movie was shown to sold-out audiences in select theaters around the world on “Avatar Day” in August.

In a year of big 3D releases, including Disney’s "Toy Story" and Pixar’s "Up," "Avatar" - which tells the story of a war between humans and the native species of the jungle planet Pandora - is turning into the year’s most hyped.

The movie, which combines digital 3D technology with Cameron’s trademark epic storytelling, is being hailed as revolutionary. That it is Cameron's first film since record-smashing "Titanic" more than a decade ago is only serving to increase the feverish anticipation.

"Avatar" is released worldwide on December 18