Ive got to say i think you absolutely nailed Avatar. It reminded me of last year, when Transformers 2 came out, Mark Kermode said that Michael Bay had a "pornographic sensibility". I think that could be applied to Avatar too except that where Transformers 2 is just full on gonzo, Avatar is one of those porno's that aspires to be taken seriously as high art, but it doesnt matter how many references to Dostoevsky or how many little surreal little bobbins you put in there, it ultimately is what it is. And Avatar is ultimately James Cameron saying:
"PHWOAR!!!! LOOK AT THIS!!!!!!!! PHWOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
bullshit is bullshit, it just goes by different names.