Having spoken to someone about 3D and indeed digital projection at this particular multplex, that this is poor compared to another digital theatre. The normal 2D trailers didn't look good (although they're not usually of the highest quality compared to release prints), so if anyone was using this particular theatre as an example for going for digital projection I'd say forget it. Unfortunately, this suggests that digital projection could be of variable quality depending on the investment the owners are prepared to make. I suspect nothing new in that.

Speaking of quality, the Pearl & Dean 35mm projected ads looked terrible, you used to get stunning quality (usually drinks) commercials.

Adding to what was already said, the really cool thing was that a lot of the shots were hand held. Very realistic camera shake and bobbles, I've never seen that in any other CG flick. You may have not noticed it because it was so natural.

I saw "The making of Avatar" and the most impressive feat was that the camera operator and director could monitor live actors interacting with the animated world in real time as it was being shot!

Hand held shots have been used in films with CGI effects, I seem to recall "Twister" being first feature film where hand held cameras shot the live action plates.

In a more traditional optical printer effect, a helicopter hovering aerial view (before the days when gyro mounts were more common) was created in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" when the characters run out of the mine to find themselves in the wall of a deep river gorge; that combined a painting, a river painting and the live action actors. VFX people have been pushed to do these real camera effects in a number of films, Cameron would have been coming from that tradition.