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Titanic
Year of Release: 1997
Cast: Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Gloria Stuart, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Bill Paxton, Suzy Amis, Frances Fisher
Director: James Cameron
Writer: James Cameron
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 197 Minutes (3 hours, 17 minutes)
Academy Awards: Best Picture, Director (Cameron), Art Direction, Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Original Dramatic Score, Original Song, Costume Design, Editing, Visual Effects.
Academy Award Nominations: Best Actress (Winslet), Supporting Actress (Stuart), Makeup.
It is impossible to describe the scope of a movie such as this in the space of one review. Titanic is what movies are all about, the kind of movie that a person hopes for when he or she walks into a theater or a video store. There is something in this movie for everyone: it is a touching love story, an exciting action adventure, a classy and beautifully artistic film, and a showcase for some amazing special effects. It is a masterpiece, a magical and wonderful piece of art. Kate Winslet gives a strong performance as Rose DeWitt Bukater, a young, high-society girl who feels trapped by her life among the wealthy upper-class. She finds love onboard the Titanic with Jack Dawson (portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio), a poor boy who wins his ticket on the ship in a lucky poker match. Gloria Stuart does a wonderful job as the present-day, 101-year-old Rose, who tells the story of the Titanic's sinking to a group of explorers who are searching the wreckage of the ship for a valuable diamond that supposedly went down with the ship. Memorable performances from the supporting cast members, such as Kathy Bates, who gives a typically standout performance as "The Unsinkable" Molly Brown, one of the few real-life characters in the movie. The costumes, art direction, set decoration, and cinematography all add to the richness of the film. The sound and James Horner's musical score are excellent as well. James Cameron has done a great job as both the writer of a witty screenplay and as the director of the movie. He effectively recreates the Titanic's sinking, and the result is both extraordinary and terrifying. This is more than just a movie, it is an experience. The framing of the story with present-day events, usually just a gimmick in movies, is used to perfection here. The scenes in which the present-day wreckage of the Titanic fades back and forth into the magnificent Titanic of the past and the present-day Rose fades back and forth into the Rose of the past are brilliant. A few of the situations and lines of dialogue involving the two young lovers are a little corny, but they do not detract from the overall effect of the movie. This is truly one of the classic films of all time; don't miss it.
- Excellent
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