Warning: May contain spoilers. You've been warned.
Happy New Year! As promised, a movie review for my all-time favorite movie! Naturally, I'd give it four stars. Haha. Here we go!
My History
Before we start, I just want to explain my unusual history with Titanic. I was 8 years old when this movie came out and before even seeing it, I became obsessed with it. I don't even know how to explain it. Everybody else in my class was saying how amazing it was (don't ask why 8 year-olds were watching that movie) so I wanted to love it too.
Sadly, I never saw it in theaters (which is why I'm so excited for the movie to be rereleased in 3D), but I made my dad go out and buy it for me the day it was released on VHS! Then I finally saw it and fell in love. To this day, I stand by that movie, it's actors, and the ship itself. I'm quite impressive with the knowledge I have about the ship itself. I'm a loser like that.
So that's my odd, random, and bizarre history with the movie Titanic. Now on with the show.
Story
We'll get the bad out of the way first.
Okay, bad is a strong word, but we all know that originality isn't James Cameron's strongest area. Pocahontas Avatar.... nuff said. Many would say that Titanic is Romeo and Juliet on a boat which is partially true.
The story that everybody focusses on is the most obvious one that Jack and Rose (J and R or Romeo and Juliet) want to be together but Rose is riches and Jack is rags and their love is forbidden. But mix in the fact that Rose and her mother are simply trying to keep their upper-class status although they are far in debt because of Rose's father's death and the story gets better. Rose is being forced to marry her fiancé, Cal, by her mother because of his wealth.
But that's all just the flashback! Let's going to present day where Brock Lovett is searching for the Heart of the Ocean, a priceless diamond that Cal gave to Rose while on the Titanic. Brock is desperate to find it and uses old-lady Rose to get information as to where it is.
So the story isn't Oscar-worthy. I would never say that it is. But I don't think people are very fair when judging it. Think past the obvious and you'll see a better story. Not amazing, but decent. Remember, it is James Cameron. The only amazing original thing he created was the Terminator!
The Actors and their Acting
Breakthrough and career-launching performances for Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Everybody gave amazing performances. Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart both received Oscars for their portrayals of Rose.
I personally enjoyed watching Leo, Kate, Billy Zane (Cal), Frances Fisher (Rose's mother), Ewan Stewart (Murdoch), Victor Garber (Thomas Andrews), Bernard Hill (Captain Smith), and Kathy Bates as Molly Brown.
Directing
James Cameron may be a Nazi, controlling, perfectionist, but he wouldn't have gotten the Oscar for best director if he wasn't. Kate Winslet said that she would never work with him again unless she was paid a lot of money. Apparently, while filming Avatar, if anyone's cell phone went off while shooting, he'd nail it to the wall.
Special and Visual Effects
This movie did an amazing job with its effects…. particularly visual. During production, they only built half of the ship and used a mirror image to complete it.
The movie won Oscars for its costumes, music, sound, art direction, cinematography, visual effects, film editing, and sound effects editing. And they were all well deserved!
Overall
Nothing will ever be able to top this movie for me. I've loved it for 13 years now and I doubt anything will change that. It's one of the most underrated overrated movies made. It deserved all of the Oscars it won. I love it.
