Titanic (1997)

Image: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/Titanic_poster.jpg

Movie #13: Titanic (1997)
Oscar wins: 7- Best Picture, Best Director (Cameron), Best Cinematography, Best Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Song ("My Heart Will Go On"), Best Original Score (James Horner)
Nominations: Best Actress in a Leading Role (Winslet), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Stuart), Best Make-Up
Directed by: James Cameron
Written by: James Cameron
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Gloria Stuart
Length: 194 minutes
Budget: $200 million
 
Well... looks like we have a new biggest budget film! That's right, Avatar the First (I mean...) Titanic cost an astounding $200 million, over $100,000,000 more than the 3rd Lord of the Rings film! Also, it is only six minutes short of that film in length. However, I thoroughly enjoy all three hours and fourteen minutes, every time I see it.
 
If you don't know what Titanic is about, you must have been living in a box all your life. It's the story of two lovers, Jack (DiCaprio) and Rose (Winslet) aboard the ill-fated Titanic ship that sank back in 1911. Rose is from a rich, stuck-up family, while Jack comes from a poor life consisting of whatever he feels.
 
The thing that is so incredible about this film is the fact that Cameron gets the viewer to sit down for a movie where we all know the ending (hint: the ship sinks!), and watch for over three hours! And, even better still, not get bored!! Sure, the acting can be a little corny at times, and the script is kind of blah (like all of Cameron's work), but overall the film just raises itself above and beyond the flaws with its incredible effects, the amazing music, and just plain beauty of it all.
 
Ever since the Oscars this year, people have complained: why did Titanic win but not Avatar, they're basically the same thing? Plus, Avatar is more revolutionary! Well, I have a few theories on the answer to that. For one, both of their scripts sucked, but Titanic's was at least original and creative, and thoroughly entertaining outside the effects, while Avatar's was very dull and been-there, done-that. Basically, Titanic was just an all around better movie, with better acting, a better story, and it had more real actors and real events!! Not just all voices and all green screens... But, more importantly, and the main reason (to mean anyway) is that this year there was really a film that deserved the award over Avatar. The Hurt Locker was a piece of genius, and gained so much ground on all of the areas where Avatar lacked (see above for those areas). But, back in 1997, there really wasn't a stand-out film. The Hurt Locker was able to overcome Avatar's effects because it was so much better, but there really wasn't a film in '97 that did that. Sure, Good Will Hunting and As Good as it Gets were entertaining, and had surpurb acting, but as a film they just weren't that special.
 
Well, that's my rant for the day, just my thoughts. Meanwhile, Titanic remains as one of my all-time favorite films.
 
Rankings:
1. American Beauty (1999)
2. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
3. Chicago (2002)
4. Titanic (1997)
5. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
6. The Departed (2006)
7. No Country for Old Men (2007)
8. The Hurt Locker (2009)
9. A Beautiful Mind (2001)
10. The Gladiator (2000)
11. Crash (2005)
12. Shakespeare in Love (1998)
13. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)