Cameron Crows

Titanic (1997):
What’s It About?: As if you don’t know.. Upper class Rose (Kate Winslet) is engaged to the obnoxiously stuffy Cal (Billy Zane) and being set up for a loveless marriage. But when she meets lower-class hero Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio), he teaches her about life, true love and happiness. Of course, this all happens on the ill-fated Titanic, so their love is gonna have more than the usual problems before long.
How Good Is It?: I said it when I first saw it, and I’ll say it again. Titanic is everything that’s great about the movies. The first 90 minutes is pure chick flick, but there’s enough solid emotion and charisma to make it watchable to guys. Then there’s the last 90 minutes, which presents some of the best CGI terror imaginable. It’s ratchets up the excitement by the minute, and is both extremely watchable, extremely thrilling, and extremely sad (okay, I cried a few times). On the negative side, Zane’s performance gets way too over-the-top before the film ends, and there are a few really obvious and distracting blue screens. But considering the run time exceeds three hours, those few minutes do almost nothing to hamper the rest of the film: a pure artiistic achievement.
Was it Best Picture?: Yep. The competiton was top-notch and probably technically better (L.A. Confidential is absolutely excellent, Good Will Hunting is really good, and The Full Monty is well-made fun) but Titanic leaves them all out at sea for sheer movie magic. From a story and acting perspective, it leaves a bit to be desired, but as a singular three-hour event, it’s pretty much our generation’s Gone With the Wind.

Comments

[John S.]

Kraft Mac and Cheese is the best pasta!!!!

Seriously, though, I made sure to mention that Titanic was not the best movie of the year. However, it was definitely Best Picture, and the two are entirely different things.

[Adam Fiedler]

Saying that "Titanic" was the best movie is like saying Craft Mac and Cheese is the best pasta. As for it being our generations "Gone With the Wind"? I'll give you that one. The acting was sub par, the story unnecessary convoluted, and the film on a whole is overrated. Just because a "great" film wasn't marketed to the media chewing sheep that year, doesn't give it the right to be called the best.
Here's a list of movies that didn't suck as much as "Titanic"... (in 1997)
Evita, Donnie Brasco, The Butcher Boy, 187, Ronin, and Kiss the Girls.

Remember kids, a chic flick with a fist fight doesn't exactly make a good movie. If i ever want to experience the life of a working man in a tragic situation and forlorn love, back dropped by the idiocy of wealth and tragedy, i'll look in the mirror.
Peace and love and better movies...