Titanic
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Movie Reviews of Titanic
Movie Review: Romance, Tragedy, History, + Horror
Summary: 5 Stars
It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since this movie came out. Moving right along, what makes this movie so interesting is that while there are fictional elements, they are mixed with historical elements as well. (So, to some extent, we are permitted to accept the fictional elements such as the Calvin, Rose, jack soap opera as real.) It is interesting how we are told the story from the 100 year old survivor Rose. So, obviously, we know that Rose will somehow survive. But that doesn't mean that Rose won't lose someone she loves. The scenery and outfits are beautiful. And although the movie is over 3 hours long, somehow, it never seems to drag. The story seems to move at a realistic pace (rather than everything being crammed to fit into a 2 hour slot). While Rose and Jack are the stars, other characters make good use of their screen time. (The unsinkable Molly Brown who comes into money, but never sacrificed herself or her moral values, and kept her redneckish charm, and also the virtuous and honorable Thomas Andrews to name 2.)
While Calvin is not seen in a favorable light often, his character is at least a tad grayer that we would probably like to admit.(I actually found Rose's mother to be more repulsive.) Basically, Rose's mother (now broke) wants Calvin to marry Rose to reestablish themselves financially. Calvin, despite his faults is willing to do so. In all honesty, Calvin starts off no worse than anyone else in his position would probably be. Rose then begins her relationship involved with Jack, and Calvin gets abusive to the point where he nearly kills her. I'm not trying to defend his abuse of Rose, or for that matter firing several gunshots in a rage. But if we wish to throw a small tad of understanding on the table (at least before he gets abusive), Rose's mother was asking Calvin to reestablish themselves financially. And then Rose runs around with Jack. A whiter Calvin may have decided that he shouldn't waste anymore time here.
Moving on, there is some generous time of just getting to know everyone, but this also provides a creepy suspense. (Obviously, we already know the ship is going to sink.) At about the 1/2 way point, a conversation between Rose and Thomas Andrews reminds us that there are only enough life boats for 1/2 the passengers. We can also see that Thomas Andrews wanted enough for everyone, but 'certain powers' didn't take his concerns seriously.
There are some romantic moments between Jack and Rose, and then the Titanic crashes. (While some people would pick and find someone to blame, the movie seems to not point the blame at any one party. Not even 100 % towards Mr. Ismay who came out splattered with mud the most.) In the event we forgot the conversation between Rose and Mr. Andrews, Thomas faces Rose again and reminds us.
One phenomenal thing about this movie is that it shows us the true horror of people dying. (Unlike many movies that glorify people getting killed.) Interestingly, the ship sinks for an actual hour or so. This is great in that we get to see the panic, tragedy, and horror of the crew knowing that less than 1/2 are going to survive. Rose finds herself not only in this situation, but in the climax in her situation between her mother and Calvin. (There is a predictable, but still shaking moment when Rose says: "Goodbye mother," which infers that they will probably never see each other again.)
Moving on, we are permitted sympathy for even characters we never met as they face their probable death . Their different ways of facing it are interesting. (Story telling, playing music, simply waiting, or in one case, having a brandy.)
Most of you probably already know the personal tragedy Rose faces. But moving back to the present, it is interesting how the Bill Paxton character suddenly realizes that there is more to life than ourselves. Overall, it's a phenomenal romance (in a historical setting) that reminds us not only of the horror of people dying, but that there is more to life than our own existence.
Movie Review: An incredibly moving motion picture experience
Summary: 5 Stars
I write this review principally for those who have vowed to never watch Titanic. No fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, I used to be one of those people; then, on the spur of the moment, I felt compelled to buy it and watch it. I am so thankful I responded to that sudden urge because this is truly the most moving motion picture I have ever seen. I immediately fell in love with every single thing about it, even the love story of Jack and Rose. I know this film cost a fortune and took forever to make, but every cent James Cameron spent was worth it. Titanic is incredible. There were really no Jack and Rose onboard the ship on the night it went down, but their story opens our hearts to the real story of that great tragedy, the fact that hundreds and hundreds of very real people from all walks of life suffered and died in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. When we think of some of the lives that were lost, we too often see them not as people but as myths-the unsinkable Molly Brown, Captain Smith, the scoundrel Ismay, John Jacob Astor, the Guggenheims, the musicians on deck, etc. In this epic, we see the humanity of everyone on board, from the first class passengers to the third class folks below deck to the hard-working men in the pits of the ship who bravely kept the lights on for so long in the face of certain death. This motion picture reinforces the humanity of every soul lost, for that is where the real tragedy lies.Some people don't like the love story in the film, but I found it magical. DiCaprio, as much as I hate to admit it, is an incredibly talented actor, but it is really Kate Winslet who shines the brightest in my eyes. The complexity of Rose, engaged to wealth and status but yearning for something real that cannot be bought, calls out to the humanity in all of us, and we delight in her forbidden romance with the poor and socially inferior Jack Dawson, ready to take up arms ourselves against her rogue of a fiancé and his dastardly henchman. Some of the purity of this love was lost for me inside the car in the storage room, but no one can deny the power of Rose's love for Jack when she sacrifices her own survival to stay by his side. This is the kind of all-encompassing love we all seek but a rare few of us ever find.
Equally powerful is the extraordinary presentation of the Titanic's final hour. One feels as if he is actually there feeling the shudders as the iceberg rips through the great ship's hull, detecting the list of the decks as the front section begins to settle under water, watching with fascinating unbelief the water as it begins its climb from the lower to upper decks, getting a sense of the complete and utter panic that ensues once Titanic's fate becomes clear to all onboard, and watching numbly from afar as the smokestacks break off, the hull splits, and the fractured ship dives beneath the waves en route to its eternal resting place. The surreal aspect of it all, with the music playing in the background while brave men say a final goodbye to their wives and children in the lifeboats and less fortunate men, women, and children stop to embrace death in whatever way they can, is truly magical and tugs at the heart-strings of anyone professing to be human.
The incredible music accompanying this film is also intensely moving, whether it is reinforcing the passion of true love newly found or lamenting the tragedy of souls lost. If the love story and tragedy do not bring tears to your eyes, the extraordinary music will. I wonder how many men in particular sat through all of the closing credits in the theatre hoping their tears would dry before the lights came back on. The ending is to my eyes absolutely perfect and truly beautiful. This movie affects me greatly no matter how many times I have already watched it. I hope that some of those individuals vowing never to watch Titanic will reconsider their decision; I feel sure that many unbelievers would find themselves as captivated and completely in love with this motion picture as I am upon experiencing it.
Movie Review: The most wonderful movie i've ever seen
Summary: 5 Stars
April 10, 1912. Technology had been delivering a steady stream of miracles for the better part of two decades and people were beginning to take this never-ending spiral of progress for granted. What better demonstration of humanity's mastery over nature than the launch of Titanic, the largest and most luxurious moving object ever built by the hand of man? But four-and-a-half days later, the world had changed. The maiden voyage of the "ship of dreams" ended in a nightmare beyond comprehension and mankind's faith in its own indomitable power was forever destroyed by uniquely human shortcomings: arrogance, complacency and greed.The goal in making this film was to show not only the dramatic death of this infamous ship, but her brief and glorious life as well. To capture the beauty, exuberance, optimism and hope of Titanic, her passengers and crew and, in the process of baring the dark side of humanity underlying this tragedy, celebrate the limitless potential of the human spirit. For Titanic is not just a cautionary tale - a myth, a parable, a metaphor for the ills of mankind. It is also a story of faith, courage, sacrifice and, above all else, love.
James Cameron's "Titanic" is an epic, action-packed romance set against the ill-fated maiden voyage of the R.M.S. Titanic, the pride and joy of the White Star Line and, at the time, the largest moving object ever built. She was the most luxurious liner of her era -- the "ship of dreams" -- which ultimately carried over 1,500 people to their death in the ice cold waters of the North Atlantic in the early hours of April 15, 1912.
The journey of "Titanic" begins in the present, at the site of the ship's watery grave, two-and-a-half miles under the ocean surface. An ambitious fortune hunter (Bill Paxton) is determined to plumb the treasures of this once-stately ship, only to bring to the surface a story left untold. The tragic ruins melt away to reveal the glittering palace that was Titanic as it prepares to launch on its maiden voyage from England. Amidst the thousands of well-wishers bidding a fond bon voyage, destiny has called two young souls, daring them to nurture a passion that would change their lives forever.
Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) is a 17-year-old, upper-class American suffocating under the rigid confines and expectations of Edwardian society who falls for a free-spirited young steerage passenger named Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio). Once he opens her eyes to the world that lies outside her gilded cage, Rose and Jack's forbidden love begins a powerful mystery that ultimately echoes across the years into the present. Nothing on earth is going to come between them -- not even something as unimaginable as the sinking of Titanic.
Also inhabiting this floating microcosm are Cal Hockley, played by Billy Zane, heir to a huge fortune and Rose's fiancé, and Ruth DeWitt Bukater, Rose's socially driven mother, played by Frances Fisher. Oscar winner Kathy Bates is featured as the ship's most colorful real-life passenger, Molly Brown. Other historic figures include Captain E.J. Smith (Bernard Hill), White Star Line's managing director J. Bruce Ismay (Jonathan Hyde), and master shipbuilder and primary architect of Titanic, Thomas Andrews (Victor Garber). Also participating in this devastating hand of fate dealt to the passengers of Titanic are an Italian emigrant named Fabrizio De Rossi (Danny Nucci), Jack's poor but determined best friend; and Spicer Lovejoy (David Warner), Cal Hockley's ruthlessly loyal valet.
Paramount Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox present a Lightstorm Entertainment Production, a James Cameron film, "Titanic," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Bernard Hill, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Nucci, David Warner and Bill Paxton. Written and directed by James Cameron, the film is produced by Cameron and Jon Landau. Rae Sanchini is executive producer.
Movie Review: A film with a heart that focuses on two lovers, and sees the disaster through their eyes...
Summary: 5 Stars
James Cameron's 'Titanic' is essentially a romantic adventure with visual grandeur and magnificence, a timeless tragic love story set against the background of this major historical event... It's an astonishing movie that exemplifies hope, love and humanity...
Leonardo DiCaprio is terrific on screen with big charisma... Conveying passion, trust, insouciance and ingenuity, he a free-spirited wanderer with artistic pretensions, and a zest for life...
Kate Winslet is absolutely lovely as the confused upper-class teen engaged to a nasty rich guy who finds herself, one night, plunged to the depths of despair...
Billy Zane is an arrogant racist, abusive and ultra rich who would lie, cheat, steal, bribe with money or even use an innocent young child to escape defeat... He keeps a 56 carat blue diamond worn by Louis XVI...
Kathy Bates is the legendary unsinkable Molly Brown, the richest woman in Denver, who is a lot less uptight than the other rich folk on the ship...
Bill Paxton is the opportunistic undersea explorer in search for a very rare diamond called the "Heart of the Ocean."
Gloria Stuart is the 101-year old woman who reveals a never-before told love story... The nightmare, the horror and the shock are imprinted upon her deeply lined face...
Frances Fisheris is the impecunious cold snobbish mother who, deathly afraid of losing her social stature, forces her daughter to become engaged to marry a rich, supercilious snob...
Victor Garber is the master shipbuilder, the real-life character who attempts to fix time, to measure it, in a sense, to make it into history...
Jonathan Hyde is the White Star Chairman who wants the Titanic to break the Trans-Atlantic speed record, in spite of warnings that icebergs may have floated into the hazardous northern crossing....
'Titanic' is loaded with luminous photography and sweeping visuals as the footage of the shipwrecked Ocean liner lying motionless on the ocean floor; the incredible transformation of the bow of the sunken 'Titanic' that takes the viewer back to 1912, revealing the meticulously re-created interiors; the first sight of the Titanic steamed steadily toward her date with destiny; the Titanic, leaving the Southampton dock, and some dolphins appear jumping, racing along in front of the luxurious ship; DeCaprio and Winslet flying at the ship's front rail in a gorgeous magic moment; the intertwining of past and present as Jack was drawing Rose on his paper, the camera zooms closely on young Rose's eye, only to transform its shape into Gloria Stuart's aged eye...
Chilling scenes: Titanic's inevitable collision with destiny; James Cameron--in one of the most terrifying sequences ever put on film-- takes us down with the Titanic, finally leaving us floundering in the icy water, screaming for help that never comes...
Winner of 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, James Cameron's "Titanic" is a gigantic epic where you don't just watch the film, you experience it! The visual effects are amazing, like no other film's... The decor is overwhelming... James Horner's music intensifies the emotions... The whole movie is hunting and involving, filled with a wide range of deep feelings...
It's truly a moving tribute to those who lost their lives on that unfortunate ship...
Movie Review: Forget The Naysayers; This Is My Favorite Movie Ever!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm 14 (will be 15 May 13th). I was seven when this masterpiece came to theatres in December, 1997. I remember the first time I saw it. I'd never seen a three hour movie before, and was a little worried 'cause I didn't even know what this was about ( I was seven; I'd never even heard of the Titanic). Still, going to the theatre and eating candy and popcorn is always fun, so I went to see it.... five times. I was so stunned when I left the theatre the first time. No movie had captured my attention and filled me with such emotion as this. I had heard it was sad, but I had also heard Bambi's mother getting shot was sad, and it wasn't, so I didn't expect to, like, cry over this movie. But, by the end, I was bawling (and this bored looking kid sitting next to me kept glaring at me) and messing the floor with tears. I had never seen a movie more perfect, and still haven't. Usually, in my family, you don't see a movie in theatre's more than once, no matter how good. My Mom'll always say, "Wait for rental." But, when this was out, we say it all the time. I'd say, "Can we see Titanic again," and we always would. It stayed in theatre's for months, so we had lots of opprotunities. The people bashing this movie now really make me angry. I'm not a teenage girl and I didn't see the movie multiple times because I thought Leonardo Di Caprio was cute. I saw it over and over again because it was absolutely brilliant in every way. The problem is that once something gets insansely popular, all the geeky, zit filled losers on the internet feel they have to run to their stupid message boards and write a 100 page essay on everything wrong with the movie. None of them take the time to realize that bad movies usually don't make 200 zillion dollars and stay in theatres for almost half a year (15 freaking weeks!) or win 11 acamdemy awards. It may take time, but eventually Titanic will again be recognized as the classic piece of cinematic art that it is. Seriously, it is a PERFECT movie. The directing is great (the only reason people diss it is because it was the first non action film Cameron had made since Pirahna II), and the acting is perfect. The entire final 80 minutes, with the ship sinking, is totlly gripping, an there are so many sad, sad, sad scenes, all climaxing in the #1 saddest scene ever (you know what it is). My God, I can not describe it. This movie just means so much to me, and every time I watch it I think of seeing it five times in theatres. I think of the phenomenon it caused. I think of how everyone at my elementary school was talking about it (though most of 'em just talked about the naked part of the sex scene; so very mature). I think of how much I cried like a little baby. I think of buying the soundtrack and listening to it. I think of waiting a LOOOONG time to get the video, and crying when I watched that. This is the GREATEST movie EVER MADE! I just LOVE it. I love EVERYTHING about it! I can't think of a movie any better! If you haven't seen it, you totally missed out on the end of 1997 and pretty much all of 1998. You MUST see it! And I hear a deluxe ultimate four disc super special edition is coming this Christmas, and I can't wait to own it! If I were gonna pick one movie to be locked with for the rest of my life, I'd pick this epic masterpiece of pure brilliant cinema. The greast movie of the '90s! The greatest movie of ALL TIME! 10/10