Titanic

Titanic is the fictional story of a poor artist who, by chance, meets a distraught rich girl on the ill-fated ship and teaches her how to live and to love. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as the happy-go-lucky Jack Dawson, while the luminous Kate Winslet is the object of his affection, Rose DeWitt Bukater. Both are captivating to watch, bringing sympathy and conviction to their roles. Inspired by Shakespeare's timeless "Romeo and Juliet", this epic historical drama grabs you from the start.

Opening with sepia-toned footage of the Titanic setting out on its first and final voyage, it then cuts to two Russian submersibles descending into the murky abyss. When the salvagers find a mysterious drawing of a girl wearing an exotic diamond necklace, an old woman claims she is the girl and thus begins her tragic tale.

Director (and co-producer) James Cameron has created an enduring and spectacular masterpiece. Every single shot is well-planned and works to propel the characters toward their final destiny. Cameron also wrote the screenplay, and the film's only flaw is his choppy dialogue throughout the romantic first act. Nevertheless, the visuals more than make up for it, as perfectionist Cameron has faithfully recreated the Titanic's magnificent interiors.

As the most expensive film ever made, every penny is evident on screen. Cameron himself even visited the legendary wreck to collect his own footage. The shots never cease to amaze, each one more breathtaking than the one before. And most of the computer-generated effects are blended so seamlessly into the narrative that they are often not evident. Composer James Horner's stirring score is occasionally dramatic but, for the most part, is hauntingly subdued and will linger in your mind.

The entire cast is first-rate. Bill Paxton appears as cocksure treasure hunter Brock Lovett, with veteran actress Gloria Stuart playing the elderly Rose who narrates most of the story. Other notables include Frances Fisher as Rose's insensitive and conniving mother, Billy Zane as Rose's snide fiancee Caledon Hockley, David Warner as Cal's creepy manservant, Danny Nucci as Jack's friend Fabrizio, Kathy Bates as the "unsinkable" Molly Brown, and Victor Garber as the Titanic's kind-hearted architect Thomas Andrews.

But the true star of the movie is the Titanic herself, representing an era that is long since gone. While the ship's fate is obvious from the outset, the movie is remarkably suspenseful; its 3-hour and 14-minute running time sails by. With something for everyone, Titanic is pure magic, an emotional experience that will continue to delight generations to come. Rating: 9 out of 10.