A Perfect Film-Going Experience...

Simply put... “Titanic” is one of the greatest motion picture experiences I imagine one could ever have! It deserves every ounce of praise it has received, every award it has won, and every Top Ten list it has made.

The $601 Million it raked in at the US box office, and $1.8 Billion worldwide, will probably not even be approached for the next three or four decades, until ticket prices have reached $20 a pop. This film was a profound phenomenon that garnered more love and praise from the critics and public alike than any film before it.

Set against the backdrop of one of the worst technological disasters of all time, this epic romance is profoundly moving & grand in the tradition of Hollywood's biggest & best epics. Taking everything into account, I believe that this is one of the very best films of the 1990's and belongs in any list of the 100 greatest films of all time.

”Titanic” is a spectacular and magnificent achievement for everyone involved. The sheer logistics of making such a film are mind-boggling. Director James Cameron has fashioned a magnificent work of art that will, in all likelihood, be hailed decades from now as one of the greatest achievements in cinema history.

Click to read my essay on the popularity backlash engineered by the online community of LOTR / Star Wars fanboys

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

"Titanic is simply the greatest romantic epic since Gone with the Wind." - Peter Travers of Rolling Stone

"Titanic is flawlessly crafted, intelligently constructed, strongly acted and spellbinding." - Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun Times and the Ebert & Roeper TV Show

"Titanic is Magnificent... A huge, thrilling experience that unerringly lures viewers into the beauty and heartbreak of its lost world." - Janet Maslin of The New York Times

"Kate Winslet creates one of the most all-around attractive characters in years." - Mike Clark of USA Today

"Director, James Cameron touches the deepest levels of movie-making." - Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly

"Titanic is deserving of Oscar nominations not only in the technical categories, but in the more substantive ones of Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress.." - James Berardinelli of ReelViews

"A film that sweeps us away into a world of spectacle, beauty and excitement, a realm of fantasy unimaginable without the movies. ." - Michael Wilmington of The Chicago Tribune

"It's quite possible that Titanic is one of the greatest romantic epics ever filmed." - Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian

"When the ship is launched on its maiden voyage, you can feel the splendor in the theater. When all that's left is ocean and darkness, you shiver in your seat."- Christopher Null of  FilmCritics.com

"The attention to detail, though, and the big picture, overcome any complaints that I may otherwise have with this masterpiece of a film." - Jacob Hall of IndependentCritics.com

"Titanic is a perfect filmgoing experience." - TC Candler of Coming Soon Magazine & IndependentCritics.com

© Written by TC Candler- Email Me!

How We Rated This Film TC Candler - A+ Richard Propes - B- Jacob Hall - A-

Richard Propes' Comment

I've taunted TC more with this film than any other film. Visually, "Titanic" is stunning. I wouldn't possibly argue this fact. However, I remain unimpressed nearly 10 years later by acting that is histrionic, melodramatic and, at times, just plain silly. I've always been prone to tears during films. Heck, I even cry during "Simpsons" episodes. I found nothing moving here, and generally I credit this film for Leo's decline as an actor over the past few years. This film seems a lot like the LOTR films for me...it offers such a sensual experience, that the lack of substance beneath the surface isn't nearly as troublesome for most viewers. For me, "Titanic" is a good film but vastly overrated.

Jacob Hall's Comment

James Cameron proves himself to be a masterful director outside of the science fiction genre, creating a story that is unlike anything to hit Hollywood in decades. It is the first of its kind since "Gone with the Wind," a truly epic romance that overcomes phoney characters and stale writing with energy and grandeur.

"Titanic" feels like an old Hollywood romance; where everything was black and white, love was clear and the villains twirled their moustaches and had greasy hair.

Is it slightly cheesy at times? Yes, I will not deny that Cameron's romantic dialogue is far from perfect. The attention to detail, though, and the big picture, overcome any complaints that I may otherwise have with this masterpiece of a film.