I like "Titanic"

Rating: 9/10 (7 November 2001)

I like Leonardo DiCaprio, I think he was excellent as Jack Dawson, and I think too that he deserved at least an Oscar nomination for his work. "Titanic" deserved to win Best Picture, and I really don't care what sort of flak I'd probably get for saying all that, but I like "Titanic". I was 12 when I saw it, and I remember clear as day being touched by it. It may be tacky, sappy, or just plain unbelievable, but "Titanic" is one of the more memorable movies I've seen. It's basically mindless entertainment brought to life by a group of actors who can really act (DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, etc). It's mindless entertainment that tells a rather corny but moving tale of two people brought together and torn apart by fate, and it's mindless entertainment that just *happened* to make millions at the box office, and just *happened* to scoop Oscars left and right. What are you going to do about that?
What I like about "Titanic" is the simplicity of its plot (yes, it has one). I hate to reiterate, but a story about two different individuals falling in love while they're on the legendary Titanic doesn't get anymore complicated than that. Call me a sap if you must, but my attempts at swallowing the huge lump I had in my throat when the film concluded were futile; one cannot help but be touched by Jack's sacrifice for Rose. And it also helps that there's real chemistry between DiCaprio (who's a truly gifted actor) and Winslet, and again, you can't help but want them to be together. I usually stay away from romance films as a lot of them are crap and have retarded plots, but "Titanic" is an exception. It's 3 hours long, and throughout those 3 hours, there's not a boring minute.
Let me first declare that my admiration for DiCaprio has got nothing to do with looks. I have just recently became a huge fan of his, and if it's got to do with looks, shouldn't I be obsessed (for lack of a better word) with him 3 years ago? Having that said, despite what a lot of people think, DiCaprio is more than a teen idol or a pretty boy with no acting talent. Jack Dawson may not be an awfully hard character to play, but DiCaprio excelled in his role, like he always does. He's one of the most talented actors of his generation (others include Joaquin Phoenix), and his works before "Titanic" should more or less prove that.
Something to ponder about: If "Titanic" was an independent movie with a budget of much less than what it had, would you hate it too?