Titanic

Rating: 9/10 (3 October 2012)

To admit this is the first time I have watched TITANIC from A to Z might hinder my credibility as a serious film critic (as least a self-acclaimed title), I have had several sketchy viewings during all these years but never conquered it entirely, then all of sudden it occurred to me a few days ago this is the biggest loophole in my filmography which I should mend ASAP, so after the lengthy 3 hour saga, now I could feel calmer in facing the numerous household names still stuck in my to-be-watched list and meanwhile other potential newcomers have never stopped emerging.
To be honest with oneself, no one could deny TITANIC is a monumental masterpiece, the visual stunts are so compelling and marvel me in its verisimilitude of reconstructing such a monolith setting (what's more indomitable is the fact that it has survived a 15 year interval which should have been a light-year in the evolution of digital technology, and will still stand out not only among its peers). Also the film is a well-crafted emotional vehicle of a catastrophe depicting in an impeccable way to render immaculate empathy towards its audience as if we were literally heading towards our own doomsday (I did redden my eyes when the valedictory score was accompanying the final farewell).
The love story of Jack and Rose, although being a bit predictable and the black or white of the character development is somewhat perfunctory given the ample running time it has, could universally strike a chord in any corner of the world, DiCaprio and Winslet have generated unparalleled chemistry on screen (especially for Kate, since she has a more narrative arc to accomplish). Billy Zane, whose past 15 years has testified that he could never outshine this tailor-made character. Gloria Stuart and Katy Bates are both in my top 10 list of the supporting category, and since I'm re-watching DOWNTON ABBEY these days, whose correlation with TITANIC has suggested that all the first-class passengers don't need to change any outfit to be grafted into the red-hot show, maybe Katy Bates could reprise her role as the survival of the calamity, Julian Fellowes might give it a shot.
To be the all-time highest grossing film in North America, and the runner-up if put under the international parameter (after Cameron's own brooding AVATOR 2009, 9/10), TITANIC has every reason to be loved by the majority of the mass, and it may not be among the top- tier darling among orthodox film critics, but will remain as a tenacious one in my list. Another afterthought is that I hope AVATOR will look as fabulous as TITANIC now when 2024 eventually arrives.