Romeo and Juliet on a Boat.

Rating: 5/10 (30 December 2015)

Titanic (1997): Dir: James Cameron / Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Bill Paxton: It became the biggest box office hit at the time indicating an event in history that plays off an interesting premise. A drawing of a woman is discovered within the ruins of the Titanic and after news coverage she appears at one hundred years old to bring reality to the historical tragedy. Director James Cameron showcases exquisite production and art direction at its most seamless and breathtaking just as he did with other big budget hits such as The Terminator and Aliens. Leonardo DiCaprio plays a drifter who steers Kate Winslet away from a potential suicide. She is caught within an arranged engagement where she grows increasingly sick of the lifestyle. They fall in love where he ultimately demonstrates sacrifice while she grows stronger. Predictably her family disapproves of him until they cling to each other during the pointlessly long climax sinking of the ship. DiCaprio and Winslet are basically Romeo and Juliet under different names. Billy Zane is embarrassing as her jealous fiancé who scowls and pursues them with a gun. Kathy Bates makes an appearance as one of the many doomed passengers. Huge achievement for Cameron but the sinking climax is overlong and sometimes corny as bodies hurl to their deaths leaving many hoping they will not sink with it. Score: 5 ½ / 10