Powerful storytelling

Rating: 9/10 (15 November 2010)

I watched this movie when I was 7 yrs old, in a theater here in Bangalore, and - you guessed it - nothing went into my head. I remember even asking my dad what the round thing was during the "nude" scene! The only thing I remember was seeing my dad in tears when it ended.
I watched it again just yesterday and I was moved to tears by the end. Everything just seemed to fit with this movie: the score, the visuals, the performances and the dialogue, all seemed to fit smoothly like a glove. OK, some of the dialogue was cheesy and made you go "oh come on!" but others were memorable even to the point of quoting.
This movie was divided into two halves which differed so much that you'd be surprised they were parts of the same movie. But I have to say the second half showed a side of directing and storytelling I haven't felt in the fifteen years since this movie came out: it showed strength.
James Cameron, I know now, kept Avatar on the back-burner, completed Titanic and then continued work on Avatar. I mean, what can I say. You gotta hand it over to him for making two of the most popular movies till date, and that too back-to-back. Titanic went on to sweep the Oscars with 11, and although Avatar managed just the 3, visually it was as stunning and marvelous as this one was.
Fittingly the movie ends with Celine Dion's "My heart will go on". By then I was shivering and this song at the end brought all those bottled-up tears out! Titanic will be in my Top 10 movies of all-time for years to come. Nothing can beat its sheer storytelling power. Must watch. 9/10