4. TITANIC (1997)

First of all, we're gonna give away the ending: the boat sinks at the end. But you already knew that, didn't you, you cheeky monkey? And we're not gonna pretend that you haven't heard of Titanic. It's made more money than any other movie. Ever.

Bare bones plot: Rose (Kate Winslet) is engaged to Cal (Billy Zane), and they're first-class passengers on the doomed ship Titanic in 1914. Also aboard is Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio), a ragamuffin who won his ticket on a poker hand. Rose does not love Cal (she's marrying him for his money). Our heroine is so depressed with her life, and the prospect of a loveless marriage, that she considers ending it all. Luckily for her, scrawny teen heartthrob Leo turns up and convinces her that there's more to life than men with facial hair. Guess what? They fall in love! Enter romantic violins. But that's only the first half. Titanic hits an iceberg and starts sinking . . . and there aren't enough lifeboats. Who will make it? (We know, but we're not telling.)

The most remarkable thing about Titanic is that even though it's the most expensive movie ever made (and you can tell: the boat, costumes, special effects, everything is AMAZING), all of that money is really in the background, allowing the romantic storyline to dominate. Even director James Cameron commented that what he'd made was "a $200 million chick flick." Why do you think that 13-year-old girls went so ga-ga over it? It definitely wasn't the sound effects editing. . .

Titanic may not be edgy or present any new ideas, but as Roger Ebert said (he's the fat one), you don't choose the most expensive movie in history to reinvent the wheel. Titanic is good, solid entertainment, with just a few holes to keep things interesting.

Notes:

  • Nominated for 14 Academy Awards (including Best Actress and Supporting Actress)

  • Won 11 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, Art Direction, Score, Song, Costume Design, Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing, and Visual Effects

  • The most expensive movie ever made, said to cost over $200 million

  • The most successful movie of all time, earning over $600 million