1) Titanic
Oh, yes. The juggernaut of them all. Titanic, the movie whose heart will go on and on for generations to come. I really do hope you saw this one coming. If you didn’t, well, I guess you’re still bathing in “Leo-mania” and can’t admit that this movie was just a glorified version of the same old tale of true love. Logline: Two star-crossed lovers brave the impossible in a relationship that is doomed to sink – see what I did there?
I will commend James Cameron once again on doing one thing that many screenplays don’t do, which often results in a movie that coasts on tickling the audience’s interest instead of piquing it: he raised the stakes to a monstrosity of a level. Both Jack and Rose had everything to lose, not just from the get-go, but everything they risked to develop. And unlike most love stories, the chance they would escape the calamity that befell them was slim, and the audience knew that, resulting in a heartbreaking ending.
Much like Avatar, I’m praising the setting that this movie takes place in, which Cameron seems to have a knack for: giving us age-old tales, but writing them in unforgiving environments and situations, which is a feat that is easier said than done.
There we have it, my short list of movies with stories that beg for some creative juice – and get it. You might not agree, but that’s all in good spirit. Let me know what movies you think should go on this list in the comments section below.
