2) “I’m the king of the world!” – Titanic, 1997
Another piece of dialogue written by James Cameron, this one doesn’t even have the advantage of being delivered in a thick Austrian accent by a guy firing a handgun. Instead, this line (ranked at number 100 on the AFI list) is shouted by a young Leonardo DiCaprio as he stands on the bow of the RMS Titanic.
Titanic portrays the infamous ship’s four-day maiden voyage in what feels like real time, featuring a hackneyed love story between stars DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Yet, despite its faults (did I mention Celine Dion sings on the soundtrack?), this movie went on to win 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. As he accepted his Best Director Oscar, Cameron himself shouted, “I’m the king of the world,” which made this line officially unbearable.
Even worse, thanks to the popularity of this film, pretty much every annoying human being who has ever set foot on a boat – be it the size of a cruise liner or a canoe – has felt the need to make their way to the bow and shout this line. Every time I hear someone shout this quote, I find myself wishing to see them meet the same fate as DiCaprio’s character.