Titanic (in 3D) (09/11/2012)

Rated PG-13 for disaster related peril and violence, nudity, sensuality and brief language.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, Billy Zane and Bill Paxton

Directed by James Cameron

Two and a half miles beneath the waves of the North Atlantic, a mystery is unfolding. A secret love, bravery, treasure and treachery, hidden by time but never forgotten. A beautiful socialite. A penniless artist. A priceless diamond. A romance so passionate that nothing on earth could stop it. A destiny so incredible that no one could have imagined it. A collision of lives that could only happen on Titanic, the ship of dreams.

TODD’S WORD: Even in 3-D, they still didn’t see the iceberg in time!!

JONATHAN’S WORD: I know. Weird. It was practically in the middle of the theatre!!!

TODD’S WORD: OK on a more serious note, Titanic is my wife’s all time favorite movie and with the rerelease in April (just days before her birthday) I was so excited to take her to see the movie we watched together 15 years ago. So walking into the theater that night was like walking back in time…and the 3-D effects made an amazing movie even better.

So Jonathan, I have to ask…did you like the 3-D effects?

JONATHAN’S WORD: I hate 3D. You know that (which is probably why you asked). I don’t think I’ll ever like 3D until they come out with a format that doesn’t require glasses and doesn’t seem to be limited around the edges. I saw Cameron’s Avatar in 3D too and I have to say… it looks better in my living room on my flatpanel in 1080p (non-3D).

TODD’S WORD: Ha. Yes, I wanted to hear you whine. OK, let’s talk about something we can agree on…the facts. James Cameron’s 1997 Titanic is second only to his 2009 Avatar as “king of the box-office world” (more than a billion dollars). Titanic won a record 11 Oscars including Best Picture. Titanic solidified Leonardo DiCaprio, then 21, as a legit leading man.

JONATHAN’S WORD: It’s no question this film was a game-changer. People predicted it would flop, they predicted Cameron would lose money… they were wrong.

I knew Cameron was “the man” when he made Terminator. Cameron’s thinking is so “out of the box” and his eye for effects in mind-blowing. When he did Aliens, people started paying attention, but unfortunately Abyss left some people scratching their heads. Too bad. The film was amazing… with a really stupid ending (if you haven’t seen it, go back and rent it, then turn it off about 15 minutes before the end and you’ll think it’s the greatest thing you have ever seen). Each of these films laid groundwork for special effects Cameron would use in future films. Abyss’s water creature paved the way for the T-1000 in T2. Cameron is boss. What else is there to say!

TODD’S WORD: I agree. And Titanic is a nearly perfect movie in 3D or 2D. Cameron tells a story within the story that is filled with action, humor, drama and of course romance. Sure there are some sappy and cheesey moments that have been spoofed since the movie was released, but much of the film stands the test of time.

JONATHAN’S WORD: Some people resisted the love story, calling it cheesy. I have to disagree. The love story complemented the film, not dominating it. DiCaprio and Winslet were both amazing leads. And co-stars like Billy Zane held their own.

TODD’S WORD: I had no complaints with the cast then and I have no complaints now.

JONATHAN’S WORD: I actually saw over 6 hours of Titanic when it released in December of 1997. I had gone to see the movie that afternoon with a friend, then a bunch of couples from our church decided to see it that evening. I wasn’t going to turn down a date with my wife. So I saw it twice opening day. And you know what? I wasn’t bored in the slightest.

TODD’S WORD: I think it’s safe to say that director, writer, producer and editor, James Cameron is obsessed with the historic ship that sank on April 15, 1912 after hitting an iceberg. I believe he’s forgotten more about the Titanic than I know. So when I heard he was releasing in 3-D, I wasn’t upset, I didn’t think it was just another way for him to “cash-in”, I truly felt he needed to “redo” it. And I’m glad he did, I loved it. It’s worth buying.

JONATHAN’S WORD: I could care less about the 3D, I just like the rerelease. Especially because I know that meant the release on BluRay…. FINALLY!!! I’ve already pre-ordered my copy.

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is a sex scene where the sex is implied (we see a hand on a steamed-up car window). There is also a scene where Jack sketches Rose and we see her topless.

There is some violence as we watch people drown or jump from the sinking ship. A man shoots another man as he tries to leap onto a boat and he shoots a second man who falls to the ground; moments later as a crowd watches, the man turns the gun on himself and fires.

As far as profanity goes, there is at least 1 F-word and 24 other mild obscenities, 8 religious profanities, and 25 religious exclamations.

Conversation Starter

1. One of the things that stands out to me as I watch this movie are the decisions the different characters make throughout the film. What were some of the big decisions Jack made?


2. What about Rose?


3. The Captain?


4. What are some things you do when you have a big decision to make? Who do you talk to?


5. Talk about a decision you made that was the wrong decision, what could you have done better?

Read Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
6. Why do you think this verse tells us to not depend on your own understanding?


7. What does this verse tell us will happen if we seek God’s will in all we do?


8. What are some things we can do this week to make wise decisions?