Step on that ledge, spread your arms wide, let the wind blow in your hair and scream "I'm king of the world!" because, believe it or not, "Titanic" turns 10 years old this month. Think back to 1997. Sheep were being cloned, and Nike-wearing cult members were drinking Kool-Aid. The "Men in Black" were fighting aliens and the Spice Girls were still together (oh, wait ... ). Hollywood was about to be hit by a colossal movie epic as big as that damn iceberg, changing cinema forever.\n Eleven Oscars. That's how many of those golden boys "Titanic" raked in. The little old lady, the giant diamond, the elegant ballrooms, the peasant lower levels, Kathy Bates, Jack and Rose, naked Kate Winslet (a giant bonus as a fifth grader!), the freaking iceberg, people dying ... you remember all that transpired in those three hours and 14 minutes. When the movie ended, nobody in the theater moved. People tend now to think about all the hysteria and backlash surrounding the movie, forgetting the film itself, but "Titanic" really is one hell of an excellent movie. \nThe plot is nothing more than the classic Hollywood love story of boy meets girl at a disastrous time. It's "Casablanca" on a boat. The film starts with Rose trapped in her loveless, mother-approved, engagement to rich businessman Cal, in a dying-off upper-class society. About to end her life, she meets poor but life-loving artist Jack. He's fun and frees her from her stuffy world. It sounds like your standard Lifetime-movie/romance-novel plot, but director/writer James Cameron makes the story so enjoyable. The drunken Irish dancing, banging in a car and then the iceberg. Suddenly the romance took a back seat as the film started focusing on the disaster. Thousands were trapped in the lower levels as those dumb guards sent off the lifeboats half-full. It's a history lesson (albeit, not a completely accurate one) mixed with entertainment and an examination of human suffering and behavior in a time of unexpected disaster. Yet throughout the final tragic hour of the film, this mass suffering is given human faces through the established characters. And this is why the film was such a hit. It tugs at every human emotion possible. Guys could pretend to be interested in the sinking ship, while girls got to bury their faces with tissues. \nSo, this holiday break when you have three weeks to spare, go rent "Titanic." And as Rose starts talking about the ship coming back to life as she begins telling her story, you'll find yourself transported to 10 years ago. So break out the tissue, and don't worry, Jack, we'll never let go. In the meantime, here's a "Titanic 'Where Are They Now'" for your nostalgic enjoyment.
James Cameron (writer/director/producer) -- Currently filming "Avatar," his first post-"Titanic" full-length feature film. Cameron was stuck around the ocean for many years filming several IMAX docs about the sea and the Titanic. He produced the short-lived Jessica Alba TV show "Dark Angel" and passed on directing "Terminator 3," while turning up as himself on HBO's "Entourage."
Leonardo DiCaprio (Jack) -- Already an Oscar nominee for "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," Leo was snubbed for "Titanic," but the role catapulted him to stardom. He mocked "Leomania" in Woody Allen's "Celebrity," then waited over a year for his role in the ill-fated "The Beach." He's since pulled in two more Oscar nominations and become Martin Scorsese's go-to man with hits "The Departed," "The Aviator" and "Gangs of New York."
Kate Winslet (Rose) -- Hollywood's dramatic darling keeps getting nominated for Oscars but just can't win. She was robbed for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," and as she noted on her hilarious guest turn on "Extras," they only give Oscars to those who play "mentals." She'll reunite with DiCaprio in 2008's "Revolutionary Road."
Gloria Stuart (old Rose) -- At 97, she's still alive, and post-Titanic appeared on many TV shows such as "General Hospital" and "Touched by an Angel."
Billy Zane (Cal) -- Wasn't able to reach A-list status like his co-stars, but Zane has worked steadily in mostly crappy films such as "Sole Survivor" and "BloodRayne."
Celine Dion (soundtrack singer) -- After hibernating in her Vegas palace (which closes shop this month) for four years, performing nightly sold-out shows, she recently released her first studio album since 2003 titled Taking Chances.
