“Make it count – meet me at the clock.”

When third-class passenger on “Titanic” Jack Dawson (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) subtly passes first-class passenger Rose Dewitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) a note with the above message, Rose has to choose between two options. She can either stay with the other first-class women on the dining deck, fulfilling her mother’s expectations, or follow Jack to the third-class “party” and live a life full of adventure, never knowing what the next day will bring.

Fortunately, Rose chooses the latter.

I watched James Cameron’s “Titanic” for the first time a few days ago, and, needless to say, it has become my new favorite movie. I must admit that this is largely because Jack Dawson is just so attractively full of life, but there are other facets of the movie as well, such as the special effects, the attention to historical detail, and the acting, among other things.

What makes the movie so enjoyable is the fairy-tale love story, and what makes it so interesting and gripping is the waiting for the inevitable end of it.

“Titanic” was a great twist on the classic poor-boy-meets-girl-who-just-so-happens-to-be-out-of-his-league. It was refreshing to see a man so dedicatedly in love with a woman that he was willing to risk his life numerous times to ensure her safety, even letting her stay afloat on a raft that could only support one person’s weight while (spoiler alert!) he literally froze to death. Most people were only out for themselves, but Jack and Rose stuck together.

What makes Jack such an attractive character is his appreciation and encouragement of life. When the ship is sinking, his quick-thinking guarantees himself and Rose the last spot on the ship that stays above water before it sinks into the icy Atlantic. Jack also saves Rose from her own suicide. Even when all hope seems lost in the icy waters of the northern Atlantic, he tells Rose to never give up and keep trying to live. Jack’s emphasis on life is refracted by the ship’s ultimate sinking, which causes, of course, many deaths, including his own.

Rose also is a great character, and she could definitely be considered a role model for young women today. She is extremely drawn to Jack, but, because of social restrictions, she is torn between her head – what she should do (staying with her fiancé) – and her heart – what she wants to do (leave and stay with Jack). She ultimately chooses to follow her heart, the choice the audience roots for, since DiCaprio’s portrayal of Jack is so awe-inspiring that everyone watching wants to be him.

However, the forbidden love of Jack and Rose is not the only thing that makes the movie so enticing. The special effects are absolutely beautiful. In fact, it cost around $200 million that made “Titanic” the success that it is.

The portrayal sinking of the “Titanic” is definitely inspiring because not only does the depiction cause admiration for the special effects (it’s not as if the film-makers could just produce a real ship the size that has the grandeur to match “Titanic”), but the image channels real fear and shock into the viewer.

I really liked that “Titanic” was able to incorporate lots of historic details into the movie. I have been really interested in the real Titanic’s sinking for a long time, so it was nice to see that Cameron actually paid attention to the history. Although the Jack Dawson and Rose Dewitt Bukater were not real people (I know, darn it!), John Jacob Astor (the richest man on the ship), Mr. Andrews (the shipbuilder), and Mrs. Brown (who would later become known as the “Unsinkable” Molly Brown because of her persistence in trying to rescue any survivors) were among the passengers aboard in the movie who were actually aboard the real ship. Cameron also got the dates of the Titanic’s voyage correct.

It was so cool to see the real sunken ship underneath the Atlantic’s surface after so many years. Seeing scientists actually try to discover things about the ship was really interesting, and I’m glad that the movie-makers included this in the film.

The acting was also superb. DiCaprio and Winslet’s portrayal of their characters was totally believable. They were able to make the audience believe that their characters were real, relatable people whose love was also authentic. Billy Zane, who played Rose’s idiotic, much hated fiancee, the foil of Jack, acted very convincingly as well.

“Titanic” is an absolutely fantastic film that everyone should see. One bit of advice: Make sure to have a box of Kleenex on hand while watching it. I guarantee that anyone who watches this will be crying by the end.