10 Movies That Would Be Outstanding If They Weren't So Long

2. Titanic

Length: 194 mins Titanic is, by definition, an epic. So its scope demands a fairly extensive allowance. And far be it from me to suggest that this harrowing, real-life saga be trimmed down to a more modest runtime to make the whole thing a bit snappier. That wouldn't be fair to the story James Cameron is telling. And Titanic pulls off nearly everything it sets out to do. The special effects sequences are well-placed, the characters appropriately fleshed out, and the central love story is the engine driving the whole ship forward. The one thing that gets in the way? That goddamned old lady. What's the point of the old lady retelling us the story? That's an honest question. She offers no unique perspective, just a hollow framing device in which to include Bill Paxton at his driest and most stilted. If anything, the old lady version of Kate Winslet only serves to remove any suspense that her character might not make it out of the sinking ship alive. It's a worthless bit of time that would have put Titanic just under the three hour mark and helped it pack an even bigger emotional punch.