Worst2First: My Top Ten Films Set On the Ocean

Worst2First: 

My Top Ten Films Set On the Ocean

Some say we know more about outer space than we do about our oceans, and they might be right.  The ocean is a vast, mysterious, dangerous place filled with unique creatures, beautiful plant life, and an abundance of tales to tell.

Here are my top ten films set on the ocean, Worst2First.

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

#10

 Open Water

Loosely based on the true story of Tom and Eileen Lonergan, "Open Water" centers around a couple who fall off a boat on vacation and are abandoned to the ocean, left to fend for themselves against killer sharks, but it's much more than just that - it's a survival story as they are forced to face their fears, rely on each other, and try to use their wits to find a way out of a seemingly impossible situation.  The two lead actors do a great job building suspense and tension, and since the film pretty much solely relies on their talents, they helped keep the film adrift.

#9

Master & Commander

There's a saying that goes around, called Ocean Madness.  It's when you've been out on sea so long, you start going mad, the most memorable example of this being Ahab's unquenchable search for Moby Dick, which sends him into a sort of madness in order to achieve his kill.  Coming off hits "Gladiator" and "A Beautiful Mind," Russell Crowe sets sail in this epic that takes place during the Napoleonic Wars, where he plays a captain who searches the seas for a French war vessel, and stops at nothing to find it.  The film earned ten Academy Award nominations, and serves as a powerful tale of adventure on the high seas.

#8

All is Lost

Thirty-one pages of script.  Only one actor in the entire movie.  You'd think that'd be a recipe for disaster, but when that actor is the incomparable Robert Redford, it turns into a masterpiece.  Stuck alone in the ocean after his ship collides with a shipping vessel, Redford's character (which is never named) must learn to survive the harsh ocean if he hopes to make it out alive.  It's gritty, exciting, thrilling, and absolutely nerve-wracking.  Redford definitely owns the film, and it's an amazing sight to behold.

#7

Finding Dory

Thankfully Pixar learned their lesson by making a supporting character a lead in a sequel (looking your way Mater) with "Finding Dory."  Dory - the lovable, forgettable blue tang - was such a hit as a supporting character in "Finding Nemo" that she finally got her own movie, and it was magical.  She goes in search of a family she forgot she had, and along the way found out the true meaning of family.  Ellen DeGeneres supplies the laughs, and Ed O'Neill steals the show as Hank, the octopus who helps Dory in her quest.  It's a hilarious, heartwarming, and heroic tale of one fish's search for her family.

#6

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Based off the hit Disney attraction, "Pirates of the Caribbean" stars Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, who works with a blacksmith in order to save his love and regain his old ship, the Black Pearl.  Spawning several sequels, it's the first that's the best, even earning Depp a surprising Academy Award nomination for his performance.  The film is filled with swashbuckling action, intellectual humor and a very capable cast - including Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley.

#5

Cast Away

Much like Robert Redford in "All is Lost," "Cast Away" relies pretty much solely on one actor to carry the film.  That actor is none other than two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, who carries the film to monumental proportions as we witness his will to survive on a deserted island alone (save for his friend Wilson the Volleyball) for four years.  It's a harrowing tale of survival in the midst of insurmountable odds, and Hanks earned yet another Academy Award nomination for his role here - a nomination that's very well deserved.

#4

Finding Nemo

Pixar's venture into the deep seas produced a touching, hilarious film involving two clown fish and a forgettable blue tang that shows the power of love, family, and never giving up.  Marlon the clown fish (who, despite being a clown, isn't very funny) embarks on an oceanwide adventure with Dory, a blue tang who suffers from short term memory loss, in order to rescue his son Nemo.  The underwater visuals are stunning, and there's some great supporting cast members and very memorable lines ("just keep swimming," "fish are friends, not food") that make this an easily re-watchable gem.

#3

Life of Pi

Going up against the likes of David O. Russell and Steven Spielberg, director Ang Lee managed to win the Best Director Oscar for this visual masterpiece.  The film follows a young man who is stranded at sea with no one else but a Bengal tiger, and their will to survive.  Featuring some of the most dazzling effects set to screen, and a powerful tale to boot, "Life of Pi" is more than the sum of its parts, and forms a stunning tale that won't easily be forgotten.

#2

Titanic

James Cameron's love story set aboard the Titanic is a thing of cinematic legend, maintaining the spot as the highest grossing movie of all time until Cameron himself beat that with "Avatar," the film won a staggering eleven Academy Awards and made household names out of its stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.  Centering around the boat that's the most well-known maritime disaster, "Titanic" tells a romantic love story and a harrowing quest for survival all mixed into one, with one of the most famous songs in any movie - even if it wore out its welcome due to its repetitive play.

#1

Jaws

Based on Peter Benchley's epic novel, "Jaws" taught a whole generation to fear the water, thanks to Steven Spielberg's brilliant direction, Roy Scheider's acting, a terrifying animatronic shark, and that killer score.  Not only did the film win three Oscars, it revolutionized the way effects are used in cinema, and proves that it was a film far before its time.  To have a movie that's still referenced today as a cause for people's innate fear of the ocean is something to wonder, and that's what "Jaws" has done - set a lasting impression to those who haven't even seen the film.