Tsunami

Author: Matt
Location: Illinois

"Tsunami"

Directed By: James Cameron
Produced By: James Cameron and Jon Landau
Written By: James Cameron
Edited By: Conrad Buff and Richard A. Harris
Cinematography By: Russell Carpenter
Original Score By: Howard Shore

Principal Cast:

Meryl Streep as Beverly Mastadonna
Ed Harris as Mitch Mastadonna
Freddie Highmore as Tommy Matthews
Julianne Moore as Mrs. Andrews
Rachel McAdams as Carla Lowdon
Leonardo DiCaprio as Travis Lowdon
Julia Roberts as Lorraine Wendling
Michael Caine as Pastor Robinson

Tagline: "Let the Wave Sweep You Away. December 2006"

Synopsis: On December 26, 2004, an underwater earthquake sparked a Tsunami greater than anyone ever thought possible. The Tsunami was responsible for the destruction of many beaches and for the loss of many lives. Mitch and Beverly Mastadonna (Streep and Harris) took a vacation to celebrate retirement. They decided to have a tropical Christmas, and visited Northern Sumatra. The couple was planning on staying at their resort until New Years Eve. However, their plans were altered. The day after Christmas, the couple went to the Beach, to rest and to relax. The Beach became completely silent as a wave was spotted beyond the horizon. Then, uproar. It seemed to be heading toward the Mastadonnas and the other tourists at speeds higher than 100 MPH. It was the Tsunami. The Mastadonnas headed further into land and found refuge in a small laundry room that was part of their resort. The wave continued to rise and rushed ashore. The water spread everywhere, entered the Mastadonnas safe house and swept out Beverly. Soon after, the building in which Mitch was holding on collapsed. Beverly survived the Tsunami, but was forced to evacuate without ever knowing if her husband was alive or not. Back in the United States, a bright boy (Highmore) begins collecting donations to support the relief efforts around the Indian Ocean. He is supported by his teacher Mrs. Andrews (Moore). The money that the boy collects is given to the community church, headed by Pastor Robinson (Caine). The organization was planning a mission trip to the area hit hardest by the Tsunami, Sumatra. Along for the relief trip are newlyweds (McAdams and DiCaprio) and the do-gooder (Roberts). The newlyweds actually traded in their Honeymoon to aid. The decision was not completely supported by the husband, though. While the mission group salvage whatever they can from the disaster site, Lorraine (Roberts) comes across the remains of a man. He is identified as Mitch Mastadonna. The corpse is sent back to his wife in the States. Because of all of the support and kindness of certain strangers, Beverly was able to lay her husband to rest and have a traditional burial.

What the press would say:

James Cameron is a master filmmaker. Tsunami outdoes Titanic by a mile! The effects are pitch-perfect, and so is the cinematography. Meryl Streep gives the best performance of her career. (And she had some hard jobs to top!) Ed Harris is amazing in his short amount of screen time. Freddie Highmore once again proves that children can act. He is believable as Tommy, and is a huge inspiration. Highmore is the heart of this picture. Rachel McAdams continues her streak of knockout performances. Leonardo DiCaprio reunites with James Cameron and should not be snubbed of an Oscar nomination this time. Michael Caine is poised, and skilled in his role as Pastor Robinson. Julia Roberts can do no wrong! She embodies the character of Lorraine Wendling, a community do-gooder, who is always looking for a way to help. The screenplay and original score are unbeatable. While Titanic was a film that built up to a huge moment, Tsunami starts off with a bang and beautifully connects various characters and storylines as the film continues. James Cameron is back, and better than ever!

Possible Oscar Nominations

Best Picture
Best Director: James Cameron
Best Original Screenplay: James Cameron
Best Original Score: Howard Shore
Best Cinematography: Russell Carpenter
Best Editing: Conrad Buff and Richard A. Harris
Best Sound Editing
Best Visual Effects
Best Actress: Meryl Streep
Best Supporting Actress: Julia Roberts
Best Actor: Michael Caine
Best Supporting Actor: Freddie Highmore
Best Supporting Actor: Ed Harris
Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio