Mighty Aphrodite (6/10): A lesser Woody Allen film.

“Of all human weaknesses, obsession is the most dangerous, and the silliest!”

When you direct and write a film every year you can’t expect to always deliver a masterpiece, and that is the case with Woody Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite. It’s a delightful and enjoyable film, but it doesn’t seem to add up to much. When you compare it to his extensive filmography it wouldn’t even land in the top half of his best work because it’s far from being memorable. He’s directed so many movies that several of them feel incredibly familiar and for that reason they are easy to forget. He repeats several of the same themes throughout his movies and Mighty Aphrodite isn’t the exception, especially putting a lot of emphasis on love and infidelity which are recurring themes in Allen’s films. At times his films stand out for simply capturing these human emotions in a new way, and at others they do thanks to a particularly strong performance. In this case it was Mira Sorvino’s supportive performance as Linda Ash that garnered all the attention playing a hooker who isn’t all that right in the head. The way she delivered her lines with her high-pitched voice contributed to the overall comedy of her character. If there is one thing that I will remember from this forgettable Allen film it’s her Oscar winning performance. Despite her solid performance this is still one of the weakest Woody Allen movies I’ve seen.

In Mighty Aphrodite Woody Allen plays Lenny, a sportswriter, who is married to Amanda (Helena Bonham Carter). In order to spark some life into their monotonous relationship they decide to adopt a son who they name Max. After several years Lenny is surprised to discover that Max is such a brilliant kid and so he decides to search for his biological parents convinced that they must have great genes. He visits the adoption agency and is denied the files, but his curiosity gets the best of him and he finds a way to steal them. He tracks down the biological mother only to discover that she is a prostitute who is now going by the name of Linda Ash (Mira Sorvino). Lenny sets up an appointment with her and is disappointed that she ended up being so dumb. Concerned with her lifestyle, Lenny tries to help Linda by reforming her and setting her up with some respectable man. Meanwhile, Lenny and Amanda are going through some marital problems of their own. The narrative is linked with a bizarre Greek chorus (led by F. Murray Abraham) that compares Lenny’s story with the Greek tragedy Oedipus.

Allen always delivers some witty dialogues and funny situations in his films which make them such an entertaining ride. Mighty Aphrodite has a few moments like this that work well, but as a whole it is a very forgettable movie. Allen plays once again a sort of neurotic character who is fascinated with discovering who his adopted son’s mother really is. Sorvino’s performance is brilliant and elevates the material, but there isn’t more to it. Neither Allen nor Bonham Carter seem to stand out and their relationship isn’t central to the film. The Greek chorus was far from interesting and only took away from the story by trying to hard to compare the modern tale with the Greek one. It’s a light and corny film that is saved by Sorvino’s presence and Allen’s distinctive style of humor.       

Cinderella (8/10): A refreshingly faithful adaptation by Kenneth Branagh that never loses its magic.

“I’ll have to tell you a secret that will see you through all the trials that life can offer: Have courage and be kind.”

 

Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella isn’t much of a re-imagination of the classic Disney animated film as much as it is a straightforward live action retelling of the tale. In a time where we’ve seen several of Disney’s beloved classic stories being reimagined and told through a much darker light, Cinderella’s faithfulness to the familiar tale feels like a fresh of breath air. In papers it shouldn’t work, but surprisingly I found it way more engaging than Snow White and the Huntsman, Alice in Wonderland, and even Maleficent (which I actually ended up enjoying), all films which were told through new perspectives. Branagh is known for adapting well known literary works (specifically from Shakespeare) and once again he delivers through breathtaking and colorful visuals and surprisingly engaging characters. Sometimes it isn’t just about the story that is being told, but how you tell it, and Branagh is an excellent storyteller. He was able to take this very familiar tale and without introducing anything new to it, he still kept the audience magically engaged with the story. A lot of credit must be given to the fantastic cast and the astonishing visuals which turned this fairytale into a classical period piece. At times I felt like I was watching an adaptation of a Jane Austen novel with so much attention to the period details and wonderful costume designs. I’m sure this film will receive a couple of Oscar nominations in the production and costume design department because it is visually inspiring. I’ve only seen a dozen films released this year, but so far this is the best and I’m not ashamed to admit that I was emotionally engaged with the film. It is better than the beloved animated classic, which I wasn’t really a huge fan of.

Is it really necessary to check on the spoiler warning box for a straightforward adaptation of this classic tale? There aren’t any surprises in this screenplay adaptation from Charles Perrault’s fairy tale written by Chris Weitz (About a Boy). It basically follows a similar structure from Disney’s animated adaptation with perhaps a little more background on Cinderella’s parents (played by Ben Chaplin and Hayley Attwell). Cinderella is wonderfully and beautifully played by Lily James (who plays Lady Rose in Downtown Abbey) while her stepmother is brilliantly portrayed by Cate Blanchett. Her character may have seemed a bit cartoonish at times, but Blanchett sure knows how to wear fashion dresses. We do get some explanation as to why she behaves in such a cruel way so she does have some depth. The stepsisters however are completely cartoonish and deliver most of the laughs for young audiences. Drisella and Anastasia are played by Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger. The heart of the story however centers around the fantastic chemistry between Lily James’s Cinderella and the Prince played by Richard Madden (Rob Stark from Game of Thrones). The pair actually share a scene together before the ball that is really engaging and helps sell the love story. In order for the film to work it needs to have a believable love story and it does. Helena Bonham Carter also has a wonderful short scene as the Fairy Godmother, and Derek Jacobi does a convincing job as the King. Nonso Anozie is the Captain of the Palace, while Stellan Skarsgard plays the Grand Duke. Despite our familiarity with the story, the entire cast delivers and that allows the story to flow in a magical way.

My only complaint is that the message of the film “have courage and be kind” was repeated throughout the entire movie. We constantly were beaten over the head with it, but since this is a film geared towards a younger audience I understood why they did it. In a time where a lot of emphasis has been placed on being brave it is refreshing to be reminded about the power of kindness. Cinderella is given a strong female role here and it requires a lot of strength to be kind in the midst of such difficult trials. We may not have needed to hear the message so many times because we could see it through her actions. James portrayed this character in such a beautiful way and she is an actress with a bright future ahead of her. Cinderella is a much stronger character here than in the animated film; she’s not simply waiting for a prince to come and rescue her. She is strong and determined and when we finally see her first encounter with the Prince, it is she who has a greater influence in him than he does in her. The ball room scene is also magical and despite knowing every beat of the film I couldn’t help but feel invested and thrilled by the magical spell this warm film left me with. Cinderella is living proof that remaining faithful to a classic story isn’t such a bad idea after all.  

   

My Review: The Lone Ranger (4/10)

"There come a time, when good man must wear mask."

Teaming up Gore Verbinski with Johnny Depp and several others from the crew that brought us The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise seemed like a great idea for The Lone Ranger, but unfortunately the magic was gone here in what is in my opinion the biggest disappointment in the Summer box office this year. The film was a huge failure for the following reasons: I don't tend to complain about long movies, but this film felt to drag forever with so many unnecessary elements and so many senseless action scenes. The lead roles were disappointing despite how much I love Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer, but I think the main issue had to do with the screenplay. They made the Lone Ranger look like such a weak and silly character that it was really hard to sympathize with him. Johnny Depp plays his silly self once again and I think he goes a little to overboard with the wackiness of his character. It works sometimes (like it did with John Sparrow), but here it fails. The comedy in this film didn't really work either, I found most of the jokes a bit recycled. As much as I wanted to enjoy this movie, I couldn't manage to get hooked with the story or its characters. The only moments were I felt moved was during the climatic action scene at the end where they used the familiar soundtrack of the TV series. The nostalgic factor appealed to me there, but it wasn't enough. At the end my favorite character ended up being the horse, Silver. That sort of sums it all.

As for the plot, fans of the series will be familiar with the story. Johnny Depp is Tonto, a Comanche during the late 1800's, who is narrating the story of his encounter with the Lone Ranger (Armie Hammer) to a little boy (Mason Elston Cook) who finds him at a museum. Tonto explains how he ran into this man through a series of flashbacks. He basically finds John Reid (the Lone Ranger) dead after he and seven other Texas Rangers were ambushed by the fugitive, Butch Cavendish (William Fichtner) and his gang. Tonto believes that John is a Spirit Walker and that he's been chosen by the white spirit horse to bring justice back to the land. That explains why John is alive and Tonto convinces him to wear the mask and become the Lone Ranger. Together they decide to bring Cavendish to justice and restore order to the west. Tom WIlkinson, Ruth Wilson, Helena Bonham Carter, James Badge Dale, and Barry Pepper all play supporting roles. 

I'm a fan of westerns and enjoy the cinematography these films usually have. Many people have said that the genre is dying, but there have been some exceptional westerns lately. I hope The Lone Ranger isn't the film that ends up definitely burying the genre, because it does everything wrong here. First of all the macho hero is missing; with all the action this film desperately needed one! Despite the great cinematography the film felt as dry as the desert scenes. There were so many unnecessary subplots going on that the film seemed to diverge and go into all directions. It just felt really chaotic and it is a pity because I really wanted to like The Lone Ranger for what the character has meant to past generations. Unfortunately this was an unnecessarily long pointless film. You might be better off if you just wait and watch the final 15 minutes of the film that actually feel more like the TV series.

My Review: Les Miserables (8/10)

¨But remember this, my brother, see in this some higher plan. You must use this precious silver to become an honest man. By the witness of the martyrs, by the Passion and the Blood, God has raised you out of darkness; I have bought your soul for God! ¨

Academy Award winning director, Tom Hooper (The King`s Speech), brings one of the most famous musicals based on Victor Hugo`s 1862 novel, Les Miserables, to the big screen with quite a remarkable screenplay adaptation, a beautiful production design, and some stunning performances from the cast. The film is directed in such a way that you feel like you are watching a conventional stage musical rather than a movie. For the viewers like myself that live far away from the big cities and have no option of watching a live musical this is as close as it gets for us. Hooper took a huge risk by letting his actors sing live on set while they were performing instead of simply having them doing playback like in most musical adaptations. This is in my opinion what gave the film such a livelier feel to it and made me feel like I was watching a play. The film is almost entirely sung as there is very little dialogue, so if you aren’t a big fan of musicals you will want to stay away from this one. My only complaint about Hooper`s style of direction is that he used extreme close ups on every character during most of the film, which didn’t allow us to enjoy the grandeur of the production design as much as I would have liked. These close ups were a bit too much for my taste. Most of the songs performed were done in long takes so I can imagine how hard and exhausting it must have been for the actors to get each take right. I enjoyed this film very much, but did have some issues with the length of the movie. Even so, this is a great film and Tom Hooper successfully manages to adapt this well known play. It deserves all the recognition it is getting.

For those of you familiar with the novel or the stage play you might want to skip this second paragraph focusing on the plot. The film takes place during the post-French revolution time period where we are introduced to prisoner 24601, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), who has spent the past 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread for his dying niece. He is finally being released, but Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) warns him that he must not break parole. ¨Once a thief, always a thief¨ is his motto and he`s sure Valjean will end up behind bars again. Jean finds it extremely difficult to find a job after being marked as a criminal and is very bitter about life, but he finds redemption in a Bishop who saves him from returning to prison and makes him turn his life around. Jean breaks parole and begins a new life as a successful businessman who becomes mayor. He is a kind person, but his past continues to haunt him as Javert appears several years later and recognizes him. Jean has to go on the run again, but not before he makes a promise to a former employee of his, Fantine (Anne Hathaway), to care for her child. Jean wasn’t aware that she was fired from his business after the employees discovered she had a child and was single. Fantine was forced to turn into a prostitute in order to maintain her child, Cosette, who is being cared for by the Thenardiers (Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter) who take advantage of her. Feeling guilty for what has happened to Fantine, Jean pledges to care for Cosette and buys her from the Thenardiers. Several years later we see Jean and Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) enjoying life together as father and daughter, but once again Jean`s past catches up to him as he runs into Javert during the student revolution led by Marius (Eddie Redmayne). When Cosette and Marius fall in love with each other, Jean realizes he won`t be able to run all his life.

We are all familiar with the story and the universal themes that this classic novel touches such as love, redemption, mercy, poverty, and the revolutionary spirit. The film captures all these themes perfectly thanks to some wonderful performances from Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway who both received Oscar nominations. My favorite character however was the young Gavroche who was played brilliantly by Daniel Huttlestone. Samantha Barks as the broken hearted Eponine also gave a strong performance. Much of the success of the film is owed to these great and inspiring performances. The songs were also beautifully delivered and I enjoyed most of them. I think my favorite one came from the student revolutionaries, ¨Do You Hear the People Sing? ¨ Les Miserables will please fans, but those who have no taste for musicals or haven’t enjoyed the stage productions will hate this film because it is manipulative and over the top. Having that said, I still think Hooper`s effort pays off and he`s made a great musical, although his best film was the much smaller and far less ambitious in scale, The Damned United, which catapulted him to fame. I did not feel as emotional as other people did about this film, and wasn’t moved. In all honesty I was a bit exhausted by the time the credits began rolling, but it still was an entertaining film worth checking out for the performances alone.

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/

My Review: Fight Club (10/10)

"The first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club"

I will go ahead and break the rule and simply talk about Fight Club; the 1999 film that I recently added to my favorite movie list. In my opinion this is one of Fincher`s masterpieces along with Se7en. David Fincher has made some great films, but none have ever rivaled his work in the 90`s with these two films. Both Se7en and Fight Club are among my favorite films and consider them superior to Fincher`s other great recent films like Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network, and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Fight Club is an extremely violent film, but I don’t think it`s gratuitous because the movie really works as a satire and raises several philosophical questions about how enslaved we`ve become under the capitalist and advertising system, but it also points out the danger of anarchy as well. We`ve become materialist beings finding our purpose in our possessions and have left out the spiritual part. Sometimes we need to feel pain to remind ourselves that we are alive, and in a way this film works as a highly crafted metaphor. I loved the way the story was presented and how this surrealistic film worked. Based on Chuck Palahniuk`s novel of the same name, and adapted for the screen by Jim Uhls, Fight Club is a masterpiece thanks to Fincher`s direction and the performance from the excellent cast which includes Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helen Bonham Carter. I really loved this movie from beginning to end, including the twist in the final act. 1999 was the year of great twists considering this is when The Sixth Sense was released as well (my all time favorite film). Fight Club is a must see film for all.

The movie begins with a scene where the narrator (Edward Norton) has a gun forced down his throat by Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), to which the narrator begins to tell the viewer what has led him to this point through voice over narration, and so the film is told in flashback. He takes us back to the days when he was an office worker who experienced severe insomniac problems. The doctor recommended that he visit a support group with men who have suffered from testicular cancer in order for him to really see the pain other people have gone through. Despite not suffering from this condition, the narrator decides to do so and discovers that going to these therapies allows him to finally being able to sleep for the first time in months. After this, he decides to attend a different support group every night and everything seems to go well, until he discovers a manic depressive woman named Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter) who is doing the same thing he`s been doing: jumping from one support group to another. Seeing her as an intruder and a liar, the narrator can no longer find peace in the support groups and so his insomniac problems begin again. His life will change dramatically when he meets Tyler Durden, a soap maker, in an airplane and has an interesting conversation with him. They exchange numbers and when the narrator arrives home from the airport he discovers his condo has been blown up. He then decides to call Tyler and ends up moving in with him at an old abandoned complex. The two start a very different support group which they call Fight Club since they have to fight one another. The movement becomes popular and little by little they begin to form a revolutionary movement known as Project Mayhem, but things begin to escalate too fast and dangerously.  

Edward Norton appeared in the big movie screen during the 90`s and this was when he made his best films (American History X, Primal Fear, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Rounders, and Fight Club), although I would have to argue that his best performances were in American History X and The 25<sup>th</sup> Hour. However he is still excellent in this film as well. Brad Pitt is at his best playing the sort of chaotic and anarchic character who in some ways is similar to the narrator, but in others very different and more dangerous. He has a strong pull on Norton`s character and influences him deeply. Helena Bonham Carter also plays one of her best roles as this sort of manic-depressive character who stands her own ground in this mostly male dominated film. The performance from the cast is one of the best things about Fight Club which works in every level. The visuals and special effects are also fantastic. It is a dark film with a lot of violence mixed with satire that had me laughing quite a bit. I absolutely loved this movie and the ending was just brilliant.

  

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com

My Review: Dark Shadows (6/10)

¨It is said that blood is thicker than water. It is what joins us, binds us... curses us. My name is Barnabas Collins, and this is my tale.¨

Dark Shadows is the latest collaboration between director Tim Burton and actor Johnny Depp; it happens to be their eighth time working together. The bond between them just might be thicker than blood. Their friendship began when they worked together in Edward Scissorhands more than 20 years ago and it has developed from there on as they`ve collaborated with each other repeatedly, making some great films together and others not so much. Dark Shadows will be one of those films that fall in the not so great category and may perhaps be a sign that their collaboration together is getting old and repetitive. We all know how great of an actor Johnny Depp is and he`s always enjoyed to play these kind of eccentric characters. That is why Tim Burton seemed to be a perfect fit for him as a director because he`s such a great art director who is able to paint an eccentric vision of the world. Actually that is the only element that worked in Alice in Wonderland, and is what saves Dark Shadow from being rotten: the fantastic art direction. Burton takes us back to the 70`s with some wonderful visuals and recreates a small fishing town to perfection. Johnny Depp also gets to play a very eccentric character once again as he`s a vampire who`s just awoke from the 18^th century, so it plays out as the classic fish out of the water tale. But just like in almost every Burton film, you can`t fit his movie into one specific genre as it mixes dark comedy with horror, fantasy and some romance. Dark Shadows at times fits in all of these categories and at others it’s just hard to figure out what Burton was trying to do.

During the 18^th century the Collins family leaves England and arrives in America with the prospect of building a fishing empire. They do so and end up having the town named after them: Collinsport. They build an enormous mansion and have several servants working for them, but they fall under an evil curse when their son Barnabas (Johnny Depp) breaks the heart of a witch named Angelique (Eva Green). He tells her that he doesn’t love her and ends up falling in love with the beautiful Josette (Bella Heathcote). Angelique curses the family by killing Barnabas`s parents, Josette, and turning Barnabas into a vampire and burying him alive inside a coffin. The story then jumps to the year 1972 where we are introduced to the surviving members of the Collins family residing in the very same mansion which is now in evident decay: Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her teen daughter Carolyn (Chloe Grace Moretz), Elizabeth`s widowed brother Roger (Jonny Lee Miller) and his tormented son David (Gulliver McGrath), and their staff which consists of David`s psychiatrist Dr. Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham Carter), Willie Loomis (Jackie Earle Haley), and Mrs. Johnson (Ray Shirley). Barnabas is released from his coffin by accident when some construction workers find the coffin and open it. He returns to the mansion which is now in ruins and after convincing Elizabeth of his true identity promises that he will restore the family to its former glory. What he doesn’t know is that the town is run by Angelique now he is still very much alive and hasn’t aged one bit.

The first half of the movie worked for me as a very dark comedy. I actually enjoyed the film, until the final act which just went a little too far in its bizarre act and eccentricities (even for Tim Burton standards). The final act was a disappointment, but I did enjoy most parts of the story. Johnny Depp played his usual strange self and Michelle Pfeiffer was great in her role. She claimed to be a fan of the original soap opera that took place during the late 60`s and 70`s which this film is actually based on. Despite the television show not being a comedy, this film actually plays out as one in the same way most 70`sand 80`s TV series are being turned into in recent years. I am a big fan of Chloe Grace Moretz and have followed her since her work in 500 Days of Summer, Kick Ass, and Let Me In. I wish she had been given more screen time because she is always a delight to watch on screen and had an interesting character. Dark Shadows is a very weird movie and definitely not for everyone; it won`t be ranked among Burton`s best work either (not even close) so I don`t know if fans will actually enjoy this film, but I did have enough of a good time during most of the film to give this film a passing grade.  

  

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com

My Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2 (10/10)

¨Harry Potter, the boy who lived…come to die. Avada Kedavra!¨

After ten years and eight films, the Harry Potter franchise has finally come to its magical conclusion and what a great one it was. As the British might say: It was bloody brilliant! This film is by far the best one of the entire franchise because it brings closure to a series that has been a part of us for a decade. I really never expected to like the Harry Potter series as much as I did and I became more and more hooked to the franchise as each new movie came out. It was like if every new film kept on improving from its predecessor. Not only did the series grow darker, the visuals just kept on looking more amazing as the movies were being released. Ever since David Yates was called to direct these movies beginning with The Order of the Phoenix he just kept on outdoing himself and winning new converts. J.K. Rowling can be proud of the producers for adapting her novels so magically, and of Steve Kloves (who should receive some recognition) for writing such a magnificent screenplay. I don’t see how anyone could dislike this movie; it`s truly a masterpiece. By the eighth film I know most of the people that are going to watch this movie are true Harry Potter fans, since I don’t see how if they didn`t like his previous movies they would have any reason to want to see this last one anyways. If you enjoyed the other Potter films then you will definitely love this one; if you hated them then there is no reason why you would want to see the eighth one in the first place. This is not only my favorite film of the franchise, it`s also my favorite film of the year so far.

The movie picks up right where the last one ended with the abrupt finale of when Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) collects Dumbledore`s (Michael Gambon) wand from the grave. It just happens to be the most powerful wand in the world and it ends up in the hands of the most dangerous dark wizard who wants nothing more than to see Harry Potter dead. On the meantime Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) are searching for the remaining three horcruxes in order to destroy them before Voldemort finds Harry. As long as the horcruxes are safe, Voldemort will remain immortal. The quest will end up leading the boys back to some familiar territories that we have grown to love. Potter knows that sooner or later he will have to face Voldemort; but there is much more at stake here as the forces for good and evil begin taking center stage for a final confrontation that has been waiting to happen for quite some time now. The build up for the grand finale happened almost entirely in the first part of The Deathly Hollows; now in the second part the action and intensity felt almost nonstop. Most of the characters from the previous films are all back and ready for battle. On Voldemort`s side you have the evil Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter), the Malfoy`s, and several death eaters, while fighting along Harry`s side are the Weasley`s, Luna (Evanna Lynch), Neville (Matthew Lewis), and the rest of the crew from Hogwarts. I cannot leave out one of the central characters of the film, Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), who if we`ve never read the novel before don`t quite really know who he is really fighting for until the very end.

 

The final film of the franchise will leave almost every Harry Potter fan completely satisfied because it brings closure to a decade long affair. We`ve grown to love and care for most of these characters that have shared so much screen time with us. There are so many memorable characters in this franchise and they all get plenty of action in this five hour long finale (if we add both parts of The Deathly Hollows). The young actors have all matured over the years and we`ve grown to expect great performances from the entire cast. The visuals and special effects were also mesmerizing as usual. What I loved even more from this second part is that we came back to Hogwarts, and I really hadn’t noticed what a key character that place had become until Harry Potter puts his feet back in the school and is greeted by his friends. Of course it has grown much darker now that Dumbledore is gone, but so has the franchise over time. The battle scenes were also very effective and powerful, but what really stood out for me in the entire movie was the five minute montage when Harry sees Snape`s memories in the Pensieve and so many questions are answered as to what was going on between him and Dumbledore, and as to why he seemed to protect Potter at times and despise him at others. His love story is even more powerful than Ron and Hermione`s (that was way long overdue) or Harry and Ginny`s. Those five minutes really changed my perception of the entire film and made me see things in a whole other light. I really loved Rickman`s performance as Snape and think he stood out over the rest, although Fiennes was excellent as the fearful Voldemort and Helena Bonham Carter as the hateful Bellatrix. They did a pretty decent job of making me forget about my favorite character of the franchise: Sirius Black. I absolutely loved this film, and it was a wonderful conclusion to a magical franchise!

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/

My Review: Big Fish (9/10)

¨There are some fish that cannot be caught. It`s not that they are faster or stronger than other fish, they`re just touched by something extra.¨

Big Fish is a beautiful film that truly captures our hearts by its brilliant storytelling; and it couldn’t have been directed by any other than the great and imaginative storyteller himself: Tim Burton. Daniel Wallace`s novel, Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions, could have been a disaster in the making if not put in the right hands because the novel is all about imagination and storytelling. Many movies have destroyed stories similar to this one because the effect that imagination has when we read a book isn’t translated in the same way when we see a film. Very few directors leave room for imagination in their movies, but thankfully Tim Burton is one of them. He creates a very beautiful, artistic, and imaginative scenery, and the cinematography in Big Fish is also brilliant. He can turn a simple story into an extraordinary one with his artistic sense. Big Fish is actually all about storytelling and teaching us how our lives can remain immortal through the stories we tell. People can remember us by the stories we`ve told and left behind in the minds of those we`ve touched. John August (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) did a magnificent job with the screenplay adaptation as well. The entire movie worked well as a whole thanks to the great scenery, great performances from the entire cast, and great dialogues. The movie is great from start to finish, it`s truly beautiful; the scenes and characters will stick in your head even long after you’ve seen it.

Ed Bloom (Albert Finney) has just been diagnosed with cancer and as he lays in his deathbed his son, Will (Billy Crudup), begins recollecting his past and trying to separate fiction from facts. Ed has always been a storyteller, and Will used to love to hear these fantastical stories about how his father caught an uncatchable fish, married the woman of his dreams, and set out to do big things in the world, but as he grew older he became resentful towards his father who always spent a lot of time away from home and making up stories that in his opinion weren’t true. Will`s wife, Josephine (Marion Cotillard), wants him to make up with his dad before he passes away. Ed however claims they shouldn’t worry because he`s seen the way he was going to die and it wasn’t like this. That was just one of his many stories and it`s exactly how Will begins recreating the story of his father. When Ed was a young boy he visited an old witch (Helena Bonham Carter) who showed him the way he was going to die through her glass eye. We later see Ed as a young adult (played by Ewan McGregor) trying to make a big name for himself in the small time he grew up in. He achieves many great things, but realizes the town is just too small for him so he decides to move on to a big city for greater things. He takes a journey that leads him into various interesting characters, such as Karl the Giant (Matthew McGrory), the poet Norther Winslow (Steve Buscemi), the Siamese twins Ping and Jing (Ada Tai and Arlene Tai), his future wife Sandra Bloom (Alison Lohman and Jessica Lange as the old Sandra), and a circus owner named Amos Calloway (Danny DeVito). Will tries to make sense of these stories in order to figure out what is fact and what is fiction so he can finally understand his father.

Several of the stories are unbelievable, but they are extremely funny and worth listening too. The performances from Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney as Ed Bloom are really heartwarming as well. Steve Buscemi and Danny DeVito are hilarious in their supportive roles, and Alison Lohman is breathtaking in her role as the sweet Sandra. This was also Marion Cotillard`s first American film and she has made quite a name for herself by now. Helena Bonham Carter also had a remarkable role and she is as strange as ever. Billy Crudup has the most serious role as his character is more of a fact sort of guy and is tired of listening to all the stories his father has told him for years expecting him to believe them. He is also very credible as Will Bloom. The entire cast is actually a delight on screen and Big Fish works in great part thanks to their performance. The artistic scenery also caught my attention and it played a huge part in the storytelling. No one could`ve done it better than Tim Burton himself. By the end of the movie I guarantee you will feel touched and moved by this great story which is also helped out by having a powerful ending. It is just one of those pictures that will be hard to get off your mind for quite some time so I really recommend this film because this is the way stories should be told. Just like an ordinary life can become extraordinary through great storytelling, this ordinary film becomes extraordinary through Burton`s storytelling

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/