Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
As far as I know, this is the first screening of this where we’ve had someone in the audience. This is a quick review, and if anyone else was at this screening who wants to respond... PLEASE... send it in. Dying to know if this lives up to its potential. Personally, I thought the trailer was trying too hard to be FORREST GUMP, and since I loathe that film, that wasn’t exactly a selling point for me. But I loved the script, and I trust Burton... so fingers crossed, eh?
Hi Harry:
I'm sure you'll be flooded with mail tonight regarding the Sneak Preview of Big Fish in Harvard Square this evening (Tuesday)in Cambridge, MA. If I were to pick one thing I liked about this film,To use Billy Cruddup's line from Almost Famous, I'd have to say EVERYTHING.
Although most Burton fans have yet to sweeten the sour taste left over from the Apes disaster, Fish delivers in spades. Burton ditches all the high gloss of his last effort, and focuses entirely on story and character. The story should be known by now, so I'll cut to the chase. This movie works in every way imaginable. Burton knows exactly which notes to hit in every scene. Be it the slick-southern sweet talk by the younger Edward Bloom (McGregor), to the final moments between the elder Edward (Finney- sympathy votes aside, should really clean house come award's time) and his son Will (Cruddup-who brings a great foundation to a part that might have seemed insignificant with any other actor.)
To those that compare this to Forrest Gump, while sharing some story elements, the film really reminded me of The Godfather Part II. Honestly, it did. Burton (and John August)seamlessly balance the two very distinct lives of father and son. And while the trailer inserted Elfman's Edward Scissorhands score, the film's only real glitch is that Elfman seems non-existent. Like his past couple scores, the music felt very flat, and didn't really add to the world that the director created. His lacking in a Tim Burton film makes it that much harder to accept.
Otherwise, Big Fish is a film that I can't really find fault in. McGregor as Finney, and Lohman as Lange, has got to be the most inspired casting of any film this or almost any year. Richard Zanuck, the film's producer spoke afterwards, and while the only scoop on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is that it's filming summer 2004, he really seemed proud of the film, and even prouder of his friendship with Burton.
P.S. Anyone who has ever wished to see the full DeVito will get what they've been waiting for...
If you use this, the name's Lazlo Hollyfeld.
Wait a minute... the full DeVito?! Is this a horror movie?!?
"Moriarty" out.
