Magic on the Big Screen

Rating: Null/10 (18 January 2004)

Big Fish (2003/Tim Burton) *** 1/2 out of ****
The great director Sydney Pollack once said that musicals aren't made that much anymore due to the fact that today's society has lost a lot of it's innocence. I feel the same way about films of the fantasy genre. They represent that childhood nostalgia type of magic that isn't found in today's films. Probably the last well made fantasy I saw was "Pleasantville". That was until yesterday, when I went to see "Big Fish".
"Big Fish" is about a southern man named Ed Bloom (played greatly by Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney). Ed spends all of his adult life telling tall tales to his son, and just about anyone who will listen. But eventually his son gets older and stops listening (and is played by Billy Crudup). Once he finds out his father is dying, his son Will intends to seek the truth of his father's life. After hearing many stories, he soon realizes that maybe the 'big fish' stories were the most important thing about his father.

Never before have I seen such a film that is so bizarre, odd, random...yet so colorful, likeable, enjoyable, and rewarding. It is a nice feeling to go to a movie and be taken away by such magical scenery and extraordinary characters. Tim Burton does a great job at bringing this magic to the screen. The performances also stand out. Ewan McGregor turns in a tour de force performance, so great that you automatically like him, and root for him the whole way. The rest of the cast do a great job, including: Albert Finney; Jessica Lange; Helen Bonham Carter; and Steve Buscemi. The score, cinematography, writing also contribute in making this film one of the most magical experiences you will ever have at the movies.
"Big Fish" is being compared to "The Wizard of Oz" lately, and it is almost an updated version of it, that still has charm and innocence, yet a solid story with a sense of humor. One of the best films of 2003, and a definte must see!
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