forced to be a drama, but it's not a problem

Rating: 8/10 (17 March 2004)

Tim Burton's best film, in my humble opinion, would be "Ed Wood". In "Big Fish", maybe he tried to do something more pop, less alternative. Maybe something bigger, almost epic. Maybe. It is very stupid thing to compare a movie to another, even if they are from the same maker. The comparison will be done to classified one or another, but to compare possible intentions of a movie and the other.
It is impossible, even for a movie expert, to see a piece of work ignoring the curriculum of the maker. It always means something, a maker have techniques, specified labor, and - even it is minimum, or mediocre - intentions. "Ed Wood" is deep. TIm Burton makes a excentricly romantic declaration of love to cinema, and its people involved. "Big Fish" is also deep, with a wider subject: humanity. You can find humanity in "Ed" too, as you can find love to cinema in "Big"; not because of a scene, either two or three or hundreds. It is what you feel because of all elements that, added, give a new and unique feeling. And in all films of Tim Burton, mainly "Ed" - the reason of the citation, gives you his love that he got with cinema. How he does that? Well, he have always done that. He fascinate you graphically, the cast is incredibly credible as human being - at last, he puts you in the context of the story, and then love the cinema.
That's why "Big Fish" can be a drama, even if someone might think it is forced to cry, to laugh... what is the problem with that? Emotions are always forced, they move and point. Sometimes is exaggerated, others too subtle, but they have to move. Well, if you scared to be moved... you hate cinema!