Tim Burton's Best Film?

Rating: Null/10 (28 March 2010)

Perhaps Tim Burton's best film, "Big Fish," I believe, is his most personal. It seems to have more heart and visual originality than his other pictures, and it was the beginning of his lasting partnership with John August. "Now wait," you say, "I think his style is unique to him." That may be the case nowadays, but go back and watch any of the German expressionistic or Universal horror films and you'll see where his inspiration originated.
The story of "Big Fish" is phenomenal and the visuals really complement it. Albert Finney, Ewan McGregor, Billy Crudup, and Marion Cotillard are phenomenal. This is by far, Burton's best overall cast he's worked with.
In the hands of any other director, this film would have been good. In the hands of Burton, the film becomes great! Not everything he touches becomes gold, but in this case, it did.
I wish the film would have gotten more academy attention, but Burton hardly ever turns their heads for anything other than his technical achievements. I hope that one day he can get recognized by them for his talent AND visual grandeur, but I think he'll have to direct another film of this caliber to get that recognition, and a film like "Big Fish" doesn't seem to be in Burton's future anytime soon.