Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Big Fish (2003)

I don't see a fish, I see a tree, but Burton's weird like that.

Genre: Drama Fantasy Comedy Adventure

Starring: Ewan McGregor (The Pillow Book; Trainspotting), Albert Finney (Erin Brockovich; Corpse Bride)

Directed By: Tim Burton (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory; Beetle Juice)

Overview: A son explores the truth of his father as he dies, rather than the tall tales his father spun to him throughout his youth.

Acting: The acting was good, Ewan McGregor, Danny DeVito, you can't go wrong. Ewan does a good job of making the fantastical as fantastic as possible.
Rating: 7

Cinematography: The cinematography was good, cars in trees, run down homes, great big giants, but really when it came down to it, where's the Tim Burton I know and love? Batman, Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands. What does all this have in common? GOTH. Stick to what you know Tim, and maybe we won't be disappointed, to hell with branching out.
Rating: 7

Script: The dialogue was well written, but it wasn't all that great. I expected these great grand tales of adventure, and it was all common love life stuff, nothing truly fantastical. Just a dude's regular life, embellished.
Rating: 6

Plot: The plot let me down, boy. I thought it would be all mystique and adventure. It wasn't. And stop showing me Helena Bonham Carter's ugly-ass feet. This made me think "When is this going to get good like everyone SAID it would?" The answer: Never. And the end? Blah. Stupid fish.
Rating: 5

Mood: The mood was well maintained. Some bubbly yet touching and sad yet hopeful tale like in The Majestic, but minus the relevance to history or truth. The lesson here is you can go on living a lie, and when your father's dying, let him escape into a world that you've helped him invent, even though 24 hours ago, you told him to go to hell for lying to you for your whole life.
Rating: 6

Looks like Carter's been spending a little too much time in a Fight Club...

Overall Rating: 62% (The Tall Fish Tale Is That This Is Good)

Aftertaste: This movie almost made me fast forward to the good parts. It wasn't a waste of my time, but to everyone who told me it was good? I don't understand you. I want to watch The Station Agent again cause it's better and more quirky, and more real and a better lesson teacher. That's what Big Fish makes me want to do. It was totally overblown, and I don't get what people are raving about. Don't believe the hype.