Wow.....

[happyfilmluvguy]

Every night I've been watching at least one movie. It's one of those things that keeps me going. I haven't seen one I haven't enjoyed. But there are few that leave me breathless. There are few that leave me thinking for days. There are few that never leave me at all. Tonight was one. "Big Fish". Big Fish is the story of a son whose father is a fable in himself. He tells him stories of his life, his son later doubts are true. There is but a simple message, but I can't speak it's words. I can't think of any.

Film is one medium that can visually change your life. To some, they are like a friend you've known forever and you seem to always find something new about, that never grown old or lose touch of themselves. "The Shawshank Redemption" left me breathless. "Finding Neverland" left me so close to tears. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" left me cheering even when the movie had ended. There are movies that are enjoyed, if only for a few days, but there are those that change you forever.

So what are your life changing movies?

 

[Miss Brill]

I don't have any life changing movies.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

You will find one, believe me.

 

[Lady Day]

Beloved.

LD

 

[Doctor Strange]

I've got to chime in on "Big Fish", one of my favorite films of recent years.

I am generally not much of a fan of Tim Burton's films - he's an utterly brilliant visual stylist, but his typical disinterest in directing actors and telling a coherent story usually make his movies ultimately disappointing... that is, to an old-fashioned I-need-a-proper-story-not-just-cool-visuals guy like me. (There are some notable exceptions, like Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood, and I did like his first Batman film when it was new, though I think Batman Begins was a far better adaptation of the Bat mythos... and the 90s Animated Series remains the best filmed Batman ever, by a huge margin.)

But in "Big Fish", Burton manages to find a way to combine his extravagant fantasy flourishes with a deeply felt, recognizably human story. And he does a beautiful job with the actors too: the entire cast is great, and their performances are nicely nuanced. It's a nearly perfect film, and I find its moving one-two-punch climax gets me crying every time.

As to my own life-changing films, there have been dozens over the years. I'll have to think about it and come up with a proper reply later!

 

[Feraud]

Big Fish is a much better movie than book.
The film removed the son's attitude towards his father that outlines the book which I found annoying. Instead of having a desperate son press his terminal father for life's answers Burton lets the film tell the father's story.