Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Julia Ormond, Taraji P. Henson
"Life isn't measured in minutes. But in moments."
Cinema 2, Shang Cineplex
I totally loved this movie. A sweepingly beautiful tale of a unique man's life well lived told in narratives of flashbacks in sepia tone. With contemporary overtones of modern day New Orleans as menacing Hurricane Katrina looms in the background. It is peppered with emotionally strong and very endearing characters whose peculiar lives vividly unfold on screen. Their stories presented in the most intimate cinematographic angles I haven't seen in movies for a long time . A cast of good talented artists whose love for their craft is evident in their heartfelt performances.
Here's the link to the short story of F. Scott Fitzgerald upon whom this David Fincher epic tale is based. But thankfully the film is a lot more poignant than the creepy short story.
It was especially fascinating to watch Brad Pitt turn from a wrinkly old man to a man in his teens. The wardrobe department and the make up artist did a really convincing job of making us believe that short old person was indeed Brad Pitt. I am equally impress with Cate Blanchett's ballet moves. I read that she really did perform those dance steps herself after months of rigid ballet lessons training. While Brad Pitt was slowly getting younger frame by frame, Cate Blanchett was growing older right before our eyes. The contrast between the two characters was evidently the strong selling point of the film.
Supporting roles in the side plots were filled with good artists like Julia Ormond (in a brief role but it has been a while since I saw her in a film, she has been one of my fave actresses of all time), Tilda Swinton (effortless acting as always) and Taraji Henson as Queenie was in my opinion the central character which held the film and dare I say Benjamin Button, together in a world where people can be unkind to deviant characters.
The love story that develops within the film and endures through time was very well presented. It didn't delve into schmaltzy mushy stuff. It was poignant, intimate and very heartfelt. It was further buoyed by being filmed in historic New Orleans. The film showcases its natural charm, its historic significance up to contemporary times. New Orleans has a special meaning to Brad Pitt due to the ravages of Hurricane Katrina and he has done some charitable work of building houses for the victims to help them recover from the devastation.
Overall, the film was well executed. The cast were precise in their acting. The story was interesting to follow despite being almost 3 hours, for me it wasn't boring to watch. It is different, unique and unusual yet it still felt familiar and was inspirational in echoing its poignant message across - that life goes on inspite and despite our shortcomings, our misgivings and our flaws, it's up to us to make each and every single moment count!
Here's the link to the short story of F. Scott Fitzgerald upon whom this David Fincher epic tale is based. But thankfully the film is a lot more poignant than the creepy short story.
It was especially fascinating to watch Brad Pitt turn from a wrinkly old man to a man in his teens. The wardrobe department and the make up artist did a really convincing job of making us believe that short old person was indeed Brad Pitt. I am equally impress with Cate Blanchett's ballet moves. I read that she really did perform those dance steps herself after months of rigid ballet lessons training. While Brad Pitt was slowly getting younger frame by frame, Cate Blanchett was growing older right before our eyes. The contrast between the two characters was evidently the strong selling point of the film.
Supporting roles in the side plots were filled with good artists like Julia Ormond (in a brief role but it has been a while since I saw her in a film, she has been one of my fave actresses of all time), Tilda Swinton (effortless acting as always) and Taraji Henson as Queenie was in my opinion the central character which held the film and dare I say Benjamin Button, together in a world where people can be unkind to deviant characters.
The love story that develops within the film and endures through time was very well presented. It didn't delve into schmaltzy mushy stuff. It was poignant, intimate and very heartfelt. It was further buoyed by being filmed in historic New Orleans. The film showcases its natural charm, its historic significance up to contemporary times. New Orleans has a special meaning to Brad Pitt due to the ravages of Hurricane Katrina and he has done some charitable work of building houses for the victims to help them recover from the devastation.
Overall, the film was well executed. The cast were precise in their acting. The story was interesting to follow despite being almost 3 hours, for me it wasn't boring to watch. It is different, unique and unusual yet it still felt familiar and was inspirational in echoing its poignant message across - that life goes on inspite and despite our shortcomings, our misgivings and our flaws, it's up to us to make each and every single moment count!