Almost Famous [2000]

“They don’t even know what it is to be a fan, ya know? To truly love some silly little piece of music, or some band, so much that it hurts.” 

                                                   

Almost Famous is a 2000 film, written and direction by Cameron Crowe, who based the story on real events and people. It's about a smart, precocious 15 year old who is contracted by Rolling Stone to write an article about Stillwater, an upcoming band, and goes on tour with them, taking part in an adventure that he will never forget.

Now, before I start, I must admit I am in a rather artistic stage in my life right now- I listen to a lot of music, am discovering new and classic artists and obsessing over some bands, so you may think I am biased here, but I'l try to be as objective as I can. That being said, I loved the movie- let's start with the small details: the written intro credits and use of chipmunks song; Michael Angarano as young William; Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the rock critic/mentor; amazing soundtrack featuring songs like Tiny Dancer; a handful of quotes that I wrote down and probably will remember for a while (my favourites: "I didn't invent the rainy day man, I just own the best umbrella" and "Your mom kinda freaked me out").

Then we move on to bigger things. First, a good script, full of funny, but approachable characters, entertaining dialogue and good character development. It may seem predictable and cliche, but maybe it isn't, maybe that's how things really were back then- the guy did actually go on tour with a band. I liked the delay of Russell's interview, the back and forth between him and Penny, and especially the near plane tragedy. I think that the movie accomplished in showing the audience that not everything is nice and cozy and fun on tour; people still lie, cheat, dream, hurt and use each other, just like in the real world- this one is just more fun to be in.

Second, how can you not love the cast? Patrick Fugit as William is adorable and perfect for the part. Kate Hudson, in probably her best role ever, gives the right amount of sweetness, sexiness and mystique to Penny Lane, and the interaction between her and Patrick's character was very sweet. He sees her as a goddess, and you may think it's a sexual or love attraction, but I think it's more than that- she is the free spirit he longs for...or maybe it's just a crush. Who knows? Moving on to my absolute favourite person and character- Frances McDormand as the overly protecting mother who freaks everyone out; that woman has so much charisma and talent, I am always intrigued and attracted to her, she steals the show every time she is on screen. Billy Crudup was also very good as the mysterious lead guitarist who often outshines Jason Lee's character, a funny, wacky frontman who entertained me most of the times ("you know what I do? I connect"). Props for Jimmy Fallon and his hilarious part, who's look I just couldn't stop laughing at.

Third, and last, with the risk of repeating myself, here are some quotes I just loved:
"Hey man, don't stop there, I am incendiary, too"
"What's your real name?"
"It's ok, I am easy to forget, I am only the lead singer"
"But here I am, telling secrets to the one you are not supposed to tell secrets to"
"Your mom kinda freaked me out"
"I'm always home, I'm uncool"

Overall, the film was very entertaining- fun and sweet, with an exciting pace that didn't bore. The sets&costumes were good and as I said, the soundtrack was memorable. Almost Famous is a wonderfully written, beautifully directed, well acted film, that you definitely have to see.

Big Fish [2003]

Big Fish is a magical story about life, directed by Tim Burton from a novel by Daniel Wallace and a script by John August. It follows a man (Billy Crudup) who comes back home to reconcile with his dying father, meanwhile trying to find out the true adventures of the man, as he always loved to tell stories and make up things.

The film shows us Edward Bloom's life, from early stages (Ewan McGregor), to late ones (Albert Finney), taking us through a magnificent journey that almost always puts a smile on your face. I loved the fact that every anecdote, every step the man took had a meaning, a morale to learn from it: the more difficult it gets, the more rewarding it will be (the forest), never settle or go with the easiest choice, keep trying and developing (when he decides to leave Spectre), work hard and never give up (the circus) or that fate can be sometimes cruel to you, even if you don't deserve it (Don Price and Sandra). It all felt like a fairy tale, where Ed Bloom was the hero trying to reach its goal, and on the way, he made friends (great cameos by Steve Buscemi and Danny de Vito), experienced crazy things and encountered the love of his life. Yes, maybe most of the stories weren't actually true, but that didn't keep him from living his life at the fullest and taking pride in what he has done.

I also liked, and somehow expected, the transformation of Will, his son. Raised up by the these adventures, he hardly connects or believes them, so now that he is growing older and he is getting ready to have a child, he is in desperate need of the truth. He starts off so cynical and logical and without any passion left, but ends tangled up in his father's memories and anecdotes, slowly taking on his spirit. One of the last scenes, where Will tries to imagine the way Ed dies, is lovely, bittersweet and heartbreaking- I started sobbing like a crazy person when they reached the river. Plus, the funeral, with all of his dear friends gathering to laugh and tell stories about him, Edward, the man with the wildest imagination, was moving. It was such a lovely ending to a wonderful story.

From a filmmaker's point of view, everything seemed perfect. The cinematography was stunning, the direction, perfect for the story and what it wanted to transmit, and the score helped it move forward and create a magical atmosphere (surprisingly enough, Big Fish was nominated for an Oscar just for best score- Danny Elfman).

The casting was fantastic and I loved and cared for each individual. Billy Crudup filled up the shoes of a rather simple character, Will, that could have be done by a dozen other actors, but he made it a little bit more special. Albert Finney gave a very good performance and I didn't understand how come he wasn't nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actor. The star of the movie is, of course, Ewan McGregor. The man gave so much passion, charm, naivety and love to his character, and his interaction with the rest of the cast and his infectious smile, moved everyone and made the film the classic it is.  I also have to mention two amazing women that I love: one is Jessica Lange, who is the embodiment of class, beauty and has a very calming presence, and the other is Helena Boham Carter, who, as Jennifer Till, manages to steal the show in just a few scenes (young HBC was very sweet and adorable, sometimes I wish she had stayed that way and didn't transform into the wacky character she is today).

Bottom line, you need to see Big Fish! Maybe you won't find it as magical as I did, but I think it has a little bit of everything and it will impress you, one way or another. It's the kind of movie I would show my children  because it's full of anecdotes, funny scenes and has a lot of learning points that they should get. It's definitely one of my favorite movies I have seen in a while!

I leave you with two wonderful quotes from the movie:
"We were like strangers who knew each other very well"
"A man tells the story so many times, that he becomes the story"