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Jan
5
Written by:
Bill Bonfanti
1/5/2009 2:56 PM
The mark of a great movie is when it grips your mind and doesn’t let go ever. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is that kind of movie. A movie that provokes your imagination and deeply touches your soul to the point that it almost becomes a part of you. I can’t stop thinking about it. What would it be like to age in reverse? It is too sad a thought to behold. Imagine watching everyone you love grow old as you continue to grow younger. Imagine being a seven year old trapped in an old, broken down body that doesn’t respond to your childish whims. The movie could have been called The Tragic Case of Benjamin Button. The amazing thing is, the movie is truly uplifting. Watching Benjamin grow up as an old man and embrace life for the adventure that it is, is a joy to behold. Brad Pitt gives a classy, humorous and gracefully subdued performance as the boy born in reverse. A lesser actor could’ve really went over the top playing a boy trapped in the body of an old man, but Pitt never hams it up and instead gives an honest, heartfelt performance. It is a tight race for the Best Actor Oscar this year, with Mickey Rourke, Sean Penn and Frank Langella in the mix, but I think Brad is going home with the gold statue. Cate Blanchett is incredible as always and will certainly be nominated as well. The race for the best actress award is tight as well. Kate Winslet will surely be given her 6th nomination for her performance in Revolutionary Road and this could finally be her year. Throw Meryl Streep and Angelina Jolie into the mix and you’ve got one hell of a competition.
Anyway, director David Fincher has created an astounding film. Between the uniqueness of the titular character, the lifelong love story, and the dashes of humor, and unbelievable special effects, Benjamin Button plays out like a cross between Forrest Gump and Somewhere in Time with a little Big thrown in for good measure. Button has a timeless feel to it and is destined to be a classic. I think The Curious Case of Benjamin Button may sweep the Oscars this year.
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1 comment(s) so far...
Re: Benjamin Button on My Mind
I know "Button" has 13 nods - and everyone's talking about it - but I was left flat by the end. I think it justifiably is compared to Forrest Gump, but Gump was so much more moving to me. I thought it also brought a vision of America that Button doesn't do. Pitt is a great actor, and I always thought he was underrated because of his looks, but I don't think his performance here was so much better than his performance in Fight Club or 12 Monkeys (or as Anders might argue, in his action flicks). His role was demanding and he rose to the occasion, but he's pitted against some truly great performances, too.
Also, there were some aspects of the story telling that were odd to me - like the clock that ran backwards, and obvious metaphor for Button's life. But how was he linked to that clock? Was he conceived when the clock started running, or something? Did the clock govern his life for some reason - and if so, why no one else? What did Hurricane Katrina have to do with it at the end? And that one section where one of the characters gets hit by a car - if this didn't happen, then that wouldn't have happened, and of that didn't happen, then this third thing wouldn't have happened - it was really cool to see th threads drawn together. But was that the theme of the film? If so, I didn't really get it.
And what was the point of Tilda Swinton's character?
I don't know. Button's been on a lot of people's minds, but if it weren't for them talking about it so much, it wouldn't be on mine at all.
By Ange66 on
1/26/2009 12:57 PM
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