LeonardKniffel

There has never been a film like this. A Polish/British collaboration involving the creation of 65,000 paintings in the style of Vincent Van Gogh, "Loving Vincent" has to be seen to be believed. Van Gogh's story is here told as the paintings are animated in dizzying splendor. The dream-come-true of directors of Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, it took 125 painting animators to create the 65,000 oil-painted frames incorporating 120 of Van Gogh's better-known works---a process that took ten years to complete. I am not really sure why the directors felt it was necessary to tell the story as a sort of murder mystery, but I can tell you that the use of Don McClean's beautiful song "Vincent" aka "Starry, Starry Night" to close the film was exactly right. A remarkable tribute to a glorious artist who sold a grand total of one painting in his lifetime.

This lavish adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name has much to recommend it, especially the more than 20 delightful songs that fill its 130 minutes. Watching a stellar cast that includes Meryl Streep and Keegan-Michael Key as an item is just fun. Although they are so watchable, it is Carrie Washington who steals the show as a homophobic mom. The song lyrics are wonderfully satirical and clever and take potshots at bigotry and egomania with equal delight, but what lessens the impact of the fun is the tendentious, sanctimonious, sentimental preaching that goes on between every song. At whom are these anti-homophobia sermons aimed, when the film is clearly preaching to the choir? It is also interesting to note that in this integrated Indiana town, where no racial prejudice appears to exist, there is no mention of how the town entered this state of perfect harmony while remaining virulently intolerant of gay people. It's all in good fun and does raise one's spirits, but from it I did take some life lessons, and I do have a few suggestions for teens struggling with their homosexuality: #1 Do not "come out," especially in high school. #2 Do not explain your sexuality to your parents. It's none of their business. Go live your life and never apologize, never explain. #3 Do not attend a high school prom. They are antiquated heterosexual courting rituals, no matter how many flashing lights and how much loud music. #4 No amount of razzmatazz can change the fact that, in addition to "who you love," your sexuality is about sex and sex is the business of consenting adults in private.