carpenterscottr

Since the time I was 16 when Star Wars premiered, I have waited for this. In 1977, I absorbed everything I could get my hands on regarding this movie, from Starlog to every other trade journal available. I followed these artists and ILM from their inception. In 1986 I bought the 10 year anniversary history of ILM hardbound book, which I still own, in pristine condition. Between that and every copy of Cinefex, the history of ILM is at my fingertips. But I always longed to actually hear from the magicians, to see some of their home movies. It is so fun listening to the struggles these early inventors experienced. I often pooh-pooh modern CGI, because it doesn't have the feel of blood, sweat and tears of the old school. The love that comes through the creative process. Only early Pixar comes close.

This is a really good movie. Very well made and beautiful to watch.

I find it funny and more than a little pathetic that a big world-wide singing star like Williams can be unknown in the US, and for Americans to say that Williams could have been a big star if only Americans had heard of him. Many people think Americans are arrogant, but that is an insult to arrogant people. Americans are simply stupid.

I'm an American and I am familiar with Williams and his music. But then I'm more cultured than the Walmart crowd.

Back to the movie. The thing that surprised me most was how critical Williams is of himself. And the Rock DJ musical number is probably one of the best cinematic musical numbers I've seen in a film.

Another solid 8 or 9 movie I feel obliged to give a 10 to counter the ignorant people who insist on rating a movie not based on its actual quality, but because it presents within the story a plot element that butt-hurts their delicate bigotry and intolerance. One day, humans will actually evolve.

And the "another remake of a European classic" crowd. You know, other countries also remake American films sometimes too. It's called a universal sign that a story is good when other cultures want to recreate it within their own culture. If you prefer the European original, then watch it and enjoy it, but don't tell the rest of us we should also prefer it.

As for the movie itself, it is wonderfully heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. A gentle movie in a time of loud, simple-minded, smash-up movies.

Watch it with an open mind. If you don't have an open mind, watch something else, but for Heaven's sake, stop displaying your ignorant bigotry here for all to see. Show a little humility. And perhaps some humanity, like this film does.