This Beautiful Fantastic (2016) UK

There comes a time for everyone that changes the life forever.

Genre:

Comedy, Drama, Romance.

Length:

Approximately 4-minute read.


Review:
     This is a very charming title if you are a fantasy film fan. Good looking film posters too from different languages for different regions. In a way, that was my reason to watch this, but anyway I would have seen it sooner or later being a cinephile. It was not a popular production, though the cast and storyline interested me more. They have categorised it as a modern day fairy-tale. But it was missing something. Something cinematically convince to its viewers. My best guess is 'stylish presentation'. Yep, it was a similar kind to 'Amélie', ' Citizen Dog' et cetera. It was not based on any book, but would have been a better format for such tale.

     It was like those titles I mentioned in the previous paragraph which meets 'The Secret Garden'. Sadly, not well explored in its topics. For instance, the romance part was half-boiled. Funnily, I never knew the film trying to achieve that part. Of course it had a boy and a girl. In fact, three boys against one girl. But which path the narration is taking was well preserved till certain length of the film. Surely somewhat it was a fairy-tale, but most probably not like the one you would be anticipating. Especially in the initial stage, it bettered. Only later on it had started to fall back as a casual film.

     The tale of a children's novelist. She is an orphan. Now being an adult, living independently in London, while working in a library. The story of her prior to land in the orphanage was a mystery. So basically she aspires to be a children's writer. Yet to write her first book. It was her normal lonely mechanical life, but one stormy day a trouble comes her way. The next door grumpy old man picking her for a verbal fight for several reasons and one of it were the neglected backyard. Now she has got a countdown to fix the issue. So the remaining the narrative focused on her undertaking, while the other side of her life, she's trying to get a close to an inventor.

 Life and nature, it's just waiting to burst out anywhere it can, seeking light, getting on with it. 

     Definitely it should have been better. Not for just the cinephiles, but even normal people would feel that way. I don't know this filmmaker, but his direction was good, definitely not the writing skill. I think that's where it had failed mostly. It is still an above average, though if the screenplay, including dialogues was done better, then it would have been another level. Particularly, I did not like the transition between the scenes, events and the characters. One of the lines said at the final stage, after the story had taken a twist was poorly penned. That was the godfather of all the cliches, should have avoided at any cost.

     By the way the actors were good. From Jessica Brown to Tom Wilkinson and other two did their respective roles finely. The synopsis says it is about an author, but the film explored different way. The entire film given preference to gardening. It took phases and were decent too. But at final stage it takes a twist by giving a convincing reason. But if that's what the whole story was relied on to surprise its viewer, then that's did not do its job as expected. Overall, the writing should have been improved to give the film a better chance to do well with the film goers.

     Nonetheless, it is a watchable film. Especially I think women, family audience could enjoy it better. I would say the character Bella carried it all the way, despite Alfie jumped into the main storyline strongly in a mid way. The basic story was good enough. Bella is being a loner all her life, how suddenly everything has changed around her was the purpose of the film. Jessica Brown was a perfect choice for the role. She looked more beautiful than ever. Watch it for her, for the cast. Only a few people would feel they had seen a great film. It's just a good British film.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
An Invisible Sign, St. Vincent, Amélie, Citizen Dog, The Lady in the Van.


External link(s):

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Winter's Tale (2014) Hollywood

Story of a miracle.

Genre:

Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance.

Tagline:

"This is not a true story. This is love story."

Review:

     This movie reminds me that I am still a fantasy-drama fan. I don't remember loving a movie with all my heart since 'The Odd Life of Timothy Green'. It was just like what I wanted with a nice story and the characters. Usually fantasy-dramas will have children in the prominent roles, but this one was told from an adult perspective. About the good versus the bad. A story about a miracle with a nice blend of emotional romantic tale. This movie was based on the novel of the same name and I don't know anything about the book, but this movie was excellent.

     The story is set in the late 19th century in New York with a baby boy left by the immigrant parents. He's raised by a thief gang and be called Peter Lake. After becoming an adult he decides to leave them, but the gang plans to hunt him down. A mystery white horse from nowhere comes to his rescue and also leads him to meet a young beautiful woman. Falling in a love makes him a completely changed man. Waiting for a miracle to happen that is defended by the opposite force ends in a terrible way. The time changes, and so the world that gives a second chance to complete what he have failed in the first attempt.

‘‘I suppose you know what to do, horse.’’

     It's bad to hear that this movie did not do well and once again a reason for me to hate critics. They are the most disgusting people alive on the earth to spoil the party. I agree with them on one thing that it was not a masterpiece, but still a little cute melodrama specially made for family audiences. All the characters were so good, developed enough to get the fondness. Colin Ferrell was awesome and as usual Russell Crowe was good in a negative role. There was a guest role of a popular actor which won't last more than 2-3 minutes.

     The only issue with the movie was the scenes that were not detailed. As a 2 hour movie, it travelled too fast, especially in most of the important parts of the story. I liked very much the concept of hidden secret organization in a regular world. More like it was between the two men, the chosen ones of their kind to achieve something wonder, and another one is to stop it from happening. Seen it many times before in other movies, but the way it was showed worked well. Like chasing and get chased till one of them accomplish their mission. The visuals were enchanting, as well the camera angles. The defects are common in movies, especially it is expected, while transforming from a book to the feature film. So keep it a simple, I mean your expectations a lower and it may work you as well.

Similar movies:
City of Angels, Safe Haven, The Lovely Bones, Beautiful Creatures, The Lake House, August Rush.


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):