Reviews

These two talented filmmakers have managed to capture and celebrate the rise of the modern blockbuster in this satirical fantasy short. The audience symbolically travels back in time, especially those children of the 80's, to relive classic audio and visual moments of an era that has given way to more special effects and less character development and intelligence. Trevor and Luke managed to make a blockbuster of their own in terms of film school shorts. I'm looking forward to their next venture, whether they collaborate again or take on the industry independently. Hopefully these guys can rescue us from Hollywood's barrel scraping and bring back the goods.

All the subtle bits of sentimentality found in other Burton films such as Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, and Ed Wood are polished and perfected in this colorful, warm, and humorous adaptation of Daniel Wallace's novel. The performances are outstanding by the entire cast, especially Albert Finney's portrayal of the older, dying Edward Bloom. The stories within the story have a fairy tale look and feel about them that can make you feel like you're watching a film for the first time. However, be prepared for a lump in your throat and a wet cheek or two toward the end. Burton's visual expression of the closeness between father and son combined with Danny Elfman's score creates a moment of introspection for the viewer that can really tug at the heart.