Big Fish

Remember the Planet of the Apes "re-imagining?" I bet Tim Burton wishes he didn't.

I liked Burton a lot up until that point. Call me a cynic, but I'd define that sort of movie as a career-killer. Just ask Marky Mark Wahlberg, who hasn't done much aside from this summer's lackluster Italian Job.

I liked Burton's prior work quite a bit, but it was with Planet of the Apes burned into my mind that I was wary of his next project, Big Fish, despite all the praise it was getting.

Congratulations, Burton. You are not part of Marky Mark's Funky Bunch. I am, once again, impressed.

Big Fish is really a film like no other. If I had to draw a comparison, I'd say Forrest Gump, but even that's a stretch.

I really hate the obligatory cliches, but Big Fish is really the epitome of a "feel good movie." Everything about it is magic - the storytelling, the cinematography, and the outlandish sets, landscapes and characters. Big Fish is the type of movie that transcends typical audiences - honestly, I could see people of all ages enjoying it.

The film tells the story of a man, Will Bloom, who is coming to terms with his dying father, Ed Bloom, who is most famous for telling "tall tales" and presenting them as fact. Fed up with the stories, Will tries to get the truth out of his father and find out who he really was with no exaggerated stories.

Sure, we all know people who tell great stories and exaggerate the hell out of them. That's part of the art of great storytelling. The movie presents Ed Bloom's life stories as he tells them - outlandish, over-the-top, and totally unbelievable. The result is a magical universe that just oozes with style and fun.

I would say that Big Fish is the most emotional movie I've seen in a long, long time. If you don't feel anything seeing this movie, there is something wrong with you.

Big Fish really pays off in a big way. True to its main character, the heart of the film is the tall tale itself, which, thankfully, happens to be a fantastic story.