#4: THE FABELMANS

Starring: Michelle Williams, Gabriel LaBelle, Paul Dano, Seth Rogan and Judd Hirsch. Written by Tony Kushner and Steven Spielberg. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Music by John Williams (obvs). Budget $40 million. Running time 151 minutes. 

As we bask in the a glut of Award Season movies, give pause of thought for our poor bottoms, flattened into hard little chairs for extended periods of time as films arrive that wallow in at well over two and a half hours, nearing three hours in length. Woe betide a film maker worth his salt who dares to put out something that only 90 minutes long, he will be strung up by his short and curlies and left to ponder his transgressions. 

And so we have The Fabelmans (not to be mistaken for Meet the Feebles, Peter Jackson brilliant first film, which will have you laughing your socks off). Not so Steven Spielberg's 34th movie to date, this is 'coming-of-age' drama based loosely on his own life sees our plucky hero Sammy taken to see his first movie The Greatest Show on Earth at the tender age of 8. It has a profound effect upon his life and sets the course of his destiny. And for the next 140 odd minutes we'll marvel at the highs and lows of this young boy's life through primary school, high school and college as he navigates the boy scouts, some anti-Semitic abuse, some house moves and the break up of his parent's marriage.

But the plot really doesn't matter, this is the story of a young boy with a vision and an obsession that seals his destiny for ever. 

Everything about this film is top-notch, the direction, obviously is peerless, the music outstanding, the performances, the art direction indeed everything. And yet two things bugged me. Two things that shouldn't have but did. The first is Paul Dano, who I just don't like as an actor and the second is Seth Roger who I really dislike as an actor, although I found him far less objectionable here as he plays it straight. In the case of Paul Dano, it's the size and shape of his head that really narks me and the way he looks like he's permanently squeezing out a silent but deadly fart.

I have nothing to add, I was engrossed and loved the young boys homemade movies which became more dramatic and accomplished with each outing, culminating in a very entertaining High School documentary which leads to a very funny punchline. 

But for me the standout scene, the one that made the hairs stand up on my arms was the last scene where the young Sam gets to meet his hero John Ford, the director played to perfection by none-other than David Lynch who gives our hero a truly fantastic piece of advice about movie magic which had me roaring with laughter.

I left with a warm glow and a sense of deep satisfaction, any film about the creative process fascinates me and one about the birth of the creative process is a rare treat indeed. Definitely one of my films of the year!

9/10