Benjamin Buttons, Curious Case of a Great Movie

This has to be one of the best movies I've seen since "Big Fish" (written by John August). This movie, upon which the F. Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby) short story was loosely based, translated to the silver screen carrying a fantastic message about life, loved ones and the value of treasuring every moment that you can while you can. It's those small moments, those snap-shot bits of time and space that hit you as something to never forget and mentally preserve that this movie vibrates to... this is one of those movies, when you walk out, you don't forget - it remains with you a long while.

The story of aging, of life, death and the necessary circle ruled by time that we all of mortal caliber undergo and experience. The movie reminds you of your own mortality and the mortality of those you love and how saying goodbye can be sad yet bittersweet. The necessity of staying in touch with your soul, your emotions yet not forget your humor, the fun and the crazy aspects that make all of us unique. This little bit of Saturday afternoon entertainment a reality check in the truth in "you never know what's coming for you".

Brad Pitt often maligned as just a pretty face is sorely underrated in his abilities to convey emotion, feeling and depth of thought with his eyes, his voice. I fell hard for him in his role as Tristan in
"Legends of the Fall".


I also enjoyed his role in the not so well received "Meet Joe Black" in which Mr. Pitt portrays another being not quite of the regular world.

Julia Ormond was his love interest in "Legends..." and she plays a pivotal role in this new one. Cate Blanchett who is also a repeat co-actor filmed with Pitt in the movie, "Babel". She absolutely glows on-screen, film lighting casts her bathed in an ethereal luminosity lending to the story's fantasy plot. They were a good team in "Babel" and even better in this movie.

This movie is being compared to "Big Fish" for a few reasons apparent. It's told in story flashback form and both are radical fantasies with one movie having a man turn into that big fish in a real pond and the other man born old and growing young. They're both about morphing, changing and the circle of living that targets the human psyche. Both movies tell about the possibilities of that life continuing and never really dying, both movies have main characters being mystical, made of legend, impacting the lives of the regular folks around them.
"Benjamin Buttons"

vid by way of 'therealangelah'
It's a fabulous bit of truth wrapped in a 2 hour 48 minute hollywood delivery that I highly recommend.