Der seltsame Fall des Benjamin Button

I had been awaiting to see this movie for some time. Alas, it was Christmas Day and you bet I was there to see the movie on opening day. I set my expectations really high on this film. I expected nothing short of brilliance with a film coming from director David Fincher, director of the masterful "Zodiac" and screenwriter Eric Roth, writer of the classic "Forrest Gump". The acting is brilliant in the movie. Brad Pitt and the marvelous Cate Blanchett share a fire that resonates so effortlessly out to the audience. Other performances are notable as well, such as Taraji P. Henson's as Benjamin's mother, and Tilda Swinton's as Benjamin's first lover. Another notable achievement in the film is the visual effects; none of it is overdone and it is quite convincing. The music in the film is great as well. The haunting and mythical music is composed by Alexandre Desplat. One thing that did surprise me in the film was the amount of comedy present, but I guess comedy's needed for a tale with such sorrow. I really do think that this film is a classic. And I would go and see it again. When I was walking out of the theater, some people complained that the movie was very good, but that it was too long. I disagree; I actually didn't want it to end. It's the perfect film to watch all snuggled up in a blanket during the dead of winter. All things aside, this movie is about the short time we're given with life and how we are to make the most of it. Even with a story as fictional as Benjamin Button's, the message rings true.

I don't have too much to say about this film, except that it was one of the most beautiful, touching, poignant, and bittersweet films I have ever seen.

Benjamin Button lives his life in reverse. Despite this, it's a great life, full of adventure and love and learning. He finds out that no matter what, it's the people who make life so special.

The film is beautifully photographed and true to the periods it represents.

Brad Pitt is fantastic, and those CGI and makeup techniques for him and the rest of the cast are marvelous. It's a tribute to the film that it's very organic to the cast so we are not aware of makeup and CGI. Cate Blanchett is incredible; she is a dying, old woman in the beginning and gives a tremendous performance.

We're born helpless and without life memories, and some of us die that way. In a way, I guess, it doesn't matter if you're born old or die old - it's like Benjamin tells Cate Blanchett in the film, you'd still end up where you are now. The life experience, the people you meet, the wisdom you acquire, all happens -- and it happened to Benjamin at a time when he could really value it. But as he points out: "For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it."

Other than F. Scott Fitzgerald's vivid description of how Benjamin Button has reversed the aging process in his life, there is nothing of his the plot of his story. But the idea behind the updated version is as vivid as when he put it to paper.

When Fitzgerald published the story it was 1927 probably at the height of the jazz age and his creative powers. As he wrote it, Bnejamin Button was born after the Civil War and lived through World War I. But he lived backwards as it were. In Camelot, King Arthur describes Merlin as not aging, but that he 'youthens'. That coined word describes just what happens to Benjamin.

When he's born he comes out of the womb a little old man, something like you might imagine Yoda if you can ever imagine him as a child. With all the usual problems of old age. But as he grows older chronologically, Benjamin loses all those infirmities gradually and gets younger and younger. Several actors play him before he finally morphs into Brad Pitt.

Which makes the achievement of director David Fancher all the more impressive. Although Brad Pitt was recognized with an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, the directing of several others almost in tandem to play the same role at different stages is a great achievement. Too bad he didn't get the Oscar for that alone although Fancher was nominated also.

In fact The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button got a flock of Oscar nominations including Best Picture as well as those mentioned. It won for Art&Set Direction, Visual Effects, and in fact if it hadn't won for makeup the Oscars should have been picketted that year.

Taraji Henson was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress. When Benjamin is born and his mother dies giving him birth and his father abandons him, the caregiver who is black takes him in to raise in her large and extended family. Given both his physical condition and the circumstances of his childhood, Benjamin had one unique perspective on life indeed. Henson is nothing short of fabulous in her portrayal.

Cate Blanchett who was overlooked in the Oscars for this role plays the woman whom he loves, but who is working her way up in physical age while Pitt is working down. The film is seen from both her's and his perspective as she tells her daughter to read from this diary that Benjamin kept. When they met at the middle though as Benjamin ran the bases backward through life, there love was real and really physical.

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is a remarkable achievement that gave some career roles to some fine players.

Possibly the most anticipated winter film of 2008, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a curious film indeed. It's got an intriguing and completely absorbing story, as well as my favorite director, David Fincher, on the top of his game. With "Button", Fincher cements his place as one of the best directors alive, as his film is nothing short of magical, mesmerizing, riveting, ground breaking, and ultimately, timeless.

When I first heard about this movie, I had to wonder...how was Fincher, the guy responsible for realistic, gripping, crime thrillers like Seven and Zodiac going to pull off the fantasy film of a lifetime? Armed with a massive budget, Fincher uses everything a director can use to craft the most charming and technically brilliant film of the year. It's a film to be cherished for ages.

"Button" has struck me like this because a recurring theme in the film is that age is only a number, and that we as people can choose what we do with our lives, no matter what our age is. What better way to tell this message than through a story where the titular character ages backwards, and must experience life in such a way? How does one fall in love when he could one day appear young enough to be his spouse's child? How does a 5 year old play with the neighborhood children when he's confined to a wheelchair stricken with old age? Fincher's epic explores our choices, lives, and the timelessness of life itself.

Brad Pitt plays the title role of Benjamin Button with a certain air of likability like he always does. While I felt he did a good job with the part, he didn't have to do much...Benjamin, fittingly, is a rather quiet character (I'd be willing to bet he narrates more than he actually talks in the film). In terms of acting, the film belongs to the ladies, Cate Blanchett and Taraji P. Henson in particular. Though Blanchett may seem overrated to some, there's no denying her unrivaled talent at playing a character as complex and deep as Daisy, and she pulls it off with ease and charisma. Taraji P. Henson will warm your heart as Benjamin's mother, as she's humorous, warm, and loving, so loving that I felt as if she was my mother.

The main complexity behind the film, especially with a director like David Fincher, is keeping the film grounded in reality, while maintaining the undeniable magic within. As a director, you don't want to lose too much of either quality, instead keeping a healthy balance of the two. I feel that Fincher accomplished this perfectly. He is mainly helped out by a magical score, and absolutely stunning cinematography (which immediately identified it as a Fincher film, because of the darkness and lighting of it).

Despite the wonder and awe of the film, mixed with the realism that Fincher always brings, the true allure of the film is not just Benjamin's aging problem, but the romance between Benjamin and Daisy, which is beautiful. Two people in love, regardless of age, time, or place. It's one of the most compelling romances of the year.

"Button" is also the most technically well made movie of 2008, as the true standouts are the Visual Effects and the Makeup, both of which are Oscar worthy. Pitt plays the character at almost every age, but it's almost impossible to tell when the CGI is being used on him. You know it's there, obviously, but you can't tell it's being used. When the transition is just smooth enough for the Visual Effects to be retired, but just rough enough to use makeup, it's absolutely perfect. If you've ever wanted to see Brad Pitt look 20 again, look no further, as the effects that make our actors young again (the same goes for Blanchett) are just as stunning as those that make them older.

Despite a long runtime, the film never drags. If I had to point out one thing I would've liked to have seen a little more of, it would've been more of Benjamin as a little kid, as I felt that was rushed (for those who don't know what I mean, I mean the last parts of the film when he's old, but his body is young). This doesn't hurt the film in any way, as it's just my wishful thinking.

I know I've used the word 'magical' a lot in this review, and don't think it's on accident. If I could pick one word to describe David Fincher's masterpiece, that would be it: magical. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is a captivating piece of art that shouldn't be missed by anyone.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was a near epic film in almost the same way Forrest Gump was. I am not particularly a fan of David Fincher and his work. Yet I strongly admired The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. This film is about a man named Benjamin Button who leads much of an ordinary life under not so ordinary circumstances. The one thing that separates him from any other human being is that he ages backwards. Despite such large differences between the audience and Benjamin Button, the film finds a way to connect with a large variety of people in a way that does not seem to happen so often.

The acting was very good throughout the movie. Especially that of Cate Blanchett who seems to be turning out one great performance after another. She plays the role of Daisy, Benjamin Button's real love interest from start to finish. In fact she played so well it might have been a partial downfall to the movie. Her performance out shined that of the main character, played by Brad Pitt. Although Pitt was very solid in his performance I do not believe he deserved an Oscar nomination (rather Blanchett deserved one) for his role of playing Benjamin Button. He was not a necessity to the movie and did not add much to it. He was not bad but he wasn't spectacular. Throughout though many of the different actors and actresses lit up the screen. Especially Tilda Swinton who was wonderful to watch as Button's short lived love interest. Her presence was magical and a joy to watch. I would have loved to see just a little bit more of her character.

The directing of David Fincher in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was of what I believe to be his best work to date. The screenplay of Eric Roth was written very well as he has had experience with these type of movies. In many scenes the dialog and great direction combined for some epic scenes.

Ultimately I enjoyed this movie very much but something felt missing from the movie. Something seemed left unsaid that was vital. I felt that the great downfall to this movie was that Brad Pitt didn't give an amazing performance and did not take control of the movie rather Blanchett stole the show from him which made Button seem less important to me. Despite that though it this film was done very well and I would recommend it to all. Its an important story that makes us self reflect and think deeply. It displays how we need to live with our mistakes because they are part of our life. We need to appreciate what we have rather than wonder "what if...?".