Strawberry Mansion - La casa di fragola

Strawberry Mansion is a film you don't see as much of.

In the vein of Gondry's films like Science of Sleep or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Strawberry Mansion is utterly charming, using everything from a dreamy score, stop motion and great prop and set design to tell a heartwarming tale of love and dreams.

I loved this movie! The aesthetic is very pretty, I got a bit Wes Anderson-, "The adventures of Baron Munchhausen"-, and Terry Gilliam-vibes from it.

The plot is very interesting. I don't understand the people here that says it doesn't make sense. Yes, it's surreal and the weirdness factor is through the roof, which probably is what confuses them. But I love weird and surreal movies that isn't obvious in any way. I hate being spoon fed what a movie is about (which is probably why I hate new and modern films). I like there to be shrouded parts you really have to think about, and movies you might have to see more than one or two times to get the full picture. Strawberry Mansion is just like that!

It's obvious it is on an bit of a budget, but I think that only adds to the charm. The length was good, but maybe they could've tightened the entire thing up a little bit.

To me it is a good sign when the reviews of a movie is either from people who loved it or from people who hated it, and almost no one that was just "Eh...". To me that is a sure sign the movie is interesting and worth a watch.

Anyway...I loved it and I'll definitely see it several times again!

If you prefer imagination over spectacle, story over CGI, and heart over the sameness and blandness of many movies being released today then this film is for you.

The production value isn't top notch but the story and ideas are original, inventive and exciting. This film percolates in your mind long after viewing.

It's an enjoyable and satisfying journey which I'm sure to take again and again through repeated viewings.

How do you resist when even your dreams are taxed and mercilessly injected with ads? This low-budget oddity, part Lewis Carroll part Terry Gilliam, follows a 'dream auditor' down the rabbit hole to find a new dream life and a way to stop the invasion of our minds in the 'Strawberry Mansion'. While the production is sometimes rough around the edges, the concept is intriguing, and the casting and creature designs are quite good. Kentucker Audley anchors this as the slightly bewildered auditor Preble, and actors Penny Fuller and Grace Glowicki feature as the artist Arabella, aged in reality and youthful in dreams respectively. How they managed to craft this lightly engaging gem on such a tiny budget is a question for the big studios to ponder.

This movie reminded me of an episode of The Mighty boosh, if directed by Wes Anderson.

The main character in this movie, I thought was Julian Barrett Howard moon in the Mighty Boosh but it turns out it just looks a lot like him.

I enjoy The Whimsy and creativity of the film, that's what I most will take away. But I don't like was the style of surreal acting, it was very reminiscent of the movie the room with Tommy Wiseau-- just not my cup of tea.

This movie demonstrates creativity on a shoestring budget, a cool concept, but something overall was lacking. It just doesn't have the emotional connection or wow factor of a Wizard of Oz or a Pan's Labyrinth.

If anything, this movie will inspire writers and low budget directors to challenge themselves making a cool concept, low budget film.