The Fabelmans | Steven Spielberg's autobiographical coming-of-age-drama | Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Judd Hirsch, and DAVID LYNCH | November 11, 2022 (limited), November 23 (wide)

[dudalb]

I suspect .given that the films Spielberg saw growing up play a rols in this movie, that Ray Harryhausen will get a shout out in "The Fablemans
.

[Verrows]

I don't know how much interest I have in this. It sounds like it's an excellent film but...I can't say I have a lot of care for a semi-autobiography about Steven Spielberg lol.

 

I probably will see it though because the fact of the matter is the man is a master craftsman. LINCOLN was a slow, boring affair for many and I loved the hell out of it!

[dudalb]

23 hours ago, Verrows said:

I don't know how much interest I have in this. It sounds like it's an excellent film but...I can't say I have a lot of care for a semi-autobiography about Steven Spielberg lol.

 

I probably will see it though because the fact of the matter is the man is a master craftsman. LINCOLN was a slow, boring affair for many and I loved the hell out of it!

I am a big time Civil War Buff, so I loved Lincoln also.

SOmeone once said every American director wants to make a Musical, A Civil War Film, and a Western. Spielberg still has the Western.

One reason I am looking forward to this is I am fan of 50's sci fi movies, and we know that was one of  Spielberg's great loves growing up.

[WittyUsername]

Lincoln was a very successful and well received movie. It was by no means a divisive entry from Spielberg. 

[tonytr87]

3 hours ago, WittyUsername said:

Lincoln was a very successful and well received movie. It was by no means a divisive entry from Spielberg. 

 

In my top 2 of that year. The script is towering. 

[BestPicturePlutoNash]

Liked this a lot. Instantly one of my favorite Spielbergs. It's unexpectedly hilarious (the theater was HOWLING, who knew Spielberg was this funny) and not as saccharine as implied. Not as good as like Licorice Pizza or Lady Bird but obviously superior to, like, Belfast and fits snugly in the man's filmography. The Lynch scene will play in career retrospectives for the rest of his life. All-timer final shot. There's a real melancholy to the whole thing. Grapples with the surrendering power and impact of imagery, the camera as aggressor. But it's staged with Spielberg's trademark verve. The graceful acrobats of the evolving long takes, immaculate blocking, bouncy command of tone that veers away from meandering. 

 

I think it will play well once it expands. I don't know about winning Oscars, but it's a reminder of why movies are so important culturally, especially experiencing them in theaters. They're our social passport.

[Verrows]

1 hour ago, BestPicturePlutoNash said:

Liked this a lot. Instantly one of my favorite Spielbergs. It's unexpectedly hilarious (the theater was HOWLING, who knew Spielberg was this funny) and not as saccharine as implied. Not as good as like Licorice Pizza or Lady Bird but obviously superior to, like, Belfast and fits snugly in the man's filmography. The Lynch scene will play in career retrospectives for the rest of his life. All-timer final shot. There's a real melancholy to the whole thing. Grapples with the surrendering power and impact of imagery, the camera as aggressor. But it's staged with Spielberg's trademark verve. The graceful acrobats of the evolving long takes, immaculate blocking, bouncy command of tone that veers away from meandering. 

 

I think it will play well once it expands. I don't know about winning Oscars, but it's a reminder of why movies are so important culturally, especially experiencing them in theaters. They're our social passport.

Love this. You've basically sold me on it. I just made a post above a couple days ago saying how I'm not really interested haha. Seems like it's more compelling than I thought.

[35MM-18]

Better average than TÁR, but not as great as Banshees. 

[Last Man Standing]

It got an A Cinemascore according to variety.

[Webslinger]

Caught it this afternoon and loved it! It's a tough call between this and Everything Everywhere All at Once for my current favorite film of the year. Just as beautifully shot as it is scripted, and those last 20 minutes or so had me leaning forward and hanging off every word and image. It's Spielberg's best film in many years - maybe even since Saving Private Ryan.

 

The best part, though, might have been a couple of old ladies who walked out after about 100 minutes and were very vocal in their disgust, calling it - and I quote - "terribly written."  I'd love to see what pointers these two random old ladies have for a guy with a Pulitzer sitting on his mantle.

[excel1]

This was outstanding and needs to be pushed much heavier. This should have a long leggy run over the holidays. Michelle Williams is fantastic as is the kid who plays Sammy. Rogen felt out of place imo.

[Ryan Reynolds]

not top Spielberg , the first half is a drag, loved the second half

[AniNate]

It seems like screenings for this are filling up a lot more today, might not be a flop yet

[Macleod]

On 11/23/2022 at 10:21 PM, excel1 said:

This was outstanding and needs to be pushed much heavier. This should have a long leggy run over the holidays. Michelle Williams is fantastic as is the kid who plays Sammy. Rogen felt out of place imo.

 

Ain't she always???  Have loved her since Dawson's Creek.  

[ddddeeee]

I kinda hated Williams in this.

 

Movie is...good. 

[AniNate]

I assume you mean Michelle and not John?

[Old Spice]

Flat out loved this. The whole cast is great, especially Paul Dano and the guy who played the teenage Spielberg. Art about art.

 

5/5

[ViktorLosAngeles]

Is this expanding more next weekend?

[Derpity]

I aggressively disliked this movie and would be aghast if it won Best Picture...worst movie I've seen in a theater this year.

 

Reminded me a bit of War Horse where it just throws all subtletly totally out the window and treats its audience like morons that need to be beat over the head with stuff.

Edited November 27, 2022 by Derpity

[filmnerdjamie]

It wasn't heightened expectations talking but I found The Fabelmans to be... disappointing.

 

By no means bad. I'd even go as far to say it's good and I swear that's not me grading it on a curve because it's my favorite director and this was my most anticipated film this year.

 

But my brother said something very interesting as we were leaving the theater Wednesday night that I initially didn't agree with it. Until it sat on me overnight and I realized he was right on the drive to their place the following afternoon for Thanksgiving.

 

Spielberg shouldn't have directed this.

 

Yes it is the story of his family. But he's too attached and didn't have his usual masterful discipline. Too many moments that were understandably too precious to him that he kept that he would have eliminated - even at the scripting stage - were this about anyone else.

 

Reminds me of when he made Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. He made those specifically for his mom and dad, and said so upon accepting his Best Director Oscars for both. There was no need in that sense of making this. He already honored them in films that will be loved and studied till the end of time.

Edited November 27, 2022 by filmnerdjamie