We recently watched the movie ‘Big Fish’ on DVD, and I’m writing about it since it was one of the best movies we have seen this year. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that it is one of the best films I’ve ever seen: close to top ten territory, as far as I am concerned.

Anyway, it’s a very quirky little story, and not at all what I was expecting, but very touching nonetheless. I know it’s not a very manly thing to admit this, but it’s only the second movie that I can remember moving me to shed a tear, the first being “Empire of the Sun”, way back when I was about 10 years old. I don’t know what it is about such films – maybe I’m just emotionally tuned to themes of loss occurring at poignant moments in ones life (not that I can particularly say that this has happened to me).

So, what’s good about it:
I’d rather not say. It’s one of those movies where it’s best to go in knowing next to nothing about it, like Fight Club – but not in the same way (just in case I worried you there, I can safely say that it’s nothing like Fight Club). But be assured – it’s good. I liked the way it played on various connotations and uses of the phrase ‘big fish’ and the quirkiness really appealed to me. In that way, I’d liken it to Amelie, which is another quirky film that we quite enjoyed.

In the final credits I also discovered that it was based on a novel of the same name, which is now on my list of books to track down and read – and from some reviews, it appears to be at least as good as the movie, which augurs well for me (and for Tegan, who will invariably read it after me, being the voracious reader that she is).