My Review- The Fablemans My Rating 10/10

The Fablemans begins in the Cinema with an appreciation from Stephen Spielberg its Director co writer and the character that Sammy Fableman is based on.

He thanks the audience for coming out to watch his movie on the Cinema screen the way it was meant to be seen.

Apparently judging by the World Box Office so far Cinema audiences are staying away in droves.

I cannot answer why and only hope that the films recent Golden Globe Awards for Best Picture and Best Director for Steven Spielberg plus the AFI choice as Best Picture of the year will encourage film goers to see this fine movie at the Cinema.

If the films critical success is repeated at The Oscars it could mean 2 more Academy Awards to add to Steven Spielberg's three well deserved wins.

The Fablemans is a deceptively simple story closely mirroring the actual life experiences of Steven Spielberg's young life growing up in a privileged Jewish home in Phoenix Arizona . It obviously was a labour of love and some pain that Stephen Spielberg and the great Tony Kushner completed during the Covid pandemic and the making of his Oscar nominated West Side Story.

Lovers of Cinema and the process of making movies like myself I'm sure will love The Fablemans because it's been made by one of the greatest movie makers of all time.

When I say it's deceptively simple I mean that it has no gimmicks and doesn't try to be clever . It's what I love most in movies an interesting story with a fine script plus some great performances and great production values .

Young Gabriel LaBelle is so impressive as Sammy Fableman and throughly deserved the praise that Steven Spielberg paid him at The Golden Globes this week.

His acting especially in the pivotal scene where Sonny discovers his innocent home movie of a family camping trip reveals much more about his much loved and supportive mother Mitzi than he expected .

Another wonderful moment for me is Sammy's reaction to seeing his first movie Cecil B DeMill's The Greatest Show on Earth made in 1952 during a family outing to a local Cinema . The movie is showing to a full house to an audience that's captivated by another great film spectacular movie.

It took me back to my childhood when my Dad was a projectionist at Brighton Le Sands when I was the same age as young Sammy.

I'm always impressed with Michelle Williams and she excels in The Fablemans cast as Sonny's mother Mitzi Fableman , Mitzi is a talented sensitive woman who gave up a possible career as a concert pianist to marry a pleasant but dull and nerdy computer expert.

Michelle Williams captures the affection of a mother who adores her son and family plus the vulnerability and fragility when circumstances occur to change the dynamics of the Fableman's family forever.

Paul Dano as Burt Fableman who provides well for his family is also impressive as is Seth Rogan as his best friend Benny .

Burt takes a better job and moves his family to California where Sammy sadly discovers Antisemitism and bullying for the first time in his young life.

Veteran actor Judd Hirsh as Uncle Boris gives a supporting role worthy of an Oscar nomination when he turns up on the doorstep for his sisters funeral much to Mitzi's horror .

He spots the passion and talent of young Sonny and encourages him not to compromise in his quest to make movies .

The attention to detail by the Spielberg team captures the 1960's perfectly I noticed even a subtle homage to the past history of movies with a Cinerama movie theatre featured in the background Cinerama was a widescreen process that originally projected images simultaneously from three synchronized 35mm projectors onto a huge, deeply curved I remember The Spanish style Plaza Cinerama theatre in Sydney that now has been gutted and turned into a McDonalds store.

John Williams Spielberg's regular composer has created another beautiful musical score for this fine movie.

I've seen The Fablemans twice now and will watch it again as it's a film like my favourite film about the love of movies Cinema Paradiso that I get more out of each viewing but please see it at a Cinema before it streams the detail in sets props and costumes is amazing.