As "The Fabelmans" (2022 release; 150 min.) opens, it is "January 10, 1952" and 6 yo Steven, urrr I mean Sammy, needs some serious convincing by his parents to go see "The Greatest Show On Earth", but when he does, he is overwhelmed. He wants to recreate the train wreck from the movie, and it's his mom who suggests filming it on an 8mm camera... At this point we are 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is Steven Spielberg's long-awaited film of his youth. I love and respect Spielberg, but this is Spielberg at his worst: sentimental and self-indulgent. There isn't a single aspect of the movie that I found interesting or redeeming. Why did Spielberg assume that his family's comings and goings, including his parents' marital challenges, would be so unique and hence interesting, when in fact this is what happened to millions and millions of families in the 50s and early 60s. As a complete aside, as most of you know Spielberg lived in Cincinnati until age 11, then moved to Phoenix. A significant early part of the movie plays out in Cincinnati, but there is not a single reference, none, to Cincinnati. Why? In contrast, the second that the family is moving to Phoenix, Arizona, the area is mentioned multiple times in the film. I find it curious, to say the least.

"The Fabelmans" premiered at last Fall's Toronto International Film Festival to immediate critical acclaim and then was released in US theaters just before Thanksgiving. Since then it has significantly underperformed at the box office (a mere $12 million after 7 weeks). The matinee screening where I saw this at the day after New Year's at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati was attended well (I counted roughly 30 people). I honestly cannot think of any movie by Spielberg that is worse than this, and I cannot in good conscience recommend this to anyone. If you haven't seen this yet, please save yourself the time and money. You'll thank me later when you catch it streaming at some point.