As it is often the case on Sundays, and as the big season of movies has started, here is a movie review, and this one is about Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous novel "The Great Gatsby".
Baz Luhrmann is the australian director of the brilliant and acclaimed "Moulin Rouge", released some years ago, and i remember that at that time a good friend of mine who is the best film editor in France and who's doing editing for all the great french directors told me that Roman Polanski for whom he did the editing of the award winning "The Pianist" recommanded him to watch Moulin Rouge. At that time as i didn't watched it yet and was a bit reluctant because of the baroque style of the movie, i asked him: "but isn't the style a bit too much?" and he answers me: "yes, but it looks great!".
Although The Great Gatsby is less baroque than Moulin Rouge you'll still find in it some reminiscences of Luhrmann's unique style and even if i can't say that it's a totally perfect movie i really enjoyed it a lot. One of the first reason is because of its brilliant cast, starting of course by Leonardo Di Caprio - playing Jay Gatsby - Leonardo being as brilliant as he's always been.
I personally consider Di Caprio not only as a great actor but as a
genius actor, and the genius in his case is coming from the amazing intensity - and inside "fire" - that he puts in each role he's playing...
The other very good reason to watch The Great Gatsby is the film production beauty. Whether it's real decors or digital ones you'll be amazed by the beauty of the 1920's New York ( click on the screen captures below to enjoy them in big size ) ...
Not only for the splendor of the big city itself...
...but also for the feeling you'll have of the "roaring twenties"...
...or even for the re-creation of New York poor suburbs...
But it's Gatsby's house that will stun you. Good lord, it's not a house, not even a mansion or a castle, it's Xanadu!
And when the night comes and guests arrive for Gatsby's legendary parties...
It's there that you find back Baz Luhrmann's unique "baroque" style which fits perfectly with what's happening on screen...
The rest of the cast is as brilliant as Di Caprio, whether it's Tobey Maguire, a long time friend of Di Caprio which in this case serves the storyline as Nick Carraway, Tobey Maguire's character is not only the "narrator" but also the one who becomes friend with Jay Gatsby.
Carey Mulligan plays Daisy Buchanan, the "impossible" love of Gatsby and the one who is at the epicenter of the whole story - but i don't want to tell too much about the story itself to don't spoil it for those of you who didn't read Fitzgerald's novel....
The movie is also released in a 3D version and although i'm really not a big fan anymore of 3D movies - specially when they were not filmed in real 3D - i have to say that in this case the way Baz Luhrmann use the 3D is pretty good and if you don't have the choice with a 2D version, you can go and see it in 3D.
So, if you have sometime this week-end you have two different and very good movies to watch, whether it's the new Star Trek -
see my review here - or to be one of those invited at the giant parties of the Great Gatsby!
Here is two different trailers of The Great Gatsby.
Pictures and videos: copyright Warner Bros, Village Roadshow Pictures
