By Tristan Laferriere
Staff Writer
If you’re anything like me, you may find that Tim Burton’s films have been steadily declining from the once very original ideas of “Beetlejuice,” “Edward Scissorhands” and one of my favorites, “Mars Attacks!” Since the ’90s have left us, Burton has gone on to create box-office friendly films ranging from “The Corpse Bride” to “Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.”
What classic Burton fans such as myself were missing, however, was a film that used a cast other than Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter and a little less of the stop-motion animation. Well, we asked and he delivered. His latest film “Big Eyes” is a real treat for those classic Burton fans who were hoping for something original this time around.
Going back to his “Ed Wood” days in which Burton directed a biopic based on the eccentric filmmaker, “Big Eyes” follows the true story of painter Margaret Keane and her struggles as an artist as her husband, Walter, takes credit for her work for more than 10 years. Featuring a brilliant leading cast with Amy Adams as Margaret Keane and Christoph Waltz playing her jealous husband, “Big Eyes” is one of Burton’s best.
These two performances were excellent as usual, coming from two of the greatest actors in Hollywood today. Adams has already won a Golden Globe for her memorable performance of the famous painter, and Waltz gives yet another serious but humorous portrayal of the late Walter Keane. Having been “re-discovered” by Quentin Tarantino six years ago for his war epic, “Inglourious Basterds,” Waltz has since gone on to claim two Academy Awards.
In addition to the stars of this film, the set decoration shines through on the big screen. Taking place from the late 1950s to the late 1960s, any retro geek will find “Big Eyes” beautiful for its journey back in time to the mid-century styles of the United States. Appropriately, Margaret Keane’s “Big Eye” paintings are a symbol for 1960s art and contribute to this film’s wonderful look at America’s style of the time.
All in all, “Big Eyes” was an enjoyable film. I would recommend it to anyone who was a fan of Burton’s “Ed Wood,” because in my opinion his biopics are his best films. What makes “Big Eyes” even better is the fact that Burton is straying from the path and using a set of new actors to make this piece original.
