FemaleFirst.co.uk: DVD: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button [DVD] [2008]

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button [DVD] [2008]
enlarge	Director: David Fincher Actors: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemyng, Taraji P. Henson Studio: Warner Home Video Category: DVD List Price: ~~£19.99~~ Buy New: £6.88 as of 20/11/2009 19:25 GMT details You Save: £13.11 (66%) New (20) Used (5) from £4.50 Seller: Amazon.co.uk Rating: 70 reviews Sales Rank: 153 Format: PAL Language: English (Unknown) Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over Region: 2 Number Of Discs: 1 Running Time: 159 Minutes Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2 Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 EAN: 5051892004954 ASIN: B001MYKZ6C Theatrical Release Date: 2008 Release Date: June 8, 2009 Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours


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Editorial Reviews: Amazon.co.uk Review The deservedly multi-award nominated iThe Curious Case Of Benjamin Button/i sees David Fincher team up with his iFight Club/i star Brad Pitt. Pitt plays Benjamin Button, a man born in an old peron's body who in turn ages backwards. While the premise may seem a little mind-boggling for some, Eric Roth (the writer behind iForrest Gump/i) and Robin Swicord's adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story is poetic, epic and intimate all at once. Critics have moaned about its length, but for the story and the characters to become a part of you, this film could not have been any shorter. iThe Currious Case Of Benjamin Button/i is a magical tale about love, understanding and acceptance, all themes ridiculously relevant in our time. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett's chemistry lights up the screen. Together with Fincher and the outstanding supporting cast (inlcuding Tilda Swinton, Oscar nominated Taraji P. Henson and Julia Ormond), the tale of little Benjamin Button is uplifting and original. Giving away any scenes or technical effects would be ruining the magic. --iJennifer Kilchenmann/i

Customer Reviews: Showing reviews 1-5 of 70 1 2 3 4 5 6 ...14 Next » Beautiful December 30, 2008 Anna (London) 36 out of 45 found this review helpful The Curious Case of Benjamin Button opens with a very elderly Cate Blanchett lying in a hospital bed just as she's about to die. She is with her daughter, Caroline (played by Julia Ormond - last seen with Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall), and an old leather diary written by the eponymous Benjamin Button, stuffed with tickets and postcards and clippings and scraps of paper. br / br /As she starts to read, the film swiftly transports us to early 1900s New Orleans, and the film quality takes on a pastel-shaded, crackly appearance and it's unbelievably beautiful and evocative. We're given the genesis of the film, as a clock-maker creates a magnificent clock that ticks backwards, reversing time. br / br /It's soon after that that Benjamin is born, and born old. He has arthritis and cataracts and paper-like skin. His father leaves him on the stairs of an old people's home, and Benjamin is taken in by a warm, wonderful Creole woman who raises him as her own. There he falls in forever-love with Daisy... and she with him, despite his appearing as an elderly man, and she a child. br / br /The film chronicles Benjamin's life, as written in his diary. Pitt narrates, much like he does in Interview With The Vampire... and that's not the only similarity between the two. The slightly other-wordly feel of N'Orleans decades ago is rampant in both; the richness and texture of the film is there, too. br / br /The love story between Daisy (Cate Blanchett) and Benjamin Button is bittersweet and powerful. It's disorientating, watching one age as the other grows younger - it becomes easy to forget that they have loved one another for almost 80 years, and only been together for a time in the middle. One brief exchange very much clarifies it when he is now in his 20s, and she in her 50s: br / br /Daisy: "You're so young..." br /Benjamin: "Only on the outside." br / br /It's a love story and a tragedy and a fantasy, beautifully and subtly done, with a backdrop of cultural events in America's history. These, though, are used to show the passage of time and to date Benjamin's life - they're a painting in the background and he plays no part in them. br / br /It's a peaceful, gentle film, and it ponders life as it goes along. It's thoroughly beautiful in every way. A truly beautiful, life affirming film February 14, 2009 sam155 (Wales) 11 out of 15 found this review helpful I'm not going to tell you the plot, just the reasons why I think you should see this. br / br /First of all, Pitt and Blanchett, always, in my opinion, excellent, have never been better. Both performances are mesmeric and that's no mean feat, since Pitt is in practically every single frame. He strongly resembles a young Robert Redford in some frames and Blanchett's fragility perfectly compliments her character's grace as a ballerina. br / br /Secondly, the cinematography- not something that I normally take a great deal of notice of in a film, unless its outstanding, which it is here. Majestic panoramics of rural India, Paris from the sky, and breathtakingly beautiful seascapes and waterscapes. It contributes greatly to the epic feel of the tale and also transports you around this beautiful world. Truly astonishing. br / br /Thirdly, the make up- again, not usually soemthing that sways me either way in a film , but when you think that both Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett have to age from late teens to decrepitude (not necessarily in that order), then it is incredible to believe its really them under all those prosthetics, so convincing are the effect. You simply won't believe its them. br / br /Its a story of loss and sadness, and joy and love and how to handle both. It has many lessons to learn, told gently and kindly, not least that your family isn't always the people you are related to, and greatlove doesn't always go right first, second or even third time. Its about unconditional love, the diversity of life and fate, and the way that things never quite go according to plan. br / br /Its a long and beautiful film, but it has to be to explain the journey. Little joyful bonuses include flashes of comedy, a stunning turn from Tilda Swinton as an oppressed but passionate married woman, and the lovely depiction of swinging New Orleans in all its post prohibition spelndour. All human life is here, and was I moved and rewarded in equal measure. In my humble opinion, its is Pitt's best work. He deserves the Oscar, but has sadly been thus far overlooked due to his pretty face. Let's hope I can come back and edit that and eat my words come Oscar night. A Cinematic Landmark February 27, 2009 J. T. Houlston-hope (England) 13 out of 19 found this review helpful "The curious Case of Benjamin Button" roundly marks a second masterpiece for Director David Fincher (yes- he of "Fight Club" glory) and charts the difficult (and curious) life of its title character, played by Finchers "Fight Club" protagonist- Brad Pitt. The hero of this piece has the unique affliction of aging backwards, which is to say he is born with failing muscles, skin and bone, proceeds to "grow" into a elderly gent, and from there reverse-ages over the course of 70 years back to new born infant. The story takes the opportunity to poignantly replay much of American history through Benjamin's eyes (a la Forrest Gump) as he grows ever younger (Physically, at least) and gives Pitt the opportunity and scope to set down a masterful and subtle performance throughout. Pitt was rightly nominated for a variety of awards in light of this and frankly should have won more. Benjamin Button is arguably Pitt's most mutli-layered and fascinating creation, even more so than Tyler Durdon. In years to come people may wonder why his name is not attached to an Oscar for this film. br / br /The crux of the story is Benjamin's relationship with Kate Blanchett's character, Daisy. Blanchett plays Benjamin's great love and (of course) more than holds her own in counter-balancing Pitt's performance, constructing their interaction deftly and powerfully as both characters approach the "sweet spot" where they will, for a time, be approximately the same age. Fincher does an excellent job of managing the difficulties and joys of their unique relationship, presenting the twists and turns at an underplayed and a steady pace, rather than shoving it by the spoonful into the audience's throat. Case in point of this is the way Fincher frames Blanchett's death bed story to her child, which serves as the narration of the plot. There is no golden sunset or rousing score on call to drag a lump into your throat and remind you what a magical time it was form them both. We instead find discordant strings, a grey colour tone and a building hurricane outside the window as our backdrop. Fincher has a rare faith in his audience to unravel the crux of his tale for themselves (that of loss, and transition, and fleeting joys), and that faith makes for a consistently more powerful piece throughout. br / br /To focus on the plot alone however, is to entirely miss what it is that makes this film such an important piece of cinema. The talk of the town, and the technological breakthrough it heralds, is the way Blanchett and Pitt are aged throughout the film. To say it left me agape is something of an understatement. I can count on two fingers films I considered a leap of technology, offering the viewer something genuinely revolutionary (Jurassic park and the Matrix) but Benjamin Button is now the third film in that category. To watch Blanchett as a fresh faced 19 year old (devoid of hips or bust and dexterously dancing on a make shift stage) is truly a thing to behold. When you then see Pitt (and this being the "Money shot") as a floppy haired, skinny 17 year old, noticeably younger than when he was in Thelma and Louise... well- it takes the breath away. It was so perfect as to be almost miraculous. The possibilities for actors in their 40-60s to revisit the glories of their youth are suddenly readily available and endless. br / br /But to the credit of the production team the technology on display here is never made the central pin of the story. Those that wish to notice and admire it are invited to do so (and how) but should this pass you by, there is still a wealth of scenery, performance and round accomplishment to digest. Its a triumph in every regard. I don't think it goes too far to say that this is one of the greatest films ever put to screen, for a variety of reasons, and to miss it while it's fresh and clean would be a crime. Watch it now. Or soon. Before everyone knows its a classic. br / A great film with a great cast January 4, 2009 Book Addict 8 out of 12 found this review helpful "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is one of the most fascinating and memorable films I have seen in a long time. Although over a bum numbing 2 1/2 hours I can honestly say this film maintained my interest throughout and on several occasions brought tears to my eyes. br / br /This story is told from an old diary Caroline (Julia Ormond) reads to her dying mother in hospital (played by Cate Blanchett). Beginning in 1918 on the day WW1 comes to an end, Caroline Button dies in childbirth. Her distraught husband Thomas is horrified when he sees his newborn son for the first time and quickly abandons him outside the equivalent of a retirement home run by Queenie (played by Taraji P Henson who produces my favourite performance of this film). Unable to have children herself, Queenie decides to raise the now named Benjamin as her own despite his appearance, believing he may not have long to live. Of course he survives, and as Benjamin ages he grows increasingly youthful in appearance. br / br /Spanning from 1918 to the 1990's Benjamin leads a colourful life liberally filled with love lost and found and adventure after adventure; from his first visit to a brothel (he may look like an old man but his stamina amazes the girl he's with), to joining a tug boat crew, from falling in love in Russia with Elizabeth Abbott (the icily controlled Tilda Swinton) to his growing relationship with Daisy, whom he first meets in childhood and eventually marries. br / br /Particularly moving moments include the sea battle in WW2, Daisy's dashed dreams of a dancing career and the appearance of a hummingbird at the most unusual but poignant of moments. Yet this heart warming film also contains random moments of humour; namely the gentleman hit by lightning. Brad Pitt produces a solid performance (not quite on par with IMHO his brilliant performance in "Burn After Reading") and he certainly proves he is more than just an extremely pretty face, whilst the aforementioned Queenie plus Daisy (at age 10 years) and Thomas Button are brilliantly portrayed. br / br /Lastly despite my love of this film I had two pet peeves. No one appears overly concerned that Benjamin is growing younger (I'd have expected government officials to smuggle him away somewhere and investigate this phenomenon) and the actual "aging process" itself. Born an old baby riddled with arthritis and cataracts, although Benjamin continues to grow younger as his adulthood progresses, during the last few years of his life (sorry for the spoiler) he again reverts back to childhood. I assume the producers found something distasteful in the idea (or unable to realistically portray perhaps) an adult with extremely babyish features and mannerisms. Moving and elegaic May 16, 2009 Barney McGrew (UK) 9 out of 14 found this review helpful Okay so it was a little overlong, a little too self-aware, a little pompous at times; however I was moved by this adaptation of an F.Scott Fitzgerald story from 1921 which tells of a man born 'old' and who grows younger as every year passes. I'm not a huge Brad Pitt fan but thought that he played the title role effectively; with all the aging makeup it must have been pretty challenging to invest the character with life and mannerisms as he did. I am a big Cate Blanchett fan and thought she played her part extremely well; as the love of Benjamin's life she has to watch him change before her eyes, and it is no wonder she eventually cuts herself off from him in a vain attempt at self-preservation. Queenie, the nursery home worker who takes Benjamin in and brings herself up as her own, is also played with charm and simplicity by Taraji.P Henson; a relative unknown who after this performance surely won't be for much longer. br / br /I can think of other movies that are stylistically similar but the majority of them weren't anywhere near as engaging as this. I was prepared for a sentimental and saccharine Hollywood movie but was pleasantly surprised; as Benjamin lives (and fights) through World War II and experiences the swinging sixties, the reality of his inexorable slide towards infancy means that he cannot have proper relationships, and Benjamin disappears from society; only to reappear at the place he first started out - the nursing home; where he lives out his extraordinary life. br / br /A well told story that is utterly fantastical but still poignant; deep and worthwhile but still entertaining. Go on give this a go - you know you want to. Showing reviews 1-5 of 70 1 2 3 4 5 6 ...14 Next »

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