Starring: Salma Hayek, John C. Reilly, Toby Jones, Vincent Cassel
Tale of Tales
Director: Matteo Garrone
Rating: 3.5/5
If you are looking for a movie that is a little different and off-kilter this summer, Tale of Tales could well be the film that you are looking for; it really is unlike anything else you will see over the next couple of months.
Tale of Tales sees Matteo Garrone - who brought us Gomorrah - back in the director's chair for what is his first feature since Reality back in 2012.
From the bitter quest of the Queen of Longtrellis (Hayek) who forfeits the life of her husband (Reilly), to two mysterious sisters who provoke the passion of the King of Strongcliff (Cassel), to the King of Highhills (Jones) obsessed with a giant Flea leading to heartbreak for his young daughter.
Tale Of Tales weaves the beautiful with the grotesque, creating a stunning and unique work of gothic imagination.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I sat down to watch Tale of Tales, but Garrone delivers is a rich, lavish and beautiful world that is as bizarre as it is filled with wonder.
Just the aesthetics of this film are well worth the price of the ticket - it really is one of the most beautiful and spellbinding movies that you will see this summer.
In fact, Garrone has delivered a movie that really does cast a spell from the opening scene - grabbing the audience and transporting them into this grotesque work of beauty and horror.
Tale of Tales is a complex story that explores political themes and social systems as well as themes of jealousy, love, and a woman's desire for a child.
Of course, the movie does have its flaws. While it looks fantastic from start to finish, Garrone does - at times - struggle to move the story along and it does trip over its own feet in places.
But I admire the epic scope of the tale that he has tried to tell and he does manage to balance the elements of gore, violence, humour, beauty, and intrigue well. This is a movie that is based on a collection of tales by Giambattista Basile, this is a movie where Garrone' imagination has been allowed to run wild and that imagination does spill out onto the screen.
Tale of Tales is a movie that will not be to everyone's taste but for those who are searching for something a little different, it could well deliver exactly what you are looking for.
It is certainly not up there with of my favourite films of the year, but it is certainly one of the most unique films that I have seen so far in 2016.
Tale of Tales is out now.