The Fall

Donna Kenny's Thoughts:
The Fall is a story that takes place in a 1915 Los Angeles hospital. Alexandria is a nine year old immigrant girl recovering from a fall. She befriends bedridden Roy Walker a stuntman also recovering from a fall and the loss of his most recent lover.
Roy creates a story to tell Alexandria involving five heroes who are all out to avenge the wrongs by the powerful Governor Odeus. Roy’s imaginative story interweaves Alexandria’s acquaintances at the hospital in order to peak her interest. In order to continue his epic tale, Roy asks Alexandria for a favor.
One would think after viewing this awe-inspiring cinematography that the Indian born director Tarsem used CGI. However, the shooting for this film took place in over 20 locations around the world over a four year period. Tarsem’s film is breathtakingly imaginative. However at times the pacing drags and as one reviewer states “the story is far too thin for adults and far too dark for kids”.
Alexandria played by Romanian Catinca Untaru outshines the acting of Roy Walker played by Lee Pace. Catinca’s English lessons beginning at age four has served her well. Her favorite parts of filming were the costumes and I would have to agree. The costumes were designed by Academy Award winner Eiko Ishioka. Her Oscar was awarded in 1993 for the movie Dracula.

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
I don’t have much to add, Donna’s thoughts sum things up pretty well, but I felt I should chime in on how beautiful this movie looks. This picture is one of those rare instances where I don’t feel like the screenplay or the acting or the picture as a whole are of the best five of the year but the direction feels like some of the best of the year. The fact that Tarsem Singh not only had the vision but managed to put this whole thing together through such extraordinary means shows a staggering dedication to his work and his vision. He is a man of obvious talent.
Of course the technical elements of this are pretty much flawless, fantastic cinematography by Colin Watkinson (so many shots could just be photographs on your wall) and incredibly beautiful art direction. The costumes were colorful and interesting as well. Very much a visual feast.
The screenplay, while having some problems, did function in an interesting way, considering and evoking (or mirroring) the way people tell stories. I thought that was an interesting subject/concept to explore despite the screenplay not being astonishing on its own.