The Fabelmans

On Thanksgiving, Steven Spielberg's newest film, The Fabelmans released in theaters. The Fabelman is a semi-autobiographical film written and directed by Stephen Spielberg. The film follows young Sammy Fabelman as he aspires to become a filmmaker while growing up in post-WWII Arizona. During his journey, he discovers a devastating family secret and learns how the power of movies can help him seek the truth about others and himself. Steven Spielberg is one of my all-time favorite directors and I was really looking forward to this film being able to explore his early life.

As can be expected from Steven Spielberg, it is a very well-directed, written, shot, and acted film. The story is written so that it moves at a very brisk pace and can cover a lot of ground while not making any of it feel rushed. The film showcases many moments from Sammy's life while not lingering too long on any of them and causing the movie to drag. The film is also able to sprinkle in a good amount of humor throughout the film giving it a bit of a lighter tone. I also like how this film is a very personal story of Steven Spielberg and how we can dive into ideas from his life and see loose concepts of how he was grown up. Normally these types of films come across as very self-righteous with the director trying to show how great they are. However, that is not the case with this film, as the story is very grounded and gives a very humble vibe showing that Spielberg was very passionate about this story but not trying to show how great he is. The movie also puts a great deal of focus on "movie magic" and on how movies used to be made. It was a lot of fun to watch the scenes of Sammy making his movies and all the unique practical effects that went a lot with them. As a film lover, it was really interesting to see. All of the characters in the film are also really well done, specifically both of Sammy's parents. It was really interesting to see their different approaches to Sammy becoming a filmmaker. Sammy's dad is an engineer and very analytical while Sammy's mom is very artistic and has a free spirit. While they see the world in very different ways, they both are they to help Sammy grow and achieve his dreams. The film doesn't even try to paint one in a positive light and one in a negative light. Both are good parents, and both have flaws yet both want to be there for their kids. In the end, this film is just a heartwarming emotional story that really shows how great filmmaking should be.

There really isn't much negative about this film. However, this film will not be for everyone. It is a very character driven grounded story with a lot of dialogue and little action. If you aren't a fan of Steven Spielberg or care about filmmaking, then this will likely be a very boring film for you. The only slight hang-up I have about the film is that I felt that the first act was a bit clunky in the storytelling in the way it jumps from event to event. Other than that, this is a very good film.

Overall, this is a very well-made film that is heartwarming, and emotional and is really able to dive deep into Spielberg's personal life. It really shows how great of a director Steven Spielberg is.

Score:9/10 Grade: A

Recommendation: Watch it if you love movies or are a fan of Steven Spielberg

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