Winter's Tale Review

I saw Winter's Tale on February 17, 2014!!! Right off the bat I would like to say don't pay attention to critics. They think they're experts in movies and have ripped this apart left and right, but I'm going to do something refreshing and present it in the positive light it should be. I honestly really enjoyed this movie from beginning to end. The power of miracles and destiny is prevalent throughout this movie. I was really into the story from the beginning to the end. It's really split perfectly into three distinct parts: an origin of our main character, a middle part set in the 1900s, and a third act that ties into everything in modern times. It's a great fantasy romance for adults. Guardian angels and demons are both competing to either assist or detract our main protagonist Peter Lake from achieving his destiny. The cast was very good overall. I thought Colin Farrell did a great job as Peter-the thief that has a bigger purpose in life. Russell Crowe was excellent as the villain Pearly Soames-he really captured that demon persona. His obsession with stopping Peter from achieving his goal is interesting to watch. The color motif for symbols throughout the movie is amazing as well-red, white, and black all have significant roles.  Stars/constellations are also a big part of this movie which I liked. In this movie, they represent heaven and when we pass away our soul becomes a new shining star. The female cast members of this movie were excellent: I really liked the Beverly Penn character-she is played by the gorgeous Jessica Brown Findlay (who some may know from Downton Abbey). I really liked how even though she was dying from consumption, she still tried to stay positive, and Peter was a big part of that reason. The movie also featured Jennifer Connelly-who still looks incredible. Her role is important in shaping the completion of Peter's purpose in life in terms of who must be saved. I also really liked the role of Willa-McKayla Twigg. I thought Twigg did very well for such a young actress. Each character in some way shapes Peter's journey. Willa shows Peter where this must happen as well as expressing love for him and her family, particularly her sister Beverly. Will Smith had a pretty good cameo I thought as well. I probably would have cast somebody else in his role based on who its supposed to be, but it still worked. The interaction with him and Crowe was great. Overall, this is a powerful movie instilling in us the power to believe in something more. The story exploring miracles/destiny over the course of time, the cast, the characters, the visual effects, and the importance of color and symbolism truly make this a standout movie for me. It is a definite 5/5 for me. I know critics would balk at my positive remarks for this movie, but why would I take them seriously when they praise "illustrious" movies like About Last Night? Winter's Tale is a story with deep meaning that will tug at your emotions with interesting twists and a true battle between good and evil.