The Fall (Tarsem Singh, 2008)

The Fall (Tarsem Singh, 2008)The Fall, director Tarsem Singh’s first film since his directorial debut The Cell back in 2000, is a singular personal epic, a film that truly reminds us of the splendor of cinematic imagery and the breadth of a childlike imagination. It is by no means a perfect film, and in some ways it reflects the nature of its lengthy and difficult production (Tarsem paid for the entire film himself and spent four years shooting it around the world). Yet, there is so much passion invested in each image that it simply overwhelms any narrative inconsistencies. With movies moving more and more into the digital realm, with computer-generated imagery replacing actual locations, The Fall is a moving throwback to the power of capturing reality on celluloid and turning it into a dreamworld fantasia. (AMC Huebner Oaks 24, San Antonio, TX)