A generational tale about families and the special place they inhabit, sharing love, loss, laughter and life. Based on the comic book “Here” by Richard McGuire. It was first published as a strip in the comics magazine “Raw” in 1989, and was expanded into a 300-page graphic novel in 2014. Richard’s father at one point early in the film names several towns that he claims are along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, when in fact they are all towns that are along Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania, which hadn’t even been built at the time. [from the trailer] Richard: You know, if you want, you could spend the rest of the night here. Margaret: I could spend the rest of my life here. Features They Stooge to Conga (1943). Clarinet Concerto, Pts. 1 & 2 Written by Artie Shaw Performed by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Courtesy of RCA Records By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment. LIKES: Good acting Realistic in many facets of life Dynamic use of set/environment Creative transitions De-aging technology Some fascinating connections at times Loved the artistic angle at the time Relevant/relatable Emotional Summary: The publicity for the film has not lied to you, this is a film that is truly one of the most unique concepts we have seen in a long time. The film relies on one to enjoy the fixation of a single camera/location and tell a story about the impact of time on life and the people moving through it. Zemeckis has accomplished this task on many levels and has managed to utilize the space well and keep the shot dynamic despite it being so static. The dynamic set changes help make this piece fascinating, with the idea of the furniture changes being a feature of the house itself that is impressive and serves as a metaphorical window into life. I loved seeing how they lived in this room and the families that inhabited the villa, seeing how their interactions, auras and personalities gave a different light to the scene and told their own micro stories. Transitions occurred through outlines of photographs, drawing attention before moving on to a new scene; the technique is fluid and rarely over the top for me. It had many facets that were creative, but never lost the anchor of realism to make this an enjoyable and balanced piece. As for the story and acting, a top-notch roster of talent has helped bring this film to life and achieve the goal of being a look at life. This is a film that relies heavily on being relevant and the cast to make that relevance come to life. As far as the story goes, it rarely strays from people living life, taking snippets from various periods and reflecting them back to those times. The ups and downs are beautifully captured on screen, and Zemeckis’ vision helps convey the concepts and give you that emotional punch that this film promised. When relevant stories hit me, my connection to the film strengthened even more, and I found my inner self reflecting on what this film had to teach me. The acting is there to give words to the visions, and much of the dialogue is poetic without being too Shakespearean in its delivery. Bettany was a surprise to watch, and while she isn’t as captivating or dynamic as her Disney films, she still manages to impress me with a stellar performance of the baby boomer generation facing the rapid changes happening in the world. Wright’s return to the screen is a fierce one, as his character is torn between fun and frenzy, a brilliant representation of the struggles endured by so many in his shoes during the great decades of change. Hanks, of course, is as talented as he’s been, incorporating elements of his other characters into every moment of his life and doing so with the same class and vigor he almost always brings to the screen. It’s a chemistry that works, this family atmosphere seems so natural and almost authentic with strong leads guiding the characters and never falling too far into Hollywood representations.