The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet

I had never read the book so I was expecting a typical "young genius stuns the world" story line. What I did not expect was a complex family relationship that, by all measures, should never have succeeded but somehow worked until a tragedy fractured the delicate balance. The topic blurb on the film centered on the young man traveling alone to Washington DC but his journey was much more complex and healing than I ever expected.Without giving anything away, this is one of those must see films that you should commit to see through to the end no matter what your reaction to the first hour. The performances by the key cast in the family are all outstanding if somewhat offbeat and the anchor performance by Kyle Catlett is awesome

The Young and Prodigious T. S. Spivet (2013) is an adventure-drama film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and stars Helena Bonham Carter, Kyle Catlett, Judy Davis, & Callum Keith Rennie. Here are the pros & cons of this film as I see it, I hope this helps you.Pros:1. Finally something new, fun, & creative with a good plot too2. Great acting again by Helena Bonham Carter, see is truly amazing in my book3. The young Kyle Catlett does a great job with his part4. For some reason I love the RV set5. Fun story that is also pro-scienceCons:1. For those sensitive to a few swear words for some reason, be warned there are a few in this film

I don't know how this little cutie escaped notice. Offbeat and pleasanr.

Excellent story, beginning to end.You'll find some in-between parts aren't necessary, as you'll never see it come up again, becoming a bit irrelevant to the story. Just kind of filled time gaps to give T.S. more to do and lengthen the story, but they weren't bad at all.

This is not a movie for the stupid. It is a movie about humanity in very trying times and circumstances, yet, it inserts smiles and laughs, real laughs, the kind that come from your gut and makes you warm from the inside out! It repeatedly shows a negative path only to quickly give a positive result. Just like in life when tragedy looms, some time striking and sometimes with an unbreakable faith, problems turn into challenges. Challenges can hurt for awhile and that pain can convert into positive energy that is the building block of true character. There is pride and honor in these characters. The kind we need to be reminded of in this time of global chaos. Good people do exist, even through the worst of pains... The protagonist pain could come right off the pages of today's newspaper...

This is a very charming story...a bit of a cross between Home Alone, and (from a 3D standpoint) Disney's 1982 70mm 3D effort "Magic Journey's". The cinematography by Thomas Hardmeier, is without question the best use of 3D available on Blu-ray. Hardmeier cut his "3D teeth" on the beautifully filmed "Hugo" which also offers spectacular 3D imagery. In the pioneering "Magic Journey's" 70mm 3D film shown at EPCOT and Disneyland, director Murray Lerner used inner-occular manipulations to change perspective and scale in a way that has been mostly ignored until T.S.Spivet brought it to the screen in a film where virtually every shot has been designed for 3D effect. This is a very charming and quirky story that never received proper distribution in the United States. Aside from very brief questionable language, and a disturbing event that besets the family, everything pulls together as the story progresses through all the spectacular color enhanced 3D adventures contained in this film.

I really wanted to like this film because I am a fan of the director's previous work. It has some great moments and some fun cinematography. The way the characters are developed feels like a stock idea of what Americans are without much nuance or anything that really brings a new understanding to me when I watch it. This must be the writing, because several of the actors have done create work with other scripts and I know they are capable of going beyond the expected. There are also a number of highly implausible situations within the plot that don't have any support from within the world of the film to make them credible. Jeunet films are usually full of implausible situations, which is part of why I love them. In the others, they work within the plot because the buildup to them makes them feel natural within the context of the story. I left this film feeling like Jeunet really got excited about American cultural symbols while making this film, but hadn't taken the time to really delve in and get to understand the complicated and often contradictory meanings they carry.

I can see how some people would have some concerns with this movie.If looking for a fast moving, action movie, this isn't for you.If you are looking for an emotion filled, dramatic movie, this isn't for you.But, if you are looking for a simple, sometimes melancholic, but enjoyable movie, then this is the perfect fit.My wife and I enjoyed this movie. We simply sat back and let the movie move forward on its own terms.So, if you are someone who likes being critical while watching movies, you may need to find another.This movie was meant to be relaxing and simple.Enjoy!