Screening THE FABELMANS

Watched the WGA screener today with the family, despite my intense desire to see on the big screen, but we were stuck inside due to us all getting COVID.

Absolutely loved it, and related deeply to Spielberg’s story although my parents never divorced. My mom was a… how do you say it… an artist who never even had a real chance to explore her art. Family took precedence. Later in life, she got an interior design degree, but I don’t know if that was a passion or a desire to fill the hole of never pursuing painting.

For me, seeing Raiders in the theater as a kid transformed my life. That’s a story for another time.

So I of course related to Sam’s (aka Steven’s) innate excitement and love of movies, but also had a different creative path that I’m still carving.

My son, 13 now and wildly creative as well, screened it with us and was generally bored except during the scenes where Sam was making films, which he watched with intensity.

These are great sequences that showcase Spielberg’s early sense of scope and energy, and are especially delightful for the creative filmmaking techniques he employs. It’s worth seeing just for these moments. And the absolutely delightful moment with a famous director at the end, which I won’t spoil for those who haven’t seen it yet.

He didn’t love the film, and yet the minute it was over, urgently demanded that we IMMEDIATELY dress up in costumes and go outside in the rain to film our own Star Wars mini-movie of his devising.

Together, in about 3 hours, he and I shot and edited a raw but totally satisfying and fun 2-minute Star Wars film complete with an opening crawl, 3 lightsaber battles, and music.

Some 40+ years after Spielberg first inspired me to be a filmmaker, he’s now suddenly inspired my son… who insists that we must film another movie tomorrow!

There’s a purity in the spirit of Spielberg’s films that I think accounts for this ability to inspire people, and also probably accounts for those who don’t like his work and find it cloying.

But I’m a fan. And that’s that.