The Fabelmans

          Steven Spielberg bares his heart and soul on his most personal film yet. It's basically his autobiography very thinly disguised around a fictional family named Fabelman.  Written with frequent collaborator, Tony Kushner, Mr. Spielberg exposes the love and heartbreak any family can relate to and still entertain us through the magic of cinema. It is a loving tribute to his family and his past, that doesn't shy away from difficult memories.

           Directing his own story had to be an incredibly emotional burden, especially during the difficult moments but Mr. Spielberg is a master craftsman, who brings every memory to life with great care and grace. His casting is just perfection.  Michelle Williams is Mitzi Fabelman, the artistic mother who encourages her son to follow his dream of making movies. Paul Dano brings another level to his acting as Burt Fabelman,  the science-minded, electrical engineer father who thinks making films is just a hobby. As Mr. Spielberg's fictional self,  Mateo Zoryon Francis-DeFord plays Sammy Fabelman as a wide-eyed child and later, for the remainder of the film, Gabriel LaBelle plays Sammy through his teens and young adulthood.

           Costarring is Seth Rogan (in a surprising serious turn) as Benny, Burt's best friend and surrogate uncle to the family, Jeannie Berlin as Burt's grandmother, Chole East as Sammy's first high school girlfriend, and, in an incredible one scene cameo, Judd Hirsch as Uncle Boris. 

           The film is full of wonderful scenes, taken from Mr. Spielberg's life, that are so good, they could be stand-alone short films on their own. Without revealing the plot, but as an example, a major turning point in the story comes in a scene shot devoid of dialog, that is just amazing. This is the work of a master director, sure to be nominated in every major category at next year's Academy Awards.