I Think Pee-Wee's Big Adventure Is a Masterpiece

I’ve watched it 5 times now and each time I appreciate it more and more. The first time I watched it was on an airplane with subtitles because the headphones wouldn’t work. Even in these bad conditions I was absolutely enthralled by it. Here’s what I love about it the most.Firstly, the cinematography. I was able to follow the story well without sound the first time because the camera shots do so well telling the story. There are some amazing scenes in the movie. I especially love the shots of the cities and one scene in particular where Pee-Wee is standing on the sidewalk looking for his bike. It conveys how he feels at that moment so well.Secondly, the sound and music in the movie are insanely good. The silly music mixed with the super intense musical notes just add to the suspense of the movie. The music pairs exceptionally well with the road-trip shots.Thirdly, set design is outstanding. Especially at Francis' house. The room design in the bathroom alone were outstanding. The key lighting with the sharp edges and the lapping water were so beautiful that it made me wish I lived there.Next, the characters/actors were perfect. Paul Reubens was made for this role. He was funny yet you could tell how extremely lonely he felt and how much he wanted his bike. His relationship with Simone was beautiful. Somehow they made it completely believable that they were in love despite her having a boyfriend. Their love seemed so deep. Simone's vulnerable and expressive demeanor complimented Paul Reuben’s seemingly repressed and subtle expressiveness.Mark Holton was crazy cool as Francis. He was cold and over the top in the best ways. The scene where he hired a guy to steal Pee-Wee's bike just so Pee-Wee couldn't have it really conveyed how cold and merciless he was. One of his quotes that really stuck with me was “Today's my birthday and my father says I can have anything I want.“ This spoke to me as a vegan because I believe this is happening with mass animal agriculture companies who get what they want. One other character who was only in it for a bit was Judd Omen. He is such a great actor!Lastly, and most importantly is the storyline. It was heartbreaking watching Pee-Wee live this depressing life of submission and losing his bike followed by his rise into thinking he might never find it. His character arc is perfect. The really interesting point of the movie is the fact that Pee-Wee found his bike and made tons of friends along the way. This has huge but different implications for everyone in the movie. For Francis, it means the end of civilization as he knows it. For Pee-Wee it is to prove that he is real and shouldn't be messed with. For Mickey, it means using Pee-Wee to help him out of prison. This movie has replaced The Shining as my all time favorite movie. Thanks for reading! via /r/movies https://ift.tt/2ZAOhgT