Filled with wonder, this film amazes me.

This is one of those films that you think of when you think of the artistry of the cinema.

It seems that every frame is bursting at the seams with imagination and tender loving care. Every detail is meticulously thought out, there is nothing left to waste here. The screen is crammed with flourishes and touches that leave me filled with wonder.

There are great performances here. The script is utterly fantastic; it all seems so simple, so inevitable. The set design is peerless. The costumes and makeup are truly inspired. So much about the picture is a marvel.

This movie doesn't cheat the audience; it doesn't rely on some ridiculous effects or some nonsense that detracts from the fantastical elements. You are won over totally and immersed in the world this film depicts. It's mesmerizing, and remains an emotionally devastating experience. It just killed me the first time I saw it 30 years ago, and it works the same way on me now, if not more so.

I would love to see this on a BIG screen. Like an IMAX or something similar. Could you imagine that? Walking down that hallway with those human candelabras? That scene at the dinner table? I would gladly go see this on the big screen instead of some mediocre comic book movie any day of the week.