Winter Views...

Life Of Pi - 5 stars *****

This was a truly breathtaking film. Even the advert made me emotional it was so stunning, so I had high expectations and it didn't disappoint. It is directed by Ang Lee, who has a very diverse mixture of films under his belt, and it is clear he chooses his projects to challenge his talents - and they have definitely been put to good use in this piece.

I haven't read the book, so didn't really know the story, but it is basically about an Indian boy called Piscine (or Pi for short) whose family own a zoo. His father discovers that the animals will be worth much more money if they are sold in Canada, so the family leave India and embark upon a sea journey to the country. However, they are caught in a terrible storm, and Pi is cast out in a lifeboat alone with a hyena, an orangutan, a zebra and a Bengal tiger called Richard Parker.

The film is a sort of alternative coming-of-age story, as it follows Pi's journey at sea, as he struggles to survive, and has to gain the trust of his travelling companions in order to overcome the challenges they face. It is told first hand by Pi as an adult (Irrfan Khan), who is recounting the story to a writer (played by Rafe Spall) who wishes to turn the tale into a book.

Visually, this film is flawless. In particular, the scene set at night where the sea is a swarm of jellyfish is gorgeous, as is one of the earlier scenes where the sky is reflected in the still ocean, so that it looks possible to walk on it like a mirror. 19 year old Suraj Sharma who plays Pi, steals the screen in his debut role, and I am certain we will see big things from him, as he throws himself into character with blind determination, and you don't doubt him for one second.

The soundtrack has been chosen with great care, and really adds to the feel and emotion of the film, I am not going to lie, I was an emotional wreck whilst watching it! It is the perfect mix of philosophy, friendship, loss, love, growth and turmoil, and so touches the old and young alike in different ways. I cannot commend this highly enough - go and see it!