Dumbo (2019)

V. A. Vandevere: Is that a monkey in your desk?
[Medici opens his desk drawer, a monkey is holding a drink flask]
Max Medici: Just for emergencies.

If Tim Burton is involved, it's high percentage, I'll see it.  No one else quite masters the visual, the grotesque, the comic, the opaque, and the bizarre like Tim Burton. I sort of wish that other people payed me to exorcise my demons on screen too.

And for Tim, -and yes we are on a first name basis-  Dumbo presented a unique challenge. It's a remake. It's also a film with the hero, villain, and director of Batman Returns.

Normally, I harp on remakes. They generally do not appease. They are unnecessary. New statements should be make rather than hashes. Yada yada yada. But, in the case of Dumbo, I am willing to entertain that this cover is unique from the original while being faithful. Which is high praise.

Dumbo is a sad movie.  And thus, I am perfectly content that it remained a sad movie. It's about ostracization, group think, family separation, empathy, animal cruelty, and racism. These are not happy topics. Even the circus is not actually a joyous place -in today's society.

I am not huge fan of allegory, but even I couldn't help but see the connection between V.A. Vandevere and Walt Disney. (This is not coincidently a  Walt Disney Production.) Breaking with many of the outlandishly racist parts of the original, Tim had to take the story elsewhere, and his choice was to bite the the hand that feeds him. To make it seem as if Disney stifles wonder in favors of power, luster, money, and fame.

1. I am surprised that Disney let this happen. It's a not every company that release critique of itself. 
1. I wonder if this is Tim's response to Marvel and the internalizeing of Pixar etc. 
1. When one suckles at the teat of conglomerates, how is one to shine light on their flaws? 
2. Maybe Disney meant to do this to deflect criticisms. "Yeah...sure Tim....go ahead and make an allegory portraying our magical founder and parks as hollow, poorly run illusions, that distract from the truly magical." All the while knowing that they would get respect for allowing it rather than criticism for their practices. 
1. I doubt it, but that would be diabolical.

So, I recommend Dumbo for the following reasons. 

1. Time Burton letting a sad cruel movie be sad and navigating homage with individualism. 
2. Danny DeVito
3. *and this strange to me* Collin Farrell -wonderful job
4. if you wanted to pay Disney to stick it to Disney. 
5. Pink elephants go on parade!

3.83 out of 5 stars