Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (1998)

Great family movie

I chose this movie as a family time movie. We watched it over and over again enjoyed the silly situations that these men got themselves into. January 19, 2007

If only it were on DVD......

This film is truly one of those sleepers that you never hear about and stumble upon. I stumbled when I found the VHS in a bargain bin for $5.00. It was one of the best $5.00 purchases I've ever made!

It's visually beautiful and colorful, the acting is great, the music fantastic, the story is sweet, yet it makes a statement. And my boys love it!

I've always been a Ray Bradbury fan and this just shows how well his vision can be translated to film IF you stay true to it. I only hope that someone puts it on DVD, so that they can restore the brilliance to the film that fades a little with VHS.

And if you don't laugh during the bar scene, then you have no sense of humor! I must say that my favorite character is Edward James Olmos' Vamanos. He amazes me with his range and ability as an actor.

Watch it with your family and enjoy.

Let the suit shine! September 23, 2006

There's only one Ray Bradbury...

and of all the movies that have been made from his fiction, this one is closest to his own real voice. Goofy, exuberant, surreal, naive, humane and affirmative...quintessential Ray. April 26, 2006

The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit

I liked some of it. It wasn't edited that much because there was some stuff that didn't make sence at the end. Like the last person supposablied got ran over by a car but he didn't. When the one guy was trying to help him he was sweaty but after words he wasn't. February 27, 2006

Goofy, unreal, and downright affirmative

I love this dumb movie. It's goofy. It's silly. It's over-acted. It's unreal. It's so positive! It's downright affirmative. It's fantastic. It's not like any other movie I've seen. I laughed out loud in the first scene, and kept smiling all the way through.

The story involves five guys who have nothing in common except their bad fortunes and their size. They pool their meagre money and buy a suit that turns out to have the magical effect of making each man's fantasy come true while he wears it. As they eagerly take turns wearing the suit, they see and celebrate the miraculous transformation in each of their new friends. The point being that they really have become friends -- in just one evening, they develop a profound and uplifting camaraderie by witnessing and affirming each others dreams. It has definitely got a message, but this movie is so quirky and lighthearted that it's about as preachy as a cream puff.

Some of my favorite features of this movie are those that give it its surreal flavor: the mariachi band that appears in scene after scene; the weird light that illuminates the dark nighttime scenes; the exaggerated acting; the exaggerated slow-motion fist fight (It's a hoot!); the youngest man's ardent desire for the beautiful girl, expressed as a wish to meet her parents; the psychadelic opening credits. Other things I like just because I like them: that one guy's dream really is just to have a good time; that the bum has more money than any of the others; that mariachi makes a great soundtrack.

Many of the movies I like most play with the theme of the empowering effect of fantasy: "They Might Be Giants", "The Fisher King", even "The Music Man". Add "The Wonderful Ice Ceam Suit" to that list. January 26, 2006

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