Titreenp SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

gracermcnally The compulsion to create was innate in Al Carbee and so his art, if odd, also feels necessary and natural. Even though each piece was painstakingly contrived and crafted by him, his body of work feels inevitable. This film feels similarly motivated and is therefore one of the more moving documentaries I have seen.

Steve Beai An impromptu change in their vacation schedule leads filmmaker Jeremy Workman and his then fiancé, Astrid von Ussar to a meeting with Al Carbee. A widower residing in a small town in Maine, Carbee is also a resident of his own universe, driven to endlessly create a personal landscape populated with a myriad of Barbies in countless scenes and situations which he then photographs and catalogs. His home is akin to a DIY fun-house, complete with man-made underground caverns and upper rooms where he toils in virtual solitude and anonymity.I must admit to lukewarm expectations prior to screening this documentary; too often studies of this sort are either one- dimensional or tend to present eccentric creators in a rather tongue-in-cheek, vaguely insulting way. Instead, how surprised - and delighted - I was to see Al's universe through the eyes of Jeremy Workman, how privileged I was to experience their resulting friendship and subsequent journey as their lives intersected in a way that so often happens -- quite by accident. How satisfying and uplifting and yes, heartbreaking, to see two lives forever changed and enriched thanks to a moment in time that came so close to never happening. I was brought to tears, filled with both sadness and hope and finally, gratitude to have watched what Jeremy Workman and Al Carbee gave to each other and, in a very real sense, to a wider audience like myself. MAGICAL UNIVERSE is not merely a chronicle of a widowed recluse who photographs Barbie dioramas. It is a celebration of humanity, a love letter to friendship, a reminder that, while the world may be a vast and mysterious place, we are just a single detour away, always within reach of our own magical universe.

beckina Jeremy Workman tells a lovely story in this film. Al Carbee was an "outsider artist", an old Maine hermit, who created oddly beautiful and elaborate dioramas with Barbie dolls, then photographing them and creating collages. His work was visually interesting and really quite compelling. This is a strangely moving and compassionate film about an interesting artist and man, and the relationships he forges in his later years, and is a meditation on making and the development of an artist through stages of life. The soundtrack is beautiful. Photography by John Monroe captures some of the sense of the mystery and amazement of meeting Al for the first time.

Melissa Virzi Magical Universe is an inspiring documentary and a must see for any person who considers themselves creative. Al's mantra that "a creative person has to create" rings true for anyone who's ever faced difficulty in pursuing their passion. Despite difficulties throughout his life, Al doesn't think twice about spending all of his money on supplies and dedicating his entire life to his artwork. I was so inspired by his lifelong dedication to pursue something widely considered bizarre (Barbie doll photography) and throw aside all judgment. It's truly incredible to witness one person's passion that has been contained for years released into the world and embraced by it. You can't help but fall in love with Al Carbee and his way of approaching the world. We could all benefit from looking at life a little bit more like Al - that no matter what life throws at you, a creative person has to keep creating..