Review: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part I (2014)

                                                             

             
           A Subtle Yet Intense Sequel That Amps Up My 'Hunger' For The Finale To Come Soon
             
         As a fan of the Hunger Games books, I will admit that if I had to pick my least favorite book of the trilogy, it would hands down be Mockingjay. The book only exists to provide closure to the series, in my opinion, and to provide a book in the series without any actual games. But not only does Mockingjay-Part I already surpass its source material, but it manages to be a successful slow buildup to what could be a grand finale when Part II rolls around.

              Story:
            The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part I follows our main heroine, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) as she finally decides to become the symbol of hope and rebellion for the nation of Panem, known as the Mockingjay. In order to defend the nation against the Capitol, alongside District 13, led by President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore), Katniss must have the other districts align with her while Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) is held captive by President Snow (Donald Sutherland).

             Ups:
            First off, I'll get into the performances. At this point, I think us fans can agree that Jennifer Lawrence is the perfect Katniss. But here, not only did she embody Katniss' strength, but the craziness that Katniss goes through in the book. After the first two books and films, Katniss becomes slightly more unhinged and after the events she had to go through, it's not hard to see why. But this time around, Josh Hutcherson really brings a good amount of emotional depth and pathos to the character of Peeta. Before, I did feel that he embodied the character already, but here, I felt he gave a good amount of layers to the character. We mostly see him being interviewed by Capitol talk show host Caesar Flickerman, played by Stanley Tucci, but with each interview, it seems like each layer is being peeled off. For example, in the first interview, he seems a drone for the Capitol not really meaning what he says. But in the next one, while he continues to say what his heart isn't in, his eyes start to become more frantic and desperate. Julianne Moore is also fantastic as President Alma Coin and even though I knew it was her when on screen, I still felt I forgot it was her because of how she changed her appearance without altering her voice and this is yet another great performance in the banner year she is having since she also came out with Still Alice and the darkly comedic festival gem Maps To The Stars. Not to give anything away, but towards the end, Moore really embodies the uneasiness that I felt about her character when I first read the book. Philip Seymour Hoffman also brings a good amount of pathos to his portrayal of Plutarch Heavensbee and even though he tragically passed, hopefully we'll still get to see more of him in Part II as I really enjoyed his performance. All the other actors, including Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Jeffrey Wright, and Donald Sutherland, are all spectacular as well.

           I also liked how I was on edge because I was so anxious to see how they would end it and transition to Part II. I obviously won't say how, but when it finally happened, my heart was just pounding. I think because of that, when the action sequences came around, that whole anxious feeling only enhanced those scenes and made for a rather tense film-watching experience. I've actually read some complaints that there wasn't much action and while it wasn't exactly action-packed, when the action does take place, it leaves a huge impact and because there are so few of those scenes, it makes the first part seem like a slow burn up until the second comes out. The first part, as a whole, is meant to be a setup for the second and now, I am more than anxious for next November. But a few scenes I'd like to acknowledge are the ones where Katniss and her camera video are filming propaganda or "propo" videos. After those scenes, the film cuts to the different districts showing signs of rebellion and it adds to the whole effect of building up to the grand finale.

           Downs:
           NIL.

           Consensus:
          Overall, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part I is a subtle yet powerful set up to what is left to come. The actors are all terrific and have truly embodied their characters they have portrayed over the course of the franchise, the direction by Francis Lawrence left me very tense, and the action sequences were terrific as well.

           Would I Recommend It?:
           If you are a Hunger Games fan, then absolutely. But if you haven't read the books or even seen the first two films, I would say that doing either one of those two or both is a must so you don't get confused or lost.

Grade: A-

       
               

Indie Review: Still Alice (2014)

                                                 

                     Proof That Films About Disease 'Still' Don't Have To Rely On Sentiment
            We have seen plenty of films dealing with people suffering from mental or physical diseases over the years. But, in my opinion, when it comes to films that deal with this kind of subject matter that show how it affects the families, we hardly see it from the p.o.v. of the victims themselves. Thankfully, films like Silver Linings Playbook and the subject of this review, Still Alice, have broken that trend and show how the family handles such harsh diseases rather lovingly and don't just show the ugly side of it all.

         Story:
        Still Alice follows the story of a Columbia linguistics professor named Dr. Alice Howland (Julianne Moore) who begins to realize that she is suffering from early onset Alzheimer's. The film then starts to follow not only how it begins to affect her but the lives of her husband (Alec Baldwin) and children (Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth, Hunter Parrish).

         Ups:
       One thing that I really liked was how the film was directed and how it manages to showcase the p.o.v. of the person dealing with the illness. Usually, whenever we see a film about a person suffering a physical or mental illness, like Amour, it tends to be from the p.o.v. of the loved ones. But we see how Alice is being affected by her disease and we begin to connect with her as the film progresses and her disease worsens. The film's directors, Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, are a couple dealing with illness themselves as Glatzer is suffering from ALS and it feels as if the camera came from their hearts.

        Next, I'll get into the acting. Julianne Moore does outstanding, career-best work as Alice Howland and infuses such layered depth into her character. The genius of her performance is that she is able to try and ground her character into reality as Alice is going on a slow mental descent. Moore showcases a rather refined and quiet desperation without it being too internalized. She also has some great support from her fellow castmates. Kristen Stewart is able to let her acting talents shine as Alice's mostly absent yet loyal starving artist daughter Lydia. I know she gets a lot of crud for those god-forsaken Twilight films, but it is films like this, The Runaways, and Speak that allow her to cut her acting teeth. Thankfully, because the Twilight films made a boatload of money and are through, she is now able to continue doing small films that matter. I even thought that some of the highlights of the film were the ones between Moore and Stewart as they have wonderful chemistry. The rest of the cast, Alec Baldwin, Kate Bosworth, and Hunter Parrish, are also outstanding and help create this powerful family dynamic that takes place.

       Downs:
      NIL.

       Consensus:
      Overall, Still Alice is a quietly heart-wrenching look into how diseases affect the family dynamic. The performances are all astounding, especially from Moore and Stewart while the direction by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland is absolutely poetic and the story is enough to get a teardrop out of your eye without being too sentimental.

      Would I Recommend It?:
      I would say yes if you are a fan of the actors and/or if you ever lived with somebody that suffered from a physical or mental ailment. At first glance, some may look at this film as mushy awards bait, but I would say give it a shot. You might be as surprised as I was.

     Grade: A

Independent Spirit Awards 2015 Nominees: Reactions

 Hello, Bloggers, I'm a few days late on this, but the nominations of the 30th Independent Spirit Awards were just announced and because they are my second favorite awards show, behind the Oscars, I figured that I would announce my reactions to the six major categories and go into the snubs and surprises as well.

Best Picture:
Birdman
Boyhood
Love Is Strange
Selma
Whiplash

Sort of expected that Birdman and Boyhood got in, but I loved that Whiplash also made it on here. Haven't seen Selma or Love Is Strange yet, though. I was actually surprised that Selma got in because I didn't realize that it was considered an independent film, to be honest.

Best Director:
Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
David Zellner, Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
Ava DuVernay, Selma
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash

The biggest surprise, and I'm sure a lot of people feel the same way, is David Zellner. I have never even heard of his film until now, but that's why I love the Spirit Awards. They tend to shine a light on the kind of smaller films that would never make it to the Oscars and there are plenty of them.

Best Lead Male:
Andre 3000, Jimi: All Is By My Side
Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton, Birdman
John Lithgow, Love Is Strange
David Oyelowo, Selma

Nice that Michael Keaton got in here as well as Jake Gyllenhaal. The Love Is Strange love continues with John Lithgow and the category, like the next one I'm about to discuss, leaves room for plenty of diversity as we have two black actors, David Oyelowo and Andre 3000 from Outkast. To me, Andre 3000 being nominated is pretty cool because I was quite fond of Outkast growing up.

Best Lead Female:
Marion Cotillard, The Immigrant
Rinko Kikuchi, Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Jenny Slate, Obvious Child
Tilda Swinton, Only Lovers Left Alive

Interestingly, I haven't seen any of these films except Obvious Child, yet I am pleased with this category. I loved seeing Marion Cotillard here and with her nomination for this and her film Two Days, One Night being Belgium's selection for Best Foreign Language Film, I could very well see her being a surprise on Nomination Day. Same with Tilda Swinton, who has Only Lovers Left Alive along with Snowpiercer and Grand Budapest Hotel under her belt. I was especially happy to see Jenny Slate here for her work in Obvious Child and if I had a ballot ,she would easily make my Final Five. Julianne Moore is probably the only expected nominee and I think she might take this.

Best Supporting Male:
Riz Ahmed, Nightcrawler
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Alfred Molina, Love Is Strange
Edward Norton, Birdman
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Thankfully, I did quite well with this category so far as I saw four of the nominees (Ahmed, Hawke, Norton, Simmons). I guess I have to watch Love Is Strange, though, which also did pretty well at the Gotham Awards, another show devoted to independent cinema. I was very happy to see Ethan Hawke on here, though. So far, he would be my personal pick to win Best Supporting Actor even though J.K. Simmons is the frontrunner (which I have NO complaints about).

Best Supporting Female:
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year
Carmen Ejogo, Selma
Emma Stone, Birdman
Andrea Suarez Paz, Stand Clear of the Closing Doors

Love seeing both Patricia Arquette and Emma Stone on here. With Jessica Chastain on here, it could breath some life into her potential march to the Oscars. Same with Carmen Ejogo, who is a dark horse to get in for BSA at the Oscars for Selma. Andrea Suarez Paz, the surprise of the category IMO, might have to just be happy that she is in. Despite not seeing her film, I still say good for her.

Now, I'll get into some of the snubs. I was pretty shocked that not only did Reese Witherspoon not get in, but Wild got completely shut out. A lot were surprised that The Imitation Game didn't get in, but I wasn't necessarily holding my breath on that film scoring big. But while Foxcatcher got a Special Distinction Award, I figured it would at least get in for Best Actor for Steve Carell, but apparently it didn't fit the criteria of having a budget less than $20 million,so they probably wanted to just throw that movie a bone.

Also, I was not only pleased that Jenny Slate got nominated for Best Actress, but Obvious Child got nominated for Best First Feature as well. Overall, I was quite pleased with the results. There are some contenders that I have yet to see. In particular, I have to see Selma and Foxcatcher, but I'll definitely get on that.

As always, feel free to write in the comments section and share your thoughts on the nominees, who you were pleased to see get in and who you thought got snubbed. Thanks for reading!

Trailer Talk #23: Jurassic World, Pitch Perfect 2, Insurgent, Mortdecai, Pan, Cinderella

Hello, Bloggers, welcome to another episode of Trailer Talk. For today's episode, as a little Thanksgiving treat to potentially satisfy your craving before eating the Big Bird, I have some trailers to review for you folks that might get you excited for what is to come in the following year. Here we go:

Jurassic World: First up is the trailer for Jurassic World, which is the latest installment in the Jurassic Park series. Now, I honestly haven't seen Jurassic Park (Which I should get on ASAP) or any of the sequels, but this one certainly looks to be on my radar. One reason is because of star Chris Pratt, who I loved as Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy and I think he is destined for great things. Plus, I thought the effects of the dinosaurs looked pretty nice and I have a weird fascination with sci-fi films that demonstrate the perils of toying with science. I'll more than likely check this out in theaters, but I'll have to remember to see the first one before I go and see this.

Pitch Perfect 2: Next up is the trailer to the comedy sequel Pitch Perfect 2. Surprisingly, I became quite a fan of the first Pitch Perfect and I am quite pleased that the original cast of characters are returning, especially Rebel Wilson as Fat Amy and both Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins as the acapella tournament commentators. This one looks to expand on a whole world of acapella and I am quite intrigued to see the direction this sequel is going into. I will probably go and see this in theaters.

Insurgent: Next is the last sequel on this post, The Divergent Series: Insurgent. I have read the first Divergent book and saw the first movie and I am actually in the process of reading the Insurgent book. Once I get through that, I will more than likely see the film in theaters. The teaser trailer doesn't give away much and once the second trailer rolls around, I'll probably discuss that even if it breaks my rule because I usually do a "one and done" deal with each film. But, I thought the action in this trailer was quite nice and it was a little weird seeing Shailene Woodley in that short haircut but her character did cut her hair in the beginning of the book. Anyways, once I get through the book, I'll be able to see the film once it comes out.

Mortdecai: Next is the film Mortdecai starring Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany, and Ewan McGregor. Before I watched the trailer, I didn't really think a whole lot of the film. I do like Johnny Depp, but up until Transcendence, I felt that he mostly resorted to doing the "Jack Sparrow/Tim Burton" routine. I did have some slight worries that he is going into similar territory when watching the trailer for this, But the film got quite a bit of laughs out of me and I think the cast is so spectacular, so those worries got overlooked. I may check this out in theaters, depending on what else is coming out.

Pan: Next is the trailer to the origin story of Peter Pan known simply as Pan, starring Hugh Jackman, Rooney Mara, and Garrett Hedlund. Now, while I do love the original Disney animated film, I am on the fence with this. I do think that the film looks very colorful and I do like the cast, even though I have some reservations about Rooney Mara playing Tiger Lily but for reasons other than her acting (which I love), but I might have to either wait for another trailer or just say "no thanks".

Cinderella: Lastly is the trailer for the Disney adaptation Cinderella. While other live-action adaptations of Disney classics, like Maleficent and Alice In Wonderland, seem to be reinventing them, I don't really think this one is. I did actually get a bit excited when I heard this was being made mainly because the Bossy Aussie Cate Blanchett was cast as Lady Tremaine. While I am sure she'll be good, I worry that this one is a "been there, done that". I could be wrong and I hope that I'm wrong, but I might wait until either another trailer is released or the reviews come out.

So, that was my latest episode of Trailer Talk and as always, my next episode will come up when I next go to the movies and/or watch a bunch of new trailers online. Until then, thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving!

Final Rating:

Jurassic World: Gotta See It!
Pitch Perfect 2: More Than Likely
Insurgent: More Than Likely
Mortdecai: Eh, You've Peaked My Interest
Pan: Meh
Cinderella: Meh

Indie Review: The White Ribbon (2009)

                                                   

     
       A Foreign Gem With Subtle Intensity Like A 'Ribbon' Being Wrapped Around Your Nerves And Tightening Them

           Part of the reason I prefer older horror films over the ones we have today is because most of them are open to suggestion. Despite there being graphic violence, the audiences are the ones who create the gory details. The White Ribbon does something similar since those who watch and observe the film are the ones who try to piece it together as they are watching it, thus creating a mysterious and unflinching experience. 

            Story:
            The White Ribbon is set in an old German village and takes place on the eve of WWI. Starting with the horrific injury of the village doctor, a number of strange occurrences start to occur. At the center of it all is the children who have been physically and emotionally battered by the adults, creating a sense of suspicion and dread.

            Ups:
          I'll start off by saying that I loved how the film is mostly open to suggestion. The terrible happenings that occur in the film are either off-screen or literally hidden behind closed doors like the scenes where the children are beaten. They even hardly have the police trying to investigate these crimes because we are the investigators. Nothing about this film is exactly spoon fed to us yet I loved that. Anybody could be the perp and unlike the film's color scheme, nothing is black and white. Not only that, but when these happenings start to occur, there isn't any ominous music in the background and as I said, we never really what happens, just what goes on after. It is like some of the older horror films, like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween. While this film may not be categorized as horror, it might certainly feel like one.

        Speaking of which, I thought the cinematography by Christian Berger was brilliant. Berger really captures the dark and chilly tone through the black-and-white color scheme, especially in the scenes that take place in a dark place and at nighttime. I even thought the scenes where the children wear a titular symbolic white ribbon were well-directed. Since the film is open to suggestion, one could say that the ribbon does represent their innocence or is a contrast to their darkness and is just suppressing what lies underneath when the ribbon is on. Since the children are the film's center piece, the actors who play them nail it. A few standouts, in my opinion, are Leonard Proxauf, who plays the pastor's son Martin, and Janina Fautz, who plays the baron's steward's daughter Erna, who claims to have had a dream about a midwife's handicapped son. The adult actors are also astounding, including Christian Friedel, who plays the school teacher that slowly becomes more suspicious about the happenings taking place.

           Downs:
           NIL.

           Consensus:
          Overall, The White Ribbon is a beautifully-shot mystery with such subtle yet alarming and unnerving intensity. It is violent without the violence and horrific to watch even if we hardly see the horror at hand. Even though the film's colors are black and white, The White Ribbon really shows how nothing is black and white and allows us to figure out who falls under which color.

Grade: A+

Review: Theory of Everything (2014)

                                         

             
                               I Have A 'Theory' That This Film Is A Biopic Done Right
       
       I remember when I did my review of the trailer for Theory of Everything, I said that when I watched it, my biggest fear was that this film would end up being A Beautiful Mind 2.0 since they both deal with a famous professor trying to overcome their physical or mental disabilities with support from their wives, but I loved how this film threw those worries out the window and managed to become one of the better biopics to come out in recent memory.
       
        Story:
      Theory of Everything follows the real-life story of Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his wife Jane (Felicity Jones) from when they meet over the course of their days at Cambridge to when Hawking becomes diagnosed with ALS.

          Ups:
        I'll start off with the performances. First, I'll get into Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking. Redmayne is outstanding and the 'genius' of his performance is that even as Hawking slowly succumbs to his illness, Redmayne manages to showcase the optimism and vulnerability in Hawking's heart through small gestures. Since the film is a biopic, this performance doesn't feel like simple mimicry as Eddie Redmayne manages to offer his own special complexities to a real-life figure. Felicity Jones is also outstanding as Jane and while she doesn't have a more physical role like Redmayne does, she does showcase the tough emotional commitment to the role without any larger-than-life style acting and I love that Jones is getting the same amount of praise that Redmayne is. Even though there is some solid supporting work from actors like Charlie Cox, Emily Watson, and David Thewlis aka Professor Lupin, it is very much Eddie and Felicity's movie.

         Next, I'll get into the direction by James Marsh. I thought this film was shot beautifully and quite Malick-esque as why there is special lighting in certain scenes, the film is shot with quite a bit of gritty realism. I also thought that the score was quite beautiful as well and interestingly, it not only carried over the lighter scenes, but some of the more heartbreaking ones like a scene that involves Jane and Stephen playing croquet after Stephen is diagnosed with ALS  and as Jane is watching Stephen, we can get the sense of what kind of guilty emotions she is going through thanks to Jones' acting as well as the score, in my opinion.

        Downs:
        NIL.

        Consensus:
        Overall, The Theory Of Everything is a beautifully-crafted biopic that deals with the complications of love in a more natural way. The performances by Redmayne and Jones are absolutely astounding and the direction by James Marsh is enough to make ones like Terrence Malick proud.

        Would I Recommend It?:
        If you like love stories and don't want one that is too sugarcoated, I would say yes. Plus, if you are fond of Stephen Hawking and his work, I would say give it a watch.

Grade: B-
       

Review: Nightcrawler (2014)

                               

                           
                                           'Nightcrawler' Shines Even With Its Dark Tone
               
          I have always felt that anybody can be a journalist by simply turning on the record button on whatever device they have and that might be why newspaper and TV journalism are dying breeds. Even though Nightcrawler never taps into the new age of journalism might be living in, nor does it say how TV journalism isn't as relevant as social media, it still tells an old-fashioned story in a rather new way.
                       
           Story:
          Nightcrawler is about a man named Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) who, desperate for work, decides to enter the dark underworld of crime journalism. Once he uses his camera with the help of his assistant Rick (Riz Ahmed) to film events ranging from carjackings to home invasions, Bloom starts to take things a step too far as he blurs the line between observer and aggressor with the aid of a TV news director named Nina (Rene Russo).

           Ups:
         I'll start off with Jake Gyllenhaal's performance. Gyllenhaal gives probably the best performance I've seen him give thus far. It is an impressively layered performance as his gaunt appearance represents how his character is like a hungry animal and yet his performance also lies in the shift of his voice. Through the light tone that he talks in, underneath that lies charm, drive, and even vanity. I always thought he was a good actor, but he is just tops in this. Next, I'll get into Rene Russo. Since Russo has been under the limelight for quite some time, it is nice that Russo has a role she can really sink her teeth into as a news head with a Diana Christensen complex. Riz Ahmed is also very good as Lou's more sympathetic intern who slowly learns the error of his ways once he partners with his sociopathic boss.
       
         Another thing that I liked is how they didn't show the more glamorous side of L.A. yet they didn't show the ugliest side of either (i.e., South Central). In the film, Nina says how she wants to focus on crime in middle-class America and not only does Lou do that, but once we see his antics get much worse as the film progresses, we realize that by simply hitting the record button on our camcorder or smartphone, anybody can become a journalist and that actually left me a bit shaken after the film ended. While I have a weird feeling that it may leave some aspiring journalists optimistic at the idea that by hitting the record button, their dreams may occur, but at the same time, there are those that are willing to go for the literal gory details by whatever means.

          Downs:
         I did think that there were small points that the film dragged, but that could be because I watched this early in the morning and I might not have had enough coffee. Other than that, I had no major problems.

          Consensus:
         Overall, Nightcrawler is a tense thriller that features a rich performance by Jake Gyllenhaal that is transformative in many ways. While it has a small optimistic twist, it still really 'crawls' underneath your skin.

          Would I Recommend It?:
         If you want to be a journalist, I would say "yes". This could serve as a warning saying if you want to find your own stories, do so without having to break somebody's back. Also, if you like Jake Gyllenhaal, I would definitely say give it a watch.

Grade: B+

Indie Review: Whiplash (2014)

                     

         
           'Whiplash': A Film About How To Become An Artist That Encompasses Itself In The Form Of Blood-Stained Drumsticks

                As an artist, one piece of information I always try to keep in the back of my mind is how trying to be a part of that profession can easily take a toll on my psyche. While thankfully, I haven't experience that sort of thing (yet), I can certainly see why that piece of advice would float around. Many artists have either suffered for their art or suffered trying to accomplish their art and Whiplash  manages to weave in quite a bit of both. It shows the dangers of art by showing those that try to push us to the limits and the blood, sweat, and tears that come with trying to accomplish our art.

                                 
                Story:
               Whiplash follows the story of a student named Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) who attends the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory of Music and looks to be one of the great drumming greats. However, he is forced to undergo the extreme trainings of teacher Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) who does whatever it takes to push his students, even if it means causing his students to shed real blood, sweat, and tears.

                 Ups:
               One thing that I really liked about the film was the brilliant acting. Miles Teller, who you might've caught this year as Peter in Divergent and who will star as Mr. Fantastic in the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot gives such an accomplished and layered performance. He really excels as a youngster who starts off emotionally neglected but slowly becomes more aggressive yet arrogant in order to achieve his simple goal while handling Fletcher's abuse. Next, I'll get into the extravagant brilliance of J.K. Simmons. Simmons also gives a very layered performance as the teacher who acts as a devilishly manipulating puppet master and with slight comedic relief. Yet, even when he acts like a monster, there are even scenes where we see that he is also simply a man. Plus, another aspect of Simmons' genius is that early on in the film, when Simmons would enter the classroom, the students would shiver in fear, giving the audience an idea of what they are in for.

               Next, I'll get into the editing and the direction. What I loved about the editing was how it was just like "5,6,7,8", "click, click, click". In other words, it was quite snappy and fast paced yet quite sequential. For example, after Andrew starts handling abuse from Terence, the film immediately cuts to the following sequence where Andrew increasingly tries to figure out one of the songs they need to learn and as the sequence fastly continues, I was on the edge of my seat since Andrew gets more and more intense and I felt like I was taken to a darker and darker psychological place. The film doesn't get much lighter afterwards. So, the film's fast editing manages to showcase the psychological effects of pushing one's self, I would say. I also loved the direction by writer/director Damien Chazelle. It was interesting how Chazelle is able to literally showcase the blood, sweat, and tears that comes with being an artist and show how drumming can be more intense than it appears. Plenty of artists have some kind of drive to be some of the best, but with this film, we see what kind of psychological toll it takes on those types of artists. I would say my favorite direction-driven scene has to be the final 10 minutes. I won't give it away but I'll say that the film's climax shifts the film into a rather psychological battle of wits and everything about that sequence, much like the film, was astounding: The performances, the editing, the direction, and the sound.

              Downs:
             NIL.

              Consensus:
             Overall, Whiplash is a rather ferociously psychological demonstration of the blood, sweat, and tears that come with trying to be an artist. The performances by Teller and Simmons are both astounding, the editing is very snappy and keeps you engaged, and the direction by Damien Chazelle is certainly something to behold. Its sticks simply hit the right snares.

Grade: A+
             

Indie Review: Obvious Child (2014)

                                 

                                     
                                                A Rather Less 'Obvious' Rom-Com
     
                       While horror movies have been the subject of many jokes, if there is any other type of film that has been the subject of plenty of jokes, it has to be another one riddled with cliches: the romantic comedy. But Obvious Child manages to be an anti-romantic comedy of sorts that touches on a controversial topic without making too much light of it.
 
              Story:
             Obvious Child follows the story of a bookstore keeper named Donna (Jenny Slate) who moonlights as a comedian. After her boyfriend dumps her, she meets a nice man named Max (Jake Lacy) one night after a stand-up routine when she drowned her sorrows in alcohol. Both Max and Donna then have a one-night stand, only for Donna to become pregnant afterwards. The film then follows Donna going through her decision to abort and trying to tell Max.

              Ups:
            I'll start off by discussing the performance by Jenny Slate. Slate manages to not only manages to showcase Donna's dreadful despair but channels her character's neurosis with a rather comedic grace. She just portrays her character simply going through the motions and does a grand job at it. Not only was she perfect for this role because of her brilliant performance, but it is something about her squeaky voice that made her a good fit. Through her facial tics and high voice, Slate is able to showcase that Donna really is kind of a child herself and add some layers to her character. I'd also love to acknowledge her supporting players, including Gaby Hoffmann, who plays Donna's roommate Nellie, and Jake Lacy, who portrays Max, Donna's rather unaffected fling. I also thought Polly Draper did a very nice job as Donna's mother Nancy who is controlling yet ultimately loving and understanding.

            Another thing that I thought was really nice was how even though the film deals with the topic of abortion, it doesn't necessarily glamorize it or go into the deep politics of it. Even though this is a piece of comedy portraying such a serious and controversial topic, the makers weren't trying to force feed to the audience the idea that abortion is awesome or anything like that. Although, they do use that whole device of the topic to give the ending a rather ironic twist. Speaking of the writers, I absolutely loved how even though the film is a romantic comedy, the film is void of cliches. There is no "nice guys finish last" cliche, montage of the couple separately pondering, or "true love" cliche. Thank you, writer-director Gillian Robespierre! I can't wait to see what you have lined up next!

            Downs:
           NIL.

            Consensus:
           Overall, Obvious Child is a gem of a romantic comedy (never thought I'd say that) with a fantastic star-making turn from Jenny Slate, brilliant and flawless writing, laughs and a lot of heart. It betrays conventions of its specific genre while not being too judgmental of its subject matter.

            Would I Recommend It?:
            If the abortion topic doesn't bother you and if you like love stories or comedies but hate cliched Hollywood "gorgeous white people in love" rom-coms, then I would say this is a must-see.

Grade: A+

Review: Interstellar (2014)

                                         
       

         
                     'Interstellar': A Rather Poetic Odyssey Into The Depths Of Time And Space
           While I do enjoy films that are set in space, I tend to feel that some of them, like 2001 and Gravity, have given off a rather cold vibe since I wasn't able to have some kind of emotional connection with them. Thankfully, Interstellar manages to not only be a grand space epic, but a poetic one about the power of love and because of this, manages to surpass both 2001 and Gravity, in my opinion.

             Story:
             Interstellar follows the story of a man named Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) who is coerced into going on a journey into space, alongside a group of explorers named Amelia Brand (Anne Hathaway), Romilly (David Gyasi), and Doyle (Wes Bentley). They all go on a journey into a wormhole to potentially find a new home for mankind because Earth is slowly dying off.

             Ups:
            I'll start off with discussing the film's score by Hans Zimmer. It is absolutely beautiful and while it has the traditional classical score that film composers tend to use, it is also a more futuristic spacey sound to fit the film's story. It may not be as booming as his score for films like Inception, but it is just harmonious.

            Next, I'll get into the film's thematic material. One thing that surprised me about the film's theme was how, and hopefully this doesn't spoil anything, but it deals with the power of love and how it can transcend into time and space. It manages to show just how strong love is without going into that whole Hollywood "love conquers all" B.S. that films like A Beautiful Mind try to force feed us. One aspect that encaptures the whole theme of love is definitely the relationship between Cooper and his daughter Murph, which is the heart and soul of the film. The main reason Cooper goes into space is so he can return to his family and again, that fits the whole theme of love that the film has. Plus, the scene where Cooper tells Murph goodbye almost had me in tears.

            Next is the direction from Mr. Christopher Nolan. I loved how even though this is a large-scale film, the way Nolan directs it makes it seem like a film on a smaller-scale. It manages to be futuristic yet completely grounded in reality. Also, I thought the visuals and shots of space are absolutely beautiful and while they certainly aren't THE things that make the film, they are very impressive. One of my favorite space scenes is when the astronauts are in the frozen landscape where even the clouds are frozen. I also thought the film was beautifully shot by cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, who also did Let The Right One In, Her, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and The Fighter. 

            I'll get into some of the performances. Matthew McConaughey once again delivers as Cooper, the leader of his exploration group who leads them with an almost collective cool yet in his more quiet moments, we see him as his most emotionally vulnerable. But while the other actors, including Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, a surprise cameo, and Casey Affleck, are very good, there are a few I'd like to acknowledge: Mackenzie Foy, who plays the younger version of Murph and for such a young child actress, she gives a very mature and grounded performance. Also, I thought John Lithgow was a standout as Cooper's father-in-law and he provides some nice mild comic relief.

            Lastly, I'll get into the screenplay. The screenplay is like a smoothly flowing ocean, in my opinion, as it goes from one act to the next. I've read that some people have problems with the film's script and while I disagree, I can still see why they had the problems with this film that they did. I'll be honest and say there were a few points that didn't make sense but eventually, I was like "Oh, alright". Other than that, I didn't have any problems with the film.

            Downs:
            NIL.

            Consensus:
           Overall, Interstellar is a poetic visual saga that transcends the power of love and humanity. It is brilliantly acted, beautifully shot and directed, has a terrific score and is a grand epic without ever trying to be grand.

            Would I Recommend It?:
           Absolutely. Whether you are a fan of Nolan, space movies, or movies in general, you should buy a ticket and give this a watch.

Grade: A-

Indie Review: Frank (2014)

                   

              'Frank': A Surprisingly Poignant Black Comedy With Plenty Of Thematic Material Behind Its Big Mask
                                     
               "Dying is easy, comedy is hard". That old saying is surprisingly quite true since it is easier to make people cry than it is to make people laugh, especially since there are many different types of humor. But while Frank is labeled as a black comedy, it isn't exactly packed with laughs, yet it still manages to work as a comedy with some poignant dramatic moments.

               Story:
             Frank follows the story of an aspiring musician named Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) who stumbles across a rather eccentric musical band led by a man who wears a paper-mache head named Frank (Michael Fassbender). Once he figures out the talent this band has, he tries to get them noticed through social media but with uncanny results.

               Ups:
             First off, I thought the performances were fantastic. Even though the film is titled Frank, it is very much Domhnall Gleeson's movie. He is very dynamic as the wannabe musician who is just hoping to fit in and undergoes a subtle yet intense arc. Michael Fassbender once again is fascinating as the eccentric Frank and delivers a 180 from his performance in 12 Years A Slave which is a 180 from his performance in Shame, so he is really proving himself as one of the best actors of our generation. Fassbender is able to capture such powerful emotions even when we never actually see his face. That is remarkable acting right there. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays one of the band members and she is a scene-stealer as Clara, an acid-tongued, theremin-playing nymph.

              Next, I'll get into the story. Now, what surprised me about the story is that while it is essentially a black comedy, it surprisingly had a lot of dramatic moments and (*possible spoiler alert*) deals with themes of mental illness. Yet, I was fascinated by how they managed to weave that into a story about music, as well as social media since there are scenes where we see what Jon is tweeting or blogging. Plus, it works as a buddy comedy. So, the whole story was interesting and shows how the screenplay is one of the films greatest strengths.

               Downs:
              NIL.

               Consensus:
              Overall, Frank is a black comedy that may not be laugh-out-loud, yet it still manages to work. The performances are terrific, the fascinating storyline is multi-faceted, the music is even pretty good, and I was simply in awe after I finished watching it.

               Would I Recommend It?:
              If you like black comedies, then I would say "yes". Also, if you are a Michael Fassbender fan, but if you are a female fan and you like to look at him, you may be a little disappointed seeing him with his face covered.

Grade: A

Trailer Talk #22: Selma, The Gambler, Serena, American Sniper, Chappie, The Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Hello, Bloggers, welcome to another episode of Trailer Talk. For this episode, I will review a bunch of trailers that I have seen online for you folks. Let's take a look at what they are:

Selma: First up is the trailer for the upcoming biopic Selma. Now, the film is about Martin Luther King and I think it is very nice they are finally doing an MLK biopic. We already had one about Malcolm X, so it is nice that they might finally be making a companion piece to it. I also love the casting choice of David Oyelowo as MLK. I have become a fan of his work since I saw him in The Butler and while I watched him in the trailer, I kept forgetting it was him which might be a good sign. Before I saw the trailer, I actually didn't think much of the film but after watching it, I became a bit more interested. Since this comes out around awards season, I might check it out if it gains any momentum.

The Gambler: Next up is the trailer for The Gambler starring Mark Wahlberg. Much like Selma, I didn't think a whole lot of this film before I saw the trailer, but after finally watching it, I still don't really think much of it. I mean, I do love Mark Wahlberg, and I really like Brie Larson, Jessica Lange, and John Goodman who also star. But this one just isn't grabbing me as of right now. It could be because this type of film isn't for me. But regardless, I might not check it out in theaters.

Serena: Next is the trailer for Serena, starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. It has taken quite a while before this film would even receive a trailer, but watching the trailer makes me realize why it took such a while for this film to be released. Despite the talent it has, I don't think it looks that brilliant. Cooper's accent is a little botched and Lawrence's performance seems a bit too stoic. I like both actors, but they don't seem to be in top-form here and the film doesn't seem all that good to begin with.

American Sniper: Next up is the upcoming Oscar hopeful American Sniper starring Bradley Cooper and directed by Clint Eastwood. Now, Cooper seems like he is doing a really nice job here and I loved how the trailer mostly focuses on Cooper waiting to shoot his target while cutting back and forth between flashbacks. I thought that was a nice touch. Even though, I am not much of a war movie guy, I might check this one out depending on its awards traction.

Chappie: Next up is the sci-fi pic Chappie, directed by Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium). Sci-fi is definitely Blomkamp's forte and I love how each film, he takes a social issue like racism and class and translates them into inventive science fiction stories. But this one seems to have a rather typical "alien or robot trying to find acceptance" storyline and I am not entirely sure whether this one is reinventing the wheel or not. I like his work though, so I may give it a watch.

The Avengers: Age of Ultron: With this one, I saved the best for last. The Avengers: Age of Ultron is probably my most anticipated movie of 2015 and May 1 can't come soon enough, in my opinion. one thing I really liked about this trailer is definitely the remix of "I've Got No Strings" from Pinocchio. It hasn't gotten out of my head ever since. I'm seeing this in the movie theaters. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Now, onto my final rating system of each trailer:

Selma: Eh, You've Peaked My Interest
The Gambler: Rental
Serena: Rental/NO!
American Sniper: Eh, You've Peaked My Interest
Chappie: More Than Likely
The Avengers: Age of Ultron: Gotta See It!

So, that was my latest episode of Trailer Talk. My next episode will come once I see new trailers online and/or I go to the movies next. Until then, thanks for reading!

Oscars 2015: Where We Are In The Race So Far

Hello, Bloggers, so far, we are in November, which means that plenty of heat is being packed in awards season. So, I figured that I'd give another rundown on how the six major categories will play out in terms of who could get in. But before I do, I'd just like to add that I love how in the Best Picture category, there is no clear frontrunner. Let's take a look:

Best Picture:
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
Foxcatcher
Gone Girl
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Theory of Everything
Unbroken

With Clint Eastwood's American Sniper being pushed to the end of this year, it could either go the way of Million Dollar Baby or J. Edgar. But in case it goes the way of the former rather than the latter, I'll predict it gets in and Eastwood will be back in Oscar's good graces. Birdman is making quite a splash thanks to its critical acclaim and run in the specialty box office, so one could expect it to make it in the top category, as well as several others. Expect similar results for Boyhood. Foxcatcher has yet to be released to the public but it is making a splash with critics and had plenty of buzz since Cannes. Plus, director Bennett Miller has a perfect track record with the Oscars. But Gone Girl has been released to the public and has made over $100 million domestically. So, that film is a one-two punch thanks to its favorable reviews and B.O. run. This means that director David Fincher could once again go up against Harvey Weinstein, who has the biopic The Imitation Game and helped The King's Speech win BP over Fincher's critical and audience darling The Social Network. Could history repeat itself or be rewritten if these two films end up duking it out? Also, Christopher Nolan, who had Inception in contention the year The King's Speech won, has another sci-fi pic up his sleeve with Interstellar, which could either be this year's Gravity or 2001, in terms of the amount of golden trophies since 2001 only won Visual Effects. Speaking of biopics, we also have the Stephen Hawking pic Theory of Everything in the mix. I said in my review of the trailer that it feels like A Beautiful Mind 2.0. But plenty of us know how the results of that film turned out and who knows how this one will. Lastly, in case we end up with 10 films, Unbroken looks to be a strong contender thanks to the involvement of director Angelina Jolie as well as the Coens who are a couple of the film's screenplay writers. Plus, the film is about WWII, so that might help.

Best Picture: A Most Violent Year, Big Eyes, Grand Budapest Hotel, Into The Woods, Mr. Turner, Selma, Whiplash

Best Director:
Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game
Christopher Nolan, Interstellar
Angelina Jolie, Unbroken

Now, this race is pretty open in my opinion. While there might be a few sure things, the other contenders could just squeeze in. Linklater and Innaritu, you can check off, as of right now. I want to say David Fincher could get in because Gone Girl could get in for BP, but I don't want to hold my breath. I would say Nolan has a likelier chance because his film is a likely B.O. win like Gone Girl and there was a bit of outcry over his snubs for both The Dark Knight and Inception, so they could finally decide "Let's just put him on our ballot" because as of now, I would say he is under the influence of the "Steven Spielberg effect" since while he does get some recognition by the Academy and his films usually win, he himself never actually walked away with any Oscars much like Spielberg before he started making more Oscar-friendly pics. I might even say check off Angelina Jolie for Unbroken, although they could decide they've rewarded her enough since she already has a 2-1 record (With wins for Best Supporting Actress for Girl Interrupted and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award) and when you have a higher winning than losing record, it's VERY difficult to get nominated again. But, who knows.

Dark Horses: Clint Eastwood, American Sniper, Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher, David Fincher, Gone Girl, Wes Anderson, Grand Budapest Hotel, Ava DuVernay, Selma

Best Actor:
Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, Theory of Everything
Timothy Spall, Mr. Turner

Now, this race almost seems pretty sewn up, thanks to the first four contenders on this list. Michael Keaton is receiving rave reviews for his stellar, career-best work in Birdman and could easily be a comeback story a la Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler. Just hopefully Keaton has different results than Rourke. Steve Carell looks to be another lock for his transformative work in Foxcatcher and the Academy loves when a. comedians reinvent themselves and b. actors physically alter themselves. So that is a one-two punch for Carell. But how about a British invasion of two young fellow thesps: Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne, who are playing real-life people WWII cryptologist Alan Turing and Stephen Hawking, respectively. But the final slot, I would say goes to Timothy Spall for Mike Leigh's Mr. Turner. Usually, Mike Leigh's women (Imelda Staunton, Brenda Blethyn, Marianne Jean-Baptiste) tend to be recognized, but how about one for the boys, right?

Dark Horses: Bradley Cooper, American Sniper, Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler, Jack O'Connell, Unbroken, Channing Tatum, Foxcatcher (unless they put him in Supporting), Miles Teller, Whiplash, Mark Wahlberg, The Gambler

Best Actress:
Amy Adams, Big Eyes 
Felicity Jones, Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild

Even though many of us haven't really seen Big Eyes and it doesn't seem to be packing much heat, I might still predict Amy Adams since she has officially become an Oscar darling at this point. But in case, she doesn't, I'll say that Emily Blunt gets in for Into The Woods if that film fares any better than Big Eyes does. But Felicity Jones seems to be a strong contender for playing Hawking's wife Theory of Everything. Although they could potentially put her in supporting. I've heard she is a lead, but these kinds of things have happened before, like how Al Pacino, who was unknown at the time, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for The Godfather for what was clearly a lead role. Not saying the same thing could happen here, just don't be surprised if it does. Julianne Moore has the most momentum as of now for Still Alice for a few legitimate reasons: a. She has a 0-4 record for she is due for one and b. She is having quite a banner year thanks to her involvement in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, her Best Actress win at Cannes for Maps To The Stars, and her stellar reviews for this. But Rosamund Pike, who has no nominations, is another legit contender thanks to her stellar work as the titular Gone Girl, so you could check her name off, hopefully. Another actress who seems to be having a banner year is Reese Witherspoon, who produced Gone Girl and is in contention for her performance in Wild. She already has an Oscar for Walk The Line, but thanks to her recent "Reesurgence", we might finally see her back in Oscar's good graces and prove that her win wasn't a one-hit wonder.

Dark Horses: Emily Blunt, Into The Woods, Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year, Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night, Shailene Woodley, The Fault In Our Stars

Best Supporting Actor:
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Tom Wilkinson, Selma

Another race where the first four seem like legitimate contenders, but the fifth slot is apparently wide open. Plenty are saying Tom Wilkinson could get in for Selma, and I am predicting him just to be safe, but who knows what could happen. But I'll get into the first four. Ethan Hawke is somewhat of an Oscar favorite with 3 nominations under his belt (BSA for Training Day, Best Adapted Screenplay for the Before.. sequels), so if Boyhood fares very well as it is predicted, then I don't see why Hawke doesn't get in (I certainly think he should, along with the next contender). Even though Edward Norton plays a character as equally as egotistical as the main character in Birdman, Norton has been getting an equal amount of praise as Michael Keaton. Despite having "ruffled a few feathers" in the past, luckily it was a while ago and he seems to have cooled off since then, so he could not only be back in Oscar's good graces and score a 3rd nomination (First two are for BSA for Primal Fear and BA for American History X), but Hollywood's good graces. Next is the newest actor to don the Hulk mantle, Mark Ruffalo for Foxcatcher, who also has been nominated in this category but for The Kids Are All Right. There may be plenty of contenders in this category that have already been nominated but at least it isn't like the 2012 BSA category where everybody already won before. Anyways, one contender that hasn't ever been nominated is J.K. Simmons, who has been getting strong buzz for his work as a cruel music teacher in Whiplash. BSA has always been kind to steadily-working character actors (Jim Broadbent, Chris Cooper, John Hawkes, etc.), so something similar could happen here.

Dark Horses: Albert Brooks, A Most Violent Year, Miyavi, Unbroken, Tim Roth, Selma

Best Supporting Actress:
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into The Woods

With the exception of one nominee, not much has changed here. It was announced that Meryl Streep will go Supporting for Into The Woods, which means I should probably automatically put her in the Final Five even though despite having not seen the film yet, I would much prefer her spot go to somebody else. I definitely don't hate Meryl Streep, it's just the woman has nothing to prove and it would be nice to see some fresh blood into the mix. I want to say somebody gets in over her, but I'm not betting on it because she's Meryl. But, Patricia Arquette seems to be a frontrunner still for Boyhood and Emma Stone has been getting strong buzz since her film opened. Keira Knightley could score a 2nd Oscar nomination for The Imitation Game after her first for Best Actress for Pride and Prejudice. Lastly, Laura Dern has also gotten strong notices for her supporting turn in Wild, so since Witherspoon has also gotten strong notices, Dern could easily tag along.

Dark Horses: Jessica Chastain, Interstellar, Carrie Coon, Gone Girl (If this happens, I'll do a victory dance), Carmen Ejogo, Selma, Vanessa Redgrave, Foxcatcher, Kristen Stewart, Still Alice

So, those are my predictions so far in the Oscar race. Up until and after Nomination Day, I will continue doing my coverage and I hope you guys will check out my posts. Thanks for reading and here is to a great awards season!

Indie Review: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

                                       

         
                                    'Birdman' Soars Like A Fierce, Fully Feathered Eagle

          I may have mentioned this before on some of my past reviews, but it is very rare when I say a film is perfection. This certainly describes the film I am about to review. Birdman is not only a perfectly-crafted movie that demonstrates why we love to enjoy and analyze movies, but shows why we love to make movies. Plus, it is a blend of both creative artistic integrity and entertainment.

             Story:
         Birdman follows the story of a former movie star named Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) who looks to recapture his former fame by adapting a short story named What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver into a Broadway play. However, he struggles to overcome his own ego while encountering a few other mishaps, including dealing with the equally egotistical actor Mike Shiner (Edward Norton) as well as the strained relationship between himself and his daughter Sam (Emma Stone).

               Ups:
        Where do I begin here? Probably Everything. But I'll dissect this section to go into more detail other than "it was phenomenal". First off, I'll get into the direction and cinematography. The film was shot by Emmanuel Lubezki, who also did the cinematography for Gravity. While Gravity has an opening 17-minute long take, Birdman is structured as if it is an almost 2-hour long take and I loved how that isn't used as a simple gimmick. Both Lubezki and director Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu manage to use the whole one-take approach for different storytelling techniques, like using the camera as video diaries for all the different characters and there are even scenes where they manage to blend both reality and fantasy. For example, one scene shows a hallucination of helicopters fighting this big giant bird while Riggan then flies around the city and when it comes back to reality, it doesn't cut back to it. The camera just moves around and I was left in awe when I was watching it in the theater. I especially loved the brilliant score by Antonio Sanchez during that scene. When I came home after I saw the film, I started humming the score, which is a blend of both upbeat jazz and traditional classical violin music.

         Next, I'll get into the performances. Michael Keaton gives a career-best performance as Riggan Thomson that is a blend of both comedy and pathos. Keaton is not only perfectly cast for this role because of how great he is, but he is almost a parallel of the character since he played Batman and that is the role that almost defines his career. However, Riggan Thomson actually hears the voice of the character of Birdman, who serves as the devil on his shoulders. So, it is very nice that Keaton is able to poke fun at himself, same with Edward Norton. For those of you who don't know, Edward Norton has had a reputation for being difficult and since the character of Mike is pretty difficult, it is neat to watch him poke fun at himself. But Norton's performance is excellent and rather complex. He doesn't just play a simple, one-dimensional egotist but instead he reveals layers to his character and shows off a more sensitive side in his quieter moments. Next, I'll get into the brilliance of Emma Stone as Sam, Riggan's recently rehabilitated daughter/personal assistant with a lack of a filter. Almost every time Stone was on screen, I would just wait for her to attack and when she does, she has me in stitches. I would say this is her best work since Easy A and almost a complete 180 from her work in that film. Zach Galifianakis is also in this as Riggan's lawyer Jake, who tries to hold the whole play together, and he has some nice comedic moments as well. Naomi Watts has a pretty small role as Lesley, an actress in the play who is an actress in the play and she delivers quite a round character as an actress who becomes rather self-aware that she lacks self-respect. Amy Ryan and Andrea Riseborough also have small roles as Riggan's ex-wife and girlfriend respectively, but like the other actors, they both have characters that are quite round and leave a mark when they are on screen.

        Downs:
        NIL.

        Consensus:
      Overall, Birdman is a rare gem that is a reminder of not only why we watch movies, but why we make them: to try and reinvent the wheel. We watch movies to experience them and thankfully because the film hardly has any cuts, we get the full experience. We get inside the minds of our brilliant characters while we listen to the beautiful score, become entertained, and observe the film's thematic material involving the conventions of show business. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Grade: A++