Birdman

‘Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)’ is the type of film I love to see and write about.  That doesn’t mean I thought it was a great film, but Director Alejandro González Iñárritu paints a unique and daring vision and that is always something that I respect immensely.  I also enjoy seeing actors leave their comfort zones and explore different genres of film.  “Birdman’ dissects the world of acting and it’s over blown self importance while at the same time embracing its’ passion and need to create.

Riggan (Michael Keaton) is a washed up actor who, at the height of his career, played the superhero Birdman in a series of blockbuster movies in the 90’s.  He left the franchise right before Birdman 3 for artistic reason, but was never able to recapture that level of glory again (an uncomfortably autobiographical role for Michael Keaton to be playing).  Broke and awash in family issues, Riggan decides to write, produce, direct, and star in a Broadway play in a last ditch attempt to show the world his artistic abilities.  To add to the pressure, Riggen must deal with Mike (Edward Norton), a temperamental Broadway star, and his estranged daughter Sam (Emma Stone).  Both drive him to the edge, but he must work with each in order to make his play work and save what’s left of his family life.

The film is often abstract and even though it flows in a linear fashion, it does not always flow coherently.  Scenes often dissolve from one to the next with no discernible transition and leaves the viewer momentarily disoriented.  The camera work is interesting, even if it is taxing at times.  It feels as if the camera is mounted on a person’s shoulder as it follows the action through the backstage halls.  A first person view point that gives the feeling of eavesdropping in on their lives. One plot device that was particularly hard to reconcile with the rest of the story was the evil voice inside Riggan’s head.  It’s a bitter and angry version of his Birdman character that reminds Riggan of his past glory and spurs him, almost Satanically, to create his Broadway show.  To further blur the lines of reality, when Riggan hears this voice in his moments of solitude he possesses super powers.  Whether it’s flight, super strength, or telekinesis, these schizophrenic episodes weave in seamlessly with the reality around him making it all the more confusing.  

Riggan’s lawyer/agent Jake (played surprisingly well by Zach Galifianakas) is the only one fully in Riggan’s corner and his only point of reality and sanity.  While a steadfast friend, Jake still has his eye on the ball and wants desperately to help keep things together so he can be part of Riggan’s glorious return.  Other character relationships are interesting, whether it’s the awkward romance that develops between Ed Norton and Emma Stone’s characters or the lesbian romance between Riggan’s girlfriend and Mike’s soon-to-be ex-girlfriend.  While these are all compelling, the true star is Michael Keaton. His portrayal of Riggan may be uncomfortable given how closely it mirrors his real life, but it is definitely an Oscar caliber performance and I hope he is not over looked come Oscar time. 

I don’t think this film merits all the praise it has been receiving.  I think the fact that it is so unique and also lays bare the vapidness of the acting community strikes a chord with critics as it is not something you see on screen very often.  One scene that particularly resonated with me was when Riggan confronted a ruthless theater critic.  He states that despite the inherent inaneness of acting, being a critic costs nothing.  Artists put everything on the line to create something for the public.  They put their livelihoods, their fortunes, even who they are as people on the line just to create something they hope people will enjoy, whereas critics risk nothing.  They just sit back and judge and their are no personal consequence to their actions.  Something I keep in mind when I write.

I recommend this film for its’ uniqueness and to see well known actors in a different light. I give this film *** stars

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1378069529?ref_=ttvi_vi_imdb_1

Gone Girl

I dedicate this post to my father who passed away recently.  He rarely saw movies, but always had a constructive comment on how my posts were written.  He let me know if I was hitting the mark with my comments or if i talked him out of seeing a film because of what I wrote. 

“Gone Girl”

So, during the slow movie months of September and October, a truly exciting film that I can only call a Thriller comes out.  Starring Ben Affleck and Rosemund Pike as Nick and Amy Dunne, this is the story of a seemingly idyllic couple whose marriage is thrown into the media spotlight after the mysterious and suspicious disappearance of Nick’s beautiful wife Amy.  The film plays into and almost lampoons the conclusions we jump to immediately and the mob mentality that seizes our modern society as a result of a ratings obsessed media.

Director David Fincher builds an elaborate base from which we think we know what happened because the clues are so obvious, but at the same time allows us to doubt what we feel for the very same reason of how obvious the clues are.  Ben Affleck is perfectly cast as the handsome, yet suspicious husband channeling the Scott Peterson case from the early 2000s.  Through police interrogations, Fincher tells the picture perfect storybook tale of how Nick and Amy met and came to be married. They were two people destined to be with each other.  As the story progresses, we begin to see the cracks in the fairy tale, and as our suspicions increase about Nick, so do our doubts about whether he actually did it.

As much as I enjoyed Ben Affleck’s performance, Rosemund Pike’s performance as the missing wife was the true standout for me.  Not only am I impressed when the English can do a flawless American accent, but she has the mannerisms down to perfection too.  She portrays the perfect victim, but at the same time has a sinister and dangerous edge that keeps us guessing.  As her dark side is slowly revealed (actually, quite suddenly at one point in the film), she becomes a source of fear and distrust that rivals, if not exceeds, what we feel for her husband Nick.  I can’t go into much more of a synopsis without giving away key plot points, so I will just say that there are very few innocents in this film and Fincher has a way of making everyone sympathetic and deplorable at the same time.

David Fincher has an impressive track record of creating thrilling film noir.  Having achieved almost perfection in the film ‘Seven’, he has used this type of film making over the years even in his lighter faire such as ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons’.  Watching ‘Gone Girl’ makes me realize how truly absent the art form of the Thriller has become in the modern movie landscape.  Films that take their time building tension and demand our attention to even the minutest plot points have become increasingly rare.  Today’s audiences seem to have lost the appetite for storytelling and nuance opting for instant gratification action sequences that appeal to our attention deficit.  

While one can just enjoy the whodunnit storyline of this film, it is also an effective social commentary of our media culture as well.  It lays bare the hunger that the media has for sensationalism over truth.  They look for the angle that gets the most people into a frenzy, no matter who it hurts.  In a small, but pivotal role, Tyler Perry plays the spotlight-hogging, sleazy defense attorney, yet ends up being one of the more virtuous characters in the story.  His understanding of how the media ‘system’ works is something that Nick clings to during his most trying times.

I highly recommend this film.  It’s a great fall movie night film that leaves you talking about it long after the credits roll.  See it with a date, but it might give you second thoughts about getting married.

I give this film *** 1/2 stars out of four

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1541712921?ref_=ttvi_vi_imdb_1