So it’s Oscar season…
Not that I really care about the Oscars and all
of that – but it just so happens that the last three films that I watched at
the cinema have been recently announced on the Oscars noms list.
So here are three quick reviews for your
perusal, presented here under the guise of being linked somehow by their
Oscar-iness - when in actuality I couldn't give a poop about the Oscars or
their outcome.
Although why Jake Gyllenhaal isn’t up for Best
Actor for Nightcrawler or The Lego Movie for Best Animated Feature
Film is just plain ridiculous! (Insert more pointless and ineffectual internet
outrage here).
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Birdman is something special. On the surface it’s a story of a
faded Hollywood star Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton) trying to regain some
artistic integrity by directing and starring in his own adaptation of a Ray
Carver play.
It’s always entertaining to see
actor’s playing actors, and this behind the scenes look at a troubled
production just before its opening night on Broadway is fascinating in and of
itself - but there is so much more going on here than that.
To wit: Riggan’s mental condition
where he sees and hears his alter ego ‘Birdman’ (the superhero character he
originally became famous for playing), whether or not he actually has any superpowers,
his strained relationship with his family and friends, discussions on the
nature of fame, art, the modern audience, social media and even the concept of critique
itself.
And that’s not even mentioning the
astounding ‘continuous take’ cinematography, the snappy jazz drum score, the
meta-humour of Keaton being a one-time Batman and Ed Norton being a method
actor, Emma Stone’s impossibly big eyes… the list goes on.
Its irreverent nature even lets it
off the hook for people who might accuse Birdman
of being pretentious, although it will definitely rub some viewers up the wrong
way just for being so unconventional (the trailer does not do it justice at
all).
The cast is uniformly excellent,
the dialogue is sharp and witty (whilst also occasionally being silly and unpredictable) and
the film is also jaw-dropping on a technical level (credit to Gravity cinematographer Emmanuel
Lubezeki). There’s nothing else quite
like it.
Also featuring jazz drums is Whiplash, the story of a boy’s
tumultuous relationship with his band’s conductor. Intensity is in spades here
on both sides of this duo: Andrew (Miles Teller) and his desire to be a truly
great drummer (shedding much sweat and even blood throughout), and Fletcher
(J.K Simmons) – whose explosive temperament is constantly physically and
mentally abusing those who don't live up to his impossibly high standards.
J.K Simmons is excellent here
(making J. Jonah Jameson’s shouting seem like a choirboy) and almost every
scene he is in is fraught with tension, dominating - despite looking like an angry turtle
that’s lost his shell.
But it’s not just all simple black and
white stuff - of good versus bad. Much like in Birdman, the subject of what constitutes true artistic greatness is discussed: does
Andrew deserve to be great simply because he desires it? Is that enough? Is
true greatness only borne out of suffering? When Fletcher eventually reveals
his motives – is he right? Does that make it all worth it in the end?
The music is awesome throughout
(even if you aren’t really a jazz fan) and the climax of the movie is a real
‘wow’ moment. Highly recommended.
Another film that involves
obsessions and an unconventional mentor is Foxcatcher,
based on the true story of wrestling brothers Mark and David Schultz and their
encounter with a mysterious and wealthy benefactor John du Pont.
It’s a dark and brooding film
that’s a fascinating look at the damaged psyche of two men: Mark Schultz
(Channing Tatum) who eternally lives in his brother David’s shadow, and du Pont
(Steve Carell) whose need for approval and recognition gradually leads to a
tragic end.
Foxcatcher is a subtle and slow burning
film – and the real draw here are the performances. Steve Carell is the
obvious: barley recognisable under his make-up, his portrayal of du Pont is just as impressive
in a physical sense (the awkward shuffling, the silent and longing looks he
gives from afar) as well as in his delivery (a creepy stilted cadence).
Naysayers of Tatum’s acting
ability will be silenced by his performance here (intense and physical, but
almost childlike at times in his petulance), and Mark Ruffalo quietly shines as
older brother David – a saint when stacked up next to the previous two and the
voice of reason throughout.
All the performances are great, so
much is conveyed by these characters (quite often when they aren’t even
speaking), which makes this film unsettling, intense and fascinating to watch.
So in summary, all three films
come recommended. Oh, and if you are curious about the Oscars, here are the
relevant nominations listed below:
Birdman or (The
Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
– 9 nominations
Actor in a Leading Role (Michael
Keaton)
Actor in a Supporting Role (Edward
Norton)
Actress in a Supporting Role (Emma
Stone)
Best Picture
Cinematography (Emmanuel Lubezki)
Directing (Alejandro G. Iñárritu)
Sound Editing
Sound Mixing
Writing (Original Screenplay)
Whiplash – 5 nominations
Actor in a Supporting Role (J.K.
Simmons)
Best Picture
Film Editing
Sound Mixing
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Foxcatcher – 5 nominations
Actor in a Leading Role (Steve Carell)
Actor in a Supporting Role (Mark Ruffalo)
Directing (Bennet Miller)
Makeup and Hairstyling
Writing (Original Screenplay)
For the full list of all 2015 Oscar nominees, click HERE. The event is due to take place on the 22nd of February.
Not that I care or anything...
25th Jan 2015
No comments:
Post a Comment