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It's a new week ladies and germs, and this is a unique week. Unique in the fact that three of these movies are still playing in theaters right now, so you can see one/all 3 or not see any or just tell me to fuck myself. Either way, lets engage man. And a preemptive fuck you too. But thanks for the view and share if you can. But mainly, enjoy.
Birdman (November 2nd, 2014)
Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Starring: Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Zack Galifianakis, and Emma Stone
This movie has had a lot of hype leading up to its release. For one, Inarritu is a guy who tends to make movies the Academy likes even if they don't break out in the world. Secondly, rumor had it that it was going to be filmed to look like it was all done in one take. But thirdly, and most importantly, it was the leading man return for Michael Keaton. Not only that, but the movie is about a washed up actor who was a comic book movie star 20 years ago. So it may not be completely autobiographical, but there is some life leaking into the art here that was fascinating from the go. Now, the good news is that Keaton is electric. He is really on fire and gives on of the best, if not the best, performance this year. The academy will be calling with a nom soon enough. Secondly, Norton and Stone manage to keep up with Keaton and elevate the movie above one man performance piece. Norton in particular is great as the asshole actor who can only be alive on the stage. And thirdly, the movie is visually gorgeous, the long take aesthetic working really well with the seams being hidden very well. But that third point kinda plays into the negatives. By being too worried about the technology of the movie, the movie is a bit hampered in the emotional story being told. Hell, the technology itself is kind of the problem (much like Gravity last year, by Innaritu associate Cuaron). By sticking to the long take aesthetic, it severely limits the storytelling possibilities. Aside from the three actors I mentioned, the cast is severely underused and underwritten because of this and it is kinda odd. And even the other two not Keaton are a tad underserved. There's an emotional story in there about a mans struggle between his art and his life, but it is all a bit one sided with his art because we can never see him outside the job. Innaritu does his best with the very experimental technique, but it hinders the movie. Now, the movie isn't bad. But it could have soared, because Keaton kills and the movie has some pretty good laughs in it. It does feel, though, like it is all about Innaritu going for the throats of critics here so theres a whiny element to it. But it works in the end. For those who wanna see Keaton more alive than he's been in a long time, this is heaven. For others, it might not work too well. But I'll recommend it, because even if it doesn't work completely, the world needs more experimental movies like this.
Amistad (November 2nd, 2014)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Djimon Honsou, Matthew McConaughey, Morgan Freeman, and Anthony Hopkins
Spielberg has a reputation for making movies for kids. Having seen the vast majority of his movies, that is absolute bullshit and if you believe that then you're a pretentious jerkoff. Does he make blockbuster movies every now and then? Yeah, and he's the master of them. But even movies like Jaws and Raiders of The Lost Ark are dark as fuck movies that only get seen by kids because they are transcendent pieces of cinema. Just go to his output in the 90s and you can see a growth as he went to specifically adult oriented movies. Schindlers List was a sobering look at the Holocaust and the first sign of the leap he made. Sure, he made Jurassic Park the same year (fucking, seriously). But that was no child like movie. His next grown up film was this fantastic look at slavery, again making a Jurassic Park the same year (what a tonal fucking whiplash that year was for him again). This is a fantastic movie, and it's fucking wild that this isn't the best movie he made in the 90s. What is really interesting about the movie is that it takes the form of a courtroom drama, similar to Lincoln. But where Lincoln was a movie about the abolishment of slavery without dealing with the effects of slavery and the horrors, it was a clean movie about how the Civil War was an irritating event for white folk. This has so much heart and so much emotions, showing the absolute horror of the practice. Also, by making it a courtroom drama, it highlights the mind boggling way that blacks were looked at back then. They were just property and had to be fought over in property disputes. McConaughey knows this, as a property lawyer who realizes how the case has to be fought. Not with logic or emotions, but with the mind to realize how things were seen. Freeman is the free man who McConaughey comes to help in the trial trying to free the slaves. Freeman doesn't have much to do, but there is a powerful moment where all the history of the practice hits him like a fresh wound. McConaughey shows that he was always talented, another in a string of good 90s flicks before the romantic comedies lured him away. He brings to life the man smart enough to realize how to fight the case. Hopkins brings some old man fire as John Quincy Adams. But the highlight is Hounsou, the heart and soul of the film. He is the slave who is designated the de facto leader, the one who works with McConaughey and Freeman and Hopkins. The pain and intelligence he shows is astounding. Without him, the movie would work significantly less. This is a powerhouse of cinema and comes highly recommended.
Nightcrawler (November 4th, 2014)
Director: Dan Gilroy
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, and Bill Paxton
Jake Gyllenhaal has seemingly been on the warpath to show what a talented actor he is after a bad few years of trying to be an action hero. And he's been delivering with some great performances. He just got better. This is an amazing performance. Lou Bloom is a creeper for the fucking ages. Jake brings out the lack of humanity in him. He's not even hiding. Anyone with some good sense in them can see something is off. But like any one desperate enough to start a career, he goes above and beyond what he sets his sights on. Only in his case, he breaks the law. A lot. In his case, he decides to take a video camera and film crime scenes and accidents. If blood is involved, he is there to film and send it to a news station for money. Lous desperation to climb the ladder is the crux of the movie. The movie is an indictment of the news media, as the desperation for ratings allows Lou to sell law breaking materials. He crosses the line, but no one will stop him because it makes money for the media. But what's really being attacked is capitalism, the idea of careerism. Climbing the ladder by any means necessary, the idea that you can better yourself by bringing others down is really kinda potent in a world where kids are finding it harder and harder to find work. We're all told that we deserve everything if we work hard enough. All this works through the movie. And it's all fantastic. This is mainly Gyllenhaals movie, but Rene Russo and Paxton do really good work as well. Only problem, not enough Paxton for my tastes. But seriously, this comes recommended. I wish it was a little longer though, only because I was so entranced.
Interstellar (November 6th, 2014)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, and Michael Caine
Not many movies this year come with the hype and baggage that this does. The marketing materials haven been amazing and got everyone in a tizzy. But it also comes from Nolan, a man who is simultaneously loved and hated in equal measure. Coming off the last Batman movie where the reputation hasn't been so kind as time goes on. People are ready to get their knives ready to carve into him, rightfully or not. And the release has shown that they are cutting into it. It's a shame that these miserable cunts are gonna ruin it for some, as this is a really damn fine film. The bitter irony being that it is very much a Nolan movie in execution technically, but it is so different narratively and tonally. Nolan is usually a detached and cold director, not getting very sentimental. That and his knack for technical wizardry have brought about comparisons to Kubrick. Being that this is very similar to 2001 on first glance, people expected 2001. But something must have happened to Nolan, as this is more in line with Spielberg than Kubrick. He is trying to work the heart of the viewer and it's a bit jarring. That isn't to say this is not an icy, technical movie. It is the majority of the ride. But anchoring the movie in McConaughey's relationship with his daughter, the emotions can come out. And without an actor with the blue collar every man appeal of McConaughey in the role and had a typical Nolan lead performance, the movie would fail. Matt is great and nails the emotional scenes, some of them absolute killers. The rest of the cast works well enough, but the other MVP is Mackenzie Foy as the daughter at 10. She helps sell the connection and gives Matt a real anchor. But besides the emotional work at play, the science stuff is real heady. Worm holes, black holes, and the theory of relativity come into play and add to a mind fuck of an ending. Attention must be paid or one could be lost easily. Does everything work? No, mainly some stuff on Earth later in the movie as it cross cuts between the mission. But overall, this is some real smart film making and a real achievement for Sci Fi. Recommended with an open mind and without the hate ready to be stoked.
The Color Purple (November 8th, 2014)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Margaret Avery, and Oprah Winfrey
Spielbergs first foray into serious movie making and it is pretty solid stuff. It's a decades long look at a black woman growing into herself in the early 1900s. Goldberg plays that girl as she deals with the abusive kinda husband she lives with (Glover). She is a bit of a wallflower, afraid to do anything but be subservient. She had two children by her father before being sold to Glover. Being separated from her sister hurts her to the core, leaving her alone in the world. But growing up around these people she slowly starts to grow, mainly due to the character of Shug (Avery). The only real problem I had with the movie is that Spielberg didn't have complete control of the adult nature of the story, so it at times feels a bit light. But then he can drive right into a heavy scene and nail it. Without this movie, we wouldn't have the 90s stuff so I'm ok. But I'll admit that by the end, I got a bit emotional. So it works very well. It'll also probably work well for other people with a leaning towards these kinds of films. It shows the power at hand if it effected me, since these don't usually work for me. Highly recommended.
Nightbreed (November 8th, 2014)
Director: Clive Barker
Starring: Craig Sheffer, David Cronenberg, Anne Bobby, and Charles Haid
This is an interesting little movie here. Released in 1990, Clive Barkers follow up to Hellraiser was butchered by the studio and released in a compromised form, tanking at the box office and essentially being disowned by Barker. But over time, rumors of a longer cut would surface but never come to fruition. But recently, Barker found all the old footage he shot and assembled a cut to tour with. Not an official cut, just everything filmed. So fans hopes of a directors cut seemed very possible. And thanks to the B movie Criterion, Shout Factory, it has come out. 20 minutes longer than that original cut, it truly resembles Barkers original vision. So it's nice to see that. And it's nice that it's his true vision finally, so I can critique a true product. This is barely a good movie. There is a story in here, but Barker either purposefully left it ambiguous or he just lost the thread in the movie. I think he lost the thread. There's stuff about this hidden city for the monsters named Midian and the main guy (Sheffer) is looking for it. But Cronenberg is looking to destroy Midian for some damn reason. Then it all ends in a shootout and ends with the main guy with his girl and they're monsters now. It's all a little half assed in a way, Barker not being able to properly convey what is going on and why we should care. But Barker is a very good visualist and production designer that the movie has something to it that makes it at least entertaining to watch. The acting is fine. In Cronenbergs case, he speaks english so that's good enough I guess. Idk. This one is really only for horror and/or Barker fans. For others, stay back.
Top Movies
1. Amistad
2. Interstellar
3. Nightcrawler
4. The Color Purple
5. Birdman
6. Nightbreed
Top 5 Performances
1. Djimon Hounsou - Amistad
2. Jake Gyllenhaal - Nightcrawler
3. Matthew McConaughey - Interstellar
4. Michael Keaton - Birdman
5. Oprah Winfrey - The Color Purple
Top 5 Moments
1. Overboard - Amistad
2. Trying To Reconnect The Ship - Interstellar
3. "You say I don't understand people..." - Nightcrawler
4. Celie Stands Up For Herself - The Color Purple
5. Birdman Arrives - Birdman
- Tom Lorenzo
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