Inside Out (2015)

Director: Pete Docter
Story: Ronnie del Carmen and Pete Docter
Cast: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Lewis Black and Mindy Kaling
Music: Michael Giacchino
Time: 94 minutes
Bottom-line: The “feel good” film of 2015

From the director of one of my favourite animated films, Up, comes another terrific film: Inside Out. In a time where it’s so rare to see proper family films, this one is simple, elegant, moving and made for all ages, especially teenagers. The title refers to the fact that throughout the film you are seeing the outside world from the inside of a person’s head.

How much ever we deny the fact, it is always true that each one of us have a set of “little voices in the head”. Meet Riley, a eleven year old in Minnesota. In her mind’s headquarters are five personifications of her emotions: Joy (Poehler), Sadness (Smith), Fear (Hader), Disgust (Kaling) and Anger (Black). They take control of her feeling and behaviour using a console. Riley’s five major traits are manifested as five islands, powered by her “long-term memories”. When Riley’s family moves to San Francisco, Riley begins to miss her old home and friends and starts to feel awkward. Joy, as always, tries to keep her in best spirits, but Sadness (in a seemingly deliberate manner) foils with her memory and makes her glum. Following an accident in the headquarters, Joy and Sadness are sucked away into Riley’s “memory storage” and can no longer control her emotions. While the other three personalities try their best to keep Riley happy, they fail miserably. In the course of Joy and Sadness getting back to the base, we see and experience the various emotions of Riley, and in the process realising the role each of these personalities play in our own lives.

The characters 

The idea that all of our emotions and traits can be treated as islands and actual personalities is what impressed me in the first place. I love the way Riley’s feelings create consequences in the headquarters and the islands. The personalities are created beautifully too: each resembling the very emotion they represent! Concepts like “Imagination Land”, the “Train of Thought” and “Memory Dump” are explored in a wonderful manner. The story is beautifully woven and it has such a simple theme too. The vocal work is brilliant. I was amazed the way each artist modifies his/her to voice to sound exactly like their character: Poehler always speaking in a happy mood, Smith speaking in a more or less monotonous depressed done, and not to forget Black having his bursts of temper every now and then.

Riley

The moral the film gives is that it shows its viewers how each human needs a mix of everything – in the beginning Riley is kept happy all the time by Joy, and none of the personalities seem to find any use for Sadness. Yes though all our parents ask us to be happy every time, feeling sad is not wrong; in fact, sometimes it becomes a necessity. Having too many emotions piled up inside but being only happy on the outside is not good; you need to “let it out” when needed. Towards the end Joy and the others (and the viewers) realise the true purpose of Sadness in Riley’s (and possibly their own) life.

Of course, you must watch the film without scrutinising the mistakes with the plot (which could have ended the film in about 40 minutes itself); just understand that sometimes life deliberately makes you take the longer route to teach a lesson. With excellent animation and a wonderful message, get ready with your family to see the world inside out!

My Rating: 4.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 98%

The Hateful Eight (2015)

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Story: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Walter Goggins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Demián Bichir
Music: Ennio Morricone
Time: 167 minutes
Bottom-line: Hated it! 

In 2013, Tarantino announced the idea of making his eighth film. Then there came the infamous incident of the script bring leaked, and Tarantino went on to say that he cancelled the movie. Now having watched this three-hour-long-film, I wish he had stuck to his decision, instead of going on to film The Hateful Eight. The film is basically QT’s version of And Then There Were None, with of course, the usual elements he adds and eventually spoils a good film. But one new thing QT tried with this film is that he filmed it in 70mm, the widest release in this format in 20 years. While the movie did display the typical 360 degree and the top view shots, I felt that the script was more suited for a stage drama.

SLJ as Major "The Bounty Hunter" Warren

“Got room for one more?” is the sentence that starts the story. Set a few years after the Civil War, the film begins with John Ruth (Russell), a hangman, taking his prisoner Daisy Domergue (Leigh) to Red Rock, and he is stopped by bounty hunter Major Warren (Jackson), who asks for a lift. They then encounter Chris Mannix (Goggins), who claims to be the Sherriff of Red Rock. The four of them are unable to make it all the way because of a blizzard, and they take refuge at Minnie’s Haberdashery, where they meet the person in charge, Bob (Bichir), the local hangman Mobray (Roth), Joe Gage (Madsen) and General Smithers (Dern). As the eight strangers get to know each other, they realise that no one is who they seem to be. The course of events that take place over the new few hours forms the story of the film.

Jennifer Leigh as Daisy "The Prisoner"
Domergue 

Now this is what happens in pretty much all QT films: an elaborate build-up for each character; elaborate build up for the important scenes especially the ones where someone, or usually everyone, dies at the end; lots of dialogues before the final shootout. The exact same thing happens here too. The plot is not really new if you’ve read Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. So what happens in the first 100 minutes is pretty obvious – people mysteriously start dying, the innocent ones first. It is the last one hour where things go bonkers.

(From top left) Russell as Ruth, SLJ, JJL, Madsen as Joe Gage,
Roth as Mobray, Goggins as Mannix, Dern as Smithers and
Bichir as Bob (bottom right) 

The acting made the film interesting though. SLJ and Jennifer Jason Leigh are the standouts, both giving brilliant performances, the former, playing a cunning bounty hunter, and the latter playing a psychotic prisoner, and that is the true highlight of the film. Russell and Goggins have given good supporting roles. Tim Roth tries desperately to imitate Christoph Waltz’ Hans Landa accent and body language... and fails miserably. The other characters barely have more than twenty minutes of screen time, and in fact, Bruce Dern never even gets up from his chair throughout his screen time. One thing I liked about the cast is the variety (importantly, the nickname of each character!). Also, every cast member has that strange look on his face, that immediately makes you doubt something about him, and that helps to build the suspense. But again, just like Django Unchained, the suspense is broken when the guns start talking. Soon it is a matter of who kills who, and that, according to me, ruins a perfectly good plot set-up.

But well if the film still received positive reviews then I guess I am not a QT-movie-liking person... I just feel that while he can build up the suspense well, he cannot keep it going.

My Rating: 2/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 82% 
   

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Story: Christopher McQuarrie, Drew Pearce 
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin 
Music: Joe Kraemer
Time: 131 minutes
Bottom-line: The MI films just get better and better

Though the general notion of any film franchise is that the first film is most successful and the sequels all fail to better it, the Mission Impossible film series has consistently proved to be an exception, with each successive film being more entertaining than the previous ones. The fifth installment of the series comes with more action and a mission more dangerous than anything done before.

Cruise as Hunt, hanging from the door
of a plane

The story begins with Ethan Hunt (Cruise) intercepting nerve gas that was to be sold to terrorists. After the incident, he is convinced of the existence of the Syndicate, an "anti-IMF" criminal organisation believed to be non-existent by most. Hunt is captured by the Syndicate but manages to escape with the help of Ilsa Faust (Ferguson). Meanwhile, CIA Director Hunley (Baldwin) has the IMF absorbed into the CIA, criticising its destructive methods. With Faust’s character being highly unpredictable, and Hunt being “hunted” by the CIA, it is up to Hunt, Brandt (Renner), Benji (Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames) to bring down the Syndicate, with no help at all...

Ferguson as Ilsa Faust

Tom Cruise is 53 years old (I know, I am shocked too!), but just like the character he plays: Ethan Hunt, he is as fit as ever and never seems to age. Yeah that is something you need to digest to enjoy the MI films. From the opening sequence where Hunt is on a plane (and not in it), in the scene where he dives into the underwater vault, and till the final showdown, his stunts are ridiculous (and Cruise did not use a stunt double for the opening sequence), but hey, that’s why people love him isn’t it? Tom Cruise is one guy who has no match in playing the role of Ethan Hunt. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself holding your breath for three minutes for no apparent reason, or if the person next to you complains about you holding his arm too tight. I liked the plot twists in the film, as well as most of the action sequences; the suspense was built up well too.

Renner as Brandt (left) and Rhames as
Luther (right)

Besides Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Pegg and Rhames all reprise their roles, and this cast has done quite well in MI: 4 and MI: 5 (with Pegg giving his regular contribution to dry humour). For Rebecca Fergurson this is the first major film, and to play such a complex character – femme fatale, as they call it – I thought she had done superbly.

Simon Pegg as Benji

That’s pretty much it about this film. If you want to watch it that means you expect a good dose of thrill and adrenaline rush. Rest assured – you will get more than needed! This film’s got a list of jaw-dropping action scenes, edge-of-the-seat suspense, a dozen plot twists and good acting too. This is one entertainment package you do not want to miss!

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 93% 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Director: J.J. Abrams 
Story: Lawrence Kasdan, J.J. Abrams, Michael Arndt
Cast: Harrison Ford, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac
Music: John Williams
Time: 135 minutes
Bottom-line: Visual effects put to good use. That’s pretty much it

Episode VII of the Star Wars franchise was perhaps the most anticipated film of the year, and it’s finally out on screens. The film brings back Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher who all reprise their roles. I am not a hardcore fan of this franchise, which is probably why I didn’t enjoy the film as much as others did.

Ridley as Rey (left), Isaac as Dameron (centre)
and Boyega as Finn

Luke Skywalker (Hamill), the last Jedi, has disappeared. The First Order has risen again and is bent on destroying Luke and the Republic. Luke’s sister Leia Organa (Fisher) leads the Republic. Resistance fighter pilot Poe Dameron (Isaac) receives a map leading to Luke’s location, but just before he is captured by Kylo Ren (Driver) he manages to hide the map in his droid, which escapes, and is later discovered by scavenger Rey (Ridley). Later a Stormtrooper “Finn” (Boyega) helps Dameron escape and they go in search of the droid. Eventually Rey and Finn are met by Han Solo (Ford) and the three of them team up to find Luke.

Ford as Han Solo, and Chewbacca

I did not find anything great about the storyline; in fact, there isn’t one really. The film is just 135 minutes of more or less “video gaming”! Except for the occasional humour, the rest of the time someone is chasing the other and someone else is blowing something up. I felt that the writers could have developed the story a little more, with lesser elements of action. But the good thing that came out of it is the film puts 3D effects and other CGI to good use. All the scenes are dazzling to watch, as are the sets. The cinematography is top-notch.

Driver as Kylo Ren

I did expect the crowd to go wild when Harrison Ford, Hamill, Fisher and C-3PO appeared on the screen, and indeed they did. But whether it is actors who return to the series, or those who star for the first time, there was no opportunity for them to show their skills. Anyone could have played Han Solo in this film; I expected some scene or sequence that only Ford could have perfectly done, but with this amount of action, there wasn’t any. On the other hand, one plus point of the film is that the crew decided to go with the original format to show the opening crawl. And it was good to hear John Williams’ superb score.

The famous Star Wars opening crawl, accompanied
by John Williams' Star Wars: Main Theme

So while The Force Awakens revives the series by bringing back the old stars, as a film by itself, I felt it was quite entertaining, but could have been better in a lot of ways. As to whether one needs to see the first six films before watching Episode VII, I feel that as long as you know the characters well enough, you should be fine.

My Rating: 3/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 94%

The Revenant (2015)

Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Screenplay: Mark L. Smith, Alejandro G. Iñárritu (based on the book by Michael Punke) 
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy
Music: Ryuichi Sakamoto, Alva Noto, Bryce Dessner
Time: 156 minutes
Bottom-line: Spectacular visuals and committed performances make this film a winner

After The Wolf of Wall Street, DiCaprio said he would be taking a long break from acting, to carry on with his environmental activities. Well he’s back, and with what style! The film is titled perfectly too – The Revenant, meaning someone who is back from the dead! Co-starring Tom Hardy as the film’s antagonist, Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s film is a tale of survival, based on the true events experienced by fur trapper Hugh Glass.

1823: A group of hunters and fur trappers are hunting for pelts in the wilderness of Louisiana. They experience a hostile attack from the native Arikara Indians, leading to the death of half the members. The rest of the team escapes in a boat, but their progress is hindered when Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) is mauled by a grizzly bear, and this encounter leaves him nearly dead. The captain offers a payment to the men who are willing to stay behind with Glass while the others continue with their journey. John Fitzgerald (Hardy), Jim Bridger and Glass' son volunteer, but once separated, Fitzgerald reveals his true intentions by almost murdering Glass, saying it is good for the team. Fitzgerald leaves Glass for the dead and escapes. How Glass battles for his life and takes revenge on Fitzgerald is what the film is about.

DiCaprio as Hugh Glass

The main things I liked about the film are the acting and cinematography; the other aspects automatically fit in. Tom Hardy does most of the talking, while DiCaprio barely has 20 lines to speak – most of them in Glass’ native tongue, and of course, a lot of grunting sounds! But what this role does is it shows how terrific DiCaprio’s body language is. One can clearly see the vengeful look he bears in his eyes throughout the film, and of course, he does an amazing job portraying his transformation from an almost dead person to a man strong enough to hunt down Fitzgerald. Tom Hardy plays a cool and calm villain, and he really does make you hate his character. The “dynamic duo” of DiCaprio and Hardy have excellent chemistry between them.

Tom Hardy as Fitzgerald

I am a huge fan of Emmanuel Lubezki, the cinematographer of this film. He has won two back-to-back Academy Awards in this category for Gravity and Birdman. The camerawork is simply superb; Lubezki and Iñárritu have come up with the perfect way to capture the breathtaking landscapes (shot in 12 countries), the actors’ emotions and expressions and the violence. The scene where Glass fights the bear is perhaps the best scene in the film (it will surely obviate any doubt you have as to why it is named a grizzly bear!). In fact, Iñárritu was adamant to shoot without any CGI, and using only natural lighting, and having seen the film, I am amazed that CGI was not used... it seems impossible!

With DiCaprio giving a truly committed performance, I am pretty sure the hot topic in the film industry now is “Will DiCaprio finally win the Oscar?”

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 80%

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Director: Curtis Hanson
Screenplay: Curtis Hanson, Brian Helgeland (based on the book by James Ellroy)
Cast: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito
Music: Jerry Goldsmith 
Time: 133 minutes
Bottom-line: Not the greatest cop film, but a stylish entertainer

I recall reading this in an article few months ago: “If Curtis Hanson directed The Departed, it would be called L.A. Confidential.” This crime thriller features an ensemble cast consisting of new actors like Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce, and also veterans like Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito and Kim Basinger. Nominated for nine Academy Awards, competing with James Cameron’s Titanic, the film ended up getting two: Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress.

1950s, Los Angeles: Sergeant Edmund Exley (Pearce), son of a legendary LAPD detective, is smart, law-abiding and determined to live up to his father’s reputation. Officer Bud White (Crowe) is obsessed with brutally punishing woman-beaters. He is hired by Captain Dudley Smith to beat up criminals trying to fill in the place of Mickey Cohen, the gangster. Sergeant Jack Vincennes (Spacey) is a narcotics detective. He is connected to Sid Hudgens (DeVito), who tips him for leading Sid to celebrity arrests, bringing more readers to his magazine: “Hush-Hush” (which is a reference to the actual 1950s scandal magazine: L.A. Confidential). The three men investigate one case: the Nite Owl killings – a series of six homicides. From then on it is a case of survival, betrayal and typical cop-criminal drama...

Crowe as Officer White, and Basinger as Lynn

To be honest, I did not think the story was so great. It is not a storyline that focuses on one particular track – the first twenty minutes or so introduce the three different cops to the viewers, each with a different background and duty. Then comes the Nite Owl killings that unites the three of them, in a way. Enter Lynn Bracken (Basinger), a Veronica Lake look-alike prostitute, with ties to the case. The story then deals with the separate investigations carried out by White and Exley, and how a series of events affects the rivalry between them. It is pretty much like Martin Scorsese’s The Departed: three cops, one case, and you know that someone in the police department isn’t exactly who he seems to be. The timeline is different, and the characters are better developed here.

Pearce as Lt. Exley

The main thing I loved about L.A. Confidential, was the acting. At a time when Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe had just started acting, Curtis Hanson took a bold decision to include them both, along with veterans like Kevin Spacey and Basinger. This is the film that gave the two of the new actors a lot of fame, thanks to their stellar performances. The “dynamic duo” of Pearce, as the faithful and honest detective, and Crowe, as the violent officer really spice things up in the film. I liked the way their characters had been developed, and the way their rivalry is shown on screen. Kevin Spacey has a comparatively small role to play, as does Danny DeVito, but these two characters provide important links which are responsible for the story to go smoothly. Kim Basinger seemed to put up an okay performance, in my view... and I don’t see why she deserved the Oscar.

Spacey as Sergeant Jack Vincennes

However, the cinematography and dialogues were excellent. The way the violence is shown on screen has a certain style to it, and in fact, every take perfectly captures all the emotions that the director wants the audience to see: be it wrath, envy or sorrow. L. A. Confidential could have been a bit better, in terms of the storyline, but overall, with brilliant acting from Crowe, Pierce and Spacey, the film still provides enough substance to keep you riveted to your seats...

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 99%

Despicable Me 2 (2013)

Director: Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud
Story: Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio
Cast: Steve Carell, Russell Brand, Kristen Wiig
Music: Heitor Pereira, Pharrell Williams
Time: 98 minutes
Bottom-line: Double the fun! 

This is one of the few films, according to me, that are better their prequel. Despicable Me 2 comes with more laughs, more action, and importantly, more minions than the first installment of the series. Steve Carell reprises his role as the super-villain Gru, as does Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario. Kristen Wiig and Benjamin Bratt co-star. This film was nominated for two Oscars at the 86th Academy Awards: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (losing both to Frozen).

Gru (left) and Dr. Nefario (right)

When the world needed a hero, they called a villain. Super-villain Gru has now become a father of three: Margo, Agnes and Edith. He is now using his minions to produce jelly on a large scale, and Dr. Nefario, saying that he has “missed being evil”, leaves Gru for new employment. Gru however, is recruited by the Anti-Villain League, to locate and bring back PX-41, a powerful mutagen. Though reluctant, he is paired with Lucy Wilde (Wiig), and they search the local mall, where the mutagen is supposedly located. They meet Eduardo Pérez (Bratt), a restaurant owner, whom Gru suspects to be El Macho, a legendary super-villain. The adventures Gru and Lucy have together, in the course of which they develop a liking for each other is what the film is about.

Lucy

No matter how old you get, you will always picture the minions as “cute”! And that is perhaps one of the main reasons I loved this film more than its prequel – more minions! The story is interesting – here we see Gru as a family man more than a villain. We see his transition from a good guy to a bad guy now. He starts to have romantic feelings as well (look out for the way his mood changes before and after the song “Happy”). The thing is, I like the way the same character is used, but he has completely new attributes this time. The twist of events in the story is quite unexpected... here’s something for you to think about: what would happen if the minions became evil vicious monsters??

My favourites !!

Even if the overall plot is not that innovative or interesting, it is the animation that makes it worth watching. Illumination Mac Guff has done a terrific job. In nearly every scene the dialogues are funny, or the mere sight of what is happening makes you want to laugh! Watch out for the scene where the minions are on the beach, the scene when Dr. Nefario is given a 21-gun fart gun salute (!!) and the one where the minions are sucked in by the ice cream truck... and yes, these are just few of the many interesting scenes from the film.

Once again, Steve Carell is excellent in voicing Gru, and Kristen Wiig, in the end did a good job too. Despicable Me 2 manages to combine slapstick comedy, drama, romance and action into a 100 minute package, that also comes with brilliant animation. Don’t expect a great story, but you can expect a visual treat!

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 74%

Gone Baby Gone (2007)

Director: Ben Affleck
Screenplay: Ben Affleck, Aaron Stockard (based on the book by Dennis Lehane)
Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman
Music: Harry Gregson-Williams
Time: 114 minutes
Bottom-line: A well-made film, with a climax that may not please everyone

Ben Affleck, as an actor, needs improvement, but as a director, all three of his films have been critical and commercial successes. His feature film debut, Gone Baby Gone is a mystery thriller starring his brother Casey Affleck, and Michelle Monaghan in the lead roles, with Amy Ryan, Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris in the pivotal roles. The film deals with several themes, the main one being the abduction of a four-year-old girl.

Casey Affleck as Patrick, and Michelle Monaghan
as Angie

Dorchester: A four-year-old girl, Amanda McCready is kidnapped. Private investigators Patrick Kenzie (Affleck) and his girlfriend Angie Gennaro (Monaghan) are requested by Amanda’s aunt to find her. The mother, Helene (Ryan), is a coke addict. Helene and her boyfriend Ray had stolen money from a Haitian drug lord, and suspicion arises that he may have Amanda. Patrick and Angie join police detectives Remy Bressant (Harris) and Nick Poole, who are assigned to the same case by Captain Jack Doyle (Freeman). Soon a plan is devised for exchanging Amanda for the money Helene and Ray stole. Is Amanda dead already? Does their plan work? Watch Ben Affleck’s film to find out!

Ed Harris as
Remy Bressant

The film begins with this monologue from Patrick: I always believed it was the things you don't choose that makes you who you are. Your city, your neighbourhood, your family. When your job is to find people who were missing, it helps to know where they started. The film does not deal with the urban “high-class” part of Boston, but the sub-urban part of the city. It makes sense that when someone is kidnapped, the neighbours play a big role. The film talks about the attitude of the neighbours and family members of Helene – how they are desperate to find the girl but still hate the mother for being a coke addict.

The story kicks off immediately. The dialogue-driven thriller contains a fair amount of violence, and a lot of swear words! The film can be classified as a mystery thriller, but towards the end of the second half, the theme shifts to something completely different. The climax is a debatable one, and in fact, the reason for it is a debate between Patrick and Doyle. (Spoiler) What is more important: a child being with her mother even if she does not take care of her, or a child being with any family that cares of her? Patrick feels the former is right, while most of the viewers would choose the second option. There is no right or wrong here... it all depends on the scenario. Maybe the mother could change, maybe she will not. In last scene, we understand that Helene did not even know the name of Amanda’s doll... does that does not necessarily mean Patrick’s decision is wrong.

Amy Ryan as Helene

In all the other aspects, Gone Baby Gone does not disappoint. The cinematography is excellent, and the acting is simple superb. Casey Affleck plays the lead role with a lot of style, and few of his dialogues were impressive and catchy. Next is Ed Harris with another powerful performance. Michelle Monaghan and Morgan Freeman have given good performances as well. Credit also goes to Amy Ryan, who plays Helene McCready, who won an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. I liked the way the characters were sketched. You don’t realise who is the “good guy” or who is not till the end (and maybe not even then!) – it depends on how you want the story to go. If you feel the ending is justified, then you view the characters in one way. If not, then you view them the opposite way.

And Morgan Freeman as
Captain Jack Doyle

Perhaps the way to “describe” the film’s idea would be this tagline: Everyone wants the truth... until they find it. The film is a gripping thriller in the first half, but the second half is full of unexpected events. Whether or not you like the story, the film will certainly impress you, thanks to the brilliant acting, screenplay and presentation.

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 94% 

Birdman (2014)

(or)
The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance


Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Story: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., Armando Bo
Cast: Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis
Music: Antonio Sánchez
Time: 120 minutes
Bottom-line: Soars high up 

The beautiful thing about Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance is that it criticises critics – a small quote in the film says “A thing is a thing and not what is said of that thing”. But still, I felt that I should go ahead and write a review of the film, and here it is. The 120 minute comedy drama film features Michael Keaton, Edward Norton and Emma Stone in the lead roles, with Zach Galifianikis and Naomi Watts in the supporting roles. The film is about an actor, who attempts to regain his fame by directing and starring in a play. While the story is not very impressive, the cinematography and the acting are responsible for making Birdman soar above the rest of the films. Birdman is tied with The Grand Budapest Hotel for maximum Academy Award nominations this year, with nine, including Best Picture, Director and three acting nominations.

Keaton as Riggan, with Birdman behind him

Riggan Thomson (Keaton), an actor known for playing the superhero “Birdman” (also voiced by Keaton) several decades earlier, is now almost unrecognised. He seems to be able to perform telekinesis and levitation, because of Birdman, who appears to be a personality inside Riggan. He attempts to reinvent his career by directing, writing and starring in a Broadway adaptation of a short story: What we Talk About when we Talk About Love. Riggan realises he needs another good actor, and hires a brilliant but explosive method actor, Mike Shiner (Norton). Riggan’s daughter Sam (Stone) is a recovering marijuana addict, who serves as his assistant. With Shiner’s unpredictable nature causing a disastrous preview, and Sam’s drug addictions creating problems, Riggan must find a way to win back his family, his career and his life.

Norton (right) as Mike 

The story was not that great to me. I liked the main theme: how an actor puts heart and soul to creating a successful play, and how he pulls through all the mishaps and speed bumps en route. What I didn’t like was the split-personality of Riggan – the “character” of Birdman hardly appears for more than 5 minutes in the film. Perhaps the one reason I can think of, as to why Birdman is important, is we see Riggan’s transition from “supernatural” in the beginning to “super-real”, towards the end (which will be evident once you see the film). Birdman combines comedy and drama quite superbly. There are few scenes to watch out for: the scene where Mike stars in the first preview, the one where Sam lashes out against her father, and of course, the scene where Riggan is locked out of the theatre in his underwear! The “shocking” that Riggan does on the opening night to show his devotion to realistic portrayal wasn’t that shocking to me because I have already seen the same thing happen in another play here, few years ago. The last scene of the film is left ambiguous for us to interpret what happens: I, for one, can’t find a satisfactory explanation, and am still thinking about it...

Stone as Sam

Now, what I loved most, was the cinematography. The entire film consists only of long shots – giving the impression of a continuous flow. There are very few cuts – all the scenes flow smoothly from one to the next, even though it is not exactly real time. I think that this gives relates the film to a drama, where the actors have only one shot to get their dialogues and actions right: there is no second chance. What the audience see is really what they see, and is not edited or created using a computer. Emmanuel Lubezki certainly deserves the Oscar for cinematography. I remember being so amazed when I saw few long shots in GoodFellas. This film has just left me speechless. Another unique thing about the film is the score: it contains only drums and some classical pieces. But the remarkable thing is that the percussion score actually works – somehow it seems to be in accordance with the scene.

Galifianikis (right) as Riggan's friend
and producer. Naomi Watts as Lesley,
another actress in the play

As far as acting is concerned, Birdman has a great chance of bagging two out of its three nominations: Keaton is simply stunning as Riggan Thomson. There is not a single flaw in his performance from starting to finish. As many others have said already, it would be a shocker it he does not win this time. In fact, the only reason Keaton should not win this time... is because I personally want Cumberbatch to win! Edward Norton is equally remarkable. With his character’s volatile nature, he provides us with loads of entertainment, and his acting style is superb. Norton is my pick for the Supporting Actor category this year. Emma Stone has a comparatively small role, but her performance is amazing, especially in the scene where she has a powerful monologue. Not to forget Zach Galifianikis, whose acting is quite good, and much better than his role as Alan in the Hangover series.

Based on what I have heard and seen, I believe that almost all of the impartial movie watchers have chosen Birdman as their pick as the Best Picture this Oscar ceremony. With powerful acting performances and terrific cinematography as its strengths, Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance is expected to win big at the 87th Academy Awards. The story is okay, but almost everything else about the film is worth mentioning. It provides a whole new experience: a new way of viewing cinema, because of its theme (a film about the theatre) and cinematography. If you love films, Birdman is not to be missed!

My Rating: 4/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 92%  

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Director: Wes Anderson
Story: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness
Cast: Ralph Fieness, Tony Revolori, Willem Dafoe, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton
Music: Alexandre Desplat
Time: 100 minutes
Bottom-line: Delightful to watch... a superb drama

The film with the 9 Oscar nominations – the most this year – The Grand Budapest Hotel seems to be sitting pretty, with a very good chance of garnering awards at the ceremony. Wes Anderson’s film combines comedy, drama, violence, romance... all against the background of the period between the World Wars, into a nice, compact story. Ralph Fieness and Tony Revolori play the lead roles, with a long list of supporting actors, including Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, and others like Bill Murray and Harvey Keitel in cameo roles.

The story is split into seven parts. The first part starts in the present day, with a girl reading a book written by “The Author”. The time shifts to 1985, where the Author narrates his experience of staying at The Grand Budapest Hotel. Back in 1968, when a younger Author (Jude Law) went to the hotel, he notices that it is in a poor state, with very few guests. The state is also ravaged by war. He meets the owner, Zero Moustafa (Murray Abraham), who agrees to share with him his tale. He takes the Author to 1932, when the hotel was under strict supervision of the concierge, M. Gustave H (Fieness), and at that time, Zero had joined as a lobby boy (Revolori). Gustave courts many elderly women residing at the hotel, one of them being Madame D. (Tilda Swinton). A month later, she dies under mysterious circumstances, and in her will, she leaves an expensive painting to Gustave. Hoping to save the painting from the angry family members, Gustave and Zero steal it. Soon, Gustave is also framed for her murder. The pursuit of Gustave by Madame D’s son (Brody), other related events, and how he gets control of the hotel are narrated by Zero to the Author.

Fieness as Gustave H (left)
and Revolori as Zero

Ralph Fieness in a comedy role... that was something that shocked me initially! I mean, seeing him as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series and an equally ruthless villain, Amon Göth in Schindler’s List and now knowing that he would be playing the lead role in the comedy film made me eager to watch The Grand Budapest Hotel. I am still stunned, but this time because I am left speechless by his performance... it was simply amazing. So many subtle expressions, displayed with such panache and grace... he has truly given one of his career-best performances here. Tony Revolori, in his debut film, is quite impressive. Though his face carries a deadpan expression throughout the film, what I liked is that he was able to support Fieness in the lead role. He makes sure the audience notices him, and it is not as though his acting is completely overshadowed by that of Fieness. Willem Dafoe plays Jopling, an assassin hired by Madame D’s son to pursue Gustave. He has the same look – and job – as Schwarzenegger in The Terminator, the doings of Jopling could send a few chills up your spine too! All the other actors do not have much screen time. But one thing I feel is that, because of the costumes and facial make-up, it is quite difficult to recognise some of the familiar faces in the film – personally, it was difficult for me to spot Edward Norton and Harvey Keitel, or even Owen Wilson till I saw their names in the closing credits.

From top left: Fieness, Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric,
Brody, Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel (bottom left), Jude Law,
Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan and Jason Scwartzman

The visual style of the film is something else I loved. Now, visual style is not synonymous with visual effects – in fact, I hardly found any effects being used, and in several scenes, the settings looked very artificial. What I liked, however, is the content I saw on screen: the superb performances, costumes and the colourful way (probably the best example of Anderson's stylised use of colour) of presentation on screen. The comic actions, the violent murders, the chases in the snow... all this accompanied by a foot-tapping, racy score by Alexandre Desplat (who has two nominations this year, for this film and The Imitation Game) make The Grand Budapest Hotel a treat to watch.

The story is a little slow to start with, and in fact, it gets interesting only after the death of Madame D. There are many instances of subtle humour, either due to action or due to the dialogues, but you cannot watch the film without laughing all the way. Like I said before, Wes Anderson has beautifully woven a tale of romance, comedy, murder, and friendship. In fact, if you may be wondering why the story is told in several layers (first the girl with the book, the then the Author, and then Moustafa...), the answer is told towards the end. We see how, after spending several years and undertaking many dangerous routes, all to save the picture, in the end it ironically hangs in a pitiable condition in one of the hotel walls. Also, we come to know that the reason Moustafa continues to run the hotel, though it is practically making no business, is because it is his last connection to his love. When he is doing all he can to protect it, the least the Author can do is to keep it the tale alive. So that is the reason I think, as to why the story is narrated in this fashion – to show that the story is not completely dead, and that it has survived for well-over 50 years.

With a fast-paced story, first-class performances from the ensemble cast, wonderful visuals and not to forget the “bouncy” score, Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel is one of the best feel-good films of recent times. However, I wouldn’t recommend it for people of all ages, because of some language and violence; but otherwise, this is one of those films that you must see, for it gives you all-round entertainment, without taking too much time.

My Rating: 4.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 92%