Whiplash

While Whiplash isn't the most recent of this year's Best Picture nominees to be seen by me, I decided to save it for my final review of the eight films being considered.  Rarely does a film deliver so completely on the promise it makes.  What I mean is this; the first two acts of a film deserve a final act that brings the purpose of the film home.  That doesn't necessarily mean a happy ending, or tying-up all loose ends; rather it means that there is a perfect ending to every film.  I would suggest that only one in a thousand films ever get close, and Whiplash has definitely accomplished this better than any other film this past year.  There were a few times throughout the film when I wondered "where is this going?"  Even ten minutes before the movie ended I could see that there were many possible outcomes, but never would have envisioned the one that played out.  Yet I don't want to leave the impression that a great ending makes up for a bad movie; it will never be so.  No Country for Old Men, The Godfather, and The Village; these are all great films that captivate you from start to finish, they pull you in and then end precisely where they should.  Whiplash is about a young man obsessed with being a great drummer.  Not only does he dream of this, he has talent and the work ethic to pursue his dream.  There is one man who may be the catalyst to his dream or may be the insurmountable obstacle.  The man is played by J.K. Simmons as a jazz band conductor who verbally and emotionally abuses his students.  Other reviewers have described his character as a monster, and I tend to agree.  That confronting a monster could be necessary to achieving one's dreams is an interesting subtext to this film. 

The two films that I would ever want to see again that were nominated for best picture this year are The Grand Budapest Hotel and Whiplash, with Whiplash being the best film of the bunch.  The worst film was far and away American Sniper, which is too bad because it really could have been a powerful film, and with its popularity Clint Eastwood really missed an opportunity.  Alright, well back to homework, hopefully I'll get to review movies more regularly in the coming year.

Birdman

Rob and I took a gamble yesterday afternoon, braving the wintry conditions to see Birdman, hoping to beat the blizzard.  Rob remembers the storm of '97 when he got stuck at work for days in a row (he wasn't happy).  I tried to console him, pointing out that getting stuck at a movie theater would be awesome; they'd have to feed us, let us see all the movies, and probably give us cool stuff too – I was almost hoping to get snowed-in.  To make a long story short, we saw Birdman, and made it home safely, just ahead of the snow… too bad.

Michael Keaton was excellent in Birdman, as was everyone else; Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Edward Norton et al.  Going into the film I was not aware that it would flow together as one extended shot; obviously an elaborate trick in the editing room, yet still quite impressive.  That aside, it was a remarkable, singular experience that was entertaining in the moment, but fails to leave any reason to recommend it.  Keaton plays a washed-up version of himself, whose main claim to fame was a role as Birdman, an obvious allusion to Keaton's role as Batman.  Keaton's character has financed, adapted, is directing and is starring in a Broadway play, in the hopes of validating a life which otherwise is defined by the shallowest commercialism of Hollywood.  The film should be a satire, pointing out the emptiness of acting regardless of stage of silver screen.  While elements of that film exist, it never quite goes far enough, being content in the story it tells instead of acknowledging the lessons that could be learned.  I hope that the filmmakers understand the irony that they have made a shallow movie about a man who is looking to escape the shallowness of movies.

Selma

I must admit that certain things I had heard kept Selma off my list of desired viewing.  That I liked the film should remind me that other people quite often have poor taste, and low expectations are more easily exceeded (I think that's a paraphrase of Homer Simpson).  There are three elements to Selma which I believe contribute to it being a successful film; scope, casting, and heart.  By focusing on one chapter in Martin Luther King Jr.'s life, the events in Selma Alabama, the film captures King's contribution to mankind without trying to be a biography.  David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. was spot-on, delivering speeches with measured charisma and portraying King as a man who struggled with his burden in the private moments with his wife and close friends.  Never did King seem to give into his struggles; rather he was encouraged by those who God placed in positions of advisors.  I liked that he was bold and a strong leader, yet humble enough to submit when wisdom came from various sources.  The heart of the film is a genuine honoring of King's commitment to stand up for those who cannot stand for themselves.  Even though there were plenty of opportunities for King to derail, he stayed true to his beliefs, and I think that the film followed his example.

The Imitation Game

I usually try to avoid movie trailers because they too often negate the necessity of actually watching the movie (and I like watching movies).  Sometimes the trailer is actually superior to the film, as with American Sniper and any of the Iron Man movies.  I mention this because I had seen the trailer for The Imitation Game, which essentially is a summary of the entire film.  Sure the trailer doesn't emphasize how being different, specifically being a homosexual, gave the main character an advantage; the ability to solve a problem that saved many lives and helped the Allies win World War II.  The performances are sound, Benedict Cumberbatch plays Alan Turing (the father of computers) as a socially awkward genius, quite similar to his Sherlock Holmes role, but with a bit more humanity.  The supporting characters aren't really very interesting, but contribute what is necessary to the film.  The stand-out element of the film comes in the form of flashbacks, as we see a young man who befriended Turing in his boarding school days.  The kindness and encouragement that Turing received from this older student had an important impact on the man he becomes.  Unfortunately the depth and thoughtfulness that is depicted in these flashbacks doesn't carry over into the rest of the movie.  If you've seen the trailer, there is no need to go an further.

The Theory of Everything

Jess, Ashley, Jude and I watched The Theory of Everything this past week.  It's nice to be able to sit down with family and watch a good movie, one that inspires interest in characters and questions about the specific events portrayed within.  I had preconceived notions about this film, knowing something of the story already and assuming that it would be very favorable towards its main character.  The film is about Stephen Hawking, the gifted physicist who has long suffered from motor neurone disease.  Hawking has been a leader in modern Cosmology, hypothesizing "that the universe has no edge or boundary in imaginary time. This would imply that the way the universe began was completely determined by the laws of science" (hawking.org.uk). The Theory of Everything is about three different struggles that go on simultaneously in Hawking's life; his illness, his scientific research, and his relationship with his wife.  It is tragic that he can never triumph in any of these struggles without it negatively affecting the others.  When he finally finds someone who can help him overcome his physical limitations, he abandons his wife for her.  I am simplifying the film of course; it is quite thoughtful in its portrayal of Hawking, and the people in his life who care for him.  I was surprised by his wife's commitment to her belief in God, even when her husband seemed intent on disproving God's existence, she didn't seem concerned.  What is interesting is that work done by Hawking and his counterparts in the scientific community is quite often amazing; only their preconceptions keep them from the truth.  Towards the end of the film Hawking is giving a lecture, and encourages the audience by telling them that even though they are insignificant little specs in an immense universe, there's something very special about each person.  In one of the next movies I review, Selma, one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s friends reminds him that if God cares about the birds "Are you not of more value than they?" (Matthew 6:26).  Isn't it interesting that Stephen Hawking intellectually came to the same conclusion, unfortunately he just doesn't believe it.

Boyhood

Jess and I watched Boyhood about a week ago, and while it wasn't a great film, it definitely is a memorable one.  As you probably know, Richard Linklater filmed Boyhood over a twelve year span, which means that the same actors actually age twelve years over the course of this 2 ½ hour film.  This alone makes the film memorable; even with the best special effects artists it is impossible for makeup to portray the passage of time as convincingly as the actual passage of time.  This twelve year experiment is not entirely successful; partly because it is distracting, and partly because it lacks continuity.  The exception to this analysis is Ethan Hawke's performance; he plays the father to Mason (the boy referenced in the title).  Instead of being distracted by physical aging, we see the consistency that exists in his relationship to Mason over the twelve years.    Perhaps what this film most clearly demonstrates is that experiments and gimmicks are unnecessary in filmmaking – a good story, good dialogue, and a great actor is all you need.  

The Grand Budapest Hotel

This will be the first of seven brief reviews that I will post today; with these seven reviews I will have covered each of the films nominated for best picture from the past year.  In my final review I will reveal which film is my choice to win tonight.

I saw The Grand Budapest Hotel almost a year ago, and I must have been too busy to write a review at the time.  It's somewhat surprising to me that this film is nominated for best picture, but as you will discover in my other reviews of the nominees The Grand Budapest Hotel deserves this recognition more than a few others.  I've enjoyed each of Wes Anderson's films, I think that he made one great Oscar-worthy film, but this isn't it.  But maybe that is the wrong way to look at it…  This film shouldn't be compared against prior work, but on to other films also nominated this year.  Here is a film that is funny, has a vivid color palette (which matches the film's atmosphere), entertaining, and quirky.  That it doesn't have substance keeps it from being one of Anderson's best, but maybe just being entertaining will be enough to give Anderson the win this year.  Anderson does an excellent job of presenting characters that are interesting and unique.  While the backdrop changes between each of his films, he always zeros-in on the most fascinating people.  The Grand Budapest Hotel has a pulse, it is alive.  This is one of two movies nominated this year that I'd ever want to watch again, and that definitely is more important to me than who wins the title of Best Picture.