Birdman

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Craig Micklewright

Viewed – 05 May 2015 Online Rental

It’s nice to go into a movie with no other expectation than the thought it might be good. This Oscar winning drama stars (where has he been?) Michael Keaton as a former super hero movie actor turned has-been struggling to make a name for himself in Theatre. As opening night looms, he is plagued with various problems and misfortunes, such as a recovered drug addict daughter (Emma Stone), actors butting heads with each other (Naomi Watts & Edward Norton) as well as his own issues with being haunted by the presence of his Birdman alter-ego who is constantly telling him to get back to what he was famous for.

This is very much a come back vehicle for Keaton who’s own career seems to be purposely imitated here and he is superb, complex and bonkers in all the ways that made him a perfect Beetlejuice or Bruce Wayne. Aided well by a solid supporting cast who all get their moment, with an almost-upstaging Norton and a believably fragile Watts, not to mention a decent turn by the ever likeable Stone. Yet beyond the decent performances, this is also about the trials and tribulations of being a star, being a has-been or trying to stay relevant without making a fool of yourself. It’s scarily convincing. Add to this a script that juggles realism with fantastical surrealism (has Keaton’s character really got super powers?) and excellent direction by Alejandro González Iñárritu backed up by highly creative ‘how did they do that?’ camera work – and I’d say this is one of the most thought-provoking studies of celebrity and celeb-culture I’ve seen in a long time.

This is also a movie that should get people talking. The ending will get you talking. The whole fly-on-a-wall structuring leads you to certain conclusions and then still makes you question things (at least it did me). And I love that sort thing; clever but doesn’t try and be pretentious about it. Oh and yes, I’d love to see Keaton play Batman again.

Verdict: 5 /5

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Craig Micklewright

Viewed – 13 September 2014 DVD

The last movie, rebooting a franchise that had reached a dead-end after the lacklustre Spider-Man 3, was a decent if somewhat uninspiring outing for the web crawler, helped it has to be said by solid casting and some good action. This time around Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is still juggling his on/off relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), trying to hold down a job as a photographer (er, only hinted at) and his responsibilities as a super-hero. However the mystery behind his parent’s disappearance still looms and a new enemy in the shape of an ignored, put-upon scientist (Jamie Foxx) turned electricity consumed super-villain ‘electro’ arrives on the scene.

Plenty going on in this sequel. Again Garfield is good as Parker/Spider-Man although his snively / arrogant double-act grates sometimes. Stone on the other hand is again perfect, even if she doesn’t get much more to do than threaten to run away to England. Sally Field as Aunt May seems to have stepped up her presence however in the absence of Martin Sheen’s Uncle Ben, and we also get Harry Osborne (a diverting Dane DeHaan), former best friend turned megalomaniac beneficiary of Oscorp. As always for this kind of thing the sequel seems over-complicated but makes for some great action and superb effects work (apart from some dubious swinging through New York bits that looked better in 2001). Foxx is good as Electro even if his character is quite the cliché, but overall there was a somewhat childish tone with too many moments of poking fun at our hero (the fireman’s helmet bit?).

It’s hard not to wish this had turned out differently … towards the end it really hit it’s stride, offering up some surprises as well as the (albeit predictable) character-ark of Harry Osborne. Yet this was still good entertainment, despite suffering from the usual sequel / trilogy trappings. Roll on The Amazing Spider-Man 3 then.

Verdict: 3 /5

Top Ten Actors

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Craig Micklewright

That I’d watch in pretty much anything.

Inspired from a post over at Where The Wild Things Are and then also at Cinema Parrot Disco, I have chosen to compile the idea from both male and female ‘actors’ rather than doing separate lists… mainly because I was struggling with ten for actresses without being swayed by their attractive qualities…it’s a bloke thing.

Emma Stone

Favourite movie: Easy A

Leonardo DiCaprio

Favourite movie: Catch Me If You Can

Christoph Waltz

Favourite movie: Inglorious Basterds

Marianne Cotillard

Favourite movie: Inception

Philip Seymour Hoffman (R.I.P.)

Favourite movie: Almost Famous

Mark Wahlberg

Favourite movie: Boogie Nights

Tom Cruise

Favourite movie: Born of the Fourth of July

Edward Norton

Favourite movie: Fight Club

Samuel L Jackson

Favourite movie: Pulp Fiction

Cate Blanchett

Favourite movie: Blue Jasmine

There are many more, but these are the ones I tend to find myself watching regardless of what role they are in, and the movies mentioned above are the roles I have most enjoyed them in, not necessarily their best. For actors I tend to avoid…the list is shorter, but I’m not a fan of Keira Knightley, Angelina Jolie, Jack Black and to an extent … Ben Affleck.

The Help

Posted on January 19, 2014 by Craig Micklewright

Viewed – 18 January 2014 Netflix

Set in Mississippi during the 1960s, this drama follows the story of Skeeter (Emma Stone) a young woman in a high society family who’s observations of the mistreatment of hired, African-American ‘help’ leads her to write a book detailing interviews by the various maids and giving a voice to their people. Such an idea during a racially tense time in American history was controversial but as the movie progresses, Skeeter manages to persuade two maids to get involved.

Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett and with a strong central performance by Stone, one of my favourites – this was a lengthy but absorbing tale. The thought-provoking subject really drew me in, and Viola Davis as the narrating Aibileen and Octavia Spencer as Minnie are both excellent, as is a sneering, spiteful Bryce Dallas Howard. This is a movie about performances and getting one up on stuck up, narrow minded snobs – which made for quite a few feel good moments.

At times little details like one maid’s abuse by her husband is only hinted at and sometimes the dialogue and events were a touch vague, not helped by the thick southern dialects. Yet the cinematography is very attractive with the setting filmed beautifully … wow those houses! Acclaimed at time of release and having won several awards (most notably Octavia Spencer’s deserved Oscar) this was an enjoyable and educational experience that’s an easy recommendation.

Verdict: 4 /5

The Amazing Spider-Man

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Craig Micklewright

Viewed – 19 July 2012 Cinema

Few of you would disagree that this came as a surprise when it was first announced. Although Spider-Man 3 was a bit of a let down, what director Sam Raimi and star Toby Maguire achieved with the original (not so long ago) Spidy franchise was incredible. So why the need for a re-boot? Well as a long time Spider-Man fan I still had time for the webbed wonder no matter what guise he comes in, and when you consider that gifted actor Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) had been chosen to fill Maguire’s boots, and love-interest Gwen Stacy is played by current hot property Emma Stone (Easy A) … I knew this had potential.

Peter Parker (Garfield) is abandoned by his parents and left to grow up with Aunt May (Sally Field) and Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) but as he reaches adolescence, curiosity considering his missing father’s background gets the better of him and soon he is seeking out his father’s former business partner Dr Curt Conners (Rhys Ifans). Yet on the discovery that his father was experimenting in cross-species genetics, he soon stumbles upon radio-active spiders, and before you can yell ‘spider-sense’ … Peter is a changed man.

Garfield is perfect as Parker / Spidy and brings some unexpected emotion and depth to the character that even Toby Maguire lacked … also proving far less nerdy. His story may offer little new to the franchise apart from his parents back story, but it’s the relationship between Parker and Gwen Stacy that holds the most weight, proving to be one of the more convincing relationships of a comic-book adaptation. Rhys Ifans’ scientist-turned-The Lizard offers little again that hasn’t been seen before. Thankfully Ifans is good enough as Dr Conners, even if the part seems a bit beneath such a talented actor. The same could be said for screen legend Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben, but suits the ageing actor quite well. Sally Field on the other hand barely makes an impression other than looking concerned a lot. Emma Stone is as expected excellent and acts former love interest Kirsten Dunst (May Jane) off the screen for emotional range … also helps she’s damn fine-looking too!

Along with a series of impressive action sequences with decent effects and some real heart-in-mouth moments, this very nearly was the best Spider-Man movie yet. Sadly its let down a by moments of corny dialogue and a fair few clichés (the school bully is called ‘flash’ for example). Add to this plot threads that go nowhere (a vendetta against a robber is just ‘forgotten’ and really, why did Parker’s parents disappear?). With a little more polish and possibly a more interesting villain – this could have been well, amazing. As it stands, it’s simply a very enjoyable and capable movie that proves one thing – there’s plenty of life left in ol’ Spidy yet.

Verdict: 3.5 /5