Birdman, directed by Mexican wunderkind Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel, Amores Perros), is shaping up to be one of the best films of the year. Mind you, I haven’t seen this yet. Nonetheless, I am fairly certain this will be a masterpiece and frankly, I cannot do the trailer justice with my college level vocabulary. You just need to watch it. It looks insane and simultaneously genius; Iñárritu is exactly the man to pull it off. Michael Keaton (who spends time acting in the film wearing the male equivalent of granny panties), despite a rather long absence from film, brings the heat as a burnt-out actor who is not quite ready to throw in the towel. A chance to act once again reinvigorates him and leads him down a tough road filled with triumphs, failures and a whole lot of reflection. Supporting actors include Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, and Emma Stone. The cast is staaaackeeed. Go watch it.
2) Leviathan
Directed by Andrey Zvygintsev, Leviathan is, my friends, a big boy film. It has been officially entered into the Oscar race for the Best Foreign Film. It shows a common man’s battle against the morally tainted rulings of both the iron-fisted Russian state and the corrupted Russian church. Both sides hire lawyers, searching for any legal reason to back up their respective goals. One dude’s fight against “THE MAN” might seem a tale as old as time, but Leviathan’s message is not meant for just a Russian audience, whose own history is chained to the constant struggle for power, but for anyone around the world who has experienced the absolute corruptibility of power. This film elegantly and bravely tackles a difficult message.
3) By the Gun
By the Gun, directed by James Mottern, follows Nick Tortano as he struggles to walk the line between what he believes is right and what the mafia tells him is right. The mafia is a tight-knit family for brutal men who fit into a certain niche. They have no mercy for those who betray the “Family.” Tortano finds himself in a tight corner when he falls for girl that his mafia family is not too keen on. Will he choose to start a new life with the girl or will he choose to remain within the family? Harvey Keitel lends his acting chops to a cast of other tough looking, but less-known, male supporting actors. I like to think that this movie has the potential to be surprisingly good. It will be released in December, which might seem like a long way away. However, keep this movie in the back of your mind. You’ll thank me later.
