Author Archives: Keith Garlington

2015 Blind Spot Lineup

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BLIND SPOT

For a couple of years now I have seen so many of my fellow movie bloggers take part in the Blind Spot series. How does it work? It’s pretty simple. At the beginning of the year I pick twelve films that I have wanted or needed to see. They are usually popular or critically acclaimed movies that I have somehow missed – shameful omissions that need to be dealt with. The Blind Spot series serves as both confessional and encouragement. It’s such a cool idea. I’ve enjoyed many Blind Spot features from some great bloggers. My pal Ruth at Flixchatter inspired me to give it a try so here I go….

2015 Blind Spot List

JANUARY – “Au Hasard Balthazar” (FULL REVIEW)

Anne Wiazemsky as Marie in Robert Bresson’s AU HASARD BALTHAZA

FEBRUARY – “La Dolce Vita” (FULL REVIEW)

La Dolce Vita

MARCH – “Goldfinger” (FULL REVIEW)

GOLDFINGER

APRIL – “L’Avventura” (Full Review)

AVVEN

MAY – “The Champ” (Full Review)

Champ

JUNE – “My Life to Live” (Full Review)

VIVRE

JULY – “The Bicycle Thief” (Full Review)

BICYCLE

AUGUST – “Paris, Texas” (Full Review)

PARIS

SEPTEMBER – “The Pride of the Yankees” (Full Review)

PRIDE

OCTOBER – “Village of the Damned” (Full Review)

VILLAGE

NOVEMBER – “Network”

NETWORK

DECEMBER – “Sweet Smell of Success”

SWEET SMELL

So there is my 2015 Blind Spot lineup. What do you think? Have some thoughts about the movies I have ahead of me? I would love to hear them in the comments section below.

Top 5 Lead Actress Performances of 2014

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Today I’m continuing my look at 2014’s best performances. I’ve been looking at each of the four major acting categories and today it’s time for the lead actresses. Last year gave us a host of great lead actress performances spanning numerous genres. The awards circuits have embraced a number of popular picks, but I assure you that my list will feature others that deserve equal attention. So here we go:

#5 – Essie Davis (“The Babadook”)

BABA

You’ll have a hard time finding a more heart-wrenching performance than the one we get from Australian actress Essie Davis in “The Babadook”. This gem of a horror film uses its smarts by dabbling in the psychological. Davis shows us a worn-down single mother who desperately loves her troubled son. But the movie shifts and Davis gives us one of the most startling portrayals of a mental breakdown you will see. It’s such a committed and convincing performance that pulls in our sympathies while also completely unsettling us.

#4 – Amy Adams (“Big Eyes”)

ADAMS

Over the years Amy Adams has shown herself to be a tremendous actress. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone to hear that she gives one of 2014’s best performances. Playing the popular American painter Margaret Keane, Adams delivers a quiet and unassuming performance that generates a sympathetic and believable image. She falls beautifully into director Tim Burton’s bright and colorful 1950s world, yet she conveys the timidity of someone who doesn’t quite fit in. This is fine work from Adams.

#3 – Lisa Loven Kongsli (“Force Majeure”)

KONGSLI

“Force Majeure” was a movie that slipped up on me. I knew nothing about it, but it became one of my favorite films of the year. The performance from lead actress Lisa Loven Kongsli is a big reason it works so well. She plays a wife and mother in a seemingly happy family, but events over a five day vacation reveals deep cracks in her relationship with her husband. Kongsli blew me away portraying a woman running the gamut of emotions. She’s brilliant from the quiet moments where her expressions tell her story to the bigger moments where she pours out her emotions.

#2 – Rosamund Pike (“Gone Girl”)

PIKE

One performance that has earned the most buzz from critics and movie fans alike came from Rosamund Pike. The performance is from David Fincher’s “Gone Girl” and Pike shows a side of her that none of us have seen before. Here she dives headfirst into one of the most twisted and complex characters of the year. She’s tough, conniving, and frighteningly unpredictable. Pike brings out every one of these traits with unbridled voracity. Pike is stunningly beautiful but that almost serves as a camouflage for her character’s deeper and more complicated layers. Pike is sensational.

#1 -Marion Cotillard (” The Immigrant”)

IMMIGRANT

I am always amazed by the consistency shown by Marion Cotillard. She is one of those rare actresses who simply never gives a bad performance. Even more, often times her work leaves me speechless. She did it again in 2014. In “The Immigrant” she once again strips off anything artificial and gives us a vulnerable but surprisingly strong character. Cotillard brings out all of the fears and uncertainties weighing down her character, but she also shows a desperate survivalist side that leads her to fight for her and her sister. We never doubt any characteristic or emotion shown by Cotillard. It’s all channeled through her performance with absolute precision.

Random Thoughts on the 2015 Oscar Nominations

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OSCARS

I love this time of the year. It’s awards season which some people like to dismiss and I certainly understand why. Personally I love it because it gives us a chance to talk about movies, to support the movies we loved from the previous years, to debate the merits of certain movies, and to dissect what the Academy got right and what they totally flubbed. This year is no different from the rest. The Academy offered some pleasant surprises. They also had some odd choices and some egregious snubs. As is the norm here at K&M, I’m throwing out some random thoughts on this year’s Academy Awards nominations…

  • Let’s get this out of the way first – How in the world was “The Lego Movie” not at least nominated for Best Animated Feature? This is the one true travesty of this year’s nominations.
  • “The Imitation Game” left with a surprising 8 nominations. I actually passed over it because I thought the reception was positive but nothing tremendous. Was I wrong?
  • Ok Academy, seriously? The Meryl Streep nomination thing had become a fun little joke but honestly it is becoming annoying. Deserving actresses are being left out for these ridiculous token nominations.
  • Dick Poop
  • “Birdman” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” lead the pack with 9 nominations each. Of the two I like “Grand Budapest” the best, but Wes Anderson has a history of getting a lot of nominations but not that many wins.
  • Am I the only one who was broadsided by the strong showing of “American Sniper”? I knew there was some buzz behind it, but I didn’t think it was a ‘6 Oscar Nominations’ kind of buzz.
  • Many are pointing to “Selma” as Oscar’s biggest snub. Perhaps, but I think the movie is intensely powerful but also needlessly frustrating. I don’t think the movie was snubbed, but I do think David Oyelowo was. He absolutely deserved a nomination.
  • I loved seeing “Ida” nominated for its cinematography. It has absolutely no chance of winning, but I’m glad the Academy recognized its immense beauty.
  • Where is Amy Adams? Fresh off her Golden Globe win for “Big Eyes” I expected to hear her name. This once again proves that the Globes aren’t always the Oscar indicator that some think they are.
  • Do you realize that Bradley Cooper has received Oscar nominations for three straight years?
  • I’m always happy when I see Marion Cotillard’s name mentioned. “Two Days, One Night” still has opened up here, but I’m sure she is brilliant. She could have easily been nominated for “The Immigrant” as well.
  • Dick Poop
  • Do you think it was a good year for Alexandre Desplat? He was nominated twice in the Best Original Score category – for “The Imitation Game” and for “The Grand Budapest Hotel”.
  • It was quite frustrating to see “Force Majeure” left out of the Best Foreign Language Film category. It’s hard to gripe since I haven’t seen all of the nominees, but “Force Majeure” was an incredible movie deserving of recognition.
  • So in the Academy’s eyes Jake Gyllenhaal didn’t deserve a nomination for “Nightcrawler”? I would love to hear the thought process behind that. Gyllenhaal was superb and there is no excuse for leaving him out.
  • Three comic book movies were nominated in the special effects category and all three will lose. I’m rooting for “Captain America” but “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” has it wrapped up.
  • J.K. Simmons will be the biggest sure-thing of the entire show.
  • Actually all for acting categories have really strong frontrunners. Arquette, Simmons, Moore, and Keaton will probably all go home carrying a statue.
  • “Interstellar” is still my favorite film of the year. I would have liked to see it at least grab a Best Picture nomination. At least it was recognized in five other categories.
  • Sorry Jennifer Aniston. Some are pointing at Cotillard as the reason you weren’t nominated for “Cake”. Sorry Aniston fans, Cotillard is fabulous. Maybe you can point in another direction.
  • Interesting to see “Gone Girl” only grab one nomination. It didn’t make my Top 10 of 2014 but I know a lot of people were behind it.
  • Dick Poop

Those are a few random thoughts. Now, in case you missed anything, here is a complete list of this year’s Oscar nominees:

Best Picture
“American Sniper”
“Birdman”
“Boyhood”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“The Imitation Game”
“Selma”
“The Theory of Everything”
“Whiplash”

Best Actor
Steve Carell (“Foxcatcher”)
Bradley Cooper (“American Sniper”)
Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game”)
Michael Keaton (“Birdman”)
Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”)

Best Actress
Marion Cotillard (“Two Days, One Night”)
Felicity Jones (“The Theory of Everything”)
Julianne Moore (“Still Alice”)
Rosamund Pike (“Gone Girl”)
Reese Witherspoon (“Wild”)

Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette (“Boyhood”)
Laura Dern (“Wild”)
Keira Knightley (“The Imitation Game”)
Emma Stone (“Birdman”)
Meryl Streep (“Into the Woods”)

Best Supporting Actor
Robert Duvall (“The Judge”)
Ethan Hawke (“Boyhood”)
Edward Norton (“Birdman”)
Mark Ruffalo (“Foxcatcher”)
J.K. Simmons (“Whiplash”)

Best Director
Alejandro González Inárritu (“Birdman”)
Richard Linklater (“Boyhood”)
Bennett Miller (“Foxcatcher”)
Wes Anderson (“The Grand Budapest Hotel”)
Morten Tyldum (“The Imitation Game”)

Best Animated Feature Film
“Big Hero 6”
“The Boxtrolls”
“How to Train Your Dragon 2”
“Song of the Sea”
“The Tale of Princess Kaguya”

Best Adapted Screenplay
“American Sniper”
“The Imitation Game”
“Inherent Vice”
“The Theory of Everything”
“Whiplash”

Best Original Screenplay
“Birdman”
“Boyhood”
“Foxcatcher”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Nightcrawler”

Best Cinematography
“Birdman”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Ida”
“Mr. Turner”
“Unbroken”

Best Visual Effects
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier”
“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”
“Guardians of the Galaxy”
“Interstellar”
“X-Men: Days of Future Past”

Best Documentary Feature
“Citizenfour”
“Finding Vivian Maier”
“Last Days in Vietnam”
“The Salt of the Earth”
“Virunga”

Best Documentary Short Subject
“Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1”
“Joanna”
“Our Curse”
“The Reaper”
“White Earth”

Best Film Editing
“American Sniper”
“Boyhood”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“The Imitation Game”
“Whiplash”

Best Original Song
“Everything Is Awesome” (“The Lego Movie”)
“Glory” (“Selma”)
“Grateful” (“Beyond the Lights”)
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You” (“Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me”)
“Lost Stars” (“Begin Again

Best Production Design
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“The Imitation Game”
“Interstellar”
“Into the Woods”
“Mr. Turner”

Best Live Action Short Film
“Aya”
“Boogaloo and Graham”
“Butter Lamp (La Lampe au Beurre de Yak)”
“Parvaneh”
“The Phone Call”

Best Animated Short Film
“The Bigger Picture”
“The Dam Keeper”
“Feast”
“Me and my Moulton”
“A Single Life”

Best Sound Editing
“American Sniper”
“Birdman”
“The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies”
“Interstellar”
“Unbroken”

Best Sound Mixing
“American Sniper”
“Birdman”
“Interstellar”
“Unbroken”
“Whiplash”

Best Costume Design
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Inherent Vice”
“Into the Woods”
“Maleficent”
“Mr. Turner”

Best Foreign Language Film
“Ida”
“Leviathan”
“Tangerines”
“Timbuktu”
“Wild Tales”

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
“Foxcatcher”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Guardians of the Galaxy”

Best Original Score
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“The Imitation Game”
“Interstellar”
“Mr. Turner”
“The Theory of Everything”

REVIEW: “Foxcatcher”

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FOX POSTER

Director Bennett Miller may not make a lot of movies, but when he does his films seem destined for attention. He only has four to his credit including the critically acclaimed “Capote” and “Moneyball”. His latest is “Foxcatcher” and it has already caught the attention of critics and won several prizes on the festival circuit. Miller seems drawn to a special type of biopic. “Capote”, “Moneyball”, and now “Foxcatcher” are biographical dramas about people or relationships that are outside of the normal box.

Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and David Schultz (Mark Ruffalo) are close-knit brothers who have each won Olympic gold medals in wrestling. Mark, who seems a bit slow, lives in his older brother’s shadow. There’s an early scene where Mark is giving a less than rousing speech at an elementary school. Afterwards we get an exchange between him and the school secretary revealing that it was actually David who they invited to speak. David is the only person in Mark’s otherwise rudderless life.

FOXCATCHER1

Enter Steve Carrell as millionaire and wrestling enthusiast John du Pont. Carrell is almost unrecognizable in his facial prosthetics and awkward mannerisms. Du Pont invites Mark to join his Foxcatcher amateur wrestling team where he will coach and train for the Olympics. He will receive a big salary and his own lavish home on du Pont’s humongous estate. David declines to go with him, but he encourages Mark to go, believing it could be a really good thing for him. Mark joins Team Foxcatcher and over time develops a close relationship with du Pont.

A big chunk of the film focuses on the relationship between Mark and du Pont. Mark finally finds a place where he feels needed and important. He begins to see du Pont as a loving and caring father figure. On the other hand du Pont’s actions and motivations always seem a bit dubious. There is a disingenuous and self-serving air that follows him and at times Mark seems to be his personal and emotional experiment. Du Pont often manipulates and toys with the fragile-minded Mark.

The story shifts a bit after du Point turns on Mark and embarrasses him in front of other wrestlers. Du Pont then seeks out David and convinces him to join Team Foxcatcher which causes Mark to distance himself even more. The rest of the movie centers around the various conflicts between these three personalities – the butting of heads, the frustrations, the lack of trust. Miller presents the unfolding drama slowly and methodically and for the most part it works. The narrative is driven by these three characters and its easy to get caught up in this odd twisted story.

Fox2

And since the film is driven by these three key characters, good performances are a necessity. We certainly get that. Carrell shows an entire new side and a diversity that he has hinted at in the past. Ruffalo has become one of Hollywood’s steadiest actors. Here he gives the most grounded performance of the three. But the big surprise for me was Channing Tatum. I know the guy has a huge following, but I have yet to be convinced that he is a good actor. Well, that was until now. He does great work handling a complex and pivotal character.

“Foxcatcher” isn’t a perfect movie but it’s a very good one. There are a couple of slow patches and the film doesn’t completely stick the ending. At the same time the story is always compelling and watching Carrell, Tatum, and Ruffalo engage this material is a treat. “Foxcatcher” has given Bennett Miller yet another chance to define himself as a filmmaker. This is a movie that definitely fits within his comfort zone and I just wonder what strange and unusual true story Miller is going to tell us next.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Top 5 Supporting Actor Performances of 2014

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2014Sactor

One of my favorite things to do in January is to look back at the performances from the year before. The Golden Globes are approaching. The Oscars are right around the corner. This is my chance to share the actresses and actors who I thought were the best in their respected categories. So without delay its time for the men to get some attention. These are my favorite performances by actors in supporting roles. It’s been a rich year filled with strong performances and these fellows have stood out to me.

#5 – Tyler Perry (“Gone Girl”)

PERRY

No one is more surprised than me to see Tyler Perry on a list celebrating great performances. I’ve never been impressed with Perry as as actor, but director David Fincher certainly knew what he was doing. Perry plays Ben Affleck’s sharp Johnny Cochran-styled attorney who is tasked with defending the most reviled man in the country. There is something about Perry’s performance that exudes self-confidence and sophistication – two traits that are essential to the character. Perry really surprised me.

#4 – Gary Poulter (“Joe”)

POULTER

The sad circumstances surrounding Gary Poulter certainly dampen the conversation, but it doesn’t take away from what was a stunning performance in “Joe”. Poulter wasn’t a professional actor. In fact he was homeless and without a job yet director David Gordon Green hired him. It was a great move. Poulter gives a raw and disturbing portrayal of an abusive alcoholic father. What he managed to convey without no training or experience is bewildering. Sadly he would be found dead a short time before the film was set to premiere.

#3 – Jonathan Pryce (“Listen Up Philip”)

PRYCE

Jonathan Pryce’s Ike Zimmerman from the acidic “Listen Up Philip” may not the vilest character in the film but he sure is close. The 67-year old Pryce has had a long and diverse career and I loved seeing him sink his teeth in this meaty role. He plays a snarky and miserable writer living in arrogant isolation and thanks to Pryce’s brilliant work you never doubt the character you’re seeing. It’s a dark and scalding performance in a smaller film that many people may have missed.

#2 – Robert Pattinson (“The Rover”)

PATTINSON

It wasn’t long ago that I doubted Robert Pattinson would ever make a list like this. His surprising performance in David Michod’s “The Rover” has certainly changed my perspective. In the film he plays a pivotal role, perhaps the only truly innocent person in the story. He’s simple, probably mentally challenged, and Pattinson captures him with an authenticity that I didn’t know he possessed. I’ve heard criticism over Pattinson’s delivery, but I think he brings so much to his role and he is a perfect compliment to Guy Pearce’s cold, violent lead character.

#1 – Ethan Hawke – (“Boyhood”)

HAWKE

When I started putting together this list there was one single performance that I knew would be at the top. It’s Ethan Hawke’s energetic and wide-ranging performance in Richard Linklater’s coming-of-age gem “Boyhood”. Like his fellow cast members, Hawke shot his part over a 12-year span and as the story progresses Hawke brings us several different sides to his character. In a film filled with great moments, some of my favorites are when Hawke is on the screen. Much like Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke is a vital component to “Boyhood’s” success.

REVIEW: “Birdman”

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BIRDPOSTER

Boy it’s nice to see Michael Keaton finally getting a meaty starring role. He was a favorite of mine in the 1980s and early 90s but after that his career hit a significant lull. In “Birdman” he gets a chance to spread his wings (abysmal pun intended) and dive into a layered and complex role. He’s up to the task as evident by the slew of rave reviews and awards nominations. But while Keaton is fantastic, what about “Birdman” the movie? Is the movie itself as good as the performance of its star?

“Birdman” is a bit of a change for director Alejandro González Iñárritu. His previous films are known to be gloomy and emotionally heavy dramas. “Birdman” maintains the gloom and it tinkers with several emotionally heavy subjects, but at its core it’s really a black comedy. It dabbles in a number of things including strained family dysfunction, the stresses of the creative process, and satirizing the blockbuster movie culture. As with Iñárritu’s other films, some of these concepts work better than others, but he still manages to put together a strikingly unique and incisive film.

BIRD1

Riggan Thomson (Keaton) plays a once popular Hollywood star who made his name playing a character named Birdman in a series of popular superhero blockbusters. In an effort to revitalize his floundering career Riggan is writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway adaption of a Raymond Carver short story. But Riggan doesn’t really have an environment conducive to success. One of his lead actors is out of commission after a stage accident. His replacement is a pompous, explosive but accomplished method actor named Mike (Edward Norton). His lead actress Lesley (Naomi Watts) is a nervous first-time Broadway performer. His lawyer and agent (Zach Galifianakis) is panicky and always on edge.

But there are also a series of relationship issues that make things even more difficult for Riggan. His estranged daughter Sam (Emma Stone) is fresh out of rehab and serves as his assistant. He has a tense relationship with his ex-wife and Sam’s mother Sylvia (Amy Ryan). And then there are a number of complications with his current girlfriend and co-star Laura (Andrea Riseborough). Riggan also has internal struggles. He is constantly searching for affirmations of importance, relevance, and self-worth. In his head the gravelly voice of Birdman constantly insults him and showers him with expectations of failure.

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Needless to say Michael Keaton is brilliant and his Riggan character is the most compelling of the bunch. Keaton has always had panache and “Birdman” gives him a chance to flaunt it. Riggan is such a wild card – a swirling ball of emotional chaos. He’s constantly on edge and you get a sense that his Broadway production has become his own private hell. It, and him for that matter, seem to be careening towards disaster. Keaton manages all of this with a manic tenacity, yet he always gives us convincing quiet moments. Keaton gives us so many layers to his character. Is he a raging egotist? Is he having a mental breakdown? Is he a bit of both? All of the supporting work is good, but for me it all comes back to Keaton.

Another attention getter is the kinetic cinematography from the great Emmanuel Lubezki. Most of the film visually presents itself in one long continuous state of motion. The camera snakes down hallways, prowls behind characters, hovers and rotates during conversations. It’s all done with some pretty clever bits of trickery which gives the illusion of a long unending take. The ever-moving camera feels in tune with the hectic, turbulent atmosphere, and I loved how it made every nook and cranny of St. James Theatre familiar to us. But at the same time I was happy when the camera would just stop, be still, and just let us focus on the actors.

bird3

There is no denying the technique and smarts behind “Birdman”, but despite its bold and fresh appearance, in terms of narrative is it doing anything we haven’t seen before? And I don’t think all of Iñárritu’s satire works. His shots at entertainment media and criticism, his look at entertainment versus art, none of it really clicks. I also found it pointlessly crass at times and surprisingly low on humor even during the scenes where it’s really trying to be funny. Perhaps the funniest thing about “Birdman” is having Michael Keaton, an actor whose career went downhill after playing Batman, play Riggan.

“Birdman” is an interesting entry into Alejandro González Iñárritu’s filmography. It’s not quite as miserable and tragedy-driven as his past films and that’s refreshing. But Iñárritu is still a director who can suffocate his story with his style and high concepts. In this film I think his technique is one of the strong points. It’s clever, well implemented, and it feeds the frantic chaos of the wonderful setting. And while the film is a bit smug at times and the story is stuffed to the gills, I still found myself hooked. As I said, there’s something hypnotic about “Birdman”. Oh, and did I mention Michael Keaton?

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS