The Revenant

Expectations:
As my Oscar prep moves towards its final stages, the excitement grows, and my 2015 best list becomes clearer and clearer. It was this time, last year, that the lovely Birdman came into my life and made the entire year a success! Thankfully, Birdman director, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, didn't rest on his Oscar-infested laurels, giving way to... The Revenant! To be honest, I wasn't particularly excited to see The Revenant. The entire thing looked over-dramatized, and, no matter how great of a performance he gives, Leonardo DiCaprio just isn't one of my favorites. Can the guy act?... Of course! But, you will never hear me calling for Leo to win every Oscar from now til Jesus comes (in case you wondered). Regardless, my Oscarly duties required me to see The Revenant, and you never know when an actor might sneak up and surprise you...

Plot:
There are times when artistic filmmaking collides with a terrific script and a great performance and we get great productions that impress from start to finish. Then, there are times when the art of filmmaking become more important than the film itself. And, times when the performance becomes more important than the film (not just in the media). Unfortunately, The Revenant is the victim of these circumstances. Sure, the film is intriguing, but, even in a non-superhero, non-sci-fi film, the plot is predictable and lifeless. Instead of wondering what will happen to the characters, we just wonder what injury Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) will incur next or what animal will soon provide some sort of transportation/sustenance/shelter. Truly, the film is redeemed only in its artistic value, particularly that which is provided by cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. The imagery, along with the amazingly directed fight scenes make for what is probably the most visually stunning film of 2015. Kudos to Inarritu and Lubezki for making that possible!

Characters:
Oh, Leo, you sneaky son of a gun! I'm quickly becoming convinced that he could have revived the role of Lando Calrissian in The Force Awakens, using blackface in the midst of an Academy racial crisis, and still won best actor or supporting actor. Or, why not just give him both, because he truly "deserves" it. So... maybe that's a tad harsh, but, ultimately, the entire film (filled with great performances) is taking a backseat to Leo's Oscar ride, which is an example of somebody willing themselves to an award, rather than taking satisfaction in their ultimately successful career. Regardless, he gave his all to this role, and, whether or not I liked him or his performance, he sure did try.

End of rant!

Best Character:
As I said before, you never know when an actor might sneak up and surprise you, which is exactly what Tom Hardy did with his portrayal of John Fitzgerald--the rugged Revenant baddie. While DiCaprio certainly lucked up with the abundance of grunts and unfortunate physical struggles that lend themselves to Oscar frontrunners, Hardy actually gave a performance filled with life and character. While I've only had a couple of days to think about the performance, I must say that it is likely one of my favorites from 2015. Kudos to Hardy! You deserve Leo's attention!

Worst Character:
Domnhall Gleeson is quickly becoming the most poorly-cast individual in Hollywood. He seems like such a nice guy, but I've yet to enjoy him in any film. His character, Captain Andrew Henry, played a huge role in the outcome of The Revenant, and could have been one of the most likeable aspects of the film. But, instead, we had to settle for another failed attempt at toughness by Gleeson. Spoiler alert: he's still a scrawny ginger!

Conclusion:
I wrote about The Revenant because I had a lot to say, and, also, because I think it's going to end up being the Oscar frontrunner (Spotlight just doesn't seem strong enough, to me). My review has been terribly critical, because that's what I get paid (ha!) to provide. But, in all seriousness, The Revenant is a beautiful film, lacking in only one area--plot depth. Fortunately for the viewer, the lack of plot fades away, in the face of great performances by DiCaprio and Hardy and the brilliant imagery, brought to us by Inarritu and Lubezki. Let's hope that these two continue teaming up, year after year. I know I certainly wouldn't argue! I give The Revenant 3.88 out 5 stars.

Birdman

Expectations:
Each and every year, we movie critics (however amateur) watch many a film solely because everybody says that we should watch them. As Oscar season continues, this is more and more likely to be the case, and, for me, Birdman was one of those films. I'm not a huge fan of any of the cast members. I never saw Biutiful. And, I didn't really know much about the film, aside from knowing that Michael Keaton's Riggan would be a washed-up former superhero-actor. In the midst of grad school, wedding preparations, Christmas tree decorating, and Thanksgiving, I managed to somehow find time to watch a movie for which I have no particular fondness! Now, you may say that I'm crazy and should probably stop going to the movies so often, but, if you've ever been blown away unexpectedly by a film, you know exactly why Birdman might have just been worth the watch...

Plot:
Birdman was certainly worth the watch! If I were not a voice for the average film viewer but, instead, a voice for filmmakers, my review would likely be even more fond of the film than this review will actually turn out. Technically, Birdman was the most impressive movie-watching experience that I've had in 2014. Is it my favorite?... No. But, with the impressive camera work and a score that is sure to blow your brain, this film is one of those that a filmmaker-wannabe may cling to and desire to model. Again, I am not one to judge this sort of technicality, but, if you can listen to those drums and cymbals without feeling like Riggan's struggles and pressures are pounding down your own shoulders, please give me a call and let me learn of the perfect life that you live. The plot was simple, and the twists were few and far between. However, the story truly came to life, thanks to the stylistic beauty that Alejandro Inarritu and Antonio Sanchez were able to bring to Birdman.

Characters:
Michael Keaton's Riggan was fascinating, and, as much as I would never want to be in his situation, I felt like his struggles were my own. Kudos to Keaton for the lively performance, which gave us one of the most memorable characters of 2014. While I may not be a huge Keaton fan, I do appreciate what he can do as an actor, and there is no doubt that he was great for this role.

Negatives:
The only character that I did not enjoy was Andrea Riseborough's Laura, who just didn't seem to fit in any situation that she was placed. There were two memorable moments/plotlines for Laura and both of them felt so, so very forced and unnecessary. She was distracting, at times, and the film would have been darn near perfect without her presence. For anyone else who has seen the film, I would love to hear your opinions on this character.

Positives:
While Keaton's Riggan reigns supreme over the rest of the cast, Emma Stone's Sam and Edward Norton's Mike were also standouts in this cast. Stone is such a great actor, but she rarely chooses roles as gritty as that of Sam. I applaud her for going out on that limb! Similarly, I'm rarely impressed with Edward Norton and his characters, but this fit was perfect for him. Norton is one of those actors that I don't believe I will ever figure out, for one reason or another, but he knows how to be consistent.

Conclusion:
No 2014 movie is going to catch me off-guard as much as Nightcrawler did, last month, but Birdman may end up in second place. I have listened to the soundtrack for this film at least three times, since I watched, last week. If you've ever had a movie experience enhanced by a film's score, try stacking that film up against Birdman and see what you think. I was blown away! I mean, Keaton was great, but I couldn't really soak in his performance because I was so engulfed in the music! Birdman is one of those that I can see myself watching many times, in the near and distant future, and I certainly hope that each of you take the time to check it out (at least once!). I give Birdman 4.2 out of 5 stars.