"People, they love blood. They love action.
Not this talky, depressing, philosophical bullshit."
This year, too, the Academy seems to have chosen fewer gems than they usually do.
But anyway, here's my annual two cents drop into the piggy bank:
8 American Sniper, Clint Eastwood
Bradley Cooper's acting is restrained and brilliant, and Clint Eastwood, as always, directs with a competent hand. The movie, though, falls short in terms of width, and though there were some heart attack-inducing scenes (which is a good thing, by the way), I feel that the scope of the biopic could be wider, which is not to say that it is completely lacking in depth. And the tribute shots in the ending--this viewer somehow feels cheated. Come on, Clint, we know you could have done better than that.
7 The Theory of Everything, James Marsh
The film has much to say about hope and perseverance, and I salute Stephen Hawking for his remarkable strength in the face of so much adversity, and James Marsh for making this film because now, we are reminded that our little complaints are nothing compared to what other people must be going through. The film, too, has much to say about Eddie Redmayne's talent. He shone in the film.
Ah, but that's all, folks.
6 The Imitation Game, Morten Tyldum
Benedict Cumberbatch has always been--looks, notwithstanding--flawless for me. He (and he, taking on Alan Turing, of course) was reason enough to see the film, and I was not disappointed. But only in that aspect, and that statement deserves a repeat: only in that aspect. Cumberbatch aside, it seemed to me like the film was created precisely with one goal in mind: to become part of Oscars history. Which is not to say that it's an entirely bad thing. But let's see where it goes.
5 The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson
It started out on a whimsical note and I was, of course, smitten. The language was smart and elaborate, the background grand, and Ralph Fiennes, well, adorable. Until the first train ride scene, the movie had my full attention, and then I just started going downhill. Yes, it was I who went downhill, make no mistake. I have no doubt that the movie has glorious, wonderful things going for it; I have no doubt that it has much to teach about history and the melancholy remembrance of things that were; I have no doubt that Wes Anderson is a genius, as he has often been called. I, however, have doubts about my own capacity to focus when things start dragging on, and on, and on. I have a penchant for falling asleep on things that fail to sustain my interest, besides, but that is entirely my fault--I take full responsibility.
You do the math.
4 Whiplash, Damien Chazelle
If you're at all into the arts, if you're a musician, especially, and a drummer, specifically, you must see this film, and there is absolutely no reason why you should not. Pardon the exaggerated language, but I stand by my words. I imagine that your heart, like mine, would be up in your throat for most of the time, because Chazelle delivers in the film-making aspect. Plus J.K. Simmons is intensely fascinating, hateful, and arresting here, and one would wonder why he should best be remembered as that loud, annoying, bossy newspaper head in the first Spider-Man series. With Miles Teller (Andrew), he forms one of the most memorable (if a bit dysfunctional) mentor-student relationships on film. So drop those drumsticks for just a while and catch this film.
A digression: I usually refrain from ranking, but I decided to do it this year, and after I got those 5 out of the way, came the difficult part. I drove myself a little mad trying to decide which of the three films below came first, second, and third, and almost gave up. But because I do enjoy tearing my brains apart (sometimes), here are my top 3:
3 Selma, Ava DuVernay
The film, famously snubbed (in all other categories excepting Best Picture) by the Academy for all the wrong reasons, is a historical drama that chronicles a people's march to unequivocal civil rights, as led by Martin Luther King, Jr. The historical context is not at all tiring--the viewer feels as if he could be right there, in that moment. The film is executed in a way that the viewer does not at all feel wanting, where most of the aspects of film are concerned. The rising action is gripping and the drama is sustained, all throughout. The movie affects without employing excess, and this is an admirable quality in any form that tells the story of a leap from oppression to liberation. David Oyelowo delivers exquisitely; DuVernay has definitely made her mark in film-making history.
2 Boyhood, Richard Linklater
This was the first of the nominated movies that I watched, and I was quite taken aback at how wonderfully understated--and beautifully crafted--it was. This is a film where nothing really happens, but so much happens, at the same time. It is both detached and intimate, piecemeal and complete, restrained and moving--you get the drift. It tells so much about one life and all the other lives entwined with it, and with so much gentleness and intricate subtlety about it. Up to now, I'm still hard-pressed to place this where I'm placing it, but meanwhile, I'm letting it stay here.
1 Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Because Michael Keaton's acting is above reproach and praise; because Edward Norton is matchless; because I am straightforward in taking the storyteller's side; because I feel that he is able to say what he wants to say in a manner that is interesting and thought-provoking; because thought-provoking films bring me to uncharted heights; because we all have a Riggan Thomson in us; because cinema and theater will almost always find themselves on opposite sides of a spectrum; because culture is subjective; because, in an effort to explore it in its entirety, I could think about--and talk to someone about--this film for hours and hours on end; because Raymond Carver; because.
What about you? I would love to know what you think.
