Best movie: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
(2. Gone Girl 3. Whiplash 4. Pride 5. Under the Skin 6. Nightcrawler 7. Enemy 8. The Guest 9. Foxcatcher 10. The Skeleton Twins)
I adore that moment when I truly fall in love with a movie that I'm watching. With Birdman it was within first five minutes when Riggan 'makes' the reflector hit the shitty actor in his play. The atmosphere of the film, its astounding visual side, energetic beat of the score, the effortless humor, the wonderful acting - it's all right there. It's not just a movie, it's a wild, surreal, beautiful, breathtaking experience and a great study of the mind of an artist and the challenges he faces in the world. Hell, not just an artist - all of us. Wanting to be someone, to have our dreams come true, to be relevant. What do we want? How can we be happy? How can we be free? Birdman asks all of those questions without ever coming across as preachy. It's just an incredible ride, from start to finish, and the finest movie I've seen in years.
The subject of greatness comes up during every Oscar season. It's usually the story of someone who lived in turbulent time and had either a major love affair or contributed to the world in significant way. Those films are usually beautifully shot, scored with great music and feature well known actors who deliver good, often career best work. And they always get criticized for being filled with cliches and that huge Oscar bait sign they should have attached to them.
Foxcatcher tells the story based on real events. John du Pont, eccentric millionaire and wresting enthusiast, invited Olympic gold medalist Mark Schultz to stay on his farm and be part of the wrestling team John coaches. The movie details the complicated personalities of two men, their odd relationship and Mark's older brother Dave care for his brother, as well as the inevitable tragedy that occurred on Foxcatcher farm.