Film Review - Birdman - Michael Keaton

L to R: Michael Keaton and Edward Norton "Birdman"

Billed somewhat as Michael Keaton's rebooting of his own acting career, Birdman can be a confusing film at times due to its structure and the use of a filming technique similar to one continuous take.  Co-written, co-produced and directed by Mexican film director, Alejandro González Iñárritu, the film follows the attempt by former Hollywood superhero actor, Riggan Thomson (Micheal Keaton) to restart his acting career by staging his own adaptation and production of a short story by Raymond Carver in one of Broadway's theatres. His efforts are dogged with uncertainty with a multitude of problems - his own previous typecasting as 'Birdman' and personal insecurity, the quality of the play's cast (leading to the replacement of one member with a famed Broadway prima donna, method actor, Mike [Edward Norton]), his daughter Sam (Emma Stone) a recovering addict who works as his assistant, while his girlfriend Laura (Andrea Riseborough) is also in the play's cast. Naomi Watts completes the key ensemble cast appearing as first-time Broadway actress Lesley and the former love-interest of Mike.

This film has many strong points and takes the viewer into the backstage activities of live theatre which would be of interest to theatre aficionados. In contrast, the character of Riggan can be irritating at times as he has conversations with his alto-ego, Birdman, throughout the film, visualises live action scenes on the street, floats above New York city and uses telekinetic special powers - all of which are in his mind. Is life imitating art for Michael Keaton ? The awarding of a Golden Globe for Best Actor would appear to say it is.  This is not film which will find a place on the American Film Institute's best film list, but it is a competent dramatic effort nonetheless.

Film Review - Mr Turner - Mike Leigh

Timothy Spall as J.M.W Turner in Mr Turner

Mike Leigh's biographical drama film, Mr Turner, won't appeal to all audiences with some aspects of his representation of the great British painter, J. W. M. Turner however it is nonetheless an impressive period work with an excellent cast and high production values.

The film is set in the last 25 years or so of Turner's life when he has long been established as an artist with fame, fortune and recognition as a popular if somewhat anarchic member of the Royal Academy of Arts. As the film progresses, Turner is shown sketching, painting, travelling to picturesque locations, staying as a guest with the aristocracy, visiting a brothel to do some sketch work, being strapped to a ship's mast to view a snowstorm and awkwardly navigating relationships with lovers, his housekeeper and children with very limited success. Leigh's objective with the film was to show not only the brilliance of Turner but also the man himself as a very flawed and awkward person seeking to distill, in an almost spiritual form, the world as represented in his paintings.

Timothy Spall gives a strong performance as Turner (for which he received the best actor award at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival), Dorothy Atkinson portrays his housekeeper, Hannah Danby (with minimal dialogue but many long takes showing various expressions), Paul Jesson is William Turner, the much beloved father and Marion Bailey is the widow Sophia Booth with whom Turner spends his last years.

The film's has several strong points: the clever linkages between painting scenes and specific Turner paintings orients the viewer to Turner's  works; the scripting of the film is 19th Century without the error of slipping into 20th/21st Century dialogue which comprises many other period set films. The weak elements of the film provide some obvious flaws: Turner is portrayed as mainly grunting rather than responding in speech to other characters; there is an overstated drabness to most settings and clothes which reflects more the director's bias than reality.  Overall the film is a positive experience and well worth a cinema ticket.