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| marantzo |
 Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:40 pm |
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billyweeds wrote: Well, since this is a forum on Current Film and since this movie I'm starring in has now actually been called "the very best film of 2014," I'm going to toot my own horn a little bit here. This is the review from Film Threat.
http://www.filmthreat.com/reviews/80322/
Billy, that's one hell of a review! I hope it comes here or it goes to the theatres in the US when I'm down there. It's funny how many roles you are in are about bad people.  Maybe you can get me a role? I'm available.
I'm very happy about your performance. Mazel Tov!  |
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| whiskeypriest |
| Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 1:18 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: "It's a Dry Heat."
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| "Felonious Fish"? I smell Oscar! |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 5:57 am |
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whiskeypriest wrote: "Felonious Fish"? I smell Oscar!
We'd have to get a lot more distribution to make that happen, but from your mouth to God's ears, like they say.
Speaking of Oscar, though, I saw Michael Keaton's performance in Birdman last night, for which Keaton is a lock for an Oscar nomination. And although I'm thrilled that he's back in the loop after a couple of decades of dreck, the movie is a bit of a letdown.
It's a technical miracle. The entire film (well, almost) seems to be shot in one long continuous take and it's fascinating to see this sucker in action. Time elides and you feel trapped inside this funnel-like version of reality. That's a blessing and a curse. It's riveting on one level, but on another, more arguably important one, it takes you out of the story and makes you all too aware that you're watching a movie--and a more than slightly show-offy one.
The showoff here is Alejandro G. Inarritu, who cannot be faulted on a technical level, but whose virtuosity works against itself. I sense the actors are more hampered than helped by this cinematographic juggernaut.
But a few of them stand out. Most importantly, the great Keaton creates a marvelous character. His Riggan Thomsen is a has-been movie star whose greatest hit was the character of "Birdman" about 25 years ago (the Michael Keaton analogy is far from coincidental; there's a lot of meta stuff going on here). Riggan is trying to come back on Broadway in his own adaptation of a Raymond Carver short story. He's forced to hire a preening asshole of an actor (played by Edward Norton, also reportedly cast to type) to round out a cast which includes a neophyte actress played by Naomi Watts. Keaton's assistant is his fresh-out-of-rehab daughter (Emma Stone). It's a great cast, which also includes a startlingly thin and remarkably handsome Zach Galifianakis, Amy Ryan, and Lindsay Duncan. Among these, however, only Norton, Duncan, and--particularly--Stone get a chance to shine bright. The rest are sucked into Inarritu's inexorable vortex.
But Keaton still deserves the Oscar, because he's terrific and also because, damn it, he's MICHAEL KEATON! |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 6:54 am |
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| But he's up against that Weeden guy, so no hope. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:07 am |
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| I guess it's not related to The Birdman of Alcatraz. |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 2:10 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
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Location: Black Hills
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| Michael Keaton and Burt Lancaster are actually second cousins. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 2:24 pm |
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Last week's Entertainment Weekly had a 10-page cover article on Michael Keaton and "Birdman"--very interesting, but I resisted reading the whole thing because it made me want to see the film. (If you missed it, Billy, I have an extra copy.)
http://www.ew.com/ew/static/longform/birdman/desktop/ |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 3:56 pm |
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carrobin wrote: Last week's Entertainment Weekly had a 10-page cover article on Michael Keaton and "Birdman"--very interesting, but I resisted reading the whole thing because it made me want to see the film. (If you missed it, Billy, I have an extra copy.)
http://www.ew.com/ew/static/longform/birdman/desktop/
Thanks, Carol. But you should see the film. Really. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 4:02 pm |
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| That's what I meant--I want to see the film before I read the whole article, which could tell me too much. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 4:06 pm |
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carrobin wrote: That's what I meant--I want to see the film before I read the whole article, which could tell me too much.
Ahhh. Now I get it. And, yeah, you should avoid knowing too much going in. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 4:07 pm |
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bartist wrote: Michael Keaton and Burt Lancaster are actually second cousins.
Is this actually true or just a bartistic trick? |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 7:12 pm |
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| I think Bart means they are both Birdmen. |
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| whiskeypriest |
| Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 7:14 pm |
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billyweeds wrote: bartist wrote: Michael Keaton and Burt Lancaster are actually second cousins.
Is this actually true or just a bartistic trick? |
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I ask you, Velvel, as a rational man, which of us is possessed? |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 7:18 pm |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 5:58 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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marantzo wrote: He's Diane Keaton's son.
I feel I've entered a parallel universe here. Michael Keaton's real name is Michael Douglas but he is no relation to MD. Keaton took his name from Diane Keaton, I think, though it may have been Buster. Again, no relation to the other Keatons.
The one true thing (IMO, of course) is that all three Keatons--Buster, Diane, and Michael--are among the true greats of the screen. |
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