1. BIRDMAN (R)
Fox Searchlight
RUSS
Funny, profane and arty…perhaps to a fault…the pitch black comedy “Birdman” may be the most original and imaginative movie of the year. Michael Keaton gives a riveting performance portraying a former movie star best known for playing a superhero, attempting a Broadway comeback.
SHAWN
“Birdman” is pretentious, over-acted and a bit stagey. It’s also loaded with inside jokes that assault and condemn Hollywood’s recent contribution to today’s pop cultural landscape. But it’s all intentional and what makes this movie cinematic genius. And, yes, it’s original but it’s not for everyone.
RUSS
Expect Oscar nominations for Best Picture, for Keaton’s magnetic performance, for the razor-sharp turns by supporting players Edward Norton and Emma Stone as well as for the spot-on work of director Alejandro González Iñárritu. Many viewers will utterly hate this bawdy and bleak backstage satire filled with magic realism, but there’s no denying its cinematic virtuosity. In that respect, “Birdman” soars.
SHAWN
There is an unusual rhythm that the actors swing to as they put on an acting clinic. If you dig acting you will love “Birdman.” And if storytelling turns you on, you’ll be completely satisfied. “Birdman” is truly unlike anything you’ve seen before.
RUSS: 5 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 4 Popcorn Bags
2. NIGHTCRAWLER (R)
Open Road Films
RUSS
Jake Gyllenhaal may snag an Oscar nomination as well for his menacing performance in the dark and disconcerting thriller, “Nightcrawler.” Gyllenhaal plays a disturbed and creepy freelance cameraman who sells grisly crime and accident footage to local news stations thirsty for ratings. When things aren’t violent enough, Jake’s sociopathic character begins taking matters into his own hands.
SHAWN
Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent. And that may be an understatement. He superbly carries the entire movie with a creepy performance that sticks in this drama that exposes the ugly side of local news coverage.
RUSS:
Troubling and cynical, “Nightcrawler” provides plenty of fodder for post-movie coffee talk about the ethics of local TV news and the public’s lust for the sensational.
SHAWN
“Nightcrawler” isn’t a conventional thriller. It’s dark and intense but one heck of a thrilling journey grounded in spooky realism. But it’s Jake Gyllenhaal that takes “Nightcrawler” to the next level. Electrifying and scary.
RUSS: 4 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 4 Popcorn Bags
Also opening this week:
“The Two Faces of January” is a suspense thriller involving American tourists in Greece and Istanbul. Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst star. “Before I Go to Sleep” is yet another suspense drama, this one based on the bestselling novel about a woman who, due to an accident, awakes each day with no memory. Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth star. And, just in time for Halloween, “Horns” is a supernatural offering starring Daniel Radcliff about a man who begins to grow devil horns.
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