Birdman

Now as you may or may not know I have a love/hate relationship with movie trailers. I love watching 20 minutes worth of previews in the theater or playing the “first to name a movie gets a point” while waiting for the DVD menu to appear (you’ll beat me someday mom and Amanda). However if it’s a movie I know I really want to see, I steer clear of those tell-all 3 minute story spoilers. All that to say I hadn’t really seen anything regarding Birdman and just knew the basics – an old actor trying to make a comeback and every once in a while a man in a bird suit pops in. Therefore it’s safe to say that I didn’t have a clue of what I was getting myself into.

From the opening scene I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. I was completely mesmerized. I found myself physically leaning forward, attempting to get as close to these people and their world as my seat would allow me.

I could spend paragraphs upon paragraphs about the music that is a force to be reckoned with or I could talk about the continuous shots seamed together flawlessly by the director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki. I could spend days on that man alone. Lubezki, a name rarely heard or read, should be given a great deal of respect and praise. Lubezki has teamed up with two artistically gifted directors, Alfonso Cuarón and Terrence Malick and thanks to these sensational duos we have been given pure natural beauty on the screen in a way never before seen. Malick and Lubezki have collaborated together since 2005 with The New World, Tree of Life, To The Wonder and their latest project, Knight of Cups. Lubezki worked on Gravity and Children of Men with Cuarón. But I digress. What I really want to talk about is the acting.

This. Cast. Good gosh a mighty what a cast!

I adore Edward Norton and always have. You may not believe me but it’s the truth. I can remember the first time I saw The Score (obscure movie reference for the night) and I thought “This guy is adorable”. He’s got it all. The looks, that voice and you never know what he’s going to do next. He could be a boy scout leader in Wes Anderson’s fantastical adventure or an insomniac, soap-making, underground fighter. Underrated and under-appreciated but his low profile only makes my admiration for him grow.

Michael Keaton – Batman, Beetlejiuce and Birdman. Quite the range. Like Norton, Keaton keeps to himself and has been living a peaceful life out on his Montana ranch (thank you Sunday Morning News). Keaton is often quoted in the Haley household from his lesser known flick Night Shift. While looking at a picture on his coworker’s desk he asks, “Is that your girlfriend? Nice frame.” Don’t ask me how that stood out among the rest but it’s still a favorite for us Haleys.

It just keeps going – Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Ryan. Of course we all treasure Miss Stone and her charming innocence. Amy Ryan became a favorite of mine after Gone Baby Gone and The Wire. 

I love the variety of this cast. The differing backgrounds and ages of actors. There isn’t a poor performance to be found among this roster. It seemed like such a random group of actors that beautifully blended together to make this authentic, ambitious, raw film about people.

Ok I’ve rambled enough – go see Birdman.

The Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch. How can you not love him? The name alone is extraordinary. And those eyes. Oh my dear heavens. And of course the accent goes without saying. He is a beautiful man with incredible talent.

But… I have a confession. And I know it’s a sin to even think something like this let alone say it out loud but… I had my reservations about him in The Imitation Game. Gasp! Sneer! Judgement! I know, I know. I’m sorry but I did. I was worried that it might be too similar to his impeccable portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. We all know he can play the brilliant, slightly off, British detective but would there be a difference in his role of the brilliant, slightly off British mathematician? Let me rephrase, I was concerned for his well-being and the possibility of him being typecast. There that sounds better.

Anyway, when it received a whopping 8 nominations I had to see it no matter what my gut said. In a theatre filled with the generation that lived through the troubled times of the film I sat with excitement, curiosity, and the teensiest bit of worry. What was I ever thinking?

I personally don’t believe that it deserves all of its nominations however Mr. Cumberbatch was rightly placed in the prestigious category of Best Actor in a Leading Role. Now I have yet to see any of the other performances for this category but if I had to guess Benedict won’t be taking hold the golden statue. However he most certainly deserves the recognition and nomination for his unwavering performance of Alan Turing. He plays Turing with such vulnerability and awkwardness and a softness of heart. He plays a man that is misunderstood and lacks the social cues needed. He plays a man that is trying to solve the greatest puzzle in history while decoding human interactions on a daily basis. He plays a sweet, complex man who did an impossible thing for his Queen and country and the world without any acknowledgement.

As for the rest of the film I throughly enjoyed the pacing of the film and the use of multiple timelines to tell the entire story of Alan Turing. Keira Knightley did a fine job (Oscar worthy?) but the shining star of the film has to be Cumberbatch. It is a powerful and intriguing story that should be told. I was found with tears in my eyes when the credits rolled (but that isn’t hard to do). Again I don’t think it’s as spectacular as everyone is making it out to be and maybe that was my issue. Maybe there was just too much hype and it didn’t live up to my expectations. But why focus on the negative? It is most definitely worth watching for the story and acting and those piercing green eyes.

Gravity

Sandra Bullock. Floating in space – space kinda freaks me out. Not much dialogue. Ehh I think I’ll pass. What?! It got nominated for Best Picture?! Fine I guess I’ll see it. And if I’m going to see it I suppose I should see it in theatre since it’s apparently not just a movie but some grand “experience.” Normally I would never pay to see a movie in 3D but it was only being shown in the obnoxiously overdramatized format so I didn’t have a choice – and boy, am I glad I didn’t.

Oh. My. Goodness. What…uh…where…uhhh…uhhh…words…thoughts…nothing makes any sense.

Speechless. I just sat in my seat. Credits rolling but I can’t move. Eyes wide, jaw dropped, words not being formed. I was blown away. I hate to be like everybody else but it wasn’t just a movie. I was quite literally outside of Earth’s atmosphere for 91 minutes fighting obstacles galore in a pursuit to return home.

It’s a visual journey that is personally, and believe it or not physically, experienced. Roughly the first 15 minutes is spent alongside Bullock, following her every spin and tumble. Eventually director Alfonso Cuarón takes the camera inside Bullock’s helmet to share her daunting perspective and from that moment on I was whirling and twisting in the endless darkness. Shoulders permanently scrunched – full of stress and tension – fearful that I wouldn’t make it back to Earth either.

It’s been challenging to critique this film as I have done the others. You can’t discuss the typical dialogue and story of the picture. Unless you take the side of the few lines spoken were weak and the plot/subplot were dare I say pointless (Names will not be mentioned at this time but you know who you are.) I would agree that it doesn’t deserve praise for its writing however I was entirely consumed by the atmosphere and in my opinion that rectified it.

A strong quality of the film that added to the ambience is thanks to the pacing. It all happened in real time. I can’t quite put my finger on it but it just added to the feeling of reality. It was another characteristic of the experience that forced you to be in Bullock’s space suit. There wasn’t a breath of oxygen or flying piece of metal that was missed – I was there for all of it.  Sound effects can join the conversation at this point. Cuarón drew a great deal of attention to the glaring contrast between the eerie silence of space and the skilled work of Steven Price’s score. Price, who worked on The Lord of the Rings trilogy, intensified the dramatic catastrophes taking place one right after another.

If you haven’t noticed I don’t give a synopsis of the film in my reviews. I look at it as a guide for after the viewing that creates questions about the film. Do I agree with this crazy person’s perspective? Or possibly – hmm I never thought about it that way. Maybe I’m the one who does it backwards – who can say? Regardless I don’t like giving spoilers in case some readers haven’t seen the film yet. Well sorry but here is my spoilers section.

I loved the ending. I teared up a couple of times throughout the film but finally started dripping salty tears at the end. Bullock just keeps fighting and fighting and even when she makes it back to Earth she still has to fight for her life. Finally. Finally she makes it on dry land. The battle is over. She has won. But wait. She stands up. And has to learn to walk again. Ahhhhhh. I just lost it. It was so beautiful and completely symbolic of her life. Constant strife is inevitable but she has survived the unthinkable, the death of her daughter and voyage to outer space and back. She can face anything and has to for herself and for her daughter.

I’m not as good as I’d like to be at describing and explaining the film or my reaction but I hope this conveys even the tiniest bit of adventure that I endured. And I truly hope that your experience was similar – it’d be a shame to miss something like this.

Her

Months ago I began investigating the up and coming movies – particularly those with actors on my most respected list. Joaquin Phoenix entered my search results and I came across a project titled “Her” Hmmm. Intriguing. A few months later I read something about it and saw that distinguished pink background, endearing moustache and gray eyes that ache for a pain you’ve yet to know or experience.

Eventually I saw the trailer and soon after, the Oscar buzz began. I must admit I was the teensiest bit proud that I spotted it before the rest of society grabbed hold. But no one could imagine the story that would unfold and grip our hearts in a new and deeper manner.

Director Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Where the Wild Things Are) introduces us to a man named Theodore Twombly. That’s exactly what he is too, a man. Theodore isn’t a disguised superhero fighting the sinister evil taking over the town or a lone survivor searching for a safe haven amidst some apocalyptic world. He’s a man who lives in a semi-futuristic urban area and is in the slow process of finalizing/coming to terms with his divorce and re-entering the life of singlehood.

Out of a mixture of curiosity and loneliness he purchases the latest gadget on the market. “It’s not just an operating system, it’s a consciousness.” is the explanation given by the advertisement. Here enters our other main character, Samantha (spoilers – she’s the OS.) The remainder of the film is the journey of this unique and unfamiliar relationship – for the couple and the audience.

Whatever preconceptions you may have be prepared to believe in this connection. Lying, miscommunication, insecurity, vulnerability, intimacy. The list goes on and on of what the couple encounter and share together. Samantha allows him feel again and Theodore allows Samantha to feel for the first time. It’s uncharted territory but clearly in the realm of a true relationship.

Jonze gives you exceptional insight into the wiring of Theodore Twombly. His spacious or rather empty apartment, both organized and messy depending on his emotional status. His “home” feels like a cage Theodore has created for himself. Massive windows overlooking the brightly lit city but incapable of entering and enjoying it to the fullest.  His daily job of writing love letters for spouses only adds to Jonze’s environment and portrayal of modern day relationships. I can only guess what that does to Theodore’s view of love and marriage.

Resemblances between Her and Lars and the Real Girl can be made. Once upon a time I took an amazing class in college and had the opportunity to dissect Lars. From my perspective a major difference between the two stories is the idea of acceptance. Lars is entirely about the acceptance of a relationship between a man and a blowup doll whereas Her is purely about the relationship. Lars believe his relationship to be real with the world having to accept it. Theodore on the other hand is the only one doubting the bond he has with Samantha.

For both films people will take the technology/society route to analyze them and make an excellent case. If you know me at all you know that I will take the personal/relationship road every time without fail. Of course I think the technology has a strong presence throughout the story. I think it’s something to take note of and discuss but it was far more personal for me. I related to a number of things and was drawn into the inner questions and doubts of Theodore specifically than the world around him.

In my subtle and understated opinion, I think Phoenix got royally screwed by the Academy this year. I might also throw Jonze in that crowd as well.  Her received nominations for Best Picture, Production Design, Original Song and Original Score. Jonze was skipped in the directorial category but picked up the recognition for Original Screenplay (although he’s got some stiff competition to beat out.

I wasn’t even out of the theatre before a dozen questions formed and prodded me for an answer. I could have discussed it for hours. These are my favorite kinds of films. Questioning, prodding, intriguing films that have you thinking about them for days. Thank you Joaquin for another brilliant performance and another character with a heart that is nothing short of honest and genuine.

American Hustle

What better way to kick off my film portion of the blog than to review the Best Picture Oscar nominations for 2013. My first of the flicks happened to be David O’Russell’s American Hustle. My dad and I usually catch one or two movies around Christmas time and this was the lucky one chosen. For this particular review allow me to set the stage.

Picture if you will sitting by my father (those of you lucky enough to have met the real life Mr. Haley will appreciate this more) with his large Coke and large bag of popcorn at his side and in-between each preview, while the theater is silent as the grave my father likes to voice his optimistic opinion about the next cinematic product Hollywood has graced us with. “Hmmm.” “I think I’ll pass.” “That looks like a winner.” It’s become a tradition for mom and I to lean in (not that we need to) and pick up whatever critique dad has for the upcoming rom-com.

Anywhoo safe to say we were both pretty excited about our choice and had high hopes for the next 138 minutes. I won’t say that I was disappointed but puzzled wouldn’t be a stretch. As some of you may know I strongly dislike movie reviews that recap the story and never give a critique of the film. So no worries there won’t be any spoilers coming from me – just my overall opinion and thoughts of the film.

I left the theater perplexed. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing but I wasn’t thinking about things that I should have been…or maybe I was. I started analyzing and thinking about what bothered me. My conclusion – David O’Russell. The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook and now American Hustle. They all slightly bothered me. It seemed that each film couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a drama or a comedy. Not to say that they can’t be both but each genre was expressed a bit too extremely for me.

Other similarities shared by O’Russell’s films are the casting, characters and dialogue. They’re all phenomenal. The three of them combined create the most realistic, honest and vulnerable individuals. O’Russell is one of those directors who likes to work with the same group of actors and it’s fine by me because so far they’ve all gave incredibly strong performances.

Back to the genre war front – I didn’t know if I was laughing at or with these complex characters and because they are so real I couldn’t bare to mock the very people I’ve invested in. There are obvious scenes of pure hilarity (the opening toupee scene – I kid you not, my dad and I were the only ones laughing in the theater!) and absolute heartbreak. The lesson I learned once I re-watched Silver Linings and The Fighter (post my theater brain befuddlement) was the realization that it’s true to nature. Nobody’s life is completely dramatic or 100% comical. It’s what makes them real people – despite the obscure situations they find themselves in. The funny moments didn’t take away from the seriousness of the scenario or the sadness of the person but enriched the story and development of character.

I could spend another giant paragraph on the soundtrack alone but I’ll spare you and just say that it’s a strength in all of O’Russell’s films and especially adds to the 70’s vibe of American Hustle. The wardrobe and environment are each fierce characters of their own that could be described and praised for days but I’ll let you see and appreciate it for yourself.

What previously bothered me now makes for a fuller and more satisfying collection of work. At first I was disappointed that I wasn’t raving like the advertisements insisted I would but now that I’ve challenged my confusion and negative reaction I can understand it and appreciate the film on a deeper level. Isn’t that point of film and art in general? To make us question what we think and believe? Well done David O’Russell. Well done.

here, there and everywhere

My brain is on overload. I’m not entirely sure for the reason but I have to do something about it.

It’s an ambitious goal (and we’re just going to ignore my previous one) but something that I’m going to take a week at a time. I want to post once a week. It’s going to take a decent amount of discipline and scheduling but I really want to see it happen. I want to see this blog come to life.

As you can see from my freshly created menu, I now have different topics to put words to. I’m being honest with myself and realizing that will it take quite some time to get each of these up and running but I’m prepared to be patient and to not lose momentum.

Here’s to a new year with well defined and described thoughts, opinions and lessons.

home vs home

I felt the tiniest bit of homesickness starting to creep about today. It’s mostly due to the Christmas season becoming more and more real. Christmas is the time that the Haley house soars with excitement, fun and laughter.

This being my first Christmas without a guaranteed vacation home, I have found myself to be quite spoiled. I will be spending a whopping three weeks at home for the holidays. I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to do with myself but I’m not too concerned.

Then I started thinking – I will be home for three whole weeks(!) and away from my new home for three whole weeks(…). Don’t get me wrong,  I wouldn’t miss a Haley Christmas for the world but three weeks away from my Fox family will be a sadder than I ever thought it would be. I hope the boys don’t have too much fun playing in the snow without me or get bored with their new toys that Santa brings them or learn more flips and tumbles from gymnastics or grow another inch or…

One of the greatest blessings I have gained from this year at OneWay has undeniably been living in this house, loving living in this house and especially loving the people that I live with.

And it’ll be okay – Linda and I have already talked about FaceTime sessions with the boys. Nothing to worry about.

stages of life

Thanksgiving weekend I looked after Henry and Kenny, which by now you know that they are the cutest and orneriest boys in my life.

A few Saturdays ago and this morning (and tomorrow morning I believe) I held a 7 week year old baby boy.

This afternoon I worked from the nursery so I could over see said baby boy and his three older sisters, ages 6, 4 and 2.5. The most crucial part of my job was to fast forward during the scary parts of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Kudos to the girls though. I never could watch that one – the queen scared the daylights out of me.

The whole day/weekend was a strange teetering and tottering of spending time with small children and then their parents. I was looking forward to returning to work and communing with human beings (particularly those I could hold a reasonably intelligent conversation with that didn’t involve fast trucks or Thomas the Train) but I was quickly thrown into an ever more familiar world.

Don’t get me wrong – I love spending time with the kiddos I’ve just never done it to this extreme. I’ve been learning a lot about patience and how much crap our parents went through to raise us knuckleheads. I can’t quite figure it out – I guess they just love us or something.

Which leads me to think of our Father’s love for us.

I won’t be vacant anymore

I’ve been wanting to write more on my blog but if you haven’t noticed – activity has been minimal. This leads me to today’s post. I have come up with a rather ambitious goal but something I believe is obtainable. I am going to post each and every day for the month of December.  They may be stories from the day, highly intelligent quotes from my 4 and 5 year old roommates, movie and/or TV reviews (which would be my ultimate goal), random thoughts and pictures and anything else that might come to mind.

I’m not entirely sure my reasoning behind this daily recording – something else to figure out along the way I suppose.

December 1 begins the journey:

I’m coming off of a break of four and a half days spent resting, eating and Netflixing. It was my first Thanksgiving away from home and family. To be honest Thanksgiving with the family isn’t that special – obviously it would have nice to just be home but I’ll get my fair share at Christmas time. Once I thought about it there were a couple of things that I sincerely missed and have to wait a whole year to absorb: my great grandmother’s perfect deviled eggs (which will hopefully  be found at Christmas), my great aunt’s rare and royal persimmon pudding (don’t knock it til you try it), Black Friday shopping at the wee hours of the morn with a kick-ass playlist and the one and only Mama Haley (priceless, indescribable, and without cheese of any kind…really), and finally the hilarity and absurdity of Haley Jeopardy (something you have to experience firsthand to truly understand and appreciate).

My Turkey Day was quite pleasant and enjoyable (more details to come) but throughout the day I slowly started remembering the little things that normally made it feel like a family holiday – my family’s holiday.  A phone call from the good ol’ mom and pops was appreciated as always and reminded me that family is always near. All in all a nice holiday and a much needed time of restoration.

adult vs. child

What makes an adult, an adult?

• I’m 23 years old
• I work 8:30 – 4:30 Monday through Friday
• I pay rent
• I consciously choose if it’s too late to eat dessert and if I want to pay the consequences (and I know and understand what the consequences will be)
• I can consume alcohol, drive a vehicle and join the armed forces (not all at the same time of course.)

This going back of forth between being an adult and child has been stirring in my mind recently and lots of things come into play when it comes up. I live with, and for the most part am surrounded by, two groups of people — ages 4 to 12 and 35 to 43. I’m pretty much smack dab in the middle. With the differences between the age groups, my situation magnifies this question and places it in my view every day.  Therefore it raises the question of am I an adult or a child? In the extreme regards, I’m not a child.

• I don’t have to ask for permission to leave the dinner table.
• I can watch TV/movies on any day of the week (not just Friday.)
• If those green things aren’t lookin’ too tasty I conveniently forget to put them on my plate or in my shopping cart.

BUT

• I still call my mom and dad when making decisions (about shampoo or purchasing large items.)
• I come home and look for someone to tell about my day (and of course want them to ask and be just as excited as I.)
• And after those really hard days I want someone to know exactly what I need (a trip out of the house to get my mind off of things or a night in curled up with a good film and cup of tea.)

I think this last list applies to a significant other (but honey ain’t nobody got time for men…yet) and just being human in general. This is where my earlier statement (“lots of things come into play”) comes into play. I think that being single has something to do with it and being so far from my closest friends who truly know me. And the fact that everybody wants to be known, heard and understood. It may be a factor but I don’t think it’s thee factor.

Another component that is repeatedly brought up is responsibility. There are things that I don’t want to do or don’t even know how to do but I’ve got to learn sometime. And spoilers, some things aren’t that big of a deal but for whatever reason seem like the biggest deal. I’m discovering that as an “adult” there are things that you just do…because that’s what you do as an adult.

My schooling may be done but my learning continues. There are many things that I’ve learned through classes, mistakes, others much wiser than myself, art, etc and I’m daily reminded of all that I can accomplish on my own and all that is completely unknown.

This may seem a little jumbled, probably because that’s how it is in my head, but I hope it makes a little bit of sense. Or at  least creates questions. It seems like other posts have been in a similar state recently but that’s ok. I think it’s an honest reflection of the stage that I’m in.