Birdman

Riggan Thompson used to rule the film industry as Birdman but since then has done little of note. Now he is trying to rekindle his acting career by adapting a Raymond Carver play to Broadway.  The movie chronicles this process through dress rehearsals and opening night. The acting is top notch with Michael Keaton and Edward Norton grabbing most of the limelight. Alejandro González Iñárritu has used a technique that makes it seem the film is one long shot. The end result is akin to playing a first person shoot out except that the film is a drama. The dialogues flow ceaselessly giving not a moment of stillness in the movie. At the end you are left a little nauseous thanks to the roving camera and cranky due to the noisy screenplay!

Rating: * +

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Funny Games

The movie opens up with a family driving to their country side vacation home. They are playing a guessing game of which piece of western classical music is being played on the radio. As the first credit appears on the screen, the soundtrack jarringly shifts to heavy metal rock. This sets the tone for the film which basically involves two sadistic teenagers terrorizing a family at their home for no rhyme nor reason. Prepare to cringe and come away disturbed!

The film serves as Michael Haneke's sadistic and satirical salute to the film industry for its love of wanton and pointless violence. Interestingly this was a remake of his own German version which was released in 1998. Looks like he felt strongly enough to send the same message out twice.

Rating: * * *

Eastern Promises

Naomi Watts enters the brutal world of the Russian mafia voluntarily. Unknowingly, rather. But the inevitable approaches her as she discovers more than she has to - but there is a small issue of Viggo Mortensen to be sorted out though. Hopeless, pointless thriller - yet another disappointment from the guy who made A History of Violence. Good to see Naomi Watts again though.

Rating: * +

Stay

One can notice the impact of 'Fight Club' and 'The Sixth Sense' has had on modern day movie writers & directors by the slew of movies about alter egos and the ones with the dramatic twist in the tale thats been staring at the viewer. But not all of them manage to carry that kind of effect - simply because the comparison to its inspiration proves excessively burdensome.

Here, Ewan Mcgregor is a short-trouser, short- socks wearing psychologist who gets slowly drawn into his patient's (Ryan Gosling) life. Slowly losing his life and distancing himself from Naomi Watts, his fiance. A reasonably well-made thriller that keeps you wondering whats going on - but somehow, as one suspects, does not hit the high notes one expects.

Rating: * *