The Imitation Game

Benedicit Cumberbatch brilliantly plays Alan Turing the English math genius and cryptanalyst who with a few men and a women changed the course of World War II. This is a great true story that modern day geeks can appreciate and Turing’s life makes fascinating drama. Turing was insufferable, but he was indispensable. He was humorless but inadvertently funny. He was not a people person. He was as good reading human emotions as Ray Charles was reading the morning paper.

Cumberbatch powerfully conveys Turing’s arrogance, loneliness, apprehension and fears. Turing was a man ahead of his time to the consternation naval intelligence and MI6 who could not grasp his genius. He was unorthodox and did not care for protocol or chain of command. Turing was not of their class but his intellect out ranked them. He was committed more to himself than King and country. Cumberbatch plays this emotional tightrope with drama. Burdened with impossible deadlines, fighting for material and personal, mostly without his superior’s support, these conflicts and resolution drive the movie.

Turing and his crew where trying to decipher the unbreakable Enigma code used by the Nazis. The codes changed every day and possible combinations were in the millions of millions. Turing took an unorthodox approach to break the code putting him at odds with his handlers. He broke away from conventional code deciphering instead using a machine he invented. Cumberbatch is very passionate in these scenes. His frustration at the narrow mindedness of his superiors is tangible.

Turing was gay and being gay in England then was a punishable offense. He kept his sexual preference secret, not out of shame but to avoid blackmail or prison. Turing deified society and willingly engaged in his homosexual affairs, but was deeply afraid of the consequences to himself and his work. This seesaw battle between who he wants to be and who he has to be torments him.

Keira Knightley is Joan Clarke the female code breaker.  Clarke is unequivocally confident, firmly resisting the push to the secretarial pool for her seat at the table with Turing. Her mathematical prowess impressed Turing. They liked each other; their relationship was more than plutonic and was complicated. Knightley did not overplay this role. She was very sincere for her affection to Turing.  Knightly and Cumberbatch had great chemistry.

Another character of note is Mark Strong who played Maj. Gen. Stewart Menzies, the MI6 liaison (one of the characters said, “there is no MI6 only MI5. To which Strong relies, “then we are keeping our secrets well”). He is so British he is almost brittle. He is Turing’s nemeses and champion, depending what he wants. He represents the government and the ends to which it will go to win.

Flash backs are like a pinch of salt, less is best. They are done right here. They augment the narrative at the right time and explain the present using the past. Here the flash backs concern Turing’s public school days where he was subjected to cruelties and where a great loving friendship blossomed.

Turing was truly a tragic figure, a label surely he would reject. The West owes him a great debt of gratitude for his contributions. His inventions were called Turing Machines. Now we call them computers. 

The Hunger Games-Mockingjay Part 1

The Hunger Games-Mockingjay Part 1

If this picture was not part of the Hunger Game franchise it would have less audience and less box office. Thanks to the HG devotees they flocked to this movie like moths to a flame. This movie lacks the Lord of the Fly motif of the prior two films. Instead of a hunt or be hunted movie with big brother watching it is just a rebellion movie. There are references to the prior movies and the roles of some characters but this movie can stand on its own. I think Part 1 was put in the title to distance this movie from the others and garner a broader audience.

Part 1 means this is the pen ultimate movie. This is movie is a place holder for the final movie. It keys up atrocities committed by the Capital and retaliations by the Districts. All of this conflict will be resolved in the final film. Unlike the other movies Katniss does relatively little fighting.  This is here least energetic role and she looks shabby and unglamorous.  There are no flaming dresses here, rather grey jump suits are de rigueur. Grey is the dominant color of the movie; it could be seen as a metaphor, “the grey before the dawn”. On the whole this movie is a set up for a hoped for mega box office in the final picture.

There are old and new characters. I think this is Philip Seymour Hoffman’s last movie. He looked like a card board cut out of himself. The twinkle in his eye was gone. Woody Harrelson’s character was more fun drunk. Donald Sutherland returned with his evil Cheshire smile. He is basically Hitler with a white Santa beard. Stanley Tucci does not even stand up in this picture, he smugly reclines in a chair; he is still very annoying. Even poor Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), the over the top image consultant, with much chagrin is forced to wear a grey jump which she accessories with grey bandana.

Julianne Moore plays President Alma Coin, leader of the rebellion. Her personality is best described as akin to cold salmon. She too is grey all over. It seems she went to the same hair stylist as Morticia Adams. There are other new characters. One is a video journalist who is a propagandist for the rebellion. Her most notable feature is the half shorn haircut currently in vogue adorned with a flower tattoo on the bald side. Her body will be easy to identify on the battlefield.

I know you join me in my anticipation for the final movie. How will I fill the void?

Birdman

For best picture the Golden Globes has Birdman under the category of comedy. The category should be black comedy. The film is about a former movie star whose fame came from playing the superhero Birdman. Now in his sixties he wants to revive his career and find meaning for himself as a Broadway actor/writer, directing himself in his own play. He is a man looking for resurrection.

There are parallels between Michael Keaton and his character Riggan Thomson (aka Birdman). Like Thomson, Keaton was a big star in the late 80’s and early 90’s with two Batmen movies under his belt and playing the lead in the iconic movie Beetlejuice. Even his minor movies were watchable. Then lead roles stopped coming and his star faded. Keaton has firsthand motivation to play this role. He is nominated for best actor by the Golden Globes.

 Keaton’ reputation was as a lighthearted comedic roles. When he branched out as Batman the role was confident and in control. Playing Riggan, Keaton is in uncharted water. Riggan is an emotional train wreck due for a collision.  Keaton delivers an intense and very paranoid (psychotic) performance. The script plays with your perception. Keaton coexists in the fields of madness and sanity. His hallucinations are a product of doubt and insecurity. His alter ego, Birdman, eggs him on to go back to the big screen and leave the uncertainty and pettiness of Broadway. Keaton desperately wants the legitimacy of Broadway more than a big box office. His character has two personas, Riggan the actor and Birdman. Contrary to physics they occupy the same space. Managing this conflict gives Keaton’s performance tension and the chance for his own resurrection.

Edward Norton plays a huge prick. He is the matinee idol that sells ticks, but his conceit and self-centeredness make him loathsome. What is worse he is a good actor. Norton plays the role with aplomb. It takes him out of his comfort zone as being mild mannered and almost nebbish. With his thick ego he has no compunction standing nude in front of a mirror in a dressing room with his privates strategically shielded.  He steals scenes and infuriates his co-stars. There is a great fight scene between Keaton and Norton seminude in their Fruit of the Loom underwear; Yuk. Norton was a bit over the top, but he relished the role.

Emma Stone is super. I think she gave one of the best performances of the movie. She looks fragile and just came out of rehab. She is Riggan’s daughter and their relationship is on the mends after years of neglect and divorce.   Her anger is explosive and her deliverance is muscular; she is in your face. She also plays coy with Norton’s character and gets under his skin, maybe more. If not the femme fatale, she is the femme to watch.

Much has been said about Zack Galifianakis’s performance as being normal and not looney. Bravo for acting like a human. With his weight loss he looked good.

This movie is not for everyone. Keaton gives a forceful performance. I am rooting for him because I am big Beetlejuice fan. Good luck Mike