The "Collateral Beauty" Of Life

Collateral Beauty (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Will Smith, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Michael Pena, Naomie Harris, Helen Mirren, Keira Knightly, Jacob Lattimore,

Directed by David Frankel

The Story:

Howard (Smith) is an advertising executive who owns his own firm. After a personal tragedy, he retreats within himself and his behavior grows stranger and stranger. His three best friends (Norton, Winslet and Pena) also work with him and they are growing concerned that his reckless behavior is going to cause the business to fold and all of their employees will lose their jobs. When they discover that he has written letters to Love, Death and Time, they hire actors (Knightley, Mirren and Lattimore) to play those parts.

Needless to say, the three friends get much more than they bargained for in this endeavor.

It was a very tricky movie to pull off, because quite frankly, aside from a brief glimpse at Howard at the beginning of the movie, there was nothing in the first act of the film that inspired that kind of friendship and loyalty from his friends.

Quite frankly, if not for the rest of the cast, it would have been easy to turn it off.

Howard was so undeserving of anything at all from any character or the audience for that matter.

Thankfully when he finally gets around to interacting with Death, Love and Time, his character finally begins to regain some humanity, and then you can sympathize with what he is going through.

It does indeed pick up though, and the rest of the cast soars as they bring the emotional weight of the film full circle.

A stronger beginning, yes, maybe even making this film a little longer, would have possibly made this an even stronger movie.

I still recommend having a tissue nearby before it is all over though.

Final Grade: B

I Would Have Rather Watched The Superhero Flick "Birdman"

Birdman (2014)

Rated R

Starring Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis, Naomi Watts, Edward Norton

Written and Directed by Alejandro Inarittu

The Story:

Riggan (Keaton) is a former movie star of the Birdman superhero franchise. But he wants to be taken seriously, so we writes, directs and stars in a play on Broadway, sinking all of his cash into the film. They bring Mike (Norton) onboard at the last minute, but his volatile acting style is going to push Riggan into making either the best play ever seen, or the final humiliating nail in his acting coffin.

Well, that was something.

Keaton plays an actor who's most successful film was a superhero film with popular sequels from over 20 years earlier in his career.

Talk about typecasting!

:)

This is an unusual film, as it is almost strictly a drama, but it keeps you watching thanks to the presence of the actors, especially Keaton and Norton who keep blowing up what you are watching and keeping it fresh and entertaining as a look behind the scenes of a Broadway play.

Then the Birdman angle rears its head...

And it is unusual, to say the least.

Is there really a Birdman?

Has he imbued his talents into Riggan?

Does Riggan actually have powers, or is he falling into psychological hallucinations?

Don't know.

Watch the film and judge for yourself.

Because just when you think you have it figured out, the movie decides to end with a scene that will have you question everything you thought you just saw.

It's a good film, but since I would likely never watch it again, it cannot be a "great film" on my grading scale, because I'm all about wanting to watch a movie all over again sometime in the near or distant future.

Final Grade: B