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“Spotlight” is a newsroom drama unlike anything since 1976’s “All the
President’s Men,” and print journalists need an adrenaline shot of moral
support, a reminder why the Fourth Estate is essential. We follow the
investigative team of “The Boston Globe” -– led by Michael Keaton, with support
from Rachel McAdams and Mark Ruffalo -– in 2001 as they uncover one, then a
dozen, then 90 cases of child sexual abuse by the Catholic Church, an
organization that uses the name of God to cover its depraved corruption. “Spotlight”
shows the miserable decline of newsrooms, the low pay, and yet the dedication
of reporters to corral the powerful. Also on display: The crushing, irreparable
hurt of the abused, their faith stolen, and lapsed Christians who long to
believe again, but find little cause to do so. The clincher: Director TomMcCarthy damns the same journalists for not acting sooner while playing “Spotlight”
as even and dead-eyed serious as the best of investigative journalism. The lack
of sensationalistic punches is a strength. A-
I saw Tim Burton’s highly anticipated “Batman”
on opening night, in Philadelphia. I loved it, despite the early warning of
Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Damn it, Jack Nicholson was in it and I had
discovered Jack in “Shining” and “Chinatown,” far too young. The movie is dark,
violent, and -– after recently watching a series of 1940s “Batman” serials on
TCM that blazed dark -– I have rediscovered, it’s fuckin’ crazy inspiring. Groundbreaking. A
mash-up of 80s action and 50s film noir, shot with grunge. Yeah, Batman has
been Rambo’d up, and Joker’s all mafia, but its daring original entertainment,
Burton at near career high. Anton Furst’s Gotham City –- built at Pinewood -–
is among the greatest film sets ever. It astounds. B+
When we first see
Michael Keaton as a has-been Hollywood actor at the opening of
tar-black fable “Birdman,” he is floating in midair as the intimidating voice of his once big-screen superhero alter
ego -– see the title -– talks aloud inside his own head. That’s the start of this wondrously warped story. Yes, Keaton, who played comic book hero Batman, plays
an actor who played comic book hero Birdman. Meta comedy is promised and
delivered. Plot: Keaton’s Riggan Thomas is determined to reset his relevance by
staging a Broadway play. The impossible task consumes Riggan:
His lead actor is a prickish actor played by infamously prickish actor Edward
Norton, and Riggan’s daughter (Emma Stone) teeters on drug relapse. Stone, of
course, plays Spider-Man’s girlfriend. Spider-Man appears as a mocking taunt. Brilliant. Questions pop: Mainly, Will Riggan escape Birdman? Director Alejandro G. Inarritu
serves a must-rewatch film about a man more scared of obscurity than death and a damning of the Marvel Movie Universe ruling cinemas and
then flames his own film as Marvel-like action plays out. More than the
art-house deep-thoughts comedy, this strange film is pure wicked fun to watch unspool. A
