The Death of Stalin (2017)

The Death of Stalin, from the creator Veep, is hilarious. It is so witty and sharp. The funniest thing about it is how ridiculously realistic it is. We can imagine that all these crazy things could've farcically happened in the Soviet Union. They are preposterous situations that are simultaneously terrifying and funny. I actually laughed out loud on the plane. Steve Buscemi and Jeffrey Tambor have the perfect demeanor for political satire. The opening scene in which they must re-stage a performance they forgot to record for Stalin is brilliant.

Nocturnal Animals (2016)

Tom Ford's second feature film has the visual style that you would expect from a designer. The cinematography is striking. The use of color and bold costuming is fitting with the dark theme of the movie with the West Texas twang. The acting is phenomenal across the board. I especially liked Michael Shannon's performance, but he is good in everything. Aaron Taylor-Johnson surprisingly won the Golden Globe--no one was predicting that. He is good, as a crazy person, but the role isn't as interesting as Shannon's. The casting of Isla Fisher is brilliant because it's like a little inside joke that she looks exactly like Amy Adams. At first, I couldn't tell if she was supposed to be playing a young Amy Adams, but it's a separate story line (though very purposeful). The writing is drawn out making the film thrilling and suspenseful and multilayered. Tom Ford is a storyteller too. He can just do it all. I was at the edge of my seat the whole time. Every time Amy Adams had to close the book and just take a break, I was breathing deeply right in sync, my heart beating fast. 

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu composes a masterpiece in his innovative satire on show business.  The most impressive aspect of Birdman is the illusion of one smooth, massive continuous take.   This is a combination of excellent cinematography by Oscar-winner Emmanuel Lubezki and some visual effects tricks.  It emulates a stage play, much like the one being staged in the movie.  The way scenes change in the movie very much resemble a play as do the monologues. The setting inside one of Broadway's great theaters is a labyrinth that the crew must have navigated expertly to get its shots.  I always pay special attention to lighting in "plays",  which is done in the movie such that the light from one set doesn't pollute the others nearby despite the continuous take.

I love the life-imitates-art-imitates-life concept of the film, casting former Batman, Michael Keaton to play a version of himself, not an easy thing to do.  Keaton leads a superb cast.  They all deliver their quirky jokes in this dry, fast-paced way that keeps the movie flowing with the camera.  It is also moved along by the innovative score, made up solely of drum solos and classical interludes.  My favorite is the always good Edward Norton, who, in one scene, gives a masterclass in acting to Keaton.  Emma Stone also deserves to be singled out, playing a recovering drug addict.  All 3 actors are serious Oscar contenders.