The Incredible Hulk (2008)

The Incredible Hulk is full of action scenes that don't hold up all that well. You can easily see how far Marvel has come in the last ten years in terms of special effects and explosions in battle scenes. They've mastered the art. It's the Marvel Cinematic Universe's tenth anniversary and they're all back in theaters this week in IMAX. This is the only one I've never seen and I'm an AMC A-List member now, so why not?

Isle of Dogs (2018)

I love Wes Anderson's quirky style and evidently so do a lot of big name Hollywood actors, as he has attracted a star-studded voice cast for his second stop-motion feature. The visuals are stunning. Anderson's attention to detail in his fully controlled animated world far surpasses what he is able to do in a live-action environment. The oddity of this world is charmingly hilarious. And Anderson's witty humor is just brilliant. It's not for everyone, but I can't help but smile at how fun this is. The music by Alexandre Desplat is exciting and beautifully features taiko drums.

The big directorial choice Anderson made was to linguistically divide the dogs from the humans. The humans speak Japanese and are not subtitled. We, like the dogs, do not understand them. We rely on interpreters to give translation sometimes. Sometimes, we are just left in the dark. The dogs speak English, or rather their barks are voice-translated in real-time. There is a language disclaimer right in the beginning. I understand the separation he tries to make, putting the audience firmly in the dog world. That being said, I was not crazy about the bilingual foreign exchange student saving the day. A student movement rightfully has its place in the movie, but it doesn't have to be led by a white student. She serves as a convenient means of translation, but Anderson is clever enough to have figured that out. They could've diagrammed their plans, for example.

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.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Right from the beginning as the film opens with a yodel, you can tell that this film is something special.  Wes Anderson must be one of the most stylish directors out there and his storytelling ability is superb.  From his use of miniatures for wide shots, to the colorful costumes and ornate sets, Anderson gives this triumphantly fun adventure his distinctive signature stamp.  He presents an intriguing whodunnit that builds layers of mystery in a unique world of his own creation.

Ralph Fiennes is perfectly cast as the mustachioed concierge.  He delivers Anderson's trademark fast-paced, witty humor effortlessly.  Newcomer Tony Revolori shines as the dutiful young lobby boy Zero among a fantastic ensemble cast.  This movie has serious Oscar potential.  Maybe Wes Anderson will even land his first nomination for Best Picture.