Destination Wedding movie review

I very much enjoyed Destination Wedding, as it worked for me in a bunch of ways.

Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder have great chemistry as the two leads (and essentially only characters in the movie). Sure, the movie is like a stage play, but it's reminiscent of Birdman in that it's better/best served as a movie; and similarly, it's about two less-than-likeable-but-very-endearing people.

DW flips the classic Hollywood romance story, where two folks are in a remote location and "fall in love." Here, the characters are highly opinionated, intelligent and flawed. There's no real "romance" in this romance movie - but there are connections and understanding; it's genuine human interaction (by two of society's "outsiders.")

Plus excellent word play and comedy. Have I praised the intelligence of this movie, yet?

Another element I really appreciated was the restrained cinematography - everything is shot crisp, with intent. Yes, pretty much every shot is a wide duo, but there's strategy in the execution that I rarely see in other movies, and relates to the narrative (journey of the characters). And, mild spoiler, but there's a specific shot around half-way into the movie involving a hill that has one of my favorite visual gags in a long time.

Beyond the acting, writing and visuals, I generally enjoyed the music by William Ross and presentation. I would gladly spend another weekend with Lindsay and Frank if it were done like this, wherever their journey takes them.

Conclusion: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. It's a tight 90-minute film that does lose a little steam around the 2/3rds mark, but the general pacing and overall execution won me over.

Streaming on Amazon Prime, as of this writing.

Birdman - A Groundbreaking Narrative of Required Viewing

To put it simply, it's a work of art that requires processing.

Upon leaving the theater, I thought it was more good than bad, but always interesting. After digesting it for some time, that still holds true. I'm not sure if I'd put it in my Top 5, Top 10 or even Top 50, but it's a very special movie. It's special because it manages to successfully walk the line between two worlds - it simultaneously celebrates and takes down both theater and cinema.

Director and writer (and team) Alejandro González Iñárritu made a completely unique piece of film that takes storytelling to a whole new level. There really is nothing quite like it and probably won't be for some time. Its legacy for the general public will more than likely end up as a cult independent movie primarily for film lovers, but its achievements will hopefully transcend its status.

Strangely, the only thing I may be able to compare it to is Scott Pilgrim as to how much the directors just own their story, narrative and experience; self-contained stories with their own language. It's incredibly meta and beautifully so.

The layered acting is also fantastic and one of the most noteworthy achievements of the film, due in part to its long takes. While Emma Stone and Edward Norton are the standouts (Norton's debut scene being one of the best of the experience), Michael Keaton obviously is the one to carry the movie. He's equal parts over-the-top and honest/vulnerable. I'd love to see him do a third Batman movie after this.

Not only do I highly recommend Birdman, I'll go so far as to say it's required viewing for fans of cinema, theater and/or narrative in general. Even if you don't fall in love with it, this is an important movie.