Birdman

#125 at the time of writing.

The most original film I've seen in a long time - probably in years. Having seen director Iñárritu's Amores Perros and Biutiful, I initially steered clear of this film, expecting it to be beautifully filmed, gritty, and soul-crushingly depressing. But more than once I heard friends say that this was something else - and indeed it is sublime. It's funny, hopeful, and always unexpected. The story fizzes along with captivating energy. I loved it.

It's about a washed up Hollywood superstar, famous for (long ago) playing Birdman à la Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man, who tries to reinvent himself as a respectable Broadway artiste. But he must overcome towering doubts, hubris and the bunch of wackos he calls family and friends. The style is very theatrical, with no visible cuts, plenty of backstage shenanigans and disarming magic realism.

I totally didn't realise until afterwards that Birdman was a real thing. That makes this movie the craziest adaptation since Adaptation. And that can only be a good thing.

(I just read that Antonio Sanchez's musical score, performed almost entirely by drums, was disqualified by the music branch of the Academy Awards. Why?! It's great!)

Amores Perros

#187 at the time of writing.

My first experience of director Alejandro González Iñárritu was one of his more recent films, Biutiful, which captured a dark side of life in Mexico City, full of people trapped in vicious cycles of crime and abuse. This is similar, but done with more flair, more character.

Three interlocking (but very different) stories, centring around a car crash, with dogs as a running theme. Superbly acted all round, but especially noteworthy is the standout performance by Emilio Echevarria (playing El Chivo, a political dissident turned hitman), and Gael García Bernal (Octavia, the lovesick dog fighter) in his debut - or at least breakthrough - role.

This is the first of a trilogy, with 21 Grams and Babel following. I'm not in a rush to see the others in the trilogy. No doubt they're just as brilliant, but I bet they're also as depressing. I'm going to load me up a rom com or two first.