Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance (2014)

It is rare to see a film that really invigorates me with its performances, story and direction. Birdman is one of those rare films. Birdman delivers those aspects in all forms bringing a genuinely unique experience. As the years pass by, I feel that this film with be heralded as a classic. This film encompasses pretty much everything that comes with being in the entertainment world whether it is Hollywood or Broadway. Birdman dives deep into the plight former A list actors have with trying to stay relevant. The over saturation of superhero movies and how every major actor seems to have been a part in one, the ongoing battle between big budget movies against independent films, an actor's desperate need for credibility or box office draw, and the infiltration of Hollywood into Broadway. It gracefully balances these topics, the movie never getting disjointed in the process. When you add in the breathtaking performance by Michael Keaton, hilarious turn from Edward Norton, a career best for Emma Stone, a revelatory one from Zach Galifianakis, and remarkable direction from Alejandro González Iñárritu who makes the movie seamlessly look as if it was all shot in one take. This cinema masterpiece contains fantastic cinematography, with some breathtaking shots, and beautiful editing. This is the first movie I have seen to perfectly dissect the entertainment industry without feeling ostentatious and having a lot of fun doing it.
Rating: 10/10 Orange Slices. BIRDMAN, or (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE).

Whiplash (2014)

When it comes to cinema, there are often little gems in a sea of bigger spectacles, that can break through in the most proficient way. An impeccable and tightly wound experience that brings your anxiety to a feverish level. If you are thinking about engaging in some other activity after watching Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, be sure to leave some time for decompression. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, the semi-autobiographical Whiplash is a visceral, adrenaline-pumping musical drama. Whiplash rises on the strengths of a brilliant, Oscar-winning performance from J.K. Simmons and a great soundtrack to complement it, turning what could have been a rather bland story of a determined drummer into something far more memorable. As we are getting entirely caught up in a sort of physical and spiritual dedication we rarely see onscreen, we’re also challenged to reexamine our attitudes, both personal and cultural, toward that dedication. Is what we’re witnessing unduly extreme, or utterly necessary? 
Rating: 10/10 Orange Slices. Whiplash