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Ridley Scott has created epic theater and cinematic adventures with Aliens, Prometheus, Thelma and Louise, and the award winning Gladiator, just to name a few, yet he fails with Exodus: Gods and Kings. Walking into the theater, you would expect to just sit through another retelling of the bible story. Instead you experience it as if you were there yourself. But to experience it once is enough. Exodus: Gods and Kings has been criticized throughout the world, before even being shown in theaters, because Scott has cast white actors in the lead roles while many of the slaves were portrayed otherwise. But not casting recognizable box office stars could have been disastrous. The cast is full of highly known stars such as Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Ben Kingsley, Aaron Paul, and John Turturro. The movie begins with Moses (Bale, The Dark Knight Trilogy) and Ramses (Edgerton, Zero Dark Thirty) as full grown men seated with Ramses’ father, Seti (Turturro, The Big Lebowski). Moses and Ramses were raised as close as brothers without being blood related and are reminded to have each other’s backs in any sorts of trouble. As we are led into the first big scene with the two brothers going into battle together, we catch a glimpse of Ramses’ animosity towards Moses. He resents the fact that Moses is a king on the battlefield and is aware that Seti favors his sibling. But shortly after, Ramses takes the throne. Ramses hears a rumor that Moses was born a Hebrew and, not having the guts to kill him, has Moses banished from his kingdom. Bale plays Moses as a honorable family man trying to do what is right. He has the heart of a warrior and the patience of a father. Moses is a man who grew up thinking he was Egyptian, later learning and embracing his true identity as one chosen by God. And in Exodus:Gods and Kings, God is portrayed by a young boy. Every moment that 11-year-old actor came on the screen, he stole the scene. The movie takes off from there and we are presented with astonishing shots varying from Ramses’ kingdom, the Egyptian effigies we see in historic photos, and the beautiful Red Sea. But what took my breathe away was the incredible depiction of the deadly plagues. It is hard to believe that Scott actually did not use 20,000 frogs or 100,000 locusts in those realistic and skin-crawling scenes. But with great build up with the plagues, you are presented with a poor CGI tidal wave that comes charging at the soldiers and slaves as they cross the Red Sea. What was supposed to be the climax of the film, turned out to be the disappointment. The film does not thoroughly explain Moses’ past, or basics for the Ten Commandments. Moses was a monumental figure in biblical history, to fully understand Exodus: Gods and Kings, you must go into the movie knowing the bible stories which, in the end, may not work out well for other audience members. While the movie had spectacular scenes from tornados to a bloody river, it did not have the full back story to support. Sadly, Exodus: Gods and Kings did not live up to the hype and did not exceed my expectations.

The sound of drums play as we hear Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) for the first time. We see him from behind, in just his underwear, levitating off the ground. The former superhero movie star is in his Broadway dressing room looking out onto the world from his window. All the while a voice in his head is growling, the devil on his shoulder, judging his every move. Keaton plays a washed up actor who used to be a box office superhero star decades before. He is trying to get his last big hit on Broadway, which he directs and in which stars. But for Riggan, it is hard because his alter-ego makes him doubt himself all the time. His alter superhero background in the film is clearly an allusion to Keaton’s role as Batman back in 1989 and this realistic film references other box office superheroes such as Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner by making jokes about how they’re all “wearing capes now.” Birdman guides you through a journey of tight staircases and crowded hallways. You experience the fictional flight of Riggan, escaping his daily stress as he soars above ****. You can feel the pain of Emma Stone’s character, Sam, as she watches her father’s rapid break down. These perfectly choreographed shots are just the beginning of the many things that are great about Birdman. Every scene is accompanied by a powerful score and incredible acting. The biggest struggle Riggan has with his play,“What We Talk About When We Talk About Love,” is his co-star, Mike Shiner. After the lead actor gets injured on set, Shiner is called to fill in before audience previews. Shiner, portrayed by Edward Norton, known for Fight Club and American History X. He is an outgoing actor who acts as if he is just being himself on stage, but he is self-absorbed and shallow off it. Shiner struggles to find his way as a human being and how to become the best he can be. Lesley, played by Naomi Watts who is known for The Impossible, Shiner’s significant other, is fulfilling her childhood dream of playing on Broadway. Her stress over her first Broadway role, coupled with Shiner playing her stage love interest, is a recipe for disaster. Another actor who pulls **** role, is none other than Zach Galifianakis. As Riggan’s manager and best friend, Brandon Vander Hey, he helps him through his toughest moments and does his best to make everything right. Amy Ryan, who was in Gone Baby Gone, plays Riggan’s ex-wife. She only has brief screen time, but through her presence, we witness Riggan at his lowest and highest points. In the end, every actor in this movie does a huge amount work to pull of such a phenomenal production and the director, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, made a fantastic film. Birdman is a rollercoaster that shows us that we must hit rock bottom to rise back up, and it is one of the best movies you will see all year.