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2010's Restrepo brought the Afghanistan War in to peoples' homes, bearing visceral shots and the raw emotion of modern warfare. Photojournalist Tim Heatherington and Sebastian Junger spent ten months with Combat Outpost (COP) Restrepo's "Battle Company" reaping an inordinate amount of footage. More footage than they could place into the first documentary. A year later, Heatherington would be dead; killed by shrapnel whilst covering the 2011 Libyan Civil War. Junger felt that the copious amount of footage leftover from Restrepo lent itself to another film. Thusly, Korengal, a companion film, was born.

Where the prior of the pair seemed aimed to illustrate Chris Hedge's 2002 quote, "The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug, one I ingested for many years," the latter shoots to exploit a more poignant and familial sense from the footage and interviews. For those familiar with Restrepo, do not expect anything revolutionary here. What you will be seeing is footage shot during the same time period (2007-2008) using the same equipment. That said, this is in no way a strike against the film. Junger fares well in his organization of the footage and new interviews. This is an altogether new narrative.

As a piece of war journalism, it stands out as a worthy companion piece to the first film, not only elaborating on notions explored in Restrepo's 93 minute running time, but introducing new and arguably more meaningful elements. Junger succeeds in revisiting their footage, and bringing freshness to what could have become a dull supercut of Restrepo's outtakes in another man's hands. It's a damn shame Heatherington wasn't around to see this complete vision of the creation he and Junger set out upon in 2007. These two pictures have set the standard for war journalism, and will hopefully usher in a new era of the discipline.

"You can only circle the flame so long."

From the opening frame, Clint Eastwood's American Sniper is a gripping Military Drama. The trailers and adverts for this film set me to expect merely a study of Chris Kyle's dual life as a loving father / American patriot "sheepdog," and it does function as that (exceptionally well), but what I wasn't anticipating was the superb war cinema that it became at points. The action sequences feel inspired. They are captured with an unrivaled attention to detail. The cameras and their positioning are tailored to depict gripping, no-holds-barred firefights and movement through the Iraqi battlefield. Bradley Cooper makes the incredible transformation into Chris Kyle, "The Devil of Ramadi," as Eastwood explores his anguished psyche during his time in both "The War on Terror" and stateside with his family between tours of duty.

Chris Kyle is a character that deserved to have his story told, and it is done lovingly, here, by Eastwood. I am ecstatic to say that Eastwood has made a triumphant return to directing after some arguable lulls in his directing career (Hereafter, J. Edgar, Jersey Boys). This film isn't just Oscar-bait- it succeeds on all proposed fronts, with the panache of a unabashed war film, and the intimacy of a film strictly identifying as a character study. A delicate balance executed surgically by the cast and crew.

The opening sequence is emotional and engaging, setting up the rest of the film more than adequately. A brief portion of the film near the beginning is spent in flashback, effectively and succinctly providing the motivations behind Chris Kyle's burden to become the legend he remains today. His relationship with his wife, Taya (played by Sienna Miller) is explored beautifully. From the first time they share the screen, and as they start a family with their varying circumstances looming overhead. Chris Kyle is torn between his responsibility to his family and his sense of duty to fight in the war overseas. He sees his passion to protect and help other people coupled with his skills with a rifle as almost a holy endowment.

The depiction of Kyle's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and his disability to reconcile the effects of war while home from battle is done with heartbreaking authenticity. Most notably in a scene where he encounters a Marine he provided aid to whilst in one of his prior tours of duty. Bradley Cooper embodies this pain and frustration powerfully on screen. Most films fail to capture the baggage brought home by soldiers the way that American Sniper does so exquisitely. This film is a success; a masterful piece by director Clint Eastwood, and a great show of skill from Bradley Cooper, who is, with every role, proving his expansive diversity in acting.

"See, Birdman is like Icarus.."

Riggan Thompson doesn't matter anymore. At least that's what his daughter, Sam (Emma Stone) says. The washed-up star, played by Michael Keaton, can't seem to reclaim the glory he felt whilst portraying the superhero that "paved the way," for the influx of comic book films we see today: Birdman. Riggan is staging a Broadway adaptation of Raymond Carver's short story, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, which he has adapted for the stage and plans also to direct and star in. This is Riggan's ticket back into the spotlight. It's been twenty-something years since his stint as Birdman, and it's his time to reclaim the glory.

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is most widely known for his films Babel (2006) and Biutiful (2010), two very somber films, so naturally, when I saw he was doing a film with Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, and Zach Galiafinakis I was quite surprised. More intrigued than anything. I've been waiting to see this film since I first became aware of it. It's been a long wait, but I finally caught a screening, and I'm so glad I did. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a delight; a revelation. It is a resurgence of art in cinema. Weird, funny, and emotionally engaging, Birdman will be remembered for the ages.

The cinematography in this film needs to be mentioned. I have long loved Emmanuel Lubezki. Ever since I first saw Children of Men (2006), I was hooked on his style. They way he shoots is astounding. He has an appreciation for the Golden Age of Cinema and it is evident in every single shot of his films. Lubezski's use of natural light is what draws most people in, but for me it has always been about his long takes. To me, nothing is more immerse than a camera that is able to linger in the action without cutting. It gives the viewer a frame of reference and commits to maintain it, engaging the viewer. Here, my appreciation of this only served to make me love this film even more. The entire film, save a very brief portion near the end, is processed to seem as one take. We move from location to location seamlessly for the two hour running time. It's a beautiful end result.

Keaton plays the Riggan Thompson / Birdman character seemingly with ease. It's so refreshing to see him back on the screen and doing so well for himself. He really does capture the hilarity of it the narrative. Ego and legacy take center stage. The struggle of this film is one of a man who struggles to remain relevant and potent in today's culture. Even with an ego large enough to persuade him to hallucinations of telekinesis and levitation, Riggan Thompson is looking for his place in the limelight. He wants to be important again.

Emma Stone and Edward Norton are also superb. Their interactions feel nothing short of genuine, and provide a heartfelt addition to the main narrative of The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance. This film was, personally, one of my favorites from the Oscar Season. I had such a good time watching it, and despite the profane language, I couldn't shake the feeling of Classical Cinema. Film can be such a majestic thing when it is appreciated and nurtured as an art. We have that here, with Birdman. I see this film joining the Criterion Collection one day soon.