Birdman: An Absolutely Phenomenal Movie

Rating: 10/10 (6 February 2015)

Birdman is like no other movie. A perfect addition the Dark Comedy genre. The cinematography was amazing. The soundtrack was amazing. Acting was amazing. Lines, plot, etc...
However, the first time I saw this movie, I walked in 5 minutes late. I didn't think it would matter. I was with 5 of my friends, some of whom do not have a taste for good art or film, sometimes during the movie they'd show me a text or a picture on their phone, which, is ironic considering the movie and messages in some of the scenes. "Have a real experience!" Anyway, since I picked it up late and was distracted, the movie was moving so fast that I had no idea what was going on. I couldn't tell what exactly was happening and was unable to follow the story. The music served as this loud feeling of anxiety and I ended up not liking it as much as I thought I would.
I have now seen this movie four times start to finish, and it is amazing. No other movie offers what Birdman does. The second time I watched it, it all made sense, and the quick editing and music went from being my least favorite part to my favorite. It truly is genius what they have done with this movie. I learn and appreciate something new every time I watch it.
I recommend all to see it with an open mind, and be sure to focus on the movie! Do not see this if you are going to be looking at your phone or talking to your friends, you'll miss the subtle brilliance and it wont make sense. Dedicate yourself to this movie while you watch it. Oh, and make sure you get comfortable. I was very uncomfortable when I first saw this movie, it makes a difference.
The messages I personally got had a profound impact on the way I look at film and art, and I will be enjoying this for years to come. Michael Keaton as Riggan Thompson is currently my favorite movie character, his demeanor, attitude, and mannerisms are all in line, and I felt a connection with him. Some scenes in this movie may seem slow, but if you are paying attention you'll pick something up that will make you say, "Oh, wow, *now* I get that!" It's amazing.
(This paragraph does not necessarily contain spoilers because it does not give you any plot information, but it does briefly quote Michael Keaton's character and give the smallest details on two scenes so that people know which ones I'm talking about. In my opinion, if you have not seen the movie, this is still very safe to read.) One of my favorite scenes is when Riggan walks in on his daughter sitting at a desk by herself. Emma Stone's monologue in that scene became one of my favorite parts of any movie, it made me tear up, multiple times. I felt a special attachment to it. Keaton's character's response and the music that accompanies it is so wonderful, you can't help but laugh after those dark lines preceding it. That's what this movie was to me: a critique of modern day life, but also, and more importantly, a critique of itself. Cynicism is rampant and this movie tackled it with perfection, handling it with strong opposition yet understanding its necessity in life. To see what I mean by this, watch the scene in the bar when Riggan is talking to the woman from the Times. He executes that beautifully, "Aw what is this crap? These are all just labels!...Cause thats what you do! You just label everything! 'Cause you're so f***ing lazy!"
The imagery, the motifs, the irony...it's all so beautiful. And as far as the ending goes, I don't really care what happened or didn't happen, because to me that's so far off from the point of the movie. People's mistake is that they take it so literally and miss everything in between. I highly recommend this movie. It is currently in my Top Ten somewhere, and was one of the only movies I thoroughly enjoyed this year.
Wonderful film.