The best film of 2014

Rating: 10/10 (31 March 2017)

Birdman (Or the Unexpected virtue of Ignorance) is the best film I have seen from 2014. Never before have I seen a film present the characters in such a raw, dynamic and fluid way, with performances from Keatan, Stone, and Norton that are nothing short of astounding. I prefer not to use statements like these when I talk about movies but this one manages to impress me enough to deserve it- this is a perfect movie.
To start of the way this film is shot is awe-inspiring in itself. Birdman is presented as if it is all in one shot, no dissimilar to the Carver play that Riggan Thompson (A washed-up middle aged actor who used to play a superhero,) is adapting. While the film clearly isn't actually in one take, like the German heist film Victoria, the transitions between these hyper-coordinated scenes are incredibly well done, to a point where it doesn't even feel like the shot has ended, and the fantastic framing and beautifully fluid nature of these shots is incredibly effective. It gives the film a feel of an amazingly well timed, hyper-coordinated dance between the actors and it's integral to the atmosphere and the progressively tightening tension of the movie.
I mentioned before that the cinematography of this film relates to the play that the main character is adapting and directing, but this is not the only meta theatrical element of the play. Another element of meta theatricality is seen when Riggan and Mike are walking to the bar after a disastrous preview, and we see the movie's score being played by a street performer. This happens again later in the movie as the main character begins to descend into madness and the tone becomes more surrealist, and it's elements like this that show how meticulously choreographed and timed this film is.
It is rare that I can say a movie deserves the academy awards it receives, but if anything this movie deserves even more accolades than it already has, and it's refreshing to see the Oscar for best picture go to a film that truly deserves such a title. To me this is a shining example of a 10/10 movie and if you haven't yet seen it I can't recommend it enough.