Nanananana Birdman!

Rating: 9/10 (26 January 2015)

Quickie Review:
Riggan (Michael Keaton) was once an iconic movie superhero, Birdman. He desperately attempts to revive his career by adapting, directing, and acting in his own Broadway play. In the days leading up to the opening night not only does he face the doubts brought on by the people in his life, but he also comes to terms with the reality that he is now a has-been, a washed up actor. Birdman is one of the most beautifully directed films of 2014. On top of that the film is brimming with impeccable acting talent, grabbing your attention with every line of the flawless script. Coincidentally, just as Riggan attempts writing, directing, and acting, Birdman achieves this perfect trifecta that delivers a truly unique look into the mind of an actor.
Full Review:
Once again an Oscar film had a delayed release where I live. I have been aching to see this movie for a long time, even before all the award nominations. Now that I have finally seen it, I can happily say it was well worth the wait.
When it comes to casting many people talk about whether the actor is the right fit for the role. A former superhero who is past the prime years of his career... hmm seems oddly familiar Mr. Keaton. Whoever did the casting, give them a bonus because this was a stroke of genius! It is clearly evident that Keaton drew from his own life experience of being Batman of the early 90's. Simultaneously it never felt forced as if we were just watching another version of Michael Keaton. Rather he used that experience to further flesh out the character of Riggan. He is constantly battling the ideas of either pursuing his passion of being an artist or feeding his ego of being a celebrity. Keaton does a great job of presenting this inner turmoil though a dual personality, so it does delve into some strange territory but captivating nonetheless. There is absolutely not a single weak link in the cast, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough, even Zach Galifianakis of the Hangover fame brings his best dramatic chops yet. However, the standout from the supporting cast for me has to be Edward Norton. His character is an arrogant and pretentious method actor. He brought this uncertainty in his character's intent that kept both the characters in the film and the audience on their toes.
As great as it was to see these actors perform, what blew me away was the cinematography and direction of Iñárritu. The entire film is made to look like a single long take, similar to the iconic Copacabana scene from The Goodfellas, or more recently the opening scene of Gravity. The fact that the film is a series of these seamlessly connected long takes is amazingly ambitious. If done wrong there could've been a plethora of problems ranging from mishandled characters to forced dialog. Instead this creative decision added to the flow and rhythm of the film, continuously building the momentum of the story from one character interaction to another.
I can't recommend this film enough. It is almost perfect in every aspect of filmmaking, while at the same time daring to try new styles to great effect. It's not just a film, it's a cinematic experience. Watching the solid cast members work off each other is a delight. Once again, this a movie that deserves all the nominations it has been getting, and I know it's my frontrunner for some of the categories.
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