Finally, a deserving Best Picture

Rating: 8/10 (5 October 2015)

Once in a blue moon, a Hollywood film comes along that you wouldn't expect from Hollywood. Rarer still does a film that feels un-Hollywood also win Best Picture. So good on the Academy for choosing "Birdman."
While the script is unexpected and decidedly off-beat, there are some mildly implausible relationships, requisite violence and "push the envelope" sex scenes that lead me to believe "Birdman" could have become yet another quirky indie film, like "American Splendor" or "Living in Oblivion." But it's Iñárritu's incomparable direction that pushes it into the realm of classic.
Firstly, the choice of Michael Keaton to play a Hollywood actor much like himself in real life was genius (although Robert Downey Jr. might have worked as well). The fact that he took the role, which pokes fun of himself, elevates Keaton to legend status alone, forget that he owns the role and is entirely convincing.
Secondly, the choice to capture entire scenes in a single shot and even segue from scene to scene (seemingly) without cutting makes it feel as if we're seeing an entire three days uncut. This simulates the nervousness and sleeplessness of Riggin, increasing the viewer's unease throughout.
Thirdly, the jazz music score perfectly reflects both the shambolic life of Riggin and the camera-work, which makes the viewer feel as if we're continuously falling, uncontrollably from one scene to the next.
But most of all, the magical realism—whether in the script or added by Iñárritu—that creates a poetry not often seen in American films, more reminiscent of films like Emir Kusturica's "Time of the Gypsies" or Gregory Nava's "El Norte." While Hollywood is quite consistent in spelling everything out for viewers, world cinema is not afraid of creating impressions and leaving loose ends untied.
It's encouraging that a film like "Birdman" has been awarded with the highest honour. Perhaps we'll start to see more films from Hollywood that, rather than entertaining us for 90 minutes with superficial two-dimensional story lines, are allowed to explore the universes within ourselves and let us answer questions for ourselves.