Justin, Dad, and I saw Birdman on November 15, 2014!! This was easily one of my favorite movies of 2014!! The movie follows an actor named Riggan Thomas trying to recreate his image by distancing himself from a persona known as Birdman he made famous about 20 years ago. He constantly has the voice of his character in his head telling him to hang on to the past. Riggan wants to move on from the past, but at the same time it's really what he'll be remembered for. The backstage pass into the theater setting combined with some magnetic personalities really made this an intriguing film. It's a great look at the world of a celebrity not being able to capture the same amount of success they were previously known for.
Michael Keaton delivered his best performance in this movie. He did so well in the role of Riggan struggling to exist in the real world, while also trying to rectify his stage presence. He is such a charismatic individual. He created a character trying to overcome ego, but you realize how difficult this is for him to do. On top of this, he has so many issues with his family, namely his daughter Sam. When he goes into tirades, it's such an amazing thing to watch. He created so many memorable scenes in this whether he was on the stage, yelling at theater critics in a bar, or tussling with his cast mate Mike. Everybody is challenged both personally or professionally in this movie. It's tough for Riggan to exist in either the real world or when he's pretending to be somebody else. Keaton's performance deserves to be nominated for both the Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Actor. He really was that good. Keaton has always been somebody I've liked. He's responsible for two of my favorite movies from childhood: Batman & Beetlejuice.
Two other performances that should be noted are Edward Norton's Mike character. He was great presenting this over the top, tough to deal with actor. Everything is method with Mike. He bothers everybody around him. The second he walks on stage chaos ensues. The thing about Mike is that he can only function when he's being a fraud (portraying somebody else), but when he steps out of the theater doors he just can't function. Norton did so well. He commanded the screen whenever he was on. There was a tremendous scene where he and Keaton have an argument leading to a backstage brawl. The whole theater was into it that I saw. It reminded me of that scene from Batman where Keaton goes: "YOU WANNA GET NUTS? COME ON!!!" Norton's Mike kept taunting Keaton's Riggan throughout the movie. Norton is one of the best actors ever in my opinion, and this was just another case of him showing it. He created an over the top dramatic character that fit so well into this crazy look at celebrity. Norton deserves a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his work.
I was also very impressed with Emma Stone as Sam. Stone has become a pretty good actress over the last few years. I think this was easily her best role since The Help. There's a scene when Sam tells Riggan that he doesn't matter that just captivated me. She was just so great here. I also thought she had tremendous chemistry with Norton. Stone really is becoming one of the premiere actresses in entertainment. Her work in this movie deserves a Best Supporting Actress nomination because she put her all into every scene she was in. She's such an important part of the movie, because she is the rock for both Riggan and Mike.
I thought the scenes on the stage, in the street, backstage, and at the bar were all unique in their own ways. I felt each setting represented a different side of the characters. You really see how personalities change wherever that person is. When the personalities from two different settings merge, it creates a chaotic environment. The scene where Keaton trashes the movie critic was my favorite scene. He was so on fire in this scene and showed just how great of an actor he is. That critic bothered me so much. She deserved that tirade. The cinematography was really great as well. I liked the extended takes and I think it gave a more realistic atmosphere to the movie. The actors get into the roles even more, and for a movie exploring the inner psyches of an actor, that really makes this movie work on a whole new level.
Phenomenal acting, incredible cinematography, the basic plot, and memorable scenes make this movie a definite 5/5 for me. It was a really good artistic movie filled with so many magnetic charisma and intriguing performances.
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