Birdman

It's hard to say where the fantasy and reality meet in this movie, but that's ok. Interesting commentary on superhero/sequel movies. Michael Keyton is showcased in this movie, post Batman, pre Vulture days. I was completely caught up in his character and the commentary about his celebrity issues. Wanting to be taken seriously as a character actor/creator/producer and tired of being known for his Birdman character and all the sequels that made him famous, Keyton wants to try something new to stretch his creative skills but everyone just wants to see Birdman. But Keyton has a secret that becomes obvious early in the movie. That secret is revealed to those who love him at the end, and it's beautiful! Even if or especially if you're tired of superhero movies, this is a fine movie! Not for the kids, nothing objectional in content, but I don't think little kids would enjoy it, it's not that kind of movie.

I want to start off this review by saying that Birdman is not for everyone. I've never seen a movie get such polarizing reviews on Amazon (although it might just be because of how recent it is). This is a very strange film, similar to Being John Malkovich, and not everyone is going to enjoy that. The blending of drama and comedy might come off as awkward while the story might bore you if you're not a big fan of movies. So when I say that Birdman is not only the best movie I've seen all year, but one of my new favorite movies, know that it is entirely my opinion and not everyone will feel the same way. With that out of the way, Birdman is not only the best movie I've seen all year, but one of my new favorite movies.Birdman tells the story of Riggan Thompson, an actor who dreamed of being a respected actor but ended up being known only for playing the superhero Birdman in the early 90's. Now washed up and forgotten, Riggan plans to revive his career by directing, writing, and starring in a play based on a Raymond Carver short story. The film follows the endless problems he faces leading up to opening night including the arrogant method actor Mike Shiner, the theater critic Tabitha Dickinson, and his own ego in the form of superhero Birdman. The story covers several different themes such as theater vs film, prestige vs popularity, the unreliability of critics, and more. The story is very well paced and there was not a single moment where I was bored. The only reason I would check my watch was because I wanted to make sure it wasn't close to ending. The actors are all very natural and believable, most notably Michael Keaton and Edward Norton. I've always liked Norton's ability to effortlessly play real people, but Keaton's performance is what really surprised me. It's that rare performance where the actor completely becomes the character. At no point during the film did I see Michael Keaton, just Riggan Thompson.To compliment the cast is the fantastic cinematography. The entire film is made to look like one continuous shot, save for the opening and a short scene near the end. I've seen a few different theories on how the long-take relates to the film; some say it was done to replicate the feeling of watching a play, others say it was done to add to the rambling fast pace of the film, and others simply say it's a gimmick. Personally, I think it was done to feel more real and make you forget you're watching a movie. Between waking up in the morning and going to sleep at night, we view the world in one continuous shot, and I think the film was trying to replicate that experience. Sometimes when watching a movie seeing the camera cut away reminds me it's not real, but when I watch Birdman I am completely immersed and forget I am watching a film. Even ignoring the long-shot, I love that the camera is always in motion. It's not shaky or nauseating either, the way the camera moves is very fluid.The soundtrack is great, and I'm actually listening to it as I write this review. It consists almost entirely of drums, again adding to the rambling fast pace of the film. There were a few moments where I thought it was a little too loud, such as when Riggan and Mike are walking down the streets after a preview, but it wasn't too bad. I especially loved how the drumming synced up perfectly with what was happening on screen.The movie came in a red blu-ray case, a small detail that I loved, and I was lucky enough to get mine with a cool slipcover. Again, it's a small thing but I really loved it. Unfortunately there aren't too many bonus features, but what is there looks interesting enough. The extra "Birdman: All Access" is a mini-documentary of sorts showing behind the scenes footage like how certain scenes were filmed, some rehearsals, interviews, and more. This was extra I was most looking forward to (given how unorthodox the process of filming Birdman was) and I was not disappointed. I will update this review one I have fully looked through the rest of the bonus features.As I said, Birdman is definitely not a movie for anyone (as the dozens of one star reviews clearly show). If you're a fan of black comedy-dramas like Fargo or Being John Malkovich, you're probably going to love this. If not, you're going to hate it. If you don't like it and plan on writing a review, I do hope you actually put some thought into it as too many of the low reviews here simply say "One star it's bad" without any real reasoning. Personally I loved Birdman, and it's already become one of my new favorite movies.

Okay, I'm stumped. What is it? Black comedy? An homage to cynical self-involvement? A commentary on the disintegration of true art? Is it an unexpected stab at surrealism? Is it a coming-of-(old) age movie? A portrait of desperation? The only answer I can come up with is - YES.This very well acted and directed movie has left me feeling somewhat unbalanced and still trying to follow its many threads to a final meaning. I suspect I will ultimately fail at this and maybe that's a good thing. The innovative filming style gives one a jarring sense of realism while the action escalates to the dreamlike. This is a dichotomy that is hard to reconcile but facinating to watch unfold. The cinematography single-shot effect gives one the sense of moving through the scenes with the actors in an almost voyeuristic way. It creates an intimacy that is unfelt in more traditionally shot movies. I will be more aware of the "arm's length" seperation that exists between me-the-viewer and the action on the screen in future movies because of this experience.Having said this, the story line is somewhat predictable in some sense - iconic but washed up hollywood actor looks back at his life and realizes that in choosing form over substance, he sacrificed any future hope of being or having anything of real worth. He makes a last ditch effort at expressing himself as a true artist by producing, directing and starring in his own ill-fated adaptation of a play written by the biggest artistic inspiration of his youth. Cue the resentful ex-wife, the contemptuous troubled daughter, the long-suffering lawyer/friend/investor and an assorted cast of hopeful/troubled actors and theater-types including the venomous critic who promises to shut down the show sight unseen and you've got a fairly predictable story. What allows this story to rise above predictability (in addition to the aging star's strange and supernatural inner life or is it inner?) is the quality of acting in general and the superb performance by Mr. Keaton who we've seen far too little of lately.If you like movies that lead you through a story to a logical and satisfying conclusion, you may not care for Birdman at all but if you can handle and even enjoy being left with a feeling of crawly disquiet this movie will inspire.

Bought as a gift that was well liked

Opinión de Birdman BD [Reino Unido] [Blu-ray] con ASIN: B00R62JZL0Edición del Reino Unido de Birdman, blu-ray con amaray grueso y portada como en la foto de Amazon.Al recibirlo veréis que sólo indica (en la contraportada) audio y subtítulos en inglés. No os preocupéis, tiene audio castellano y los extras estás subtitulados en español. Comprobado.¡Un saludo!

Arrivé ce matin, bien protégé dans son enveloppe à bulles et cellophané donc Neuf, merci MyMediaShop pour la qualité et rapidité !Chaque Film d'ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ IÑÁRRITU nous transporte et nous fout par terre, BIRDMAN n'échappe pas à ça. MICHAEL KEATON est exceptionnel, de BATMAN à L'ENJEU, en passant par AMERICAN ASSASSIN, à chaque fois il nous impressionne et BIRDMAN est la continuité.Ancienne Star Mondiale, il tente de monter une pièce de Théâtre à Broadway pour retrouver sa gloire passée, tout en essayant de canaliser EDWARD NORTON complètement borderline et son égo ne supportant pas la gloire des AVENGERS.Un vrai régal !!!

Dónde empezar, la cinta es original en todos sentidos. Desde la historia, el modo de ser contada, los personajes y el inigualable manejo de las cámaras durante la película haciéndola inolvidable para todo fan del cine. Ciertamente es larga y si a uno no le agrada la idea desde el inicio, será una película lenta y aburrida. Sin embargo, no por nada ganó el Oscar a mejor película. Sin duda de las grandes películas de ésta década.

イニャリトゥ&マイケルの感性に脱帽。