On a Scale of 1 to 10, with 10 Being the Best
9
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| Courtesy of Domenic Bahmann |
Plot: An aging actor, Riggan, decides to try a risky project. He will direct, write, and act in a production based off of a book but everything does not go the way he wants. Riggan also deals with his drug-addicted daughter.Throughout the movie he is badgered by a voice in his head to go back to his easy money making project of Birdman, a superhero franchise that he did several movies for. The movie is about what "real" acting is compared to Hollywood acting and what it takes to make art.
Characters/Actors of Note:
Michael Keaton playing Riggan: What can I say about Mr. Keaton? I guess I can start with that I am glad he agreed to do this film! When I watched this with my roommate, she stated that he probably saw Batman within this movie. In an interview with NPR, he even stated that he did. The acting job in this movie was incredibly hard as he had to be Riggan, then the "Actor Riggan," then the "Birdman Riggan." He also had to deal with telekinetic powers, being powerless, and being selfish. Not to mention the way the movie is filmed is unusual. They would film for 40 minutes straight and if someone messed up, they had to start the entire scene over. Talk about tough. I thought the performance was incredible and definitely Oscar worthy.
Emma Stone playing Sam: I didn't know that Ms. Stone was in this film until she appeared on screen. She gave an interesting perspective to the movie. She is able to connect the ideas of the Hollywood ideal to the real acting ideal. Her character also reminds the audience what is valuable and, to the other characters, she shows what is actually seen by the general public. She comes off so cool and she has this persona that was very different for her. I was so glad she was in this film.
Edward Norton playing Mike: This character was goofy and shocking and just what was needed. Mr. Norton's character often stated that the truth was the most exciting thing in the world. Like Ms. Stone's character, he brought up what was really seen but only according to the "real theatre people." His character was not in the movie often but when he was there he was surprising. I thought this character was well-used and well-done.
Music: Generally, I do not like the sound of the drum. I find the drum to be loud and abrasive but in this movie it was incredibly perfect. I thought it was creative and, in some scenes, surprisingly fun! Listening to the soundtrack, it does not sound like much but the music was used just so darn well. It was well tailored to the film. I was just so impressed with how innovative they were with the use of drums.
Camera Work/Cinematography: The. Directing. Style. Was. Awesome. As mentioned earlier, they would film a scene without any cuts. They would film 40 minutes at a time, which was apparently pretty hard during the improvised scenes. It appeared as if everything was happening in real time even though days would go by in the movie. They would position the camera at lights for transitions. The way the did the telekinetic powers and the Birdman paranoia parts were SO INNOVATIVE. I can't stress how great this movie looked. The director, Alejandro González Iñárritu, showed us a new artistic look without being over-top or too "artistic for regular people." Much appreciation.
RECAP:
This movie is the epitome of artistic movies that I can actually watch and enjoy. The use of music, camera angles, and cinematography is above and beyond what I expected. The script was truly interesting not to mention that the acting comes from the acting giants (in my opinion). If you are tired of the hum-drum garbage of the movie industry of today and want a breath of fresh air, please take in this incredible movie. I love it for its artistic value and how they portray the theatrical arts. I would rate it higher but it did not speak on an emotional level for me; that is the only thing they left out. Birdman is entertaining though and important to cinema.
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| Courtesy of io9.com |
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