Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's...actually, go back. It's a man shaped bird, or is it a bird shaped man? Either way it involves Michael Keaton pulling off not only an Oscar worthy performance, but the best performance of his career, in Birdman.
Utilising a near seamless one continuous take style (there really are no visible edits, with one or two exceptions using darkness or doors to shift things around) Birdman tells the tale of a washed up actor who once played the iconic Birdman. Now mounting a Broadway play in an attempt to reclaim his past glory, he must overcome his ego, family problems and other mental issues in a movie that is as mesmerising as it is technically accomplished.
While Gravity's Alfonso Cuarón set the bar with long 10-12 minute takes, director Alejandro González Iñárritu and his team achieve something purely brilliant here. At first glance Birdman seems to be one 2 hour take as it weaves it's way around Manhattan. Only on a rare occasion with a pan into a doorway or some darkness does the movie leave it's continuous look behind. However, even on these occasions it's done with impeccable precision and it's only the die hard film geeks will notice it. Everybody else will be completely blown away by this technical masterpiece.
It's fair to say that watching Birdman is a surreal experience and while it does take some time to get used to, it's completely immersive and within minutes the audience is pulled into the movie and only when the credits roll will they be allowed get their breath back.
Masterful techniques aside, the story itself struggles at times to keep up with the visual pace and on occasion you'll be left ever so slightly bored. By the time the credits roll, you'll have had too much of a good thing, especially with the multiple endings that happen. Birdman has one ending too many and it can be ever so slightly frustrating to an audience who think that the movie is about to finish. While these are minor criticisms, they are noticeable.
However a career best performance from Michael Keaton (he's drinking the same anti aging juice that Tom Cruise is) and a supporting cast who work their ass off including Emma Stone and the brilliant Ed Norton round off what is not only something original, but something that is equally surprising and quite refreshing.
Gripes aside (and as mentioned these are minor) Birdman has a fantastic look to it with a real tour de force of visual effects happening in the final act, not to mention some wonderful little touches, many of which will only become apparent on multiple viewings. The movie is a real exploration of the inner thoughts of a man who has lost his super powers (of sorts) and explores this incredibly well and no doubt for many people, it is easily relatable.
This is definitely worth a punt, with a career best performance from Keaton, wonderful visuals and a decent story Birdman is certainly a flight of fancy! Check it out!
Utilising a near seamless one continuous take style (there really are no visible edits, with one or two exceptions using darkness or doors to shift things around) Birdman tells the tale of a washed up actor who once played the iconic Birdman. Now mounting a Broadway play in an attempt to reclaim his past glory, he must overcome his ego, family problems and other mental issues in a movie that is as mesmerising as it is technically accomplished.
While Gravity's Alfonso Cuarón set the bar with long 10-12 minute takes, director Alejandro González Iñárritu and his team achieve something purely brilliant here. At first glance Birdman seems to be one 2 hour take as it weaves it's way around Manhattan. Only on a rare occasion with a pan into a doorway or some darkness does the movie leave it's continuous look behind. However, even on these occasions it's done with impeccable precision and it's only the die hard film geeks will notice it. Everybody else will be completely blown away by this technical masterpiece.
It's fair to say that watching Birdman is a surreal experience and while it does take some time to get used to, it's completely immersive and within minutes the audience is pulled into the movie and only when the credits roll will they be allowed get their breath back.
Masterful techniques aside, the story itself struggles at times to keep up with the visual pace and on occasion you'll be left ever so slightly bored. By the time the credits roll, you'll have had too much of a good thing, especially with the multiple endings that happen. Birdman has one ending too many and it can be ever so slightly frustrating to an audience who think that the movie is about to finish. While these are minor criticisms, they are noticeable.
However a career best performance from Michael Keaton (he's drinking the same anti aging juice that Tom Cruise is) and a supporting cast who work their ass off including Emma Stone and the brilliant Ed Norton round off what is not only something original, but something that is equally surprising and quite refreshing.
Gripes aside (and as mentioned these are minor) Birdman has a fantastic look to it with a real tour de force of visual effects happening in the final act, not to mention some wonderful little touches, many of which will only become apparent on multiple viewings. The movie is a real exploration of the inner thoughts of a man who has lost his super powers (of sorts) and explores this incredibly well and no doubt for many people, it is easily relatable.
This is definitely worth a punt, with a career best performance from Keaton, wonderful visuals and a decent story Birdman is certainly a flight of fancy! Check it out!
