Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Birdman (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Caution: This Might Contain Spoilers!
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Riggan Thomson is a washed-up actor seeking another chance at fame by recreating a Raymond Carver piece into a stage production. However, facing another potential failure Riggan is confronted by his alter ego (which happens to be the Birdman superhero character that he's famous for portraying). 

This film was directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu). Upon hearing all the praise that this received from critics and its awards, my curiosity was piqued. The concept and comedy is very simple, but the interlacing layers created within the story is very complex. There is a lot of symbolism used to further project everything the character's are unable to say; such as the main character's abilities. Although I enjoyed how the film presented his powers as being either real or imaginable depending on what audiences want to believe. The comedy comes from the characters over the top reactions to various situations. So, the film becomes more of a fantastical drama than anything else. Naturally this view changes from viewer to viewer. The story also pokes as much fun of serious actors as it does serious critics. In many aspects its an overall joke on the entertainment industry and all those involved. The choice of cinematography was great for this film. It not only made the film feel like a stage production, but it also made you feel like the silent observer. Michael Keaton played the role of Riggan Thomson. This was a somewhat ironic character for him to play. Anyway, he was perfect in the role. Creating the failed actor that you hate and feel sympathetic for. Emma Stone played the role of Sam (Samantha) Thomson. She was a great supporting actress for Keaton. Edward Norton played the role of Mike Shiner. He gave the film most of its comedy. Naomi Watts played the role of Lesley Truman. She gave the film its drama. Both were also great at supporting Keaton.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a well written comedic drama, even with its strange premise, but then most films about insane artists are.  

This film can be found on DVD.

Answer to last blog: Actress Rene Russo, Nightcrawler, stared in the superhero film Thor.

Que: Which of these actors was not in a superhero film?

Micheal Keaton
Emma Stone
Edward Norton
Naomi Watts

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