‘Birdman’ movie review: Michael Keaton winks as a comeback comes full circle "Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance" tells the story of … It's a film that resonates profoundly, and may just be the best film of 2014. It’s a piece about empty showmanship, and its unhinged premise – a fairground-mirror image of the career of its leading man, who starred in Tim Burton’s two mega-grossing Batman films then quit the franchise on principle – couldn’t have been told in a smarter way. A bunch of very good actors, all wasted in an indulgent pretentious script, and even more indulgent and pretentious directing. Keaton's weathered face, always up close, too close, goes from unhinged to blistering as the world around him crumbles. I was looking forward to seeing Michael Keaton show his acting chops in a role that he was born to play - washed-up TV star trying to make a comeback into celebrity and the acting game in general but flirting with madness whilst trying to do so but his "Birdman" alter-ego kept getting in the way at the behest of his director. Every actor and actress in this given the space to breathe life into characters, every monologue and dialogue hits like a ton of bricks, every scene tries to get towards some fundamental truth of human nature only to have the next scene undermine that character and that purported truth. In floods the psychological turmoil of the Carver story and also blockbuster carnage: giant, robotic crows peck at skyscrapers, while military aircraft strafe the Broadway crowds. But in Birdman, the effect’s entirely different. Pure New York. This video content is no longer available, To watch The Telegraph's latest video content please visit, “Birdman is a film about the seductions of fame and prestige”, The latest offers and discount codes from popular brands on Telegraph Voucher Codes, Is it a bird? It'll win awards because it appeals to critics. There’s a scene in which Riggan’s fresh-from-rehab daughter (a superb Emma Stone) punctures her father’s pretensions with a monologue that’s delivered like a knitting needle to the gut. It won't get wide release because it won't appeal to most people. I am very happy with the Oscars won by Alejandro (well deserved) especially because I am Mexican too. With all due respect to Eastwood's American Sniper, the academy actually got it right with this pick for best picture. This is the true definition of a masterpiece. I don't think so. That said, Michael Keaton and the cast give wonderful if sometimes overacted performances. i was expecting a dull drama with good actors and an OK script, and i got this: pure , unfiltered , proper effort , applied in modern American commercial standards. We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future. It’s wizard-built marvel of form—passionate, inventive, wild with life—but it serves a fairly simple function. wow, i did not see that coming.

Tora! Tora! Every time I started to get interested, they would play that annoying jazz drumming.
Michael Keaton has generally been undermined as an actor (despite a few notable roles as Batman or Beetlejuice) and has instead faced Hollywood picking more acclaimed and popular actors, 'Birdman' however might just be his ticket to an Oscar nomination, and possibly even a win, his performance is mesmerising.

I don't know if this is a spoiler alert or not, but if you're waiting for the moment when the loose ends are all tied together in any coherent manner, you will be waiting in vain. While it’s going on, you’re glued to the impossibility of what you’re seeing. Since this is a play within a movie that is set in a theater, I got the feeling that there are inside jokes that those in or familiar with the business (such as critics) will get but which is over the heads the audience.

The amount of critically endorsed films that i have thought to be not bad but very bad seems to be growing each year. Now, the only thing that can save his ego is acclaim, which is why he’s on Broadway, starring in and directing a play he’s adapted from a Raymond Carver short story. FAQ I think we've all been exceptionally good this year because Christmas came early with Alejandro González Iñárritu's masterful "Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)," an experience that you won't soon forget.
Alejandro González Iñárritu has created a truly spectacular character study that arguably features this year's strongest acting performances, alongside a well- executed script, booming soundtrack and a monumental achievement with cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki in which he attempts a Hitchcockian approach, reminiscent of 'Rope', and displays the story through a seemingly single and unbroken sweeping shot. 77. Does It Really Matter? unfortunately , it's rare to see this amount of dedication and talent in contemporary mainstream American cinema these days. Alejandro's clean smooth directing really states a new canon in the way a movie is conducted, I was blown away with Michael Keaton's perfect performance and the rest of the cast did well around him.

I didn't have a headache when I went in but by the end of the film I did. This scene happens towards the end of the film and sadly comes too late to save it from its crassness. This film has some of the best cinematography I have seen in quite some time. "Birdman" and its entire cast and crew (with the exception of Keaton) have taken that spot, dislodging "Boyhood" out of this position. Yet Birdman isn’t a piece of empty showmanship. Overall, I could go on and on about this film and just how great it is but nothing of what I say here can really do Birdman justice. This movie definitely was different and unique, but there's a difference from being different and making art and being different and making a piece of crap. I guess judging by the reviews, you are either going to love this or hate this. From start to finish, I didn't care about any of the characters in this film. Alejandro González Iñárritu's brilliant direction creates a mesmerizing blend of genres , it's captivating from first shot,bittersweet and painfully realistic. In Birdman, he strikes a perfect balance between the two and turns in the best performance of his entire career. But just because it's good for them doesn't make it good for us, the casual movie goer. But his was not the only talent that was wasted. I left feeling that I had wasted two hours of my life, and I'm not the type who watches pop features like Rocky XVII. Even the so called super hero Birdman is laughable. Iñárritu can't completely crystalize the musical beast, but it's the perfect pairing of material to star. For me, a complete and total waste of money and time. It took me two nights of sheer will power to get through this piece. Indeed, if you've got your head stuck in the a** of the superhero movies and cellphone culture that Iñarritu is vehemently complaining against with this movie, it's got a definite lack of action. | Truly though, 'Birdman' is a technical masterpiece. 8.5. great. Pearl Harbour, the sequel: Hollywood, Japan, and the battle to make Tora! Michael Keaton, who was known for playing Batman in the late 80s and early 90s, is cast here as Riggan Thomson, a washed-up Hollywood actor, once famous for playing a superhero Birdman character in the movies, now making a comeback on Broadway, acting in an adaptation of a Raymond Carver short story. i also have noticed that after a year or so these lauded films seem to get reconsidered , where the original praise is vastly reduced. Some scenes had me laugh out loud.

8. The story of an actor persecuted by the role that made him popular, "Birdman", and pressured by the willing of proving himself on stage with his new play. We rely on advertising to help fund our award-winning journalism. no wonder it's the real deal.a new favorite for me. They are classics. Yes, I know - it's "arty-farty" and if you don't appreciate the ridiculously long takes then you are a Philistine. The original birdman Tony Hawk is returning with remastered versions of the first two badass games in the Tony Hawk franchise -- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 …

Film Review: ‘Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)’ Reviewed at Gaumont screening room, Paris, Aug. 20, 2014. Inarritu has shown that his view of creating a production for the theatre is so hackneyed it is a rival for Mel Brook's "The Producers" but without the laughs.

Riggan is a casualty of film: two decades ago, he bailed from the smash-hit Birdman superhero franchise between its third and fourth instalments, but his enormous fan-base didn’t follow. This movie is widely criticized here because of its supposed lack of story. Focusing on extremely long and spiraling takes, it submerses you in the scene, giving you the type of voyeuristic experience that Birdman calls for. Keaton is the keystone that keeps Birdman engrossing to the very end. The film can get a little confusing or even perplexing at times, but in a good way. My friend said it was better than "The Judge", not even close. From its pristine writing (by Iñárritu, Armando Bo, Nicolas Giacobone, and Alexander Dinelaris), to its carefully constructed direction and cinematography, to its genius casting and performances, "Birdman" is just a dream of a movie. The cinematography couldn't be more spot one to refer to the fact that it is about theater. Star Wars: Squadrons Single-Player Review, Spider-Man 3: Jamie Foxx's Electro to Return, But in the MCU, Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time Review, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit Is a Very Expensive Game of Pretend, AMC's Gangs of London: Series Premiere Review, Here Are the Best Graphics Cards From Both Team Green and Team Red, Things Ghost of Tsushima Doesn't Tell You.