Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Birdman is the best movie I've seen since in a long long time. We watched it a few hours before the Oscars on Amazon Instant Videos/ Prime. This film hit all the right notes for me, starting with the first drum beat from the jazzy score by Antonio Sanchez. And the first image of Michael Keaton levitating while doing a yoga pose. Cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki was exquisitely captivating. Beautifully done as a one take long shot made effortlessly smoothy seamlessly from beginning to end. Didn't blink once or took a break or even got up to get a drink or snack. Expertly well-acted by the whole ensemble. Of course I could relate to and appreciate all the backstage behind-the-scenes work of a Broadway theater having worked as a theatrical sound technician for over 12 years.

It is a retelling of the Icarus myth. At the beginning of the movie, there's a shot of a flaming comet (Birdman) falling through the sky. Icarus (Riggan) has flown to close to the sun (Fame), and plummets back to earth (has-been career-wise). By the end of the movie, Riggan (Icarus) becomes famous again (but not too famous), and re-discovers his ability to fly, both figuratively (as an actor) and literally. In a nutshell, the entire film is an exploration of Man's ego.

I totally did not expect it to win the Oscar for Best Picture of 2015. I also saw Boyhood and The Grand Budapest Hotel and thought that either one of those two would win for sure. I guess this is one of those love or hate it film. Like Titanic was for me the year it won Best Picture, or Brokeback Mountain, still can't stand those 2 movies. This year's Oscar was the usual SnoozeFest, I went to bed when Jennifer Hudson started singing yet another sappy sentimental ballad. So many musical numbers this year and as it often is the case, the best ones never get nominated.