Birdman

I bigged up my coach trip home to be lengthy at just under four hours but in reality they were possibly the quickest 4 hours I have ever experienced. It did give me ample time to sum up all my thoughts on watching Birdman this afternoon and the crowd I went to see it with can also testify that it takes a little while to sink in after seeing it.

Easily, the biggest highlight is the performances. Keaton finally has a movie where he can flex his stuff in a role which is deliciously close to home for him; it almost feels as if he is playing an alternate reality version of himself which was delightful to see. Norton, as always, deserves special mention as well, perfectly playing a wild and self-obsessed actor ensuring that every second he's on screen is a treat. The camera really benefited from getting so up-close and personal with each actor, at moments it felt like your breath could warm the character's cheeks.

The eternally tracking and moving nature of the cinematography was also really impressive to see in action. At first I was worried that the effect would be tired and irritating later on but thankfully it totally enhanced me into the narrative and gave it a good sense of realism.

That said, I respected the film a bit more than I enjoyed it. At points it teetered on having Paul Thomas Anderson levels of pretentiousness but thankfully it often clawed itself back with some self-awareness and humour, but it was never funny enough to laugh out loud at. Nearly all the characters also seemed overly spiteful of their existence, it completely fits with their 'woes of being talented, yet unrealized' nature, but at no point did any character feel especially welcoming. However, this is most likely intentional to suit the theme of the film but makes us feel only a pang of indifference when something unfortunate happens to a character.

For what Birdman perhaps lacks in heart, it more than makes up for in ambition and technical excellence. Its a little bit different to anything you'll ever see and it makes it worth a watch for that reason alone.