Still piling up Babel in my movie collection, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu came with Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). This is probably too late to say something about the movie, nevertheless I need to do it. Prepared for so long, even to perfect the idea, no wonder that the movie can catch my soul and literally made my heart clapped. I love this movie, I could just stop as simple as that. But no, I will write more. It’s not a movie which simply can be appreciated by ‘love’. Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts are some experienced actors playing in this movie. Besides that the crews taking part in the scoring and making the effect of birdman are gifted.
Riggan Thomas is middle aged man living in broadway theatre and also works there. Seems like a poor, untidy middle aged man, 20 years ago he was actually a very popular actor playing the iconic superhero character, Birdman. Completely different with himself in the past, now he needs to struggle writing, directing and playing in his broadway work, looking for new actors, struggling with money, facing his daughter and also his mind. He still cannot leave himself in the past, birdman keeps coming and telling that he has the power to free himself. Once in a while it causes him to be involved in a problem or fight with other people even put him in shameful situation.
I was really thinking why Inarritu gave this movie to Keaton? As Keaton was also playing the iconic batman role around 20 years ago. This movie is a bit like telling a fact, except that Keaton seems like doing fine with his life. Simply saying that Riggan got schizophrenia is not right, because the thing that bothers his mind is something that used to really happen to him in the past. However to see him just tied up to the past is also not completely true. Most probably is Riggan thinks about himself as special as birdman when it is actually not because Birdman is a character who is loved meanwhile he himself is in fact not as popular as the character he played because birdman during his rescue time will wear a complete gear with mask on.
I love the minimalist effect on the screen and also how it looks like relate to the real part shot in the camera. Although I keep questioning why it should be birdman with a visible butt costume, I like the detail attached in the costume. However the last part will still confuse me if I did not try to look on Wikipedia. Because my friend keeps telling that Riggan most probably can really do what he thinks he can do, like Birdman, meanwhile I am still on my standpoint that he does not at all possess the power of Birdman. People can imagine thing as they want it to be, Riggan does it even after he is supposed to be unable to do that anymore. And last personal conclusion is I am really thankful to watch this movie, for the movie to be created, because along with the complex technology, long time of observation and big budget, this movie for me is simply saying that to stick with the past will bring nothing good.
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