Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

— “Birdman” was great fun. Really. I smiled and chuckled more in this film than I have in a long time. It’s fascinating to watch Michael Keaton as the aging has-been whose fame came from playing the superhero “Birdman”…and two sequels. Since then, he’s faded from the limelight and aged enough that it’s probably best he avoid spandex. Now he’s in existential crisis and putting on a Broadway play and hoping to get some respect for it. He kept me mesmerized, grateful this is a Hollywood satire that isn’t written for insiders. In fact, there are so many contemporary references that I sometimes wished I’d read a few more “People” magazines while waiting in the doctor’s office. It takes some unexpected turns but it definitely got me thinking about relevancy and reality. Go to see this one if you can!

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[2014. 119 min. Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. Starring Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis, and Naomi Watts.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/birdman-2014