And the award for “Best Technical Process” goes to….

Okay, I know this isn’t a real award, but Michael Keaton can’t fly in real life either, and that didn’t stop anyone.  As I watched Birdman for the first time, I sat mesmerized by the cinematography, which ranges from elegant camera circles around Edward Norton to lingering stalks of Keaton walking through Times Square in his underwear. The producer in me geeks out about the timing and flow of this film; it seems as though every character enter the scene at exactly the right time with strategically-placed transitions and corky scenarios at every turn down the hallways of an old Broadway theater. Conversations move fast, the camera struggling to keep up as if it were capturing an old Western shoot-out. Stylistically bold and written with finesse and wit, Birdman’s kudos are rightfully forwarded to writer, director, and producer Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Babel, Biutiful). While I didn’t expect a better movie score or soundtrack than Whiplash, the raw drums and jazz from composer Antonio Sanchez was a driving force through the film that kept my head bobbing and my mind buzzing.

Birdman is both daring and unpredictable, with a copious amount of dark silliness. Michael Keaton is just trying to be somebody, Emma Stone is recovering from all sorts of brokenness, Edward Norton is succeeding away from Wes Anderson, and Zach Galifianakis is pursuing a respectful career outside of Hangover films. I embarrassingly recall my first impression of Birdman, telling friends that “it’s not my type of film”, given that superhero movies aren’t my favorite style of film. I couldn’t have been more wrong, as I proudly proclaim that Birdman is deserving of every nomination and then some. And is Michael Keaton back?

In one statement: “It’s just different. Go see it.”