BIRDMAN or THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE

This could have been one of the greatest movies of forever. It certainly is a tour de force on many levels. The cinematographer should win an Oscar, as should the editor(s). (The illusion of the film being shot in one extended steady cam shot is precedent-setting.) There's a lot of the cast that deserve nominations and awards as well, especially Michael Keaton and Edward Norton. And the direction too.

The script is full of remarkably fresh moments of revelation and insight, and often displays multiple layers of meaning and resonance. But. The ending did not, for me, fulfill the amazingly brilliant entire movie that led up to it. Interpreted one way it's deeply disappointing if realistically possible, interpreted the other possible way, it's just plain unsatisfying.

Although, the build up doesn't leave room for much more, except an anti-climactic realism that too probably would have disappointed. It created a conundrum and took the easy way out, from my perspective.

Nonetheless, it is a powerful movie experience, most powerful, with an amazingly powerful performance from Keaton. Worth seeing for that and/or the cinematography alone.