Patwoman Reviews Birdman

Our Thanksgiving movie this year was Birdman. I don't know if you've seen the previews for this movie, but I have to say I really liked it. It's not a movie for everyone, though. I think most of the people who were watching at the same time we were had a "Huh?" look on their faces throughout most of the movie.

But, if you have spent any time at all around actors, you will think this movie is hilarious. It pokes fun of the way theatre actors look down on movie actors because what they do is not "art", the way movie actors look down on theatre actors because what they do is not "popular" or "profitable," and the way the critics look down on all of them. (There's also a couple of lines about gamers, too.) Not only that, but there's some commentary on fandom--the way the fanboys and fangirls see the celebs, and the way they see their fans.

I like that Michael Keaton is playing a character who had played a superhero in blockbuster movies. I like that Edward Norton plays a total jerk. (He's rumored to be "difficult" to work with, but seriously. If he played a character like this, and clearly is having fun doing it, he has to be a pretty thoughtful guy.) I like the relationship between Michael Keaton's character and his daughter, Emma Stone. (But you know I love Emma Stone in everything.)

And yeah, it's a weird movie. It's almost Billy Pilgrim-esque. And I wondered throughout, is it insightful to make fun of how pretentious you are, or is that the height of pretentiousness itself?

Whatever. I liked it.