Movie Talk - Birdman - No Spoilers

It is hard to discuss Birdman without spoilers. That said, I liked the film. I thought that it was interesting to see that experience from the inside. It wasn't in the class of best movies for me, but I liked it.

I can never get those two hours of my life back.

I really liked Birdman. It was like nothing that I had seen before. It's a very sly very dark comedy that worked for me in part because the absurdity of events really struck home from my own filming experience. There are moments during a shoot when things go pear shaped that require an appreciation for the truly absurd.
When I was shooting on A Little Princess one such moment happened. We were shooting scenes on the Warners back lot where the street had to look like it was winter and everything was covered with fake snow. It was summer and about 100 degrees outside, and all the actors were dressed in heavy black winter clothing. The women were wearing long dresses and fur lined overcoats. We called a break to set up for the next shot and all of the talent went into a large tent where craft service had been set up. I ducked in there to get a cold drink and was confronted by the sight of a bunch of these women sitting in a row of chairs with their dresses pulled up to their waists, their legs apart, and fans in front of them blowing air at them. I had to duck back out because I was howling with laughter.
When Keaton's character shoots himself and the fiasco becomes a huge success I just cracked up. I like the surreal and this film delivered it in spades. It's certainly not for everyone. But I really enjoyed it. And I liked the ambiguous ending.
The Academy certainly works in mysterious ways. Wayne's Award was much deserved, though it was awarded for his overall performances more than for True Grit. The Academy was going to give Wayne a lifetime achievement award, but he let it be known that he wanted to win for a performance, not what he considered a consolation award. So he won for True Grit.
I don't always agree with what wins. I didn't care for The English Patient. I thought it a shallow piece of work. But it won over Fargo, which I thought was much superior in every possible way. The real measure is the nomination. The win can be as much a matter of politics as quality.