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Blu-ray Review: Birdman

The latest film by Mexican director Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu is unlike any film made before. Other directors have attempted to make an entire film in what seems like one continuous take (notably Alfred Hitchcock for Rope) but none have achieved the flawless look that Iñárritu’s Birdman has.

The film stars Michael Keaton at his best as Riggan Thomson, an actor once heralding for playing a masked superhero (sound familiar?). Riggan is trying to rejuvenate his career by directing and staring in a stage version of Raymond Carver’s What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. Among the many people standing in his way are his drug abusing daughter (Emma Stone in an Oscar nominated role), a manic supporting actor (Edward Norton, also nominated), and a spiteful critic (Lindsay Duncan, underused). Well these people contribute to Riggan’s madness, his biggest enemy is perhaps himself.

The film is immaculate in every sense of the word. Keaton is brilliant, Emmanuelle Lubezki’s camera work is flawless, and the score by Antonio Sanchez works wonders. Audiences who missed the film on the big screen can see it the second best way: on its beautiful Blu-ray Disc, which is available to own now.

Matt Hoffman

Matthew Hoffman is a Toronto-based cinephile who especially enjoys French films and actresses over the age of 50; including but not limited to: Isabelle Huppert, Meryl Streep, and Jacki Weaver.