Birdman
Surprisingly hilarious. I know it is labeled as a comedy but I didn't think I'd laugh as much as I did. The characters are great, the directing is among the best I've ever seen, and I really liked how the entire movie took place in one city block.
However the plot doesn't appeal to me. Maybe because I cannot relate to it, but a washed-up actor is less interesting than say a disgraced doctor or washed-up athlete. I'm sure actors have a tough life, but after making it big, you're famous for your best work. There's still power there (as exemplified by the movie), so it all sounds a bit pretentious and condescending. But to the film's credit, it does mention these very subjects in a hope to show you how difficult it really is, and I applaud them for that, but I just didn't agree.
To me, it looked like a bunch of narcissistic, border-line sociopathic characters trying to accomplish something. And in that way, I still found it incredibly entertaining. But did I find it endearing? Not really. That said, Michael Keaton did a fantastic job. Actually the entire cast acted incredibly.
This is definitely a movie you should check out, even if it is a little heavy-handed from time to time.
8/10