It's only grossed $17,237,400 so far and lost 152 theaters this weekend. I don't know if it'll get nominated for any awards, but it certainly wins Flop of the Year.
CHURCH DOOR TOUCAN GAY MARKETING PUPPIES MUSICAL THEATER STAPLES PERIOD OIL BITCHY SNARK HOLES
NOOOO! Please say it ain't so! We've been checking off seeing all the awards-prone movies these last 2 weeks (FOXCATCHER, IMITATION GAME, THEORY OF EVERYTHING, INTERSTELLAR, INTO THE WOODS) and we gotta say that in a sea of 6's and 7's, we thought BIRDMAN was a total 10! Far more satisfying than that shallow exercise that was catnip for critics called BOYHOOD. Oh well.
Keep in mind the film's budget (via my Google research) was only $18 million so $17 million doesn't look bad at all.
This is one of those films that will hang around, and likely be re-released in January once the award shows start. I don't think they ever thought this movie would be something like The Avengers. But I think this will be considered a success for them considering it's modest budget and awards potential, especially once released on DVD.
Happily a few awards are now coming BIRDMAN's way. Gotham Awards just gave it Best Picture and Best Actor to Michael Keaton. National Board of Review awarded Best Actor to Michael Keaton, and Best Supporting Actor to Ed Norton. Not an avalanche, but heartwarming nonetheless.
Birdman became the Oscar forerunner last night when Inarritu won the DGA. On the other hand, the BAFTA winner has gone on to win the Oscar for the past six years and Boyhood took the BAFTA. So jump ball?
I enjoyed it. It wasn't the masterpiece some are claiming it to be, but I thought it was good. But that very last scene made me LOL. That was just plain stupid.
I loved it and it's my favorite of the Best Picture nominees I've seen thus far (still have yet to see Selma and American Sniper). In the first 30 minutes or so, I wasn't sure how I felt about it, but as it went on, the film kept pulling me in deeper and deeper. I loved the fact that I was (mostly) surprised from scene to scene. I even enjoyed the last scene. The only major misstep to me was that I pretty much knew what the climax of the film would be from early on. But what I didn't expect was how the events would eventually unfold from there. And unlike Boyhood, I wasn't bored out of my skull.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
Its theme is revelatory: "It's hard to age in show business." The first 45 minutes have a dazzling quality, the technique is extraordinary. But as persuasive storytelling, on which some level it surely must function, it huffs and puffs so hard to keep its "specialness" vibe going until the end, and then it jumps the shark not once but twice. I didn't believe anything in it could happen, and by the time we meet the vicious dyspeptic critic for the Times, its satire is muddy at best. What's the edgy point? Art isn't easy? Theater is inherently self-congralulatory? And so are those who support it? Being 60 is hell? The St. James Theater should be easier to access? Consider how much the filmmakers want to send up pretentiousness, it's a pile-on of partsy-fartsy effects.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick
My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Self indulgent.That's what kept repeating in my brain. Amy Ryan and Merritt Weaver were the only 2 performance I liked. Only two who didn't leave teeth marks all over the scenery. ( to be fair- the script & direction made that inevitable)
Of course it will win. Actors LOVE to show how H A R D it is to be a working professional thespian. ( aww gimmee a break!) So they ( the largest voting block) will be sure to go for this.
Even Jackie Hoffman's tiny (vocal) cameo seemed OTT. Meh.