Discussing
Birdman (or, the unexpected virtue of the Academy Awards)

In his Oscar acceptance speech, Birdman director Alejandro González Iñárritu spoke about ego in terms similar to those used by C.S. Lewis.

Josh,

Thanks for your insight. After watching Birdmam, I found myself teetering on the edge between enjoying it for its bravado and intensity, or loathing it for its self-indulgence and ego-centricity. Inarritu's Oscar speech tipped me into the latter. This movie wants to be courageous and poetic but in the end seems cornered and trivial.

I'll give you trivial, jbaldauff, in that Birdman didn't really say anything new about ego and ambition. But I think to describe it as "cornered" is to its credit. The cinematography, performances and soundtrack all worked to evoke the state of panic - that defensiveness - we live in when we make everything about ourselves. I found that aesthetic to be accomplished and unique.

Josh,

Poor choice of words. I meant cornered, as in commoditized.