#2) Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance, by Alejandro G. Inarritu (2014)
This is the closest you’ll get to a comic book movie on my list. Does it count that it’s a meta-commentary on the fallout of blockbuster franchises? I love showbiz nightmares – Mulholland Drive, Sunset Boulevard, Barton Fink. The viewer gets to look behind the mirror they’re so accustomed to facing. They get to see the dark side of Hollywood glamour, it’s vainglorious path to hell. They get to understand some impression of what a show is a result of. The door opens to the dream factory, where we experience both wonder and fear. What exactly motivates that profound play, that tour de force film, that binge-worthy TV show into existence? That’s the overarching question for Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton), star of the comic book blockbuster Birdman [or Batman ] franchise. In an effort to reignite his career with more prestige, he has turned to Broadway, writing/directing/starring in his own play, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love , adapted from Raymond Carver’s book. His ...