A meta-comedy about a washed up, middle-aged actor attempting to establish himself as bona fide theater thespian, moving beyond the superhero character he became famous for, is not exactly the typical narrative of a Best Picture nominee. However, as shown by the Best Picture nomination last year for Spike Jonze's Her, the Academy's tastes are clearly evolving. Birdman, the fifth film from Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, is actually a lot of different things simultaneously. A satirical commentary on the current state of cinema, a self-deprecating act of humility by the actors, and an old-fashion melodrama in the vein of the Raymond Carver play the film's protagonist is attempting to put on, Birdman's eclectic mash-up of themes and narratives has proven to be one of the cinematic gems of the year. Since its debut at the Venice Film Festival in late August, Birdman has been one of the most talked about films among the cinephile crowd and is unquestionably one of the leading contenders for the Best Picture Oscar. The unique style of Birdman isn't exactly as out there as the work of Lars von Trier, but it isn't Driving Miss Daisy either. It will be interesting then to see how far the film actually gets with the Academy. Birdman is an absolute potential contender to take home the Best Picture prize and may receive more Oscar nominations than any other film this year, but as American Hustle can tell you, this doesn't guarantee victory. However, it sure doesn't hurt either.