Was Michael Keaton robbed of an Oscar for his portrayal of Riggan Thomson in Birdman? Could be - as good as Redmayne was in The Theory Of Everything, some would argue Michael Keaton deserved it more for playing Thomson like a summation of his entire career. It was, however, Keaton's co-star in Birdman - Edward Norton - who gave the film's most memorable performance. Where Keaton's Thomson has a more relatable everyman quality, Norton's Mike Shiner is like the final word on douchebaggery in the field of acting, up there with Tropic Thunder's Kirk Lazarus as an emblem of the awfulness that sometimes goes hand-in-hand with undeniable talent. A bit like Norton himself, Shiner is a 'difficult' actor with a reputation for being a control freak, something he exhibits almost as soon as he saunters into the production of Riggan Thomson's new play. And Norton is the best he's been in years in the part; apparently all it took for the actor to get rejuvenated was to go for a bit of self-parody.
Lover of film, writer of words, pretentious beyond belief. Thinks Scorsese and Kubrick are the kings of cinema, but PT Anderson and David Fincher are the dashing young princes. Follow Brogan on twitter if you can take shameless self-promotion: @BroganMorris1
