Detailing the broadway ambition of a washed up action star (Micheal Keaton), “Birdman” is shot in a seemingly endless single scene fashion, as if each day melts softly into the next.

It’s a beautifully welcoming style that pulls the audience in close to the dialogue as if they were a part of it. The same can be said for the sound, which follows scenes closely. If a door shuts behind, on the left, off sreen, that is where the sound comes from. It is an amazingly immersive film that really welcomes the viewer. However, even with the all-star cast (Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis) the film is not without fault.

As a complete package, the film is enthralling and thoughtful. However, it is clearly laced with an overbearing pretension. It seems to exaggerate the unimportance and unrefined action movies and superheroes, yet it ends with Keaton bringing Hollywood glitz to the Broadway stage (though whether he meant to or not is up for debate). The film does well to beg its target audience of hipster film snobs to love it, and it seems they do.

Potential pretension aside, the film stands as an artistic and fresh approach to cinematography. All of the odd elements that, alone, would not work in something like “Saving Private Ryan” or “Iron Man” come together beautifully in “Birdman”.

It is safe to say that although “Birdman” may be one of the best films of the year, “best” may mean something different. This film is less than easy to enjoy and probably won’t please the more casual viewers. But if you are interested in something offbeat, colorful and potentially thoughtful, it may just be worth your time.