It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... Birdman? Yes, that right, its Birdman, the fictional superhero movie within the movie (am I confusing you right now? I hope I am). Does this year's Best Picture winner at the 87th Academy Awards really have the guts and muscle to beat out Boyhood? Let's find out.

Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) follows Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton), a washed up Hollywood actor famous for his role as the superhero Birdman, as he deals with his struggles and inner demons (quite literally, he keeps hearing the voice of Birdman mocking his efforts at everything) leading up to the opening of his Broadway play, in an effort to revive his career and mend his relationships.

Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu for which he also won the Academy Award for Best Director the movie is a beauty, it's vision quite striking. Personally 2006's "Babel" would be what I consider as Iñárritu's finest work. Birdman however is quite famous for its trick. The movie appears to have been filmed in one take, apart from the very beginning and the very end. This is something that's quite astounding and requires intricate work and for that the movie is quite a marvel. The movie also bagged the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for Emmanuel Lubezki who won the same award last year for his work in Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity, consecutive awards well deserved. The screenplay written collectively by Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., and Armando Bo is beautiful. It isn't jarring. Another aspect that thoroughly matters when it comes to achieving this movie's trick of a single take. It also managed to take home the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

The picture, the music and design build is precise, and utterly striking, with perfect clarity and relevance.

The star studded cast that gave Birdman life and breath was one of its strongest assets with Michael Keaton and Edward Norton going above and beyond. The Birdman/Batman relevance to Michael Keaton was something to easily pick on. Keaton's performance was the peak from the rest, playing it to a wonderful effect. Especially noteworthy are the scenes, where Riggan Thomson's manifestation of Birdman haunts his thoughts and general being. Keaton won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical for his role. Michael Keaton, Edward Norton and Emma Stone received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress respectively.

Easily one of last year's best movies, does it all work? It clearly does, the movie won the Best Picture Oscar. However personally, Boyhood pulls through better. But that doesn't mean Birdman is an inferior movie. I just think the elements for Boyhood come together better. But wherever you stand, do not miss out on this movie, it demands a watch.

Reviewed by Aasif Faiz