Birdman (Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2014)
Do you ever wonder how all the other people in your life see you? It’s not something that we’re really encouraged to do these days. Currently it’s all about ‘look after number one’ and 'no one's going to do it for you' and so on and such things. But it’s only a small step from that kind of thinking to being the drunk person on a reality show, who everyone hates, swilling a drink and blaring “I didn’t come here to make friends!” at the top of their lungs. And no one wants that. It’s a real quandary though, because the Dalai Lama tells us that we are the centre of the universe, but let’s bear in mind that when he says that he’s not only talking about you, he’s talking about me too.
Added to that is the occasional feeling that I’m playing Mario Kart, and all y’all are just Goombas. You’re just obstacles that get in the way, and I have to get around you.
But I guess you feel like that too, and therefore we all feel like that. So maybe we should all spend more time getting into the heads of the Goombas around us, and imagining how we look to them as we sail through things. Remember that time you were having a bad day and you were rude to that person? How do you think that left them feeling? What do you think they think of you now? For all you know you’re probably an anecdote. Imagine that: everything you are and all your feelings reduced to nothing more than an anecdote. One which ends with the friends of that person shaking their heads at what an ass you are. That kind of thing doesn’t feel terribly good, right?
And do you spend time getting into how you look through the eyes of people that you actually know and/or care about? It’s probably worth it. If you think about it really hard, there are aspects to you that they see that you’d probably rather weren’t there. But hey, why should I be the one lecturing you on all this, when I’m just as bad. Here, let me get you another drink.
INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT
BEN brings YOU another drink and places it on the yellowing table.
BEN:
Here you go. Now then, one of the problems is that you don’t pay attention to any of this stuff because you’re all ‘me me me’ the whole time. But let me tell you, it ain’t all about you, it’s all about ME!
Ben swills drinks when talking, spilling some of it.
BEN:
You know what I’ve done: I’ve seen things happen and then put them into films, but you know what’s MORE than that?! I’ve put things into films and then SEEN them happen. What have YOU ever done?
Ben slams his drink down on the table and picks up yours, pours it all over your food.
BEN:
I am MAKING things happen, while all you’re doing is reacting to things! You’re like some kind of pinball or something.
Ben puts your empty glass down, picks up his drink again.
BEN:
I’ve watched you… every time someone attractive, or well-dressed comes in you start kowtowing like some kind of butler… you make me sick…
Ben takes a sip of his drink and starts waving the glass around.
BEN:
These people don’t get treated like that, they need to be TAKEN DOWN! Your problem…
Ben pokes You in the chest.
BEN:
…is that you spend too much time WORRYING about what EVERYONE THINKS of you. Do you see ME doing that? Hell no… I didn’t come here to make friends.
Added to that is the occasional feeling that I’m playing Mario Kart, and all y’all are just Goombas. You’re just obstacles that get in the way, and I have to get around you.
But I guess you feel like that too, and therefore we all feel like that. So maybe we should all spend more time getting into the heads of the Goombas around us, and imagining how we look to them as we sail through things. Remember that time you were having a bad day and you were rude to that person? How do you think that left them feeling? What do you think they think of you now? For all you know you’re probably an anecdote. Imagine that: everything you are and all your feelings reduced to nothing more than an anecdote. One which ends with the friends of that person shaking their heads at what an ass you are. That kind of thing doesn’t feel terribly good, right?
And do you spend time getting into how you look through the eyes of people that you actually know and/or care about? It’s probably worth it. If you think about it really hard, there are aspects to you that they see that you’d probably rather weren’t there. But hey, why should I be the one lecturing you on all this, when I’m just as bad. Here, let me get you another drink.
INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT
BEN brings YOU another drink and places it on the yellowing table.
BEN:
Here you go. Now then, one of the problems is that you don’t pay attention to any of this stuff because you’re all ‘me me me’ the whole time. But let me tell you, it ain’t all about you, it’s all about ME!
Ben swills drinks when talking, spilling some of it.
BEN:
You know what I’ve done: I’ve seen things happen and then put them into films, but you know what’s MORE than that?! I’ve put things into films and then SEEN them happen. What have YOU ever done?
Ben slams his drink down on the table and picks up yours, pours it all over your food.
BEN:
I am MAKING things happen, while all you’re doing is reacting to things! You’re like some kind of pinball or something.
Ben puts your empty glass down, picks up his drink again.
BEN:
I’ve watched you… every time someone attractive, or well-dressed comes in you start kowtowing like some kind of butler… you make me sick…
Ben takes a sip of his drink and starts waving the glass around.
BEN:
These people don’t get treated like that, they need to be TAKEN DOWN! Your problem…
Ben pokes You in the chest.
BEN:
…is that you spend too much time WORRYING about what EVERYONE THINKS of you. Do you see ME doing that? Hell no… I didn’t come here to make friends.