Birdman was excellent in many ways, but it just didn't feel natural to me. Tried to be too artsy/hipster/indie/pretentious for its own good.
It's a movie where I understand where the acclaim comes from, but it just wasn't all that enjoyable for me to watch. Haven't seen Whiplash as of yet, but I hold Grand Budapest Hotel in much higher regard, personally.
Birdman felt perfectly natural to me, though it's the very melodramatic 'natural' that defines New York's theater district. The film looked like a pretty authentic representation of the fragile egos and career arcs inhabiting that bubble.
Whiplash was a solid, intense story, and I love everything with J.K. Simmons in it. But some of the musical events were ridiculously arch. Some of the teaching techniques, issues with sheet music, rehearsal protocols -- some of the film's most dramatic conflicts were built on events that would never, ever happen in an ensemble/orchestra. Each of those small technical things took me out of the story.
Grand Budapest Hotel... I have no idea why I loved this film so much, but I did. Wes Anderson struck the perfect balance between artfulness, story and character. Fiennes was fantastic, the plot moved, and every scene was stunning to look at. I can't say the sum adds up to a Best Picture award, but I probably enjoyed this film more than any that year.