Anomalisa (2015)

A man crippled by the mundanity of his life experiences something out of the ordinary. (IMDb)

Breathtaking in its combination of down-to-earth detail (see the lovingly crafted stop-motion animation, authentic dialogue) and a calm, patient pace (see the long cab ride, trip up the elevator, walk to the ice machine), which, in a marvelously ironic way, celebrate with refreshing realism (see the sex scene) the inevitability of and the beauty that can be found in the mundane while following a lead who only wants to get away from it (the repeated voice symbolized the antagonist(s) perfectly).

9/10 (Amazing)

 

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

When their relationship turns sour, a couple undergoes a procedure to have each other erased from their memories. But it is only through the process of loss that they discover what they had to begin with. (IMDb)

With Winslet and Carrey’s top-notch turns, the authentic dialogue, the beautiful soundtrack, and the exquisitely intimate camerawork, this would already be an amazing romance film even before the sci-fi twist (which perhaps has a hole or two) injects it not only with juicy story subversions (see Patrick’s role; the deja vu post-erasure) and dramatic intrigue (see Mary’s side-plot) but also heart-wrenching tragedy and oddball comedy. Brilliant editing through Joel’s memories ties it all together.

9.5/10 (Breathtaking)