Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) is one of Hollywood’s solidly unique talents, and his new film Anomalisa is a testament to his singular artistic vision. As our Film Editor, Sean, eloquently put it in his review of the film, “Nobody makes movies like Charlie Kaufman. Whether writing the script for another director or directing himself, Kaufman’s work takes a wildly outlandish concept and places his well-rounded psychologically complex protagonist in the emotional wringer. What makes Kaufman’s work so routinely profound on basic emotional level is that he never lets his characters lose their humanity within the layers of oddities that Kaufman places in them. No matter which film by Kaufman we’re talking about, he has an uncanny ability to tell stories that delve into the intricate neuroses that afflict countless people with an unparalleled honesty.” There’s a reason it made our Best Films of 2015 list.
Anomalisa is a beautiful yet emotionally devastating film; an honest portrait of loneliness and depression unlike any other film this year. The stop-motion animation is breathtaking, using thousands of hand-crafted models and gorgeous sets to tell the tale of Michael, a disaffected man in the throes of depression who finally meets someone who touches his heart and changes his life. Simlpy put, Anomalisa is a triumph of artistry and storytelling that leaves you thinking long after the credits have rolled. These new featurettes show how the models were created and utilized, and revisit the moment we met Lisa, Michael’s light in the darkness.
Anomalisa is in select theaters now.
