Coco here, ready to talk about the trailer for Charlie Kaufman's Anomalisa.
YES
- Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine... Even if you don't love Synecdoche New York, a Charlie Kaufman project deserves enthusiasm.
- We don't get enough stop-motion animation in our screens, and even fewer animated movies aimed at adult audiences.
- In a sea of computer generated mediocrity, it's always nice to see a strong voice be inspired by the medium of animation, which seems to be a good way for auteurs to find revitalizing force. Think, for example, of Wes Anderson's wave of success after Fantastic Mr. Fox.
- The reaction out of Venice and Toronto has been quite ecstatic, and the trailer reflects that in the form of raving critical blurs. Glenn Keanny calls it "one of those rare perfect movies", and most things I've heard have been along those lines.
- David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Tom Noonan? Those are some robust voices right there.
NO
- So, the critical reaction has been mostly positive, but one of the film's most vocal opponents is The Film Experience friend and collaborator Nick Davis. Nick is a very astute moviegoer, so his agnosticism is a legitimate source for caution.
- A story about a depressed middle-aged man finding revitalizing solace? I think I've heard this one before... and from Charlie Kaufman, too.
MAYBE SO
- Am I the only one who is getting a Birdman vibe off of this? There are quite a few moments of surrealism in the trailer, and that moment with the christmas lights is almost identitcal to the liquor store scene in Birdman. I wasn't a big fan of that movie -- what to make of the similarities?
- There is something beautiful and yet uncanny valley-esque about the animation. Uneasy eerieness might work in the movie's favor, but it could also be too distracting.
Anomalisa will start its limited release on December 30. I'm a yes based on Kaufman's history and the fact that it's an animated movie, but now it's your turn. Watch the trailer and tell us which you are in the comments.