I'd heard good things about this, but didn't like it. Is just a middle age man that's just bored of his life, don't really love his wife, his family, and don't care or feel nothing for anything or anybody and found someone different (a real voice) and has an affair with her, and then realise just after he used her that she is like everything else.
After reading some articles, it seems that the movie is based on the Fregoli delusion, but I thought it could be given a much wider meaning in relation to mental health in general.
Michael is supposedly the master of communication, he even writes books about it, yet he seems to be constantly running away from human interactions. Doing the same things, meeting the same people, having the same small talk… everyone looks and sounds the same, like a puppet. Even when he happens to find someone who feels “different”, it won’t take long before they end up “changing”. That’s what Michael has kept blaming his former lovers and current wife for, even though it’s not hard to figure out that he is just a narcissistic self-indulgent asshole. Lisa is just one more puppet, not that different from the Japanese doll he buys at the store (the two happen to have the same voice and scars on their face).
That made me think about how mental illness and depression can change your perception of the world, and how that can end up hurting everyone around you.
Interpretations aside, the movie makes creative use of the stop-motion medium to paint the subtle portrait of a puppet that looks more human than live-action actors. Slow-paced and mostly inconsequential, but still surprisingly compelling.
Level "Excellent" • 8 :heart: • Recommended.
one of the best movies I've ever seen. So deep, I loved everything about the characters and the story. Finally something different. Highly recommended .
I was not prepared for what I was about to see.
So, I got to see Anomalisa and it was fantastic! In terms of the actual narrative, Anomalisa is probably the least complicated out of all of these. However, the intelligent choices that align the themes in this story ensure that there's no lack of interpretation. I mean, anyone who understands the definition of the word 'anomaly' can likely see the purpose in this film being so unique in the first place. In a world where almost every film seems exactly the same, this one stands out in a refreshing way.
One of the most shining elements of this film is the animation. Despite this film being pretty contained in its scale, the cinematography was very impressive. There are quite a few shots that caught me off guard and had me thinking: "wait a minute, this shot has been going on seamlessly for a while now," and in stop motion animation having to reshoot a shot could mean months of extra work. Having the camera follow the main character through small doors into different rooms in the building is not only impressive on a technical level, but it subconsciously adds legitimacy to the universe, making the location feel like it's a very real place.
There's a particular shot where a character can be seen in the reflection of our main character's eyes and I can't imagine how complicated that shot must have been to set up. I'm really hoping that there's a special feature on the Blu-ray release to help explain these things because the animation is seriously impressive. With Charlie Kaufman having seemingly no experience in animation, this movie was co-directed by Duke Johnson. This is his first feature length film but his previous works include Moral Orel.
Now, the animation in Anomalisa has quite the drastically different approach in comparison to Moral Orel. Where Moral Orel was quite cartoony, Anomalisa had a far more grounded approach. This is by far the most human stop motion film I've ever seen. A lot of detail was placed on both vocal and physical character mannerisms, making these characters seem like very real people. Based on the design alone, there's a sense of realism and surrealism at the same time. The character's eyes were more realistic than any animation I've seen, but at the same time there's a consistent design choice they could not have been achieved in live action.
Once again, Charlie Kaufman has impressed me with his sense of purpose, with each decision being made like a puzzle piece that fits into the larger picture. Sure, the decision looks good on its own, but with the rest of the film in context you can see how it fits.
Suffice it to say, I cannot wait until I can see this film for a second time. Because somehow, despite only having seen it once, it's already starting to grow on me. 10/10
I had read some advice a few months ago in The A.V. Club to avoid any information about this film unless I was a Kaufman agnostic, which I am not, and so I studiously avoided any articles or trailers. I was aware the film was out but I really wanted to see 'The Witch' and so I thought I'd see this later if it was still on. When I arrived, however, the screening had been cancelled and I hurriedly picked up a ticket for this and sat down, not knowing what to expect.
It didn't take an awfully long time for me to get back into a Kaufman groove and I enjoyed Michael's uncomfortable moment on the plane at the beginning. I was very taken with how intricately made the sets were and charmed by the little details like the way the toilet paper was folded into a triangle in the hotel room. I like the slow pace and the awkwardness, and after Michael checked into the hotel I thought to myself, "that bellhop sounds an awful lot like the clerk." When Michael goes down to the hotel bar, it finally dawned on me: everyone apart from Michael has the same face and the same voice. This realisation, a little late though it may have been, had me smiling for the rest of the film. I don't know of anyone but Charlie Kaufman who would create something like this.
Despite the entire cast being made up of puppets, they're able to convey a tenderness and humanity that goes beyond what I can remember seeing in most films in the last few years. Lisa singing Girls Just Wanna Have Fun manages to be the most powerful moment in the film, making me feel embarrassed, amused and then achingly sad. David Thewlis' vocal performance grated on me enormously but the more I think about it, I don't think that Michael could have been voiced in any other way.
I've been thinking about this film almost constantly since I went to see it. I work in telephony-based customer service and the film explores many of the issues that I think about day-to-day. I look forward to being able to explore the depths of the film again but I don't think it'll settle anything - this will stay with me for a long time and there's nothing more I could ask for from a Kaufman film.
Very beautiful stop motion movie.
An adult film in stop-motion.
A middle-aged executive with too much power is going through a mid-life crisis, and has an affair. The same effect is created in the audience by having the same male voice in almost all characters in the film. The world becomes more interesting --- for both the executive and the audience --- when a different (feminine) voice finally shows up in the film. And so, because a real woman is different from the sameness that pervades his life, the executive falls in love with the woman --- who happens to be a groupie of his. He even plans on divorcing his wife and abandoning his son. But after a drunken night of sex, even this new and unique woman's voice begins to change to the same voice he hears everywhere --- and this happens when this executive starts attempting to control the unsophisticated girl who has become his new love interest in order to change her to his wants and expectations. I suppose that is the point of the movie. One must allow people to be the anomalies they are to begin with and not attempt to change them into other versions of ourselves, or else the world will become extremely bland and boring. It is this message that rescues it from simply being an adult sex film --- albeit one done in stop-motion.
And I suppose there is another bright spot to this movie. It clearly shows that men and women are different, and not simply interchangeable. The movie is truly unpleasant when only a male voice is heard throughout. But then a feminine voice shows up, and her voice is the most refreshing sound in the movie, for the audience as well as the main protagonist. Surely this is evidence that the significant difference of sex actually is important to our very senses. Against those who would deny the objective existence of biological gender this movie is a refreshing counterexample.
However, the film also seems to teach that abandoning your wife and children for the sake of a paramour if they have become boring to you is an acceptable price to pay.
Girls, just want to have fun...
Awkward, depressing, somewhat romantic, and thought-provoking. Absolutely stop reading and go in blind for this one or it ruins everything!
I believe this is the kind of movie you can't really judge until you've seen the twist/ending. It not only makes sense of the plot but also the artistic choices within the movie. The whole movie I just hated the look of the puppets, especially the cracks on the puppet heads... well it's all ugly for a reason. The dialogue and interactions also serves that to some extent but those were a little off at times. Really good idea with the voices, kinda predictable but I still love it.
The visuals aren't anything that stand out but the stop-motion is still masterful and they did a good job at making the miniature sets look realistic (at times I forgot this wasn't a real set). The voice cast did pretty good. Some solid psychological distress moments that had me panicking with the character. Very dark and unexpected comedy at times. The romance is a bit awkward and some scenes last for a bit too long if you know what I mean but I think it serves a purpose. The dream sequence was my favorite moment. Perfect ending that leaves you thinking. A great concept that i'll probably never forget.
"Look for what is special about each individual, focus on that."
He gave his son a (probably cursed) japanese sex doll
I was definitely not prepared to see that film. It certainly takes time to digest it and see it again is mandatory. The animation is incredible.
Such a talented man what can we say about Kaufman.His level of sensivity is 100%.I think it could be better but it was unique and a great experience.7.4/10
Michael Stone: "I think you're extraordinary".
Lisa: "Why?".
Michael Stone: "I don't know yet. It's just obvious to me that you are".
"Anomalisa", one of my most anticipated movie of 2015. Charlie Kaufman is an inspiration, as a writer and now a director. Synecdoche, New York is one of my all time favorite movies, and yeah it's not for everyone, but I personally loved it as with every repeat viewings of the movie made my love it each more. Now we've got Anomalisa, Kaufman's new film and I did have the pleasure of watching the movie last night and I thought it was freaking fantastic. He did it again everyone.
What really surprised me is how Anomalisa is the least complicated film by Charlie Kaufman. I mean 'Synecdoche, New York' was very complicated and really needed Analyzing with repeat viewings just to get a gasp on what's happening, but here, it's not that complicated. But the movie has a lot of clever and excellent choices that makes this movie just as unique as it is. Since we live in a age that every movie is the same, this movie stands out from the rest and it's execution was better than most of the animated movies I've seen this year.
Duke Johnson and Charlie Kaufman are the main directors of this movie, and both of them have created one marvel of a film. Both of them mixed humor and seriousness together perfectly well. Duke Johnson is best known for working on TV shows such as: 'Moral Orel', 'Mary Shelley's Frankenhole', and 'Community'. So yeah, "Anomalisa" is Duke Johnson's first feature length film and I thought he did a brilliant job on this movie, as he worked well with Charlie.
Another thing I have to praise is the animation as it is freaking flawless. The movie is in stop motion and it's seriously impressive. Whenever the main character goes through doors into different rooms and hall ways it was handled marvelously, because it makes this universe that the movie is set in feel real. The voice acting and the character designs made these characters feel like real people. Oh and how can I not talk about the characters eyes in this movie, as it was more realistic and impressive than any other animated movie I've seen this year. "The most human movie of the year. And it doesn't star a single human." - From Matt patches
Overall rating: 'Anomalisa' is one of the best animated movies of 2015. It's way better than "Inside Out" (In my opinion). Charlie Kaufman has done it again everyone.
On the surface I can see why this film didn't do well at the box office. On a whole the American movie viewing public will occasionally get excited about a movie that is just different enough to be somewhat titillating without being too different. Charlie Kaufman has made a career straddling the line between what the masses would watch as opposed to things that are more suited to the tastes of indie movie lovers. Adaptation and Being John Malkovich probably fit into the first category and the (criminally under-rated) Synecdoche, New York would fall into the second.
In a sense this movie kind of reminds me of a kind of anti-Synedoche. That movie tried to show the span of a human life on a grand scale and was incredibly ambitious. Anomalisa takes a different turn - it tries to tell the story of a crumbling man in a rather minimalist sense. The movie is filmed entirely with puppets and in a weird kind of way it helps to bring out unique view of humanity. The movie was stripped right down and we were left with the raw emotions of the characters. That said, it was by no means my favorite Kaufman movie but he did get points for coming up with something really unique and moving.
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When I viewed the image of the movie I expected some pretentious, dull and depressing animation. It wasn't. You're in Michael's mindset straight away. It's his mere existance and fish out of water placement that have and us semi relating and gripped by him. Tom Noonan does a brilliant job getting the characters and humour across. The voice of Michael was equally exellent. The humour was really good, really unique, and it suited the tone perfectly.
By the time Lisa enters the movie I felt like I needed something more from the movie. Can't say I enjoyed listening to her insecurities for so long. A fifth of the time would of had the same impact. I think they tried to make her too delicate and ditzy. By the time she's singing I didn't feel the beauty of it like I should have. The love felt a bit forced where as everything prior was more suitable and clever. There is no develop of characters after a while. She makes noises. He listens. Repeat. The twist in the office was actually pretty readable because of what happened prior. It's too direct. Michael telling it how it is at the stage... cliché third wall breaker.
Started off really great but the journey didn't compel me. I was actually fed up with Michael. By the end it was a slightly pretentious, dull and a purposely depressing animation. It just tries so hard to be deep that it's annoying. I can only imagine the movie relates to people full of self pity or in love with their own damaged mental state. I started off really liking it.
We can all feel we live in a world where everybody looks and sounds the same, such is the mundanity of life. And then somebody comes along and wakes us from the dullness and we become alive again. So it is (possibly) with the character of Michael in this wonderfully made animation.
I was very eager to see this one in support of stop-motion animation films, especially after being succeeded on Kickstarter. There weren't any showings nearby my area, so I had to wait until it's finally on video. Seeing it fully now, and it's one of those strange relationship films where we see things happen (adult situations) to the main character, similar to BIRD MAN (Michael Keaton) which also came out the same year, I believe. Some really smart techniques used in this one. I don't think I've seen any film like it, especially for this style of filmmaking. I definitely would love to see more stop-motion films like this in the future; such a rare breed these days.
There was a lot of awkward dialogue in this movie. It's intentional, but that doesn't make it entertaining to watch. It might have worked if it wasn't so dull to boot. The dream sequence was great, but we then launch back into boredom. Animation was OK, but the lines in the faces was odd and constantly distracting. I liked the premise but the execution just wasn't there for me.
I must say, my first impression upon seeing this was pretty negative. However, upon coming home and reflecting on it more and more, that impression kept getting better and better. There is a lot of symbolic value to this movie, a lot of valid interpretations that will allow much future discussion and will surely land this film in Film and Philosophy classes around the world in the years to come. Not to forget the excellent animation work, with some truly impressive, long shots.
Review by saundrewBlockedParent2016-08-31T02:01:00Z
20 minutes into this movie I was wondering why this was animated. It wasn't bringing any value to the plot, or style at all. It was just animation replacing normal, easy to film life. I was going to knock this down a bit for this reason for sure.
Then the film ended and I was totally wrong. In fact, by the end I was totally wrong about a lot going in. The details are a little dangerous to talk about with people who haven't seen it yet. I don't want to have you walk in with predisposed thought. So if you haven't seen it yet, go do yourself a favor and let me know what you thought afterwards. I loved it in the end.
SPOILERS BELOW
If you've seen it and don't get my love of this, here I go. This film slowly seeds his mental illness perfectly. I didn't even think about it until over halfway in, but by then it all looks so obvious. He's taking pills at the start. Everyone is voiced the same at the start. Everyone has the same face at the start.
Early on, you simply think it is a style choice. But when you get a unique face and voice to show up, suddenly the rest stands out even stronger. Now you're learning what it is like to be in his shoes. The mental illness slowly growing keeps you from fixing the problem.
If one day you woke up and you were colorblind, you'd freak out. If over a few years you slowly went colorblind, would you notice?