Synecdoche, New York

The Plot: A psychological battle takes place in the mind of Caden Cotard, an aging and sick theater director dying for something new.

The Pros: Synecdoche is one of the most massive, psychologically demanding, and emotionally challenging films I have ever seen. Its abstraction, force, and mere presence will stay with you for days, if not months (in great part due to the direction). This is Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut, and his mastery over the concept of his work keeps it from falling apart, something which would surely happen were this film in the hands of another. Phillip Seymour Hoffman's performance is, without a shadow of a doubt, his greatest to date. This is more than a "Best Actor" nod, this is one for the history books. He embodies the struggle of the film, and the multitude of conflicts present during every second is fully visible (though difficult to entirely decipher the first time around) through both his work and Kaufman's. It is a true masterpiece in every sense of the word.

The Cons: There are so few. This is an unfathomably huge concept made a reality by the genius of collaboration.

The Bottom Line: Synecdoche, New York is one of those films that cinephiles live to see. It challenges everything about our existence by removing the conventional narrative (allowing us to experience something completely new), and does it in a more ambitious, gratifying, and complete way than anything before it. It is a masterwork, and simply one of the best films I have ever seen. The performances are all out-of-this-world, and the concept is a beatifully executed breath of fresh air in a world of modern film that has gone so stale. I have been fundamentally moved by this work of art.

The Score: 10 / 10