Stop-motion animation has been a part of films since
its inception, yet only recently has the medium gained popularity with
audiences and studios alike. With the success of Ardman’s Wallace and Gromit
and Laika’s continued production of films like Coraline and Paranorman,
it’s safe to say that this style of animation still lives within the popular
culture. Yet, there have yet to be any real animated films, stop-motion or
otherwise, for adult audiences, at least in America. There were the films of
Ralph Bashky in the 1980’s, and 2009’s 9 was more mature then most, but
there has yet to be a widely released, adult-oriented animated film released in
the past few years.
Enter
Charlie Kaufman and Starburns Industries, the minds behind Anomalisa, a
stop-motion animated film made uncompromisingly for adults. This film has
already made the rounds at many festivals and has received enough critical
acclaim to be nominated for best animated film at the Oscar’s. It’s also being
given a wide release by Paramount pictures, who hope people will be willing
enough to experience this unique film. Yet, one question I’ve had during all of
this is not if the movie is good, but just how good it is.
“Anomalisa” follows
Michael Stone, a married, middle aged man who’s tired of life. His life is
beyond mundane, to point where everything and everyone blends together. He’s on
his way to give a speech at a convention on customer service when he runs into
a woman named Lisa and she immediately captures his attention.
And that’s
basically it. While the description may seem light, it’s because the plot is
extremely light, and that’s because it’s not the focus of the film. “Anomalisa”
is more about the characters, the themes, and the artistry of the filmmaking,
using this simple plot as a starting point.
What immediately
catches the eyes is the animation style, which is at once beautiful and also flawed.
The motion is fluid with a lot of focus on small details and character
movements, which must have been a pain to animate. Though the characters look
like animated puppets, with tiny details that give away that fact, yet they
move and act like genuine humans. Their eyes are what sell it, they look
realistic in that they appear wet and have detailed irises.
The
performances are just as fantastic, furthering the illusion that these people
are living and breathing. David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh do spectacular
jobs as Michael and Lisa respectively. There’s also Tom Noonan who has one of
the most difficult jobs in the movie, but to spoil why it’s special would be a
disservice to entire movie.
The
script written by Kaufman is another clever and realistic offering from him.
Kaufman has previously written “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Being
John Malkovich”, two films filled that are also clever and realistic. While
there are some awkward uses of cursing, overall the script is fantastic, but
one would not expect less from Kaufman.
I
think it’s time to admit that it’s difficult to write about “Anomalisa”. It’s a
film that I went into knowing more about it then I wanted to. I wish I had gone
in blind, unaware of the larger meanings and little details that made the movie
special. If I had discovered these on my own, I think I would have loved it
even more. I feel the best way to see this film is being nearly oblivious to
what it’s about. I will warn people that it’s different, somewhat slow, and
unconventional. It requires the audience to be open-minded and to accept this
stop-motion animated world as real and worth analyzing. The fact that Kaufman
and co-director Duke Johnson were intelligent enough to trust their audience is
a testament to their talent.
I can’t recommend this
movie enough, especially if anything here has sparked your interest. Luckily
the film is barely an hour and a half, so if it’s not to your liking, it’ll be
over before you know it. “Anomalisa” is a special movie, one that I will hold
up alongside some of the other great movies of 2015, and one that I will not
soon forget.
