Anomalisa

Michael is tired, tired of the monotony of people, monotony of life.  Who can stand out as special, unique, distinct?  Michael has found her, his Anomalisa.

This distinct stop-motion animated film relies on the amazing performance of Tom Noonen as every character besides Michael and Lisa, together with detailed animation down to the characters' breaths and hair, yet distinctly "real" somehow through the choice not to cover the joints between the puppets' facial plates.  They are simultaneously alive and not, and the effect works.

Anomalisa

2015, 90 minutes, directed by Duke Johnson and Charlie Kaufman

animated, uncomfortable