Synecdoche, New York.
Written and directed by Charlie Kaufman.
If there is still a single, genius artist, working in mainstream cinema today; I'm pretty sure his name is Charlie Kaufman. Arguably the world's most famous screenwriter; Kaufman is the man whose twisted little loins gave the world modern classics and genuine big budget, mainstream, yet somehow intellectually stimulating, works such as Being John Malkovich, and Adaptation.
Synecdoche, New York however is Kaufman's first attempt at directing his own work. This film is complex. Kaufman likes to put a lot of information into his work, and though this inspires multiple viewings; it can at times be a little hard to follow. In a completely futile attempt to break the film down; it is about Caden Cotard (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an uncharismatic and unhappy playwright whose wife (Catherine Keener) leaves him. The film follows Caden as he spends his life attempting to create a theatre piece which is absolutely truthful, while he also slowly physical deteriorates by way of an unknown illness.
A working replication of the outside world performed by a cast of hundreds in an endless warehouse (complete with mini warehouse), which is the plot, but it isn't the film -the film is about everything, or at least it feels like it is. Hoffman is stellar, and affirms his position as the world’s greatest living actor. Other stand-outs are former Robocop villain Tom Noonan as the actor playing Caden and Catherine Keener as Caden's detached artist wife. But it is Kaufman and his unparalleled vision and endless ambition. The movie is depressing, hilarious, frustrating, and ultimately thought provoking (though the thoughts it provokes will leave you thinking about what you should be thinking about). It's like a Woody Allen movie co-written with Franz Kafka from halfway down the rabbit hole. You've probably missed your chance to see it on the big screen. But once this arrives at Video Ezy hire it out. And watch it thrice.