My scores and brief observations on films in this month's OP...
Youth (9/10) - This is one of those films that will either connect with you or won't. There's no middle ground here. It's a visually arresting film that is quiet and reflective and somehow pulls off an audacious screenplay thanks to an Oscar-worthy performance from Caine that won't be nominated and a non-Oscar-worthy performance from Fonda that will be nominated (the Supporting Actress field is surprisingly weak this year). Keitel's work here is the real standout.
45 Years (7/10) - A film entirely carried by the strength of its two leads (especially Rampling who deserves a Best Actress nom she may wind up with if Joy flubs). Expendable's review pretty much encapsulates what 45 Years is all about. Here's what I wrote about it earlier...
Charlotte Rampling never fails to captivate me in any of her films. She just has this presence about her that commands the screen. In 45 Years, she literally devotes fully half of her performance to acting with her eyes while otherwise restraining her emotional reactions. It's evocative of the same sort of acting I've seen out of Adele Exarchopoulos in Blue is the Warmest Color or Eddie Redmayne in his recent films.
This material would work fine as a stage play but the one aspect of 45 Years that elevates it above the material is the subtle facial acting you simply can't appreciate in a live theatre setting like you can in the cinematic medium. This is hardly essential, though.
Anomalisa (8/10) - On the opposite side of the coin, Anomalisa is absolutely essential viewing if you're a Charlie Kaufman fan. If you're a fan of his scripts from Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, you'll be a fan of this. Where else can you watch puppets have sex? (Well okay... Team America. But where else aside from Team America?) This film is also essential viewing if you've ever worked in customer service.
Son of Saul (9/10) - There are a few films each year that will inevitably be revisited years and decades later in film classes on cinematic technique and direction. If there's one movie you should watch about historic NoMoAuchie, make it this one.
Also, take the time to watch Creed if you haven't done so yet.