I Origins

Mike Cahill once again collaborates with writer-actor Brit Marling following his low-fi sci-fi debut Another Earth. In I Origins Michael Pitt plays a scientist exploring the space where science and faith meet after a tragic accident. Romantic, thoughtful and moving, this sensitively written, and beautifully shot drama deserved far more attention.

Inside Llewyn Davis

This dark comedy drama from Joel and Ethan Coen follows a jaded young man’s attempts to make it in New York’s 60s folk scene. After impressive supporting roles in the likes of Drive and The Bourne Legacy, Oscar Isaac finally found a leading role to make his own and catapult his career into outer space. The smoky, matte finish to the cinematography gives the film a tangible quality, like the feel and smell of an old record sleeve. As unafraid as ever to end on an unresolved chord, the Coens deliver a metaphysical finale that echoes Llewyn’s cycle of self-sabotage and outrageous fortune; as the record spins and skips, his song remains the same.