Before Sunset
Before Sunrise already has what I consider to be one of the greatest screenplays OAT— it truly feels like watching 2 real, existing people, not characters. The same goes for Before Sunset, but it’s heightened by the sense of regret and nostalgia as well as maturity and clarity that this one brings. While Before Sunrise feels magical and fantasy-like, here there’s a noticeable change in tone. If the night in Vienna felt like a dream, the stroll through Paris feels like reality, but the naive hopefulness of Sunrise is replaced here with the true and often bleak truth of life, romance, and time. It’s simply one of the greatest sequels ever, hands down. The way this distinct melancholy moves forward, looks back, but remains in the present, in the moment, is beautiful. Each element is a singularly brilliant piece that when put together, creates the most stunning puzzle conceived. It’s full of life, full of joy, and full of hope. I’m just so in awe of this rollercoaster that I’m kind of speechless, but completely in love.