Charlie Kaufman. I wouldn’t say the guy is crazy but it’s pretty safe to say that he things outside the box. Nothing is common when it comes from Kaufman’s mind and it’s looking like that forward thinking applies to Kaufman the director as much as it does to Kaufman the writer.

Synecdoche, New York is Kaufman’s directorial debut and according to Kurt’s quick review during the last Cinecast (and Michael’s TIFF review), it doesn’t look like an amateur stepped behind the camera something which I thought was quite apparent from the various clips that had surfaced online.

Starring a great cast which includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener and Emily Watson among many others, it focuses on Hoffman’s Caden Cotard, a theater director struggling with his work, the women in his life, his new play and mortality. There’s a lot of material there to take in but by all accounts, this is a marvelous little film.

Synecdoche, New York opens in limited release, no doubt in hopes of Oscar buzz, on October 24th. And if you can’t figure out just how to say it, check out this fantastic video from Cannes featuring Variety’s Mike Jones on the pronunciation of Synecdoche.

Trailer is tucked under the seat!