(500) Days Of Summer - Marc Webb - 2009

(500) Days Of Summer is a perfect follow up to Once, because it is a similar story done in a completely different way. Once was a film that perfectly fit the style of realism, while (500) Days of Summer is a film drenched in formalism, meaning that there are many elements in the film (split screen, voice over, etc.) that remind us that we're watching a movie.

(500) Days of Summer follows Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) as he helplessly falls in love with Summer (Zooey Dechanel) a woman who doesn't believe in love. The story is non linear, it starts towards the end and then bounces back between days numbered 1-500. This mimics the way that we remember relationships, especially the bad ones. Our minds can't help but think of the good times when all of a sudden a bad memory shows up.

The film is quirky, fun, and often times heartbreaking (much like a relationship). Marc Webb was able to fill the film many memorable moments by using techniques to let us see what Tom is feeling rather than telling us. In one scene when Tom is happy we jump into a musical dance sequence, in another the screen splits, showing us Tom's expectations for an evening and the actual reality.

(500) Days of Summer is a must see for anyone wanting a fun film that is out of the ordinary.