Most Recent Film: Her (2013) Next Film: N/A Best Film: Her (2013) Spike Jonze's thing is to release a film just when you're about to forget that he exists, as if to say: "I'm back, b*tches - and look at what I've brought with me!" What Jonze has usually brought with him is a near masterpiece, of course, as witnessed by the unexpected arrival of Her in 2013, starring Joaquin Phoenix and every beautiful actress in Hollywood (that being Scarlett Johansson, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde and Amy Adams). He did exactly the same thing when - after a 7-year absence from feature films - he dropped his super underrated adaptation of Where The Wild Things Are. Totally out of the blue. Her was a huge critical success, and it immediately - like, as soon as the end credits were rolling - felt like Jonze's best film to date. And guess what? It wasn't based on any pre-existing material - just a screenplay that Jonze culled from his own mind. If that seems bizarre, it is. But it was a great, deep and personal film - how very Jonze, you might say. So now, as always, he has retreated into the shadows and will presumably stay there for years to come. But have peace of mind, knowing that his next masterpiece is on its way... You just won't know when until it hits.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
