Daire

The story in this one definitely gets a little more depressing as it progresses but still satisfies because it's not as slow as you think it could be. It's essentially a simple tale of a man returning to his hometown, which reminde me of Özcan Alper's Autumn, where meeting old acquaintances and confronting the past seems inevitable...but without the political undertones.

In Circle, there's enough dialogue to keep you interested in seeing how each character's story will play out along with some beautiful lighting that makes for a much warmer visual experience instead of the scenic, mountaineous cinematography of Autumn that made up for limited character interactions and a more personal journey of self-reflection.

Along with occasional dream-like sequences and some dark humor, this one is a fascinating rumination on living, our failures, and accepting whatever fate that life gives us.