2017’s A Ghost Story from writer/director David Lowery stands as a prime example of emotional cinematic storytelling at its finest. Able to convey a million feelings with each frame on screen, this film successfully explores a variety of human topics in an incredibly impactful way.

The narrative follows a married couple as they explore relationship turmoil, grief and what it means to be alive. Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara star, with a small supporting cast joining them.

The less you know about A Ghost Story before watching, the better. This is not a film with a sweeping storyline, but its narrative hits hard in many surprising ways. Injected with a supernatural twist, the simple script delivers the arc of life’s many ups and downs via Andrew Droz Palermo’s gorgeous cinematography. And with Daniel Hart’s music underpinning every scene, there is an artistic flair within every second of the picture’s 92-minute runtime.

In terms of performances, Rooney Mara is a superstar of subtle acting. The film features many long shots of mundane tasks, but Mara can embody basic acts (such as eating a pie) thanks to her many skills as an actor. This is not to say that Casey Affleck isn’t good in his role; he is, but his character has far less to do, which results in him being the heart of the movie but not the blood that pumps into it.

If we are to critique any element of A Ghost Story, it will surely be the film’s second half. While this section is still quite impressive, the shift from the first period is noticeable. In this regard, the first half of the movie hits every note perfectly, but at some point, an important element of the story is lost. While this makes sense for the script, it does affect the audience’s relationship with the film from then on out.

A Ghost Story is further proof that David Lowery is a modern cinematic genius. It is movies like this and The Green Knight which stand tall as true art in the form of film.