You Were Never Really Here (2017)

A traumatized veteran, unafraid of violence, tracks down missing girls for a living. When a job spins out of control, Joe's nightmares overtake him as a conspiracy is uncovered leading to what may be his death trip or his awakening.

A pulpy plot is turned into a near-masterpiece of cinematic brilliance breaking down the narrative into optical puzzle pieces, creating a mesmerizing, if dark experience; on top of that, Joaquin Phoenix delivers a fascinating performance, and the soundtrack is a work of art in itself.

Blue Valentine (2010)

The relationship of a contemporary married couple, charting their evolution over a span of years by cross-cutting between time periods.

A feast for the stars who deliver extraordinary performances, but there's not much coherence in the development of the relationship, and it certainly doesn't help by constantly switching time levels.

Maltin***: "Compelling look at the beginning and end of a relationship...Film seamlessly hops back and forth in time...Sparked by striking, emotionally raw performances from its stars in a Cassavetes vein. Longish but well done."