WKNDwatchlist: The Map of Tiny Perfect Things, I’m Thinking of Ending Things and Ruby Sparks

This week, we venture into relational drama – from the existential time-loop romance of teenage wonder, to the psyche of a surreal snowbound meet-the-parents road trip onto the sharp, meta-romantic fallout of a writer whose dream girl springs to life in Manufactured Muses.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things puts a breezy, sweet-natured spin on the classic Groundhog Day time loop. Playing like a youthful Palm Springs, it pairs charming, plucky leads Kyle Allen and Kathryn Newton as two teens hunting for fleeting wonders inside a repeating day. Sidestepping cynicism for gentle optimism, this inventive fantasy rom-com overcomes its familiar premise with real chemistry, stylish choreography and genuine purity of heart.

Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a refreshingly uncompromising piece of art. What starts as an awkward road trip to meet the parents quickly unravels into a surreal, David Lynch-style puzzle box about memory and identity. Led by brilliant, unsettling performances from Jessie Buckley and Jesse Plemons, it doesn’t offer easy answers. It’s alienating, unpredictable and designed to leave you deliciously unsatisfied.

Ruby Sparks disguises itself as a quirky romantic comedy, but quickly veers into darker, sharper territory. Written by and starring Zoe Kazan alongside a brilliant Paul Dano, this indie gem subverts the manic pixie dream girl trope to expose the messy, controlling reality of modern love. It’s inventive, prickly and well worth your time.