Friends Gerry and Gerry hike into Death Valley, but they stray so far from the trail that they struggle to get back. Initially, they maintain morale by rehashing old stories and reciting inside jokes, but the gravity of their situation sinks in as a return to civilization becomes more unlikely.

Perhaps director Gus Van Sant at his most minimalist and avant-garde, Gerry—set in New Mexico’s Rattlesnake Canyon—pairs Matt Damon and Casey Affleck for what develops into a staggering dual character study. An austere, existential, enigmatic drama—influenced by Chantal Akerman and Béla Tarr!