performance preparation

His films like 'Whiplash' and 'La La Land' intensely explore the psychological and physical toll of preparing for peak performance through obsessive practice and discipline.

In 'Midsommar' and 'Hereditary', he meticulously builds tension through ritualistic preparation and ceremony, examining how characters prepare mentally and spiritually for traumatic performances of self.

His films like 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer' and 'Poor Things' feature characters in controlled preparation and rehearsal-like states, exploring how performance and artifice shape human behavior.