While the director's early films were celebrated for their ______ realism, his later works often embraced a more fantastical and ______ style.
✓ Correct Answer: Option A
The sentence establishes a contrast: 'realism' versus 'fantastical.' 'Gritty' realism implies harsh, unpolished truth. 'Whimsical' describes a playfully quaint or fanciful style, fitting the 'fantastical' shift in his later works.