Ty Watches "Bugonia"

I went to see "Bugonia" yesterday. I have wanted to see this movie ever since I saw a teaser trailer maybe four or five months ago. Let’s discuss.

I am a Yorgos Lanthimos fan. I think he makes thought provoking movies and he always seems to do something interesting and unique with each new movie he directs. I have also really liked the pairing of Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone in his movies. I don't like to use this word because it feels gross to me, but she is something of his "muse". She has been in a bunch of his work, winning an Oscar for "Poor things", and from what I have read she seems pretty comfortable working with him. I feel like she gives it her all in his movies, and in return, Lanthimos gives her some juicy roles. As for Plemons, I believe the first thing he did with Lanthimos was "Kinds of Kindness". That is an odd and long movie, but it is different from anything else he has done, and after I finished it some months back, I thought about it for a long time. And that movie is Plemons movie. He is the star, at least in my eyes, of all three acts. And he absolutely delivers. Plemons is an odd dude himself, and he thrives at playing weirdos. After watching "Bugonia" yesterday, my buddy I went to see it with said that he wishes Plemons didn't play similar characters in his work, but he is so good at it, and he should just keep playing this same role time and again. He has found what works for him, and Lanthimos feeds into his work. And Plemons plays a straight up weirdo in this movie.

The short plot summary of "Bugonia" is about two cousins who look at the internet way too much and decide they need to kidnap the owner of a high powered company because they believe her to be an alien. Plemons plays Teddy. He clearly has some issues with his past and he had a weird relationship with his mom. I'm going to be spoiler free the rest of the way. Plemons let his hair grow long and didn't shave for this role. That helps him in portraying this sad sack of a person who thinks what he is doing is right and everyone else is wrong. He is fully committed to his beliefs, and if anyone tries to stray or question him, he is ready for a fight. It was kind of disturbing to see him do this role because, as unfortunate as it is nowadays, there are people who actually think and act like him. It is upsetting when someone buys into conspiracy theories full bore. They see no other way, and Plemons nails that. His cousin Don is played by newcomer Aidan Delbis. He is autistic and believes that Teddy only wants what is best for him. Even when he questions what Teddy is doing, he is quick to apologize and take all the blame, Don is the only person in this movie worth rooting for. He has a good heart, he is just being led by the wrong person. I felt for Don and wished he had a better outcome. Emma Stone plays Michelle, the owner of the company. She is wonderful in this movie. She gets to do so many different things and she does them all so well. She is such a reliable and consistent actor. When she vacillates between her character's different traits, it is an absolute joy to watch on screen. I feel like she is at a point in her career where she can do what she wants because she is such a good and in demand actor. Stavros Halkias has a minor role as a creepy cop. Alicia Silverstone is unrecognizable in her role in this movie, and she plays a very important part. And Vanessa Eng is only in two scenes, but she does a great job playing an underling of Michelle's.

With “Bugonia” Lanthimos takes a totally different approach from his previous movies and I like that. This movie is much smaller than his previous stuff. A basement of a crummy farmhouse is the main set. I appreciate that Lanthimos can do as much with way less. That more than proves his talent.

"Bugonia" is not the easiest movie to watch. It is heavy and paints a dark picture of our modern obsession with the internet and conspiracy theories. But damn does this movie pay off tenfold during the final act, and I loved every second of it. I highly recommend this movie for Lanthimos fans, but also for people who like to be challenged when they go to the theaters. "Bugonia" will be on my mind for some time now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Kinds of Kindness

After over three days of viewing it, I just finished Yorgos Lanthinmos' latest movie, "Kinds of Kindness". This is a movie I was looking forward to after watching "Poor Things" and falling in love with it instantly. I also happen to be a Lanthimos fan. I like "The Favourite", "The Lobster" is one of the most underrated movies, and as I previously mentioned, "Poor Things" was amazing. I was going into "Kinds of Kindness" with high hopes. The cast was also pretty stellar. Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley are all in this movie and I enjoy most of their work.

With all that being said, with all the expectations, this was one of the weirder movies I've seen in a long, long time. That doesn't mean I disliked the movie. I enjoy weird movies. I like movies that sit with you after you see them. I want a movie to challenge me from time to time. I want to go back and read multiple things about some of these movies to see what I may have missed. "Kinds of Kindness" gave me all of that.

The movie also frustrated me too. And that's fine. I think what frustrated me most, outside of the 164 minute runtime, was how disjointed the finished product was. This is a movie told in three parts, with three different stories and the actors playing multiple roles. That's all well and good, but I almost wished Lanthimos just decided to make three shorts. Or he could have chopped this up into one two hour long very good idea of a movie. The movie is also unexpectedly gory and sexual. There are some things in this movie that made me uncomfortable to watch. I'm becoming more squeamish the older I get, but some stuff in here felt a little gratuitous. There's a lot to ingest with each story and it comes at you in shocking and wild ways.

Outside those few complaints I had, this is an okay movie. Plemons is doing a masterclass here. His performances in the three different stories are pretty damn great. When he is given solid material and doesn't always have to play a creep, he can do some good things. I especially loved his performance in the second story. It's quite clear that Emma Stone trusts and respects Lanthimos and he seems to bring out some of her best work. The third story, which follows a cult and its members, is where Stone really buys in and pulls out all the stops. She is tremendous there. Dafoe and Chau don't have as much screen time as Plemmons and Stone, but when they're on screen they're great. Qualley is in and out of the first two stories, but she pulls double duty in the third one, and she goes toe to toe with Stone. The movie is, while still very odd, very thought provoking. I was getting a little sleepy eyed with about 40 minutes left, but then some stuff started to happen which jarred me awake. I had to see what was going to happen next. The movie kept my attention better than others. I also appreciate the fact that Lanthimos went a little sci-fi with the second story. I understand that "Poor Things" is about reanimation, which is very sci-fi, but in this movie, which is a hard drama, he adds a little sci-fi spice and I like that. I like when people take chances.

All in all, "Kinds of Kindness" is a good movie. It has all the tools to be good. Hell, it has everything it needs to be great. But, it is incredibly weird. The movie is niche. It can be shocking here and there. It has unsettling things happening left and right. I will most likely never watch the movie again. But, I'm glad I was able to see it, finish it and write about it today. I don't know if I'd recommend it to everyone though. If you do watch it, what I will say, expect the unexpected. And go in with an open mind. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Poor Things"

I was able to watch "Poor Things" over the weekend. Let’s discuss.

I had wanted to see this movie since I first heard about it a few months back. I like the director Yorgos Lanthimos. I am a fan of both "The Favourite" and "The Lobster". These movies are different and unique and weird. And I'm here for it. "The Lobster '' is what turned me from a Colin Farrell detractor to a big fan. And "The Favourite" is what opened my mind to Emma Stone's brilliance and willingness to take on different roles. She is one hell of an actor. So when she was announced as the star of Lanthimos' new movie, I was in. Then I saw a preview and that intrigued me more. Then I saw reviews and they were glowing. Then I heard people talk about the movie on podcasts and I was all the more hype to watch. My dad and I made plans to see it in the theaters, but it never happened for a myriad of reasons. So, when it was announced to be streaming, I was going to watch it ASAP. 

I loved this movie. "Poor Things" is like Lanthinmos' other movies, but on a much bigger scale. This is a big budget, big time Hollywood movie. Emma Stone stars as Bella Baxter, a Frankenstein monster of a person. Stone is magnetic. Seeing her go from infant to toddler to moody teen to brilliant adult was an absolute joy to watch. The mannerisms she used when she was an infant were real and I was convinced that she had the mind of a child. As she gets smarter and smarter I found myself getting even more interested in what was going on on screen. Seeing her discover her sexuality was funny. It was truly hilarious. I was laughing very hard. When she referred to sex as "furious jumping", it was a true delight. Seeing her use her sexuality to gain an advantage was an interesting look at the world of sex workers and those who enjoy that lifestyle. I thought it was quite powerful. I was also a fan of how incredibly calculating and smart Bella became as the movie continued. I also enjoyed when Bella was still figuring things out with the teen brain, the movie made fun of social interactions and conventions. They played with how silly all these things are when you really think about it. I loved it. Stone was magnetic and absolutely earned her Academy award.

The rest of the cast was dynamite too. Willem DeFoe, as Dr Godwin, who is basically Dr Frankenstein, was excellent. He is one of my favorite actors ever. And his prosthetics were wild. Ramy Youssef was wonderful as DeFoe's assistant and initial love interest of Bella. His performance surprised me in the best possible way. Mark Ruffalo was funny and over the top and I thought he could have gotten more awards consideration. He went for it and totally nailed it. Jerrod Carmichael had a very minimal role, but it was so memorable. I think about his scene with Bella often after seeing the movie. I liked how cynical he was. An actor that I assume is famous, but I don't know, Hanna Schygulla was great. She was sweet and answered all of Bella's questions. She felt like the first person who openly accepted Bella, warts and all. Kathryn Hunter as the madam at the sex worker home was really well done and seemed perfectly fleshed out. I was kind of mesmerized by her character. Suzy Bemba as Bella's girlfriend at the house was understated, in a great way. And then we have Christopher Abbott as Bella's first husband, who didn't know she was still alive. He was mean and ignorant and hateful. Abbott did a great acting job because I despised his character.

The look of the movie was unlike anything I have ever seen. It was like a painting had come to life. I loved the black and white at the beginning, but when it shifted to color, that took this movie to a whole other level. I have not seen another movie that looks like this in my viewing ever. And the direction was second to none. Every actor bought in. They gave it their all and it showed on screen. They were all willing to go for it, and I feel like a lot of that has to do with their comfort with Lanthimos.

I am a big fan of this movie. I was telling my dad and a buddy of mine about this movie so much that they watched it last night, I assume to get me to stop talking about it. They confirmed to me they liked it as well. Go watch "Poor Things". It is destined to be a classic and Emma Stone gives a performance for the ages. I really love this movie. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.