Generally I tend to focus my reviews and posts on older films, anywhere from the 70's on through the early 2000's, which is wild to think that the aughts era is already sort of retro. Time flies! But I just saw this film last night and I thought it was incredible and I haven't stopped thinking of it since.
I knew nothing going into this. I hadn't seen the trailer (not sure why), and to be honest I've never seen a film from director Yorgos Lanthimos. It looked fantastical and I found it an unusual film to get so many Oscar nominations, but since it did, I figured it would be worth checking out, and boy was it.
Bella (Emma Stone), a recently deceased woman, is brought back to life (re-animated is a more appropriate term) by an eccentric doctor, brilliantly played by Willem Dafoe. As Bella begins to experience life with a new brain, she becomes deeply aware of both the pleasures and cruelty's of the world. We follow her life and these experiences through her naive eyes as her adventures take her all over the world, culminating in her discovery of her former self before she died.
Poor Things is one of the best film experiences I've had in years. Think something along the lines like as if Terry Gilliam, Tim Burton and Jean-Pierre Jeunet had gotten together and made a film when they were in their prime. It's a strikingly beautiful, fascinating and unusual film, yet a very special experience. Wildly eccentric, whimsical, bizarre and unconventional in the most unexpected way. It was also shockingly erotic, which was a surprise. I mean, there is a lot of sex in this film. Hugely fantastical with a bit of steampunk and a lot of imagination, I can wholeheartedly say that Poor Things is unlike anything I've ever seen.
As I mentioned earlier, I was surprised to hear of all the nominations for a film of this genre, but after having finally seen it, I get it. It absolutely deserves all of those nominations, even if it doesn't win any of the major ones. The recognition is completely deserved, not the least for Emma Stone's thunderous and brave performance, Yorgos' incredible and unconventional direction, the jaw-dropping set, art, costume and makeup design, and a haunting score by Jerskin Fendrix. If you're a fan of visual arts, this is a must-see experience.
Streaming on Hulu Plus
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