Poor Things

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Fantasy drama- comedy adult film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Killing of the Sacred Deer, The Lobster, The Favourite) and written by Tony McNamara (The Great, The Favorite, Cruella), being based on the 1992's novel by Alasdair Gray, that Lanthimos liked and even went to Scotland in 2009 to buy the direct of the movie. Having a victorian semi-steampunk and exquisite atmosphere it tells the story of a newly created woman Bella Baxter, with her body reanimated by the eccentric surgeon Godwin Baxter, that discovering that after her suicide jumping a bridge she was pregnant, and uses the unborn fetus brain on her head. After this she went on a journey from a Frankenstein character and develops her tastes and skills gradually till the end of the filme. I must say that some sexual scenes with Emma Stone and her character sexual appetite are most daring and shows how she grow as and actress in all aspect. The main core of roles are Emma Stone as Bella Baxter, Mark Ruffalo as Duncan Wedderburn, Willem Dafoe as Dr. Godwin Baxter and as a lesser role Ramy Youssef as Max McCandles. According to the cinematographer, Ryan Williams (American Honey, The Favorite) in conjunction with the director Lanthimos used an array of cameras, lens and films included Nikon, Angenieux Optimo and Zeiss Master Zooms, an ultra-wide PL-mount Optex 4mm fisheye, designed for 16mm/S16mm cinematography, that opens up to T2, plus antique 58mm and 85mm Petzvals. Ryan selected EASTMAN DOUBLE-X Black & White Negative Film 5222 for the movie's opening B&W sequences, KODAK EKTACHROME Color Reversal Film 100D 5294 for Bella's elopement and adventures with Wedderburn, and KODAK VISION3 500T Color Negative Film 5219 for the film's denouement. The production design by Shona Heath and James Price and the equip of art direction and prosthetics made and incredible job plus with the unique costume design by Holly Waddington (Lady MacBeth, Clash of Titans) also are striking, from the more bizarre childish dresses used on the start of the film to the more adut on the end. All this with a modest budget of $35 million. The movie have 11 Academy nominations for Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score), Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement in Directing, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Film Editing, Best Achievement in Production Design, Best Achievement in Costume Design and already have 11 BAFTA awards plus Venice Film Festival 2 awards, Golden Lion Best Film and Yorgos Lanthimos 2023 Winner UNIMED Award. I honestly hope that the movie shines and it shinned for me and obfuscated some other movies (maybe only not in best co-adjuvant actress - which we don't have here) at the academy.

It's almost as if Yorgos Lanthimos had sat down for a transcendental conversation with James Whale! Student "Max" (Ramy Youssef) is a student recruited by his professor "Godwin" (Willem Dafoe - aka "God") to come and help him work on his latest project. She's called "Bella" (Emma Stone) and it soon transpires that she is the product of some very creative surgery on the part of "God" - a man who has, himself, had one or two experiences under the knife at the hands of his scientist father! You see, a pregnant woman took her own life by jumping from a bridge, but was luckily fished out of the water before her baby died. The surgeon managed to deliver the baby then replace the dead brain of the adult with the one from the nascent infant! Needless to say, "Bella" is on an actively steep learning curve and is quite capable of throwing the odd tantrum to get what she wants - and that is, initially, to go out and explore. Gradually more empowered, and a little more mature, she discovers the delights of the orgasm - and after that there's no stopping her. "God" tries to control her by suggesting a marriage to "Max" but he insists on such a fastidious contract that "Duncan" (Mark Ruffalo) concludes she must be worth investigating. He meets her and offers her her dreams, she convinces "God" to let her go with him and soon she is embarked on a trip around Europe enjoying the frequent delights of "furious jumping"! The always learning woman soon tires of her beau, and realises that she can have loads of fun and earn at the same time - before "God" falls ill and she must return home to not just that life, but surprisingly to the one she thought she had left behind on the bridge. This film is genuinely laugh-out-loud at times, and the performance from Emma Stone has to be her best. She plays the almost porcelain-like and childish "Bella" when we meet her expertly, and that skill prevails as her character evolves into a savvy, street-smart and capable woman who quickly learns to fight fire with fire. Ruffalo is also on super form as her travelling companion and Kathryn Hunter also turns in a solid performance as her Parisian paymaster "Swiney". The narrative takes us on a fantastic tour of European cities, but also on a wonderfully evocative tour of humanity - warts and all. "Bella" has a practical and analytical mind that at times seems ludicrously detached, then somehow she ends up having got it right all along. It might look a bit long at just shy of 2½ hours but it really flies by and I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor billy goat at the end of this creatively interpreted and very well adapted story of what were originally supposed to be Glaswegian hotspots!

**Poor Things: A Steampunk Symphony of Rebirth and Discovery** From the moment Emma Stone appears on screen in Yorgos Lanthimos's "_Poor Things_", it's clear we're in for something extraordinary. Who knew Stone had such incredible comedic timing? Her portrayal of Bella Baxter is a revelation—a performance that transforms from infantile curiosity to nuanced self-discovery with remarkable precision. Bella's character arc is nothing short of miraculous. Stone navigates Bella's developmental stages with such delicate complexity that you're simultaneously amused, uncomfortable, and deeply moved. From her initial childlike movements to her eventual sexual and intellectual awakening, she crafts a character who is both alien and profoundly human. This is, without question, my favorite Yorgos Lanthimos film. His signature absurdist approach finds perfect harmony with this narrative, creating a world that's simultaneously grotesque and enchanting. The steampunk aesthetic is a delightful throwback to Jules Verne, with the Eiffel Tower establishing a precise historical context. The occasional use of 16mm lens work beautifully enhances this sensation, sometimes feeling like we're peering through a vintage camera obscura—creating an almost dreamlike quality that mirrors Bella's own perception. The film's literary DNA is unmistakably Frankensteinian. The biographical parallels with Mary Shelley are both fascinating and intentional. Shelley, herself motherless after her mother's death in childbirth, seems to have inspired multiple layers of Bella's narrative. The fact that Shelley's half-sister, like Bella's mother, died by suicide adds another haunting dimension to the story. The relationship between Bella and her creator, Dr. Godwin Baxter (brilliantly played by Willem Dafoe), is particularly poignant. Her calling him "God" is a multilayered reference—not just to Shelley's own father William Godwin, but a sly commentary on the act of creation itself. That heart-wrenching moment when the dying Godwin notes that Bella only ever looked at him with pure love is reminiscent of the monster and child scene in Boris Karloff's iconic 1931 Frankenstein—a tender echo of monstrosity and affection. Lanthimos has crafted something truly unique: a feminist bildungsroman wrapped in science fiction, comedy, and philosophical inquiry. "Poor Things" isn't just a film; it's an experience that challenges our understanding of autonomy, identity, and what it means to truly come into one's self.

When the circumstances of our lives don’t suit us, it’s time to reinvent ourselves – something that happens both literally and metaphorically in this latest offering from director Yorgos Lanthimos. But the way that result comes about here represents a truly inspired fusion of genres, including comedy, romance, social commentary and sci-fi, making for one of the most inventive, unusual and hilarious releases of recent years. This offbeat feminist fable tells the story of how a pregnant, young, anonymous suicide victim (Emma Stone) is reanimated with the aid of a brain transplant from her unborn fetus, an achievement accomplished by a colorful, controversial but well-meaning surgeon/scientist a la Dr. Frankenstein (Willem Dafoe). He nurtures his subject back to life, health and sentience, a sometimes-challenging process that finally surfaces when she discovers sexuality, the trigger for exploring a new, independent life for herself, both physically and emotionally. Through a series of adventures over the course of a trip through Europe with a free-wheeling, lusty but lecherous, self-serving lawyer (Mark Ruffalo), she finds herself as a self-actualized woman in an age where that’s more of a rarity than a standard, particularly in a world where men treat women more like property than people. While the film’s pacing could use some shoring up in the middle, this offering nevertheless entertains with uproarious laughs throughout, even when the narrative turns more thoughtful and substantive. The superb performances by Stone, Dafoe and Ruffalo are top shelf, contributing to the picture’s whopping 13 Critics Choice Award and 7 Golden Globe Award nominations. The film is also visually stunning in its cinematography and editing, as well as in its spectacular and whimsical production design, filled with images reminiscent of the movies of Wes Anderson and Terry Gilliam while sustaining a look all its own. Admittedly, this release features a good deal of explicit sexuality, both visually and in the dialogue, so sensitive viewers should take note. However, as one of the most anticipated pictures of this year’s awards season, “Poor Things” never disappoints, serving up a solid offering that consistently tickles the funny bone while giving audiences much to think about – and there’s nothing poor in any of that.

I just watched it. I’d love to say I have no words because that’s what I believe many people feel, but because I love to analyze, I can find the exact words to describe this movie: an understanding, confusing, sorted chaos. I might say that I love the director’s take on feminism—that’s the whole deal. A girl curious to become a woman of knowledge. She experiments, and as she grows, we see many artistic choices showing how Bella develops. Her growing hair, her walk style, and the use of color are all significant. Max, in my opinion, is the definition of a good guy. He believes a woman can do anything she wants, and he won’t try to stop her. Eventually, she ends up with him—kind of. Strange, right? All those abusive men, like Duncan, who told her not to fall in love with him, eventually fell the hardest and went crazy because he couldn’t bear Bella’s choices. He couldn’t handle the fact that she chose to become a prostitute. Understanding why Bella made such a decision was challenging at first, but then it all concluded that she was just curious or wanted to save the word. It’s amazing how prostitution is shown as something women use to escape difficult situations. Well done. On the other hand, when Max wanted to marry Bella and knew she’d been with many men, he asked her to get tested, and she agreed. It’s that simple. Overall, I love the sound design. The music is incredibly well done, and I can’t say anything wrong about it. It always suited the situation and amplified her emotions even more. The camera work was particularly good. I loved the zoom-ins and outs—it was fascinating because, in film school, they teach you not to do that, but the director saw a purpose in it. This film breaks what we know about filmmaking today, even when you don’t realize it at first, and that’s the best part. This movie breaks the rules of filmmaking just as Bella breaks the rules of society. As my last point, yes, it might seem explicit and chaotic, but that’s the image of the movie. If you really try, you’ll find answers to your questions—because not everything is served to you on a golden plate. It’s a 10 out of 10 for me.