I really enjoyed Poor Things.

In fact, I enjoyed it enough to check out The Favourite, even though I’m not a big fan of period pieces. The movie and the acting were good enough that I kept watching. The Favourite was also pretty funny, which is why I kept watching till the credits rolled.

Kinds of Kindness didn’t really do it for me. It had plenty of weirdness and a bit of humour, but I just didn't care enough about the characters or the stories. I still watched it to the end. It’s not one I’d revisit.

In case you didn’t know, Bugonia is the next project from Yorgos Lanthimos. He’s the same guy behind those movies I just mentioned. It also stars his old pals Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons.

I knew nothing about Bugonia going in besides the fact that it was from Lanthimos and starred Stone and Plemons. I didn’t watch the trailer or read up about it, which I think is the best way to go into this film.

Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say that the plot is grounded in reality, with a dash of sci-fi weirdness to keep you on your toes. The story plays out well, although I felt some questions remained unanswered. These plot holes might have been answered while I was wandering around the house. Just a little bit. I could still hear what was going on from the other room.

What I liked most were the performances by Stone and Plemons. They went head-to-head the entire film and kept their cards close, making it impossible to tell what was real and what wasn't. It wasn’t until the final moments that you got the answer. 

In saying that, some of the dialogue wasn't that engaging. It’s one of the reasons I left the couch. There were some great scenes, but also a bunch of others that didn’t seem to add anything to the story or the characters. Once a few of those scenes strung together, I found myself getting up and moving about without bothering to pause it.

The score also stood out to me. While it sounded out of place, it actually elevated the experience. It was almost operatic against a pretty grounded film. Sometimes it felt overwhelming, but thinking back, the music was actually perfect.

It sounds like I’m raving about Bugonia, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it, especially if you feel the same way I do about Lanthimos' previous works. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the tension, the weirdness, and the acting. I just don’t know if I’d say that Bugonia is a movie that you have to watch. If you’re late to the party on other films like me, I don’t think this should jump to the top of your list.

It’s one of the movies you need to be in the mood for. On one Saturday afternoon, I just happened to be. I don’t regret it, but I also might not rush out to check out Lanthimos’ next flick.

I’d rather watch Poor Things again.

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