Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone and Alicia Silverstone’s latest movie Bugonia is a sci-fi/comedy from Poor Things (2023) director Yorgos Lanthimos.
Bugonia follows the antics of two conspiracy-obsessed men who believe the high-powered CEO of a major company to be an alien intent on destroying planet Earth. So, they kidnap her.
Since this is a Lanthimos film, we probably can’t expect an easy viewing experience. Because it’s a Lanthimos, Stone and Plemons film, quality is just about guaranteed.
I’m eager to learn whether Stone’s CEO character is an actual alien. What kind of company is she really running? What are the kidnappers’ stories? Fingers crossed that answers will be forthcoming.
Aidan Delbis, Vanessa Eng, Yaisa, Cedric Dumornay, Marc T. Lewis and Roger Carvalho also star.
Cruella, the movie about the rebellious earlier years of one of Disney’s favourite and most stylish villains, Cruella De Vil is quite far from the movie I’d hoped for.
I enjoyed some well-executed set pieces, visually stunning cinematic moments, and director Craig Gillespie’s film gets a tad better towards the end. Yet, my overall feeling through to the end was one of disappointment.
For me, Cruella has a certain air of silliness that I wish it didn’t. A quality that I imagine isn’t helped by Emma Stone and Paul Walter Hauser’s over-the-top British accents. Walter Hauser and Stone are sadly not the only accent offenders. Estella/Cruella’s boss at Liberty of London also did his part to bring home my realisation that so many of the people in the film play like caricatures.
Given that the ‘this is so disappointing’ reality of the movie hit me soon after the film started, I couldn’t wait for Emma Thompson’s The Baroness character to show up and help proceedings. Thompson did a superb job, as she always does. Yet, unfortunately, my growing distaste for Gillespie’s film remained.
The story edit felt rushed throughout. The early camera work inside Liberty of London proved unnecessarily dizzying. The way the movie deals with mental illness leaves plenty to be desired. And, what nonsense to expect the audience to believe that for a very long time, thanks to different clothes and makeup, none of the characters could see that Cruella is clearly Estella. I know, I know… a very similar thing happens in the Superman/Clark Kent movies. But those movies are actually good.
I’m sure it’s crystal clear by now, but I did not enjoy Cruella. My disappointment led to the very whiny thought: ‘But when will another Disney movie delight and move me the way Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella did? WHEN?!’
I wanted Cruella to be more grounded than it is. A big part of the issue is that the film never decided whether it was going to be for kids or adults. It went for both in a way that resulted in a movie that I feel failed more than it succeeded.
Have you seen Cruella yet? What did you think? Let me know in the comments.
Set in 1970s London, England, amidst the punk rock revolution; Cruella is the latest Disney animated film to become a live-action movie.
Starring Emma Stone, Paul Walter Hauser, Emma Thompson and Mark Strong; director Craig Gillespie’s comedy/crime story focuses on the rebellious early days of the notoriously fashionable villain, Cruella de Vil.
I’ve missed seeing Stone in a leading role, and based on this impressive trailer, Cruella looks like a great way to make her presence felt.
Glenn Close is the Cruella that comes to mind when I think of de Vil, thanks to 101 Dalmatians (1996). Now, I can’t wait for this new version of the story to take us back to the earlier years of the devilish de Vil.
Emily Beecham, Joel Fry, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Jamie Demetriou, Gianni Calchetti, Michelle Greenidge, John McCrea, Tony McCarthy, Chloé Booyens, Haruka Abe and Niamh Lynch also star.
Zombieland – Double Tap (2019): Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Starring Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, Bill Murray, and Jesse Eisenberg, Zombieland – Double Tap continues the story of a group of four as they move to the American heartland. A place where they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer, Zombieland – Double Tap is a follow-up to 2009’s Zombieland movie, also directed by Fleischer.
I actually had no idea that a previous Zombieland movie existed until today, and I generally don’t tend to gravitate towards zombie movies. However, this talented cast and the promise of humour do have my attention.
Luke Wilson, Rosario Dawson, Abigail Breslin, Dan Aykroyd, Avan Jogia, Thomas Middleditch and Rachel Luttrell also star.
The story of the The Favouriteis set in the 18th century and centres on England’s Queen Anne (Olivia Colman), whose close friend, Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) steps in to govern England because the queen is too frail.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos’s film starts off relatively pleasantly, even though the atmosphere is quite tense. The tension continues, and things take a darker turn as the true motivations of the key players surrounding the queen begin to emerge. As a result, I found myself feeling increasingly sorry for Anne. Especially in her unfortunately frail state, and considering the tragedies she’s already endured.
Woven in with the tension and darkness is humour, which I enjoyed, and a noticeable amount of gratuitous but well-placed profanity. I liked the central performances by Coleman, Weisz and Emma Stone. I’ve never seen Stone’s generally very sweet-looking face and big, beautiful eyes take quite the less-than-sweet look they do in this movie. As for Coleman, I always knew she was capable with comedy, thanks to Peep Show, my favourite sitcom of all time. And, she does well in this heartbreaking, dramatic role. No wonder she’s already won the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture.
The makeup and 18th-century costumes on both the men and women did well in delivering some fun and entertainment. Especially considering that many men walked around in massive wigs, quite a lot of makeup and ladies, especially the queen, wore dresses with comically puffy sleeves and skirts.
The Favourite is not at the top of my list as far as movies about British royalty are concerned, but I did have a good time. Watch it because it’s generally good, and who knows, you might love it even more, particularly if you like rabbits.
The Movie My Life 