"Poor Things" is a movie that I should love, but did not. A variation on "Frankenstein" that is aware that it follows "Deadly Friend", "Frankenhooker" and "Edward Scissorhands", it plays out feminist movement philosphies through each era, as well as psychology theories of Freud, Erickson, Kohlberg, and others, the sociology of Weber, Durkheim, and more, while maintianing Victorian satirical tones of Wilde and "Gulliver's Travels". It also openly homages Universal Horror, Hammer Horror, sci-fi and fantasy films of 1930s-50s, Karel Zerman's Verne adaptations, and "Young Frankenstein". There are some hints of Tim Burton and Wes Anderson.
Emma Stone is great, as are her co-stars, with Dafoe adding more to his legendary resume, Ruffalo going outside of his comfort zone and playing against type, and comedian Youssef playing the calm repressed one. The cinematography alternates black and white with high contrast/saturation color. Add dark humor straight out of the late 80s-90s. I almost expected Lloyd Kaufman to have a cameo.
So why did I not like it more? I am not a Yorgos Lanthimos fan. For me, his movies have many fun comments and details, but his grotesque scenes are too often, too repetitive, and too long, and there seems to be an act too many. If the fisheye lens in "The Favourite" was initially used well but then overused, here Lanthimos uses it for every other shot of the first half of the film, and randomly used afterwards, without style or purpose, to annoying effect. Lanthimos tires me, leaving me with the same feeling as if I spent all day playing with an active child.
However, if you do appreciate Lanthimos as well as everything I mentioned before, you will probably like this..
Emma Stone is great, as are her co-stars, with Dafoe adding more to his legendary resume, Ruffalo going outside of his comfort zone and playing against type, and comedian Youssef playing the calm repressed one. The cinematography alternates black and white with high contrast/saturation color. Add dark humor straight out of the late 80s-90s. I almost expected Lloyd Kaufman to have a cameo.
So why did I not like it more? I am not a Yorgos Lanthimos fan. For me, his movies have many fun comments and details, but his grotesque scenes are too often, too repetitive, and too long, and there seems to be an act too many. If the fisheye lens in "The Favourite" was initially used well but then overused, here Lanthimos uses it for every other shot of the first half of the film, and randomly used afterwards, without style or purpose, to annoying effect. Lanthimos tires me, leaving me with the same feeling as if I spent all day playing with an active child.
However, if you do appreciate Lanthimos as well as everything I mentioned before, you will probably like this..