Two films beginning with P, two films that need a film review, especially considering I saw Poor Things about ten days ago at a preview screening. Anyway, better late than never, eh? And I saw Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla several days after, so that gets a look too. Two for the price of one, if you will. Except there’s no prices or monetary exchanges involved here. Anyway, onwards…<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Poor Things<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your only knowledge of Yorgos Lanthimos\u2019 filmography is The Favourite<\/em>, then, let me tell \u2018ya, you\u2019re in for a ride. The 2018 historical drama was by far the most accessible of Lanthimos\u2019 works, and certainly the most commercial with the numerous awards it received, including Olivia Coleman\u2019s well-deserved Best Actress win. There are long takes, and then there\u2019s the long take when Coleman\u2019s Queen Anne slowly crumbles as she watches lover Sarah dance with another suitor. Few facial expressions have gone through such a moving and heart-breaking transition from happy to utterly crestfallen in a mere moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If, however, you\u2019re approaching Poor Things<\/em> with prior knowledge of The Killing of the Sacred Deer<\/em> and Lanthimos\u2019 debut The Lobster<\/em>, you know you\u2019re in for some strange shit. And I mean that as a compliment. The director\u2019s works take place in seemingly recognisable human societies, but there\u2019s always something some abstract dystopian shenanigans going on, creating a timeless atmosphere to disassociate from the comfortable and familiar. With Poor Things<\/em>, Lanthimos takes weird to new hights as he focuses on the Frankenstein<\/em>-like tale of Bella, a resurrected corpse whose brain has been swapped with the still-living body of her unborn baby. Standard stuff. Considering that the film\u2019s source material is titled Poor Things: Episodes from the Early Life of Archibald McCandless M.D., Scottish Publish Health Officer<\/em>, it would be disappointing if the story turned out to be anything but incredibly eccentric. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But Frankenstein<\/em> is a merely launching point for the madcap narrative that ensues as Bella (Emma Stone on top form) ventures outside the house of her Pygmalion<\/em> creator Godwyn \u2018God\u2019 Baxter (an equally fantastic Willem Defoe, who so far has been unjustly snubbed from awards attention. Ye don\u2019t like his lobster, eh? That was a vague Lighthouse<\/em> reference, if you wanted to know. If you didn\u2019t, cool). The worlds she explores initially seem grounded in some vague time-based reality, perhaps the Victorian era, but then distinctly not the Victorian era as we witness flying ships and distinctly futuristic skies. So, a bit more of a Fifth Element<\/em> vibe added with Emma Stone\u2019s na\u00efve central character. Kind of. The cinematography is masterful throughout, disorientating but enthralling as Bella explores unknown worlds. Mark Ruffalo is on fine comic form to as Bella\u2019s lothario suitor, which is a particular joy compared to the stereotypical strait-laced characters he usually plays. Defoe really needs more attention, though. His eccentric creator makes his Lighthouse<\/em> seadog Thomas Wake seem rather congenial. Which is saying something. Oh, and the bubbles. Wow (you\u2019ll understand if you see the film). But yeah, he combines pathos and oddity in perfect measure. You go Glen Defoefoe (the Mean Girls<\/em> paraphrasing pun doesn\u2019t quite work, but I\u2019ll leave it as it is).<\/p>\n\n\n\n A wonderfully odd odyssey into the abstract. It fully warrants its 18 rating (Lanthimos\u2019 first), because it\u2019s well, kinda explicit, but don\u2019t let that put you off. If you\u2019re looking to start your 2024 with something bizzarre and challenging which happens to contain one of the most unconventional feelgood endings in a long long while, then Poor Things<\/em> is what you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Priscilla<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sofia Coppola\u2019s latest sad-girl tale takes on the narrative of the King of Rock n\u2019 Roll\u2019s child bride. The director\u2019s signature dreamlike atmosphere is front and centre as we witness the relationship morph from romantic into toxic as the sparkle falls away behind the scenes. Coppola took an unconventional route in casting two relative unknowns to play the lead roles, but both put in respectable performances as the famous couple. Coppola track the two from early marriage to divorce, detailing Elvis\u2019 controlling behaviour if not getting beneath the surface at some points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Coppola\u2019s main focus is, of course, the woman in question, and she does a fine job of articulating the heady joys of femininity and desire in its early stages with all the meticulous adjustments of make-up and clothing. Priscilla<\/em> isn\u2019t ground-breaking in terms of a fully-fledged biopic, but if you\u2019re a fan of Coppola\u2019s distinctive long takes and dreamy soundtracks, there\u2019s plenty to appreciate here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Two films beginning with P, two films that need a film review, especially considering I saw Poor Things about ten days ago at a preview screening. Anyway, better late than never, eh? And I saw Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla several days after, so that gets a look too. Two for the price of one, if you … <\/p>\n