January Movie Pick: 'Poor Things'

                                                                                                                                       (Image credit: Searchlight)

Although I definitely need another watch and to read the book as soon as possible to review it, I am so excited about this story that I couldn't help myself from writing about it. Finally, a movie brought me back to the movie theater—a movie that I was waiting for months. I knew it would be good; it just looked like something right out of unfiltered imagination. However, after seeing it yesterday and thinking about it until now, I realize that it surpasses my expectations. I remember my only complaint about it was that sometimes I needed even more and never less, but I can see how that was a solid choice made by the director Yorgos Lanthimos, who is famous for creating a whole genre of weirdness in Hollywood ('The Lobster'; 'Killing of a Sacred Deer'). 'Poor Things' very much continues this carving of this new incredible genre, but here you don't need to dig for hours to understand the movie. The movie is naked, and you can see all of it. The story follows the freshly revived Bella Baxter whose child's brain is implanted in her head as a new take on the Frankenstein monster, experiencing the world for the very first time. Most of the production of this film feels like you are looking through the eyes of an infant, and Bella Baxter quickly becomes obsessed with this world, as do we. The story explores sexuality as well as hurt and pain, and how all of these things play a vital role in creating a human being and our emancipation. I love the exploration of pain and suffering as well pleasure and hedonism and their enormous effect on us and their interconnectivity in one person. The connections we have, the many people that are part of our life, and how quickly we change under the circumstances of unstoppable growing and eventual death.

I suspect that this film will sweep the Oscars just like 'Everything everywhere all at once' did. It is rare that you see your life story portrayed in such a clever yet quick way. I found that a lot of what happened to her actually happened to me, so I felt that the movie was incredibly honest and relatable, which overpowered me. In just two hours, Bella Baxter completes her arc and absolutely charmed everyone in my audience. It was as if the director understood me and showed us a lot of things to provoke us to think, but at the same time, he didn't make the audience dig for it so the message was easily absorbed. He knew exactly how to treat us so we could understand Bella and her wondering eyes, not to feel like the butt of the joke but to laugh with her story. The normal society will kill you, and Bella Baxter decided not to play by its roles, questioning everything thrown at her.

Emma Stone should win her second Oscar here; I just don't see anybody else doing it. I feel like actors will watch it, and their horizons will broaden. This stunning performance completes an absolutely incredible character, and throughout the film, you see different roles coming into Bella's eventual emancipation. Willem Dafoe is another one that stood out and should take the best supporting for the portrayal of Dr. Godwin, as well as Mark Ruffalo as Duncan Wedderburn. Both of them should be in the best supporting category. All of these actors and the director delivered one of the most exciting and charming movies this year—the story about Bella Baxter. 

Iliya Badev