Kinds of Kindness, streaming on Myflixer Movies, showcases the remarkable filmmaking style that Yorghos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, his frequent collaborator, have become renowned for. Their previous collaboration, The Favourite, received ten Oscar nominations and earned Olivia Colman a well-deserved Academy Award. Following that success, they released Poor Things, which won four out of eleven possible awards, including Stone's second Academy Award for her astonishing portrayal of Bella Baxter. Kinds of Kindness is a trilogy of films, each running approximately 55 minutes, where the main cast members portray different characters in each installment. The first story follows a man who is trapped in a predetermined path and desperately seeks to break free. In the second story, a cop questions the identity of his wife after she mysteriously disappears at sea. Lastly, the third story revolves around a woman on a quest to find an extraordinary individual who is prophesied to become a renowned spiritual guide. While each segment can be enjoyed separately, the second story, reminiscent of a captivating horror tale, stands out.
It may have drawn inspiration from the TV series Lost and the film Annihilation by Alex Garland. The first and third stories, on the other hand, share loose connections that viewers can discover for themselves. Your experience with these peculiar adventures may vary, but it is worth noting that being good does not hinder greatness, just as greatness does not hinder perfection. However, Kinds of Kindness makes Poor Things seem like a lighthearted film. In fact, it could have been titled Kinds of Unkindness from the start, as all three stories are firmly rooted in Lanthimos' sadistic universe. This uncompromising movie poses challenging existential questions without providing any answers. It aligns more closely with Lanthimos' earlier works, such as Dogtooth and The Lobster, rather than his later, more mainstream films. This should come as no surprise, as it is co-written by Efthimis Filippou, who also collaborated on those two films with Lanthimos.
To some, this may be considered a blessing, while to others, it may be seen as a curse. Plemons shines in the initial portion, with Stone taking the lead in the latter part of the film. The cinematography by Robbie Ryan is exceptional, and the editing by Yorgos Mavropsaridis is expertly done. Kinds of Kindness is unapologetic in its approach. It does not aim to be pleasing or seek approval to overstay its welcome. While I don't believe it's flawless, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it and look forward to watching it again to see how it holds up on a second viewing. In the future, Lanthimos, Stone, and Plemons will collaborate once more on a new film titled Bugonia. I am eagerly anticipating it.
Comments