Film: Poor Things
Cast: Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Rating: * * * 1/2
Runtime: 141 min

This is an incredible tale about the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). She is someone reborn and given the chance, she is ready for everything life has to throw her. This film has some of the strangest characters you will see, yet it is believable and totally involving thanks to Lanthimos` total control over his material and the actors providing legitimacy with their involving performances.

Based on a novel by Alasdair Gray, the plot is audacious, to say the least, but Lanthimos and his team manage to make their specific vision come alive both with the screenplay by Tony McNamara and the visionary artistic helming. Lanthimos’ narrative plays out like a beautiful vision - a dream of sorts. The exploration of sexuality in a nightmarish world of men and propriety is done with singular aplomb. The cinematography goes from black and white to full colour, with character close-ups, wild scenery and beautifully detailed make-up,  design, costumes and architecture.