Key Takeaways
- Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins update their Best Picture Power Rankings for 2024, placing 'Bugonia' at number nine.
- Yorgos Lanthimos's new film 'Bugonia' is praised as a unique paranoid thriller, starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons.
- 'Bugonia' satirizes corporate jargon and explores contemporary themes of societal paranoia and communication breakdown.
- Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons deliver sympathetic and sincere performances in 'Bugonia'.
- Yorgos Lanthimos discusses his attraction to the 'Bugonia' script and his deliberate stylistic choices, including shooting on VistaVision.
- Lanthimos expresses anxiety about future communication and societal division, themes reflected in the film.
- The casting of non-professional, autistic actor Aiden Delbas for a key role in 'Bugonia' is highlighted.
- Lanthimos advocates for the communal cinema experience, noting its value over streaming for original films.
Deep Dive
- The hosts recap their previous Best Picture Power Rankings from October 1st, including 'Wicked for Good' and 'Frankenstein'.
- They discuss recent viewings like 'Marty Supreme' and 'No Other Choice,' while noting films yet to be seen, such as 'Avatar Fire and Ash'.
- 'House of Dynamite' is removed from the rankings, while 'Frankenstein' rises, despite host reservations.
- The hosts finalize their current 'Best Picture' rankings, placing 'Bugonia' at number nine alongside 'J.J. Kelly' and 'Marty Supreme'.
- The hosts question 'Bugonia's' potential as a Best Picture contender despite Yorgos Lanthimos's history and the film's unusual nature.
- They consider whether 'Avatar' or 'Train Dreams' might displace 'Bugonia' from the rankings, with 'Avatar' noted for its craft.
- The Academy is expected to favor Lanthimos's style and Emma Stone's performance in 'Bugonia' over 'Avatar'.
- Discussions include potential Oscar nominations for Emma Stone and Jesse Buckley, analyzing strategic category placements for actors like Chase Infinity.
- One host dismisses the idea of "Emma Stone fatigue" affecting her Best Actress nomination chances for 'Bugonia', despite her recent Oscar win.
- The film's premise involves two conspiracy-obsessed men kidnapping a pharmaceutical CEO, believing she is an alien threatening Earth.
- The screenplay by Will Tracy is noted for its similarity to the South Korean film 'Save the Green Planet'.
- Hosts express strong positive reactions, praising Jesse Plemons' portrayal of a lonely man and Emma Stone's performance as a corporate CEO.
- The film's grounded, recognizable setting and satirical take on corporate jargon are highlighted as both chilling and familiar.
- 'Bugonia' features grounded interior shots that contrast with exterior scenes filled with impending doom and paranoia, a recurring theme in Lanthimos's work.
- The film is identified as a new take on paranoid thrillers, contrasting with 1970s films like 'The Conversation' and 'All the President's Men'.
- Contemporary thrillers, including 'Bugonia,' often focus on societal issues and a sense of helplessness, with male protagonists feeling cast out by society and capitalism.
- Emma Stone's recent filmography highlights her embrace of sharper, potentially unlikable characters and her dedication to working with Lanthimos.
- The film can be enjoyed as a tense thriller even without deep analysis, playing on the ambiguity of a character's identity and questioning if she is an alien.
- Yorgos Lanthimos's direction intentionally tries to mislead the audience regarding the central mystery.
- Emma Stone's performance and the film's structure elicit laughter and surprise, particularly during the plot twist revealing her character to be an alien.
- The hosts analyze character Teddy's lack of agency and his violent actions following the reveal.
- The film's portrayal of conspiracy shifts the theme from the left to the right of the political spectrum, engaging with this concept through its characters.
- 'Bugonia' is noted for its recognizability and near-real-world parallels, departing from overt metaphor while depicting an alien invasion scenario.
- The film achieves surprisingly effective emotional impact, comparable to the coda in 'The Big Short,' evoking feelings of powerlessness.
- Filmed in Atlanta and the UK, 'Bugonia' incorporates specific local landmarks into its setting.
- The hosts compare 'Bugonia' to Lanthimos's previous films like 'Poor Things' and 'The Lobster,' debating its placement in his filmography.
- They praise the performances of Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone, discussing criticism regarding Plemons's character portrayal and the film's lack of conventional punishment.
- A question arises about Emma Stone's potential Best Actress nomination for 'Bugonia,' despite her recent Oscar win for 'Poor Things,' noting her portrayal of vulnerability.
- Lanthimos is acknowledged as a master filmmaker, with 'Bugonia' evoking more sympathy and sadness than 'The Lobster,' despite its bleaker ending.
- Director Yorgos Lanthimos discusses receiving the 'Bugonia' script, finding it entertaining, suspenseful, and complex (1:03:27).
- He shares what excites him in a story, noting the script's novelty compared to his previous work as a significant factor in his interest (1:03:19).
- Lanthimos confirms he was unfamiliar with the original film 'Save the Green Planet' until after reading the script and deciding to remake it (1:04:54).
- He reflects on his filmmaking choices, noting a tendency to explore the human condition, suggesting external perspectives are more valuable for self-analysis (1:05:39).
- Lanthimos explains his deliberate approach to stylistic choices, aiming for variation while relying on the material to guide decisions, highlighting the use of VistaVision for 'Bugonia' (1:07:10).
- He details how imposing restrictions, such as camera limitations and lens choices, clarify the filmmaking process and foster creativity during production (1:10:02).
- The director discusses the film's juxtaposition of a wide, paranoid aesthetic with realistic performances and a dramatic score, focusing on compelling scenes over dramatic reveals (1:11:01).
- Lanthimos expresses concern about societal division, amplified by technology and algorithms, viewing this inability to communicate as a genuine societal fear explored in the film (1:15:41).
- Lanthimos details the casting of non-professional actor Aiden Delbas for a key role, an autistic individual discovered through streetcasting with Jennifer Vendidi (1:19:31).
- Both Lanthimos and lead actors Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons found the large-format VistaVision camera's sound comforting rather than distracting during filming (1:21:22).
- An access coach, Elaine, was crucial in preparing Delbas for the filmmaking process, ensuring his comfort and trusting his instincts to enrich the character (1:24:00).
- Lanthimos discusses the future of film distribution, highlighting the communal experience of cinema as a distinct and valuable alternative to streaming (1:25:58).