“Kinds of Kindness."

“Kinds of Kindness” (2024, Hulu) black comedy-drama, structured as a "triptych fable,” whatever that was. Still figuring it out though I finished this movie, mainly due to the acting: Stone Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau, Margaret Qualley. Can't lose with these performers. Add the curiosity of watching Joe Alwyn, one of Taylor Swift's many ex-boyfriends. In fact, Mr Plemons won Best Actor in last year's Cannes for this whacked job of surreal weirdness. Nevertheless, a fine acting gig. 

       I repeat: I enjoyed the acting, especially Jesse and Ms Stone (she even danced in the final frame!) However, I was at a loss as to what they were acting about.

       This movie, which is praised by stoned, high in shrooms critics (obviously!) is a handiwork of Yorgos Lanthimos, whose best efforts delved on the same dadaist, absurdist notoriety: 2015's “The Lobster,” 2018's “The Favourite,” and 2023's “Poor Things.” Yup, thumbs-up from the Oscars and Golden Globes, among many others. Emma Stone garnered acting awards for the last two. (In the same vein, should I add the multi-awarded “Everything Everywhere All at Once, the 2022 nerdist gung-ho by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert?) 

       I guess I've gotten old. Years when I enjoyed John Waters, David Cronenberg, and David Lynch’s arthouse shenanigans. (Were Mr Waters’ films, art?) By the way, I praised 1985's “Brazil” by Terry Gilliam.

       I watched “Kinds…” right after I mustered 2022's “The Menu,” another so-called black comedy albeit horror/comedy, directed by Mark Mylod (who also directed some episodes of the less abstract but exemplary “Succession”).

       Anyhow, I sort of enjoyed “Kinds of Kindness” a lot better than 2019's “Too Old to Die Young” (I didn’t finish) by Nicolas Winding Refn and “Midsummer” (2019) and “Beau Is Afraid” (2023) by Ari Aster. Yorgos, Nicolas, Ari--don't ever go near these guys, LOL! 🎥💻📽