It was last summer when Focus Features announced Bugonia, the latest film from director Yorgos Lanthimos. That alone is enough to get anyone excited, as Lanthimos has long established himself as a filmmaker whose work you turn up to, no matter what. But then, the film had this tagline, and instantly, we were hooked: “Two conspiracy-obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.” Yes, please, and thank you.
Written by Will Tracy, based on a 2003 South Korean film called Save the Green Planet, Bugonia stars Emma Stone as the CEO and Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis as the conspiracy nuts. It opens in limited release on October 24 before expanding wide on October 31. And while we’ve seen several trailers so far, as well as some mostly stellar reviews, this latest one leans heavily into that wildly intriguing question. Is Emma Stone an alien?
We love the repetition in this trailer, as well as the catchy Chappell Roan beats, which were also used in the previous one. But it’s that ending, where Plemons forces Stone to say the words that he wants to hear, that really gets us. It not only speaks to the mystery of the film, but it also speaks to life as we know it these days. A world where people believe what they want to believe, no matter what, and live to be validated, even if it’s not true. Does Plemons even care if she’s actually an alien? Or does he just want her to say it?
You have to think that’s one of the big reasons Lanthimos wants to tackle this subject. This idea, which originated over 20 years ago, feels as pertinent now as ever. Then you throw a two-time Oscar winner into the lead role, opposite an actor who is sure to have an Oscar before long, and you’ve really got something cooking.
Tickets for Bugonia are on sale now. Are you going to be checking it out?
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