Kinds of Kindness (2024)

Fresh off the Oscar success of Poor Things, director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite, Killing of a Sacred Deer) has returned to entirely disregard anyone who expected a mainstream turn with Kinds of Kindness, a haunted and sprawling anthology billed as a “triptych fable.”

Kinds of Kindness consists of three distinct but loosely connected stories. The first segment, “The Death of R.M.F,” follows a man without choice who tries to take control of his own life. The second, “R.M.F. is Flying,” depicts a man plagued by suspicions that his spouse, who has recently returned after being reported missing, is an imposter. The final segment, “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich,” revolves around a woman’s quest to find an enigmatic cult leader who is believed to be a destined spiritual guide. Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe and Margaret Qualley star in multiple roles.

Sure, it says “comedy” over there under the title. But calibrate your expectations. Think Dogtooth or even Magnolia: movies that are so unsettling you sometimes find yourself panic-laughing. Still, as a surreal and audacious exploration of the pathology of human behavior, you won’t soon forget it.

This screening is held in the new Taylor Screening Room. At ticket purchase, you will be asked to select your reserved seat(s).