If you asked a movie critic: Hot and cold Yorgos; Netflix in a movie theater

You didn’t ask, but I’m going to tell you anyway.

The late great film critic Roger Ebert frequently answered cinema-related queries with his Movie Answer Man column in the Chicago Sun Times. The Coeur d’Alene Press, no slouch in terms of longevity, unfortunately lacks the readership to justify a similar column. Occasionally, however, this critic can make up his own random questions and answer them with a fraction of the wit and expertise of Ebert.

So bring on the fake questions!

I liked “Poor Things” but didn’t care for “Kinds of Kindness.” What should I expect from “Bugonia,” the latest Yorgos Lanthimos-Emma Stone collaboration? — Dave McCary, Post Falls

The films of Yorgos Lanthimos definitely veer in wildly challenging directions, with some finding more success with audiences than others. As much as I appreciated Stone’s Oscar-winning performance in “Poor Things,” I had a minority opinion about the overall success of that movie. I didn’t connect too well to “Kinds of Kindness” either, mostly because of its anthology-like structure.

Like a lot of people, I run hot and cold with Lanthimos, though I’m a big fan of “The Lobster” and “The Favourite.”

As for “Bugonia,” I suspect fewer people will connect with its abrupt tonal shifts and exceedingly bizarre storyline — Jesse Plemons stars as a conspiracy theorist who kidnaps a pharmaceutical executive (Stone) because he suspects she’s an alien.

Plemons and Stone give intense and magnetic performances, and I appreciated how the movie seemed determined to avoid a conventional resolution. I cringed at a few third-act decisions, then ultimately enjoy the execution of those decisions.

So you might say “Bugonia” was the ultimate Yorgos Lanthimos experience in that I ran hot and cold and hot again all in one sitting.

What’s with Netflix movies being at the movie theater? I saw that Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” was in theaters, but I didn’t see it playing locally. Now it’s just on Netflix? What is happening?
— Lorenza Newton, Coeur d’Alene

Netflix wants to win Academy Awards, and Oscar rules dictate that all qualifying movies must make qualifying theatrical runs — usually just by popping up in a few theaters around New York and Los Angeles.

Lately, Netflix appears more willing to make a few bucks in the theater, if only to expand the window of conversation about a movie beyond a single release weekend on the streaming platform.

For example, the Magic Lantern Theater in Spokane frequently screens certain Netflix titles during this limited theatrical window, including “Frankenstein.” This week, the theater opens “Train Dreams,” an acclaimed festival favorite that also happened to be filmed primarily in Eastern Washington. It will even screen the latest “Knives Out” film prior to its streaming release in December.

By far the most expansive Netflix release in theaters recently has been a sing-along version of “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” which had two single-weekend wide releases this fall, including over the Halloween weekend.

I took one of my kiddos to the theatrical presentation, despite its numerous streams in my household since its summer debut. It plays spectacularly on the big screen, especially the music-filled final act.

That all being said, I can’t overemphasize how strange it was to see the Netflix logo appear on a giant screen inside a movie theater, especially after all their talk over the years about only creating content for the small screen.

Be helpful for a change and recommend a smaller movie I can watch right now at home. Don’t say something stupid like “Jurassic World.”
— Louis Cancelmi, Athol

And here I thought we’d get through this entire column without an insult. Oh well. One of my favorite movies of the year is “Sorry Baby,” a small comedy/drama written, directed and starring Eva Victor. After a small theatrical release this summer, it recently became available on HBO Max.

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Tyler Wilson can be reached at [email protected].

    Director Yorgos Lanthimos poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film "Bugonia" during the London Film Festival in London, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.