Filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos hasn’t made the world wait long for the follow-up to his engrossing and thought-provoking “Poor Things,” a nominee earlier this year for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Going into wide release this week, not quite seven months after “Poor Things” introduced the world to Emma Stone’s unforgettable Bella Baxter, the director’s intriguing, entrancing and, at times, confounding “Kinds of Kindness” is said to have been shot quickly during the lengthy post-production phase of its visually elaborate predecessor.

A “triptych fable,” “Kinds of Kindness” boasts many of the same actors — among them, not surprisingly, is Stone, who deservedly won the Oscar for Best Actress for “Poor Things” for her spectacular and fearless performance — playing different characters in its three stories.

To say this trio of tales is “loosely connected” is a bit generous, although Yorgos Stefanakos’ R.M.F. is a titular figure — but also only so relevant narratively — in each.

One would expect there to be a greater thematic thread tying together “The Death of R.M.F.,” “R.M.F. Is Flying” and “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich,” but, at least on initial viewing, that connective tissue is pretty thin. In each, at least one character is some degree of desperate to please at least one other character who is some degree of controlling — and, more often not, one of the latter figures is portrayed by fellow “Things” alum Willem Dafoe (“The Florida Project”). Given the gifts of Lanthimos, there surely is more metaphorical meat on the bone to be chewed upon during and after a repeat viewing.

Know, however, that “Kinds of Kindness” is co-written by Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou, the latter a collaborator on the former’s more self-indulgent (if still radically interesting) films, including “The Lobster” (2015) and “The Killing of the Sacred Deer,” in which the pair’s absurdist leanings sometimes got the better of them. (Nowhere to be found in the credits here is writer Tony McNamara, who helped shape “Poor Thing” and Lanthimos’ other unquestionably terrific — and Oscar-nominated — film, 2018’s “The Favourite.”)

It comes as no shock, then, that “Kinds of Kindness” sometimes, perhaps even often, feels like it’s being absurd because … well, just because.

That said, it also is a film that, with every scene, has you hanging on with great interest to see what will come next. As a result, it is a two-and-a-half-hour-plus endeavor that goes by remarkably quickly. Whatever its sins, stagnation isn’t one of them.

Stone, appropriately, receives top billing, but Jesse Plemons gets at least a bit more time within the frame.

That’s mainly because while the two are co-leads in the subsequent acts, Stone is a supporting player in “The Death of R.M.F.” Plemons is front and center as Robert, who doesn’t just work for Dafoe’s Raymond but long has been engaged in a bizarre agreement with him. Raymond dictates areas of Robert’s life from his weight — the former is frustrated by the latter appearing to have lost weight, as he finds thin men to be ridiculous — to his intimacy and more with his wife, Sarah (Hong Chau, “The Menu,” “The Whale”). This power dynamic is upset when Raymond finally asks too much of Robert, with Robert subsequently seeing Stone’s Rita as a means to an end.

Next comes “R.M.F. Is Flying,” in which police officer Daniel (Plemons) is distraught because his beloved wife, Liz (Stone), has been lost at sea. When she is found alive and returns to him, Daniel believes something is amiss, Liz enjoying things — chocolate and cigarettes among them — she didn’t previously and, more mysteriously, not fitting comfortably into her shoes. While some around him believe Daniel to be having a psychotic event, he sets about proving his theory.

Lastly, we get “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich,” which sees Stone’s Emily and Plemons’ Andrew as members of a spiritual cult led by Dafoe’s Omi and Chau’s Aka. Omi and Aka, who bless the group’s all-important “uncontaminated” water with their tears, regularly dispatch Emily and Andrew on missions to search for a figure to fulfill a prophecy of a female twin who can raise the dead.

We’ve kept things vague — believe it or not, it’s all even stranger than it sounds — purposefully because, again, revelations along the way comprise much of the enjoyment “Kinds of Kindness” has to offer.

It also offers fine supporting work from Margaret Qualley (“Poor Things,” “Drive-Away Dolls”), Mamoudou Athie (“Elemental,” “The Burial”) and Joe Alwyn (“The Favourite,” “Catherine Called Birdy”) in each of the three parts.

Plemons (“Power of the Dog,” “Killers of the Flower Moon”), who seems almost as if he’s in more films than he isn’t these days, is his usual dependable self and oddly likable even when the person he’s playing isn’t.

Meanwhile, Stone — also an Academy Award winner for 2017’s “La La Land” and a nominee for 2015’s “Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” and “The Favourite” — is sensational again. There may be no Oscar in her future for her work here, but with the energy and personality she brings to each, her character is the most interesting thing on screen in any scene she’s in, which is saying something given some of the happenings in “Kinds of Kindness.”

Stone won’t be enough to keep some viewers from becoming turned off by “Kinds of Kindness.” It’s weird, to be sure, sometimes sexually gratuitous, often dark, occasionally violent and longer than the average movie. As such, it simply won’t fit the tastes of some folks.

Poor things.

“Kinds of Kindness” is rated R for strong/disturbing violent content, strong sexual content, full nudity and language. Runtime: 2 hours, 44 minutes.

K-pop titan BTS may be on hiatus, but its members are still booked and busy.

Jimin and Jungkook (affectionately dubbed “Jikook”) are set to star in the new travel show “Are You Sure?!” premiering Aug. 8 on Disney+, BTS’ label Bighit Music and management company Hybe announced Wednesday.

The eight-part series follows the duo as they explore three scenic locales — New York state; Jeju Island in South Korea; and Sapporo, Japan — and “will give a deeper look into Jimin and Jungkook’s undeniable chemistry and endearing friendship as they bond over a variety of unforgettable moments,” a news release said.

“Are You Sure?!” was filmed in 2023, prior to Jimin’s and Jungkook’s December enlistment in the South Korean military.

South Korea requires male citizens ages 18 to 28 to serve at least 18 months in the military or social service, and although the law was updated in 2020 to allow K-pop stars to delay their draft until age 30, they are not exempted from service as are Olympic medalists and prize-winning classical musicians.

Still, the five-time Grammy-nominated group’s hiatus — projected by its management to end in 2025 — has not prevented its members from releasing music. In fact, several have dropped high-charting solo hits since.

“Back in the day, the military service meant a complete isolation from the world,” Jae Yoon Choi, CEO and co-founder of the K-pop creative agency KAI Media and retail hub Hello82, told The Times in December. “The military services used to affect artists very much in the past, but now it doesn’t. The service got shortened, and it’s easier for artists to prepare both for joining and the comeback after.”

Currently making his comeback is BTS’ eldest member, Jin, who finished his service last month. The day after his discharge, he hugged 1,000 fans as part of BTS’ annual Festa celebrations commemorating the group’s 11th anniversary.

Jin, whose full name is Kim Seok-jin, will also participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic torch relay as a torchbearer from South Korea, helping to spread the message of “harmony” and “peace,” a news release said.

This year’s torch relay began in April in Olympia, Greece, and is currently traveling through 65 French territories ahead of the July 26 opening ceremony.

New episodes of “Are You Sure?!” will be released every Thursday from Aug. 8 through Sept. 19 on Disney+. The streaming service previously released a BTS docuseries in 2023 and a concert film in 2022.

Karan Johar‘s highly anticipated film ‘Kill‘ has captured the hearts and attention of audiences from its very inception. Following a recent screening, Bollywood celebrities have been effusive in their praise for the upcoming movie. Among them is Vicky Kaushal, known for his role in ‘Bad Newz‘, who took to Instagram to express his deep admiration for the film and its creators.Vicky commended the dedication of the entire team behind ‘Kill’, highlighting its potential to resonate strongly with viewers.
“What a film! I tip my hat off to each and everyone involved in making this film. People don’t know what’s coming their way,” wrote Vicky Kaushal in his Instagram story, reflecting his enthusiasm and confidence in the film’s potential.
‘Dream Girl 2’ fame Ananya Panday and her bestie Shanaya Kapoor also took to their respective Instagram stories to share their enthusiastic reviews. Ananya Panday reposted the movie poster, labeling it as “so bloody good” and urging her followers not to miss it when it hits theaters this Friday.
Meanwhile, Shanaya Kapoor expressed her awe for the film, stating she was “mind-blown” and eagerly anticipating a repeat viewing. Addressing lead actor Lakshya, Shanaya Kapoor added, “You killed it,” highlighting the impact of his performance in the movie.

These social media posts show Bollywood stars’ support for the upcoming film. Their endorsements highlight the excitement and anticipation surrounding the film, promising a thrilling cinematic experience that audiences would not want to miss.

Directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, who also worked on the story of the movie with Ayesha Sayed, ‘Kill’ is slated to release on July 5. It stars Lakshya and Tanya Maniktala in the lead as the protagonist and Raghav Juyal in a negative role. The plot revolves around a train journey during which a pair of commandos face an army of invading bandits.