Emma Stone's Alien Power Play vs. Nate Bargatze's Dad Disaster: Who Wins Hollywood?

Olivia Bennett, 12/20/2025Hollywood serves holiday magic on two platters: Emma Stone’s cosmic satire “Bugonia” meets Nate Bargatze’s deliciously relatable “The Breadwinner.” High style and heartfelt chaos prove that, under Tinseltown’s velvet ropes, both the bizarre and beloved have a place at the table. Pass the popcorn—and the sequins.

“Bugonia,” for one, doesn’t just knock; it barges in. There’s already a feverish current running through town about this one—hardly surprising with Yorgos Lanthimos steering the ship. If anyone thought Emma Stone’s taste for the strange topped out with “Poor Things,” let’s be honest: it wasn’t the ceiling, it was the first floor. Here, Stone stalks the boardroom as Michelle, a CEO whose power feels just a notch south of malevolent. There’s something almost uncanny about her—she’s the kind of executive who would actually read the comments section, if only to find new enemies. The film’s premise? Abduction by two conspiracy-hunting zealots convinced she’s a cosmic Trojan Horse. Sure. Why not. In Lanthimos’ world, the conference room is just a few dimensions away from Area 51.

A quick detour: “Bugonia” takes inspiration from the 2003 Korean cult darling “Save the Green Planet!” but this isn’t a straight translation. No, Lanthimos slices through genre expectations with the precision of someone who probably never learned the rules in the first place. The result feels like a psychological chess match where the pieces refuse to stay on the board. Not every audience member will walk out unscathed, but that hasn’t stopped critics from swooning—Rotten Tomatoes is practically raining laurel leaves (97% Certified Fresh), and popcorn-munchers are chiming in at a robust 84%. Some films beg to be understood; this one dares you.

Of course, every year needs an Oscar frontrunner and “Bugonia”—with its sharp script from Will Tracy (he of “The Menu” mischief) and a sparkling supporting cast—certainly revises the odds. Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and perhaps most surprising, Alicia Silverstone—all step up, though don’t expect anyone to out-odd Stone here. Sometimes an ensemble is a gathering; with “Bugonia,” it’s more like a conspiracy.

And yet, walk one block over and the temperature shifts. “The Breadwinner” doesn’t try to set trends or disrupt neural pathways; it wants to slip into your home, muddy shoes and all, and see if you’ve got any lasagna left in the fridge. Nate Bargatze—who, let’s be real, looks more like a neighbor who returns your lost Amazon packages than a multiplex headliner—jumps from the world of stand-up and Emmy duties to a movie dad running on fumes and freeze-dried coffee. The setup’s delightfully straightforward: his wife (played, thankfully, with a welcome lack of fanfare by Mandy Moore) invents something that takes her out of the house, leaving him to wrangle their three daughters, a horse (yes, really), and general suburban bedlam.

It’s not new, exactly. “The Breadwinner” calls back more than a little to John Hughes and that frantic, heart-in-the-sink feeling of “Mr. Mom.” But there’s something refreshing—almost nervy—about a film in 2025 intentionally sidestepping digital bombast and letting chaos fester in PTA meetings and cereal spills. Maybe it’s nostalgia; maybe that’s a dirty word, or maybe it’s the only reason anyone ever goes to the movies. The script (penned by Bargatze with Dan Lagana) and direction by Eric Appel (“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”) know just where to lean in: the heartbreak of embarrassing your kid, the beauty of failing upwards, and the reluctant heroism of cold-pizza breakfasts.

Casting here is almost unfair—Will Forte, Kate Berlant, Kumail Nanjiani—the sort of comedic murderer’s row that can salvage a scene with a fleeting glance or a tossed-off one-liner. You get the sense this was a set where improvisation thrived, and if the story runs long or a gag stumbles, no one seems terribly bothered.

Underneath all the chaos and contrivance lies something oddly genuine. Nicole Brown at TriStar hit it on the head while discussing the project: the best family movies, especially the live-action kind, don’t try to be everyone’s favorite—they just want a chance to become someone’s.

Across these two films, the opposition is almost poetic—“Bugonia” peeks beneath the mask of power while “The Breadwinner” reminds us those masks rarely survive bedtime routines. Each pokes at belonging: whether it’s assimilation among suspicious humans or just keeping three kids alive long enough to pay the cable bill.

What to make of this double feature, anyway? Maybe that’s the point—there’s no grand scheme here, just the stubborn plurality of the industry. As streamers and theaters claw for attention, Hollywood (in vintage form) reminds us that there’s room under the velvet rope for both heady provocation and the familiar messiness of home.

Come to think of it, an actor-swap for the sequel—Stone’s steely CEO knee-deep in juice boxes, Bargatze facing down a suspiciously glowing intern pool—might not be too much of a stretch. Stranger things, as they say, have happened. Which, year after year, is why the lights on Hollywood Boulevard never quite burn out.

There’s a certain crackle in the Hollywood air every winter—something more electric than a stretch limo’s static upholstery, a kind of festival of opposites. As Christmas lights crawl across the boulevards in 2025, the movie calendar feels like an unsettled playlist: avant-garde visions sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with the warm embrace of family movies, each fighting for a spot beneath the industry’s glittering, overloaded tree.“Bugonia,” for one, doesn’t just knock; it barges in. There’s already a feverish current running through town about this one—hardly surprising with Yorgos Lanthimos steering the ship. If anyone thought Emma Stone’s taste for the strange topped out with “Poor Things,” let’s be honest: it wasn’t the ceiling, it was the first floor. Here, Stone stalks the boardroom as Michelle, a CEO whose power feels just a notch south of malevolent. There’s something almost uncanny about her—she’s the kind of executive who would actually read the comments section, if only to find new enemies. The film’s premise? Abduction by two conspiracy-hunting zealots convinced she’s a cosmic Trojan Horse. Sure. Why not. In Lanthimos’ world, the conference room is just a few dimensions away from Area 51.A quick detour: “Bugonia” takes inspiration from the 2003 Korean cult darling “Save the Green Planet!” but this isn’t a straight translation. No, Lanthimos slices through genre expectations with the precision of someone who probably never learned the rules in the first place. The result feels like a psychological chess match where the pieces refuse to stay on the board. Not every audience member will walk out unscathed, but that hasn’t stopped critics from swooning—Rotten Tomatoes is practically raining laurel leaves (97% Certified Fresh), and popcorn-munchers are chiming in at a robust 84%. Some films beg to be understood; this one dares you.Of course, every year needs an Oscar frontrunner and “Bugonia”—with its sharp script from Will Tracy (he of “The Menu” mischief) and a sparkling supporting cast—certainly revises the odds. Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and perhaps most surprising, Alicia Silverstone—all step up, though don’t expect anyone to out-odd Stone here. Sometimes an ensemble is a gathering; with “Bugonia,” it’s more like a conspiracy.And yet, walk one block over and the temperature shifts. “The Breadwinner” doesn’t try to set trends or disrupt neural pathways; it wants to slip into your home, muddy shoes and all, and see if you’ve got any lasagna left in the fridge. Nate Bargatze—who, let’s be real, looks more like a neighbor who returns your lost Amazon packages than a multiplex headliner—jumps from the world of stand-up and Emmy duties to a movie dad running on fumes and freeze-dried coffee. The setup’s delightfully straightforward: his wife (played, thankfully, with a welcome lack of fanfare by Mandy Moore) invents something that takes her out of the house, leaving him to wrangle their three daughters, a horse (yes, really), and general suburban bedlam.It’s not new, exactly. “The Breadwinner” calls back more than a little to John Hughes and that frantic, heart-in-the-sink feeling of “Mr. Mom.” But there’s something refreshing—almost nervy—about a film in 2025 intentionally sidestepping digital bombast and letting chaos fester in PTA meetings and cereal spills. Maybe it’s nostalgia; maybe that’s a dirty word, or maybe it’s the only reason anyone ever goes to the movies. The script (penned by Bargatze with Dan Lagana) and direction by Eric Appel (“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”) know just where to lean in: the heartbreak of embarrassing your kid, the beauty of failing upwards, and the reluctant heroism of cold-pizza breakfasts.Casting here is almost unfair—Will Forte, Kate Berlant, Kumail Nanjiani—the sort of comedic murderer’s row that can salvage a scene with a fleeting glance or a tossed-off one-liner. You get the sense this was a set where improvisation thrived, and if the story runs long or a gag stumbles, no one seems terribly bothered.Underneath all the chaos and contrivance lies something oddly genuine. Nicole Brown at TriStar hit it on the head while discussing the project: the best family movies, especially the live-action kind, don’t try to be everyone’s favorite—they just want a chance to become someone’s.Across these two films, the opposition is almost poetic—“Bugonia” peeks beneath the mask of power while “The Breadwinner” reminds us those masks rarely survive bedtime routines. Each pokes at belonging: whether it’s assimilation among suspicious humans or just keeping three kids alive long enough to pay the cable bill.What to make of this double feature, anyway? Maybe that’s the point—there’s no grand scheme here, just the stubborn plurality of the industry. As streamers and theaters claw for attention, Hollywood (in vintage form) reminds us that there’s room under the velvet rope for both heady provocation and the familiar messiness of home.Come to think of it, an actor-swap for the sequel—Stone’s steely CEO knee-deep in juice boxes, Bargatze facing down a suspiciously glowing intern pool—might not be too much of a stretch. Stranger things, as they say, have happened. Which, year after year, is why the lights on Hollywood Boulevard never quite burn out.