Amazing how such a weird, eccentric little film like “The Favourite” can get knocked up for a whole load of Oscar nominations. It seems as if Yorgos Lanthimos has been picked by the Academy to go mainstream. Here’s hoping he continues to make his claustrophic, low-budget, freaky movies. By the way, he is often given all the credit for his films, but while this one was written by other people originally, his breakthrough films, Dogtooth and The Lobster, were writing collaborations with Efthymis Filippou, who I have heard had the dominant artistic input into the scripts, at least. Interesting how the director seems to come out with all the glory in the film world….
Early 18th century. England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne's ill health and mercurial temper.