Stone is one of the producers on Lanthimos’s new film, “Bugonia,” and also its star, and there is an acid delight in seeing her cast as a figure of ruthless authority: Michelle Fuller, the C.E.O. of Auxolith, a company that manufactures drugs and pesticides. Michelle is high-powered enough to have appeared on the covers of Time and Forbes, and to have been photographed with another famous Michelle (Obama). She’s a barracuda in a dark suit, with a blood-chilling mastery of doublespeak. Even when she outwardly affirms humane, progressive values—an inclusive corporate culture, shorter employee hours—Michelle can’t help but undercut her own sham platitudes. Recording a speech that repeatedly uses the word “diverse,” she snaps, “Can we try to diversify the language a little bit?” Michelle exists on a level that is invulnerable to reproach, termination, or cancellation. The only way to take her down would be through extreme stealth and deadly force, and, even then, she’s enough of a fighter that success would hardly be guaranteed.journey-inline-newsletterinline-newsletter