Brazil’s entry to compete in the Academy Award for best International Film debuted at Cannes earlier this year where it received the Un Certain Regard Award for director Karim Aïnouz. “Invisible Life” has some stereotype issues, all women are victims in a story set in the 1950’s and that all men are pushers. Beyond that […]
Atlantics marks the second foreign film submission for Senegal for consideration in the Academy Awards International Film category. An easy choice for the west coast African country after actress-turned director Mati Diop, became first black female director in history to compete at Cannes earlier this year. Atlantics’ supernatural element makes it stand out among many
Nowadays, we seldom get an intelligent comedy—not only in the sense of being well constructed—but one sprinkled throughout with philosophical and literary references that are to the point yet still funny, at least in the way the main character quotes them, and to whom (like a bank teller who hasn’t the foggiest notion of what
When I walked into the theater to see this film it was called “Non-Fiction,” the latest by French director Olivier Assayas (“Personal Shopper,” “Clouds of Sils Maria”). By the time I left the screening at the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF), it had already been retitled “Double Lives.” Of the recent Binoche collaborations, this is the
This period drama set in Hungary just before World War I contains no discernable plot, although it continuously gives the viewer the sense that something really big is going on or about to happen. The protagonist Irisz (Jakab) has returned to Budapest to her parents’ old hat shop (actually, a high-end millinery), but she is not
Writer/director Benedikt Erlingsson’s Woman at War opens with cinematography that thrusts the viewer into the natural beauty of Iceland. As the credits appear across the screen, we’re introduced to the woman in the title and revel in delight at the little band, producing the unconventional musical score right before our eyes. Erlingsson’s imagination marries entertainment
What is this mysterious foreign film nominated for the best cinematography Oscar? This German entry has landed many of the early foreign film awards alongside the more popular entries “Roma” and “Cold War.” “Never Look Away” is directed by Oscar winner Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, who took home the foreign film prize back in 2006
There is little that works about “Cocote,” the Dominican Republic’s submission to the 91st Academy Awards. The most obvious shortfall is how the film is technically assembled. It begins in letterbox (full screen) format, which in itself is not that uncommon, Jonah Hill’s “Mid 90’s” and Poland’s foreign entry “Cold War” both utilize the format. However,
There are many films that Americans would never see or even hear about with the Oscar race I call the “Awards Game.” I call it a game because just like the World Series, the World Cup, and the Super Bowl, there are those who are excited to see who is the best of the year
The foreign film category has more buzz this year than usual. With Netflix pushing Roma all the way into the main categories including best picture, and becoming the presumed foreign language winner, there is a heightened awareness in non-English language movies. Cold War made a big splash at Cannes, resulting in it’s purchase by Amazon