Review: Switzerland’s official Oscar submission ‘THUNDER (FOUDRE),’ from director Carmen Jaquier, opens in NYC today.

THUNDER

After the sudden and mysterious death of her sister, a 17-year-old novitiate explores her God-given right to experience life to the fullest, during the summer of 1900 in Switzerland.

Akin to the musical Spring Awakening, THUNDER tells the tale of a young woman whose older sister’s mysterious death brings her back to her childhood home and in touch with three old friends. Religious zealousness, body autonomy, and freethinking take center stage in THUNDER. As Elisabeth heads the advice in Innocente’s hidden diary, her world, senses, and spirituality are open to new ideas and happiness. 

The look of the film is dreamy. Moody indoor shots juxtaposed with lush Swiss landscapes create a visually sumptuous experience. Lilith Grasmug‘s portrayal of Elisabeth is mesmerizing. It contains a palpable yearning. Her immediate defiance of the patriarchal social structure made me want to stand up and cheer. Formerly Catholic, or what my mother might call a heathen, the righteous overshadowing of Elisabeth’s awakening is maddening. Her triumphant exploration of sensation and life makes THUNDER a celebration.



Dekanalog is so very proud to be releasing Carmen Jacquier’s stunning period drama THUNDER (FOUDRE), which Switzerland has chosen as their official 2023 submission to The Academy Awards! This unbelievable piece of world cinema opens in New York City next Wednesday, October 25th, followed by a nationwide rollout.

Review: The mysterious and heart-wrenching ‘PILGIMS’ comes to U.S. cinemas this Friday!

PILGRIMS

Paulius and Indre seek answers to a mystery that plagues them. PILGRIMS draws you in from the get-go as we follow our two leads down a path of emotional self-destruction and healing. They share a bond no one wants.

Giedrius Kiela and Gabija Bargailaite play Paulius and Indre, respectively. Each brings qualities of pain. Kiela’s aggression has the audience in a death grip. His volatility is frightening. Bargailaite is more subtle. Her unraveling happens in a finale that breaks you. They are hypnotizing.

Slick editing and long takes on a stationary camera make the audience an unwilling witness to Paulius and Indre’s plans. The script’s structure leaves much to the imagination as clues come slowly. My mind swirled as I watched Paulius walk Indre through the crime’s timeline. You feel compelled to keep watching. As someone whose close friend died under mysterious circumstances years ago, the unresolved pain and trauma are palpable. The need to understand and reason with the devil never fades, no matter how many years go by. PILGRIMS captures the very messy essence of grief.


PILGRIMS Arrives
in Cinemas this Friday!

 

Lithuania’s Official Submission to the 95th Academy Awards Lands in U.S. Cinemas on 4/7!


 

Review: ‘BEAUTIFUL BEINGS,’ Iceland’s submission for THE 95TH ACADEMY AWARDS®, opens TODAY in New York and Los Angeles next week from Altered Innocence

BEAUTIFUL BEINGS 

A perpetually bullied young teen named Balli gets invited into a circle of aggressive classmates by Addi, a boy whose mother is a clairvoyant. BEAUTIFUL BEINGS is an enigma befitting The Academy’s attention. Initially, the film tackles familial dysfunction and violence. Midway, the narrative adds the supernatural element in earnest, changing the film in ways that gave me goosebumps.

Beautiful Beings

As we witness Balli’s emotional torture and beatings, Addi grows a conscience by entering Balli’s debris-ridden home. The boys have more in common than at first glance. Siggi and Konni complete this group of boys known for starting fights. Addi’s narration adds depth as he explains each boy’s tumultuous home life. The cyclical nature of violence is front and center. BEAUTIFUL BEINGS is often intense and grueling to watch. But the performances captivate so thoroughly the audience pushes on. Once Addi begins to feel the power his mother passed onto him, the story takes another visually stunning turn.

The exploration of toxic masculinity is countered with the study of male friendships. The emotional highs and lows swing wildly during the two-hour runtime. The film appears to take place in the early aughts. I assume this is key in including the term “retarded,” which echoes nearly a dozen times. As a mother of a child on the spectrum, I cringed each time I heard it. That is my only complaint with BEAUTIFUL BEINGS. As a whole, this film is unique, fearless, and crucial viewing.


Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson’s Crushing and Surreal, Multi-Award-Winning Coming-Of-Age Drama — Opens 1/13 at Quad Cinema in NYC & 1/20 at Laemmle Glendale in L.A.

Original title: Berdreymi
Starring: Birgir Dagur Bjarkason, Áskell Einar Pálmason, Viktor Benóný Benediktsson, Snorri Rafn Frímannsson, Aníta Briem, Ísgerður Gunnarsdóttir, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson
Written and Directed by: Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson
Produced by: Anton Máni Svansson
Specs: 2022 / 123 Minutes / In Icelandic w/English Subtitles / DCP / 1.85:1


World Premiere: Berlin International Film Festival – Panorama 2022 — Europa Cinemas Label Winner 
Off Camera International Festival of Independent Cinema — FIPRESCI Jury Award Winner
Taipei Film Festival — International New Talent Competition – Special Jury Prize Winner
Thessaloniki Film Festival — Open Horizons Audience Award Winner 
Stockholm Film Festival — Best Screenplay Winner


ABOUT ALTERED INNOCENCE
 
Altered Innocence was founded in 2015 with a focus on bringing international and cutting-edge LGBTQ and Coming-of-Age cinema to North American audiences. Notable releases have included the Cannes Competition film KNIFE+HEART and the U.S. premiere of Spain’s previously unreleased cult title ARREBATO (RAPTURE).


 

Oscar Qualifying Short film review: Jordyn Romero’s ‘We Are Like Waves’ drowns out patriarchal norms.

WE ARE LIKE WAVES

Sanu Sandeepani‘s passion lies in the Sri Lankan ocean she has lived on her entire life. When the waters enticed her, society said, ‘Sri Lankan girls don’t surf.” Sanu tests the waters of traditional gender roles by shirking familial expectations. She works at a surfing camp, admiring the many Western tourists who ride the waves. With the eventual encouragement from her instructor brother, Sanu’s goal of equality and empowerment of other girls to conquer the waves drives her life force. To bet on surfers similar to her, one can visit sites such as 겜블시티.

Director Jordyn Romero bonded with Sanu over their love of surfing, a predominantly male-dominated sport. Sanu’s fearless pursuit of wanting to become the first female surf instructor from Sri Lanka lies beyond the horizon. In Sanu’s words, “We Are Like Waves. You cannot stop us.” This simple act of rebellion is certain to have a ripple effect. Romero brings audiences a relatable story told with grace. Boasting a beautifully encompassing score, WE ARE LIKE WAVES sees Romero and Sanu carve a path for the next generation.

We are like Waves Teaser from Jordyn Romero on Vimeo.

About the Director:
Jordyn is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, storyteller, and creative. She grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Santa Fe, NM where she spent most weekends racing down the Rio Grande or hiking for fresh powder. From this innate need for exploration, her passion for filmmaking was born. She’s created work for brands including Specialized Bikes, GoPro, and Sierra Nevada. Her most recent film, We Are Like Waves, was released with The Los Angeles Times. Her films have premiered at Oscar-qualifying festivals, won jury and audience awards, and played in over 20 countries around the world. Through her creative endeavors, she aims to amplify the voices of diverse women in the outdoor industry.


 

Oscar qualifying short film review: ‘AFTER SKID ROW’ is an intimate portrait of post-housing existence.

AFTER SKID ROW

They call her Gangster Granni. Filmmaker Lindsey Hagen finds Barbie Carter at a turning point; two weeks after she gets her keys to a proper apartment and ten years of living on Skid Row. Granni dons cowboy boots and denim jeans, bespangled in Western-inspired jewelry and a flair-enhanced hat. She is a character. Through her intimate narration, we learn how her childhood continues to inform her existence. But the everpresent trauma of her life on Skid Row punches you in the gut. Granni keeps all of her possessions next to her mattress, explaining they remain there in case of an emergency. It is an undeniably eye-opening statement.

Despite all she has endured, the genuine joy emanating from Granni is an example to all of us. Her positive and loving spirit as she visits the new Skid Row arrivals speaks volumes about her soul, making us acutely aware that she is an exception to the rule. In 20 minutes, the audience begins to understand the complexity of what happens after someone gains public housing. The buck stops there. Granni only has appliances because she receives help from friends and family. This inside look changes the political conversation. AFTER SKID ROW humanizes the experience of homelessness. It is a gift to those of us still navigating our privilege.


https://www.afterskidrow.com/

For more than a decade, Gangster Granni was among the 5,000-8,000 individuals living homeless in Skid Row. After getting approved for Section 8 housing, she forged a strong bond with a mutual aid worker and together they set to the task of getting her and keeping her in a home.


 

Review: ‘The Fabulous Allan Carr’ illustrates an outrageous legacy.

SYNOPSIS
Armed with a limitless Rolodex and a Benedict Canyon enclave with its own disco, Allan Carr threw the Hollywood Parties that defined the 1970’s.  A producer, manager, and marketing genius, Carr built his bombastic reputation amid a series of successes including the mega-hit musical film GREASE and the Broadway sensation LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, until it all came crashing down after he produced the notorious debacle of the 1989 Academy Awards.

One boisterous man was the driving force in Hollywood glamour and parties in the 70’s. He is also responsible for one of the most beloved movie musical of all time. Allan Carr was essentially a self-made PR maven. The irony of his eventual takedown by the critics that once thought he spun gold is not surprising. This film gives us everything from interviews with Carr during his ups and downs, intimate sit down interviews with friends and peers, and even footage from the infamous academy awards ceremony. But the best part of this film is feeling like you’re now part of the history of the best of Allan Carr. Who doesn’t love Grease?!  La Cage is legendary. His love of the golden age of Hollywood combined with Broadway gave the world a plethora of entertainment that was someone’s cup of tea at any given point, regardless of the monetary success. Thank goodness for Allan Carr and his fabulousness. Cheers to Allan up in that malt shop in the sky.

The Fabulous Allan Carr from Jeffrey Schwarz on Vimeo.

June 5th VOD

Directed by Jeffrey Schwarz
Produced by John Boccardo & Jeffrey Schwarz
 

OSCAR® Nominated Documentary Films Now Streaming FREE Online, Showing in Theaters: ‘Knife Skills’ & ‘Edith+Eddie’

Not sure what to watch tonight? Give one of these a try.

EDITH+EDDIE is now streaming for free at First Look Media’s Topic.com and YouTube 

29:34 minutes

“EDITH+EDDIE is one of the finest observational documentaries of the year. What starts as a sweet and tender portrayal of elderly interracial love transforms into a damning cry against institutionalized elder abuse. It’s currently [nominated] for the Best Short Documentary at this year’s Oscars and deserves to win.”
– ShortFilms.org

Official Website

https://youtu.be/RBNLxU98svQ

KNIFE SKILLS is now streaming for free from The New Yorker and Condé Nast Entertainment at NewYorker.com and YouTube

39:53 minutes

“KNIFE SKILLS brought me to tears. It’s an incredibly powerful story…And the idea of these people, these men and women, who get a second chance at life, from prison, it’s amazing.”
– Wade Major, KPCC FilmWeek

Official Website

This year’s Oscar-Nominated movies on HBO

Get Out

A black photographer’s weekend meeting his white girlfriend’s parents takes a terrifying turn in this horror hit from Jordan Peele.

  1. Performance by an actor in a leading role: Daniel Kaluuyain
  2. Achievement in directing: Jordan Peele
  3. Best motion picture of the year: Sean McKittrick, Jason Blum, Edward H. Hamm Jr. and Jordan Peele, Producers
  4. Original screenplay: Written by Jordan Peele

Kong: Skull Island

An expedition to a mythical island finds the place crawling with prehistoric dangers, led by the giant ape himself, King Kong.

  • Achievement in visual effects: Stephen Rosenbaum, Jeff White, Scott Benza and Mike Meinardus

Logan

A broken-down Logan (Hugh Jackman) comes to the aid of a young mutant girl who is just like him in this 3rd ‘Wolverine’ film.

  • Adapted screenplay: Screenplay by Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green; Story by James Mangold

This year’s Oscar-Nominated movies to Rent or Buy

RENT OR BUY

Blade Runner 2049

Officer K (Ryan Gosling), a new blade runner for the Los Angeles Police Department, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. His discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former blade runner who’s been missing for 30 years.

  1. Achievement in cinematography: Roger A. Deakins
  2. Achievement in production design: Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Alessandra Querzola
  3. Achievement in sound editing: Mark Mangini and Theo Green
  4. Achievement in sound mixing: Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill and Mac Ruth
  5. Achievement in visual effects: John Nelson, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert and Richard R. Hoover

Dunkirk

In May 1940, Germany advanced into France, trapping Allied troops on the beaches of Dunkirk. Under air and ground cover from British and French forces, troops were slowly and methodically evacuated from the beach using every serviceable naval and civilian vessel that could be found. At the end of this heroic mission, 330,000 French, British, Belgian and Dutch soldiers were safely evacuated.

  1. Achievement in cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema
  2. Achievement in directing: Christopher Nolan
  3. Achievement in editing: Lee Smith
  4. Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score): Hans Zimmer
  5. Best motion picture of the year: Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
  6. Achievement in production design: Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
  7. Achievement in sound editing: Richard King and Alex Gibson
  8. Achievement in sound mixing: Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landaker and Gary A. Rizzo

Beauty and the Beast

Belle (Emma Watson), a bright, beautiful and independent young woman, is taken prisoner by a beast (Dan Stevens) in its castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the beast’s hideous exterior, allowing her to recognize the kind heart and soul of the true prince that hides on the inside.

  1. Achievement in costume design: Jacqueline Durran
  2. Achievement in production design: Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer

Victoria & Abdul

Abdul Karim arrives from India to participate in Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee. The young clerk is surprised to find favor with the queen herself. As Victoria questions the constrictions of her long-held position, the two forge an unlikely and devoted alliance that her household and inner circle try to destroy. As their friendship deepens, the queen begins to see a changing world through new eyes, joyfully reclaiming her humanity.

  1. Achievement in costume design: Consolata Boyle
  2. Achievement in makeup and hairstyling: Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard

Last Men in Aleppo

Members of the volunteer group White Helmets offer aid to the wounded during the Syrian civil war.

  • Best documentary feature: Feras Fayyad, Kareem Abeed and Søren Steen Jespersen

Baby Driver

Talented getaway driver Baby (Ansel Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. After meeting the woman (Lily James) of his dreams, he sees a chance to ditch his shady lifestyle and make a clean break. Coerced into working for a crime boss (Kevin Spacey), Baby must face the music as a doomed heist threatens his life, love and freedom.

  1. Achievement in film editing: Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos
  2. Achievement in sound editing: Julian Slater
  3. Achievement in sound mixing: Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin and Mary H. Ellis

War for the Planet of the Apes

Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless colonel (Woody Harrelson). After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both of their species and the future of the planet.

  • Achievement in visual effects: Joe Letteri, Daniel Barrett, Dan Lemmon and Joel Whist

Loving Vincent

Loving Vincent is the world’s first fully painted feature film produced by Oscar-winning studios Breakthru Films and Trademark Films.

  • Best animated feature film of the year: Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman and Ivan Mactaggart

This year’s Oscar-Nominated movies on Netflix

Mudbound

Two Mississippi families — one black, one white — confront the brutal realities of prejudice, farming, and friendship in a divided World War II era.

  1. Performance by an actress in a supporting role: Mary J. Blige
  2. Achievement in cinematography: Rachel Morrison
  3. Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song): “Mighty River”
    Music and Lyric by Mary J. Blige, Raphael Saadiq and Taura Stinson
  4. Adapted screenplay: Screenplay by Virgil Williams and Dee Rees

https://youtu.be/xucHiOAa8Rs

Icarus

An American filmmaker and cyclist unwittingly wade into a global scandal when a Russian scientist leaks shocking details of a vast doping conspiracy.

  • Best documentary feature: Bryan Fogel and Dan Cogan

Strong Island

The forces of family, grief and racial injustice converge in this powerful documentary exploring the murder of filmmaker Yance Ford’s brother.

  • Best documentary feature: Yance Ford and Joslyn Barnes

Heroin(e)

This documentary follows three women — a fire chief, a judge, and a street missionary — as they battle West Virginia’s devastating opioid epidemic.

  • Best documentary short subject: Elaine McMillion Sheldon and Kerrin Sheldon

On Body and Soul

Two shy and socially awkward co-workers in Budapest form a special bond through a mysterious mystic connection that manifests in a dream.

  • Best foreign language film of the year: Hungary

The Boss Baby

A new baby’s arrival impacts a family, told from the point of view of a delightfully unreliable narrator — a wildly imaginative 7-year-old named Tim. The most unusual Boss Baby (Alec Baldwin) arrives at Tim’s home in a taxi, wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase. The instant sibling rivalry must soon be put aside when Tim discovers that Boss Baby is actually a spy on a secret mission, and only he can help thwart a dastardly plot that involves an epic battle between puppies and babies.

  • Best animated feature film of the year: Producers Tom McGrath and Ramsey Naito

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Set to the sonic backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true origin.

  • Achievement in visual effects: Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Jonathan Fawkner and Dan Sudick

This year’s Oscar-Nominated movies with Amazon Prime

The Big Sick

Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani and grad student Emily Gardner fall in love but struggle as their cultures clash. When Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail finds himself forced to face her feisty parents, his family’s expectations, and his true feelings.

  • Original screenplay: Written by Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani

Abacus: Small Enough to Jail

From acclaimed director Steve James, Abacus: Small Enough to Jail tells the saga of the Chinese immigrant Sung family, owners of Abacus Federal Savings of Chinatown, New York. Accused of mortgage fraud, Abacus becomes the only bank prosecuted after the 2008 financial crisis. The indictment and subsequent trial forces the Sung family to defend themselves over the course of a five-year legal battle.

  • Best documentary feature: Steve James, Mark Mitten and Julie Goldman

Review: ‘Maudie’ brings Sally Hawkins into the Oscar race.

Based on a true story, MAUDIE charts the unlikely romance between Maud Lewis, a folk artist who blossoms in later life, and the curmudgeonly recluse, Everett.

Maud, bright-eyed but hunched with crippled hands, yearns to be independent, to live away from her protective family and she also yearns, passionately, to create art. When she answers an ad for a housekeeper for the reclusive Everett, a local fish peddler, the two strike up an unlikely romance. Maud’s determination for her art, along with her partnership with Everett, blossoms into a career as a famous folk artist, bringing them closer together in ways they never imagined.

Maudie is the story of two misunderstood people who yearn for physical and emotional connection. Finding one another at their loneliest, Maud and Everett form a seemingly unlikely bond navigating their way from work relationship to honest intimacy. The script has a quiet beauty, with cinematography that is as vibrant as Maud’s unique artwork. Sally Hawkins‘ performance in the titular role is nothing short of award-worthy. While portraying real life folk artist stricken with severe arthritis, each movement seems both physically pained and balletic all at once. Ethan Hawke steps outside his usual cool guy fare to portray a rather rough around the edges fishermonger. Their chemistry on screen is an absolute joy to watch. Maudie is an unusual love story that will capture your heart and touch your soul.

Original Art from Maud Lewis

** Official Selection of the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival **

In Theaters June 16, 2017

Starring:
Sally Hawkins (HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, BLUE JASMINE)
Ethan Hawke (BOYHOOD, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN)
Kari Matchett (“Covert Affairs”, “24”)
Gabrielle Rose (THE SWEET HEREAFTER, IF I STAY)
Zachary Bennett (“Orphan Black”)

Directed by: Aisling Walsh
Written by: Sherry White

Review: Oscar Nominated Documentary Shorts

oscar shorts 2016Here I am back it after a brief hiatus and I’m happy that this year I am fortunate enough to bring you coverage of this year’s Oscar-nominated short films. Over the next few days, I will roll out reviews in each of the categories – documentary, animation and live action. Since I’m the resident documentary cat around here at Reel News Daily, I thought I would start off in that category. These films cover a variety of important and emotional topics from honor killings in Pakistan to the affects of Agent Orange on the youth of Vietnam to the fallout of capital punishment on the family of the accused. These five films hit every emotional string that you can imagine and leave an impression long after the viewing has ended.

Body Team 12

oscar shorts 16 - body team 12Body Team 12, directed by David Darg (as well as produced by Paul Allen of Microsoft fame as well as actress Olivia Wilde), follows one of the teams charged with removing the bodies of the those who died during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia this past year. It is shown through the perspective of the only female member. Body Team 12 is a moving portrait of community members doing an incredibly difficult and dangerous job to do their part to help curb the epidemic. That said, there are some incredibly difficult parts in watching family members of the deceased deal with the loss of their loved ones. The shortest film in the bunch at just over 13 minutes, Body Team 12 is able to pack a narrative wallop that hits you right in the gut, which makes it no wonder that it was nominated for an Oscar in this category. This film will debut on HBO in March.

 

Chau, beyond the lines

oscar shorts 16 chauChau, beyond the lines is a moving film about Chau, a young man whose body is deformed from his parents having been exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. Because of the degree of care he needed, Chau was sent to a peace camp (an orphanage of sorts) where other children – some more, others less – affected by Agent Orange live and are taken care of by a group of state-funded nurses. Chau is an artist at heart and spends his time dedicating himself to honing his craft, which isn’t easy because of the deformities that have affected his hands and arms. Every year, Chau submits a piece to a national contest for young artists across the country, each believing and hoping that he can win and garner some attention on the merits of his art, not his disabilities. Make no bones about it, this one is a difficult watch, but well worth it. This is a story that shows that nearly 45 years after the end of the war in Vietnam, the price is still paid for the hostilities. Chau has an unbelievably positive outlook on life and begs us to all ask the question, “why can’t we do the same?” Written and directed by Courtney Marsh.

Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah

oscar shorts 16 - lanzmann posterAdam Benzine‘s short treatise on director Claude Lanzmann and the making of his seminal documentary on the Holocaust, Shoah. The director queries Lanzmann and others (including fellow documentarian Marcel Ophüls who calls Lanzmann a megalomaniac) about the struggles of making of the film as well as its impact. What can be sure is that Shoah is indeed a masterpiece and widely considered one of the best documentaries ever made. The 12 years that went into filming and editing this film took a toll on Lanzmann who was never the same after making it. From having to surreptitiously record conversations with former Nazis to getting beaten by some who found out his game to having to listen to the stories of those who survived concentration camps like Treblinka and Auschwitz, it’s no wonder. An incredilby affecting piece, Lanzmann is a person worthy of documenting, which makes sense since his life was devoted to the same thing. This film debuts on HBO in May.

A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness

oscar shorts 16 - girl in the riverDirected by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness is by far the film that I found had to most effect on me in this category. After a few contextual shots of the city of Gujranwala, Pakistan (population 5 million), the film opens with Saba Qaiser in the emergency room of the hospital, getting her face stitched up from a gunshot wound. Saba had been attacked by her father and uncle in an effort to kill her for dishonoring their family by marrying someone of a social class they didn’t believe high enough and disobeying her father’s orders. The film opens with a statistic that nearly every year, 1,000 of the so-called honor killings take place in Pakistan despite being illegal. Saba was fortunate in some ways to survive this attack. Fortunate in that she lived, but unfortunate that she must now face the pressing question of whether she should forgive her father and uncle and let them free from jail where they can essentially attack her again if they please. She is adamant against forgiving them and even goes so far as to say they should be killed in a public market as an example to any others considering doing this. However, the reality is her mother and sisters face a lifetime of shame because of her deeds and with her father the sole breadwinner in the house, they would likely not be able to support themselves. A decision that is heavier than anything I can imagine. That Obaid-Chinoy was able to access Saba throughout the entire ordeal makes this film really quite stunning and heartbreaking all the same. If I had a vote for the Oscar, this one gets mine. This film will also debut on HBO in March.

The trailer for this film can be found here.

Last Day of Freedom

oscar shorts 16 - last day of freedomThe final nominee is Last Day of Freedom directed by Dee Hibbert-Jones and Nomi Talisman, is one of the more innovative films nominated in this category I’ve seen to date. It is animated, a kind of mixture of recreations a la Errol Morris with a something that resembles the style of Richard Linklater‘s Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly. The film allows Bill Babbitt to tell the story of his brother, Manny, a Vietnam vet who was arrested for murder and sentenced to death. The circumstances surrounding Manny‘s actions were colored by his PTSD and schizophrenia diagnosis, but somehow he still found himself on death row. Bill‘s account gives such a stark and emotional rendering of what it is like to live in the shadow of a loved one’s violent actions, that it wasn’t just the victim and their family who have suffered, but also the loved one’s of the perpetrator. Not only that, this films serves as a stark reminder, one that we seem to see all too many times these days, that justice is not always served.

 

By no means are these films uplifting as they all expose a piece of misery of that sticks with their subjects every single day. What they do do, as I think only documentaries can do, is shed light on subject matter that isn’t easy to face or confront and allow it to be seen in a way that is neither heavy-handed nor flippant. These films help us remind us that even at times when things are the shittiest, that humanity can still succeed. While I don’t have access to the many films that were submitted for this award, I can say that these films represent the documentary spirit well.

 

The Academy unanimously voted to increase diversity of membership by 2020

Oscars

###

In a unanimous vote Thursday night (1/21), the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences approved a sweeping series of substantive changes designed to make the Academy’s membership, its governing bodies, and its voting members significantly more diverse.  The Board’s goal is to commit to doubling the number of women and diverse members of the Academy by 2020.

“The Academy is going to lead and not wait for the industry to catch up,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “These new measures regarding governance and voting will have an immediate impact and begin the process of significantly changing our membership composition.”

Beginning later this year, each new member’s voting status will last 10 years, and will be renewed if that new member has been active in motion pictures during that decade.  In addition, members will receive lifetime voting rights after three ten-year terms; or if they have won or been nominated for an Academy Award.  We will apply these same standards retroactively to current members.  In other words, if a current member has not been active in the last 10 years they can still qualify by meeting the other criteria.  Those who do not qualify for active status will be moved to emeritus status.  Emeritus members do not pay dues but enjoy all the privileges of membership, except voting.  This will not affect voting for this year’s Oscars.

At the same time, the Academy will supplement the traditional process in which current members sponsor new members by launching an ambitious, global campaign to identify and recruit qualified new members who represent greater diversity.

In order to immediately increase diversity on the Board of Governors, the Academy will establish three new governor seats that will be nominated by the President for three-year terms and confirmed by the Board.

The Academy will also take immediate action to increase diversity by adding new members who are not Governors to its executive and board committees where key decisions about membership and governance are made. This will allow new members an opportunity to become more active in Academy decision-making and help the organization identify and nurture future leaders.

Along with Boone Isaacs, the Board’s Membership and Administration Committee, chaired by Academy Governor Phil Robinson, led the efforts to enact these initiatives.

2016 Oscar Nominations are Here!

Oscars

Here’s the complete list for the 88th Academy Awards:

BEST PICTURE

  • The Big Short
  • Bridge of Spies
  • Brooklyn
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Martian
  • The Revenant
  • Room
  • Spotlight

BEST ACTOR

  • Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
  • Matt Damon, The Martian
  • Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
  • Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
  • Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

BEST ACTRESS

  • Cate Blanchett, Carol
  • Brie Larson, Room
  • Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
  • Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
  • Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

  • Christian Bale, The Big Short
  • Tom Hardy, The Revenant
  • Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
  • Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
  • Sylvester Stallone, Creed

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

  • Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
  • Rooney Mara, Carol
  • Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
  • Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
  • Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

DIRECTING

  • The Big Short
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Revenant
  • Room
  • Spotlight

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

  • Anomolisa
  • Boy and the World
  • Inside Out
  • Shaun the Sheep Movie
  • When Marie Was There

COSTUME DESIGN

  • Carol
  • Cinderella
  • The Danish Girl
  • Mad Mad: Fury Road
  • The Revenant

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

  • Amy
  • Cartel Land
  • The Look of Silence
  • What Happened, Miss Simone?
  • Winter on Fire

DOCUMENTARY SHORT

  • Body Team
  • Chau, Beyong the Lines
  • Flaude Lanzmann
  • A Girl in the River
  • Last Day of Freedom

MAKEUP AND HAIR STYLING

  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
  • The Revenant

ORIGINAL SONG

  • Earned It
  • Simple Song #3
  • The Hunting Ground
  • Til It Happens to You
  • Writings on the Wall

ANIMATED SHORT

  • Bear Story
  • Prologue
  • Sanjay’s Super Team
  • We Can’t Leave Without Cosmos
  • World of Tomorrow

SOUND EDITING

  • Mad Mad: Fury Road
  • Sicario
  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • The Martian
  • The Revenant

FILM EDITING

  • The Big Short
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Revenant
  • Spotlight
  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

  • Embrace of the Serpent
  • Mustang
  • Son of Saul
  • Theeb
  • A War

ORIGINAL SCORE

  • Bridge of Spies
  • Carol
  • The Hateful Eight
  • Sicario
  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens

PRODUCTION DESIGN

  • Bridge of Spies
  • The Danish Girl
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Martian
  • The Revenant

VISUAL EFFECTS

  • Ex Machina
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Martian
  • The Revenant
  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

  • The Big Short
  • Brooklyn
  • Carol
  • The Martian
  • Room

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

  • Bridge of Spies
  • Ex Machina
  • Inside Out
  • Spotlight
  • Straight Outta Compton

2015 Razzie Award Nominations are Here

Razzie-Awards-2012

Every year there are those movies that make us glad to be alive…and then there are these turds. The Razzle awards stands as a beacon for all who stand for only good movies and call out those who put out anything less.

Here’s the full list of nominees for the Razzies.

Worst picture
Fantastic Four
Fifty Shades of Grey
Jupiter Ascending
Paul Blart Mall Cop 2
Pixels

Worst actor
Johnny Depp, Mortdecai
Jamie Dornan, Fifty Shades of Grey
Kevin James, Paul Blart Mall Cop 2
Adam Sandler, The Cobbler and Pixels
Channing Tatum, Jupiter Ascending

Worst actress
Katherine Heigl, Home Sweet Hell
Dakota Johnson, Fifty Shades of Grey
Mila Kunis, Jupiter Ascending
Jennifer Lopez, The Boy Next Door
Gwyneth Paltrow, Mortdecai

Worst supporting actor
Chevy Chase, Hot Tub Time Machine 2 and Vacation
Josh Gad, Pixels and The Wedding Ringer
Kevin James, Pixels
Jason Lee, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Chip
Eddie Redmayne, Jupiter Ascending

Worst supporting actress
Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Chip and The Wedding Ringer
Rooney Mara, Pan
Michelle Monaghan, Pixels
Julianne Moore, Seventh Son
Amanda Seyfried, Love the Coopers and Pan

Worst remake or sequel:
Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Road Chip
Fantastic Four
Hot Tub Time Machine 2
Human Centipede 3
Paul Blart Mall Cop 2

Worst screen combo
Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara and Jamie Bell, Fantastic Four
Johnny Depp and his glued-on mustache,Mortdecai
Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson, Fifty Shades of Grey
Kevin James and either his Segway or glued-on mustache, Paul Blart Mall Cop 2
Adam Sandler and any pair of shoes, The Cobbler

Worst director
Andy Fickman, Paul Blart Mall Cop 2
Tom Six, Human Centipede 3
Sam Taylor-Johnson, Fifty Shades of Grey
Josh Trank, Fantastic Four
Andy and Lana Wachowski, Jupiter Ascending

Worst screenplay
Simon Kinberg, Jeremy Slater and Josh Trank,Fantastic Four
Kelly Marcel, Fifty Shades of Grey
Andy and Lana Wachowski, Jupiter Ascending
Kevin James and Nick Bakay, Paul Blart Mall Cop 2
Tim Herlihy and Timothy Dowling, Pixels

Razzies redeemer award
Elizabeth Banks
M. Night Shyamalan
Will Smith
Sylvester Stallone

Which of these 20 films would you nominate for an Oscar?

Oscars

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 20 films are in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 88th Academy Awards®.

[poll id=”123″]

The Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the preliminary shortlist.  This year, in the Visual Effects category, the number of eligible films initially shortlisted for further consideration was increased to a maximum of 20 titles.  The number of films that will be shortlisted for nominations voting remains at 10, which will be announced later this month.
The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

The 88th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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‘CAROL’ comes to life on the silver screen today. Here are a few reasons why we think it shouldn’t be missed.

Carol poster

As one of the most anticipated films of this year’s New York Film Festival, CAROL most certainly blew everyone’s expectations out of the water. Here are just a few reasons why we adore this elegant film…Carol still Cate and RooneyThe Plot:

 In an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s seminal novel The Price of Salt, CAROL follows two women from very different backgrounds who find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. As conventional norms of the time challenge their undeniable attraction, an honest story emerges to reveal the resilience of the heart in the face of change. A young woman in her 20s, Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), is a clerk working in a Manhattan department store and dreaming of a more fulfilling life when she meets Carol (Cate Blanchett), an alluring woman trapped in a loveless, convenient marriage. As an immediate connection sparks between them, the innocence of their first encounter dims and their connection deepens. While Carol breaks free from the confines of marriage, her husband (Kyle Chandler) begins to question her competence as a mother as her involvement with Therese and close relationship with her best friend Abby (Sarah Paulson) come to light.

ROONEY MARA and CATE BLANCHETT star in CAROL

ROONEY MARA and CATE BLANCHETT star in CAROL

The Cinematography:

Edward Lachman is a genius behind the camera. Having worked hand in hand with Director Todd Haynes on Far From Heaven in 2002, his visual landscape for Carol is unmatched. Shot in 16mm, perfectly framed, with delicate but specific shots through windows and the focus on the color of crimson and corals, make this a true feast for the eyes.

You can watch Ed discuss his experience in an interview from NYFF53 here.Carol still Kyle Chandler

The Performances:

We’re not shy about our love for Cate Blanchett, nor is The Academy. In truth, there is not a single loose thread in the casting of this film. In the film’s press conference this week, you could see and hear the passion the entire cast held for the project and the respect they had for Phyllis Nagy‘s immaculate adaptation. This is not a story about a lesbian couple, this is a story of two people falling in love. The effortless nature of Blanchett, Mara, Chandler, Paulson, and Lacy as an ensemble evokes the kind of emotion so rarely experienced in the cinema these days. Both Cate and Rooney landed on my Top Female Performances of NYFF53 list. Lacy’s boyish charm and naivete bound off the screen. Chandler’s masculinity and energy are a powerful match for both the period and Blanchett. And as for Sarah Paulson (my favorite player in American Horror Story, every season), well, I wanted to put her in my pocket and place her in every film from here on out. It’s the kind of presence that should not be overlooked, ever. These actors are extraordinarily great at their jobs. There is no doubt about it, CAROL is a timeless film.

(L-R) KYLE CHANDLER and CATE BLANCHETT star in CAROL

(L-R) KYLE CHANDLER and CATE BLANCHETT star in CAROL

For a mere taste of what you’re in for, here is the trailer:

CAROL– Opening In Limited Theaters November 20, 2015

Rated R | Runtime 118 minutes

Carol still Sarah PaulsonCarol still Rooney

Carol still Todd Haynes and Cate Blachett

 

Chris Rock returns to host the next Academy Awards

Oscarschris rock

Multi-hyphenate artist and filmmaker Chris Rock will return to host the Oscars® for a second time, producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today.  The 88th Academy Awards® will be broadcast live on Oscar® Sunday, February 28, 2016, on the ABC Television Network.  Rock previously hosted the 77th Oscars telecast in 2005.

“Chris Rock is truly the MVP of the entertainment industry,” said Hill and Hudlin. “Comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, documentarian – he’s done it all.  He’s going to be a phenomenal Oscar host!”

“I’m so glad to be hosting the Oscars,” said Rock. “It’s great to be back.”

“We share David and Reggie’s excitement in welcoming Chris, whose comedic voice has really defined a generation,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs.  “He is certain to bring his amazing array of talents to this year’s show.”

“Chris may be best known as a stand-up comic, but we think of him as a creative innovator in many other ways. He is unafraid in his artistry,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson.  “We couldn’t be happier to welcome him back to the Oscars.”

“Chris Rock is a comedic powerhouse who will bring tremendous energy to the event, and we’re honored to have him,” said Paul Lee, President ABC Entertainment Group.

With a career spanning more than three decades, Rock most recently directed the comedy special “Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo,” which premiered this month on HBO.  In 2014 he wrote, directed and starred in the critically acclaimed feature “Top Five,” and in 2009 ventured into the documentary world as a writer, producer and star of “Good Hair.”

Rock has enjoyed ongoing success in both film and television as a comedian, actor, writer, producer and director.  His feature acting credits include “I Think I Love My Wife,” which he also wrote and directed, “Head of State” (writer, producer and director), “Death at a Funeral” (also producer), and the first three films in the blockbuster “Madagascar” series, as the voice of Marty.  His other acting credits include “The Longest Yard,” “Nurse Betty,” “2 Days in New York” and “Lethal Weapon 4.”  In 2011 Rock made his Broadway debut starring in “The Motherfucker with the Hat,” which was nominated for six Tony Awards®, including Best Play.  In television, Rock created, executive produced and narrated the series “Everybody Hates Chris,” which ran from 2005 to 2009 and was inspired by Rock’s childhood.  He was a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” from 1990 to 1993.

Known internationally for his groundbreaking stand-up comedy, Rock has won four Emmy® Awards for his comedy series and specials, including “Chris Rock – Kill the Messenger,” “The Chris Rock Show” and “Chris Rock: Bring the Pain,” and has achieved record audience numbers around the world.  He also has earned three Grammy® Awards for his comedy albums Never Scared, Bigger and Blacker and Roll with the New.

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.