Acclaimed character actor Bill Nighy has earned his first Oscar nomination for his lead performance in Oliver Hermanus’ Living, a retelling of Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru set in 1950s London. Nighy more than deserves the nomination. This isn’t a case of his peers tipping their hats to his legacy of work. The role of Williams, an intimidating yet reclusive boss who learns about a critical health diagnosis giving him six months to live, is a change…
The Father is a really interesting Oscar contender, and not just within this year’s nominees – it would be a stand-out during any year.
By: Trevor Chartrand It doesn’t take a car enthusiast to enjoy the high-octane drama that fuels Ford v Ferrari, one of the best movies of 2019. Director James Mangold (Walk the Line, Logan) helms this fast paced, in-your-face film that’s based on the true story of the ‘car wars’ that took place in the late 1960s. The film comes fully loaded with a classic look, (mostly) strong characters, and a tight, focused story. Ford v Ferrari…
Peter Farrelly’s Oscar-winning film Green Book has proven to be a divisive film for audiences, which is strange considering it fits the bill to be a general crowd-pleaser.
There are some things that Andrey Zvyagintsev is very good at, such as political commentary. There are some things that Zvyagintsev is awful at, such as portrayals (or occasionally even the inclusion) of women in his films. So, what happens when Zvyagintsev makes a political film with a female lead? You end up with a disappointing monstrosity; one that could have been a masterpiece if a good forty percent was discarded. You end up with…
I don’t know what type of Oscar nominations I prefer: a list of predictable winners, or names and films that are constantly in a status shift. Judging by all of the different winners in recent award ceremonies, it’s clear the 90th annual Oscars fall in the latter category. But, again, I’m stumped over if I actually enjoy this much variety.
Award season is a long road. It all starts out with hubbub about a film that sparked acclaim on the festival circuit, followed by increased word-of-mouth when the movie begins an “exclusive engagement” in a modest independent theatre. The season is in full-effect when those indies start receiving showtimes in larger chains.
By: Addison Wylie I’ve been selling Nebraska to people as “a charming version of Fargo without the violence”. That gets attention fairly quickly. Alexander Payne’s drama, however, is more quaint than quirky. Nebraska’s prominent road trip involving a distracted father Woody (played by Bruce Dern) and his patiently courteous son David (played by Will Forte) coasts along flat landscapes. The two converse about the past and the exciting current possibilities of million dollar winnings Woody…
By: Addison Wylie “Bittersweet” is the best word to describe Her. Spike Jonze has taken our bad habits with technology and projected them to frame an original love story with messages of poignancy. It’s a personal film about an impersonal society. The characters on-screen are closed off to everyone around them. Among them is writer Theodore Twombly (played by Joaquin Phoenix who is a spitting image of Napoleon Dynamite’s “womanizing” brother Kip). People are enjoyably…
By: Addison Wylie American Hustle is like watching a group of distinguished hard boiled card players play poker when you’re only learning the ropes. None of them will break their deadpan expression or expose their hand. Suddenly, someone will make a game changing move and raise the stakes. Someone to your left leans over and – with pure exuberance – tells you how important the move was. Meanwhile, you nod with acknowledgment and when they’re…