We've already had one highly creative documentary for 2020 dealing with the aging process and dementia, in the form of the wonderful Dick Johnson is Dead. It was kind, heartfelt, and led by an absolutely charming central figure. It helped me deal with the grief and stress that I've been processing over the last year … Continue reading Espion-Age – The Mole Agent
Now elevated to the shortlist for International Feature, Russia's submission, Dear Comrades! succeeds in large part because of the intimacy of the main characters within the larger context of a brutal act of state-sponsored terrorism from the Soviet era. The film is best when concentrating on the core relationship between mother and daughter that spurs … Continue reading Not With My Daughter – Dear Comrades!
Relationship drama is about as basic as it gets when it comes to cinematic storytelling. After more than a century of film, it's not whether the story's been told before, but how one goes about telling it. Austria's submission to the Academy, What We Wanted, begins with an interesting spin on the prospect, but unfortunately … Continue reading Insert “Vienna Sausage” Joke Here – What We Wanted
Of all the International Feature submissions I've seen so far, Bangladesh definitely takes the crown for most unique, as it's strictly speaking not a feature. Instead, Sincerely Yours, Dhaka is an anthology of shorts directed by 11 up-and-coming filmmakers from the small South Asian country. Each has its own style, but like the Pulp Fiction-inspired … Continue reading 11 Short Films About Bangladesh – Sincerely Yours, Dhaka
It is appropriate that the protagonist of Mexico's Oscar entry, I'm No Longer Here, is named Ulises. Played admirably by Juan Daniel Garcia Trevino, the stoic lead of the story serves as a modern day Odysseus (Ulysses being the Latinized equivalent), on a solo journey to find himself a home thanks to a momentary lapse … Continue reading Follow My Feet – I’m No Longer Here
Every once in a while you come across a completely shameless tearjerker and are actually happy for the maudlin treacle. This is the case with Naomi Kawase's True Mothers, the official Oscar entry from Japan. Over the course of a deliberately paced two and a half hours, the film makes no illusions and no apologies … Continue reading Are You My Mommy? – True Mothers
There's a loving grace with which Italian filmmaker Filippo Meneghetti directs France's Oscar submission, Two of Us (Deux). While the underlying conflict is a tad bit contrived and could easily be solved with an honest conversation with all involved, he creates a grand metaphor for the personal and interpersonal doubt that the two leads feel … Continue reading Loving a Lie – Two of Us
Since the Golden Globe nominations came out today, it's only appropriate that I begin this review by invoking Ricky Gervais. In 2006, Gervais appeared in an episode of The Simpsons in which he is also the credited writer, the first time a guest star ever got the honors. One of the most famous lines of … Continue reading Slow Ride, A REALLY Slow Ride – No. 7 Cherry Lane
Directed by Stephanie Chuat and Veronique Reymond, My Little Sister, Switzerland's entry for the Academy Awards, works with a lot of familiar themes and family melodrama. At times it hints at something poignant, but on the whole it comes up short because of a reactionary lead that can't catch a break. The titular "little sister" … Continue reading Can’t You Find Another Way? – My Little Sister
There are 93 countries and territories that submitted a film for this year's International Feature category. That's a new record, beating last year's record, thanks to three new entrants, including Sudan, which officially throws its proverbial hat into the ring with You Will Die at Twenty, which if nothing else would be the runner-up for … Continue reading Come On, Live a Little – You Will Die at Twenty
