This first week of March is a very busy week, with so many Oscar nominated films, and a few other new releases, and all of them are vying for your attention. So let’s try to sort through them.
I, Tonya
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
With: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, and Allison Janney
What is it about? Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the activity is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes.
Heads Up: Nominated for 3 Oscars (including Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress), this is another DIFF2017 films that was a crowd-pleaser and better than expected. I highly recommend it.
Lady Bird
Directed by: Greta Gerwig
With: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts
What is it about? In 2002, an artistically inclined seventeen-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.
Heads Up: Actress Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut is a wonderful coming of age story, which I predict will endure the test of time. Nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress, this film is a must-see and is only showing in one screen at VOX Mall of Emirates as a part of DIFF365 program, so don’t you miss it!
The Square
Directed by: Ruben Östlund
With: Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Dominic West
What is it about?A prestigious Stockholm museum’s chief art curator finds himself in times of both professional and personal crisis as he attempts to set up a controversial new exhibit.
Heads Up: The Swedish film that won Palme d’Or winner at Cannes last year is also nominated for an Best Foreign Language Oscar. Our critics including Shariq Madani saw it during DIFF2017 and liked it quite a bit. In his 4 starts review he wrote: “The Square’s greatest achievement is conveying its message in a most unsophisticated way, yet without making it stupid“. Note that this is also a DIFF365 film, so check for show-timings at VOX MoE.
Loveless
Directed by: Andrey Zvyagintsev
With: Maryana Spivak, Aleksey Rozin, Matvey Novikov
What is it about? A couple going through a divorce must team up to find their son who has disappeared during one of their bitter arguments.
Heads Up: This Russian drama is nominated for Best Foreign Language Oscar, and was screened in DIFF2017, and got favorable reviews from our critics. Faizan Rashid in his 4½ stars review wrote: “The film slowly, quietly, meditatively builds to its haunting conclusion, which by the time it arrives leaves a shattering and long-lasting impression“. This is also a DIFF365 film, so check for show-timings at VOX MoE.
Last Flag Flying
Directed by: Richard Linklater
With: Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, and Laurence Fishburne
What is it about? Thirty years after they served together in Vietnam, a former Navy Corpsman Larry “Doc” Shepherd reunites with his old buddies, former Marines Sal Nealon and Reverend Richard Mueller, to bury his son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War.
Heads Up: Although this film did not register strongly with critics or audience, it was generally well-received. The general consensus is that it “balances raw drama against refreshing moments of humor in an impeccably cast film“. I’d say give it a go. After all, you can’t really go wrong with Richard Linklater.
Death Wish
Directed by: Eli Roth
With: Bruce Willis, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Elisabeth Shue
What is it about? A family man becomes a vigilante killing machine when his family is violently attacked by robbers.
Heads Up: This remake of the 70s film is from director Eli Roth (Hostel, Cabin Fever) and his films are often labeled “torture porn” because they are so gory and visceral. With so many better choices this week, only genre fans should bother with it.
Gnome Alone
Directed by: Peter Lepeniotis
With: Becky G, Josh Peck, and Tara Strong
What is it about? When Chloe discovers that her new home’s garden gnomes are not what they seem, she must decide between the pursuit of a desired high school life and taking up the fight against the Troggs.
Heads Up: Judging by the trailer, this animation looks silly and harmless, with a plot that seems for a videogame rather than an actual movie. I’d say try to find something else for your children to do instead of taking them to see this.
Pari
Directed by: Prosit Roy
With: Anushka Sharma Kohli, Parambrata Chatterjee, Rajat Kapoor
What is it about? An abuse victim is rescued by a cop, but can he save her haunted soul?
Heads Up: This film looks like yet another attempt from Bollywood to emulate Korean and Japanese supernatural horror films. Kudos to Anushka Sharma Kohli for going for such an unglamorous role, but even as a huge horror fan, this does nothing for me.
Oscar Time Re-releases:
If you missed them on their initial run, DIFF365 and VOX MoE are also showing these Oscar nominated films starting this weekend:
Get Out
4 Oscar Nominations: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay
What is it about? It’s time for a young African-American to meet with his white girlfriend’s parents for a weekend in their secluded estate in the woods, but before long, the friendly and polite ambience will give way to a nightmare.
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Blade Runner 2049
5 Oscar Nominations: Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Production Design
Review: Our critic Faizan Rashid described it as “Sly, somber and serious, Blade Runner 2049 is an apt continuation and expansion of the universe created by the original Blade Runner“.
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