Foreign Film Fridays: “Shoplifters” (Japan, 2018)

Welcome back to my recurring series, where I examine the best foreign films of recent years! Today I’m catching up on a 2018 flick I wasn’t able to see in theaters: Shoplifters, a family-drama from acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda. It tells the story of an impoverished young family who must rely on shoplifting to survive. The film won the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film awards on the planet, and was nominated for a slew of Best Foreign Language Film awards. What elevates this simple story to such heights?

“Climax” Film Review & Analysis

Climax (2019) is an experimental dance-horror flick from the legendary Gaspar Noé. It stars Sofia Boutella and an ensemble cast of dancers as a theater troupe who find themselves on an accidental acid trip during a cast party gone wrong. Noé is well-known for bending traditional cinematic rules to provide unique theatrical experiences, and this film is no exception. How does it rank among his best films?

“Us” Film Review & Analysis

Us (2019) is the much-anticipated second feature from Get Out director Jordan Peele. It stars Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke as a young couple with children whose beach vacation is disrupted by mysterious doppelgangers. With Peele’s first film proving such a cultural phenomenon, how could he possibly follow it up with anything remotely satisfactory to audiences and critics alike?

“Green Book” Script Analysis: Using Formula In Your Favor

A deep-dive analysis of Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay winner Green Book (2018) is less an exercise of searching for hidden meaning and more an exercise of determining how the filmmakers managed to appeal to such a wide audience. The film won over just about everybody (besides the Internet), earning box office success, critical acclaim, and multiple top honors on its way to Hollywood’s biggest award. How did a film with such a simple premise and execution manage to steal so many hearts? Let’s look closer!

“Triple Frontier” Film Review

Triple Frontier (2019) is the latest Netflix release from director J.C. Chandor, who for my money is one of the best breakout filmmakers of the decade. He co-wrote the script with Mark Boal, who won the Oscar for penning 2009’s The Hurt Locker. The film stars Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, and Charlie Hunham among others as military vets caught in a web of drugs, guns, and blood money in South America. This film was high on my most anticipated films of the year list, so I was understandably excited to check it out. Can Chandor strike gold once more before his stellar decade is done?

“The Favourite” Script Analysis: The Balance of Power

The Favourite (2018) was one of my favorite films of last year, with brilliant performances by Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz, as well as gorgeous visuals under the sure hand of director Yorgos Lanthimos. But the best part of the film by far is the searing script by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, with some of my favorite characters, dialogue, and scenarios of the year. What exactly makes the script such a delight? Let’s dive in and find out for ourselves!