The 78th Golden Globes are now behind us, giving us our first glimpse at the big awards winners of the season! What films overperformed? Which ones were nowhere to be seen? Let’s look at the victors and determine what it all means for awards season moving forward!
The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021) is a biographical period drama movie from acclaimed director Lee Daniels. It stars Andra Day as the titular Billie Holiday, a 1940-50’s jazz singer who runs afoul of the U.S. government due to her drug abuse and provocative song lyrics. The film was touted as a big Oscars contender ahead of its Hulu release, but recent reviews have dampened some of those claims. Can this still break through at the 93rd Academy Awards?
Continue reading “‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday’ Film Review: Strange Fruit, Stranger Story”
2020 was possibly the strangest year for films in the entire history of cinema. With the entire industry hit hard by COVID-19, many studios fled for greener pastures in 2021 and beyond, while we were left with a wasteland of streaming and VOD options as theaters struggled to reopen. That said, we DID get some quality films this year that are worth talking about! Here are my ten favorite films released in the past fourteen months.
Supernova (2021) is a romantic drama film from writer-director Harry Macqueen. It stars Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci as Sam and Tusker, two longtime lovers who embark on a cross-country road trip after Tusker’s dementia diagnosis to see family and make memories on the road. The film debuted on the fall festival circuit ahead of a January PVOD release. Can this make Oscars noise at the upcoming 93rd Academy Awards?
Continue reading “‘Supernova’ Film Review: On Life, Futility and Partnership”
This Sunday marks the 78th Golden Globe Awards, giving us our first glimpse at which films and performances will be victorious this awards season! What do I believe will come out victorious? Who will become the next Bohemian Rhapsody, and who will be the next The Irishman?
I Care a Lot (2021) is a crime thriller from writer-director J Blakeson. It stars Rosamund Pike as Marla Grayson, a con woman who lands in the crosshairs of a mafia boss (Peter Dinklage) after successfully securing sole guardianship over his mother (Dianne Wiest). The film debuted at TIFF last fall and dropped this weekend worldwide on Netflix and Amazon Prime. Can this become a late-breaking contender in Best Actress and elsewhere?
Continue reading “‘I Care a Lot’ Film Review: An Antiheroine for the Ages”
This weekend marks the streaming release of Chloe Zhao’s masterpiece Nomadland, a poignant examination of the American nomadic lifestyle. It takes on the style of a documentary at times, allowing its real subjects to tell their stories in a free-flowing, almost anti-narrative fashion. However, there is a lot of intention behind the story structure and Zhao uses these characters and their experiences to explore themes of grief and loss. While each character has something specific they’ve lost in life, as a collective whole they are grieving the loss of a lifestyle that is no longer available to them – an America that no longer exists. And yet, the film can also be seen as a celebration of life and the rugged American way of life long forgotten and brought back to life by these modern-day nomads. Today, to celebrate this wonderful film being released to the general public, I will be exploring the ways in which this film speaks volumes about 21st Century America without needing a lot of words.
Continue reading “How ‘Nomadland’ Mourns America but Celebrates the American Spirit”
Welcome back to another belated film review round-up, where I give my (brief) thoughts on some recent releases I’ve seen! Today I’m catching up on a number of 2020-21 releases from the past few weeks. Enjoy my musings on The Little Things, Our Friend, The Dig, and Welcome to Chechnya!
Saint Maud (2021) is a psychological body horror film from debut writer-director Rose Glass. It stars Morfydd Clark as the titular Maud, a devoutly religious at-home nurse who takes a special interest in saving the soul of her latest patient. The film had a turbulent release schedule, debuted at TIFF 2019, hitting theaters in the UK last October, and finally releasing in the US via PVOD this past weekend. Why has this tiny little film been drawing such praise? **SPOILERS AHEAD!**
Continue reading “‘Saint Maud’ Film Review: An Ascent into Madness”
Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) is a biographical drama written and directed by Shaka King. It stars Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton, the young and inflammatory Chairman of the Black Panther Party, and Lakeith Stanfield as the young man who sells him out to the FBI. This was one of the last big unknowns of awards season, and I had the privilege of seeing the film at its Sundance Film Festival premiere. Will this be a big Oscar player as many suspect?
Continue reading “‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ Film Review: An Impersonal Betrayal”
Scriptophile 