Tag: oscars
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An Alternative Academy Awards 2018.
Despite how swept up I get during Award Season, it’s very important to always remember that The Oscars are, at their heart, utterly ridiculous. Part of the joy of this time of year is scoffing at the final selection of nominees and discussing with other cinephiles who and what have been royally snubbed. Here are…
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Elle.
From Starship Troopers to Showgirls, Paul Verhoeven has always been a provocative boundary pusher. He’s a Director who’s used satirical cinema to challenge his audience and has always provoked a reaction. His back-catalogue is a chaotic and versatile bag of contradictions and in many ways Elle is no different. When Michelle, the successful co-founder of…
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O.J.: Made in America.
This time last year, I was hooked on HBO’s The People vs. O.J. Simpson, despite initially only tuning in to get a peek at John Travolta’s startling transformation for his role. Only vaguely familiar with the legendary trial, which happened when I was only three or four, I found this re-imagining entertaining and engaging but…
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Moonlight.
From its first intoxicating moment, to its last; Moonlight is the sensational underdog of this year’s American award season. Capturing the life and mind-set of a young boy entering adulthood in Miami, Moonlight captures the ugliness of adolescence, the agony of addiction and the frustration of growing up as a young, black, gay man in…
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La La Land.
A mere two years since Damien Chazelle scooped up several Oscars with Whiplash – only his second feature film – the director returns with La La Land, looking set to dominate next month’s award ceremony. Starring Ryan Gosling’s charm and Emma Stone’s charisma, La La Land is set in contemporary Hollywood and follows two frustrated artists who find refuge in one…
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Manchester by the Sea.
Following the death of his brother, a handy man residing in Boston must return to his hometown to oversee arrangements for the funeral, as well as the aftercare of his nephew. Lee is insular and isolated, highlighted through the crisp white snow we see him shovelling in the film’s opening scenes. He is often wrapped…
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Still Alice.
It’s been over a month since Julianne Moore walked away with the Best Actress Academy Award for Still Alice; it seems an age ago. Here in the UK we only got to see her winning portrayal of a mother, professor and wife – who is suddenly struck by early onset Alzheimer’s disease – a week ago.…
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Foxcatcher.
I was advised that the less you know about the true story of Foxcatcher when you walk into the cinema, the better. A shocking and morbid tale about the manipulation and self-loathing that can infect a world-class athlete, Foxcatcher is a little too focused on its performances and constant sense of dread to fully deliver or captivate.…
Hannah McHaffie 