OSCAR WATCH: Hell or High Water

From "Robin Hood" to "Bonnie & Clyde", storytellers have long been fascinated with tales of the opressed stealing from the opressor. Whether it's medieval England or 20th century America, it seems that these narratives will continue to be relevant to society. And now with David Mackenzie's new crime drama "Hell or High Water" we have another example which brilliantly taps into the current zeitgeist.

Indeed, the sentiment is plain as day in the Texas backcountry which forms the film's setting. Signs proclaiming "Easy Credit" and "Debt Relief" are seemingly ubiquitous, a cry for help in a desolate land. Such a feeling of strife afflicts our two main protagonists Toby and Tanner Howard (played by Chris Pine and Ben Foster respectively), a pair of brothers who are desperate to save their family's farm from foreclosure. At wit's end, Toby comes up with a plan to rob the same Texas Midlands banks which have put them in their precarious situation. But a retiring Texas ranger on his last hurrah soon catches wind of their targeted operation. And with the assistance of his partner, he embarks on a mission to stop the duo in their tracks. Soon, what started as a "get rich quick" scheme evolves into something far more dangerous and complex than any of the men could have imagined.

That sense of danger is palpable from the opening scene, as we are introduced to Toby and Tanner as their bank robbery plan is already in motion, quickly displaying their contrasting personalities in the process. In perhaps their career-best performances, Chris Pine and Ben Foster make a believable and compelling match as the central brothers. Foster plays Tanner - freshly released from prison - as impulsive and confident, giving the character an unpredictable edge that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Pine on the other hand is the more measured mastermind as Toby, both weary and wary in a performance that completely upends his image as a "matinee idol" type. Their captivating work could certainly place them in the conversation for Best Actor (Chris Pine) and Best Supporting Actor (Ben Foster) respectively.

Completing this perfectly rugged trio is Jeff Bridges, delivering an equally awards-worthy performance as their relentless pursuer. And it's largely through his various interactions with his partner, witnesses and general bystanders that Mackenzie reveals the film's authentic portrait of Texan-style Americana. As we bask in Giles Nuttgens' stunning photography, the oil rigs and desolate towns give us an immediate understanding of the gun-toting, cantankerous people we meet along the way. Downtrodden but resilient, some of them are naturally sympathetic to the Howards' cause.

Indeed, although "Hell or High Water" is thrilling and wickedly funny, it is never frivolous. Throughout the chase, Mackenzie applies several grace notes with his direction, stopping the action to allow quietly reflective moments for the audience and the characters alike. Working with a brilliant screenplay from Taylor Sheridan and a highly effective score from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, he offers a critique of the downfalls of capitalism, as well as making astute commentary on issues of legacy, brotherhood and destiny. This thematic resonance could certainly position the film in the race for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. But regardless of the outcome when it's time for the Academy to select its best, "Hell or High Water" will live on as a cops and robbers movie for the ages.

Tweet

Top 10 TV Programs of 2015-2016

In less than 24 hours, the Emmy nominations for the 2015-2016 TV season and with that, we begin the final goodbyes to the past year of small screen programming. And what a great year it was, notably on the comedy side where shows both old and new brought as much depth and refined craft as their typically more esteemed drama counterparts. The laughers really brought it this year, proving that indeed, we are experiencing a renaissance for the TV comedy. Overall, there was much to love in this age of "too much TV", including stellar work from Variety Specials like "Lemonade" and anthologies like "Fargo". As such, I'm proud to present my Top 10 Programs of the 2015-2016 TV season:

Tweet

Top 10 Acting Performances of 2015-2016 TV

Looking back on the landscape of the 2015-2016 TV season, one thing is clear. The miniseries is where it's at for the best performances. From the understated tragedy of Oscar Isaac's character arc in "Show Me A Hero" to the fragile vulnerability of Lili Taylor on "American Crime", the various limited series provided a bevy of compelling characters and the A-grade acting to match. As a result, this year's Top 10 Performances was overwhelmingly dominated by shows with close-ended storylines. Below you'll find the full list of the Top 10 Performances that struck a chord with me this year.

Tweet

My Emmy Ballot: Drama

N.B. These ballots are based on the official submissions and follow the Emmy rules for nominations (i.e. 10 for Programs, 6 for Actors and 5 for Casting). All ballots are in ranked order, with winners in bold.

As always, the drama categories were once again fiercely competitive this past TV season, especially among the lead performers, with many gifted actors delivering superlative work. Indeed, the quality of acting was the main draw for me this year, which explains my obvious love for one show in particular. While most fans are singing the praises of Season 4 (I still need to catch up) of "Orange is the New Black", I'm still in awe of the brilliantly character-focused work of Season 3, which produced one of the most moving and cathartic seasons of television I've ever seen. As a result, this heavily female-driven show nearly swept my drama ballots this year, leaving room only for Louis CK's disarming dramatic performance on "Horace and Pete" and Graham McTavish's rambuctious turn as Dougal MacKenzie on "Outlander".

Here's my full list of winners and runners-up for the Drama categories for 2015-2016:

Tweet

My Emmy Ballot: Comedy

N.B. These ballots are based on the official submissions and follow the Emmy rules for nominations (i.e. 10 for Programs, 6 for Actors and 5 for Casting). All ballots are in ranked order, with winners in bold.

Looking back on the 2015-2016 season, there's no doubt that the Comedy Series categories will be some of the strongest at this year's Emmy race. With the allure of "Modern Family" finally starting to wane for many viewers (including myself, a former champion of the show), the "Next Big Thing" has come from surprising new places. Indeed, all my Comedy winners this year are first-timers. And of course, one of the most exciting developments is the diversity within the quality, which is evident all over my ballots. Much of that is thanks to the greatly improved "Black-ish", which had an endlessly hilarious season that also touched on the zeitgeist in thoughtful ways. Showrunner Kenya Barris et al. certainly proved that you don't need to be on cable to fuel a conversation (or thinkpiece).

So without further ado, here are my picks for the best of the best in the various Comedy categories for 2015-2016:

Tweet

NEW TV 2015-2016: Final Report Card

Wow, what another exciting year of television it's been, highlighted by a strong crop of fresh new programs. Among them, the comedies, miniseries and specials have been particularly impressive, with the level of acting, ambition and general talent on display continuing to redefine the boundaries of the medium. This year, I caught up with a grand total of 18 new shows. Here's a graded rundown of all of them:

Tweet

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT: Working Girl

This week on Hit me with your best shot, we went back to the 1980s with the Mike Nichols film "Working Girl", the readers' choice from the recent poll at The Film Experience. When it was announced as the winner, Nathaniel was understandably surprised by this atypical choice (especially considering the more visually expressive competition). But this gloriously dated time capsule (the hair! the clothes! the music!) still offered much to look at in its examination of workplace politics through its main characters, played by Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver and Harrison Ford.

And what fascinating characters they are. I can imagine Melanie Griffith's performance being more divisive, especially when compared with the awe-inspiring confidence and effortless radiance of Sigourney Weaver. But she plays the part so well, perfectly tapping in to the despair of being "so close, yet so far" from your dreams.

Throughout the film, cinematographer Michael Balhaus does a great job in highlighting the difference in the personalities between the two women. Weaver always manages to "pop" within each frame, while Griffith often seems to blend in. It's particularly noticeable towards the end of the film, as even during the height of Griffith's reinvention as a successful woman, she immediately feels like a pretender when Weaver returns.

In spite of the great shot compositions towards the big climax however, I still came back to a scene from earlier in the film.

Click below for my favourite shot...

Tweet

OSCAR WATCH: Foreign Language Contenders

As we venture into the heart – and heat – of summer, the upcoming awards season may not be the most prominent thing on our minds. But with the recent conclusion of the influential Cannes Film Festival, the cards are already being put in place for one category in particular – Best Foreign Language Film. With an early October submission deadline, countries will be faced with tough decisions over the next few months. And in many cases, festival awards can prove to be the deciding factor.

This piece will therefore highlight some of the hot titles from the four major stops on the 2016 festival circuit so far (Sundance, Berlin, Tribeca and Cannes), all of which have premiered country submissions and nominees in recent years.

Read more at The Awards Circuit

Tweet

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT: The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant

This week on Hit me with your best shot, we took a foray into the New German Cinema movement, which lasted roughly from 1962 to 1982. This renaissance in German cinema propelled several talented filmmakers into international acclaim, including Rainer Werner Fassbinder, the director of this week's chosen film - "The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant". Starring Margit Carstensen in a juicy role as the titular character, it's a rather talky film about a fashion designer lamenting her failed relationships.

And indeed, within the course of the film we witness her endure yet another failed relationship as a young beauty named Karin Thimm (played by the incomparable Hanna Schygulla) enters her life and absolutely upends it. By the end of the film, Petra is a broken shell of her former self. And this gin-soaked climax contains my pick for Best Shot, emphasizing Fassbinder's strong skill in staging characters within a frame.

In the shot below, we effectively see all the film's characters - if you include the doll who represents Karin - towering over a subdued Petra. Not only does it showcase the all-female cast, but it also includes the sight of the "Midas and Bacchus" painting, providing the setting's only male imagery (and perhaps even a reminder of Petra's other failed relationships). It's such an effective and revealing scene about the all-consuming power of desire, thanks in no small part to Michael Ballhaus' cinematography.

Click below for my favourite shot...

Tweet

REVIEW: Tikkun

Avishai Sivan’s "Tikkun" – winner of several festival awards last year – opens with a slaughter. Not a vindictive homicide however, but the traditional practice of kosher slaughter of meat, accompanied by prayer. As customary of Hasidic Jews, this is just one of the many religious observances we’ll witness being carried out by the film’s two pious main characters – Haim-Aaron and his father. Indeed, their lives are consumed by such rituals, but their faith will be put to the test when a near-death experience disturbs their worldview in this solemn, uncompromising drama.

Read more at The Awards Circuit

Tweet