COMING SOON: Almost Christmas

Arriving in time to ring in the holiday season, David E. Talbert's "Almost Christmas" should provide some appealing counterprogamming to all the serious films opening this fall. In this comedy, a family comes together for Thanksgiving in the hopes that they can finally get along. With hints of "Soul Food" in its premise (they're brought together by the death of the matriarch), the film features a talented ensemble cast of woefully underused black actors like Kimberly Elise, Mo'Nique, Gabrielle Union. Check out the trailer below:



"Almost Christmas" opens in theaters November 11th.

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INTERVIEW: Juho Kuosmanen

Winner of Un Certain Regard at Cannes 2016 and recently chosen to represent Finland at the Oscars, “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki” is one of this year’s most pleasant surprises. As its director Juho Kuosmanen would firmly explain, this unusual true story is not your typical boxing drama. Based on the exploits of its title character Olli Mäki, it follows his preparation for the biggest fight of his life. But while his country primes him to be their next sporting hero, Olli is much more concerned with his burgeoning romance with his sweetheart Raija. Earlier this week, I had a chat with Kuosmanen to learn more about his approach to this unique character, the making of the film and his personal attachment to its themes. Below is an edited version of our conversation.

Read more at The Awards Circuit

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REVIEW: The Age of Shadows

In 2015, South Korea selected Lee Joon-ik’s “The Throne” as their official Oscar submission for Best Foreign Language Film. Based on the life of the Crown Prince Sado, it was crafted around a rather sadistic premise where said prince was ultimately forced to be locked up in a rice chest until death. Unsurprisingly, the Academy snubbed the film, as they have routinely done with Korean entries in the past. This year, however, the East Asian nation may finally have a chance with Kim Jee-woon’s “The Age of Shadows.” Exploring another dark period in Korea’s past, this handsomely produced spy thriller will surely prove to be more accessible and rewarding for general audiences.

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FOREIGN OSCAR GUIDE: Romance Films

If you take a cursory glance at the previous Oscar nominations for Best Foreign Language Film, you’ll notice a trend of films about serious issues like war, terminal illnesses and other types of strife. Among this year’s list of submissions however, six films will hope to change the tone of the final shortlist by going straight for the heart. Hailing from places as culturally distinct as Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, their narratives have one thing in common – love.

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INTERVIEW: Rémi Chayé and Henri Magalon

Animation director Rémi Chayé and producer Henri Magalon are no strangers to awards season, having worked on nominated films “The Secret of Kells” and “Ernest and Celestine.” And with Chayé’s debut feature “Long Way North,” they may have another contender to add to their filmography. In this progressive female-centric film, an aristocratic Russian girl defies conventions by embarking on a perilous adventure to the North Pole in search of her missing grandfather and his ship. Earlier this week I had the pleasure of chatting with Chayé and Magalon to discuss the film, their upcoming Calamity Jane project and how hard it is to impress kids. Below is an edited version of our conversation.

Read more at The Awards Circuit

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REVIEW: The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki

You’ve seen it countless times before. An underdog fighter gets the chance of a lifetime to compete for the world championship title against a formidable opponent. He undergoes rigorous training to overcome the odds, often to triumphant ends. Juho Kuosmanen breaks away from the formula with “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki,” however, putting his own original spin on the classic boxing movie.

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REVIEW: Long Way North

If there is one thing that the current hoopla surrounding Disney’s upcoming live action “Mulan” proves, it’s the evolving tastes of today’s audiences. Amid the anti-whitewashing protests, many were also concerned about the perceived prominence of the romance element. Indeed, audiences are no longer satisfied with the “princess needs Prince Charming for her happily ever after” story. Instead they crave stronger, more independent female characters from their animated films. One such example is the protagonist of Rémi Chayé’s debut feature “Long Way North,” who desires adventure rather than romance.

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REVIEW: Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang

At one point in “Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang,” the film mentions its subject Cai Guo-Qiang’s desire to top the great Pablo Picasso. Under normal circumstances, the statement would appear to be overly arrogant. But as director Kevin Macdonald proves in this new documentary, Cai Guo-Qiang is no ordinary artist. Indeed, this account of his life and work shows a man of incomparable vision and talent.

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Exciting rumours about the new Jurassic World movie

Apart from the likes of Deadpool, 2016 has been a pretty bad year for the Hollywood blockbuster movie. With Batman V Superman getting lost within the complexities of its own plot, and Suicide Squad seriously underperforming at the box office, the lack of summer
blockbusters has meant that we need the return of the Jurassic Park franchise more than ever!

Thankfully it looks like developments are already well underway in bringing these fearsome dinosaurs back the big screen, as Universal have a Jurassic World sequel pegged in for release in June 2018.

It’s not surprising that the Jurassic Park series would create yet another film. After all, 2015’s Jurassic World movie received favourable ratings from reviewers and eventually managed to claim a whopping $1.6 billion in box office revenues.

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REVIEW: Chevalier

Like her Greek contemporary Yorgos Lanthimos, director Athina Rachel Tsangari has an unorthodox sense of humor. As leading figures of what The Guardian termed “The Weird Wave of Greek Cinema", they have delivered some of the most unusual premises and characters to the big screen. That trend continues in Tsangari’s latest film “Chevalier,” an unusual buddy comedy designed like an arthouse chamber piece.

Read more at The Awards Circuit

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