The luxurious and surrealist film from director Alain Resnais LAST YEAR IN MARIENBAD (1961) follows an unnamed sophisticate (Giorgio Albertazzi) who attempts to persuade a married woman (Delphine Seyrig) that just last year they were romantically involved and planned to elope together. The woman has no recollection of said encounter and begins to question her memory and reality itself. Throughout her quest for the truth, time and space move fluidly, with no certainty over what she is remembering and what she is imagining.
To deliberate the complexity of LAST YEAR IN MARIENBAD, releasing on DVD, Blu-ray & digital download on 17th September, we’ve turned to all the surreal and dream-like films that make us question our own realities.
1). VANILLA SKY (2001)
Visions that lead a man to insanity while inside of a lucid dream
An egocentric publishing mogul (Tom Cruise) has his whole life derailed when he finds himself in a car accident with an ex-lover (Cameron Diaz). The film strives off playing with your mind. Its dream-like cinematography takes you on a confusing journey with the many clues and references left along the way as the character slowly loses his grasp on reality.
2). LOST HIGHWAY (1997)
Visions and headaches of a Mystery Man and eerie scenes
In David Lynch’s enthralling neo-noir film, jazz saxophonist Fred Madison (Bill Pullman) becomes paranoid after he and his wife (Patricia Arquette) begin receiving horrifying VHS tapes of them in their home. Fred is then framed for the murder of his wife and sent to prison, where he is plagued by bizarre headaches and visions, disappears and is replaced by a young mechanic, beginning a different life.
We take a look at what is included in the Oscars each year as well as the awards up for grabs! Reflecting on who took home the awards this year and the much-anticipated front runners for 2019!
The Academy Awards, known as the Oscars, are the pinnacle of the entertainment industry’s awards season, taking place in Hollywood at the end of February every year. Even the nominations ceremony is an event in itself, with actors, directors, and millions of film fans eagerly anticipating who has received a nod.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the different categories of Academy Award, the winners of 2018, and what to expect at next year’s ceremony.
Oscar Categories
Each year, there are 24 awards up for grabs at the Academy Awards ceremony. There’s also a smaller event, usually two weeks beforehand, at which honorary technical Oscars are awarded.
The most prolific awards are Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and of course, Best Film. There’s also Best Supporting Actor and Actress for the on-screen talent. As well as Best Film, there are awards for specific genres of movie, including Documentaries, Animated Films, Short Movies, and Foreign Cinema. For writers, there are awards for the Best Original and Adapted Screenplays.
There are also several awards to honour the technical aspects of cinema, including Best Editing, Cinematography, Visual Effects, Sound Editing and Mixing, Production and Costume Design, and Makeup. For the musicians, there are Oscars for Original Score and Original Song. There’s something for everyone involved in the process of bringing movies to life!
The Stars of 2018
One of the most hotly contested and unpredictable races for Best Film took place in 2018. In the end, The Shape of Water won out, but it was amongst a field of instant classics that included Lady Bird, Get Out, Call Me By Your Name, and multi-award-winning favourite Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Less of a surprise was the award for Best Actor, won by Gary Oldman for his performance as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. Oldman had scooped up gongs at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
After taking home the 1997 gong for her work in Fargo, Frances McDormand won the 2018 Best Actress award for her portrayal of Mildred Hayes in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Like Oldman, she also won the same award at the Golden Globes, SAGs, and BAFTAs.
Best Director went to Guillermo del Toro for The Shape of Water. Like the Best Film award, this was an extremely tight race. The Shape of Water was actually the overall winner of the night, with four awards; as well as Best Film and Best Director, it won Best Original Score and Best Production Design.
Predictions for 2019
As we move ever closer to the end of the year, it’s time to start thinking about which films, on-screen talent, and production specialists have a chance of taking home an Oscar for the next ceremony in February 2019.
While independent films have historically relied on their own festivals for recognition, they’ve made inroads at the Oscars in recent years. Think of the success of Moonlight and The Shape of Water; even a decade ago, these movies would probably have been overlooked by the Academy. Beautiful Boy, If Beale Street Could Talk, and The Front Runner are independent productions that are shaping up to be strong contenders for Best Film at next year’s Oscars.
Looking at movies from the big studios, there’s a lot of buzz around Black Panther as a dominating force at the Oscars. Ryan Gosling, Robert Redford, and Christian Bale are likely candidates for Best Actor, while Lady Gaga’s performance in A Star Is Born has won universal acclaim and it’s not officially released yet!
Another film to watch out for is Roma, which has been predicted to scoop up best picture, best actress for Yalitza Aparicio and best director for Alfonso Cuaron. They partly autobiographical feature is hot off the back of Gravity which Alfonso won 7 out of 10 nominations at the 2014 Oscars.
But, until then, it’s just an exciting guessing game. The anticipation will really reach its peak in January, when the nominations are announced!
Is it wrong to say someone has a short attention span if they cannot concentrate on reading a book, but spend hours at a time playing video games? Kogonada’s debut feature discusses morality, opinion, uncertainty, and most of all humanity, without ever feeling like a philosophy lecture. The film isn’t about any of these topics, it is simply about people: their actions and emotions. Two stories intertwine in a city known for its incredible architectural features; two people stuck in a sort of limbo because of those they love.
The first of these stories follows Casey, a 19 year old resident of Columbus played by the startlingly brilliant Haley Lu Richardson. Casey avoids going to college in favour of staying with her mother (Michelle Forbes), who has recently gotten over an addiction to meth. Casey’s situation mirrors Charlie’s from Lean on Pete; a young person who has been forced to grow up too fast, and take care both of themselves and others before they are mature enough to do so. Though she spends most of the film denying this, Richardson shines in the rare moments in which Casey is honest to herself – dancing wildly in a dark car park to no music, or talking passionately about architecture without resorting to her tour guide persona.
https://youtu.be/mAK3_LEjtUs
While Casey seems happy to stay in Columbus, Jin’s departure cannot come quickly enough. Jin, played by John Cho, is the son of a professor of architecture, flying in from South Korea when his father takes ill whilst visiting the city. With the professor comatose, Jin wallows, avoiding connection with his father’s girlfriend Eleanor (Parker Posey). Cho is effortlessly watchable, as powerful in silence as he is when delivering lines with a calculated precision and understated emotional complexity reminiscent of Brad Pitt at his best. There is something that immediately links Casey and Jin when they meet, perhaps a shared notion of loneliness or uncertainty. Casey proceeds to tour Jin around the modernist landmarks she knows so well, both of them trying to make sense of Jin’s father’s notebook. Kogonada’s ability to craft such realistic, layered dialogue is impressive, often recalling the effortless enjoyment and intrigue of spending a day with Jesse and Celine in the before trilogy.
It is rare that the characters’ faces are seen in full; Kogonada choosing instead to shoot the actors from behind, or to show their reflection in a mirror. The effect is paradoxically distancing and captivating, as if the characters are perpetually hiding a part of themselves. The technique is complimented wonderfully by Elisha Christian’s cinematography. There is a picturesque attention to detail that could rival a Wes Anderson film, but without the overt, gaudy qualities inherent in Anderson’s style. Each frame could be its own piece of art, but the art always utterly real, never stylised. The leads are supported fantastically by Forbes, but Posey’s harsh deliberateness electrifies scenes with deeper emotion. As Casey’s librarian co-worker Gabriel, Rory Culkin’s passion and reserve in turns are magnificent, and his chemistry with Richardson is note perfect.
Haley Lu Richardson and John Cho appear in Columbus by Kogonada.
The most beautiful moments of Kogonada’s film, whether they are uplifting or heart-wrenching, are the moments of pure honesty. As a comment on humanity, it feels not only natural, but subtly melancholy. If Kogonada is highlighting the relief that accompanies truth, he is also explaining that its effect is strongest when following sustained emotional unavailability, or worse, dishonesty. And what does that say about modern relationships, about friendship and love? Then again, perhaps Kogonada is merely telling us a simple story. A story filled with heart, loneliness and magic, about two people who happen to coexist, for a time, in Columbus, Indiana.
BRWC chatted with actor-producer Lee Kholafai to talk acting and his new movie ‘GLASS JAW’ releasing October 26th in select theatres and on-demand.
BRWC: When did you realise you wanted to be an actor, and what inspired you to take the acting journey?
Hi BRWC, it’s a pleasure to meet you and do this interview. I’ve always been intrigued by acting since I was a little kid. I would watch movies and think about how fun it would be to be those characters. I never want to ever have any “what if” thoughts in my life, so I knew I had to pursue my dream and I moved to Los Angeles.
BRWC: How did your family react to the news you wanted to be in show biz and head to Hollywood?
They were worried at first. Los Angeles is a big city so of course they were scared about if it would be dangerous and if I would get caught up in the wrong scene and so on. At the same time, they were very excited for me and very supportive. I feel very thankful to have a family that supports my decision to follow my dreams. Now they definitely love it because they can visit whenever they like and just stay with me. My ultimate goal is to move them all out here, so we can be closer. That is the hardest part about the business is being away from my family.
BRWC: Your film ‘GLASS JAW’ is set to release next month. How would you describe the film for people who are yet to find out about it?
I love this question actually. When I describe ‘GLASS JAW’. I always say this. Imagine if ‘ROCKY’ and ‘THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS’ had a baby and their best friend was ‘FIGHT CLUB’. That that would be ‘GLASS JAW’.
BRWC: Not only are you the films lead actor, but you are also the main producer on the project. Can you tell us some of the highs and lows of Hollywood filmmaking today?
Ummmm another GREAT question!!! Well let’s say this, it was very hard. The hardest part is I wish I could have honestly just shown up on set and only care about my scenes and acting. But no, I literally was so exhausted and didn’t sleep at all during production. We were running out of money, so I would be on set making calls to make sure we have money for the next day and our director Jeff Celentano would come looking for me to rush me on set. I eventually got tired of raising money, so I just pulled out a lot of credit cards and maxed them all out. I had to do what I had to do. Making an indie isn’t easy and I learned a lot. I was the hub of all the information so whenever there was a problem, it came to me. The best decision I made was having so much experience surrounding me. We had the best team I could have ever dreamed of. For the next film, I hope to work with them all again, but next time I hope to have a little more money so that I don’t have to wear as many hats and focus more on just showing up as an actor. I can’t stress it enough. I feel so fortunate and lucky to have the team we did for ‘GLASS JAW’ and I am very thankful for them. ‘GLASS JAW’ turned out better than I ever imagined because of them. The biggest high was seeing an idea manifest and become a reality. I honestly still can’t believe it.
BRWC: You’ve already worked with some very talented people, including the cast of ‘GLASS JAW’. Is there anyone on your bucket list of actors to cast on your next project?
Thank you! Yes, we are blessed with the cast on ‘GLASS JAW’. That’s another cool part of filmmaking. Seeing characters come alive and actors make them their own. Everyone did GREAT! Well, I didn’t have to think too long to answer this question. My dream would be to work with Al Pacino. So, if you have any contacts to him. Let him know! Ha, but seriously … that would be legendary! I look at him as such an iconic actor. I don’t think he’s ever been in a movie that I didn’t like and to work with him would be epic.
Lee Kholafai
BRWC: What’s up next for you?
Well, now we are starting our next film ‘GREED’. We plan to start pre-production this year, right after GLASS JAW releases everywhere in November. With each film, I want to deliver a good message. The message in ‘GLASS JAW’ was to never give up. The message in ‘GREED’ is that as fast as you make it, you can lose it. So, don’t be cocky or arrogant because that will be your downfall.
BRWC: Thank you Lee for chatting with BRWC. We are excited to see ‘GLASS JAW’ and much more from you in the near future.
Thank you for the great questions! Can’t wait for you, and the world, to see GLASS JAW!
GLASS JAW is in theatres and on-demand October 26th, 2018, with the DVD release following on December 4th.
‘One Bedroom’ is the new feature film from writer/director Darien Sills-Evans. The comedian also stars in the film alongside Devin Nelson as our two leads, Nate and Melissa, a couple spending their last day together, while going through a nasty breakup. Melissa suspects Nate of cheating, while Nate has reservations of his own. It’s a comedy-drama set largely in one Brooklyn apartment, as Melissa packs up her things to leave Nate for good.
It’s a flawed film with a lot of interesting ideas at the heart of it. There is plenty to like about ‘One Bedroom’, with the film’s two stars being the standouts. Sills-Evans and Nelson share a great deal of chemistry, and their charisma makes the material far more engaging than it perhaps should be. This is Nelson’s first feature-length film, but you wouldn’t know it. She shines alongside her far more experienced co-star.
The film is very dialogue-heavy, with its minimal location carrying the feeling of a stage play. The script has its ups and downs, but the material between Nate and Melissa works terrifically. It feels surprisingly like a real conversation, well-delivered by strong performers, and progressing at a natural pace.
The breakup is essentially told in a flashback by Nate as he reflects on it with his friends in a local barber shop. These scenes aren’t quite as engaging as the rest. The film cuts from the interesting plot developments so that we can simply see what his friends have to say about all of it, when the truth is that the audience has no reason to care about their insight. It’s a needless commentary filled with obvious and often stereotypical jokes, that doesn’t add a whole lot to the narrative. One can’t help but think the film may have flowed better without this element.
The flashbacks to the beginning of Nate and Melissa’s blossoming relationship work well, because they directly add to the film’s overall narrative, while still following the story’s most engaging characters, but the barber shop scenes fail to add either of these things.
The film is extremely independent. It’s low budget and it shows, but this isn’t meant as a criticism. Whether intentional or simply a result of budget constraints, this look actually works well for the film, as Sills-Evans tells a very low-key story that is clearly intended to feel as real as possible.
The breakup has moments of exaggeration, but this is simply for comedic effect, and the comedy works for the most part, relying on character interaction as opposed to cheap gags. The majority of what we see actually feels fairly close to home, with the two main characters dealing with relatable problems for anyone who’s ever been in a serious relationship.
It can be hard at times to like Nate and Melissa as people. Honestly, they’re both in the wrong in a number of ways, so it’s difficult at first to really care about the relationship being broken, but as the film goes on and the characters reveal themselves to be far more human as we’d perhaps first thought, this problem quickly fades and it all leads to an ending that undoubtedly makes the film what it is. One of the benefits of an independent production is the freedom a filmmaker has to break the rules, and the closing minutes of ‘One Bedroom’ are actually quite brilliant.
One concern for the film was that it may focus too much on the politics of gentrification, as opposed to simply telling an interesting story. It opens with a slam poem by DeAriesha Mack about this precise subject, but it’s never really mentioned again nor does it feel part of the story. This is a welcome surprise, as Sills-Evans doesn’t become distracted by the politics, instead focusing solely on the central romance, but it does lead to the film’s opening minutes feeling incredibly out-of-place and unnecessary.
‘One Bedroom’ has many positives to take away from it. It’s a very different take on the rom-com genre than we’re used to, that functions on well-written dialogue and solid lead performances, and a genuinely surprising story with a satisfying conclusion. On the other hand, it has its problems. The continuity can be messy, with the barber shop scenes making you wonder whether that’s an issue that could’ve been easily avoided. At times, it makes as many stereotypes as it’s clearly aiming to debunk, and the gentrification element felt largely forced.
The truth is that these elements could simply stem from a filmmaker fairly new to this stage of his career, and if there is one thing to take away from ‘One Bedroom’, it’s that Sills-Evans clearly has a lot to say and a vast amount of potential to be explored in the future.
