THE PROM (2020)

Written by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin



Directed by Ryan Murphy



Available to stream now on Netflix



Actors have famously used their fame as clout to bring attention to serious and important causes, believing that their endorsement will help make this matter take on greater significance to a large number of people. One example was an incident in 2010 involving a teenage girl who wanted to take her girlfriend to their senior prom in Mississippi but where denied by school board. The girls pushed back and the board decided to cancel the prom instead of allowing them attend. A lawsuit was filed and a Federal Court found the couple's First Amendment rights had been violated. However, the judge did not force the school to reinstate the prom. Some celebrities heard this story and jumped in to sponsor a fund-raiser so that the girls could attend an inclusive prom event.

This was the inspiration for the stage musical, "The Prom", created in 2016 by Bob Martin, Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin which would end up on Broadway two years later, winning critical praise and award recognition. Ryan Murphy, who almost single-handedly reinvigorated television by inventively bringing progressive stories and marginalized characters to the small screen, returns to feature films to direct a version of the musical with a cast of impressive major stars on board to spice up the production. But Murphy has taken a relatively small scale story and pumped it up in to a colossal explosion of overbearing sights, unremarkable sounds and gaudy colors. It is a politically-minded, musical spectacle that demands you pay attention yet in an obnoxious, "look at me! look at me!" sort of way.

During opening night on Broadway of the new musical, "Eleanor!: The Eleanor Roosevelt Story", stars, Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep), a two-time Tony Award winner and Barry Glickman (James Corden) are waiting for the reviews to come in for the play. With a rave from a critic in New Jersey, the team is convinced they have a winner on their hands and begin to celebrate. However, the review from the New York Times is ugly and brutal, effectively killing the show.

Depressed and wallowing in self-pity, Dee Dee and Barry drown their sorrows at a local bar where Julliard graduate, Trent Oliver (Andrew Rannells) works only between theater jobs which has been few and far between of late. Joining in to commiserate with them is Angie Dickinson (Nicole Kidman), a long-time chorus girl who has just quit her job in "Chicago", frustrated by never getting a chance to play one of the leads. They decide to find a cause that will make them appear to be caring people and deliver them plenty of much-needed publicity. Angie finds the perfect case happening in a small town in Indiana, leading them to quickly head out to save the day.

Emma Nolan (Jo Ellen Pellman) is at the center of the dilemma at her high school. As an open lesbian, the teen wants to bring her female date to the prom but the head of the school PTA, Mrs. Greene (Kerry Washington) announces she will cancel the dance instead of allowing that to happen. The only one on Emma's side is the principal, Mr. Hawkins (Keegan-Michael Key) yet he's unable to stop the board about the prom.

Our four stage actors burst into the PTA meeting, outraged by the decision and demand justice for the lesbians. No one in town really knows what to make of these frivolous, self-involved performers but they won't leave. The actors befriend Emma, determined to help her so that will help them in their goal of getting some great press. Meanwhile, there is a little sexual tension simmering between Principal Hawkins (who is a big fan of the actress) and Dee Dee. And Emma's date is secretly the popular cheerleader, Alyssa (Ariana DeBose), the daughter of Mrs. Greene, who had decided to use the prom to publicly come out of the closet.

The major problem with "The Prom" is that it's not nearly as much fun as it thinks it is. You can see all the effort put in to this whirling, hyper-colored fantasia yet the payoff is minor and extremely disappointing, It's clear Murphy had difficulty figuring out how to merge the lives of wacky, over-the-top, self-indulgent theater actors with the more somber political statements involving inclusivity and tolerance. And the film suffers under the weight of trying to make the story bigger and louder than it really needed to be.

The staging of the musical numbers are hampered by poor blocking and strange location settings. The dance sequences are far too slick and robotic to make any impact. The key to any successful musical, obviously, are the songs. And while the songs in "The Prom" (with music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics from Chad Beguelin) certainly moves our story forward, they felt only serviceable, leaving no lasting memory beyond the film. It doesn't help that many of the actors deliver these tunes loudly, without much subtilty or emotional investment.

It's no real surprise that Ms Streep is the best thing here. Looking an awful lot like a bedazzled Shirley MacLaine, it's always fun watching La Streep mugging while kicking up her heels and belting out a song. Ms Kidman is another one breaking out of her dramatic comfort zone and joyfully delivering her big solo number, "Zazz", full of jazz hands and Fosse-styled dance moves. They are clearly enjoying themselves yet we are left only mildly satisfied. I was less offended by Mr. Corden's performance than by the fact that he always seemed like he was delivering a performance. The popular late-night television host never for a moment comes across convincingly as a narcissistic gay actor. You can actually see him at times struggling to figure out how big he should go. And I'm gonna repeat what I've heard a few people say which is Mr. Cordon was in a role that seemed tailor-made for Nathan Lane who could have brought an effortless charm and outrageousness that was sadly lacking here.

"The Prom" seemed like a movie that would be right up my alley, featuring an inventive director, a positive story involving love and tolerance and a cast of some of my favorite actors singing and dancing. I really, really wanted to find comfort and enjoyment from this timely musical yet all I was left feeling was numb and brutalized.

AWARD SEASON NEWS

Film critics are beginning to announce their selections for the best in cinema in 2020. The LA Film Critics Association selected yesterday "Small Axe", a collection of five films directed by Oscar-winner Steve McQueen, as Best Picture and Best Cinematography for Shabier Kirchner who filmed all five parts. While last week, The New York Film Critics Circle picked "First Cow", Kelly Reichardt's 19th century drama about a cook heading out West seeking his fortune, as Best Film while the Boston Society of Film Critics selected as their Best Picture, "Nomadland", which stars Frances McDormand as a woman who leaves her small town to travel around the American West from Chloé Zhao, who also won Best Director here and with New York.

Other films being recognized by these groups and generating some early buzz are the film adaptation of August Wilson's play, "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom" and it's stars, Viola Davis, Glynn Turman and the late, Chadwick Boseman; writer/director, Emerald Fennell's feature film debut, "Promising Young Woman" which stars Carey Mulligan; "Never Rarely Sometimes Always", a drama from writer/director, Eliza Hittman, that follows a teenager making the difficult decision to end her unplanned pregnancy and "Wolfwalkers", the hand-drawn animated feature film about the unlikely friendship between an apprentice wolf hunter and a mysterious young girl who has the ability to transform into a wolf by night.

And the European Film Awards selected their winners with Thomas Vinterberg's "Another Round" sweeping the major awards with Best European Film, Best Director, Best Screenwriter (for Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm) and Best Actor for star, Mads Mikkelsen.

Winners from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association:

Best Picture: "Small Axe" (all five films)
Best Director: Chloé Zhao, "Nomadland"
Best Screenplay: Emerald Fennell, "Promising Young Woman"
Best Actress: Carey Mulligan, "Promising Young Woman"
Best Actor: Chadwick Boseman, "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom"
Best Supporting Actress: Yuh-jung Youn, "Minari"
Best Supporting Actor: Glynn Turman, "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom"
Best Documentary/Non-Fiction: "Time"
Best Foreign Language Film: "Beanpole"
Best Animated Film: "Wolfwalkers"
Best Cinematography: Shabier Kirchner, "Small Axe" (all films)
Best Editing: Yorgos Lamprinos, "The Father"
Best Production Design: Donald Graham Burt, "Mank"
Best Music/Score: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, "Soul"
New Generation Prize: Radha Blank, "The Forty-Year-Old Version"

Winners from the New York Film Critics Circle:

Best Film: "First Cow"
Best Director: Chloé Zhao, "Nomadland"
Best Screenplay: Eliza Hittman, Never Rarely Sometimes Always"
Best Actress: Sidney Flanagan, "Never Rarely Sometimes Always"
Best Actor: Delroy Lindo, "Da 5 Bloods"
Best Supporting Actress: Maria Bakalova, "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm"
Best Supporting Actor: Chadwick Boseman, "Da 5 Bloods" 

Best First Film: "The 40 Year Old Version"
Best Foreign-Language Film: "Bacurau"
Best Non-Fiction Film: "Time"
Best Animated Film: "Wolfwalkers"
Best Cinematography: Shabier Kirchner, "Small Axe" (all films)

Winners from the Boston Society of Film Critics:

Best Picture: "Nomadland"
Best Director: Chloe Zhao, "Nomadland"
Best Screenplay: Charlie Kaufman, "I’m Thinking of Ending Things"
Best New Filmmaker: Florian Zeller, "The Father"
Best Actor: Anthony Hopkins, "The Father"
Best Actress: Sidney Flanigan, "Never Rarely Sometimes Always"
Best Supporting Actor: Paul Raci, "Sound of Metal"
Best Supporting Actress: Youn Yuh-jung, "Minari"
Best Ensemble Cast: "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom"
Best Documentary: "Collective"
Best Non-English Language Film: "La Llorona"
Best Animated Film: "The Wolf House"
Best Cinematography: Joshua James Richards, "Nomadland"
Best Film Editing: Robert Frazen, "I’m Thinking of Ending Things"
Best Original Score: Emile Mosseri, "Minari"

Winners of the 2020 European Film Awards:

Best European Film: "Another Round"
Best European Director: Thomas Vinterberg, "Another Round"
Best European Screenwriter: Thomas Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm, "Another Round"
Best European Actress: Paula Beer, "Undine"
Best European Actor: Mads Mikkelsen, "Another Round"
Best European Discovery (Prix Fipresci): Carlo Sironi, "Sole"
Best European Comedy: "The Big Hit"
Best European Documentary: "Collective"
Best European Animated Feature: "Josep"
Best European Short Film: "All Cats Are Grey in the Dark"
Best European Cinematography: Matteo Cocco, "Hidden Away"
Best European Editing: Maria Fantastica Valmori, "Once More Unto the Breach"
Best European Production Design: Cristina Casali, "The Personal History of David Copperfield"
Best European Costume Design: Ursula Patzak, "Hidden Away"
Best European Make-Up & Hair: Yolanda Piña, Félix Terrero and Nacho Diaz, "The Endless Trench"
Best European Original Score: Dascha Dauenhauer, "Berlin Alexanderplatz"
Best European Sound: Yolande Decarsin, Kristian Selin and Eidnes Andersens, "Little Girl"
Best European Visual Effects: Inaki Madariaga, "The Platform"
EFA Award for Innovative Storytelling: Mark Cousins, "Women Make Films"

GREAT PERFORMANCES: THE BEST ACTORS OF 2020

There's no need to remind anyone of the challenges that was placed on entertainment this year, especially with the movies. The annual "Great Performers" issue in the New York Times magazine has usually focused on film work yet due to a significant shortage of theatrical movies released throughout the year, the critics, A.O. Scott and Wesley Morris had to get creative and expand beyond cinema. There were certainly some great performances in feature films to highlight like Julia Garner in "The Assistant" that was released earlier in the year before the shutdown; Luca Marinelli in the Italian feature, "Martin Eden"; Viola Davis's electrifying turn in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"; Andy Samberg and Cristin Millioti in the sci-fi, romantic-comedy, "Palm Springs"; the precocious, Fathia Youssouf in the controversial French drama, "Cuties" and the legendary Sophia Loren's glorious return before the cameras (thanks to her son, director Edoardo Ponti) in "The Life Ahead".

But now we have some great television performances from Zoë Kravitz in "High Fidelity"; the very intense Ethan Hawke in "The Good Lord Bird"; Jason Sudeikis starring in the sitcom, "Ted Lasso" about an American football coach trying to lead an English football club; Maitreyi Ramakrishnan in "Never Have I Ever"; Jack Dylan Grazer and Jordan Kristine Seamon in Luca Guadagnino's soapy, limited-series drama, "We Are Who We Are" and the beautifully understated work by Zoe Kazan in the stirring mini-series, "The Plot Against America". 

We have female storytellers using their lives as inspiration with writer/director/star, Radha Blank and her feature film debut, "The 40 Year Old Version"; Hannah Gadsby in her offbeat, stand-up comedy special, "Douglas"; Maya Erskine and Anna Konklein with the second season of their cringe-comedy series, "Pen15"; and Michaela Coel and her harrowing yet hilarious limited series, "I May Destroy You".

The importance of social media is acknowledged here with comedians, Sarah Cooper, Jeff Wright, Kylie Brakeman and Blaire Erskine who all found fame and success on TikTok and Twitter. And there was even room to honor an extraordinary performance from the past with Cher's Oscar-winning turn in the beloved 1987 romantic-comedy, "Moonstruck".

Please click below to read:

NYT Great Performers 2020

2020 NATIONAL FILM REGISTRY

The Library of Congress has added twenty-five movies to the National Film Registry which recognizes their artistic significance while helping to ensure their preservation for generations to come. This year some of the films selected include the musical-comedy, "The Blues Brothers"; the second installment of Christopher Nolan's groundbreaking Batman trilogy, "The Dark Knight"; the 2008 Best Picture winner, "The Hurt Locker" which was directed by the first woman to win the Best Director Oscar, Kathryn Bigelow; "Shrek", the computer-animated classic about a nasty ogre who falls in love with a princess; Sidney Poitier plays a former GI that a group of nuns believe has been sent by God to build them a new chapel in "Lillies of The Field" which the role made him the first African-American to win the Best Actor Oscar; the early blaxploitation action thriller, "Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song" which starred and was directed by Melvin Van Peebles; Based on the best-selling novel by Amy Tan, "The Joy Luck Club" follows four Chinese-American immigrant families in San Francisco and one of my all-time favorite movies, the screen-adaption of the Broadway musical, "Grease".

These films, which must be at least ten years old, have been named because of their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance and with these selections brings the number of films in the registry to 800. Here is the complete list of the films selected to the 2020 National Film Registry:

"The Battle Of The Century" (1927)
"The Blues Brothers" (1980)



"Bread" (1918)
"Buena Vista Social Club" (1999)



"Cabin In The Sky" (1943)
"A Clockwork Orange" (1971)
"The Dark Knight" (2008)
"The Devil Never Sleeps" (1994)
"Freedom Riders" (2010)



"Grease" (1978)
"The Ground" (1993-2001)
"The Hurt Locker" (2008)
"Illusions" (1982)
"The Joy Luck Club" (1993)



"Kid Auto Races At Venice" (1914)
"Lilies Of The Field" (1963)



"Losing Ground" (1982)
"The Man With the Golden Arm" (1955)



"Mauna Kea: Temple Under Siege" (2006)
"Outrage" (1950)



"Shrek" (2001)
"Suspense" (1913)
"Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song" (1971)
"Wattstax" (1973)



"With Car And Camera Around The World" (1929)

MY VIEWING DIARY: PART ELEVEN

"My Brilliant Career" (1979) 

One of the highlights during the Australian cinematic New Wave, "My Brilliant Career" was the feature film debut of Gillian Armstrong which also introduced to the world the amazing talents of Sam Neill and Judy Davis. Set in 19th century Australia, our story follows Sybylla (Davis), a young woman living on an isolated country farm with her family. Headstrong and chafing against the societal conventions on how women are expected to act, she dreams of having a career in the arts, possibly as a writer. Sybylla's exasperated parents decide to send her off to live with her wealthy grandmother (Aileen Britton) in the city with the hopes she will learn how to behave like a proper, upstanding young woman and get married. But that does not happen, in fact Sybylla becomes to feel even stronger in her convictions as a nonconformist. Sybylla captures the attention of two men; Frank Hawdon (Robert Grubb), a local sheep rancher who she has no romantic interest in and a wealthy family friend, Harry Beecham (Neill) that she finds herself becoming enamored with. But Sybylla is soon torn between following her amorous heart or pursuing a desire to follow her own path in life.

Based on a novel by Miles Franklin, "My Brilliant Career" was a perfect vehicle to showcase the filmmaking gifts of Ms Armstrong. The director's first film is an assured effort, told with great passion and heartfelt emotions. As she would further display in her future work in "Starstruck", "Mrs. Soffel" and the 1994 version of "Little Women", Armstrong's career would focus almost entirely on female protagonists, telling the little-told and much-needed narratives of women who refused to bend easily to tradition, determined to find their own voices and demanding for them to be heard. And with only her second film at the time, Ms Davis displays a commanding screen presence, capturing the fiercely independent yet deeply vulnerable spirit of a young woman who dared to question the limitations society had placed upon her solely because of her gender.



"The Bride Wore Red" (1937)

"The Bride Wore Red" is a routine 1930's Hollywood romantic-comedy that's only notable for marking the beginning of Joan Crawford's period of decline as a movie star (eventually being labeled "box-office poison") and being directed by the only woman working behind the camera during this era, Dorothy Arzner. Crawford plays Anni Pavlovitch, a singer at a sleazy nightclub in Trieste. She gets caught up in the amusement of a cynical Count Armalia (George Zucco) as he wants to prove a point to his friend, Rudi Pal (Robert Young who would later become better known on the television shows, "Father Knows Best" and "Marcus Welby, M.D."). With the belief that the only difference between the wealthy and the poor is a lot of luck, the Count arranges for Anni to spend two weeks living the good life at a glamourous resort hotel in the Alps. Posing as "Anne Vivaldi", a friend of the Count and daughter of an aristocrat, Anni takes quickly to the comforts of the rich. Rudi, unaware of this arrangement, sees "Anne" and becomes completely infatuated by her, despite being at the resort with his fiancée, Maddalena (Lynne Carver) and her parents (Reginald Owen, Billie Burke). But this soon turns in to a love triangle as a local postal clerk (Franchot Tone, Crawford's then-husband) also falls hard for Anni following their meeting during her arrival. Not wanting to give up this life of wealth and luxury, Anni struggles between snaring a rich yet unavailable man for security or following her heart for a man of more modest means.

While the gap between the wealthy and the working class has grown even wider since the film was made, I'm sure this farcical set-up was hard to swallow even back in 1937. Arzner has moments to shine as a filmmaker, eliciting great performances from her cast and subtly upending traditional views of women of the day. But the sluggish script by Tess Slesinger and Bradbury Foote works against her adding very little romance and barely any comedy. "The Bride Wore Red" is essentially nothing more than a star vehicle for Crawford and with only that in mind, the film is highly effective. With her looking stunning in dramatic, gorgeous costumes and displaying her lion in sheep's clothing screen persona, fans of this legendary actress will be thrilled. But for fans of amusing romantic-comedies, the thrills will be far more limited.



"The Perfection" (2019)

Bloody, gruesome and totally bonkers, "The Perfection" is a psychological thriller from co-writer and director, Richard Shepard that is filled with unexpected twists and insane turns. Charlotte Willmore (Allison Williams) is a gifted teenage cellist attending the prestigious music school, Bachoff in Boston. Her future looked promising but after her mother becomes gravely ill, she's forced to leave the academy. Years later, Charlotte is invited by Anton (Steven Weber), the director of Bachoff, to attend the selection of a new student in Shanghai. She meets Anton's current prize student, Lizzie (Logan Browning, star of the Netflix series, "Dear White People") and there is an instant connection between them. And their connection is so intense that after an evening of drinking and dancing, the ladies end up in bed together. This is where I should probably stop in order not to spoil what happens next as the story soars to histrionic and unhinged heights. 

"The Perfection" plays like vintage Brian De Palma, ripe with a meticulously plotted story, high-tension melodrama, hyper-violence and overheated sexuality. But one key touch that Shepard employs is that once the story reaches a climatic moment, we visually rewind back to the beginning of the scene, revealing all of the hidden secrets and deceptions we were unaware had previously occurred. This happens twice in the film and while some may find this a bit of a cheat, there is no denying that it does knock you over with some shocking jolts. "The Perfection" is certainly an inspired horror flick, shaking up convention and our expectations of what we have come to anticipate from the genre. But like some De Palma films, a little more care with the screenplay, in order for some key plot twists to seem less haphazard and other revelations to not feel so exploitive, would have made for a sharper and unforgettable thriller.

THE 25 GREATEST ACTORS OF THE 21ST CENTURY (SO FAR)

The crazy idea to name just twenty-five of the greatest actors of the twenty-first century is certainly a lofty and incredibly daunting proposition. But the chief film critics of the New York Times, A.O. Scott and Manohla Dargis have bravely taken on this challenge and selected the performers whose work over the last twenty years they have considered to be absolutely transformative experiences. Most of the actors on this list have been working long before the year 2000 but the focus was on their extraordinary work they have created specifically during this century.

I am certain there will be many who will be equally outraged by the selections and the omissions of actors on this highly subjective list. They are certain names on here I would not have put on my list and I might have rearranged the order. But regardless of all that, it is a thoughtful and intriguing selection that features a diverse and international group of actors that I'm sure many will agree have delivered several of the most outstanding and memorable performances of all time.

Please click below to read:

25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century

THE 40 YEAR OLD VERSION (2020)

Written & Directed by Radha Blank



Available to stream now on Netflix



All artists just want to be able to express themselves and share their creativity to the world. Due to talent, circumstances and a lot of luck, some people are fortunate enough to have their gifts noticed, appreciated and rewarded by a large audience. But there are others, despite their fierce determination and debatable skills, that are not as fortunate while spending many years struggling for someone to take notice and give them a chance.

Writer/director Radha Blank has cleverly built her debut feature film, "The 40 Year old Version" around her own experiences as an artist struggling for many years to be noticed, creating a comedy that is razor-sharp, heartfelt and a fitting showcase for a gifted emerging filmmaker.

Blank, feeling no need to be coy, stars as Radha, a New York playwright who is struggling to get her career off the ground. Once named one of the "Most Promising 30 Under 30" a number of years ago, she is now rapidly approaching forty with no real prospects in sight. Archie (Peter Y. Kim), Radha's sassy, gay friend since childhood is also her agent and one of her biggest supporters . He's pressuring her to meet with Josh Whitman (Reed Birney), a theater producer, to discuss getting behind her play. While Whitman claims to love her work and wants to produce it, he has few suggestions on ways to  improve her play. Radha's reaction is unexpected (and a little violent), ending with her hands tightly around his throat.

Realizing that might not have been a great move to help her career yet it does lead Radha down a path to embarking on a new and unlikely career. No longer wanting to wait for approval from the gatekeepers nor make her work easier for white people to digest, she wants to express herself with an authentic voice through rap and hip-hop. Radha begins her journey on making a mixtape by acquiring some beats from a DJ named D (Oswin Benjamin). She finds ease in spitting out rhymes in an intimate setting yet is far less confident rapping in front of an audience, choking very badly during her first live performance. Quiet and unassuming, D patiently offers Radha words of encouragement and reveals to her the endless possibilities by taking her to see other female performers.

Radha also works with students at a high school to write and put on a play, trying to inspire a future generation for a love of the theater. But like many teenagers today, they are far too distracted with social media and their raging hormones to be that focused on the stage. Archie has managed to convince Whitman to overlook the choking incident (don't ask), with the producer still wanting to work with Radha. And while her dream has been to have her work produced on a theatrical stage, she's unsure if that's what she still wants to do under such oppressive artistic conditions.

On the surface, "The 40 Year Old Version" may not appear to be a particularly fresh idea for a comedy. Yet Blank delivers a fresh perspective on the creative process, in front of and behind the camera, dealing with race, gender and age in ways that are rarely seen or considered. With an impressive ability to indicate high production values from a small budget and visually inventive with crisp black and white cinematography from Eric Branco, Blank's film brings to mind the debut feature of another filmmaker from Brooklyn, Spike Lee. "She's Gotta Have It", Mr. Lee's 1986 comedy, focused on the independent spirit of Nola Darling and her pursuit of relationships and sexuality on her own terms, much like Blank's character and her desire to express herself creatively without compromise or interference. 

Blank spent many years trying to get her career going after discovering theater in college. She acted, did stand-up and wrote many plays (almost all never produced) without ever feeling like she was getting anywhere. A shift began when she wrote a web series about a rapper, RadhaMUS Prime which was loosely based on herself. The filming of the project fell apart after her mother sadly passed away. But Blank managed to keep the idea alive and sometime later the work evolved from a television series to eventually a screenplay. The pain, struggle and hard work would pay off for Blank with her winning the Best Director prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival and earning a production deal with Netflix.

"The 40 Year Old Version" is an accomplished and groundbreaking first film. Blank's wonderful comedy is less about jokes (even though there are some very funny ones here) and more about finding dark humor in the odd and challenging moments an African-American woman of a certain age faces during her journey of self-acceptance and creative fulfillment. Anyone who has tried to make their dreams come true yet just can't quite get there, whether due to considerable obstacles or self-sabotage, will be able to relate to this story, finding a little hope and some inspiration. This film delivers a simple yet powerful message that honest work will always lead to good work.

10 FRENCH FILMS TO TRANSPORT YOU TO PARIS

I am craving to get on a plane and go somewhere --- anywhere at this point. I love the idea of escaping from the challenges and difficulties we have faced throughout this year especially after months of having to shelter in place. However the reality of actually getting on an airplane right now is not in my comfort zone nor is traveling for leisure really practical at this moment in time. 

Jason Farago of the New York Times feels the same way with the desire to go to Paris. And what any cinephile knows is that the movies are the next best way to transport you anywhere you may want to go. Farago has selected ten French films that he feels will take you right in to the heart of this enchanting city, telling many different stories throughout various eras. And these films represent the work of some of the greats like Jean Renoir, Jean-Luc Godard, Agnès Varda, Éric Rohmer, Claire Denis and Céline Sciamma.

The first country I ever visited was France and it was truly a magical moment for me. It's been many years since I've been to Paris and these films remind me that I'm long overdue for another visit. And while these movies may not completely satisfy my wanderlust, they do offer a pleasant escape to times that were (at least it seems) far less complicated.

Please click below to read:

10 French Films To Transport You to Paris

AWARD SEASON 2020 BEGINS

As COVID-19 continues to ravage society and forcing people to consider a return to sheltering in place, it was questionable whether award season would be able to proceed due to many films being delayed and a large number of theaters across the country forced to remain shut down. And those films that did manage to be released through streaming and drive-in theaters found a far more limited audience due to a lack of major promotion. Without a certain amount of buzz to generate attention, most people are not even aware of these feature films, particularly indie fare.

But surprisingly award season appears to be starting with a trickle as the IFP Gotham and The European Film Academy have announced nominations for their awards. The Gotham Awards, which recognizes the best of independent cinema, unveiled its nominees for this year and, as a major first, all five of the nominated films for Best Feature were directed by women. One of those nominees, Kelly Reichardt’s period drama, "First Cow" leads with the most nods with four and includes Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Breakthrough Actor. The other nominees are Kitty Green for "The Assistant", Eliza Hittman for "Never Rarely Sometimes Always", Chloé Zhao for "Nomadland" and Natalie Erika James for "Relic". The 30th annual award ceremony will be held on January 11th, 2021 at their longtime home, Cipriani Wall Street, however without any in-person attendees.

The European Film Awards, which honors the best of cinema throughout the continent, will be a live-streamed ceremony and held on December 12, 2020. Danish filmmaker, Thomas Vinterberg and his comedy, "Another Round" leads the nominations with a total of four including Best Actor for Mads Mikkelsen who stars as a teacher who takes part in an experiment which requires him to be drunk all the time.

Here is the list of nominations for the 2020 IFP Gotham Awards:

Best Feature:

"The Assistant"
"First Cow"
"Never Rarely Sometimes Always"
"Nomadland"
"Relic"

Best Screenplay:

Mike Makowsky, "Bad Education"
Jon Raymond and Kelly Reichardt, "First Cow"
Radha Blank, "The Forty-Year-Old Version"
Dan Sallitt, "Fourteen"
James Montague and Craig Sanger, "The Vast of Night"

Best Actress:

Nicole Beharie, "Miss Juneteenth"
Jessie Buckley, "I’m Thinking of Ending Things"
Yuh-Jung Youn, "Minari"
Carrie Coon, "The Nest"
Frances McDormand, "Nomadland"

Best Actor:

Riz Ahmed, "Sound of Metal"
Chadwick Boseman, "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom"
Jude Law in "The Nest"
John Magaro, "First Cow"
Jesse Plemons, "I’m Thinking of Ending Things"

Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award:

Radha Blank, "The Forty-Year-Old Version"
Channing Godfrey Peoples, "Miss Juneteenth"
Alex Thompson, "Saint Frances"
Carlo Mirabella-Davis, "Swallow"
Andrew Patterson, "The Vast of Night"

Breakthrough Actor Award:

Jasmine Batchelor, "The Surrogate"
Kingsley Ben-Adir, "One Night in Miami"
Sidney Flanigan, "Never Rarely Sometimes Always"
Orion Lee, "First Cow"
Kelly O’Sullivan, "Saint Frances"

Best Documentary:

"76 Days"
"City Hall"
"Our Time Machine
"A Thousand Cuts"
"Time"

Best International Feature:

"Bacurau" (Brazil/France)
"Beanpole" (Russia)
"Mignonnes (Cuties)" (France)
"Identifying Features" (Mexico/Spain)
"Martin Eden" (Italy/France)
"Wolfwalkers" (Ireland)

Here are the nominations for the 2020 European Film Awards:

Best European Film:

"Another Round" (Denmark)
"Berlin Alexanderplatz" (Germany)
"Corpus Christi" (Poland)
"Martin Eden" (Italy/France)
"The Painted Bird" (Czechoslovakia)
"Undine" (Germany)

Best European Director:

Thomas Vinterberg, "Another Round"
Jan Komasa, "Corpus Christi"
Pietro Marcello, "Martin Eden"
Agnieszka Holland, "Charlatan"
Francois Ozon, "Summer Of 85" (France)
Maria Sødahl, "Hope" (Norway)

Best European Screenplay:

Martin Behnke and Burhan Qurbani, "Berlin Alexanderplatz"
Costa-Gavras, "Adults In The Room"
Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo, "Bad Tales"
Pietro Marcello and Maurizio Braucci, "Martin Eden"
Mateusz Pacewicz, "Corpus Christi"
Thomas Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm, "Another Round"

Best European Actress:

Paula Beer, "Udine"
Natasha Berezhnaya, "Dau. Natasha"
Andrea Bræin Hovig, "Hope"
Ane Dahl Torp, "Charter"
Nina Hoss, "My Little Sister"
Marta Nieto, "Mother"

Best European Actor:

Bartosz Bielenia, "Corpus Christi"
Goran Bogdan, "Father"
Elio Germano, "Hidden Away"
Luca Marinelli, "Martin Eden"
Mads Mikkelsen, "Another Round"
Viggo Mortensen, "Falling"

Best European Documentary:

"Acasa, My Home"
"Collective"
"Gunda"
"Little Girl"
"Saudi Runaway"
"The Cave"

Best European Short Film:

"All Cats Are Grey In The Dark"
"Genius Loci"
"Past Perfect"
"Sun Dog"
"Uncle Thomas"
"Accounting For The Days"

MY VIEWING DIARY: PART TEN

"Cats" (2019)

"Cats", Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 stage production based on the collection of poems by T.S. Eliot, is one of the most popular and successful musicals of all time, raking in a staggering 3.5 billion dollars worldwide. The long-awaited film adaption has been made by Tom Hooper, the Oscar-winning director of "The King's Speech" and another stage-to-screen adaption of an equally popular musical, "Les Misérables", with the results being a garish, clunky and odd spectacle, devoid of any of the elements that made this enduring musical so beloved by so many people. Much like the stage show, there isn't an actual clear plot here but the outline involves a young white cat named Victoria (played by Royal Ballet dancer, Francesca Hayward making her film debut) being dumped on to the cold, London streets by her owner in the middle of the night. This is when she meets the "Jellicles", homeless cats living on these mean streets, lead by Munkustrap (Robbie Fairchild), who introduces her to their world where cats will compete for a chance to go to the Heaviside Layer, a wonderous place where they will be granted a new life. But Macavity (Idris Elba), a mysterious and treacherous cat, kidnaps the potential contestants in order for him to be selected by default.

"Cats" races through at a breakneck pace, never giving us an opportunity to consider what we have watched (since the script doesn't help) or even catch our breath before moving on to the next number. But one of the biggest problems with this movie was the decision to rely on CGI to create the cats, fusing the actors digitally with a life-like cat appearance that is equally disturbing and distracting. Another visual distraction is that the cats are not to scale to the apparent real world they are supposed to inhabit, appearing much smaller than an actual cat which throws you further off balance. We have some well-known stage (James Corden, Ian McKellen, Judi Dench) and music (Jason Derulo, Taylor Swift) performers trying their best to bring life to these beloved feline characters yet they seem overwhelmed by this manic production, unable to make much of an impression. And I definitely could have done without seeing Rebel Wilson as the domestic tabby cat, Jennyanydots, singing and dancing with a chrous line of roaches.

"Cats" is really best known for one song and that's "Memory", a melancholy ballad that has been covered an estimated six hundred times by a wide assortment of artists. Oscar-winner, Jennifer Hudson plays Grizabella, the faded glamour cat who performs this classic number (strangely as a duet with Victoria), delivering an unsettling version that simply tries too hard to move you, losing much of the emotional power of this song. Say what you will about the merits of the stage musical but it has continuously, since it's debut, brought joy and thrills to millions of fans across the globe. But this "Cats" simply dulls your senses, never managing to spark any memorable or magical moments.



"Le Samouraï" (1967)

The first teaming of Jean-Pierre Melville, a filmmaker who is considered the spiritual father of the French New Wave, and the mysterious allure of actor, Alain Delon was in "Le Samouraï", an exceptional crime-drama from 1967 that has remained a highly influential cinematic work. Delon plays Jef Costello, an icy assassin-for-hire who has been given an assignment. He methodically creates an alibi with his lover, Jane (Nathalie Delon, the actor's then-wife) before he will begin the job. Costello's target is the owner of a nightclub but after completing his mission, he is seen leaving by a number of people at the club including the band's piano player, Valérie (Cathy Rosier) who locks eyes with him. Costello is one of several suspects rounded up by the investigating officer (François Périer). Most of the witnesses are unsure if he is the actual murderer but Valérie mysteriously insists he is not. Despite this, the officer is convinced Costello is the culprit and has him followed and his apartment bugged. This investigation causes another major problem for Costello as his employers believe he has become a liability and now has to be handled.

Melville's love of Hollywood film noir is on full display here with his screenplay masterfully delivering all the action and suspense you would expect from the genre yet seen through a Gallic lens. With minimum dialogue and stark atmosphere, the director has taken us in to a world that is filled with muted emotions and stylishly self-conscious. One of the greatest faces in cinema, Delon uses his to express his character's inner turmoil by utilizing only minimal movement and cold, penetrating eyes. With his world closing in on him, Costello remains expressionless and calculating, never allowing anyone to see him sweat. "Le Samouraï" doesn't offer much that hasn't been seen before but this neo-noir thriller is presented in a chilly, captivating style that is unsettling yet endlessly fascinating.



"Bunny Lake Is Missing" (1965)

"Bunny Lake Is Missing" is a largely forgotten feature film from director, Otto Preminger and for good reason. It is a great looking yet muddled psychological thriller that doesn't feature enough logical thrills. Arriving from America to London, Ann Lake (Carol Lynley) drops her young daughter, Bunny off for her first day at nursery school. With the teacher nowhere around and needing to get back home for the movers, Ann leaves her daughter with the school's cook (Lucie Mannheim). But when she return later to pick up Bunny, the child is nowhere to be found, was never seen by her teacher and the cook has walked out on her job. Distraught and terrified, Ann calls her brother, Steven (Keir Dullea who would later be known for his career-defining role in "2001: A Space Odyssey"), who moved to England with her, and they search the entire school before contacting the police. Scotland Yard Inspector Newhouse (Laurence Olivier) arrives on the scene and laboriously begins his investigation. He finds that none of Bunny's possessions are in the house and the name of Ann's imaginary childhood friend was "Bunny". So it's not long before Newhouse begins to question Ann's sanity.

Preminger, the notoriously difficult filmmaker behind such classics as "The Man with the Golden Arm", "Anatomy of a Murder", "Carmen Jones" and "Laura", did not like the original ending of the book which the film is based by Merriam Modell. This forced screenwriters, John and Penelope Mortimer to rewrite the script many times until he was satisfied. And while "Bunny Lake Is Missing" does begin promising, full of intrigue and dread, the conclusion of this mystery is implausibly deranged. The performances by leads Lynley and Dullea are distractingly overwrought, dragging the film down to B-movie level. But the rest of the cast are solid, notably Olivier although we are unable to shake the feeling that he is here only for the paycheck. And adding to the odd nature of the film, we have Noël Coward, the English writer known for his acid wit, briefly appearing as Ann's peculiar landlord and the rock band, the Zombies (whose biggest hit is the 1964 pop song, "She's Not There" which sadly does not appear here) simply performing on a television broadcast while the characters are in a bar. "Bunny Lake Is Missing" was not particularly embraced by audiences or critics when it was initially released. But it has been reevaluated by some modern viewers who have found a greater appreciation for the film. I am not one of them.

SEAN CONNERY (1930 - 2020)

Sean Connery, who is probably best known as the first actor who played Ian Fleming's British secret agent character, James Bond on the big screen, has passed away today at the age of ninety. The Scottish performer, who had officially retired from acting in 2006, died of natural causes at his home in Nassau. Ruggedly handsome and effortlessly charming, Connery could captivate with his macho swagger and brute force yet would never seem out of place in a sophisticated setting.

He was born Thomas Sean Connery in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland. At the age of 16, he joined the Royal Navy but was discharged four years later on medical grounds due to a duodenal ulcer. Unsure of what he wanted to do with his life, Connery worked a number of odd jobs which included a coffin polisher and an artist's model. One job was working backstage at the King's Theatre in 1951 which was when Connery became interested in acting. He got small parts and was an understudy on stage before moving on to bit parts in television and film.

Connery received his first leading role in a BBC Television production of "Requiem For a Heavyweight" in 1957 and then a major role in a movie the following year with the melodrama, "Another Time, Another Place" with Lana Turner. But it would be the role of Agent 007 in "Dr. No" in 1962 that would make Connery a major star. He played Bond in the first five films which included "From Russia with Love" (1963), "Goldfinger" (1964), "Thunderball" (1965), "You Only Live Twice" (1967), returned with "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971) and finally "Never Say Never Again" in 1983. Although this franchise made him a recognized name, Connery grew tired of the role and resented how it typecast him.

The actor would get other opportunities to branch out as a performer and some highlights include Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie"; John Huston’s "The Man Who Would Be King" with his buddy, Michael Caine; "Robin and Marian" with Audrey Hepburn; "Murder on the Orient Express" and "The Name of the Rose" which won Connery a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in 1986. But it would be his performance in Brian De Palma's "The Untouchables" as a hardened Irish-American cop that would give Connery newfound respect as an actor and sparked renewed interest in his career by a new generation. The role was considered one of his best and won Connery the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1987.

Some of the films he appeared in following his resurgence include "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ", "The Hunt For Red October", "The Rock", "The Russia House", "Entrapment" and "Finding Forrester". But during the filming of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", a 2003 film adaptation of the comic-book series, Connery was extremely frustrated with the director, Stephen Norrington and had such a bad experience that he was reluctant to ever go through that again, ultimately making this his final screen appearance.

Connery was married twice; first to actress Diane Cilento from 1962 to 1973 and they had a son, Jason Connery, an actor. He is survived by Micheline Roquebrune, a painter Connery married in 1975. Connery was a gifted actor who left us with many memorable and outstanding performances.

COMING SOON

The critically-acclaimed Broadway musical, "The Prom" is getting the Hollywood treatment by way of Ryan Murphy and Netflix. The powerhouse television and film producer has managed to lure such glittering stars as James Corden, Keegan-Michael Key, Andrew Rannells, Kerry Washington, Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep to sing and dance for the movie version in which he also directs. "The Prom" tells the story of four New York stage actors whose careers are on the decline and hear about a high school student in a conservative Indiana town not being allowed to take her girlfriend to the prom. Realizing this could help bring them great publicity, the actors head to Indiana to save the day. However, these self-absorbed performers wind up actually causing more harm than good for these high-school lovers. "The Prom" looks like it could be a lot of fun which is something we are in desperate need right now.

"The Prom" is due in select U.S. theaters in November and Netflix on December 11, 2020

CUTIES (MIGNONNES) (2020)

Written & Directed by Maïmouna Doucouré



Available to stream now on Netflix



The arrival of "Cuties (Mignonnes)", the debut feature from French filmmaker, Maïmouna Doucouré, to these shores through Netflix has been met with raucous criticism and calls to remove the film from the streaming channel. This drama (which won Doucouré the Best Director award in the World Cinema section of this year's Sundance Film Festival) actually focuses on an eleven year old Senegalese girl being raised in a traditional Muslim home while trying to fit in her new country of France. But it is the images of pre-adolescent girls dancing in a sexually provocative way that has outraged some Americans, claiming the film is nothing more than child pornography and implying that it will somehow help fuel the sex trafficking trade.

Based on the hysterical reactions from these people (including some US political figures in a lazy attempt to get their name in the press), I'm certain none of them have actually seen "Cuties". Please ignore all of this absurd chatter. I have seen "Cuties" and can guarantee you that the attack on this film is not only unwarranted but highly inaccurate. "Cuties" is a brilliantly insightful drama which uses these provocative images to make it's point. With the film, Doucouré is actually trying to bring attention to the enduring sexualization of women in the media and how this sends out confusing messages to impressionable young girls who do not yet have the comprehension to fully understand what they are seeing.

Shy and insecure, Amy (a dazzling Fathia Youssouf) just wants to fit in with the rest of the girls at her school. Yet she is bullied or dismissed by many of the other students. But after watching Angelica (Médina El Aidi-Azouni), a fellow classmate and neighbor, in the laundry room dancing seductively with her beautiful long hair whipping back and forth, Amy becomes fixated on her. Angelica is part of a small clique of girls at school who perform together as a dance troupe called "Cuties". Admiring from afar while they rehearse for a talent show, Amy desperately wants to get closer to Angelica and become a part of this group. With fierce determination (and a few humiliating moments), Amy is able to win them over and hang out with these girls. After watching some music videos involving sexually provocative dancers, she slyly suggests they incorporate these moves in to their routine for the contest, certain that this will help them win.

What makes Amy feel even more isolated is the discovery that her father is returning home with a second wife. Confused by this custom, Amy is further frustrated as she watches her mother (Maïmouna Gueye), bravely announcing this marriage to friends and preparing for the wedding, while knowing she is completely devastated by this development and unable to say how she really feels.

The director Doucouré (who is French-born of Senegalese descent) has used her own experiences of growing up torn between her religious values and an increasingly hypersexualized world, which young girls are particularly vulnerable, to write the screenplay. She has no interest in moralizing but to reveal the internal struggles that her characters' face of learning what it means to be female in our current society. The film captures a time in young girl's life where she's grappling with understanding her self-image and curiosity about sexuality but trying to use social media for answers. One scene that perfectly captures the confusion and ignorance of the girls is when one of them finds an open condom, then proceeds to blow it up like a balloon. The others shriek and won't come near her, fearing she has contracted AIDS. Their solution to cure her is to wash her mouth out vigorously with soap.

With her desperate desire to feel acceptance and belonging, Amy begins to display outrageous behavior and commit rebellious acts, losing all sense of what is right and wrong. This leads to her mother and aunt (played by Mbissine Thérèse Diop who is best known for her role in the 1966 feature, "Black Girl", one of the first African films to receive international acclaim) to bring a healer in order to exorcise the evil spirits in her. Amy's body reacts, shaking and writhing violently, yet we are left feeling unsure if she's simply just playing along or actually having her childhood demons removed.

Part of what has stirred up the outrage over "Cuties" was Netflix's misguided attempt to promote the film using suggestive images and the seductive dance routines of these young girls without the proper context. The point of "Cuties" is not to titillate or exploit. Doucouré with her audacious film wants to provoke meaningful conversation on how women in many cultures continue to be undervalued and oppressed, voiceless in decisions that can effect their lives. I really hate the idea that "Cuties" may fall victim to a loud yet negligible group trying to have the film cancelled. The issues that the film raises should be discussed, addressed and supported.

2020 NEWFEST FILM FESTIVAL

NewFest, the 32nd annual LGBTQ+ Film Festival will be going forward as a streaming and drive-in theater event. This New York celebration of queer stories and storytellers will feature over one hundred films from across the globe, virtual social conversations and panels that will be available to anyone in the U.S. for the first time. 

The Opening Night film on October 16th will be the latest from Francis Lee (the director behind "God's Own Country" which has been dubbed a British "Brokeback Mountain"), "Ammonite". The screening will be held at the Queens Drive-In at Corona Park and this 19th century-set romantic-drama stars Oscar-winner, Kate Winslet as an unasuming fossil hunter along the English coastline of Lyme Regis. Having to rely on wealthy tourists for financial support, she ends up caring for a young wife (played by multiple Oscar-nominee, Saoirse Ronan) who is recovering from a personal tragedy. These very different women find an unexpected connection and begin a passionate love affair that will change their lives forever. Ms Winslet will present Mr. Lee (virtually, of course) with the first NewFest World Queer Visionary Award prior to screening.



Many of films that will be shown at NewFest are award winners from this year's Outfest Los Angeles like "Minyan", "Los Fuertes (The Strong Ones)", "Shiva Baby", "Cowboys" and the documentaries, "Your Mother’s Comfort" and "Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story".

"No Hard Feelings", which won the Outfest Grand Jury Prize for Best International Narrative screenplay, is the Closing Night film and will stream on October 27th. Writer-director Faraz Shariat's feature debut follows a young, second-generation Iranian-German (Benjamin Radjaipour) living with his conservative family. Working at a refugee center, he begins to explore a queer social life, only to discover that one of his new friends will soon be deported.

But there are some new titles that will be screened which includes, "Keith Haring: Street Art Boy", a documentary that looks at the iconic NYC graffiti artist that features never-before-heard audio and new interviews; "Killing Patient Zero", a fascinating doc that takes apart the myth of the gay French-Canadian flight attendant scapegoated for singlehandedly spreading the AIDS epidemic to North America; the latest from celebrated French auteur, François Ozon, "Summer of  '85" which explores the story of two teenage boys who meet and begin a life-changing summer on the coast of Normandy; "Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back", an intimate and honest look at the legendary Broadway performer’s life that also examines his complicated relationship with his brother, the late Gregory Hines and features interviews with fellow theater dance legends, Chita Rivera and Debbie Allen (who was an executive producer on this project); and "Sublet" from the Israeli filmmaker, Eytan Fox ("Yossi & Jagger", "Walk on Water") which is a comedy-drama about a New York Times travel writer (Tony Award-winner, John Benjamin Hickey) on assignment in Tel Aviv and when he arrives at his short-term rental, he discovers that a handsome young tenant (Niv Nissim) is still occupying the space.







For the complete list of films, venues and to purchase virtual passes and tickets, please click below: 

2020 NewFest LGBTQ Film Festival

2020 AFI FILM FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY AUDI

Like many of the film festivals that have decided to carry on, the AFI Film Festival will be going forward as a virtual event. The fest, which is usually held in November to help kick-off award season, will be early this year and begin on October 15th and run though the 22nd.

The 34th annual AFI Fest opens with the world premiere of "I'm Your Woman", a 1970's set crime-drama from co-writer and director, Julia Hart. Rachel Brosnahan (from the Amazon series, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel") stars as a suburban housewife who enjoys a good life supplied by her husband (Bill Heck) who is involved in the criminal underworld. But after he betrays his partners, she and their baby have to go in to hiding, leading her on an unexpected and dangerous journey.



The fest will offer the usual Special Presentations, World Cinema, New Auteurs, documentaries, short films and Cinema's Legacy which focuses on the diverse and expansive history of filmmaking and this year will highlight the work of African-American filmmakers, The Hughes Brothers ("Dead Presidents"), Leslie Harris ("Just Another Girl On The I.R.T."), Mario Van Peebles ("Posse") and Cheryl Dunye ("The Watermelon Woman").





A new addition is called Meet The Shorts which is a partnership with NBC's "Meet The Press" news program. This showcase of short documentaries offers compelling stories on some of the most pressing issues facing our society today. Each shorts program will feature a Q&A moderated by an NBC News journalist.

There will be festival tributes that will celebrate the distinguished careers of writer/director, Sofia Coppola who has just recently released her latest feature, "On The Rocks" with Bill Murray and Rashida Jones; Kirby Dick, the documentary filmmaker behind the riveting films, "The Invisible War", "The Hunting Ground", "Sick" and his recent work, "On The Record" which looks at the #MeToo movement from an African-American voice and will be a free screening at the fest; starting with her debut feature, "Salaam Bombay!" in 1988, the filmmaker, Mira Nair has directed acclaimed films like "Mississippi Masala", "Monsoon Wedding" and AFI Fest will screen the world premiere of her six-hour series, "A Suitable Boy"; and EGOT winner, Rita Moreno, who began her illustrious acting career at the age of thirteen, will be next seen of the big screen with an appearance (and as an executive producer) in Steven Spielberg's remake of the musical, "West Side Story" which she won an Oscar for her role in the 1961 movie.





And the AFI Fest will close with the premiere of Academy-Award winner, Errol Morris' new documentary, "My Psychedelic Love Story". The film examines the strange, mysterious and complicated relationship between socialite, Joanna Harcourt-Smith and the high priest of LSD, Timothy Leary.



For the complete list of films and to purchase virtual passes and tickets, please click below: 

2020 AFI Film Festival

2020 NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL

For the 58th edition of the New York Film Festival, the event will be seen largely online with plans to utilize drive-ins in Brooklyn, Queens and a makeshift theater at the Bronx Zoo. The 2020 NYFF (with an expanded time which begins on September 17th and runs through October 11th) had hoped to be able to be show some films in a theater with a limited audience. Yet unlike in Venice, where this year's festival had indoor screenings, New York state officials are still insisting on theater restrictions and are keeping them locked down.



The fest opens with the return of Oscar-winning British filmmaker, Steve McQueen ("12 Years a Slave") and his latest, "Lovers Rock". It is part of his "Small Axe" anthology series of five original films (which includes "Mangrove" and "Red, White and Blue" that will be screened later at the fest in the Main Slate section) that will reach U.S. audiences through Amazon Prime. Set from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s, each film tells a different story involving London’s West Indian community and how they deal with rampant racism and discrimination in the country. "Lovers Rock" is a story of young love and music at a blues party in the early 1980's.

This year's Centerpiece Film is "Nomadland" from director, Chloé Zhao. This drama (which just won the top prize of Golden Lion at this year's Venice Film Festival) features Frances McDormand as a recent widow who sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad.

The Closing Night Film will be the surreal comedy, "French Exit" from director, Azazel Jacobs. Based on the novel from Patrick deWitt (who also wrote the screenplay), Michelle Pfeiffer stars as a widowed New York socialite who has lost most of her vast fortune. Desperate, she decides to head to a friend's empty Paris apartment by cruise ship with her son, Malcolm (Lucas Hedges) and their cat, Small Frank (voiced by Tracy Letts).

There is a new Spotlight section which is a showcase of sneak previews, gala events and special evenings. Some of the films included will be the world premiere of the latest from Sofia Coppola, "On the Rocks" which reteams the director with her "Lost in Translation" star, Bill Murray; "All In: The Fight for Democracy", a look at voter suppression directed by Liz Garbus and Lisa Cortés; "Hopper/Welles", a documentary that features a 1970 conversation between actor, Dennis Hopper and Orson Welles; "American Utopia", a filmed version of David Byrne’s Broadway musical concert directed by Spike Lee; and the film I'm most excited about: Pedro Almodóvar’s "The Human Voice", a thirty-minute short that is the Spanish director's first English-language film and stars the incredible, Tilda Swinton.

And I absolutely love this year's poster for New York 's Fest (see at the top) which was designed by none other than that eccentric filmmaker from Baltimore, John Waters. Even though none of his films were ever screened at this festival (a shocking crime!), the director is still thrilled to have been asked to create the poster which is done in the colorful style of those now-classic ads that promoted upcoming carnivals, rock & roll and R&B concerts in the '50's and '60's. 

For the complete list of films, venues and to purchase virtual tickets, please click below :

2020 NYFF

WINNERS OF THE 2020 VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

After two weeks of successfully creating a safe environment in order for audiences to actually view movies in theaters, the 77th annual Venice Film Festival has concluded and director Chloé Zhao has received the top prize of the Golden Lion with her film, "Nomadland". This drama stars Oscar-winner, Frances McDormand as a woman who leaves her small town to travel around the American Midwest following an economic collapse in the country. The Cate Blanchett-lead jury selected this film, making Zhao the first female director to win this prize in ten years and only the fifth woman in this international fest's history to receive the honor.

Here is a list of winners from the 2020 Venice Film Festival:

Golden Lion: "Nomadland"



Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize: "Nuevo Orden"
Silver Lion Best Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa, "Wife Of A Spy"



Best Screenplay: Chaitanya Tamhane, "The Disciple"



Volpi Cup Best Actress: Vanessa Kirby, "Pieces Of A Woman"
Volpe Cup Best Actor: Pierfrancesco Favino, "Padrenostro"
Special Jury Prize: "Dear Comrades!"



Marcello Mastroianni Award (for Best New Young Actor or Actress): Roohollah Zamani, "Sun Children"



Golden Lion For Lifetime Achievement: filmmaker, Ann Hui and actor, Tilda Swinton

Horizons Awards:

Best Film: "The Wasteland"
Best Director: Lav Diazn, "Genus Pan"



Best Screenplay: Pietro Castellitto, "I Predatori (The Predators)"
Special Jury Prize: "Listen"
Best Actress: Khansa Batma, "Zanka Contact"
Best Actor: Yahya Mahayni, "The Man Who Sold His Skin"
Best Short Film: "Entre Tú Y Milagros"
Lion of the Future (Luigi De Laurentiis Award For a Debut Film): Ana Rocha de Sousa, "Listen"

WOMEN MAKE FILM

"Women Make Film" is a fourteen-hour documentary film from filmmaker and critic, Mark Cousins. This timely project is a celebration, placing a much needed spotlight on female filmmakers from around the world and throughout history, some that certainly have not received the recognition that they and their influential work deserve. With narration from a cast of international performers, Adjoa Andoh, Jane Fonda, Kerry Fox, Thandie Newton, Tilda Swinton, Sharmila Tagore and Debra Winger, this "road movie through cinema" is divided into forty chapters and features the work of one hundred and eighty-three directors. The director Cousins has not made a conventional doc, offering an introspective, almost academic, exploration on how their films are shaped and how they inventively depict love, life and death through the cinematic lens.

"Women Make Film" originally made it's premiere at the 2018 Venice Film Festival and is now being shown on Turner Classic Movies as one-hour episodes on Tuesdays beginning this month through December. TCM hosts, Alicia Malone and Jacqueline Stewart, will do the introduction before each showing and then will screen some of the films discussed in that installment on the channel. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about some of the unsung talent of cinema and discover their extraordinary movies.