Neither Asia Argento nor Kristin Scott-Thomas received Oscar nods for their work in 2008 (although Penelope Cruz got a somewhat unexpected nod for Vicky Cristina Barcelona). Man on Wire got a best documentary nom and In Bruges got a best screenplay nod.
The best actress field was unusually strong this year with some of the best female role in film in many a year. Doubt, Vicki Cristina Barcelona, The Changeling, The Reader, Rachel Getting Married, The Reader, Revolutionary Road and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button all had high profile, show-off type performances (several of which were nominated).
Man on Wire and In Bruges both got excellent reviews and In Bruges seems on the verge of becoming a cult film on video.
As for the Best Foreign Language nominees
The French entry, The Class was the well-received portrayal of a year in the life of a class of Parisian middle school students which focuses on the culturally varied children who consist of the group and their devoted instructor, François Marin. The narrative takes place almost completely within the physical space of the classroom itself, the story explores the diversity of personality and background among the students that makes Marin's work both testing and gratifying.
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
The origin of the notorious German terrorist group, the Red Army Faction, are traced to the confused events of the late 1960s. When a political riot leaves a demonstrator dead and an assassination attempt is made on a leftist chief, student radicals Andreas Baader and Gudrun Ensslin join forces with writer Ulrike Meinhof to form a brutal bloc that turns to violence and terror to achieve its goals.
The Class seems to be the front runner here as it is a moving and challenging film with (literally) lived in performances. Tune in on Feb. 22 to see if EFP is right...
Friday, January 23, 2009
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