"Breaking Ice", "Promised Land", and "Goodbye Julia" among others join the Best International Feature Film Race

by Nathaniel R

As you read this yours truly is in Italy (visiting with Elisa probably!) but before I hopped on the plane I updated the Best International Feature Film Submission Charts and Prediction/ Overflowing Stats Chart. As of yesterday 74 films have been announced as intended submissions from their home countries. The list usually tops out at 93 films (about 19 to go!) and there's usually one unexpected switcheroo or omission from what was previously announced so we'll see. But here are a handful of highlights from recent announcements...

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First & Last 031

Can you guess the movie by its first and last shot?

Okay this is a hard one so click on over for the answer after the jump...

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Review: "The Holdovers" Makes For a Successful Payne/Giamatti Reunion

By Christopher James

A student, teacher and cafeteria manager are stuck together for Christmas in Alexander Payne's new film, "The Holdovers."

Alexander Payne has added another lovable misanthrope to his Avengers collection of curmudgeons. The Holdovers packages a lot of familiar tropes, both from Payne’s filmography and broader genre conventions. Luckily that doesn’t stifle the film’s wit and charm. After having an ambitious flop with Downsizing, Payne has returned to form with his eighth feature.

Mixing Goodbye Mr. Chips with Rushmore, The Holdovers is, like its protagonist, gruff yet sweet. For those looking for a Holiday coming-of-age comedy with a spike of melancholy, it'll be the feel-good, feel-bad movie of the fall season...

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First & Last 030

Can you guess the movie from its first and last shot?

Countless movies begin with an eyeball so that doesn't tell you much. But what a beautiful eyeball it is! If it helps for a hint we get a time code just before the eye (we usually don't include text on a black screen as a "first" image) that reads "1:06:28 AM 30 DEC 1999". If you haven't guessed the answer is after the jump when you scroll down...

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"The Kill Room" opens Friday

by Nathaniel R

Pulp Fiction favs Uma Thurman and Samuel L Jackson are reuniting onscreen for The Kill Room, an art-world set comic thriller. It opens this Friday. But we mostly want to shout this one out because our friend Denise Grayson (The Social Network), is in it. (She's the blonde upfront. We added the star for highlight). Actors aren't allowed to promote their own work at the moment, but we can still shout out actors we love as fans or friends. The trailer to The Kill Room is after the jump... 

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