Best International Feature: New Rules, New Possibilities

by Cláudio Alves

Will the new rules booster Parasite's Oscar chances?

As we get closer to the peak of Awards Season, the Academy has been divulging new rules and approaches to their voting process. Most of the changes have to do with online accessibility to screeners, making it easier for the voters to have seen the films before sending in their ballots. One of the categories most affected by these changes is that of the recently renamed Best International Feature Oscar.

For one, the shortlist, which will be announced on December 16th, has been expanded from 9 to 10 films. Voters who want to help delineate this selection will have to watch at least 15 of the record-breaking 93 submitted features. Seven finalists will be selected by these voters, while the other three will be “saved” by a special committee.

That’s hardly different from the previous process. The relatively big change happens after the shortlist has been decided…

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Could The King Be a Contender

by Jason Adams

It's a big day for Netflix's 2019 Oscar slate, with Martin Scorsese's The Irishman opening in eight theaters in New York (one of them being the famed Broadway theater the Belasco) and Los Angeles -- you can read my thoughts on the movie when it screened at NYFF right here. It's a great film, worthy of all the praise it's gotten and will continue to get. That Marty guy can direct a movie!

But if you're not near those eight theaters (or if you are, even) there's another choice from the streaming giant that I recommend you get your eyeballs on -- David Michôd's The King starring Timothee Chalamet has now hit their online service after its own brief theatrical window, and I suggest you find the biggest screen you can find for it...

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100 days til Oscar

It's exactly 100 days until the 92nd Academy Awards. What amazing Oscar record would you scream "100%!" at?

Our answer: Vivien Leigh's two-for-two Best Actress wins (Gone With the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire) both monumental pieces of lead acting, but in different modes though both characters are iconic Southern Belles. The first win was an A+ screen presence triumph, the epitome of a "star turn" or 'star is born' movie-movie event. The latter win was for the kind of exquisitely nuanced, passionate depth to a gloriously meaty part that only actors of that caliber are able to achieve. TFE is here for Leigh both times without question. Usually two Oscar wins can feel excessive (when so many top notch actors never manage one) but not in this case.  

October. It's a wrap!

The scariest thing that's happening on Halloween today is the realization that there are only two months of the year (AND DECADE) left to go [SCREAMS]. If you've been a spotty visitor lately, here are a dozen highlights we don't want you to have missed from the month that was...

• Hustlers for Best Costume Design - a convincing case!
• Beauty Break Cláudio survey's Almodóvar's luscious men
• Monthly Calendar of the Oscar Fanatic -Eurocheese's diary is freakishly accurate!
• Parasite Podcast - now that you've seen Bong Joon ho's instant classic, you can listen to the spoilery podcast
• Avengers Endgame's Oscar play - Abe wonders how it can fare
• Empty Joker - Michael isn't into it. Are you?
• How Had I Never Seen... Cabaret - Ben catches up with one of the all time great musicals
• Murtada on TV - Turkish television had him on to talk Almodóvar
• Female Directors in the International Film Race - as usual Nathaniel went deep into investigation when the longlist for Best International Film was announced
• Soundtracking - Chris's series takes on Ellen Burstyn's struggling singer in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
• Horror Actressing - Jason's series looks back at Pan's Labyrinth

Most Discussed Posts
• Ten Best Supporting Actors of the 2010s that weren't nominated - These still hurt
• Bombshell screenings shake up Actress categories - Eric hears the buzz

Coming in November
LOTS OF OSCAR CAMPAIGN FEVER. More on Parasite, JoJo Rabbit, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Knives Out, Waves, and The Irishman. New releases Harriet, Terminator Dark Fate, Klaus, Charlie's Angels, The Good Liar, Queen and Slim. Disney +'s debut, TFE's Thanksgiving bounty, new interviews, and anniversaries for Precious, Interview with the Vampire, and Meet Me in St Louis.

This is Halloween

Everybody give a scream! What's the scariest thing you've ever seen in a movie? After the jump I'll share a few of mine. I can't even put into words how much these four moments freaked me out on first time screenings...

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