Oscar Volley: How do you choose only 15 finalists for "Best International Feature"?

Team Experience will be discussing each Oscar category as we head into the precursors. Here’s Elisa Giudici and Abe Friedtanzer…

Argentina, 1985

ELISA: Abe, have been handed one of the toughest Oscar volleys of the year. The Best International Film category is maddening: more than 90 possible contenders, the majority of whom are still unavailable. My first impression this year is that no movie has already locked up a nomination. There is no Parasite, no Another Round, no crystal-clear, 100% sure contender who can sleep tight until the nomination morning. Do you have the same impression? 

There are of course some strong contenders in the category, such as Argentina, 1985. I saw this movie in Venice and underestimated its crowdpleasing power...

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Golden Globe Predix. Which movies / celebrities will they love most?

by Nathaniel R

Do people remember that the original AVATAR triumphed at the Globes. Might AVATAR THE WAY OF WATER repeat?

The Golden Globe nominations arrive on Monday morning. The HFPA has been (mostly) dormant since their broadcast banishment but they hope to be back on the mainstream audience's radar this year. They've been doing internal reforms and recruiting new members, so predicting them is theoretically a whole new ballgame.

Both Tom Cruise and Brendan Fraser have both been outspoken anti-Globe celebrities and the Globes have also been taken to task for racial biases. Either of these things might play into voting or they might not. Because you need a guiding principal for wide open contests like this, the one I've chosen is assuming they'll love Elvis (a very Globes-friendly film) and Banshees of The Inisherin the most.  Who knows how they'll vote but let's try to predict anyway.  But let's try anyway... 

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Best International Film Reviews: Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela

by Cláudio Alves

Sometimes, it feels as if Latin-American cinema is doomed to be forever underappreciated. Earlier this month, the Sight & Sound list notably ignored films from the Americas beyond US-made pictures. At the Oscars, the situation isn't much better. Since 2010, one can only find six Latin-American nominees out of sixty in Best International Film. (Sadly, the problem persists, though Argentina, 1985 and Bardo both might make the shortlist this year.) In no way does this reflect the realities of international cinema or even the quality of Latin submissions for the 95th Academy Awards. There are plenty of outstanding achievements to appreciate once you look beyond the buzzy titles…

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Tweetweek

I will miss Twitter when it's gone even though it was kind of a hellscape. Anyway, here are some choice showbiz related tweets from the past couple of weeks, curated for this crowd here at TFE...

Cate Blanchett has yet to TRULY challenge herself as an actress by playing the role of a mentally sound lady who has a nice day

— Chelsea Pope (@chelseathepope) November 6, 2022

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Oscar Volleys: How Many Pop Hits in Best Original Song?

Team Experience will be discussing each Oscar category as we head into the precursors. Here's Eurocheese and Baby Clyde...  

"Ciao Papa" in GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO

EUROCHEESE: Well Baby, It's Cold Outside and you know what that means - we're Falling Slowly into awards season, and it's time to name the songs seeking Glory in the City of Stars. There are a few big hits that Take My Breath Away: Rihanna's "Lift Me Up," which seems to be everywhere at the moment; Lady Gaga's "Hold My Hand" in the year's biggest hit that just won't slow down; and the standout song from Del Toro's Pinocchio, "Ciao Papa," which I expect will make the cut. Do you agree these three are solid initial nominees, or do you have High Hopes that rest elsewhere? Any Secret Love that you see near the top of your list?

BABY CLYDE: Hey Mr Cheese, I Just Called To Say I Love You. The Academy must be salivating at the prospect of this year’s nominees. Am I correct in thinking that Rihanna, Gaga, Taylor and Billie Eilish are all legit contenders in this category...

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