Hou Hsiao-Hsien @ 75: International Acclaim (1987-1998)

by Cláudio Alves

In contrast with their critical acclaim abroad, the Taiwanese reception of Hou Hsiai-Hsien's films was less enthusiastic. Dwindling box-office returns and accusations that his films were too uncommerciable led the director to attempt bridging the popular and the artful. 1987's Daughter of the Nile returns to the realm of modern Taiwan's youth, abandoning the midcentury narratives that had characterized the autobiographical films. It's also notable for its more significant urban setting and single-minded focus on a female protagonist. 

After this project, he wouldn't pay much attention to commercial appeal while his ambitions grew. At the end of the 80s, we encounter a peak of international recognition, the ascension of Hou Hsiao-Hsien to the pantheon of modern-day masters of cinema. All it took was a landmark film that, in 1989, earned the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and kickstarted a trilogy of historical reflections…

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Jessie Buckley and Eddie Redmayne win Olivier Awards

by Nathaniel R

Jessie Buckley & Eddie Redmayne at the Olivier Awards yesterday

On Sunday across the pond the West End's Olivier Awards were held at the Royal Albert Hall. Since Broadway and the West End are on different schedules despite cross pollination you can sometimes get clues as to what future shows might be big at the Tony Awards and which Broadway shows have transferred well to London. Regarding the latter, London got two high profile Broadway transfers this season, the 2011 Sutton Foster led revival of Cole Porter's Anything Goes and the 2019 musical adapation of Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! both of which won multiple Tony Awards in their seasons. In stark contrast, they took only one prize each at the Oliviers. Disney's Frozen also lept across the pond but, just as it had in NYC, it received a few courtesy nominations but no wins.

The big Olivier winners were a new play based on the book/movie Life of Pi using actor operated puppets for the animals and yet another revival of Kander & Ebb's eternally thrilling Cabaret...

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April Foolish Oscar Predix Pt 2 - Screenplay, Scores, Song, Sound

Previously: Pt 1 Animated Features

A promo still from SPIRITED © Apple TV+

We're dropping the April Foolish Oscar Predictions daily for a week and that should take us through Cannes when the game shifts again with lots of new information to process. Excuse our sibilant sssssssss today but it's time for the two screenplay categories, and the three sound related categories.

Are There Any Musicals This Year?
Yes but not like last season. 2021 was shocking with 11 musicals released though only three turned into real Oscar players (Encanto, tick tick BOOM!, and West Side Story) This year there are half as many. We're getting a Nicholas Britell scored version of Carmen (directed by Mr Natalie Portman himself Benjamin Milipied), Apple TV+ is releasing Spirited, a new musical take of the constantly retold Scrooge story with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds in the leading roles...

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Hou Hsiao-Hsien @ 75: Independent Auteur (1983-1986)

by Cláudio Alves

After abandoning studio moviemaking, Hou Hsiao-Hsien became more evident in his cinematic references. Some of his post-1982 films even featured excerpts from De Sica's Bicycle Thieves and Visconti's Rocco and His Brothers. Fellini's I Vitelloni was never as obviously showcased, but 1983's The Boys from Fengkuei owes much to that Italian classic. The film portrays the aimless wanderings of bored teenagers from a small shipping island. Before the boys are called for their obligatory military service, they travel to the big city of Kaohsiung, finding new independence, new loves, and new woes.

Instead of forcing an artificial structure unto his character's existence, Hou Hsiao-Hsien follows their insouciance with patience, making the film in their likeness...

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April Foolish Oscar Predix Pt 1 - Best Animated Feature

by Nathaniel R

It seems almost cruel to begin a new year of Oscar punditry with Best Animated Feature since the hot trailer of the moment is Marcel The Shell With Shoes On, which probably won't be eligible. The film combines live action with its endearing stop-motion and that's mostly a no-no. The only film we remember that's been deemed eligible that did that was The Lego Movie though it's live-action section was extremely brief (and it's worth noting that it was a surrprise snub in the end).

Already in the year one possibly major Oscar contender has emerged with Pixar's Turning Red though it will face stiff in-house competition with the release of Toy Story prequel Lightyear in the summer.  After the jump a preview of Animated Features coming our way in 2022. Which of them will delight the Academy... 

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