Almost There: Charles Melton in "May December"

by Cláudio Alves

Apologies for the delay in what was supposed to be the Almost There series' glorious return. Since the Oscars are less than one week away, let's see if I can get things back on schedule, starting with a look at one of the season's most disappointing "snubs." When May December premiered in Cannes, many singled out Charles Melton's performance, starting a narrative with great potential. Here was a Riverdale heartthrob making his way into the big leagues, proving he could go toe to toe with such awards-winning stars as Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore. Sadly, not long after a Gotham victory, Melton's campaign lost steam, victim of his film's failure to secure industry support, and he ended outside of AMPAS' Best Supporting Actor ballot…

Click to read more ...

Split Decision: "Past Lives"

No two people feel the exact same way about any film. Thus, Team Experience is pairing up to debate the merits of this year’s Oscar movies. Here's Mark Brinkerhoff and Lynn Lee on Past Lives...

MARK: Past Lives, fresh off its big wins at the Independent Spirit Awards, is, I think it’s safe to say, the indie darling of this Oscar season. American Fiction aside, no 2023 indie film seems to endure with as much feeling in cinephile's imagination than Past Lives, more than a year after its premiere at Sundance. But maybe I’m projecting here, because I love, LOVE, love! Past Lives, the beautiful, heartfelt film debut of real-deal filmmaker Celine Song. What say you?

LYNN: Past Lives is absolutely this year’s indie movie that could – the one that premiered with relatively little fanfare at Sundance only to build a tidal wave of support over the course of 2023. Not just support: love like yours, and not just love from critics, but from regular moviegoers. I can’t tell you how many friends or even casual acquaintances have told me, unprompted, that Past Lives was the best film they’ve seen in a long time...

Click to read more ...

2023 Team Experience Awards - WINNERS

by Christopher James

Poor Things won the hearts of The Film Experience team, but it wasn't the only film the team loved this year.

The Film Experience team has spoken. Our nomination leader - Poor Things - won Best Picture from the group. However, it was not a sweep for Yorgos Lanthimos' ambitious film. The only other category Poor Things won was Best Costume Design. Instead, the team decided to spread the wealth across all categories, rewarding a total of 16 films. The most wins racked up by any film this year was three, which both Anatomy of a Fall and Barbie achieved. 

See what won each of the categories after the jump...

Click to read more ...

Split Decision: "The Zone of Interest"

No two people feels the exact same way about any film. Thus, Team Experience is pairing up to debate the merits of this year’s Oscar movies. Here's Ben Miller and Nick Taylor on The Zone of Interest...

BEN: Hey Nick!  I will freely admit that The Zone of Interest haunted me in a way that I won't soon forget.  I consider it among the absolute best of the year and one of the most impactful Holocaust films to come out in some time.  The praise for the film is near universal, so I know that you thought it was just as exceptional as I did. We can be in agreement, and then call it a day.  Quick and painless...you thoughts?

NICK: I am definitely haunted by it! There’s plenty to admire in Jonathan Glazer’s direction, and I can’t deny I was taken aback by its provocations when I watched it. But even without the comparison to Glazer’s previous stone-cold masterpieces, I felt myself disengaging from the movie’s rhythms as it went on. Intellectually, I get why we’re kept at such a remove from the Höss family, and what the oppressive sound design and spycam cinematography are meant to convey about these people. I swear I do. But this did not connect with me the way it clearly has with you, and I would love to hear more about why this is one of the best movies of the year for you . . . .

Click to read more ...

Nathaniel's Best Supporting Actress Ballot

by Nathaniel R

Da'Vine Joy Randolph owns the Best Supporting Actress party. She brought baked goods and "it".

Dearest readers, imagine my terror when I realized this morning that it was just one week until the Oscars. That's the deadline to finish the Film Bitch Awards (at least in the Oscar-parallel categories). So let's have our final pre-Oscar discussion about Best Supporting Actress, mine and theirs... 

Click to read more ...