Pt 3. International Feature Race: A Dozen Movie Stars!

by Nathaniel R

Internationally famous South Korean superstar Lee Byung-hun in "No Other Choice"

As a final part of our general trivia overview (pt 1 stats & genres / pt 2 directors) of the Best International Feature Film race -- before things narrow down -- we thought we'd look at famous actors gracing the international Oscar race this year. Here are a dozen of the most familiar faces that Academy voters (and you) will recognize from their own history of awardage not to mention previous classics and contenders from this very category. If their new film is nominated, you might see them in their full tux/gown glory on Oscar night.

We'll take these dozen megawatt talents alphabetically...

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In conversation with "Sound of Falling"'s Evelyn Rack

Voting for the Oscar shortlists is ongoing, including in the Best International Film category. Here's Eurocheese talking with Evelyn Rack, the extraordinary editor of Germany's Sound of Falling...

SOUND OF FALLING (2025) Mascha Schilinski | © MUBI

(Please note - this interview contains SPOILERS in you haven't seen the film.)

EUROCHEESE: Congratulations on Sound of Falling. I was able to catch it at AFI fest this year – it was my favorite film at the festival. It such a unique viewing experience – so different from anything that I've seen in a long time, and I'm really excited to get to talk to you about it today. First of all, I just wanted to find out a little bit about how the project came to you. 

EVELYN RACK: The producer Maren Schmitt approached me – we had worked on other projects before and she told me listen Eva, I have this amazing script from this awesome director; you have to come on board, I know you're the right one. So she sent me the script, I opened it, and on the first page before anything else there was a quote from Bresson: “I'd rather have people feel a film before understanding it.” My heart skipped a beat because I feel like it's exactly my editing approach on every film that I edit, that I seek to really feel a film rather than understanding it...

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The Golden Globe Nominations are here!

by Eric Blume

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER leads the pack with nine Globe nominations. | © Warner Bros.

The 83rd Golden Globe nominations were announced this morning, and, despite a few clunkers, I'm going to give a HOT TAKE and say that, overall, these nominations are pretty fantastic. It'll be interesting to see how Oscar voters screw them up! But then, I'll go out on a limb with another HOT TAKE and say that, often, the Globes do better than Oscar wins for Brokeback Mountain, The Social Network, The Power of the Dog, Colin Ferrell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, etc. Let's take a look category by category...

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Eligible Original Songs & Scores for the 98th Oscars

by Nathaniel R

Both of the following massive lists will be narrowed down to fifteen contenders on December 16 when the Academy reveals the shortlists in all the categories that use multiple ballots. But for now all the composers can all imagine golden statues in their future...

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Critics Choice Voters All Infected By "Sinners"

by Nathaniel R

SINNERS

As a voting member, despite my votes rarely being reflected in nominations, it is my duty to share the annual Critics Choice Award Nominations. As is increasingly the case in modern awards voting, hardly a problem unique to the CCAs, there is far less spread the wealth than there use to be. I believe this is an unintended consequence of expanded Best Picture lists which theoretically narrow voters ideas about a) what they should watch and b) what they should vote for without "wasting" their precious few ballot spots. This year FOUR pictures had double digit nominations with Ryan Coogler's genre hopping vampire picture Sinners scoring 17 (gulp) nominations, just one shy of Barbie's all time record (18). One Battle After Another was in second place with 14 nominations. 

Anyway let's get to the nominations, some commentary, and a few Oscar punditry notes, too.... 

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