Udo Kier's Best Actor-worthy performance in "Swan Song"

by Eurocheese

It’s almost fitting that Todd Stephens’ Swan Song will have to fight for its title with a higher prestige film of the same name (Benjamin Cleary’s film starring Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris and Glenn Close) this season. The film’s main character, Mr. Pat (Udo Kier), has been pushed out of his former life as his town's most respected hairdresser, and now earns respect in his nursing home only by demanding it. The film starts in a fairly grim reality, but he finds solace in his hidden More 120 Slim cigars and teasing the hair of his fellow patients from time to time. He is somewhat resigned to this existence. 

All of this changes when he is offered a large sum of money to fix the hair of a former client for her funeral (Dynasty's Linda Evans making her first film appearance in 24 years). Initially he defiantly rejects the offer, siting the fact that she fired him years ago...

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Revisiting the original "A Star Is Born"

by Cláudio Alves

As the next Supporting Actress Smackdown approaches, The Film Experience is celebrating the cinematic year of 1937. It was then that Hollywood consolidated its favorite myth about itself. While the story model had been making the rounds for ages, both in gossip and on-screen (check out What Price Hollywood?), William A. Wellman's A Star Is Born is the first movie of its name. The tale of Norman Maine and Vicky Lester, his downfall and her rise to fame, would be told three more times to great effect, but one should never forget the original. Not when the movie is this pristine, written to formidable effect by a team that included the legendary Dorothy Parker and performed with utmost conviction by Fredric March and Janet Gaynor…

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Consider Oscar Isaac in "The Card Counter"

by Lynn Lee

Is it too early to start an “Oscar for Oscar” FYC campaign?  Because there needs to be one for Oscar Isaac in The Card Counter, stat.

Sadly, it’s not at all a given that he’ll get much traction.  Initial reception of The Card Counter among critics has been positive but rather muted, and the film hasn’t made much of a mark with general audiences.  It probably doesn’t help that the trailer gives the misleading impression of a snappy, heisty movie about a poker player with a shady past when in reality it’s a slow-burn Paul Schrader Dark Odyssey into the Mind of a Morally Tormented Man.  Schrader fans, at least, will get what they’re expecting; Isaac fans will get that and so much more...

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Almost There: Jack Lemmon in "Glengarry Glen Ross"

by Cláudio Alves

Last week, in the Almost There series, I took a look at Shirley MacLaine's Volpi Cup-winning turn in Madame Sousatzka. This week, it's on to another Venice Film Festival champion who got some Oscar buzz but failed to make it to the Academy's lineup. From a Best Actress winner to a Best Actor victor, from one elderly Oscar-winner to another, from The Apartment's leading lady to its leading man. In 1992, Jack Lemmon won two prizes at Venice, both for his performance in James Foley's screen adaptation of David Mamet's most famous play, Glengarry Glen Ross. The movie is iconic, full of memorable dialogue and oft-quoted one-liners, a treasure trove of vociferous acting, bursting at the seams with tired testosterone. Still, amid such a powerhouse cast of characters and acclaimed thespians, Lemmon shines brightest…

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Nathaniel's Venice Wrap-Up: Jury of One Awards

by Nathaniel R

The Venice jury and I agree on a Screenplay prize for THE LOST DAUGHTER

Elisa's already shared the official winners of Venice (and her take on those choices since she saw the whole competition slate). I admire her completism at festivals but my habit is instead to sample a bit from each program. I saw twenty-one films which is a very low number to see over eight days at a major fest — blame Venice’s absurd ticketing system this year which encouraged people to be on their phones securing tickets WHILE watching movies -- i met several people who had set timers for themselves! -- since they sold out in seconds after becoming available every few hours. Since I refused to play on my phone during movies I missed two crucial movies (Spencer and Dune) but here are my favorite achievements from the films I did catch from all programs (Competition, Out of Competitions, Orizzonti, Biennale Collage Cinema, and Critics Week)

RULES: In true festival jury fashion (even though it’s just myself) I’m only allowing one prize per film. And rather than giving out a Best Actress and Best Actor prize (don't make me decide this early!) I’m listing my 15 favorite performances after the jump. What, too much? Acting is magic so I shan't apologize…. 

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