πΏ58: Alice, Darling
This week, Oscar-nom-news and early drawings of Buzz Lightyear, or rather "Lunar Larry" π¨βπ
βI'm on a special diet. No toxic waste.β
~ Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, 1989
And the award goes toβ¦
With the BAFTAs on 19th February and the Oscars on the 13th March, itβs safe to say that awards season is fast approaching. As the Academy Award nominees have been announced, I thought Iβd have a go at predicting the winners for the key categories.
Best Picture
Everything Everywhere All At Once
It seems like an unlikely contender for the top spot, but as itβs taken more nominations than any other film (and because itβs a flawless work of cinema), I do think itβs the most obvious choice.
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett
Although I was put off by the filmβs first trailer, Blanchett is being praised for her performance in Tar.
Best Actor
Brendan Fraser
If The Whale is as good as itβs cracked up to be, then I canβt see the Academy putting an end to Fraserβs Hollywood comeback (though it would be nice for Paul Mescal to win).
Best Director
Steven Spielberg
Itβs hard to imagine Spielberg not winning with The Fabelmans.
International Feature Film
All Quiet on the Western Front
While Iβd love for an indie drama to win over Netflix (Close and The Quiet Girl both look fantastic and Iβve wanted to see them for while), the Academy love a war epic.
If youβve got any predictions of your own, weβd love to hear them, so let us know in the comments. In return, youβll have proof of your foresight and future bragging rights!
Now for the headlines:
The nominations for the 2023 Academy Awards have been announced, with Everything Everywhere All At Once leading the pack. Read more.
Filming on the sequel to Gladiator has been delayed to accommodate Paul Mescalβs theatre commitments (as heβs currently playing Stanley in βA Street Car Named Desireβ). Read more.
Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski has bagged an Oscar-nom for his upcoming feature EO, a feature-length drama that tells the story of a donkey who leaves the circus to embark on a journey across Europe. It sounds silly, but we think itβll be great. Read more.
Universal has pulled out of Madonnaβs self-directed biopic following her world tour announcement. Read more.
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Upcoming Releases
Blue Jean
UK: 10 February // USA: 10 February
Itβs 1988 and Margaret Thatcherβs Tory government is about to pass a law stigmatising LGBT people, forcing Jean (Rosy McEwen), a PE teacher, to live a double life. As pressure mounts from all sides, the arrival of a new girl at school catalyses a crisis that will challenge Jean to her core.
Infinity Pool
UK: 24 March // USA: 27 January
While staying at an isolated island resort, Em (Cleopatra Coleman) and James (Alexander SkarsgΓ₯rd) are enjoying a perfect vacation of pristine beaches, exceptional staff, and soaking up the sun. But guided by the seductive and mysterious Gabi (Mia Goth), they venture outside the resort grounds and find themselves in a culture filled with violence, hedonism and untold horror.
Fact of the week
Itβs been nearly 30 years since the world was first introduced to Toy Story and the gang. But did you know that Buzz Lightyear was almost calledβ¦ βLunar Larryβ. Thatβs right, a couple of years ago Disney released several unseen sketches, which give an insight into what Buzz might have looked like. Click here to see them all.
Review: Alice, Darling
Star rating:
3.5 (out of 5)
Where to watch:Β
USA: Only in cinemas
UK: Only in cinemas
Runtime:
1hr 30m
Director:
Mary Nighy
Blurb:Β
After taking a vacation with friends, Alice (Anna Kendrick) reassesses her relationship with her psychologically abusive boyfriend, Simon (Charlie Carrick) and attempts to break her codependency in spite of Simon's vengeful attitude.
The review (SOME spoilers):
In Mary Nighyβs directorial debut, Anna Kendrick shines in this slow-burning and impactful drama that puts the spotlight on non-physical domestic abuse.
For an actor whose career has been defined largely by light-hearted comedies, I was impressed by how well Kendrick managed to play Alice, a nervous wreck of a woman shadowed by unearned guilt, anxiety and fear. Her performance is laden with intricate ticks and behaviours that convey what sheβs going through while giving the feeling that sheβs not the same person she once was.
I did, however, find myself waiting for something big to happen. While that might say more about my expectations of a film with a star like Kendrick, the lack of a climax left me deflated. When the credits started rolling, it didnβt feel like the story had ended as there was no hard-hitting resolution.
The filmβs subtlety is refreshing in some ways. While itβs bound to be more of an uncomfortable watch for anyone who has (or knows someone who has) experienced a coercive relationship, for a film about domestic abuse, itβs not as disturbing as one might expect - which is a good thing.
Using violence to shock an audience can be a cheap trick when dealing with sensitive and serious issues, though fortunately, itβs not one that Nighy has employed. Instead, the film feels as delicate as Aliceβs emotional state and thereβs no shortage of uncomfortable scenes.
I do think, however, that Nighy spent too much time on an unnecessary and ultimately fruitless subplot, time that could have been spent reflecting on Alice and Simonβs (Charlie Carrick) relationship. Learning more about them as a couple, how they met and how their relationship became so toxic would have added more depth to the film and built a stronger connection between the audience and the characters.
Of course, bearing witness to Aliceβs anguish and anxiety is enough to show the severity of the abuse sheβs suffered, but more could have been done to solidify the audienceβs connection to her.
Scroll down to see whatβs in the next issue.
If you likedΒ Alice, Darlingβ¦
Thin Invisible Man
2020 | UK: Amazon Prime (Β£3.99) // USA: Amazon Prime ($3.99)
While speaking about Alice, Darling at a press event, director Mary Nighy said: βThis kind of abuseβ¦ there arenβt many movies about it.β And she was right. Iβve struggled to find a similar film that sensitively explores non-violent abuse and coercion and itβs been tough.
While The Invisible Man is very (very) different in tone and steps a little into the world of sci-fi, Elisabeth Moss plays a woman trying to leave an abusive partner. These are two very different films, but I remember being surprised at just how good The Invisible Man was when I saw it in 2020 (just before the first lockdown).
In the next issue:
The Whale
UK: 3 February // USA: 09 December |Β Watch the Trailer