Latest news with #AnatomyOfAFall
Geek Vibes Nation
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'Two To One' Review – A Semi-Heist Movie That Goes Nowhere
No one had a year like Sandra Hüller in 2023. Starring in two of the most talked-about movies that year, Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest, she took the world by storm, and all eyes were on her, anticipating her next move. Enter Natja Brunckhorst's Two to One, a 'semi' money heist film that goes neither here nor there, and we get a glimpse of Hüller's experimental attitude toward her career. This feature is an entirely different breed of filmmaking. Light, sweet, subtle, and funny without being overtly comical, it is not what is to be expected from the 2023 award season queen. But that's the beauty of her experimental career, going from mega projects to a low-key, socio-political comedy. All abandoned cities give off the same vibes. People's faces display the same expressions. Dissatisfaction, nostalgia, discontentment, and bitter acceptance; the art of enjoying the small things in life. It's Germany during a critical time in its history–a few days before pre-unification, and how that sudden economic, political, and social shift affects ordinary people's lives. Another film that easily comes to mind tackling the same topic is Wolfgang Becker's Goodbye, Lenin! Another masterpiece about how major political and economic decisions reflect in the daily lives of individuals. These movies about the regular people we pass down the streets and meet every day are much more moving than movies about grandiose, larger-than-life personalities that don't exist beyond the abysmal worship of modern online cinephilia. But the Brunckhorst feature vastly differs from Becker's. It doesn't take that seriously. It's low on the artistic side and doesn't feature a cinematography or a narration style that is an art form in its own right. Why should it? It's a comedic ensemble that will put a smile on faces, even from generations who have no idea what the impact of the fall of the Berlin Wall means on both sides of the conflict, especially the depressed, working-class residents of East Germany. When those depressed residents of a dying economic entity find millions of worthless soon-to-be old money (ostmarks), and to their surprise, they find they can still exchange it for the new currency post-reunification. But at what cost does this seemingly unexpected path to wealth lead them? And how to undergo it under the nose of government officials and security guards? As for the pros and cons, a movie like that would've greatly benefited from a faster pace and a shorter runtime. But at its heart, the performances from the three leads, Hüller, Max Riemelt, and Ronald Zehrfeld -playing her husband and former flame respectively- bring tension to the somehow dull moments. Their awkward love triangle of sorts and their dynamics (owing to the vast difference in the two men's personalities) revives the narrative and creates an enthusiastic viewing experience for viewers to care enough about the characters. However, there are too many details to follow, especially for someone who, like me, is not fully aware of the complex history of communist vs. capitalist Germany. But what makes it a fun watching experience is the vibrancy of the characters, and their growing sense of community and solidarity, but also the subtle hint at the deep-rooted greed in human nature, despite well-meaning political systems and socialist propaganda. Two to One is not by any means a perfect heist comedy. For good reasoning. It has the perfect blend of simplicity and entertainment, the right film for a chill afternoon of wanting to explore a new film at the local movie theater. With solid performances and an engaging plot, this film is meant to leave moviegoers in an affable mood. Two To One is currently playing in UK cinemas courtesy of Tull Stories.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
From Palme d'Or to Best Picture: Cannes' Impact on the Oscars Is Stronger Than Ever
For years, the Cannes Film Festival has been synonymous with glamour, prestige and cinematic artistry, with more than a few awards season darlings debuting there. But over the last decade, as Oscar hopefuls increasingly shifted their debuts to Venice, Telluride and Toronto, Cannes saw its influence on awards season diminish. That's no longer the case. In the last three years, Oscar best picture contenders (as well as international feature nominees) emerged from its lineup — most notably Palme d'Or winners 'Triangle of Sadness' (2022) and 'Anatomy of a Fall' (2023). At this year's Oscars, Cannes Palme d'Or winner 'Anora' took best pic, director and actress, while Oscar nominees 'Flow,' which won for animated feature, 'The Substance,' 'The Apprentice' and 'Emilia Pérez,' with Zoe Saldaña taking home best supporting actress (she and her co-stars collectively won acting kudos at Cannes as well), all launched on the Croisette. More from Variety Lucky Number Sells Cannes-Bound 'The Last One for the Road' to Italy and France, Unveils Clip (EXCLUSIVE) Cannes Festival Adds More Films, Including Eugene Jarecki's Julian Assange Doc 'The Six Billion Dollar Man,' Bi Gan's 'Resurrection,' Martin Bourboulon's '13 Days, 13 Nights' Brazil's VDF Connection Bows at Cannes With Horror, Minas Gerais Showcases and Screening of Talent-To-Track Eva Pereira's Debut (EXCLUSIVE) In 2025, the festival is poised to reassert its dominance as an awards season juggernaut. With highly anticipated films from auteurs like Wes Anderson, Richard Linklater and Spike Lee, this year's slate is packed with bold, visionary storytelling. According to industry insiders, the buzz around the Palais des Festivals is approaching the same fever pitch typically reserved for the Dolby Theatre in March. 'This year's lineup is very promising,' says one awards consultant. 'We're seeing a return to form — not just for the festival, but for the idea that a film can be both artistically daring and awards-relevant.' Historically, Cannes has served as the place where filmmakers cemented or made their reputations on a global scale. Think Quentin Tarantino's Palme d'Or win for 'Pulp Fiction' (1994), Abdellatif Kechiche's emotionally raw 'Blue Is the Warmest Color' (2013) and Bong Joon Ho's 'Parasite,' which began its path to Oscar gold with a standing ovation on the French Riviera in 2019. But Cannes' strict premiere policies and early calendar placement at times made it feel out of sync with the more strategic awards campaigns of the fall festival circuit. Venice capitalized on the power shift, premiering future Oscar winners like 'The Shape of Water' (2018) and 'Joker' (2019), while Telluride and Toronto became favorites for launching studio-backed contenders like 'The King's Speech' (2010), 'Argo' (2012) and 'Moonlight' (2016). Cannes, meanwhile, developed a reputation — especially in the U.S. — as more of a global distribution showcase than a feeder for the Academy Awards. That perception is now rapidly shifting. In a fragmented media landscape, where theatrical windows are shrinking and the Oscars continue to fight for relevance, Cannes offers something increasingly rare: a global stage, immediate visibility and a built-in stamp of artistic legitimacy. As the theatrical landscape continues to evolve post-COVID and the Academy embraces a more international membership, Cannes' early slot is being reframed as a strategic advantage rather than a liability. The strategy reflects a larger shift in industry thinking: Cannes isn't merely a festival — it's a platform for long-term positioning. A breakout at Cannes doesn't simply generate acclaim; it sets in motion a year-long campaign arc that can culminate at the Oscars. 'We're building narratives for our films months ahead of the fall fests,' says one executive at a studio with projects in this year's lineup. 'If the reception is huge, we've got time to ride that momentum into the fall and fine-tune our campaign.' Michael Barker, co-president of Sony Pictures Classics, agrees Cannes has long played a pivotal role in shaping the awards conversation — and not just recently. 'I think it's been that way for a long time,' Barker says. 'You go back to a film like [2012's] 'Amour' — that set the table. 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' — the response there was so over the top. You knew in that moment Brad Pitt was going to win the Oscar.' Barker also sees Cannes as vital for discovery, noting that it remains a place 'where companies continue to find jewels under the rock. It's famous for that — films that become successful around the world, whether in the market or with awards.' Sony Pictures Classics arrives this year with Scarlett Johansson's directorial debut, 'Eleanor the Great,' screening in Un Certain Regard. Cannes' resurgence has been fueled by a new generation of distributors who've cracked the code on translating festival buzz into Oscar gold. Neon's 2019 campaign for 'Parasite' — which became the first non-English-language film to win best picture — is widely seen as the blueprint. Since then, Neon has returned to Cannes to acquire Palme d'Or winners 'Titane' (2021), 'Triangle of Sadness' and 'Anatomy of a Fall,' with the latter two making notable showings during awards season in the U.S. This year, the distributor returns with several high-profile entries, including Joachim Trier's dramedy 'Sentimental Value,' starring Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård — already considered a top contender for the jury's selection. While Venice, Telluride and Toronto remain critical to any awards campaign — particularly for building U.S. buzz and courting North American Academy members — Cannes is now being taken more seriously by acquisition teams and awards strategists alike. Scott Shooman, Head of IFC Entertainment Group, also sees Cannes as perfectly aligned with today's global Oscar strategies. 'The starter pistol goes off when that red carpet is rolled out at Cannes,' Shooman says. 'It used to feel like there was too much real estate to cover between Cannes and awards season. But now, because of the Academy's international expansion, Cannes has become the worldwide launchpad.' Shooman notes that Cannes now offers a clear first-mover advantage. 'It's not about worrying if a film will burn out before the fall — it's about building a long, global runway. And if you win the Palme d'Or now and you don't land a best picture nomination, that would honestly be the surprise,' he says. IFC will be premiering the Australian survival horror film 'Dangerous Animals,' starring Jai Courtney, as part of the Directors' Fortnight section. Among other films generating early buzz: Wes Anderson's latest, 'The Phoenician Scheme,' a spy thriller backed by Focus Features that stars Benicio del Toro and introduces Mia Threapleton — daughter of Oscar-winner Kate Winslet — in what insiders say is a breakout role. From A24 and filmmaker Ari Aster, 'Eddington' stars Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix and is rumored to be another surreal, genre-bending project. And then there are the acquisition titles. Studio heads and acquisition teams are traveling with their company's checkbooks, ready to put down offers for some of the festival's most exciting and buzzy stories. Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson star in the thriller 'Die, My Love,' directed by Lynne Ramsay, which was added to the competition lineup after the initial announcement — a late addition that has drawn considerable attention from buyers. Artistic director Thierry Frémaux has also programmed Cannes mainstays such as the Belgian auteur duo Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, who are among only nine filmmakers to have won the Palme twice, with 'Rosetta' (1999) and 'L'Enfant' (2005). 'Titane' helmer Julia Ducournau returns to the fest with the dark psychological drama 'Alpha,' starring Emma Mackey and Tahar Rahim. The film follows a troubled teenager whose world spirals after an unexpected moment of rebellion. And then there's 'The History of Sound,' directed by Oliver Hermanus. This romantic wartime drama stars Josh O'Connor and Paul Mescal as two young men falling in love during World War I — already pegged as a high-profile acquisition title that could be a major player in acting and craft categories. Not every awards movie from the festival fits a traditional mold. In 2022, Paramount Pictures debuted the sequel 'Top Gun: Maverick' out of competition, which went on to earn $1.5 billion globally and garner six Oscar nominations, including best picture. Paramount and Tom Cruise are hoping lightning can strike twice as they bring 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,' the final mission for Cruise's Ethan Hunt. The Academy, too, is leaning into the festival. Every year, it hosts a private mixer during Cannes for its international members, creating space for networking and relationship-building without press intrusion. 'It's not about whether a film is French, American or Korean anymore,' says one strategist. 'It's about Cannes giving it that first big ovation — and letting the world know, 'Pay attention.'' Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars Best of Variety Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Emmy Predictions: Drama Series - Could 'The Last of Us' or 'The Pitt' Dethrone 'Severance?' Emmy Predictions: Comedy Series - 'Hacks' and 'The Studio' Take Early Lead; 'The Four Seasons' Drops In Time for Awards Season
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Anatomy Of A Fall: Trailer, certificate and where to watch
Gripping, Oscar-winning French courtroom thriller and family drama 15 When husband and father Samuel falls to his death at a secluded chalet in the French Alps, the police assume murder - and their prime suspect is Samuel's wife, Sandra. What actually happened, though? Was it even murder? And what does their blind 11-year-old son have to say about it? Anatomy Of A Fall is one of those films you'll want to know as little as possible about before seeing, so we'll leave out the description of the plot, but be prepared to be utterly gripped by this riveting mix of courtroom thriller and family drama. It boasts a particularly strong, justly Oscar-nominated performance by Sandra Hüller (also in the Oscar-nominated The Zone Of Interest) as the wife, but there's not really a weak point in this movie except, arguably, the two-and-a-half hour running time. Hüller's nomination was one of five potential Oscars for the film, although it ultimately came away with only one win - for Best Original Screenplay. (152 minutes)
The Guardian
26-01-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Sukkwan Island review – a survival drama takes an ill-advised left-turn
As writer-director, Vladimir de Fontenay has taken the central novella Sukkwan Island from David Vann's autobiographical short-fiction collection from 2009, detached it from the surrounding complex constellation of stories related to this main piece and presents it here as a standalone drama of father-son bonding. The resulting film begins as something forthright and heartfelt; it looks as if it's going to be a liberatingly scary wilderness adventure out there in the real world away from cellphones, social media etc. But with its strenuous yet subdued performances and weirdly cramped and gloomy narrative, it leads us finally into a blind alley: a twist-reveal which I found fundamentally unsatisfying. Swann Arlaud (the lawyer from Justine Triet's Anatomy Of A Fall) is Tom, a guy who is unhappily separated from Elizabeth (Tuppence Middleton) due to his own now bitterly regretted infidelity. Above all, he misses their now teenage son Roy – played by Woody Norman, the tousle-haired kid from Mike Mills's C'mon C'mon from 2021. He pleads with Elizabeth to let him take Roy away with him for a stay in a lakeside cabin he has rented on remote Sukkwan Island (in Alaska in the original, now in the Norwegian Fjords) – he promises a glorious time of hunting, fishing and emotional reconnection. Taking pity on her ex-partner's wretchedness and loneliness, Elizabeth agrees and so does Roy who is initially excited by this extraordinary prospect and by finally getting to know his smart, witty down-to-earth dad on this magically beautiful island. But then he is increasingly alarmed by his father's mood swings and by how obviously unprepared he is to live in this very dangerous place. What have they got themselves into? Well, the answer to that question appears to recede continually, just out of reach, as the story proceeds. Apparently catastrophic things happen: a bear attacks their cabin while they are out, gobbling their food and damaging their vital two-way radio. Tom grimly shows Roy the firearms he has brought with him, including a revolver – inevitably bringing to mind Chekhov's time-honoured dictum about what happens to a gun produced in Act One. At one stage, Tom falls down a steep incline with weird suddenness and at another stage, Roy passes out, lost in the freezing snow. Yet there appears to be not much in the way of credible, physical consequence to any of this, despite Roy's own increasingly miserable need to return home. And a character called Anna (Finnish star Alma Pöysti) from the mainland is continuously on call with her hydroplane to deliver supplies and help. Cinematographer Amine Berrada certainly makes the film look lovely, and the performers themselves do their best, but the story feels numb and blank and the ending is unconvincing, raising questions which are not addressed by the final explanatory titles before the closing credits. A frustrating, dislocated experience. Sukkwan Island is screening at the Sundance film festival and is seeking distribution
