India chooses quirky comedy over Cannes winner for its Oscars pick
The industry body that chooses India’s Oscar entry each year is under fire for picking a Hindi-language comedy-drama over the country’s first Cannes Grand Prix winner.The Film Federation of India (FFI) announced on Monday that Kiran Rao-directed Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies) had been selected as India’s official entry to the international feature category at the forthcoming 2025 Academy Awards.The film follows the “misadventures of two young brides who get lost from the same train”. “From mistaken identities to laugh-out-loud escapades, the ensuing chaos guarantees laughter galore and heartwarming moments,” according to its official synopsis on IMDb. The film stars...
‘Sister Midnight’ Review: Radhika Apte Feasts in a Marvelous Dark Comedy
A woman sits alone in a dark room, staring at the wall in front of her. Days go by; the paltry sunlight shifts here and there, her outfit changes, yet her dull demeanor remains. She spills some rice, adds some plants, eventually makes space for a mop and bucket. On and on and on.'That Christmas' Trailer: Brian Cox Is Santa in Richard Curtis' First Animated Film This is an accurate summary of Karan Kandari’s “Sister Midnight,” but one that’s also woefully incomplete. The rest should be saved for seeing it yourself, to gain some context for what keeps the woman in...
‘Twittering Soul’ Review: A Lithuanian Lament in 3 Dimensions
A film of great superstition and wandering, there’s an incredible visual splendor to “Čiulbanti siela” — or “Twittering Soul” — even though its mere 70 minutes seem to last a lifetime. This feels like the point by the time it comes to a close, not long after its frequent hints of dreamlike quality have fully taken hold, and have taken thorough advantage of its stereoscopic 3D images.Al Pacino Reveals His Character in 'Heat' Would 'Chip Cocaine,' But Michael Mann 'Took It Out' Its loose plot concerns a pair of fiddlers traveling through the woods in late 19th century Lithuania, a setting...