Best International Film: Pakistan's "In Flames" & India's "2018"

by Cláudio Alves

Considering the Academy's general disinclination to honor horror cinema, it's always surprising when the genre pops up amid Best International Film submissions. This year, Pakistan is one of the brave countries that didn't let genre bias stop them from selecting a scary movie for the Oscar race. Zarrar Kahn's In Flames is the lucky flick, a Canadian-produced meditation on grief, trauma, and poisonous patriarchy bound to unnerve viewers. Neighboring nation India didn't dip their toes into nightmare cinema but sent a disaster picture that's horrifying in its own way. Juan Anthany Joseph's 2018 dramatizes a real-life catastrophe that befell the state of Kerala…

Click to read more ...

Soundtracking: The Best Musical Moments of 2018

by Chris Feil

We have had another banner year for cinematic variants of musicals - from the classic (A Star is Born, Mary Poppins Returns) to the modern (Hearts Beat Loud, Vox Lux) to the unfortunate (Bohemian Rhapsody). But there's more than just musicals that have made an impact! As ever, I've had my ear towards all sorts of needle drops and clever cues where movie music has been concerned this year. You know, the kind of stuff that makes Soundtracking tick.

We've already discussed what Oscar might hold for the Original Song category this year, but 2018 was largely defined for me by songs familiar and unexpected. Join me like Charlize Theron doing Carly Rae Jepsen karaoke in Tully and sing along to the year's best musical moments...

Click to read more ...

Cate and Sandy on the Set of "Ocean's 8"

by Chris Feil

We're pretty excited for the Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett-led Ocean's retooling here at The Film Experience - no surprise considering the cast also includes Sarah Paulson, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, and Awkwafina. Can you believe we have to wait almost two years for this thing?!

Well, the film recently began filming and we're of course foaming at the mouth to see our first glimpse of these actresses together! Here are some shots of our headliners in action, with Bullock looking like Miss Congeniality's Gracie Hart back in action but Blanchett giving her audition for a Prince version of I'm Not There. One can hope that costume designer Sarah Edwards (The Last Days of Disco, Michael Clayton) has even more outfits like this for Blanchett to play with.

More looks and thoughts after the jump...

Click to read more ...