Steve McQueen's “Widows” begins with the wondrously set-up image of Viola Davis and Liam Neeson in bed together and passionately kissing. Some of the audience I saw the film with actually gasped at the scene and how, quite frankly, erotic the smooching was. Was it because Davis is an African-American woman and Liam Neeson is pure Irish white? Quite possibly. The reaction was telling; it showcased how some people are still in total denial that an interracial couple can have a passionate on-screen romance.
Read moreOscars: Can Steve McQueen's ‘Widows' Get Nominated For Best Picture?
At the moment, it is very hard to predict whether "Widows" will garner a Best Picture nomination, all of this despite its 86 metacritic score and 92% RT score.
If director Steve McQueen's film is not nominated for Best Picture, it won't be because it's an action film, a genre the Academy tends to ignore much like sci-fi. No, "Widows" is not an "action" movie; It's an arty-cool, distancing film that is more about build-up than tany actual heist. McQueen's film has none of the high-tension, octane-driven action that the trailer hinted at, it plays more like a snail-paced, character-driven drama than anything else. There are socio-political overtones throughout the film as well, something the Academy seems to be hungry for ever since #OscarsSoWhite ridiculed them back in 2014.
Read moreDirector Steve McQueen Says Some Positive “Widows" Reviews Are Sexist and Racist; He's Right.
Steve McQueen's “Widows” begins with the wondrously set-up image of Viola Davis and Liam Neeson in bed together and passionately kissing. Some of the audience I saw the film with actually gasped at the scene. Was it because Davis is an African-American woman and Liam Neeson is pure Irish white? Quite possibly. The reaction was telling; it showcased how some people are still in total denial that an interracial couple can have a passionate on-screen romance.
Read more'Star is Born' is our Best Picture front-runner, but watch out for 'Green Book'
Before I tackle the Best Picture Oscar race, here are a few important takeaways when it comes to this weekend's box-office totals:
The slasher genre has most definitely been reignited with "Halloween." David Gordon Green's sequel to the 1978 classic topped the box-office yet again, in its second week of action, with a strong $32M weekend. That puts its 2-week total at a whopping $132M. Watch out for a major bump this week as it seems to be the only Halloween-centered movie currently in theaters and many will want a fright night at the cinema on the 31st.
Read moreTIFF Recap: The Best Movies of the Fest
In previous years, I would include films in my TIFF recap that had also premiered at Telluride and Venice. But this year’s slate in Toronto was so strong, we can fill a full report with nothing more than the note-worthy world premieres that screened at the festival’s 42nd edition. There was plenty to cheer. Although Venice and Telluride perhaps featured the peak title of the festival season — Alfonso Cuaron’s masterful Roma — TIFF managed to deliver a memorable week. Artistic director Piers Handling and festival programmer Cameron Bailey year’s carved out an outstanding group of films, distinct from the other competitive festivals they compete with every September.
Read more‘Widows’: Steve McQueen takes genre conventions and twists them inside out to messy glorious effect
Steve McQueen's first three films were all accomplishments. With "Hunger," "Shame" and "12 Years A Slave," the British-born director proved to be a master at his craft. Not only were his films visually groundbreaking, after all, his background does come from being a prize-winning photographer, but his films seem to be grounded in a humanism that expands on the highly-stylized nature of his films.
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The ‘Smile’ franchise has a new director. David Bruckner, who made “The Night House” and the 2022 “Hellraiser” reboot, has been hired to direct “Smile 3” for Paramount.