Month: January 2025

NEW MOVIES: Jan 9-15, 2025, “Emilia Perez,” “I’m Still Here,” “Hand Truths,” “Game Changer”

EMILIA PEREZ

EMILIA PEREZ

Emilia Pérez is a 2024 Spanish language French musical crime comedy film written and directed by Jacques Audiard.[5] The French production is based on Audiard’s opera libretto of the same name, which was in turn loosely adapted from Boris Razon’s 2018 novel Écoute.[6] The film stars Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Mark Ivanir, and Édgar Ramírez.

The film is about a Mexican cartel leader (Gascón) who enlists a lawyer (Saldaña) to help her disappear and achieve her dream of transitioning into a woman. Its original songs were written by Camille, while its original score was provided by Clément Ducol. Filming took place from May to July 2023 in Île-de-France. The choreographic sections of the film are designed by Damien Jalet.

The film had its world premiere on 18 May 2024 at the main competition of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d’Or, winning the Jury Prize and the Best Actress award for its female ensemble. It was theatrically released by Pathé in France on 21 August 2024 to positive reviews. It became the second most-nominated film in Golden Globe history with ten nominations at the 82nd ceremony, winning four, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (the first time a non-English-language film won the category) and Best Foreign Language Film, while Gascón became the first trans woman to be nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.[7] Additionally, it was named one of the top 10 films of 2024 by the American Film Institute,[8] and was selected as the French entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.[9]

Plot

Rita Mora Castro, an underappreciated lawyer in Mexico, writes the defense for a murder case involving a prominent media figure’s wife, going against her conscience to argue the death as a suicide (“El alegato”). After winning the case, Rita receives an anonymous call with a mysterious but lucrative offer. Reflecting on her discontent, Rita agrees to a meeting (“Todo y nada”). The client, revealed to be cartel kingpin Juan “Manitas” Del Monte, expresses desire to covertly undergo gender-affirming surgery, beginning a new and authentic life (“El encuentro”).

After meeting with doctors in Bangkok (“La vaginoplastia”) and Tel Aviv (“Lady”), Rita finds a surgeon who agrees to perform the procedure after hearing Manitas’ recollections of gender dysphoria during childhood (“Deseo”). Following the procedure, Manitas’ children and wife, Jessi, are relocated to Switzerland for their safety; Rita receives an exorbitant sum of money, while Manitas stages a fake death and begins a new life as Emilia Pérez.

Cast

________________________________________________________________________

I’M STILL HERE

I’M STILL HERE

I’m Still Here (Portuguese: Ainda Estou Aqui) is a 2024 political biographical drama film directed by Walter Salles from a screenplay by Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega, based on Marcelo Rubens Paiva‘s 2015 memoir of the same name. It stars Fernanda Torres and Fernanda Montenegro as Eunice Paiva, a mother and activist coping with the forced disappearance of her husband, the dissident politician Rubens Paiva, during the military dictatorship in Brazil.[3] Soon after its release in Brazilian theaters on 7 November 2024 by Sony Pictures Releasing International, the film was the target of an unsuccessful boycott by the Brazilian far-right.[4][5][6] It has grossed $11.3 million on a $1.5 million production budget.[7]

The film had its world premiere on 1 September 2024 at the 81st Venice International Film Festival,[8] where it received critical acclaim, with unanimous praise towards Torres’ performance,[9] winning the Best Screenplay award.[10] It was named one of the Top 5 International Films of 2024 by the National Board of Review.[11] At the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, Torres won the Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama category, while the film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. It was also selected as the Brazilian entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards, making the December shortlist.[12]

Plot

In the 1970’s Rio de Janeiro, former congressman Rubens Paiva returns to Brazil after six years of self-exile following the revocation of his tenure at the outset of the 1964 Brazilian coup d’état. Living in an idyllic house near Leblon beach with his wife Eunice and their five children, Paiva returns to his civil career while continuing to support expatriates without discussing his activities with his family.

Following the kidnapping of the Swiss ambassador by far-left revolutionary movements, Brazil faces a looming political instability. A military raid takes place in Paiva’s house, resulting in his arrest and disappearance in January 1971. Eunice’s public inquiries on Rubens’ whereabouts results in her arrest and torture for 12 days. Eliana, their teenage daughter, is also imprisoned but is released after 24 hours. After moderate media outrage ignited by family friends, Eunice is unofficially informed of Rubens’ fate.

Twenty-five years later, in 1996, Eunice receives from the Brazilian state, now once again a democracy, Rubens Paiva’s official death certificate.

In 2014, during a family gathering surrounded by her children and grandchildren, the now eighty-five-year-old Eunice lives with advanced Alzheimer’s. When a TV report about the National Truth Commission addresses Rubens’ case, a distressed Eunice appears to remember her past.

Cast

________________________________________________________________________

HARD TRUTHS

HARD TRUTHS

Hard Truths is a 2024 drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh, starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Michele Austin, and David Webber.

The film premiered at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September 2024,[2] and was met with widespread critical acclaim for its screenplay, direction and Jean-Baptiste’s performance. It was released theatrically in the United States on 6 December 2024 by Bleecker Street,[3][4] it will be released in the United Kingdom on 31 January 2025,[5] and in Spain on 28 February 2025. It was named one of the top 10 independent films of 2024 by the National Board of Review,[6] while at the 30th Critics’ Choice Awards Jean-Baptiste received a Best Actress nomination.

Plot

Set in London, the plot follows the plight of depressed middle-aged woman Pansy and her relationship with her close ones—including the crumbling relationship with her jovial sister, Chantelle (who is a polar opposite in terms of mood), and the state of her other interpersonal relationships.[7][8]

Cast

________________________________________________________________________

GAME CHANGER

GAME CHANGER

Game Changer is an upcoming Indian Telugu-language political action film written and directed by S. Shankar (in his first Telugu film). It is produced by Sri Venkateswara Creations, and stars Ram Charan alongside Kiara Advani, Anjali, Srikanth, and S. J. Suryah.

The film was announced in February 2021 and its title was revealed in March 2023. Principal photography commenced in October 2021 and wrapped up three years later in July 2024 after various production delays. Filming took place in Japan, China, Malaysia, Cambodia and New Zealand. Game Changer has a big-budget music composed by Thaman S, with cinematography by Tirru and editing by Shameer Muhammed and Ruben.

Game Changer is scheduled to be released on 10 January 2025, coinciding with Sankranti, in standard, IMAX, 4DX, Dolby Cinema and Qube EPIQ formats.

Premise

Ram Nandan, an IAS officer with anger issues, strives to combat corrupt politicians, including the CM Bobbili Mopidevi, for destroying his father Appanna’s dream of a corruption-free country. While on his mission He faces the wrath of his own brother Charan IPS, who is a corrupt police officer and mopidevi’s friend

Cast

________________________________________________________________________

1/7/2025 #EmiliaPerez #I’mStillHere #HardTruths #GameChanger

© All rights reserved | License: | By BLAZE 2.5.2