Films This Week 3/19/21

by Gary Palmucci | 19th March 2021 | Gary's Corner

Hello everyone. This week’s Oscar nominations announcement finds us with three “anointed” films on our virtual schedule, all multiple nominees.

Minari surpassed nearly everyone’s expectations with six nods, including best picture, director, actor, supporting actress, original screenplay and score.

Collective from Romania matched the landmark feat of Honeyland (one of New Plaza’s most popular “theatrical” films) scoring nominations in both the international film and documentary feature categories. And the Danish dark comedy Another Round scored the most unexpected nomination of all — best director for veteran Thomas Vinterberg as well as best international film.

Many New Plaza viewers may recall Vinterberg’s acclaimed 1998 The Celebration whose Cannes and NY/LA Film Critics’ acclaim put him on the map. I have my own head-slapping history with that film — given the opportunity to screen it in my midtown office a couple days before that year’s Croisette curtain rose,  I was underwhelmed and voted to “pass.” Jury president Martin Scorsese and many other distributors and scribes subsequently felt otherwise….but fortunately, there are many such stories in the film business!

These three nominees can still be rented below as well as the documentaries Still Life in Łódź, which had one of our better recent opening weekend ticket sales, and The People Vs Agent Orange, referenced this week in a blistering NY Times investigative article.

Another Oscar nominee or two may soon come our way…. Happy Viewing.

Gary Palmucci, Film Curator
New Plaza Cinema