2018 Nominee Watch – September 7th

We made it into the fall film season and it's time to get ready for some big films coming out in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, the first batch is not the best so if you're strapped for cash to spend on movies, you may still want to wait a few weeks.

Curiously, there is a large group of French language films from various corners of the globe hitting theaters this weekend. I'm not sure if there is something in the French water, but it jumped out at me as I was reviewing the trailers for this post.

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The Nun
At first I thought this was intended to be a standalone film, but on further  investigation, it turns out to be the latest addition to the films that make up The Conjuring universe.

I have not seen any of the other films in the series (The Conjuring, The Conjuring 2, Annabelle, Annabelle: Creation) but this film falls in as a prequel to the other films that have been released to this point. Horror is not my thing and I'll admit that the one big jump scare in the trailer below got me when I watched it the first time. I also came across a Washington Post article about an ad for the film that played in front of videos on YouTube last month that took advantage of the jump scare tactic as well before it was pulled down for violating YouTube's "shocking content policy."

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Looking back at the previous films from this universe, none of them were nominated for any Academy Awards, though the first Conjuring film was nominated for and received many awards for best horror film from various other awards organizations. None of those fall into the traditional major awards, but it received awards just the same. I think this film may fair well in the same venue, but I do not see any Oscars for The Nun next February.

Peppermint
I have been excited to see this film ever since I first heard about it early this summer. I have been a fan of Jennifer Garner for a long time and I'm excited to see her take on a strong action character.

Ever since hearing about the premise of this film, I was intrigued, but as a parent, I feel like the set up will be hard to watch. I fortunately have never been in the position of seeking justice for a family member killed through violence, but I can relate to the feeling of a parent wanting to do anything to achieve that justice.

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Don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning murder as a means to seek revenge, but it's clear that there will be plenty of action in this film especially with Pierre Morel, the director of Taken, at the helm.

I doubt that this film will receive any Oscar buzz, but if you're looking for a good action flick this weekend, this may be your best bet.

Limited Releases

• Age of Summer – A coming of age story about a boy who joins the beach lifeguards, falls in love and searches for purpose.
• The Apparition – French film about a young girl who has a vision of the Virgin Mary and the man investigating her story.
• Cold Skin – A group of men fight for survival on a remote island overrun by humanoid sea creatures.
• Diane – Horror film about a military veteran being investigated for the death of a woman who's body is found in his backyard.
• The Favorite – Emma Stone (La La Land) and Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener) vie for the favor of Queen Anne played by Olivia Colman (The Lobster) in 18th century England.
• Final Score – Terrorists threaten to blow up a soccer stadium if the man they're looking for is not found within 90 minutes. Starring Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Pierce Brosnan (Tomorrow Never Dies)
• Five Fingers for Marseilles – Western style South African film about a man taking on corrupt police in a shanty town.
• God Bless the Broken Road – A woman struggles with raising her daughter and dealing with questions of faith after the death of her husband in combat.
• Hal – Documentary look at the life of Oscar winning filmmaker Hal Ashby (Coming Home, In the Heat of the Night).

• I am Not a Witch – Zambian film about a young girl accused of witchcraft.
• Kusama: Infinity – Discussion of the life and work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
• Mara – A woman is haunted by a presence in her sleep.
• Nelly – A female sex worker turned author struggles to find her place in the world. Inspired by the life of Nelly Arcan.
• The Ranger – A group of punk teenagers go up against a deranged park ranger in a backwoods national park.
• Return of the Hero – A French army captain returns home to find that he was presumed dead and has to deal with the consequences of his absence.
• School of Life – A young French orphan is adopted by a couple living in the country, but he learns from a local hunter and fisherman.
• Songbird – Now called Alright Now, Cobie Smulders (The Avengers) stars as a rock musician who enrolls in college after her band breaks up.
• Susanne Bartsch: On Top – Documentary look at the role of event producer and influencer Susanne Bartsch through the lens of fashion, homosexuality, and fighting the rise of AIDS.
• Sarah Q – The adventures of a young woman who moves to New York City from a small town to become an actress. (September 10th)
• When You Read This Letter – Restored release of the 1953 French film. (September 12th)