2019 Nominee Watch – February 1st

There is only one major release this weekend and a slew of smaller films. Don't look for much in the way of nominations coming out of this crop though. Next week promises to be much better overall.

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Miss Bala
In this remake of a Mexican film of the same name from 2011, Gina Rodriguez (Deepwater Horizon) plays Gloria who is kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel and must decide whether to help the federal agents who arrested her by bringing in the drug leader or helping him avoid capture.

While it looks to have plenty of action throughout and it's nice to see a young Latina female taking the lead in a film like this, I fear that there will still be too much of relying on her looks to sell tickets to this film.

The rest of the cast is mostly unknown with the exception of Anthony Mackie who is taking a break from his Marvel work to do more action films.

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I don't think you should look to this for any Oscar nominations. There's nothing new that will grab the attention of the Academy and action films are almost always left out, except in rare occasions for things like sound and visual effects.

Limited Releases

• An Affair to Die For – A couple are invited to a remote location for a secret rendezvous with deadly implications.
• Arctic – Mads Mikkelsen stars as a man fighting to keep his traveling companion alive in the frozen arctic when their plane crashes.
• Braid – Two girls must play a deadly game in a creepy house.
• Daughter of Mine – Two women fight over a young girl that one gave birth to and the other adopted.
• Ek Ladki Ko Dekah Toh Aisa Laga – Bollywood brings a story of family heartache an love told through dance and stage plays.
• The Least of These: The Graham Staines Story – An Indian man investigates a foreign missionary who he suspects is paying people to convert to Christianity.
• Piercing – A man tasked with killing a prostitute runs into difficulties as his plot takes a disturbing turn for the worse.
• Sharkwater Extinction – A documentary look at a man who tries to stop the farming of shark fins.
• The St. Bernard Syndicate – A look into the world of breeding St. Bernards to be the new hot pet in China.
• Then Came You – A young girl with terminal cancer works on her "do die" list with a new friend who struggles to be a free spirit with her.
• The Unicorn – A newly engaged couple try to learn the keys to a strong marriage by having a threesome, as recommended by their parents!

• Velvet Buzzsaw – Jake Gyllenhall stars in this film about an unknown artist who dies and leaves a series of paintings with supernatural powers. (Netflix)
• Benchwarmers 2: Breaking Balls – A washed up softball player takes on the task of managing a team of misfits. (February 5th)