This film is a perfect example of a translated title that doesn’t quite do the film in question justice. If you were to translate the Brazilian title of Found Memories literally it would be Stories That Only Exist When Remembered. Granted that is more of a mouthful but it gives you a better sense of the kind of film you’re getting I feel, because as I watched the film I realized there was perhaps one of the more subtle Magical Realism tales I’d seen, one with with extreme emphasis on the the realism. Yes, there is a rather mundane, repetitious nature to certain scenes but the equation is skewed as the film progresses by a newcomer. The framing of many shots is wonderfully precise and as the story unfolds you are taken in both by the stories being told by the characters themselves as well as the ones being told about them by the film, which in many cases are parallel but not identical. Found Memoriesis a tremendously subtle, yet at times rapturous, look at small town life in a Brazilian town that should still be able to play anywhere and I highly recommend it.

This is a repost of a review that was included in a round-up. Cold Sweat can currently be streamed for free with ads on Vudu, Tubi, and Plex; rented or bought on Amazon, Fandango at Home or YouTube.

One thing I thought was particularly interesting an effective about Cold Sweat was the implementation of antagonists who just could not let go of the past in a very villainous way. At the start of Cold Sweat there is archival footage that gives you a brief overview of the revolutionary and counterrevolutionary factions at play in Argentina in the 1970s, then you get a very specific incident chronicled. You know this will all come back into play, you just don’t know how. Now, using overt political symbols in horror has been done, most commonly with Nazis in all likelihood. However, the circumstances and players of each countries political past (and seedy underbelly) are all somewhat different, and the refracted ideologies, and reverberations thereof, can still be felt at current, in one way or another. So it is rather fascinating to find this angle in this film because it lends a specificity to the film and a voice; a stamp of a national cinema. Coincidentally, I saw another Argentinian (co-produced with Spain) horror film soon after this one that implemented many similar threads. The horror setpieces and manipulation of given tropes in this film is quite effective, but it its this backdrop of sociopolitical commentary, past and present, combined with the narrative that makes this such an intriguing film.

Apologies for posting this blank earlier today. Am updating it now.

I will be live blogging during the Academy Awards tonight as I have been for a few years.

Red Carpet

Started watching red carpet coverage starting at 4. It’s been a long time since I watched it this early.

Liking Laverne Cox on the carpet and Christian Siriano’s panel.

Ceremony

This year’s plan to bring out former winners to announce nominees is really great.

It’s spectacular to see Mary Steenburgen and Rita Moreno there.

Da’Vine Joy-Randolph’s award was most well deserved indeed and that speech was spectacular.

All the animated shorts should be viewed. War is Over won for messaging and love of the Beatles, but it wasn’t the best film by any means.

Jimmy Kimmel is in full dad-joke mode this year.

ANATOMY OF A FALL!!! Hell, yeah!

Cord Jefferson’s speech is espousing what I’ve wanted from the studios for twenty years.

I was thinking earlier today how awesome it is that John Cena seems up for anything based on his new Amazon movie and now he does the naked bit on the Oscars. 🤣😂😅😂🤣🤣😅🤣

Gonna be hard to top Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling’s patter before the stunt montage.

RDJ’s speeches this season have been great.

I haven’t seen Michael Keaton’s reprise of Batman but the Oscars might have provided something better.

The Last Repair Shop is a lovely and moving documentary that is streaming on Disney+. Watch it.

20 Days in Mariupol is next on my tough-watch must-see documentary list.

If Bert Sugar is your thing it’s on Netflix. It’s very much not mine, I suggest you seek out the other nominees.

Unusual for a non-action movie to get a Best Sound award but I don’t dislike it. It should happen more often.

OK, “I’m Just Ken” was worth the wait.

Billie Eilish and company sneaking by the Academy president is one of the better moments of the night.

Conclusion

Posts were admittedly a bit light this year because of a small viewing party I had. Thought it was a good show overall.

There actually was some drama because while Oppenheimer winning was not a surprise, the trajectory of the winners didn’t make that seem like an entirely sure thing.

The moment was a bit deflating due to Al Pacino’s slight fumble on the reading of the envelope, though.

For Short Film Saturday for most of the coming year I will revisit the animated shorts that were presented in snippets by the King of Cartoons on Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. And here you’ll get to see the whole thing.