Best Picture Nominees — 'Amour'


I continue my look at Best Picture nominees with a sweet foreign film.

Amour
Starring: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, and Isabelle Huppert
Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Director (Michael Haneke), Best Actress (Riva), Best Original Screenplay (Haneke), and Best Foreign Language Film
Synopsis: It's a good time to be a French filmmaker — at least when it comes to recognition by the Academy Awards. Last year's Best Picture winner, "The Artist," was a (mostly) French production. This year "Amour," the a French film, made the cut for Best Picture and scored an upset Best Director nod for Haneke, who slid in ahead of some favored American directors. But you have to think that, in large part, the "win" for "Amour" is getting these big nominations and pushing the profile higher among American audiences. This is a beautiful love story, but it's not easy to sit through, nor is it conventional. It features some beautiful performances too — especially from Riva, who became the oldest woman nominated for an Academy Award. While "Amour" is a near mortal lock to win the Best Foreign Language Award, and Haneke has a decent chance at claiming a statue for original screenplay, the other three nominations are long shots. Still, for a foreign film to crack the Best Picture race in a field as loaded as this one, and for Haneke to earn a directing nod in an equally crowded field, are a tribute to the power of this film and the passionate fans its created.
Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic material including a disturbing act, and for brief language.

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