The Last King of Scotland (2006) - News Poster

(2006)

News

‘The Mauritanian’ Film Review: Jodie Foster Fights for Justice in Sluggish Gitmo Drama

‘The Mauritanian’ Film Review: Jodie Foster Fights for Justice in Sluggish Gitmo Drama
The United States’ rendition, torture and indefinite confinement of suspected terrorists after 9/11 remain shameful in the nation’s history, but those cases have also proved themselves difficult to dramatize, even in a film with the pedigree of “The Mauritanian.”

Kevin Macdonald (“The Last King of Scotland”) directs Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster and Benedict Cumberbatch in an adaptation of Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s acclaimed “Guantanamo Diary,” but the results are no more successful than previous films like “Rendition” and “Camp X-Ray” in turning this real-life horror into satisfying drama. (That sinking feeling that audiences might get at seeing the words “based on a true story” open a film is completely merited here.)

Whether it’s because these wounds are too recent and can’t be examined with historical perspective yet, or because the abuses heaped upon Guantanamo inmates are so unquestionably barbaric that there’s nothing that a narrative film can conclude about the process besides,
See full article at The Wrap »

The Mauritanian Review: Tahar Rahim Excels in Otherwise Tepid Political Drama

The Mauritanian Review: Tahar Rahim Excels in Otherwise Tepid Political Drama
I’ve seen and reviewed many of Kevin Macdonald’s narrative feature films but can hardly remember any of them. State of Play, The Last King of Scotland, Black Sea, and The Eagle––these are movies that exist. But they do so as hazy memories floating around in the “2-star” grey area of my reviewing mind. His best documentaries are only slightly more memorable.

This general lack of impact feels relevant because many of Macdonald’s films are about big topics and themes, including important social justice issues, historical events, iconic figures, and real life tragedies. But his visual style and directorial approach are the epitome of pedestrian, making him one of the industry’s most reliable middlebrow guns for hire.

Unfortunately, The Mauritanian is more of the same, tepid political cinema with a bit of award season legs. Why change a winning formula, huh? Based on the memoir Guantánamo Diary by Mohamedou Ould Slahi,
See full article at The Film Stage »

Amazon & Universal To Release Documentary ‘Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In’ From DNA & Passion Pictures

Amazon & Universal To Release Documentary ‘Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In’ From DNA & Passion Pictures
Exclusive: Amazon and Universal have boarded UK rights to soccer documentary Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In about the iconic former Manchester United manager.

The anticipated film heralds from blue chip UK firms DNA Films, known for Oscar-winning movies The Last King of Scotland and Ex Machina, and Passion Pictures, known for Oscar-winning documentaries such as One Day in September and Searching for Sugarman. Today we can reveal a first look image from the film.

Amazon will launch the doc on its Prime service in the UK and Ireland from May 29. Universal Pictures International is lining up a theatrical run in UK-Ire from May 27 and the studio has world rights apart from North America.

The film, directed by Ferguson’s son Jason, sees Ferguson recount the most important stories of his life, both in and out of football. He made the film while recovering from the life-threatening brain hemorrhage he
See full article at Deadline »

The Mauritanian – Review

The Mauritanian – Review
Tahar Rahim as Mohamedou Slahi, a Mauritanian detainee at Guantanamo, in the drama The Mauritanian. Photo courtesy of STX Films.

Golden Globe nominations went to Tahar Rahim and Jodie Foster for their excellent performances in the true-story Gitmo drama The Mauritanian, in which Rahim plays a man detained for years at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba after being accused of being an Al Qaeda recruiter, and Foster plays the hard-nosed lawyer who insists that the Bush administration follow the rule of law, by charging either charging her client with a crime and giving him a trial or releasing him. Directed by Kevin Macdonald, best known for his film The Last King Of Scotland, another fact-inspired film led by a remarkable performance, and is based on “Guantanamo Diary,” the bestselling memoir of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, the Mauritanian who was accused of recruiting for Al Qaeda and helping organize the 9/11 attack.
See full article at WeAreMovieGeeks.com »

Exclusive Interview – Director Kevin Macdonald on The Mauritanian

Exclusive Interview – Director Kevin Macdonald on The Mauritanian
Kevin Macdonald is an Oscar winning documentarian and thought-provoking filmmaker. Lauded for both Touching The Void and The Last King of Scotland, his output also includes political thriller State of Play and the YouTube-released Life In a Day 2020 available now [read our review here]. For his new film The Mauritanian, he takes an intimate […]

The post Exclusive Interview – Director Kevin Macdonald on The Mauritanian appeared first on Flickering Myth.
See full article at Flickeringmyth »

24 stars snubbed at Oscars despite contending at Golden Globe, SAG and Critics’ Choice Awards

24 stars snubbed at Oscars despite contending at Golden Globe, SAG and Critics’ Choice Awards
This year 14 performers reaped bids at all three key precursor prizes — the SAG, Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice awards. Such recognition certainly warrants getting up early on Oscar nominations mornings. But as Jennifer Lopez learned in 2020 reaping nominations for that awards triple crown for her featured role in “Hustlers” didn’t make her a sure thing in the Academy Awards derby.

She became the most recent of the 24 performers to stumble at the last hurdle and suffer Oscars snubs since the Critics’ Choice Awards introduced nominations in 2001. In 2019 Emily Blunt (“Mary Poppins Returns”) and Timothee Chalamet (“Beautiful Boy”) got added to the roster of those saddled with this dubious achievement.

Chalamet should take comfort from the case of Leonardo DiCaprio, who finally won an Oscar in 2016 for “The Revenant” after four losses. There were two instances when he didn’t even reap an Oscar nomination despite having done well in the run-up awards.
See full article at Gold Derby »

Golden Globe spotlight on Tahar Rahim in ‘The Mauritanian’

Golden Globe spotlight on Tahar Rahim in ‘The Mauritanian’
Tahar Rahim gives the film performance of the year in “The Mauritanian” as Mohamedou Ould Salahi. The docudrama set in the early 2000s depicts the imprisonment-without-charge of Salahi at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. STX will release the film on February 12, which qualifies it for awards consideration against the films from 2020, due to the global pandemic prompting an extension of the eligibility period.

For portraying Salahi’s real-life American lawyer Nancy Hollander, two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster is back in the awards conversation for the first time in nine years for her acting — since her Golden Globe Award-nominated performance in the black comedy film “Carnage.” She ranks 10th in Gold Derby’s racetrack odds for a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Oscars.

SEEwhat Tahar Rahim has had to say about playing the role.

Her comeback is welcome, but Rahim is the one whose performance in “The Mauritanian” has more
See full article at Gold Derby »

Tahar Rahim on portraying ‘The Mauritanian’: ‘The best way to catch his spirit was just to listen to him’

Tahar Rahim on portraying ‘The Mauritanian’: ‘The best way to catch his spirit was just to listen to him’
Mohamedou Ould Slahi is a Muslim Mauritanian who was arrested in November 2001 under the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorist act which was implemented a week after 9/11. U.S. government authorities alleged he was involved with al Qaeda and may have even recruited the hijackers who flew the planes into the World Trade Center. Slahi was sent to Guantanamo Bay detention center in 2002 where he remained without being charged until 2016.

He did confess after extreme torture, including sleep deprivation, beatings and even sexual humiliation. One time he was blindfolded, tossed into a boat and taken out to sea where he was led to believe he was going to be executed. But because the torture led to his confession, it was considered inadmissible under U.S and international law. During his incarceration, he wrote the 2015 best-selling memoir “Guantanamo Diary,” which was smuggled out of Gitmo. Ironically, he wasn’t allowed
See full article at Gold Derby »

Best Actor Oscar nominees: Who lost for a performance that ran a record 2 hours and 22 minutes?

Best Actor Oscar nominees: Who lost for a performance that ran a record 2 hours and 22 minutes?
When Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for “Joker” in 2020, his became the fifth longest to ever win Best Actor and third longest in terms of percentage. However, 28 even longer performances had been nominated in the category over the preceding nine decades, with several coming close to or passing two hours of screen time. Here is a look at the 10 nominees with the highest screen times (and here are the 10 shortest nominated performances):

10. Peter O’Toole

1 hour, 51 minutes, 40 seconds (72.26% of the film)

Since 2007, O’Toole has been the sole record-holder for most acting Oscar nominations without a win. His fourth of eight unsuccessful Best Actor bids came in 1970 for playing benevolent schoolteacher Arthur Chipping. 30 years earlier, Robert Donat won the award for playing the same character in an adaptation of the story that is more dramatic compared to this 40-minute-longer musical version. O’Toole lost to John Wayne, whose screen time
See full article at Gold Derby »

Wim Wenders-David Byrne Anthology Series ‘This is Music’ To Be Pitched at the Berlinale Series Market

Wim Wenders-David Byrne Anthology Series ‘This is Music’ To Be Pitched at the Berlinale Series Market
“This is Music,” an anthology TV series to be directed by Wim Wenders, David Byrne, and Norwegian talents Joachim Trier and Julie Andem, is among projects set to be pitched at the upcoming Berlinale Series Market. These Co-Pro Series pitching sessions and meetings run March 2-5.

This TV section of the Berlin Film Festival’s market has been a launchpad for high-profile shows such as “Babylon Berlin,” Norway’s “Valkyries” and Netflix’s “Freud.”

“This is Music” is being produced by Norway’s Oslo Pictures and was created and written by Bjørn Olaf Johannessen who penned the Wenders’ film “Every Thing Will be Fine.” Julie Andem is the creator of hit Norwegian series “Skam.” Trier directed “Louder Than Bombs.” Further details are being kept under wraps.

The 10 selected Berlinale Co-Pro Series projects also comprise promising British series project “58 Seconds” from Jeremy Brock who won screenplay adaptation BAFTA for “The Last King of Scotland
See full article at Variety »

Youtube's Life in a Day 2020 Trailer Looks Back on the Year Most Would Like to Forget

Youtube's Life in a Day 2020 Trailer Looks Back on the Year Most Would Like to Forget
YouTube Originals has released a new trailer for Life in a Day 2020. Much like the original Life In A Day documentary, which debuted a full decade ago in 2011, this movie will be taking a look at people all across the world via little slices of life, showcasing the variety and depth the world has to offer in a single day. Though, as anyone who was alive last year knows, 2020 wasn't just any year. And it's a year many of us would like to put in our rearview mirror. Be that as it may, this promises a unique look at a year that will be long-remembered in the history books.

The trailer is not just a slice of life. It's hundreds of slices of life. Much like the original, it is a showcase of the truly stunning vastness of existence that is human life on Earth. We see newborn babies,
See full article at MovieWeb »

The Mediapro Studio Sells ‘The Head’ to HBO Max, Unveils John Turturro, Big Talk & Guillem Morales Shows (Exclusive)

The Mediapro Studio Sells ‘The Head’ to HBO Max, Unveils John Turturro, Big Talk & Guillem Morales Shows (Exclusive)
Madrid-based international TV powerhouse The Mediapro Studio has sold banner series “The Head” to HBO Max for the U.S. as it powers into English-language production, partnering with John Turturro, “Casualty” writers Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, U.K. producer Big Talk and London-based director Guillem Morales.

The drive into U.S. and now most especially U.K. production marks the latest strategic growth in one of the fastest ramp-ups in drama series production in Europe, spearheaded by Laura Fernández Espeso, appointed The Mediapro corporate director in October 2019 and chief executive last month.

“We are making a large bet on fortifying our position in the U.S., U.K. and Latin America, and feature film production, and are proud to be working with a huge range of high-caliber partners,” Fernández-Espeso told Variety.

Underscoring her point, she noted four U.S. projects now in development; a production alliance with Erik Barmack,
See full article at Variety »

‘The Mauritanian’ Review: The Quiet Dignity of Tahar Rahim Anchors a Tough Post-9/11 Legal Drama

‘The Mauritanian’ Review: The Quiet Dignity of Tahar Rahim Anchors a Tough Post-9/11 Legal Drama
When Kevin Macdonald set out to make “The Mauritanian,” the director must have found himself identifying to some degree with defense attorney Nancy Hollander. The lawyer, played here by Jodie Foster, braved insult and scorn when she took up the case of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who was arrested in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. At the time (and likely to this day), many in the U.S. military believed Slahi to be involved in aiding and perhaps even recruiting the hijackers who flew the planes into the World Trade Center. He had confessed as much under torture — but then, who wouldn’t?

For Hollander, taking Slahi’s side was an extremely unpopular position, and one that Macdonald — a Scottish filmmaker who has been repeatedly drawn to hot-button political topics and controversial characters — embraces with a righteous fervor. No one can accuse Macdonald, who is not American, of being unpatriotic,
See full article at Variety »

‘The Mauritanian’: Film Review

‘The Mauritanian’: Film Review
Kevin Macdonald has sensational nonfiction material in The Mauritanian, based on the best-selling memoir Guantánamo Diary by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who spent 14 years incarcerated at the U.S. Naval Base in Cuba without ever being charged with a crime. Macdonald is an exceptional documentary maker (Touching the Void) with a more uneven track record in narrative features (The Last King of Scotland is probably strongest among them), and this legal procedural remains strangely flat, despite its star power and a gripping central performance from Tahar Rahim as Slahi. An unimpeachably well-intentioned treatment of a dark chapter in American justice, it’s methodical ...
See full article at The Hollywood Reporter »

From ‘Malcolm & Marie’ to ‘Cherry,’ 9 Latecomers Look to Upend the Oscar Race

From ‘Malcolm & Marie’ to ‘Cherry,’ 9 Latecomers Look to Upend the Oscar Race
Pity this year’s Oscar voters. The Academy screening portal is already overwhelmed by hundreds of indie wannabes, international submissions, and documentaries. And just when film festivals, critics groups, and online screenings started to solidify frontrunners like “One Night in Miami,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and “Nomadland,” this crazy year brings a second wave of brand-new movies.

More titles will screen in the weeks before the February 28 Oscar eligibility deadline. Some were caught in the uncertainty of releasing during a pandemic, as distributors kept pushing back for a proper theatrical release that never came. Others were pressing toward completion.

Since fresh entries often surge to the front of voters’ minds, last-second bids can be successful (see: Clint Eastwood with Oscar-winners like “American Sniper” and “Million Dollar Baby”). This year, these titles could see another advantage: When people can’t gather, there’s no word of mouth and that makes 2021 the least-predictable award season.
See full article at Indiewire »

From ‘Malcolm & Marie’ to ‘Cherry,’ 9 Latecomers Look to Upend the Oscar Race

From ‘Malcolm & Marie’ to ‘Cherry,’ 9 Latecomers Look to Upend the Oscar Race
Pity this year’s Oscar voters. The Academy screening portal is already overwhelmed by hundreds of indie wannabes, international submissions, and documentaries. And just when film festivals, critics groups, and online screenings started to solidify frontrunners like “One Night in Miami,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and “Nomadland,” this crazy year brings a second wave of brand-new movies.

More titles will screen in the weeks before the February 28 Oscar eligibility deadline. Some were caught in the uncertainty of releasing during a pandemic, as distributors kept pushing back for a proper theatrical release that never came. Others were pressing toward completion.

Since fresh entries often surge to the front of voters’ minds, last-second bids can be successful (see: Clint Eastwood with Oscar-winners like “American Sniper” and “Million Dollar Baby”). This year, these titles could see another advantage: When people can’t gather, there’s no word of mouth and that makes 2021 the least-predictable award season.
See full article at Thompson on Hollywood »

Where does Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar-winning performance in ‘Joker’ rank in terms of screen time?

Where does Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar-winning performance in ‘Joker’ rank in terms of screen time?
While Best Actress Oscar winners are selected without much regard to screen time, it is a deciding factor in the Best Actor category. The most recent winner, Joaquin Phoenix (“Joker”), had an unusually high amount of screen time clocking in at one hour, 43 minutes, and 44 seconds. His is the fifth longest Best Actor-winning performance ever, and the third longest by percentage, with a total of over 85%.

Though the last five Best Actor-winning performances have had screen time totals of at least one hour and 22 minutes, most of their victories, including Phoenix’s, cannot be primarily attributed to screen time. Phoenix had the widest screen time margin over his competition in over 50 years, but that alone did not secure his win. Yes, he was seen as overdue for an acting award, and the quality of his acting in “Joker” was widely praised, But what may have helped him was his adherence to another recent trend.
See full article at Gold Derby »

MediaPro CEO; Doc Org Of Canada Hire; Cdg Casting Awards Nominees; Dascham Thriller — Global Briefs

  • 16 December 2020
  • by Andreas Wiseman and Tom Grater
  • Deadline
MediaPro CEO; Doc Org Of Canada Hire; Cdg Casting Awards Nominees; Dascham Thriller — Global Briefs
MediaPro CEO

Spain’s Mediapro Group has upped Laura Fernández Espeso to the role of Chief Executive Officer at its Mediapro Studio, which produces and distributes content. She has been with the company for a decade and was previously Corporate and Television Director. In the new role she will direct the management and strategy of all the productions and production companies integrated under the Mediapro Studio umbrella. Recent films out of Mediapro include Woody Allen’s Rifkin’s Festival and Official Competition with Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas.

Dascham Thriller

Exclusive: Filmmaker Christian Nilsson and YouTuber Eric Tabach have partnered with production co Kamikaze Dogfight to finance Nilsson’s feature-length directorial debut Dashcam. Nilsson previously directed short film Unsubscribe, shot over Zoom, which gained prominence for topping the U.S. box office chart in June during lockdown despite only playing in one theater, grossing $25,000. The feature will star Tabach with Giorgia Whigham,
See full article at Deadline »

Watch: Benedict Cumberbatch And Jodie Foster Get Serious In The Mauritanian Trailer

Watch: Benedict Cumberbatch And Jodie Foster Get Serious In The Mauritanian Trailer
Jodie Foster is without a doubt one of the most talented actresses of the modern era, but the 58 year-old hasn’t been particularly active in front of the camera over the last decade. Of course, that’s understandable when you remember that the former child star has spent more than half a century in the industry, and has already cemented her legacy with two Academy Awards under her belt.

Foster has starred in just four movies in the last ten years, directing and acting alongside Mel Gibson in black comedy The Beaver, lending support in Neill Blomkamp’s misguided sci-fi Elysium, and taking top billing in Roman Polanski’s forgotten Carnage and dystopian thriller Hotel Artemis. Instead, the focus has largely been on getting behind the camera, with the Taxi Driver star helming episodes of Black Mirror, Orange Is the New Black and House of Cards, along with feature film Money Monster.
See full article at We Got This Covered »

Jodie Foster & Tahar Rahim Lead First Trailer for Guantanamo Bay Drama The Mauritanian

Jodie Foster & Tahar Rahim Lead First Trailer for Guantanamo Bay Drama The Mauritanian
Over the next few months, we’ll be seeing a handful of late-breaking dramas vying for awards attention considering the delayed eligibility periods for the Oscars this year. One such example has now arrived with the harrowing true story of a Guantanamo Bay inmate.

Directed by Kevin Macdonald, The Mauritanian is the account of Mohamedou Ould Salahi (Tahar Rahim), a man who was held at Guantanamo Bay for 14 years without any formal charge or trial. The film follows his pursuit for justice alongside his defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley). The trio is aided by the help of the high-ranking Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch and uncover a fast and growing criminal conspiracy.

Adapted from Salahi’s memoir Guantanamo Diary, the first trailer has now arrived for the film also starring Zachary Levi, Saamer Usmani, Shailene Woodley, and Benedict Cumberbatch. Watch below.

The Mauritanian
See full article at The Film Stage »
An error has occured. Please try again.

IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.

See also

Showtimes | External Sites


Clear your history

Recently Viewed