Those of you who live in big cities will understand: sometimes public transport conspires against you. You're like a flea on an unruly animal. You need the beast but it might just kick you off and be done with you.This morning before squeezing in some hours for my abandoned day job I planned to take in The Orphanage, a big buzz Spanish title, at the NYFF. The innocent-looking conductor of the 2 train had other plans. He nonchalantly announced that he was going local instead of express. Various types exited the train in protest and I, having just exited, got back on. I was happy to have the MTA deliver me to my cinematic destination a few minutes earlier than the walking I was about to do. (OK, I was lazy. That, too)
But...horrors! The conductor then revealed his true malevolent film-hating nature and proceeded to skip all the local stops he'd just promised. He dropped me off 10 minutes away --too late to retrace my steps to catch the one and only press screening of this film that doesn't open until late late December. [/whining]
The Orphanage has recently been announced as Spain's official Oscar submission. You must always pay close attention to Spain. They have the third best foreign Oscar record of all time, just behind France and Italy.Guillermo Del Toro, who nearly won this category last February with Pan's Labyrinth, produced this movie and it's another supposedly vivid genre piece. Will the Oscar voters want to go there --or near there again? Can The Orphanage overcome the dozens of strong contenders already announced? This looks like a competitive Oscar year for the Foreign Film Category (click here for lots of updates)
*
