The World To Come (15)
Rating:
Verdict: Meticulous period romance
Was there ever a film more perfectly timed than Off The Rails, in which three middle-aged women, and a teenage girl, take an Interrail trip through Europe, burying old hatchets and igniting new romances?
In this staycation summer, in which holiday destinations across the Channel have never seemed so far away, here are four women travelling through France, Spain and Italy, happily ignorant of quarantine regulations, enviably free of masks. It’s just the escapism we need, and the accompaniment of majestic Blondie tracks propels those of us of a certain age right back in time, as well as sideways across the continent.
1. Nomadland
Writer-director Chloé Zhao s drama based on the 2017 nonfiction book follows a woman (Frances McDormand) who, after her town s U.S. Gypsum plant shuts down, travels the country living in her van as she takes various jobs. Like Zhao s previous film The Rider, Nomadland features a cast of largely nonprofessional actors besides McDormand and costar David Strathairn, who blend in with ease, and beautiful Western landscapes. The movie was the first to win the top prizes at both Venice and Toronto International Film Festival, and is considered the film to beat for Best Picture at this year s Oscars.
Where to watch: Limited release in theaters and Hulu
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1. Judas and the Black Messiah
Shaka King s drama tells the story of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), the chairman of the Black Panther Party Illinois chapter who was killed in a 1969 police raid, and William O Neal (Lakeith Stanfield), a FBI informant who infiltrated the party. The movie premiered earlier this month at Sundance Film Festival and has earned strong reviews and awards attention, particularly Kaluuya, who scored a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe nomination and is expected to appear in the same category at the Oscars.
Where to watch: Wide release in theaters and HBO Max on Friday
2. Minari
Inspired by writer-director Lee Isaac Chung s own upbringing, this film follows a Korean American family who moves to rural Arkansas, with Steven Yeun playing the determined patriarch. A smart, sensitive film about immigrants and the American dream, Minari won both the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at last year s Sundance and is one of this