Bairnsdale Sun Cinema’s Riviera Film Festival is from March 7-20.
Six intriguing films which have multi-nominations and/or have already won many awards are included.
As its dialogue is in English, The Holdovers is one that doesn’t require reading subtitles.
It has been said it will be the new Christmas holiday favourite, a throwback to movies of the ’70s, even that it was made as a period picture.
Putting that aside, all you need to know is that The Holdovers will make you laugh, feel for and eventually appreciate the characters and it will fully entertain.
In this comedic drama set in the late 1970s in a remote preparatory boarding school a cranky unlikeable history teacher (Paul Giamatti) is forced to stay on campus over Christmas break and babysit five students unable to go home for the holidays.
The curmudgeon is also stuck with a grieving cook (Da ‘Vine Joy Randolph) and a troubled student with familial demons (Dominic Sessa in his first film role) who have nowhere else to go.
The Golden Globes gave The Holdovers three nominations.
Paul Giamatti won Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Da ‘Vine Joy Randolph won Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
In the British BAFTAs there were six nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Dominic Sessa and Paul Giamatti for Best Actor.
Da ‘Vine Joy Randolph collected the award for Best Supporting Actress.
The Holdovers is nominated for five Academy Awards.
The director was responsible for the multi-award winning Sideways, also a comedic drama, so Alexander Payne knows what he’s doing.
Again he has delivered a great movie in The Holdovers.
Movie: The Holdovers
Duration: 133 mins
Director: Alexander Payne
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Da ‘Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa
Reviewed by Lawrenty
