Nominations for the 94th Academy Awards are quickly approaching, and as usual, a few films we played at the Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema were in the mix.
The science-fiction epic Dune received 10 nominations — second only to Jane Campion’s psychosexual Western The Power of the Dog, which received 12. You may have seen director Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the Frank Herbert novel at Sidewalk back in October. Hopefully, you saw it on a big screen somewhere; its unparalleled (and Oscar-nominated) cinematography, visual effects, and sound add up to a grand spectacle particularly designed for theaters.
Did you catch Drive My Car back in January? The tender Japanese drama from director Ryusuke Hamaguchi is an unexpected contender in the best picture race. Despite coming from a small distributor (the fantastic folks at Janus Films) without the big advertising dollars the studios have, and largely based on excellent word of mouth from critics and audiences, Drive My Car became the first Japanese film nominated for best picture, and Hamaguchi the first Japanese director to contend for best director since the great Akira Kurosawa was nominated in 1985 for his King Lear adaptation Ran.
Speaking of Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Macbeth was a popular ticket at Sidewalk in January, and Denzel Washington is now an Oscar nominee for his thunderous lead performance in Joel Coen’s brilliant reimagining. This is Washington’s 10th Oscar nomination. But receiving her first is Kristen Stewart, so gripping as a tormented Princess Diana in Spencer. We played director Pablo Larrain’s biopic-as-psychological-thriller back in November, where its unpredictable story was particularly captivating on the big screen.
And you may have caught two of the year’s biggest documentaries at Sidewalk. Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), director Questlove’s brilliant music documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, was a popular selection at the cinema and the 2021 Sidewalk Film Festival, where it played in the beautiful Lyric Theatre. And we just closed our run of Flee, the innovative animated documentary that tells the story of a gay Afghan refugee’s coming of age. Flee popped up as a nominee in the categories of best-animated feature, best international feature, and best documentary feature — a historic hat trick.
Finally, best international feature and best original screenplay nominee The Worst Person in the World. The charming and inventive Norwegian romantic comedy, one of the most surprising films of 2021 played as part of our Women In Film Week.
Join us at Sidewalk on Sunday, March 27, to watch the Academy Awards! We’ll be hosting a watch party along with a FREE, LIVE Academy-Award Edition Podcast recording of Sidetalks, the official, film-centric podcast of Sidewalk Film. RSVP here.
Nick Adrian, Marketing Manager
Jessica Chriesman, Director of Education and Outreach
Patrick Johnson, Programming Team Member
Meryem Tunagar, Programming Team Member
Desteni Clifton, promoted from Bartender to Lead Bartender and Concessionaire
Sam Eddins, promoted from Tech Director to Director of Film Exhibition
Tonya Fleming, promoted from Box Office Associate to Box Office and Office Manager
T. Marie King, promoted from Shorts Programmer to Lead Shorts Programmer and Black Lens Programmer
Danielle Muratorri, promoted from Special Events Manager to House and Events Manager
Catherine Wright, promoted from Development Coordinator to Director of Development
Judas and the Black Messiah / Narrative (Directed by Shaka King) — Fred Hampton’s cathartic words “I am a revolutionary” became a rallying call in 1969. As chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, Hampton demanded all power to the people and inspired a growing movement of solidarity, prompting the FBI to consider him a threat and to plant informant William O’Neal to infiltrate the party. Judas and the Black Messiah not only recounts Hampton’s legacy and the FBI’s conspiring but also gives equal footing to the man who became infamous for his betrayal—highlighting the systems of inequality and oppression that fed both of their roles.
Son of Monarchs / Narrative (Directed by Alexis Gambis) — Enchanted by the monarch butterflies of Michoacán, Mexico, since he was a child, Mendel dedicates his career as a scientist in New York to mapping out the monarch’s genetics. But he is haunted by flashbacks of being orphaned alongside his older brother, Simon, when their parents died in a flood. When Mendel travels home to attend the funeral of his grandmother, it’s clear Simon harbors deep resentment toward him for having left. Migrating back and forth between Mexico and New York, Mendel starts to neglect his new girlfriend and grows spiritually restless as he obsesses over the iconic butterfly. Then he confronts his brother about what really happened the night their parents died.
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) Live Score Drive-In Party / An alternate soundtrack to the 1993 film MRS. DOUBTFIRE will be performed live at the drive-in by DJ Hollywood. The film will be captioned along with the live score which will be broadcast via your car radio. This event is free, but registration is required.
The Most Beautiful Boy in the World / Sweden (Directors: Kristina Lindström, Kristian Petri, Producer: Stina Gardell) — Swedish actor/musician Björn Andresen’s life was forever changed at the age of 15, when he played Tadzio, the object of Dirk Bogarde’s obsession in Death in Venice – a role which led Italian maestro Luchino Visconti to dub him “the world’s most beautiful boy.” World Premiere
Cryptozoo / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Dash Shaw, Producers: Kyle Martin, Jane Samborski, Bill Way, Tyler Davidson) — As cryptozookeepers struggle to capture a Baku (a legendary dream-eating hybrid creature) they begin to wonder if they should display these rare beasts in the confines of a cryptozoo, or if these mythical creatures should remain hidden and unknown. Cast: Lake Bell, Michael Cera, Angeliki Papoulia, Zoe Kazan, Peter Stormare, Grace Zabriskie. World Premiere
In The Earth / United Kingdom (Director and Screenwriter: Ben Wheatley, Producer: Andy Starke) — As a disastrous virus grips the planet, a scientist and a park scout venture deep into the forest for a routine equipment run. Through the night, their journey becomes a terrifying voyage through the heart of darkness as the forest comes to life around them. Cast: Joel Fry, Ellora Torchia, Hayley Squires, Reece Shearsmith. World Premiere, Narrative
R#J / U.S.A. (Director: Carey Williams, Screenwriters: Carey Williams, Rickie Castaneda, Alex Sobolev, Producers: Timur Bekmambetov, Igor Tsay, John J. Kelly, Alex Sobolev, Anna Soboleva) — A re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet, taking place through their cell phones, in a mash-up of Shakespearean dialogue with current social media communication. Cast: Camaron Engels, Francesca Noel, David Zayas, Diego Tinoco, Siddiq Saunderson, Russell Hornsby. World Premiere
Passing / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Rebecca Hall, Producers: Forest Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Margot Hand, Rebecca Hall) — Two African-American women who can “pass” as white choose to live on opposite sides of the color line in 1929 New York in an exploration of racial and gender identity, performance, obsession and repression. Based on the novella by Nella Larsen. Cast: Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, André Holland, Alexander Skarsgård, Bill Camp. World Premiere
Misha and the Wolves / United Kingdom, Belgium (Director and Screenwriter: Sam Hobkinson, Producers: Poppy Dixon, Al Morrow, Matthew Wells, Gregory Zalcman, Jürgen Buedts) — A woman’s Holocaust memoir takes the world by storm, but a fallout with her publisher-turned-detective reveals her story as an audacious deception created to hide a darker truth. World Premiere
Hive / Kosovo, Switzerland, Macedonia, Albania (Director and Screenwriter: Blerta Basholli, Producers: Yll Uka, Valon Bajgora, Agon Uka) — Fahrije’s husband has been missing since the war in Kosovo. She sets up her own small business to provide for her kids, but as she fights against a patriarchal society that does not support her, she faces a crucial decision: to wait for his return, or to continue to persevere. Cast: Yllka Gashi, Çun Lajçi, Aurita Agushi, Kumrije Hoxha, Adriana Matoshi, Kaona Sylejmani. World Premiere.
Jockey / U.S.A. (Director: Clint Bentley, Screenwriters: Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Producers: Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Nancy Schafer) — An aging jockey is determined to win one last championship, but his dream is complicated when a young rookie shows up claiming to be his son. Cast: Clifton Collins Jr., Molly Parker, Moises Arias. World Premiere
Mother Schmuckers / Belgium (Directors and Screenwriters: Lenny Guit, Harpo Guit, Producers: David Borgeaud, Erika Meda) — Issachar & Zabulon, two brothers in their twenties, are supremely stupid and never bored, as madness is part of their daily lives. When they lose their mother’s beloved dog, they have 24 hours to find it – or she will kick them out. Cast: Harpo Guit, Maxi Delmelle, Claire Bodson, Mathieu Amalric, Habib Ben Tanfous. World Premiere
Coming Home in the Dark / New Zealand (Director: James Ashcroft, Screenwriters: Eli Kent, James Ashcroft, Producers: Mike Minogue, Catherine Fitzgerald, Desray Armstrong) — A family’s outing descends into terror when teacher Alan Hoaganraad, his wife Jill and stepsons Maika and Jordon explore an isolated coastline. An unexpected meeting with a pair of drifters, the enigmatic psychopath Mandrake and his accomplice Tubs, thrusts the family into a nightmare when they find themselves captured. Cast: Daniel Gillies, Erik Thomson, Miriama McDowell, Matthias Luafutu. World Premiere
Life in a Day 2020 / United Kingdom, U.S.A. (Director: Kevin Macdonald, Producers: Jack Arbuthnott, Tim Partridge) — An extraordinary, intimate, global portrait of life on our planet, filmed by thousands of people across the world, on a single day: 25th July 2020. World Premiere
Philly D.A. / U.S.A. (Created By: Ted Passon, Yoni Brook, Nicole Salazar, Producers: Ted Passon, Yoni Brook, Nicole Salazar, Josh Penn, Michael Gottwald) — A groundbreaking inside look at the long shot election and tumultuous first term of Larry Krasner, Philadelphia’s unapologetic District Attorney, and his experiment to upend the criminal justice system from the inside out. World Premiere, Episodic Documentary
Night of the Kings / France, Ivory Coast, Canada, Senegal (Director and Screenwriter: Philippe Lacôte, Producers: Delphine Jaquet, Yanick Létourneau, Ernest Konan, Yoro Mbaye) — A young man is sent to La Maca, a prison on the Ivory Coast in the middle of the forest ruled by its prisoners. With the red moon rising, he is designated by the Boss to be the new “Roman” and must tell a story to the other prisoners. Cast: Koné Bakary, Steve Tientcheu, Digbeu Jean Cyrille, Rasmané Ouédraogo, Issaka Sawadogo, Denis Lavant.
An exploration of puppy love, single parenthood, and the kind of acute “otherness” that can only be experienced by a black American young man transplanted in an all-white German town. 13-year-old Morris’ life revolves around his loving and playful father (Superstar Craig Robinson) and his hip-hop aspirations… that is until a beautiful girl takes him on a dizzying ride, landing him somewhere between lost and found. With breathtaking cinematography and characters that are complicated and flawed while remaining infectiously likable, MORRIS FROM AMERICA is a true feel-good film and features one of the best dads of the decade.
Less about focusing on a dad and more about being the ultimate stereotypical Dad Movie, FORD V FERRARI has cars and Italian cars, corporate interference, the laws of physics, a 24-hour car race and male bonding… and Christian Bale. Heavily based on a true story, the Ford Motor Company works to build a racecar that can win at the infamous Le Mans. Check out this vintage footage from the 1966 Le Mans race: 
You know the story, H.I. (Nicolas Cage) wants to be a dad so badly that he steals a baby – how does RAISING ARIZONA not end up on a Fathers Day watch list!? “When a childless couple of an ex-con and an ex-cop decide to help themselves to one of another family’s quintuplets, their lives become more complicated than they anticipated.” Let’s take a break for some bad parenting with this piece of trivia: Fifteen babies played the Arizona quintuplets in the film. One of the babies was fired during production when he learned to walk. The mother went so far as to put her baby’s shoes on backwards in order to prevent him from walking.
Well this gets a little complicated… “During the Great Depression, a con man finds himself saddled with a young girl who may or may not be his daughter, and the two forge an unlikely partnership.” Ryan O’Neal plays Moses, the con man that becomes faux father to Addie, played by real-life daughter Tatum O’Neal, who won the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her performance at 10, making her the youngest person ever to win an Oscar. It’s rumored that the shooting process on PAPER MOON was grueling and that Tatum O’Neal would often require 50 takes. It’s also alleged that dad, Ryan, was incredibly jealous of Tatum’s Oscar win. She’s written an auto-biography calling him out for his alleged jerky ways and his quotes to the press about her are regularly cringe-worthy, all making PAPER MOON a family drama-fueled, complicated (on and off screen) dad time at the movies.
Nick Offerman plays a widower and career record storeowner whose daughter, played by the amazing Kiersy Clemons, is gearing up to start school across the country. After a song that they record as a goof goes viral, Offerman tries to persuade his daughter to form a band, both to satisfy a lifelong dream of his own and to hold on to the one lasting relationship in his life. Featuring extremely likeable original songs and a great supporting cast (Ted Danson plays a bartender!), HEARTS BEAT LOUD truly earns its reputation for being a heart-warming crowd pleaser.
“After his father Professor Henry Jones, Sr. (Sean Connery) goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, Professor Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. (Harrison Ford) finds himself up against Adolf Hitler’s Nazis again to stop them from obtaining its powers. When Sean Connery is dad to Harrison Ford and they fight Nazis, you better believe it’s a Fathers Day recommendation. Cheers!
In Spike Lee’s searing sports drama, a star high school basketball player (Ray Allen) must decide whether to commit to the NBA Draft or go to college. The pressure is compounded when his incarcerated father (Denzel Washington) is released to promote an agenda on behalf of the crooked governor. In typical Lee fashion, “He Got Game” is about a lot of stuff — but its heart is in the connection between these two men, climaxing in a one-on-one basketball game that sees the father finally release the burdens of his dreams to his son. It might be one of the more electric sequences in Lee’s entire filmography.
Another it’s-not-about-the-dad-it’s-about-the-dad-movie selection, we’ll use any excuse to include FACE/OFF on a rec list, but Fathers Day is clearly an easy justification. Sidewalk programmers are in support of any film that includes a “highly experimental face transplant”, but when the faces we are talking about are those of John Travolta and Nicolas Cage, it’s 100% on the list. Let’s boil things down: “In order to foil a terrorist plot, an FBI agent undergoes facial transplant surgery and assumes the identity of a criminal mastermind, who murdered his only son. The plan turns sour when the criminal wakes up prematurely and seeks revenge.” Our favorite behind the scenes pieces of trivia: “The crew shot on Nicolas Cage’s birthday. John Woo let Cage get emotionally charged up for a scene, then surprised him with a birthday cake. Afterwards, Cage asked Woo not to do that again.”
“In the summer of 1978, a teenager and his group of friends face new challenges when their neighborhood roller-skating rink closes, forcing them to visit a different rink.” Xavier’s mother has passed away, leaving father, Curtis, to raise Xavier and his sister, Sonya – the three help each other find their way after the loss.
Writer-director John Singleton’s breakout first feature, BOYZ N THE HOOD lands on the Fathers Day list because of the unforgettable character Furious Styles (Laurence Fishburne). Wisdom-spouting dad time! The film “follows the lives of three young males living in the Crenshaw area of Los Angeles, dissecting questions of race, relationships, violence, and future prospects.” Look at this cast: Angela Bassett, Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Cuba Gooding Jr., Nia Long, Regina King and, again, Laurence Fishburne.
We’ll go old school with this pick, a classic Howard Hawks Western that finds a brewing conflict between John Wayne as a maniacal cattle driver pushing a herd of thousands of cattle from Texas to Kansas, and Montgomery Clift as the surrogate son who grows to object to the older man’s domineering ways. As the tension grows, the clash between generations seems destined for an almost Biblical climax — and though Hawks’ ending is pretty deflating, it suggests the transformative power of forgiveness and collaboration.
While not seasonally appropriate, THE ICE STORM is one of the sweetest and saddest films about family disconnection and is also, in part, a meditation on the loss of innocence and the parental realization of such. An iconic scene in which father Ben Hood (Kevin Kline) carries his daughter Wendy (Christina Ricci) home will break your heart. “In suburban New Canaan, Connecticut, 1973, middle-class families experimenting with casual sex and substance abuse find their lives beyond their control.” Gene Siskel selected THE ICE STORM as the best film of 1997.
Directed by Elia Kazan, based on the novel by John Steinbeck and starring James Dean – “A wilful young man contends against his brother for the attention of their religious father while reconnecting with his estranged mother and falling for his brother’s girlfriend.” While watching EAST OF EDEN keep in mind that while shooting the Ferris wheel scene, in an effort to feel as uncomfortable as possible, James Dean refused to urinate the entire day. EAST OF EDEN is the only film that James Dean starred in that he personally viewed in its entirety, he passed away the same year the film was released.
Man, oh man, is this dad misguided. While SAY ANYTHING is clearly more of a late-high school teen romance than a dad story, the father stuff is certainly the tie that binds. “A noble underachiever and a beautiful valedictorian fall in love the summer before she goes off to college” and a well-intentioned, but wrecking ball of a dad meddles, and meanders throughout. The films origin story: “Producer James L. Brooks said the movie was inspired when Brooks saw a man walking with his daughter, and wondered what would happen if the father committed a crime.”
Wes Anderson’s films are filled with complicated fathers or father figures, so most of his movies could theoretically show up on this list. But Gene Hackman’s indelible Royal Tenenbaum — disgraced lawyer, Western novel enthusiast and exiled paterfamilias of a family of failed geniuses — clearly takes the top prize. As Royal tries to reconnect with his ex-wife (Anjelica Huston) and children (Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson and Gwyneth Paltrow) by faking a cancer diagnosis, the Tenenbaum family grapples with its legacy and once again find resilience and comfort in their neglected family ties. And Royal isn’t an asshole — he’s just kind of a son of a bitch.
“Noah Baumbach’s incisive and compassionate look at a marriage breaking up and a family staying together.” Successful New York theater director Charlie Barber and his wife, actor Nicole Barber, split up and Nicole relocates with their son Henry to LA after landing a role in a TV pilot. The former couple attempt to navigate relationship fallout and parenthood from near and far.
Anything with Thomas Cruise has dad vibes, but in this case, Mr. Cruise isn’t the dad, he’s the kid with a dad or, actually, temporarily without a dad as his parents are out of town which allows for Thomas Cruise level shenanigans. In this particular instance the folks being out of town means that you hire a sex worker and then parlay that into turning the parents house into a brothel. RISKY BUSINESS is as 1980’s time capsule as you might think (or remember), but it’s likely way edgier than your memory or imagination might conjure. Loaded with surface level symbolism, cringe-worthy inappropriateness, an amazing score and classic moments, RISKY BUSINESS is well worth a watch/re-watch and parenting and dad-isms are just heavy enough to make Fathers Day the perfect reason.
What do you do when your dad is the bible beating Rev. Shaw Moore who has made sure that partying, rock music and dancing has been outlined in the tiny farm town that you’re stuck in? You hook up with the hot (?), rebellious, fearless new kid in town and dance your ass off of course. Of all the films on the list FOOTLOOSE might somehow be the one with the dad who has the most broad power (well except DEVILS ADVOCATE of course). We love a good small town, strict preacher dad turn-around story, but who doesn’t?
A remake of the 1950 film of the same name, but staring Steve Martin of course! “With his oldest daughter’s wedding approaching, a father finds himself reluctant to let go.” A classic.
The classic of all classics. “The Griswold family’s cross-country drive to the Walley World theme park proves to be much more arduous than they ever anticipated.” A fun thing to watch for: At Walley World, Rusty (Anthony Michael Hall) is taller than mom, Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) – that’s because these scenes were shot 4 months after principal photography wrapped and Hall had grown three inches during the course of production.
In addition to Will Smith having major dad vibes just in general, THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS might be the most dad movie of all time. “A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he’s poised to begin a life-changing professional career.” Plus real life dad Will Smith plays dad to real life son Jaden Smith.
If THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS isn’t the most dad movie of all time then FIELD OF DREAMS definitely is. “An Iowa corn farmer, hearing voices, interprets them as a command to build a baseball diamond in his fields; he does, and the 1919 Chicago White Sox come.” Of course Iowa corn farmer is played by dad face Kevin Costner. If you’re up for a summer road trip you can visit the baseball field and farmhouse from FiELD OF DREAMS in Dyersville, Iowa. If you want to take a quick, virtual trip, there’s a web cam: 
Written and directed by HEREDITARY star Alex Wolff, teenager Nick temporarily relocates to New York to stay with his late fathers former band mate, Cal, while his mom is in rehab. During his stay, Nick makes new friends who show him what the city has to offer. Dealing with mental issues of his own, Nick quickly finds himself struggling to cope. A beautiful and at times tragic story, the film shows the complexities of teenage life in NYC.
We’re not exactly sure what’s going on with Charlie’s home life or why so many people are piled in one bed all dang day while Charlie’s mom stirs a cauldron of soup, but we do know that Charlie’s dad isn’t around. It’s also pretty convenient that Grandpa Joe can suddenly walk when there’s a chance to visit the Chocolate Factory. Plus Wonka is possibly the most intense king of punishment and none of that dads in the film are very good at parenting, so all around there’s some pretty off the rails level dad stuff going down. You know the story: A poor but hopeful boy seeks one of the five coveted golden tickets that will send him on a tour of Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory. Here’s a “where are they now” article on the kids in WILLY WONKA: 
When you’re straight up not ready or don’t want to be a dad (or a mom)… Directed by Gillian Robespierre and featuring Jenny Slate, OBVIOUS CHILD premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was the talk of the 2014 festival circuit.
“In 1931 Paris, an orphan living in the walls of a train station gets wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.” HUGO also gloriously celebrates the father of all – the father of motion pictures, Georges Méliès. Here’s a fun, quick article about Méliès: 
Perhaps the most existential choice on the list (and the most Brad Pitt), “The story of a family in Waco, Texas in 1956. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence and struggles with his parents’ conflicting teachings.”
“The arrival of a newborn girl causes the gradual disintegration of the Cairn family; particularly for 9-year-old Joshua, an eccentric boy whose proper upbringing and refined tastes both take a sinister turn.” Boy oh boy does dad Brad Cairn (Sam Rockwell) really try…
This is a bit of a step in a different direction, but fitting for some. “After murdering his entire family, a man marries a widow with a teenage daughter in another town and prepares to do it all over again.” Yep. Happy Fathers Day.
Directed by Alma Har’el, “A view of a young actor’s stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health.” It doesn’t get much more dad than this: HONEY BOY is Shia LaBeouf’s mostly autobiographical feature, in which the focus is on his tumultuous relationship with his father and subsequent struggles with addiction. Shia plays his own father, James (in real life Jeffrey).
Worst dad ever? “After the Rebels are brutally overpowered by the Empire on the ice planet Hoth, Luke Skywalker begins Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued by Darth Vader and a bounty hunter named Boba Fett all over the galaxy.”
It’s arguable that Daniel Plainview might actually be a worse dad than Darth Vader, he’s certainly equally intense. “A story of family, religion, hatred, oil and madness, focusing on a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business.” Suggested pairing with a milkshake and this article: 
An end-of-the-line professional wrestler and deadbeat dad, Randy “The Ram” Robinson, “must retire, but finds his quest for a new life outside the ring a dispiriting struggle.” Mickey Rourke as a faded pro-wrestler = must see.
THE SHINING needs no summary or explanation. Happy Fathers Day!
Okay, okay, this is definitely the worst dad in the list. “An exceptionally adept Florida lawyer is offered a job at a high-end New York City law firm with a high-end boss – the biggest opportunity of his career to date.”
Yikes, there’s a lot to unpack here. There’s also a COVID-19 era-appropriate hand washing scene that makes Fathers Day 2020 the perfect year for the madness that is TWIN PEAKS FIRE WALK WITH ME.