Dogtooth

CHICAGO – Damn, last year’s Oscar nominees for Best Foreign Language Film were a dark, dark bunch. I thought “Biutiful,” “Dogtooth” and “In a Better World” had their brutal edges but I hadn’t yet seen the incredibly intense “Incendies,” a historical drama wrapped in a very personal story. The film is a bit more flawed than some of the critical praise had led me to believe but it’s definitely worth a look, especially for renters looking for international drama.

CHICAGO – When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced their 2011 nominees, one of the more surprising choices was the Greek entry for Best Foreign Language Film, the subversive black comedy “Dogtooth.” It’s not the choice was undeserving, but it’s certainly one of the weirdest, darkest, and most disturbing films ever nominated by a group that usually goes heartwarming in this category. There’s nothing heartwarming about “Dogtooth” outside of those who take comfort in hearing from a fascinating new international voice in cinema.

CHICAGO – Tuesday morning brought a great sigh of relief to movie lovers jaded by last year’s problematic Oscar nominees, which unforgivably included two major nods for the dreadful “The Blind Side.”