chenyao liu

film & tv beat reporter for @34ST

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

🦅

[1776 Live @250YearsAgoLive]

Continental Congress HAS SIGNED A DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE! 

The UNITED STATES are OFFICIALLY INDEPENDENT from BRITAIN.

LIBERTY BELLS ring out throughout Philadelphia; the streets ERUPT IN ECSTASY.

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

i’m ready to sob on christmas eve EVERYONE GET SEATED FOR COWARD

[Film Updates @FilmUpdates]

Mubi has set the North American theatrical release dates for upcoming titles:

• ‘Minotaur’ directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev — November 20

• ‘Coward’ directed by Lukas Dhont — December 25

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

nicholas galitzine mattel may not have seen the vision but i did
https://t.co/uwNJg4VciV

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

what do you mean no wide release???????

[Netflix @netflix]

LA BOLA NEGRA, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi and winner of the Best Director prize at Cannes, is coming to select theaters November 6 and on Netflix December 4 in the US.

A bold epic that powerfully explores themes of memory, love, and queer identity. Spanning nearly a century of Spanish history from the '30s to modern day, the film tells the story of three men whose lives are intimately connected through desire, pain, and inheritance.

Starring Spanish music sensation Guitarricadelafuente in his acting debut, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Lola Dueñas, Julio Torres, Penélope Cruz, and Glenn Close.

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

Feeling very vindicated that CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL won three Tony Awards after I spent my entire freshman summer professing my love for this revival! I haven’t seen it on Broadway yet, but wrote a very passionate review of its initial PAC NYC run here: https://t.co/tdyzopLu13

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

Returning to my film & TV beat at @34ST with a love letter to queer films at Cannes!

Read it now: https://t.co/X9uATpfJGf

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

IMO, a more complicated take would’ve focused more on how isolating it can be for queer youth in those situations. Unfortunately, the young cast is basically taken out of the film after the first act and the blooming potential between the two girls is abandoned. (3/3)

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

FJORD was a strong contender at Cannes this year with impressively uncomfortable performances from Renate Reinsve & Sebastian Stan, but not exactly complex and honestly comes off as a pretty simple and indecisive film about fundamentalist societies. (1/3)

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

However, I certainly know many people — especially from overwhelmingly liberal backgrounds — that struggle with accepting the potential for relationships and community from those on the opposite side of the political spectrum. (2/3)

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

After seeing 38 films at Cannes, here are my personal favorites:
• LA BOLA NEGRA
• CLUB KID
• COWARD
• LA GRADIVA
• HOPE
• FATHERLAND
• THE SAMURAI AND THE PRISONER

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

i’m so serious bring back the 90 day theatrical window

[Film Updates @FilmUpdates]

‘LA BOLA NEGRA’ is set to be acquired by Netflix in a record-breaking deal for the platform for a non-English-title in the $4-5 million range.

A multi-week theatrical obligation will be part of the deal.

(https://t.co/2X6PeaJXAG)

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

the queer palm is lowkey more contentious than the palme d’or this year

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

i’m actually getting upset thinking about the fact that i won’t be able to see LA BOLA NEGRA in theaters for months

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

actually wtf did i just watch

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

Thoughts on Na Hong-Jin’s HOPE: If the entire film was the first thirty minutes, it’d be my favorite movie at Cannes. Unfortunately, it kept on going.

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

films to look out for (imo ofc):
• CLUB KID (OBVIOUSLY!)
• SANGUINE
• COLONY
• FATHERLAND
• NAGI NOTES

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

cannes thoughts, five days in:

• so far, it seems to be a very mid year

• there’s got to be a better way to handle the last-minute lines

• jordan firstman’s CLUB KID might be the best thing ever

• lots of queer movies! some handled better than others…

[chenyao liu @chenyaoliu]

• the only yeon sang-ho films i’ve seen are his zombie ones but they are the greatest zombie movies i’ve ever seen so i’m glad the man has found his niche

• so is it like a tradition that the opening film is kinda forgettable

(3/3)