A little over a year after jailing and banning their most famous filmmaker from making movies, Iran might win an Academy Award for Best Picture. It would be a first for the nation whose government seems to strongly dislike creativity and freedom of speech, but its entry this year, A Separation, almost seems like a sure thing. Come February, writer/director Asghar Farhadi and Iran might be standing on the winner’s podium. But it’s not a done deal yet. A Separation and 8 other films were announced last week as part of the Oscar shortlist – just one step away from becoming an official nominee. They include a Danish comedy set in Argentina, a masculine drama about the underground world of illegal bovine growth hormones in Belgium, and something marvelous from Wim Wenders. It’s, to say the least, a varied group. Except that almost all of them are dramas from writer/directors.  So, yeah. Subject matter-wise though, it’s a full spectrum. The final 5 will be announced tomorrow morning, but here first are the trailers from each of the 9 shortlisted movies from far off lands (like Canada):

It’s 1993, Canada has become the most powerful country in the world, and their fair land is protected by the red and white spandex of Captain Canuck. It’s a world far different from our own, but the good Captain might be coming to save us from the repetition of the same superheroes getting reboots and more movies. Creator of the popular indie comic Richard Comely is claiming that he’s in talks with a Canadian production company to film a $15 million movie featuring the eh-grade super hero. Toronto-based Sinking Ship (which is a foreboding name if there ever was one) had the option up until last year, but according to the LA Times, it’s unclear which production company Comely is in talks with. The prospect of seeing Captain Canuck anytime soon is a slim one, but it seems logical to assume that the character’s continued appeal, coupled with the Captain America movie might have stoked the fires a bit. This news at least means that the character is one step closer (again) to hitting the big screen with his alien-granted powers. Although, it’s important to note that the comic book creator sharing the news is the worst possible source, so until a production company comes out and waves their intentions proudly, it might just be Millar-style bluster. On the bright side, it would be nice to see a hero being extra polite while kicking ass.

There’s not much that warms our cold, cold hearts here at FSR, but whenever we get emails from our friends abroad who can’t watch trailers or rent movies we lovingly suggest, a little piece of us dies because sharing a love of film is what it’s all about. Fortunately, you can sound your victory trumpets because sharing that love just got easier, and it’s now ribbed for your pleasure. Movie rental overlords at Netflix have decided to conquer Canada after laying siege to Blockbuster. While the company won’t offer rentals by-mail (because it costs and arm and a loony to mail things up there), they will be offering the far superior Watch Instantly option which will continue to expand (and will probably be the only service offered in a few year’s time). Huzzah! Congratulations, Canada. Welcome to Never Going To Your Job Again.

Like any horror fan, if you approach me with a movie that promises not only girls, but also bikinis, and also murder, I’m going to pop out of my seat with excitement. Such was the case with Bikini Girls on Ice, a Canadian film that snuck across the border and into my DVD player. Judging from the title alone I thought I was in for some sort of magical Icecapades type film only with more blood and more boobs. Little did I know that there was no ice skating rink, very few exposed boobs, and that most of the murder would occur off-screen.  This is normally the part of the article where I write the plot down, but even by horror movie standards, the story is thin – as thin as ice, hohoho. As near as I can tell, a bus full of girls on their way to a bikini car wash breaks down at a gas station in the middle of nowhere, so they do the only two logical things: have their car wash anyway and get murdered.

Welcome back to Junkfood Cinema; eat up while it’s still free! If you are unfamiliar with this column, congratulations on retaining all of your IQ points. Junkfood Cinema is where, every week, I bring the cinematic pain in the form of some truly bad films. While these movies lack a certain…everything, there are aspects of each of them that I can’t help but enjoy.

Hot off success with The Brood, the shocking director has chosen psychic horror for his next. But what does that mean for Frankenstein?

After that damned Global Warming has messed up the environment, it’s also created a massive boon in truffles in Montreal where a new business has taken over. Unfortunately, supplies are finite, and a new company has moved in under the guise of a pelt-selling shop that, of course, is more intent on sending out furry mind-control drones to take over the wealth of the truffle-hunting biz. On the outskirts of the war is freelance truffle-miner Charles who has to struggle to make a living and not get choked by a muppet.

Zombies, gunfights, camping, bullies, gingers, and bloody Canadians!

FSR chats with the ‘Pontypool’ director about his unique, extremely entertaining zombie movie, currently in limited release and available for purchase in living rooms nationwide through IFC On Demand.

Aaron Boone is a troubled young man who may or may not be responsible for a series of brutal murders…

Foreign Objects travels the world of international cinema each week to look for films worth visiting. So renew your passport, get your shots, and brush up on the local age of legal consent, this week we’re heading to… Canada!

Every once in a while a movie comes along that I know must be seen. ‘The Rocket’ is one of those types of flicks.

Canada’s last domestically owned music chain has filed for bankruptcy. Damn you iTunes!