Jon Voight is certainly back in daughter Angelina Jolie’s inner circle. He came with her and the kids to the NY premiere last night of her extraordinary new film, “First They Killed My Father.” (And second, they made up with him. Par umpum!)

Hard to imagine how this whole rapprochement works since Jolie and Voight are further apart on the political scale than Patti Davis was from her parents, Ronald and Nancy Reagan. But maybe it’s a lesson to a lot of families split by the current political climate. Blood is thicker than water. The lesson of family is the underscore for “First They Killed My Father.”

Certainly we learn that from Jolie’s film, which would be hailed as a “masterpiece” if it had been made by Spielberg or Eastwood. “First They Killed My Father” should put Angelina right in the ranks of the top directors– it’s an astounding achievement on a grand level and really deserves a Best Picture nomination.

It’s on the level of one of Eastwood’s best films, “Letters from Iwo Jima.” There is no English spoken. Much of the movie is Cambodian or Vietnamese. A good deal of it is without dialogue as child star Sareum Srey Moch navigates holy hell as the Khmer Rouge threaten to obliterate her country. All the children are exceptional, and you can tell that they really responded to Jolie. The really extraordinary move Jolie makes as a director here is that she has no adults, and no “Stars”– there is no ‘draw’ of a name. You don’t suddenly see a Movie Star show up as guide through the film. That’s how confident she is.

The film is based on a book Jolie bought for $2 the first time she went to Cambodia 17 years ago. “First They Killed My Father” is written by Loung Ung (played by young Moch). Loung came to the Toronto Film Festival and to last night’s NY premiere with one of her brothers, also portrayed in the film. They are a shining example of why immigration is so important. After the harrowing true events of the movie they came to the US and grew up in Cleveland. They are all incredibly accomplished, great successes. More importantly, they are alive and well. Meeting them takes your breath away.

The reunion with Jon Voight certainly comes from the lessons of the film. The whole point of the film– far more than the political– is the fabric of Loung’s family knitting back together. It’s a metaphor for Jolie’s life.

See this movie. And let’s hope it does well enough that brings awards and recognition for Jolie as a filmmaker at last. She deserves it.

Things are not getting better for Tom Cruise’s international release of “American Made.”

The worldwide total is now at $34.4 million for the Doug Liman-directed thriller. It’s played in most countries except China, Russia, and South Korea– Cruise’s go to countries. “The Mummy,” for example, inexplicably made $91 million in China early this summer.

But so far “American Made” has done less well in every country than “The Mummy.” It could be a case of over-saturation– they did just see him in another film that didn’t make much sense. Some people say the title is a turn off, especially with America declaring Trump trade wars abroad.

“American Made” has two more weeks to fill its coffers before its US release. Meantime, Cruise– recovering from injuries that have halted production of “Mission Impossible 6”– has not been seen or heard from all summer. The old smilin’ Tom would have shown up in London for a premiere on crutches. So who knows what’s going on?

All the people involved in the new horror film “Mother!” —  opening Friday–are heavy hitters. Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem have Oscars. Darren Aronofsky has indie cred after directing the beloved “Black Swan” and “Requiem for a Dream.”

So Paramount gave them a huge all-star premiere last night at Radio City Music Hall followed by a no-media after party some warehouse disco downtown. The VIP line to get into Radio City was something unprecedented, too– it snaked down Sixth Avenue and up West 50th St. where it was possible to see any number of famous faces. Said one big name Broadway producer, “You have to have a sense of humor.”

Inside Radio City we ran into lots of well known people from Emma Stone and Greta Gerwig to Edward Norton and Jake Paltrow.

And what is “Mother!” all about? It feels like an update of “Rosemary’s Baby,” with of course lots of cutting edge special effects. JLaw and Bardem are a happy couple living in a beautifully restored farmhouse. He’s a famous writer, she’s in charge of decorating. Then Ed Harris knocks on the door. He says he’s a professor. He also has a bad cough and may be dying.

Shortly after, his wife–Michelle Pfeiffer– shows up looking for him. Then their two sons (actor Domhnall Gleeson and his real life brother Brian), warring over Dad’s will. Bardem lets them all in and encourages their sociopathic behavior while Lawrence suffers and sees things in the walls. (Is it asbestos? Ghostbusters goop? Hard to say.)

“Mother!” is a little episodic, so all of these people eventually vanish when their work is done. That launches the second act, so to speak, which is very “Rosemary’s Baby” although there is no cute Ruth Gordon to befriend JLaw. Jen (the characters don’t have names) is pregnant. Javier is writing the Greatest Poem Ever. But their happiness is short-lived: act three is a gory fever dream in which the couple’s baby is tossed around like a football.

Lawrence and Bardem, of course, are eminently watchable. Aronofsky is almost too clever for his own good but he is never boring. “Mother!” is rich with imagery and subtext and references to literally everything. One bit of casting — a surprise appearance by Kristen Wiig– is disruptive in this meditation. But Aronofsky scores many points, especially about what people sacrifice for fame and adulation.

Great news: The IFP Gotham Awards will honor Nicole Kidman will a lifetime achievement award on November 27th. They say it’s for her “unforgettable iconic performances.” No kidding. No movie star of her generation has been so innovative, daring and courageous– her resume is full of independent and experimental movies. She’s never afraid to try something new. Bravo!

The IFP will also honor Ed Lachman, the great cinematographer and one of my own faves for his work in films like “Carol,” “Far from Heaven,” and work with directors Todd Haynes, Sofia Coppola, Werner Herzog, Jean-Luc Godard, Wim Wenders, Volker Schlondorff, Ulrich Seidl, Paul Schrader, Steven Soderbergh, Robert Altman, and Todd Solondz.

The Gothams ceremony cannot be missed this year! Awards nominees to follow shortly…

We started the Toronto Film Festival with “Call Me By Your Name,” a gay love story in which the characters sexually abuse a peach.

On Monday came Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water,” in which Sally Hawkins– that nice girl from England– gets it on with a sea monster. She also goes full frontal. That’s not the Sally Hawkins of the past.

Scientists have captured this sea monster but he’s no blob. He looks like a sexed up version of C3PO from “Star Wars.” And although he’s got gills, and kind of monstrous face, it also seems that all that swimming has been good for him. He’s in excellent shape.

Hawkins and Octavia Spencer are the female janitors at the government facility where the monster is being held. Michael Shannon is the evil doctor who wants to perform experiments. Shannon also has it in for the two cleaners because they want to treat the sea monster like a person.

If this sounds familiar it’s because in many ways it is. There are large doses of “ET,” “Splash,” and more recently, “Stranger Things.” But del Toro adds just enough of his signature style to make “Shape of Water” his own. The soundtrack is exceptional, and the tap dancing in kind of a Busby Berkeley number has to be seen. There’s also top notch supporting work from Richard Jenkins and Michael Stuhlbarg.

Twenty years ago Judi Dench– then 63 years old– made her debut to American audiences playing Queen Victoria in John Madden’s “Mrs. Brown” and received her first Oscar nomination. A year later, she won her  Oscar as Best Supporting Actress for playing Queen Elizabeth I in Madden’s “Shakespeare in Love.” She was on screen for 8 minutes but it was indelible performance. Five more nominations followed through 2014, plus international fame as M in the James Bond movies.

So now what? Yesterday, Dame Judi returned to playing Queen Victoria and premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in “Victoria and Abdul,” Stephen Frears’ show stopping account of Her Royal Majesty’s end of life flirtation with a young man, a Muslim from India who turned her world upside down. It’s a true story drawn from letters discovered in 2010 and published as a best seller.

The story could not be more timely as Abdul Karim (Ali Kazal) was treated like dirt by the royal household for being Muslim. His associate, his wife, her mother all were greeted as servants by everyone except Victoria, who made Abdul her teacher, or “Moonshie,” and valued his friendship ultimately with royal honors. Even her son Prince Bertie (eventually King Edward, grandfather of the current Queen) played beautifully by Eddie Izzard, conspired to do in Abdul.

Dame Judi received not one but two standing ovations on Sunday at the Princess of Wales Theater. The first one was just for coming out and waving. The second was after the screening, for the work of a lifetime. I dare say she will be nominated again for an Oscar, and this time she’ll win to cap off a remarkable career. Her Victoria now is fiery and feisty but also a true Lioness in Winter, trying to hold on to her throne but knowing her 62 year rein will end with the 19th century. It’s a performance of a lifetime.

There are plenty of young actress lined up for the Oscar this year. Emma Stone in “Battle of Sexes,” Jessica Chastain in “Molly’s Game,” Sally Hawkins in “The Shape of Water”– they are all likely candidates with Annette Bening and Meryl Streep in the mix as well. But Dame Judi will not be denied.

“Victoria and  Abdul” opens September 22nd. I expect it will be a crowd pleaser– it’s very funny, extremely lively. Frears is a consummate director. He certainly knows royalty– he directed Helen Mirren to an Oscar as “The Queen.” This film is must see movie going– and you want to see it on a big screen as the production itself– shot in locations not allowed before– is absolutely brilliant with detail, color, and magnitude.

As for Dame Judi, when I even mentioned an Oscar at the tea served for her at Soho House, she almost recoiled. “Oh no!” she cried, “Let’s not get into that!” Well, indeed, Let’s.