Conquering Russia, again

Try though we might to be true global thinkers, and watchers of all-things-awards-related, every once in a while one slips past us. To wit: the Russian equivalent of the Oscars. Let us commence making up for a few lost days.

"Mongol," which was nominated in last month's Oscar race for best foreign language film but lost out to Austria's "The Counterfeiters," has swept the Nika Awards with six trophies, including film, director, cinematographer and art direction.

The film, by award-winning Russian filmmaker Sergei Bodrov ("Prisoner of the Mountains"), falls under the "sweeping historical epic" category, apparently without the nap required to make it through some in that genre. Based on some writing by the filmmaker and other history buffs, the movie shows "the making-of" Genghis Khan (played by beloved Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano, pictured) that delves into the life of the 12th Century slave-turned-conqueror of half the world, including what's now Russia. Interesting tidbit: his most trusted adviser was his wife.

A Rotten Tomatoes review makes us sorry we missed it:

"Mongol is everything that Oliver Stone's 'Alexander' was not: sumputuously mounted, beautifully acted, and illuminating in historical yet accessible terms the tumultuous life of the legendary warrior."

That's what Netflix is for. Queue it up!