Fucked Up

I've been kinda bummed about this year's Oscar nominations, but you know what, they pretty much always suck. I just haven't been as immersed in the process as I was this season.

Here is a look back at some of the sillier nominees from 2000-2007;

2000

Gladiator won Best Picture, Actor and Director. Almost Famous, Billy Elliot and Requiem for a Dream weren't nominated.

2001

Naomi Watts snubbed for Mulholland Drive. 

A Beautiful Mind was nominated for and won multiple awards including Best Picture, Director and Supporting Actress.

2002

John C. Reilly nominated for Chicago. Dennis Quaid NOT nominated for Far From Heaven.

4 nominations for Far From Heaven instead of the 10 or so it deserved.

Adaptation nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. I get this on some level, but really? Really? 

2003

Best Picture nominees include Master and Commander AND Seabiscuit. Seriously. Rough year.

2004

Jamie Foxx nominated for his "supporting" work in Collateral.  Remember? He won Best Actor for Ray. 

2005

A really healthy year with the notable exception of Crash beating BB Mountain.

Reese Witherspoon's Best Actress for Walk the Line is weird and she hasn't followed up with ANYTHING interesting yet, but when you look back at her competition, it's hard to make serious arguments.  

2006

No real complaints! Would prefer Little Children nominated instead of Little Miss Sunshine.

2007

Nice group.

REALLY cool nominations during that time;

2001

David Lynch - Mulholland Drive - Director

Ghost World for Adapted Screenplay

2002

Y Tu Mama Tambien for Original Screenplay

2003

The Triplets of Belleville - Animated Film

2004

The Village - Best Score

Before Sunset - Adapted Screenplay

2005

William Hurt for A History of Violence - S. Actor

Paradise Now for Foreign Film

The Squid and The Whale - original screenplay

2006

Paul Greengrass as Best Director for United 93

all the awards for pan's labyrinth (art direction, cinematography, makeup)

2007

4 great performances in very indie films;

Viggo Mortensen for Eastern Promises

Casey Affleck for Jesse James

Laura Linney for The Savages

Cate Blanchett for I'm Not There

3:13AM!

Boy A

Boy A is a terrific movie about a 24 yr old released from prison many years after committing a gruesome crime.  It's available for rental.  Enjoy!  

New York Times

Rooms is opening up Off Broadway starring Doug Kreeger and Leslie Kritzer. New York Times announces dates at the attached artsblog.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/in-the-wings-2/

Top Ten Films of 2008

1. Synecdoche, New York - Charlie Kaufman's magnificent exploration of love, art and death featuring brilliant design elements and the best supporting actresses of the year - Dianne Wiest, Samantha Morton, Catherine Keener, Hope Davis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Emily Watson and Michelle Williams.  It's just as complicated as you've heard and simultaneously totally straightforward and simple. I can't wait to see where Kaufman goes next.

2. The Wrestler - Darren Aronofky's deeply empathetic portrait of a wrestler and a stripper (played with natural ease and honesty by Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei) who are confronted with the very real consequences of their difficult professions. 

3. Rachel Getting Married - Jonathan Demme's compassionate and confrontational drama delves deeply into a families pain. Great acting by Anne Hathaway, Rosemary DeWitt, Debra Winger, Bill Irwin and Anne Deavere Smith.

4. Waltz With Bashir - Animated. Foreign. Documentary. It's a captivating, original piece of art. Please don't be afraid - Go see it.  

5. Slumdog Millionaire - The feel good fantasy movie of the year that doesn't shy away from the ugly and the real.  

6. Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Lovely, sexy, smart, intellectual comedy by Woody Allen. His best film since Bullets Over Broadway in 1994.

7. Happy Go Lucky - Mike Leigh drama about an Poppy, an eternal optimist who has figured out a very happy and healthy way to confront the brutality and sadness of everyone around her.  A remarkable performance by Sally Hawkins.

8. Let the Right One In - Swedish vampire movie. 

9. Burn After Reading - Fun, cynical, hyper Coen Brothers flick.

10.Doubt - Great story, acting and writing make up for some of Shanley's silly directorial flourishes. 

Runners-up

Frost/Nixon

Wall-E

The Dark Knight

A Christmas Tale

Flight of the Red Balloon

The Edge of Heaven

Paranoid Park

Wendy and Lucy

Gran Torino

Pineapple Express

Bette Midler in The Rose

Haven't reported in on a bunch of movies I've seen this month, but I feel compelled to mention how strongly I responded to Bette Midler in The Rose.  I grew up watching Bette in funny comedies and maudlin Disney dramas, so this raw, sexy, animalistic performance pretty much shocked me.  Glad I've seen it.  If you haven't, check it out - Am I crazy or should Bette have won the Oscar over Sally Field (Norma Rae)?  Or was Field's role as a union organizer much easier to swallow in March of 1980?  

The soundtrack to SLUMDOG is great.

D.

Oscar Nomination Predictions

If today's Barack inauguration weren't enough excitement for one week, we have the 2008 Oscar nominations to add some much needed thrills into this cold icky January.  The nominations are announced on Thursday morning at 8:38 am.  

As some of you may know I have been fairly intensely obsessed with this event (far more than the actual awards or ceremony) since 1988. Over the past few years, my interest in mainstream film releases has remained steady, while my passion for truly independent and foreign cinema has deepened. 

I read recently that Scorsese defended the Oscars awarded to Dances With Wolves over his Goodfellas; his point was that the Oscars are a celebration of mainstream success.  

It's very refreshing when a few bona fide artistic achievements break through into the masses. I'm hopeful we will see some of my favorite films of 2008 acknowledged in the nominations. It's tricky trying to remain objective with predictions, but I will try my darndest.  

Predictions below;

BEST PICTURE

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Frost/Nixon

Milk

Slumdog Millionaire

Wall-E has a slim chance of getting in, but I can't imagine what flick it would kick out.  My hope would be a Ben Button "snub," but Milk is probably most vulnerable.

My favorite film of 2008 was Synecdoche, New York.

BEST ACTRESS

Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married

Sally Hawkins in Happy Go Lucky

Melissa Leo in Frozen River

Meryl Streep in Doubt

Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road

Angelina Jolie could sneak in for her lovely performance in Changeling.  Leo is vulnerable but VERY well-regarded by her peers.  Some voters may respond to Jolie's star power as well as her snub in 07 for another terrific performance in A Mighty Heart. The other possibility is the exclusion of Streep. No one can really imagine that happening cause, well, she is Meryl, but at the same time, it's far from her best work and these other women are more deserving.  If Meryl does get in, it's her 15th nomination.

Sally Hawkins work in Happy Go Lucky was my favorite performance in ANY category this year.  I will be bummed if this film and her astonishing work are dissed.

BEST ACTOR

Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino

Richard Jenkins in The Visitor

Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon

Sean Penn in Milk

Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler

Rourke (my favorite), Penn and Langella are definite nominees. Brad Pitt could easily get nominated instead of Jenkins or Eastwood. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams in Doubt

Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Viola Davis in Doubt

Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler

Kate Winslet in The Reader

Wouldn't be shocked to see Taraji B. Henson acknowledged for her BUTTON crap, pushing Adams or Tomei out.  I loved Cruz, Davis, Adams and Tomei but have a special place reserved for Samantha Morton's unfuckingbelievable performance in Synecdoche, New York.  If it were up to me, this category would have at least ten nominees each year. This year most of those women would be Synecdoche cast members.  What happened to all the buzz for Debra Winger and Rosemary DeWitt for Rachel Getting Married?  Wouldn't mind a surprise nom for those lovely ladies.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Josh Brolin in Milk

Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder

Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt

Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight

Dev Pattel in Slumdog Millionaire

I'm itching to put James Franco instead of Hoffman, but will stay safe.  

BEST DIRECTOR

David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight

Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon

Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire

Darren Aronofsky - The Wrestler

Getting the 5th slot for Best Director is always tricky. Best Picture and Best Director have matched perfectly 3 times total, and the Directors branch has a sneaky way of surprising all of us.  It wouldn't be shocking if this were a year with perfect matches, but I also think the Directors may want to show love for Mike Leigh, Woody Allen, Darren Aronofsky or even Andrew Stanton (Wall-E).  There is also the chance they will acknowledge The Class or Waltz With Bashir.  I'm hopeful for something unexpected and interesting.

If this is interesting to you people let me know and I'll continue with Screenplay, Score, Art Direction, etc...

Happy to hear anyone's thoughts, feelings and predictions.

Best, David

Golden Globe Predictions

Best Picture/Drama: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE  2. Benjamin Boredom

Best Picture/Comedy or Bad Musical: VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA  2. Happy Go Lucky

Best Director: Danny Boyle 4 Slumdog  2. David Fincher 4 Boredom

Best Actress/Drama: Anne Hampton Callaway for Rachel Getting Married  2. Meryl Sheep for Proof

Best Actor/Drama: Sean Pain in MILK  2. Frank Langella as David Frost

Best Actress/Comedy or Bad Musical: Sally Hawkins in Happy Go Lucky  2. Meryl Streep in ABBA

Best Actor/Comedy: James Franco for being a God and Pineapple Express  2. Javier Bardem for Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona 2. Kate Winslet in The Reader

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Bar Ledger in Disney's The Dark Knight  2. Robert Downey Jr. for Blackface

Best Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire  2. Doubt

Best Foreign Film: Gomorrah  2. Waltz With Bashir

Best Animated Film: WALL-E  2. Bolt

Best Original Score: Benjamin Boredom  2. Slumdog Millionare (REMINDER:  THIS IS WHAT I PREDICT. Not what I want. I'm a Movie Score fanatic and even though I love Desplat usually I was seriously underwhelmed by everything Button related.  And Slumdog's score KICKS ASS!

Best Song: "The Wrestler"  2. "Down to Earth" - Wall-E

TV - WHO CARES, BUT I'M GONNA TRY ANYWAY!!!

TV DRAMA: MAD MEN  2. In Treatment

TV COMEDY: 30 ROCK  2. The Office

Actress TV DRAMA: Sally Field  2. January Jones

Actor TV DRAMA: Gabriel Byrne  2. Jon Hamm

Actress TV Comedy: Tina Fey  2. Christina Applegate

Actor TV Comedy: Alec Baldwin  2. David Duchochny

TV MOVIE: JOHN ADAMS  2. Recount

Actress TV MOVIE:  Laura Linney  2. Shirley MacLaine

Actor TV MOVIE: Paul Giamatti  2. Tom Wilkinson

Supporting Actress TV: Laura Dern  2. Dianne Wiest

Supporting Actor TV: Jeremy Piven  2. Tom Wilkinson

ENJOY!

Oscar Predix (as of 1/6)

These are my predictions, not my preferences. MAJOR difference.  Most of my favorites (Synecdoche, New York, Michelle Williams, Samantha Morton, Juliette Binoche don't have a shot at a nomination)

Best Picture

The Dark Knight

Frost/Nixon

Milk

Benjamin Button

Slumdog Millionaire (the winner)

Best Actress

Sally Hawkins in Happy Go Lucky (my favorite)

Meryl Streep in Doubt

Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married (the winner)

Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road

Melissa Leo in Frozen River

Best Actor

Sean Penn in Milk

Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler (my favorite)

Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino (the winner?)

Richard Jenkins in The Visitor

Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon

Best Supporting Actor

Josh Brolin in Milk

Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (winner and my favorite)

Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt

Dev Pattel in Slumdog Millionaire

Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams in Doubt

Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (winner and my favorite)

Viola Davis in Doubt

Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler

Kate Winslet in The Reader

Best Director

Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight

David Fincher - B Button

Danny Boyle - Slumdog (winner)

Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon

Woody Allen - Vicky Cristina Barcelona (i have a hard time being objective, but i'm just ever-hopeful this movie will surprise in a big way and wind up with 4 or 5 noms.)

Any guesses?  Thoughts? Feelings?  What do you think should be nominated?  What would you like to see nominated?  

Burn AFTER Reading

Saw this in the theatre and hated it. Just watched it at home, and it seems - oh dear - I was wrong.  I guess there is a first for everything.  What a fucking great film!  So fun and silly and angry.  Guess I was moody and tired the first time.  Whatever.  Anyway, maybe it works better on a smaller screen where everyone's ugliness and desperation is not quite so brutally in your face.  Any thoughts?

Jessica Lange once was hot.

Jessica Lange, Joan Allen and Kathy Bates made a movie called BONNEVILLE a few years ago. Obviously, the intention was to release in theaters and win agazillion oscars.  Alas, twas not to be, and Bonneville has shown up on Cable for our viewing pleasure.

The first big clue that something has gone terribly wrong is the awful surgery Jessica has had on her face.  She looks like that awful Catwoman from the Upper East Side a few years back.  Was there an accident?  The results couldn't be intentional.  

Kathy Bates just said to Joan Allen "you look like Grace Kelly."  It was unclear whether she was joking or not.  

 

Persepolis - #5 in 2009

WOW.  This is an amazing movie. It forces the viewer to feel great empathy towards Iranian women suffering through extreme circumstances. I encourage everyone and their goat to watch this movie.  Beware: after viewing this movie, you will no longer want to take a vacation to Iran. 

Anne Hathway to win Best Actress Oscar

I want to officially go on record with my prediction that Anne Hathaway will own a Best Actress Oscar in around six weeks.  

The current climate indicates a race between Streep (who is expected to receive nomination #15 for her silly but entertaining performance in Doubt) and Winslet (for Revolutionary Road).  When push comes to shove and a nominating member looks at these options, I find it increasingly unlikely either of those performances will inspire a vote.  

Everyone loves Streep and she has had a great year.  She has at least 2 more Oscars in her future, and when the timing is right, she will win.  Not gonna happen this year, for this particular role.  Many people are frustrated that Winslet hasn't won yet.  I am one of them, but the truth is she has yet to give the best performance of the year any of the times she was nominated.  Her honor this year will be double nominations (supporting for The Reader), bringing her total to 7 before the age of 34.  

Not that many people have seen Rachel Getting Married, but the ones who do tend to respond very passionately.  There is a contingent of folks out there who don't like the movie, but most viewers go apeshit for Anne. She is a genuine movie star; gorgeous, intelligent, interesting - She balances big budget bullshit with interesting smaller character driven roles and is well-respected by her peers and audiences.  

My favorite performance of the year was by Sally Hawkins in Happy Go Lucky.  Moments ago, she won Best Actress at the National Society of Film Critics.  She can add that to her citations from the LAFC and NYFCC.  Hopefully, the Comedy/Musical Golden Globe goes her way next week as well.  Even with all these awards under her belt, Sally is still not guaranteed an Oscar nomination.  U.S.-centric SAG members ignored her performance for their nominations.  I believe Sally will prevail and get nominated. 

It will be interesting to see how the SAG and GG winners shape the rest of the contest.  I think Hathaway's Oscar victory will be solidified after winning both of those precursors.  Let's see!

Any thoughts? Feelings?

4TH FILM OF 2009 - GOLDEN COMPASS

This was a boring movie.  The animals were cute, the sets and effects great, but Nicole Kidman is an increasingly awkward presence on Film and the movie overall just feels flat.  Sadly, Daniel Craig is only in like 7 minutes.  On to the next...

300 - 3RD Film of 2009

Finally got around to tackling Zack Snyder's 300.  It kept my attention, the dudes are hot, the movie looks good and I'm glad I saw it.  Racially and sexually, Frank Miller seems to have some interesting hardcore issues, but whatever.  Looking forward to Zach's Watchman (CRUDUP!!!!)

Wings of Desire

My second film of 2009 was Wim Wenders' 1987 modern classic WINGS OF DESIRE (released in the U.S. in 1988 and remade 10 yrs later as City of Angels).  The first hour of the movie feels like a waking dream and to be honest, I was in and out of consciousness while watching.  It's not boring, but it's certainly contemplative, philosophical and all those other things that make civilians tired.  I suspect my trancelike state is a fairly typical response and it made for a very interesting experience.  Looking forward to seeing this film on a bigger screen. It's a pretty gorgeous film.

National Society of Film Critics

The NSOFC votes and announces their winners this Saturday, January 3rd.  I imagine you are as eager with anticipation and anxiety as I am.  This group used to make really bold, fascinating choices, but in recent years their selections have become both gentrified and just a little confused, so they are tough to predict.

I'm gonna try the "out there" route for my NSOFC predix;

Best Picture: Rachel Getting Married   2. The Wrestler

Best Actress: Michelle Williams in Wendy and Lucy  2. Sally Hawkins

Best Actor: Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler  2. Sean Penn

Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz   2. Rosemary DeWitt

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger  2. Michael Shannon

Best Director: Mike Leigh   2. Darren Aronofsky

Good Luck To All!  

Anyone wanna chime in with thoughts?  Wikipedia lists all the previous winners here;