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Author
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Topic: The Oscar jam is about to slam
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Charles Everett
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1470
From: New Jersey
Registered: May 2001
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posted 11-23-2003 05:01 PM
Fall turns to the holidays and there are a few worthy nominations for 2003 based on what I've seen to date.
Actor? Start with George Clooney and go on to Hugh Grant. Don't forget Johnny Depp! Throw in Ralph Fiennes (Spider) if need be.
Actress? Charlotte Rampling and Diane Lane come to mind. So do Frances McDormand (Laurel Canyon -- it tanked but she was great) and Hope Davis (The Secret Lives of Dentists).
Supporting actor? There's Geoffrey Rush, Rowan Atkinson (Love Actually) and Billy Bob Thornton (Love Actually).
Supporting actress? Glenn Close (Le Divorce) is the one who stands out so far.
This year cries out for an ensemble Oscar. Quite a few good flicks with strong ensembles -- L'Auberge Espagnole, Le Divorce, Camp, The Magdalene Sisters, Love Actually.
But the "Film Snobs" and the Hollywood hacks don't want these worthy actors to get Oscars! The snobs and the hacks want nominations only for what the snobs and hacks want nominated:
In the Cut -- went national in a dead week (Halloween) and tanked as a result.
The Human Stain -- Miramax. Also, it opened in a dead week (Halloween).
Master and Commander -- Miramax involvement.
Big Fish -- opens limited opposite Something's Gotta Give.
The Missing -- from Revolution Studios, which brought the world Gigli. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) This Western is getting dumped in a Thanksgiving pileup!
The Last Samurai -- opens in a dead week (the weekend after Thanksgiving).
The Return of the King -- Miramax involvement.
Mona Lisa Smile -- also from Revolution Studios. The curse of Gigli strikes again!
Cold Mountain -- Miramax. Not only that, the trailer bites. If this $100 million 9-reel epic tanks it will sink Miramax.
House of Sand and Fog -- the trailer says "Borrrrrrinnnnng".
Peter Pan -- an unintentional link to Michael Jackson (his ranch is named Neverland). Also, this remake has Revolution Studios involvement. Gigli!
Mystic River -- dull and plodding, struggled to make money.
Seabiscuit -- a hit in the US, a flop overseas.
Who do you think will slam at the Oscar jam?
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Pravin Ratnam
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 844
From: Atlanta, GA,USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 11-24-2003 01:19 AM
Best Picture: Dirty Pretty Things , American Splendor , Magdalene Sisters , Return of the King, Kill Billare at the top for me. Also for your consideration Lost in Translation and Shattered Glass.
I haven't seen Finding Nemo . But I don't know a single person who didn't like this movie. So I must say, it deserves a best pic nod.
I loved most of Mystic River but it had an awful ending with the Kevin Bacon character which really messed it up big time for me and I didn't find the coincidences convincing. Both factors really destroys the story arc. For the Kevin Bacon's resolution alone with his wife and his police work, I would hate to see this movie get a nod. I was pretty steamed at the end. Otherwise , most of the movie was fantastic.
Best Actor: Paul Giamatti (Amer. Splendor), Bill Murray (Lost In Trans.) Chiwetel Ejiofor for Dirty Pretty Things. He captured that tired insomniac stressed dignified look perfectly. Hayden Christiansen for Shattered Glass. One of the creepiest performances of the year Maybe Sean Penn or Tim Robbins (Mystic River).
Hopefully some of the Dec releases will displace these last two guys from the list. Fun nod to Johnny Depp who made both Pirates of the Carribean and Once Upton a TIme in Mexico a lot more fun than they would have been.
Best Actress: Evan Rachel Wood for Thirteen. Felt she was better than even Holly Hunter in a movie that didn't quite equal the acting.Uma Thurman for Kill BIll. For my money, she gave a tougher performance that was better than overhyped duo of Zeta Jones and Renee Zelwegger combined in Chicago. What's up with Oscars having a soft corner for sluts and whores in this and the supporting actress category but ignoring kickass female roles like the Crouching Tiger women in the past? Kiesha Castle Hughes for WhaleRider. Really she and the grandad were the entire movie. Also I hope one of the Magdalene Sisters gets a nod.
Best cinematography: Robert Richardson for Kill Bill. I am biased here. I have always liked his work. This is a guy who improvised and deviated from his usual style(regarding the use of zooms and such) to make a really nice looking movie despite using Super 35MM (both he and QT are not fans of it) for some practical reasons. I will have to complete this list later as I remember some other pretty good works this year. I just can't remember them now.
Best Director: Peter Jackson has helmed an enormous undertaking and succeeded. His nod is a no brainer. Stephen Frears For Dirty Pretty Things. I never liked some of his 80s movies. But this is one of his best. Sophia Coppolla for Lost In Translation
Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini for American Splendor. DId more with the comic book frame look than Ang Lee could with Hulk
Peter Mullan for Magdalene Sisters
Quentin Tarantino for Kill Bill He gave someone like Chiba a better opportunity to shine. Most of the actors delivered their better performances in this. I mean, who hasn't seen Uma in her share of stinker roles prior to this and after this(Paycheck..ughhh). BY comparison, Zwick really didn't give Wantanabe some personal solo shining moments even if Wantanbe made the most of it. Out of left field nod for James Mangold for Identity(OK i know I know, he has a zero chance).But no matter what people think of that script and movie overall, the director did the best most could with that movie.
Best Supporting Actor:
Someone give Sean Astin a nod. Also Ian McKellan is THE MAN. He supplies a lot of charisma to the character. Andy Serkis actually acted in ROTK for as much time as Judi Dench did in her nominated role in Shakespeare in Love. So even if the oscar is going to disregard the CGI gollum, technically Serkis qualifies now.
Paul Bettany in Master and Commander. I thought he was great in his other movies and he changes body language a little bit to make for a very effective doctor
Sonny Chiba is my fun pick. He is no inferior to the sentimental picks Oscar hands out to accmplished Brit actors in butler or advisor roles (think Geilgud in Arthur or Alec Guiness for Star Wars) and I think the direcetor gives him more to do with his tiny role compared to Wantanabe who was very good too.
Peter Saarsgaad in Shattered Glass was very good too.
Best Supporting Actress:
And then it would be nice to see one or two of the Magdalene Sisters actresses complement a best actress nod with a supporting actress nod for one of the less major roles.
HOlly Hunter was pretty good in 13.
Julie Dreyfus was perfect as Sophie Fatale in Kill Bill in very scene right down to her loud wailing at the House of Blue Leaves. Renee in Cold Mountain wouldn't be an undeserving nominee , even if she is not my choice.
Sound :There is more than one category for this. I would hope ROTK and KIll Bill are up for them.
Will edit this post to add more later.
[ 01-15-2004, 08:23 PM: Message edited by: Pravin Ratnam ]
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Pravin Ratnam
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 844
From: Atlanta, GA,USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 12-19-2003 01:24 AM
Charles, you are off base on this ROTK issue. You probably don't like Miramax, but geez. ROTK , regardless of any indirect involvement of the Weinsteins is not being pushed by the powers at be at Miramax. ROTK is not a Miramax movie and it won't make sense from an ego, financial or prestige point of view for Miramax to push ROTK as best pic against their own Cold Mountain. Do you still maintain ROTK will drop off big time in the second week?
I am not a big LOTR fan. I was bored by FOTR which was dominated by the boring Frodo and myriad conversation about the power of the ring.But I loved TTT and am confident that ROTK will be a lot of fun. This movie will gross at least as much as TTT. Hardly an elitist movie.
Back to on topic. As far as the Golden Globes, I hear very good things about Theron in Monster and I look forward to watching it. As far as actresses like Kidman, Renee Z , it seems like once these boards nominate you one year, you are in for a lifetime tenure of nods. I dont want to see Cate BLanchett mainly because the movies she acted in failed both critically and at the box office. I liked Scarlett in Lost in Translation. Still, she was essentially playing the foil to Bill Murray's character. All she did was stare in that movie with a couple of good moments for her. For her two get two actress nods indicates that the press is a little infatuated with her fresh face aura.
To bad Dirty Pretty Things was recognized only by the San Diego board. At least to me, this movie and Magdalene are better movies than the other UK movies like Calendar Girls and Love Actually.
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