Best Actor 2012: Daniel Day-Lewis Vs. Denzel Washington?

Dejavu much?  Oscar may make history with two French-speaking roles for Best Actress (read Sasha Stone's astute assessment of the race thus far here; the comments made me realize that I need to add Jessica Chastain to the list) with credentials that are eerily similar.  But, for the Best Actor race, as it may or may not be currently shaping up to be a race between Daniel Day-Lewis and Denzel Washington, they have their own set of comparable qualities.  Both men won their first Oscar the same year for film year 1989, hence the excuse for the graphic for subsequent roles each played as boxers in different films (resulting in a nomination for Washington in 1999).  Both men won their second Oscar and are going on their third.  For Day-Lewis, it was only five years ago, for Washington, double that time.  And both men are directed by Hollywood titans who are no strangers to The Academy.  However, I have a sneaking suspicion that John Hawkes pulls a fast one and nabs it while no one's looking, if The Sessions really takes off. Presently, the way I think the race is going down:

1. Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln.  Whenever Day-Lewis makes a film every seven years or so, it's not whether he'll be nominated, it's whether he'll win.  That's where the conversation seems to be pointing right now, at least.  Lincoln will be a formidable contender, with Day-Lewis likely leading the way.  The question is only how much of an impact will it have.

2. John Hawkes, The Sessions.  Of course, the race could just end up boiling down to an AMPAS-approved actor in a baity role who is off to a good start at the box-office.

3. Joaquin Phoenix, The Master.  An incredible performance that may or may not lose steam without the box-office muscle Lincoln and Flight will surely enjoy.  It's hard to say if that recent Elvis Mitchell Interview helped or hindered keeping Phoenix relevant to the race.  Phoenix needs to pick up a lion's share of awards to keep reminding the AMPAS just how awesome he was.

4. Denzel Washington, Flight.  I didn't think anything of this film at first.  But, then it was announced that it would be part of NYFF this year and, after all, its Robert Zemekis' first live-action film in over a decade, and its RT score pre-wide release is 95%.  Cue Julia Roberts, "It's a shame Denzel doesn't have three Oscars by now in five, four, three, two ..."

I'm feeling pretty secure about the first four positions, but what about the fifth?

5. Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables.  Jackman strikes me as one of those men who will never ever get nominated.  I'm not sure why.  He's super talented, attractive, and commands his share of commercial and critical notice.  This is arguably the closest he has come to being nominated, as he has never really been part of the Oscar conversation.

6. Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook.  Harvey will have a great deal to do with this if Cooper gets in.  But, I have a hard time with Cooper as an Oscar-nominee.

7. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Amour.  His costar Emmanuelle Riva has the better chance with less competition.

8. Bill Murray, Hyde Park on Hudson.  Critical reception was cool, but Murray in always on the AMPAS radar and this is his baitiest role to date.

9. Richard Gere, Arbitrage.  Gere is one of those few acting veterans who has been at it for decades, and has had enough success over the years to be consistently relevant.  This is being touted as one of his strongest performances.  Considering it was simultaneously released VOD, its box-office take was impressive.  Having just seen it, Gere is quite good.

10. Anthony Hopkins, Hitchcock.  I'm not buying it, but others are.

11. Ben Affleck, Argo.  His role isn't very demanding.  He spends his time acting calm in the face of tense situations and will surely be nominated, if not win for his role as director.

12. Tommy Lee Jones, Hope Springs.  Jones was just amazing, but his work in Springs may be overshadowed by his supporting turn in Lincoln.

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Best Actress: October Predictions

I recently called Hathaway for the win (though, a few of the other nominee predictions are totally off, like Sally Field).  How about lead?  It's an open-ish race this year.  That's not news.  I had all but given up on the Best Actress race this year, especially in light of the leading actor counterpart.  I'm not sure if it's the lack of unpredictability that I found discouraging or, more specific, the root cause: the inability for leading roles this year to gain traction with audiences and/or the lack of high-profile female parts.  Being that as it may, I extended my list, as, I imagine, there is still room for one or two surprises.  After all is said and done, I wonder if Michelle Williams wishes My Week with Marilyn had been put off a year.  I'm sure Charlize Theron wouldn't have minded a nod for Young Adult either.  Timing is everything.

1. Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook. Earlier this year, I had entertained the idea of Jennifer Lawrence following up Winter's Bone with a sophomore nomination.  I just had the wrong film.  I doubt The Hunger Games will age well, but considering its massive success is so fresh and on everyone's minds, it's not like her team can't use the momentum to push her other film, Silver Lining's Playbook, which I mistakenly thought had her in a supporting role.  With her TIFF buzz, her nomination is a solid in such a weak year, but a win is a gamble until I see more of where the chips may fall.  While her turn looks refreshing and a smart break from what audiences have come to know her as in such a short while, the material is still a comedy-drama, and while she plays a character with mental illness, it's a far cry from traditional Oscar bait.  And I can't get over her meteoric rise.  Still, she's smart, talented, and her chances are looking better than anyone else at this point.  And it never hurts to have Harvey in your corner (even Madonna's W got a costume nod and a Globe win for song to Elton John's undelight).

2. Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild.  Sure she's a kid, but she does a fantastic job.  And as we witnessed with Whale Rider (which also took advantage of an extremely weak year, 2003), Oscar loves little girls (though they demote them to supporting when they're clearly lead).  Many expressed the fear that Wallis' ineligibility for the SAG awards will diminish her chances with the AMPAS.  My instincts suggest otherwise.  In a more open year for Best Actress contenders, one might think two Sundance rivals wouldn't have a problem getting in.  At this point, she is the surest bet.  It's one of the few films I've seen from this category and she indeed carries the film and is the strongest element.

3. Emmanuelle Riva, Amour.  The reviews have been outstanding and, with a late-year release, it stands an awesome chance at recognition with Riva being its most formidable contender.  The AMPAS is slowly thawing to director Michael Haneke's films.

4. Marion Cotillard, Flesh & Bone.  Well, here's the other French film put out by Sony Picture Classics that showed earlier this year at Cannes and will have a strong push for Best Actress.  The two have comparable IMDb ratings, votes, and RT scores.  LOL.  Like Helen Hunt, Cotillard received an abundant amount of Oscar love that I figured would hold her over for years, if not decades.  She has handled her career well, taking supporting roles with sure-fire talent in Hollywood blockbusters, while making small French films.  It was unrealistic of me to think that she could become a household name like past winners Meryl Streep or even Maggie Smith, and it appears that it won't affect her chances of becoming a repeat nominee.

5. Keira Knightley, Anna Karenina.  I had her as my #1 for the longest time and after TIFF, all but lost faith that she'd secured a nod.  Now, she is hanging on the periphery of what is very little in the center.  She has been in the conversation for the last few years and failed to create enough of an interest to score her second nomination.  However, starring in a (albeit pared down) prestige picture, which is quite uncommon these days, bodes well for her chances.  Still, I can't say I can pin her down as a definite.  I'll hold onto her until the film comes out.  But, I should probably stick a fork in her chances.

6. Naomi Watts, The Impossible.  We don't know for sure how the AMPAS feel about Watts.  They noticed her in 21 Grams, but she had other company, which helped her chances with a solid turn.  However, two years ago, in what was a competitive year, they chose not to single her out for Fair Game.  Her reviews for The Impossible have been good, but not over-the-top, and the film so far has received above average reception.  Still, she is revving up for next year's race as Princess Diana in what might end up being a highly competitive year (yay!).  That could either mean they might put her off, or, if she has a likely chance of winning next year (I don't see it), this may be a lead-up nod.

7. Helen Mirren, Hitchcock.  Many are jizzing over the awards potential for Mirren in one of the upcoming Hitchcock films.  Yes, she's Helen-fucking-Mirren and, God love her, the AMPAS will now jump at the chance to throw her attention a la Judi Dench, Kate Winslet, or Streep.  And egg on my face if she makes it.  But, something desperate reeks about the race to release a Hitchcock movie.  The Girl doesn't look that good, but it's a television movie, so it's not even in competition for Oscar.  But, The Making of Psyco, or whatever it's called, has some intriguing elements.  I'm just put off by 1) Anthony Hopkins, and 2) the rush to release.  But, if her last nod is any indication, they will nominate her in anything that gets anywhere near Oscar-bait.  And, if the trailer means anything, she looks to be quite enjoyable disagreeable as the put-upon wife.  Even if the film tanks, I can see them building a campaign around her.

8. Helen Hunt, The Sessions.  I've waffled back and fourth on which category Hunt will be campaigned as.  And after many prognosticators demoted her to supporting, some seem to be switching back.  In a weak year, this Sundance-approved performance from the already well-Oscar-rewarded Hunt has a shot, but an even better chance at supporting.  Still, we'll have to wait.  It's not uncommon for there to be more than one former winner in the leading category, but Cotillard has the stronger reviews and baitier role.

9. Emayatzy Corinealdi, Middle of Nowhere.  Interestingly enough, Nowhere and Smashed were both released last weekend.  Both have little awards potential outside Best Actress.  While neither Sundance 2012 film appeared to have a promising release within the year, perhaps because of the weak state of the category, distributors put them out anyway at a grab for a piece of a very available pie.  Though Corinealdi's performance was appreciated back in January, her lead turn wasn't as singled out as those of Wallis, Hunt, and Winstead.  In a rather awesomely supportive gesture, along with Ann Dowd in Compliance, Sasha Stone at AD has taken on Corinealdi as one of her pet projects.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that one of those ladies makes it to a nomination, because that would be mean Stone was partly responsible.  While I don't always agree with Stone, I believe she can be a force for good.  She supports the little gals and what we need is more of her voice as a blogger.  The world and industry are changing, as well as the movie-going experience.  The more challenging roles for women these days seem to be on television and cable.  Quality films as part of the traditional film viewing may or may not be dying.  But, as long as it's here, we must fight to influence the conversation so that a variety of women are heard.

10. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Smashed.  Even more interesting, not that they're in competition (oh, but, ultimately, they are) Middle of Nowhere and Smashed or almost neck-in-neck box-office-wise.  Their grosses are quite infinitesimal.  However, it's still too early to tell how they're going to end up.  Nowhere had an edge at the beginning, but they're both poised to either catch on and make a tidy $1M or peter out.

11. Meryl Streep, Hope Springs.  The AMPAS love them some Meryl.  However, 1) She just won last year, 2) Despite a great performance, it lacks any affectation that normally seals the deal for her, and 3) With 17 nominations under her belt, she's going to have a slightly tougher time continuing to set records with each new nomination now, no?  Still, as it is, Springs is the highest grossing film of 2012 thus far which boasts an Oscary Best Actress submission.  So, there you are.  Yet, another conundrum  along with: could the AMPAS nominate two French actresses?

12. Rachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea.  The Oscars and The Globes went for Weisz in a big way back in 2005 for The Constant Gardener.  Ever since, she's built a resume of little seen lead roles with respected directors not entirely unlike the much higher-profile Nicole Kidman.  She is well respected in the industry.  Pete Hammond went bananas for her last April and her name is still getting floated around six months later.  Sea grossed $1.1M, but was crippled by lukewarm reviews.  I can still see this getting a surprisingly amount of traction.

13. Judi Dench, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.  See below under Golden Globe - Comedy.

14. Diane Kruger, Farewell My Queen.  With a 93% RT and $1.4M, it still isn't part of the conversation.

15. Elizabeth Olsen, Therese Raquin.  Olsen's film releases the 28th of December.  Her Martha Marcy May Marlene was a contender last year.  Along with its nice little gross last year, getting in would have been a cinch in 2012.

16. Amy Adams, Trouble with the Curve.  Again, her box-office numbers are more impressive in a vey unimpressive field.

17. Maggie Smith, Quartet.  The TIFF reviews didn't seem to do much for Dustin Hoffman's official directorial debut.  But, could Smith benefit from her career resurgence in the last decade in both TV and film, perhaps thanks in part to Harry Potter?

18. Laura Linney, Hyde Park on Hudson.  The awards prospects on this film have cooled considerably since TIFF.  Bill Murray seems to have the best shot, and he is facing some stiff competition.

19. Elle Fanning, Ginger & Rosa.  With IMDb and RT scores in the 50%-tile, if it were to get released this year, it doesn't seem likely to garner awards traction.  Fanning is only fourteen though.  Just you wait.

20. Viola Davis, Won't Back Down.  With a poor critical and commercial reception, this film has no choice but to back down from awards consideration.  However, it is backed by a big studio, and Davis had a near-miss win last year.

21. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Won't Back Down.

22. Rachel McAdams, The Vow.  This would be a not likely, but I do wonder when McAdams will become a contender.

Golden Globe - Comedy
When it comes to the Golden Globe Comedy, I think I have a better sense of the category than the drama side this year.  While I've put Anne Hathaway's lead chances with Oscar to rest, seriously, do you not think it's possible they'd find some way to place her in the lead category (to ensure a Best Supporting Actress win ala Catherine Zeta-Jones)?  Okay, probably not.  She's still taking Oscar, though.

1. Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings' Playbook.  Not sure which category Lawrence will show up in.  But if the Globes go for The Hunger Games, she surely will end up here.  In such a weak year, I can't see the award going to any other contender.  However, winning the dramatic Globe might mean more for Lawrence's chances?

2. Anna Kendrick, Pitch Perfect.  She's the lead (I think), she sings, she's cute, she has been nominated for an Oscar, whenever she shows up on screen, she's adorable.  Oh, yeah, and the film is a box-office bonanza success.

3. Barbra Streisand, The Guilt Trip.  The Oscars may have a problem with nominating her for acting, but the Globes love her. And this is her official nominatable role in the last fifteen years.  Wow!  Again, if the movie makes some money, she's in.  The Globes love a star.  And she's one of the biggest.  She's like butter.

4. Leslie Mann, This Is Forty.  Mann is a talented actress who hasn't been recognized for her comedic prowess.  She's starring in husband Judd Apatow's sure-to-be "sequel" to Knocked Up.  I can't imagine her not getting nominated, if the movie's the likely hit it will be.

5. Meryl Streep, Hope Springs.  It was a comedy-drama, right?

6. Judi Dench, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.  As far as films, the Globes have nominated Dench for everything the AMPAS have and nothing more (aside from some of her television work).  It's the same way with Maggie Smith.  And, with Helen Mirren, the "sexier" of the three, they were surprisingly later to the party (no nod for The Madness of King George and, in a category of six, she was omitted for Gosford Park, while Smith still got in).  Only with Kate Winslet, the much younger of all four, did they start to recognize beyond her AMPAS love (along with Jodie Foster, the star got recognized for Carnage in the comedic category over Cameron Diaz' brilliant and widely seen Bad Teacher).  I'm not sure if age will play a role here.

7. Blake Lively, Savages.  This would be my bid for a WTF-prediction in the spirit of The Tourist.  It seems right, even if her performance was dramatic.  The film made enough money.  Savages was actually really good and fun.  I've also started liking Lively again.  Now, that she's Mrs. Reynolds and her career is cooling (for now?), this may be her only chance to be recognized for a performance by a major awards body now (or maybe ever?).  I can see it.  Actually, I'm kind of hoping it happens.

[10/23 Update: Emily Blunt, The Five-Year Engagement should be in here somewhere]

8. Michelle Williams, Take This Waltz.  If only My Week with Marilyn was released this year!  There is no doubt in my mind, *Williams* would be the belle of the ball.  Like many of the Brits, she's an American whom the Globes haven't singled out the way they've been known to do over Oscar.  Waltz didn't gross that much more than Meek's Cutoff or Wendy and Lucy, but neither of those roles would have qualified her for this category either.

9. Julianna Hough, Rock of Ages.  She's a lead in one of the few musicals this year.  The only problem is that critics skewered the movie and no one went to go see it.  I really liked it!

10. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Hysteria.  The film grossed nearly $2M, but the reviews were middling.  The Globes tipped their hats to her in 2002 and 2006, two years that were extremely competitive in the Best Actress race and she failed to secure nominations.  Kind of frustratingly unfair.

11. Reese Witherspoon, This Means War.  She has been nominated in this category three times before, but for much, much better films.  War grossed $54.8M, right behind Hope Springs, The Vow, The Hunger Games, and, eventually Pitch Perfect.

12. Zoe Kazan, Ruby Sparks.  She wrote the screenplay for the film directed by the team behind Little Miss Sunshine and it made $2.5M.  In the bigger scheme of things, that's still impressive.

13. Rosemarie DeWitt, Your Sister's Sister. Everyone's a possibility, right?

And, just for shits and giggles ...


Best Actress (Oscar) 2013 & 2014
1. Nicole Kidman, Monaco
2. Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
3. Zoe Saldana, Nina
4. Julia Roberts, The Normal Heart
5. Naomi Watts, Diana
6. Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
7. Evan Rachel Wood, Marina Nemat
8. Anna Kendrick, The Last Five Years
9. Marion Cotillard, Lowlife
10. Nicole Kidman, The Railway Man
11. Sandra Bullock, Gravity
12. Reese Witherspoon, Big Eyes
13. Reese Witherspoon, Devil's Knot

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Oscar Outlook 2012: Quartet

Slightly Presumptuous
Filming Announcement

Dustin Hoffman makes his official directing debut with Quartet.  Ronald Harwood adapted his own play about a group of retired opera singers preparing to recreate the third act of Verdi's Rigoletto.  The writer behind The Dresser has hit a career stride the last ten years, having been nominated for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, as well as winning for The Pianist, he was behind the screenplays for Being Julia and Australia.  The films stars Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly (who replaced Peter O'Toole after subbing in for Albert Finney, the latter of which just wrapped roles in recent Bourne and Bond sequels), and Pauline Collins.  Also in the cast is Michael Gambon.  A fun fact of trivia: the play has been extremely popular in Finland since the closing of the original West End production in the early 2000s.  The Weinstein Company will handle the film's domestic release, with international dates already set up for this Fall.  Right now, the blogosphere is pushing Smith as a possible Oscar nominee.  Considering the dearth of competition, anything is possible.

Film Editor Barney Pilling has quietly amassed a steady stream of reputable credits lately: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, An Education, Never Let Me Go, and One Day.  He has sifted through John Borman footage a few times, who has lensed such features as Tsunami: The Aftermath.  De Borman worked with Hoffman on Last Chance Harvey and also worked on The Full Monty and Serendipity.  His next feature will be Half of a Yellow Sun, set in Nigeria.  The production design team includes members whose work can be seen in The Piano, The Queen, An Education, and Made in Dagenham.

Also on the Radar:

Anna Karenina     Amour     Argo     Beasts of the Southern Wild     The Bourne Legacy     The Dark Knight Rises     Dark Shadows     Django Unchained     Gangster Squad     Great Expectations     The Great Gatsby     The Hobbit     Hope Springs     The Hunger Games     Hyde Park on the Hudson     Killing Them Softly     Lawless     Lincoln     Lola Versus     Lovelace     Low Life     Magic Mike     The Master     Les Misérables     Life of Pi     Moonrise Kingdom     The Paperboy     People Like Us     Prometheus     To Rome with Love     Ruby Sparks     Rust & Bone     Savages     Seeking a Friend for the End of the World     The Silver Linings Playbook     Smashed     The Surrogate     Trouble with the Curve     Won't Back Down 


The Avengers     The Amazing Spider-Man     Men in Black III

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Oscar Outlook 2012: Trouble with the Curve

Amy Adams dancing with Pip-squeak

It has been almost twenty years since Clint Eastwood has stepped in front of the camera for anyone else but himself.  The last time he gave up control as director he was In the Line of Fire for Wolfgang Peterson, a highlight in the career of the German filmmaker who showed such promise in Das Boot.  Trouble with the Curve will mark the directing debut of Eastwood's producing partner Robert Lorenz, who began with Eastwood as first assistant director on Absolute Power.  The two have been working closely together ever since.  Randy Brown's (yeah, I don't know who he is either) screenplay concerns a recruiter (Eastwood) in his twilight years bonding with his daughter (Amy Adams).  I take exception to the film's subject matter, because Eastwood is going to live forever, so it's impossible for him to be in his "twilight years."

Steve Burns = Matt Bush ?

The cast includes John Goodman, Robert Patrick, Matthew Lillard, some former member of 'N Sync who wants to be taken seriously as an actor, Chelcie Ross (one of Detective Nick Curran's adversaries in Basic Instinct), Mr. Amy Adams (Darren Le Gallo),  nepotastic Scott Eastwood, and some new hottie named Matt Bush who looks like the reincarnation of Steven Burns from Blue's Clues!  Like the director, many of the major talent behind the camera are part of Eastwood's posse including editors Joel Cox (won an Oscar for Unforgiven, nominated for Million Dollar Baby) and Gary Roach, cinematographer Tom Stern (nominated for Changeling), production designer James J. Murakami (nominated for Changeling), and Art Director Patrick M. Sullivan Jr.

Trouble filmed in Georgia earlier this year and Warner Brothers will release it on the 28th of September.  Go Team Eastwood.

[First Image via On Location Vacation]

Also on the Radar:

Anna Karenina     Amour     Argo     Beasts of the Southern Wild     The Bourne Legacy     The Dark Knight Rises     Dark Shadows     Django Unchained     Gangster Squad     Great Expectations     The Great Gatsby     The Hobbit     Hope Springs     The Hunger Games     Hyde Park on the Hudson     Killing Them Softly     Lawless     Lincoln     Lola Versus     Lovelace     Low Life     Magic Mike     The Master     Les Misérables     Life of Pi     Moonrise Kingdom     The Paperboy     People Like Us     Prometheus     To Rome with Love     Ruby Sparks     Rust & Bone     Savages     Seeking a Friend for the End of the World     The Silver Linings Playbook     Smashed     The Surrogate     Trouble with the Curve     Won't Back Down 


The Avengers     The Amazing Spider-Man     Men in Black III

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Oscar Outlook 2012: Amour

Cannes was in love with Amour, Michael Haneke's latest film.  And he indeed was the toast of the preeminent film festival once again.  The story concerns a married couple (Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva) who are retired music teachers and the drama involves a stroke suffered by the wife.  Isabelle Huppert plays their daughter.  Haneke naturally utilized many of his usuals: sound editor Nadine Muse, editor Monika Willi.  Famed cinematographer Darius Khondji lensed the film in Paris the Winter of 2011 and worked with Haneke before on the Funny Games remake.  He was nominated for Evita and works closely with David Fincher, Jean-Pierre Jeunet (coincidentally enough on Alien Resurrection, but not Alien3), and Woody Allen.  His work will be seen in Allen's upcoming To Rome with Love, as well as James Gray's Lowlife.  Costume designer Catherine Leterrier was recently recognized by the AMPAS for her work on Coco Before Chanel.  The production design crew includes Jean-Vincent Puzos, Thierry Poulet, and Haneke's wife of three decades Susanne.  Sony Picture Classic will probably release it this Fall in the US, with many international dates already set.  Most of the critics bestowed Amour with praise:

The Wrap/Awards Daily >> Groundbreaking tearjerker
Guardian >> "Filmmaking at the highest pitch of intelligence and insight"
Pajiba >> "A truly superb film"
The Independent >> Five stars, exceptional dialogue and performances
The Film Stage >> "Indescribable" and "heart-wrenching"
Indie Wire >> "Incredibly focused" and "emotionally charged," loved the performances
ICS Film >> Commendable performances in grim subject matter worth exploring
Variety >> A powerful "heart-breaker" for the older art-house set
MCN >> Acknowledges Haneke's bleak works, but suggests this is more optimistic
Rope of Silicon >> Painful to watch and found it was difficult to grade, but gave it an "A"
Irish Times >> "Extraordinary," Bergmaresque; minor quibble over the lack of realism in the messiness of dying
Hollywood Reporter >> Honest, difficult to watch story about dying.  Performances are amazing, but has doubts about its commercial prospects.
Doddle Me >> Liked wrestling with the irony of the director's pace in regards to the plot
Hypable >> Embraces the brutality of the subject matter, acknowledges its polarizing nature
Cynicritics >> Appreciated its simplicity, but only embraced it warmly.
First Showing >> Least favorite film of Cannes, would prefer to forget it

[Images via The Guardian, Altfg]

Also on the Radar:

Anna Karenina     Amour     Argo     Beasts of the Southern Wild     The Bourne Legacy     The Dark Knight Rises     Dark Shadows     Django Unchained     Gangster Squad     Great Expectations     The Great Gatsby     The Hobbit     Hope Springs     The Hunger Games     Hyde Park on the Hudson     Killing Them Softly     Lawless     Lincoln     Lola Versus     Lovelace     Low Life     Magic Mike     The Master     Les Misérables     Life of Pi     Moonrise Kingdom     The Paperboy     People Like Us     Prometheus     To Rome with Love     Ruby Sparks     Rust & Bone     Savages     Seeking a Friend for the End of the World     The Silver Linings Playbook     Smashed     The Surrogate     Trouble with the Curve     Won't Back Down 


The Avengers     The Amazing Spider-Man     Men in Black III

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Oscar Outlook 2012: The Bourne Legacy

Jeremy Renner seems to be spreading himself across any franchise that will take him (Charlize Theron seems to be taking his cue), hoping that one of them will stick: Mission: Impossible, The Avengers.  He'll have one of the title roles in Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, but my suspicions are that the boardroom daydreaming over its franchise potential just might have dissipated once the producers got closer to the final product.  Its push back date doesn't smell right.  On the other hand, his Bourne film sounds very promising.  I know nothing about the novels, but it almost seems appropriate that they start with a new star and production team for the first of seven novels penned by Eric Van Lustbader, since Robert Ludlum's original three novels have all been made into movies now with Matt Damon.  Ludlum wrote his Bourne novels in the 1980s and died eleven years ago.  Since then,  Van Lustbader has written seven new books, the first one of which, The Bourne Legacy, will be coming out as a film this Summer.  Doug Liman directed the first from a screenplay by Tony Gilroy and William Blake Herron starring Damon.  It received great reviews and was a box-office hit.  Liman constantly locked horns with the producers and Paul Greengrass took over the directing reigns for The Bourne Supremacy, which, according to Damon, was never in the plans while filming Identity.

Hi

The second installment received equally positive reviews to the original (which isn't common) and surpassed its progenitor in box-office receipts.  After a smoother production compared to Liman's, Greengrass stayed on for the The Bourne Ultimatum, and, in what may be unprecedented in cinema history, the third film in the series not only surpassed the previous two commercially, but the critical reception was even greater.  What wasn't unusual was its much larger budget, yet, from a financial and critical standpoint, it was well worth the investment.  Gilroy had his hand in all of the screenplays starring Damon.  Christopher Rouse has edited or coedited all three films.  Oliver Wood lensed and John Powell composed the original scores for all three films.  A few years ago, Greengrass and Damon were cagey in interviews about their involvement with Legacy, but eventually dropped out of the picture.

"You ask too many questions."

Cast-members returning from the franchise: Joan Allen, David Strathairn, Albert Finney, Scott Glenn.  The new addition of Rachel Weisz is pretty sick (good for her and the film).  And, gulp, I think I'm actually looking forward to Ed Norton's participation.  Who know?  As far as the crew ... Film Editing: John Gilroy (Michael Clayton, Warrior, Salt).  Cinematography: Robert Elswit (Oscar nominee for Good Night, and Good Luck., winner for There Will Be Blood).  His recent work includes: the latest Mission: Impossible, The Town (both with Renner), and Salt.  He has worked with PT Anderson since Hard Eight, but isn't involved in The Master.  Costume Design: Shay Cunliffe (The Bourne Ultimatum).  Production Design: Kevin Thompson (Michael Clayton, Young Adult).  Art Direction: Molly Hughes (Harry Potter franchise).  Original Music: James Newton Howard (highly recognized, he's also behind the music for Snow White and the Huntsman this summer as well as The Hunger Games).  Out of the previous three Bourne films, only the last was recognized by the AMPAS (film editing, sound editing, sound mixing), of which it won all three of its nominations.  The only returning winner is sound mixer Kirk Francis.

Hello!

Lensed last summer in South Korea, Philippines on a $90M budget (smartly less than Ultimatum), and NYC, Universal Pictures will drop the picture on the 3rd of August US, similar to the release date five years ago for Ultimatum.  [6/22 Note: Universal blinked and now will move out of Total Remake's way and release on 8/10]  Producers Frank Marshal and Patrick Crowley have been involved throughout the entire franchise.  Have you watched the trailer yet?  It's pretty bad-ass.  However, Nat, over at The Film Experience isn't expecting much Oscar-wise outside of possible sound recognition.

poll by twiigs.com

Not so sexy

Also on the Radar:

Anna Karenina     Amour     Argo     Beasts of the Southern Wild     The Bourne Legacy     The Dark Knight Rises     Dark Shadows     Django Unchained     Gangster Squad     Great Expectations     The Great Gatsby     The Hobbit     Hope Springs     The Hunger Games     Hyde Park on the Hudson     Killing Them Softly     Lawless     Lincoln     Lola Versus     Lovelace     Low Life     Magic Mike     The Master     Les Misérables     Life of Pi     Moonrise Kingdom     The Paperboy     People Like Us     Prometheus     To Rome with Love     Ruby Sparks     Rust & Bone     Savages     Seeking a Friend for the End of the World     The Silver Linings Playbook     Smashed     The Surrogate     Trouble with the Curve     Won't Back Down 


The Avengers     The Amazing Spider-Man     Men in Black III

Are you sure you didn't want to play Spider-man, Renner?

 Renner slides down by the hair of his chinny-chin-chin

Renner gets his Weisz on

Slidin'

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Oscar Outlook 2012: Killing Them Softly

Andrew Dominik adapted George V. Higgins' novel Cogan's Trade and directed the film adaptation retitled Killing Them Softly.  The only two films to his name so far are Chopper and The Assassination of Jesse James, also starring Brad Pitt.  The cast includes: James Gandolfini, Richard Jenkins, Ray Liotta, Sam Shepard, Johnny 'Sack' Vincent Curatola, and über yummy Scoot McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn.  Production team includes editors John Paul Horstmann and Brian A. Kates, cinematographer Greig Fraser (Snow White and the Huntsman, Zero Dark Thirty), and set decorator Leslie Morales (Stoker).  Oscar prospects appear to be very limited with an outside shot for Pitt; one of his costars like Gandolfini or Liotta may have a better chance in the supporting category.  I wouldn't rule out cinematography, script, or one of the sound categories.  Pete Hammond says the film is light on action and full of dialogue and Pitt delivers some of his best work in one might be an ensemble role.  Most of the critics I ran across sang its praises or really enjoyed it, with a few dissenters in the mix.

Scoot McNairy is sorry he distracted you
because he's so attractive

Here's what some others have to say:
The Telegraph >> Fits in with the great crime pictures of the 1970s.
Hollywood Reporter >> "Tasty," "political," and stylish.  Bloody, well-cast, "tight," "terribly smart."
Indie Wire >> "Anti-thriller for our times"  Praised the controversial film that might not be for everyone.
The Guardian >> "Nasty, gripping" and its slightly pessimistic tone is "outstandingly watchable."
Rope of Silicon >> "Excellent film that wasn't anything like" he expected.
Sasha Stone (AD/The Wrap) >> Loved the anti-capitalist film and welcomed its heavy-handed approach.
Twitch >> Compared it to the best film of last year: Drive.
Film School Rejects >> Standard response: heavy-handed and non-commercial, but worth the ride.  Great script, performances.  Compared film to Drive.

I would be hot even if I didn't stand
this way

Hayes at the Movies >> Well-edited, dark thriller.
Doddle >> Really liked the smart, eclectic humor.
Independent >> An engaging miasmatic mess.
We Got This Covered >> Compares this ambitious, but graphic film to Drive and suggests it will end up on a lot of critic's 2012 Top 10 lists.
First Showing >> Really enjoyed the "brutal," dark thriller, but was left feeling hungry for something more.
Dan Mecca (Movie Fone / The Film Stage) >> Indulgent, but worth multiple viewings.
Digital Spy >> More entertaining than smart.
Scene Creek >> Graphic, pessimistic.
toh! >> Competent, but empty.
CyniCritics >> All style, no substance with some sound supporting turns.

FYI: I'd report on Variety also, but you have to be a paid subscriber to see more than three articles a month (or some shit like that).  So, I don't think I will be checking in with them for much longer.  Smartly filmed on a surprisingly low (for an action film) budget of $18M over a year ago in New Orleans, TWC will distribute Softly in US the 21st of September after showing at Cannes.

[Images via IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, IMP Awards]

Brian A. Kate -
Sexy Editor

Also on the Radar:

Anna Karenina     Argo     Beasts of the Southern Wild     The Bourne Legacy     The Dark Knight Rises     Dark Shadows     Django Unchained     Gangster Squad     Great Expectations     The Great Gatsby     The Hobbit     Hope Springs     The Hunger Games     Hyde Park on the Hudson     Killing Them Softly     Lawless     Lincoln     Lola Versus     Lovelace     Low Life     Magic Mike     The Master     Les Misérables     Life of Pi     Moonrise Kingdom     The Paperboy     People Like Us     Prometheus     To Rome with Love     Ruby Sparks     Savages     Seeking a Friend for the End of the World     The Silver Linings Playbook     Smashed     The Surrogate     Trouble with the Curve     Won't Back Down 


The Avengers     The Amazing Spider-Man     Men in Black III

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Oscar Outlook 2012: The Paperboy

John Cusack isn’t the greatest actor.  In fact, I often find the 1980s pop culture icon quite difficult to watch in anything past his heyday.  I could say the same about Matthew McConaughey except he does have some appeal when he plays unapologetically slimy roles.  So, their presence in this film should have been the first two indications that the casting department might have fallen asleep on the job.  But, then, you have to consider this stars Nicole Kidman (albeit in seemingly full Ann-Margaret-like form) in the follow-up to Lee Daniels’ Precious.  So, you have two different extremes on the surface and, as the Cannes reviews have suggested, you have one huge mess on your hands.  Depending on your taste, that could either be a good or bad thing.  I try not to be bothered by the spoiler that everyone and their mother made no bones about revealing.  I mean really?  You couldn’t keep it to yourselves, folks.  Not to say that the film or at least even part of it is ruined for virgin eyes, it just strikes me as bad form.  What say you?  Perhaps I’ll change my tune once I see it.  Until then, I'll pretend that it doesn't matter or, if possible, that I never heard it.  After the jump, a sampling of reviews ...

Kidman gracing us with her little Kelly ala Sharon Stone

The "Pros":

Hollywood Reporter >> Loved how trashy it was

Guardian >> “Smart, entertaining with an excellent performance from Kidman”

Cynicritics >>”beautifully shot mess that (kind of) works”

Film School Rejects >> Pretty much enjoyed the story

Time >> Enjoyed it, especially Kidman

Digital Spy >> Daniels doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing, but liked the trash

Scene Creek >> Unusually introspective reaction

The "Cons" and/or Mixed:
Hit Fix >> You’re either gonna love or hate it

Huffington Post >> Daniels’ inconsistent tone is distracting, but the trash will find an audience

Variety >> “Not unenjoyable” that will likely be a rental for most

Telegraph >> Excused the actors, especially Kidman, but called the film “just a dismally bad job”

EW >> Doesn’t lambast the film, but cautions Daniels to pull himself back and perhaps exercise greater assiduity in choosing scripts. 

IndieWire >> “Oddly self-aware mess”

The Playlist >> Boldly suggests that Hollywood Reporter and its ilk cannot be trusted.  Oh really?

Attack of the Third Lip!

There is probably little Oscar potential for this film.  In fact, after its screening at Cannes, it sounds like a rental waiting to happen.  From what can be understood, Daniels has experimented with exaggerated filming styles to create a campy atmosphere to revel in.  Very little is said about any emotional connection to the character (outside of Scene Creek); in fact, quite the contrary.  It’s a wild ride and either you’ll want to be a passenger or wait for the next vehicle.  But not all trash is created equal and it appears that one has to watch this film with their own eyes to judge.  I tried watching Fellini Satyricon recently and I couldn’t wait for that stinking pile to be over.

The screenplay is based on the novel by Peter Dexter.  It also features Zac Efron, who you definitely have to give props to for trying different things.  Joe Klotz has edited Precious and Rabbit Hole.  Roberto Schaefer lensed the crazy visuals.  He’s been a trusted cinematographer for Marc Forster and the Christopher Guest mockumentaries.  The production design team includes members who have worked on the The Big Easyand Treme.  Caroline Eselin did the costumes.  There was a makeup crew, but Kidman said she did her own.  She may have been referring to that one time there was no artist on set.  Daniels’ used his go-to composer Mario Grigorov for the score.

Millennium set the release date for The Paperboy (October 5th), which was filmed in New Orleans and LA last summer.  It marks one of Kidman's first independent productions to come out after she fired her manager and publicist and signed on with Geyer Kosinski, who has turned Angelina Jolie into an truly bankable international star.  Is it too late for Kidman?  Or is that even a question they're interested in?  

poll by twiigs.com

Also on the Radar:

Anna Karenina     Argo     Beasts of the Southern Wild     The Bourne Legacy     The Dark Knight Rises     Dark Shadows     Django Unchained     Gangster Squad     Great Expectations     The Great Gatsby     The Hobbit     Hope Springs     The Hunger Games     Hyde Park on the Hudson     Killing Them Softly     Lawless     Lincoln     Lola Versus     Lovelace     Low Life     Magic Mike     The Master     Les Misérables     Life of Pi     Moonrise Kingdom     The Paperboy     People Like Us     Prometheus     To Rome with Love     Ruby Sparks     Savages     Seeking a Friend for the End of the World     The Silver Linings Playbook     Smashed     The Surrogate     Trouble with the Curve     Won't Back Down 


The Avengers     The Amazing Spider-Man     Men in Black III

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