…but will there be an Oscar Ceremony? Damn Writer’s Strike! I write this posting every year and no one pays ME any residuals!
BREAKING NEWS! I cannot believe that Heath Ledger was found dead in an apartment (owned by Mary-Kate Olsen) here in NYC. So strange how these things work, with the media obsessing over whether Britney or Amy Winehouse or Lindsay will die first. He was definitely a talented guy - check out "Brokeback Mountain" to see him at his best. imdb lists the upcoming Batman movie as his next film, and he was in the middle of filming something called "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus" with Christopher Plummer.
Any way, welcome back to my somewhat defunct blog everyone! As you can all very easily tell, I have not lived up to my 2007 promise of posting reviews of the many, many movies that James and I see. Well, readers, that is going to change in 2008.
This time I super promise to post reviews as we see movies.
In other news, we have moved to NYC since my last posting from lovely (but ultimately, very boring) New Haven, CT. Basic reaction is DUH! – why the hell didn’t we move here sooner? We are loving the city so far – especially the much easier access to every artsy fartsy movie that only comes out here and LA that no one else wants to see. We’ve seen a couple, which I am lucky enough to mention due to their nominations this year.
In particular, I was excited that “Persopolis” was nominated for Best Animated Film, though it will get crushed by “Ratatouille” – the Academy will just not know what to do with a black and white, 2-dimensional, autobiographical cartoon about a young woman’s experiences growing up in Iran. My other personal “small” favorite is “Once” which is now out on video. It was nominated for Best Original Song. The film is about an Irish street performer who befriends and winds up recording an album with a wayward Czech woman. It was AWESOME and it’s out on DVD. You might wind up buying the CD the way we did immediately after seeing the movie!
And with that brief diatribe about lesser categories, on to the nominations!
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
· Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There"
· Ruby Dee in "American Gangster"
· Saoirse Ronan in "Atonement"
· Amy Ryan in "Gone Baby Gone"
· Tilda Swinton in "Michael Clayton"
As usual, this category has an assortment of nominees, from young (Saoirse Ronan) to old (Ruby Dee). As expected, the quality nominees lie in between. As is my usual custom, let's digest from least likely to most likely.
Saoirse Ronan is the annual nominee whose name is unpronounceable. Thanks Saorirse - way to give Billy Bush nightmares for the next 6 weeks. I wonder if she’s related to the great Mary Ronan, who is currently wandering around China somewhere. Mary – you still with us? Any way. Saoirse was good in "Atonement" - all precocious and freakishly emotive and all - but not going to win.
Ruby Dee is the emotional choice, i.e., the oldest candidate who is nominated precisely because she's old. Remember the old bag from "Titanic?" She's still alive by the way, unless imdb just doesn't bother updating her profile cuz know one cares. Back to Ruby - she has like three lines in the movie...I vaguely remember her clapping at one point and maybe slapping Denzel Washington (she plays his ultimately disappointed mother in this ultimately disappointing film). Not exactly the scenes Oscar is made of. Don't bother crossing the strike lines to come to this one, Ruby.
Finally - on to the quality. Firm dorks like me have loved Tilda Swinton for YEARS. "Orlando" and "The Deep End" were both entirely driven by her brilliance. She was pretty damn good in "Michael Clayton" as corporate counsel with questionable (at best) morals, but she is definitely choice number three. I'll be pulling for her, however...
Amy Ryan has a much better shot at winning. She has taken roughly 45% of the pre-Awards for what I'm told is a blistering performance in "Gone Baby Gone." Sadly, my parents have seen this one yet James and I didn't even consider it. Apparently, she plays a white trash, drug addicted, bad mom. Hmmm...wonder who she's channeling there. She also employs a spot-on Boston accent...big deal. Anyway, she has a shot but likely will lose to Cate Blanchett.
That's right. Cate Blanchett turns in yet another amazing, transformative performance in "I'm Not There." Ok - so we haven't seen that yet either, but can we be blamed? It's a movie about Bob Dylan in which different actors play Dylan at different times in his life...including Blanchett when Dylan was in his 'fro, leather jacket and sunglass days. (I wasn't aware that he ever left that era, but what do I know?) Anyway, anytime a lady plays a man (in a serious movie) or vice versa, the win is all but theirs.
Will Win: Cate Blanchett
Should Win: Tilda Swinton
Should have been nominated: I guess one could make arguments for Helena Bonham Carter in "Sweeney Todd" had her singing voice been a tad stronger. I’d advocate for two “Juno” ladies – Jennifer Garner for being the surprising heart of the film; Allison Janney for being freaking hilarious.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
· Casey Affleck in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
· Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men"
· Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Charlie Wilson's War"
· Hal Holbrook in "Into the Wild"
· Tom Wilkinson in "Michael Clayton"
How the hell is "Michael Clayton" getting all of these nominations? Seriously - the Academy must LOVE Law & Order more than my mother, because that movie was nothing more than a very special episode of L&O. Anyway, I'm giving Tom Wilkinson the least likely to win award, despite his excellent turn as an attorney who either loses his sanity or finally finds clarity. Let it be noted that my least likely to win last year was Alan Arkin, who then went and won for "Little Miss Sunshine." If you really like him, rent "In the Bedroom" - a film that I have mentioned in this e-mail/blog post every year since it came out.
In 4th place, we have Philip Seymour Hoffman for "Charlie Wilson's War." Three reasons here - no one saw the movie, he just won Best Actor two years ago for "Capote," and his best work this year was in my favorite movie of the year, "The Savages."
Finally - an Affleck that can act! Next up is Casey Affleck's breakout performance in that movie with a hella long title. Again, a movie that no one saw, though those who DID see it kept talking about how freaking good he was in it. He portrays the unlikely man who assassinated the first celebrity criminal, Jesse James. This will be a definite rental for us when it comes out. James is looking forward to the shut eye already.
A distant second goes to Hal Holbrook for another movie that no one saw (anyone catching on to the common thread with the nominations in this category?). From what I'm told, he is gives a great performance but does not even enter the film until 2/3 of the way into it, and this one is a LONG one. I think he basically plays an old guy who encounters the young traveler in this film – doesn’t seem like a stretch to me!
They might as well just give the award right now to Javier Bardem. His villainous assassin is one of those roles that haunts the viewer for weeks afterwards. In addition, the film has a shot at Best Picture AND he is a previous nominee. See this movie, and you will see one of the best performances in any category this year!
Will and Should Win: Javier Bardem
Should have been nominated: I would substitute Tom Wilkinson for Josh Brolin, from "No Country for Old Men." Some may argue for John Travolta in "Hairspray" but I thought he was awful!
Performance by an actress in a leading role
· Cate Blanchett in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
· Julie Christie in "Away from Her"
· Marion Cotillard in "La Vie en Rose"
· Laura Linney in "The Savages"
· Ellen Page in "Juno"
As usual - Best. Category. Ever. Only one "WTF" nominee leaving for GREAT choices. There is a clear favorite already, but I'm holding out for a miracle!
Least likely is probably Blanchett. "Elizabeth 2" is the worst reviewed film to ever receive a nomination for Best Actress ( a fact I admittedly stole from another blog...I'm not THAT dorky). I'm sure she was excellent in this crappy move that never should have been made. Her Oscars for "I'm Not There" and "The Aviator" should keep her nice a warm though. Side note - how is it that Cate Blanchett will now have TWO Oscars and Kate Winslet, 4-time Academy Award Nominee Ms. Julianne Moore and Laura Linney have none? I mean, she's good but I have yet to see her lead a great film (other than the original "Elizabeth") the way the aforementioned have, time after time.
Unfortunately, Ms. Linney should win for her brilliant work in "The Savages" but she won't. Let me say it again - Best Movie of the Year. I hope it finds an audience on DVD! Anyway, she plays one third of an incredibly dysfunctional father-daughter-son trio that deals with the aging process in hilarious and heart-breaking ways. SEE THIS MOVIE, and you may be praying for the same miracle I am!
Ok - enough (for now...I will never give up!) about Laura Linney. On to next least likely, who actually has a shot. Ellen Page was great in “Juno,” this year’s little engine that could. I fear that her role, as a sarcastic, pregnant teenager who is considering adoption, may be one dimensional, though. I really don’t think she’ll take it unless “Juno” really starts to take off.
Page lost the Golden Globe for Best Actress Comedy/Musical to the requisite foreign nominee, Marion Cotillard from “Ma Vie en Rose.” Anyone who tells you that they paid to see this movie is a liar. I’m sure it’s good, and I have no doubt that she is amazing. She will get votes, as the people who vote get free screeners of the films and will want to feel smart by nominating a French film. Alas, the award is guaranteed to go to Julie Christie.
What a story Ms. Christie is. She last won in 1965 for “Darling,” and has not been relevant since 1997’s “Afterglow.” Amazing to think that she still has it and more importantly that there are still roles of this quality being written for women at her age (thanks to the director/writer of this film, Sarah Polley, who is a talented actress in her own right). Christie plays an Alzheimer’s patient slipping into complete dementia. Definitely the stuff Oscar is made of!
Will Win: Julie Christie
Should Win: Laura Linney – duh!
Should have been nominated: Lots of great female performances this year, including Angelina Jolie in “A Mighty Heart,” Amy Adams for her dead pan portrayal of a Disney Princess in “Enchanted,” Nikki Blonsky in “Hairspray,” and Keira Knightly in “Atonement.” LOVE that there were so many great roles this year for the ladies!
Performance by an actor in a leading role
· George Clooney in "Michael Clayton"
· Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood"
· Johnny Depp in "Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
· Tommy Lee Jones in "In the Valley of Elah"
· Viggo Mortensen in "Eastern Promises"
Definitely the most interesting category, with the widest array of performances ever. The best news is that we don’t have a single male nominee who is playing an actual person, so no more Idi Amin’s, Truman Capote’s, or Ray Charles’ to muck the category up with a masterfully mimicked performance.
I’m going with Tommy Lee Jones in last place. “Elah” was supposed to be the Iraq war movie that we would all appreciate, yet we just were not willing to give it a shot. Maybe on DVD. Anyway, he is supposedly wonderful as a father investigating what happened to his son in Iraq.
Fourth place goes to my favorite male performance in the category, Viggo Mortensen in “Eastern Promises.” Had this movie been released in December, more people would have been talking about his great work as a Russian mobster who may just be up to good instead of evil (instead of what they’re STILL talking about, the rather floppy full frontal nude fight scene Mortensen “bravely” filmed for the role).
Gotta give 3rd to George Clooney for “Michael Clayton.” If you ask me, this is the least deserving of all nominations – Clooney phoned it in to play the “fixer” at a law firm with personal problems of his own. At the same time, the freaking Academy AND Hollywood just can’t get enough Clooney…wouldn’t be surprised if he gets enough votes from his friends to snatch this one away.
Second place goes to the long overdue Johnny Depp. He turns in another great performance in a role that would never even remotely be considered for award show honors in lesser hands. His wronged barber seething with revenge is just too out there to ultimately take Oscar, however he does have a Golden Globe win AND the actor-learns-how-to-sing for the role going for him. Wouldn’t be such a shock, except…
…Daniel freaking Day-Lewis is nominated. Personally, I am not a fan. He is basically this generation’s Al Pacino – lots of yelling and over-acting, all “I live as the character for three months before shooting – who is Daniel?” and shit. In this overdone role, he plays a ruthless turn-of-the-century business man who does so many unscrupulous things throughout the course of this tortuously long film that I stopped caring (except to laugh at some of the ridiculousness) about halfway through. PRECISELY the stuff Oscar loves, for some reason!
Will Win: I! AM! DANIEL! DAY! LEWIS!
Should Win: Viggo Mortensen
Should have been nominated: Would have LOVED to have seen Philip Seymour Hoffman for “The Savages” here – he matched Laura Linney note-for-note yet was somehow ignored. James McEvoy in “Atonement” was also good, though I would have though he would be up for Best Supporting rather than Best Actor (which, I suspect, ultimately killed his chances here).
Best Director
· "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," Julian Schnabel
· "Juno," Jason Reitman
· "Michael Clayton," Tony Gilroy
· "No Country for Old Men," Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
· "There Will Be Blood," Paul Thomas Anderson
Best motion picture of the year
· "Atonement"
· "Juno"
· "Michael Clayton"
· "No Country for Old Men"
· “There Will Be Blood”
Look – I have a real job and stuff so I am going to keep this one short. Plus, I’ve at least touched on most of these films. The ones I have not are “Diving Bell and the Butterfly” and “Atonement.” Both are dead in the water due to a lack of crossover nominations between the Director and Best Picture categories. “Atonement” is particularly screwed, as the Academy just doesn’t like to give Best Picture to a film that could have directed itself. As for “Diving Bell,” I’m told it is quite an achievement, so it will get some votes but will not win.
That leaves two long shots and two nominees in a dead-heat. “Juno” is the “fun” film of the year – its win is its nomination. “Michael Clayton” is an even more surprising nominee – cannot believe it got so many nominations, but I believe it will come away entirely empty handed.
So we have one movie that I really liked (but admittedly did not “get” all of) with “No Country for Old Men” and one that I just did NOT like with “There Will Be Blood.” Both are modern takes on the Western, a genre that usually leaves me extremely annoyed. Neck and neck at this point, but I’m going with my heart on this one and hoping that “No Country” will take it.
Will Win (and should win, with these nominees): “No Country for Old Men”
Should have been nominated: “The Savages,” “Persepolis,” “Pan’s Labyrinth” – ok, that one came out in 2006 but I still loved it!
SO I may or may not be back with a wrap-up on February 25 – there is talk that the ceremony may (GASP!) be cancelled a la this year’s Globes ceremony or pushed back into March, so who knows at this point. Until then, I hope to post some more reviews on the latest in the theaters. I’d love to hear your comments – feel free to post a response if you are so inclined!
