You know the drill. Rattle off any queries you might have for us to address on this week’s podcast. If we didn’t get to yours last time don’t worry, I’ve saved them all and I’m sure we’ll get around to them at some point. Anne and I will be joined by both Guy and indieWIRE’s Peter Knegt from London this time around, so it’ll be a fearsome foursome. So far I know we’ll be addressing “Carlos” and the foreign language film category.
Comments
54 responses to “Taking questions for Oscar Talk”
I finally got to see The Kids Are All Right and I just want to know why the f#ck Julianne Moore is getting shafted from the discussion/race when she so clearly is just as worthy of a nomination. That’s not much of a question, I just think she deserves to be brought into the discussion again/more.
There’s been a lot of talk mentioning a potential “‘Blind Side’ spot”, specifically for “Secretariat.” Do you and Anne think there is room this year for a film like last year’s “A Serious Man” that may not have broader support, but has a passionate following, and what films do you both think those could be in occupy such a “spot”?
Do you think that Natalie Portman can win an Oscar for the type of role that she’s playing in Black Swan? I’ve seen precedence for many actresses nominated or should have been nominated for this type of role, but a win has been questionable. Kathy Bates and Charlize Theron both won for villainous roles, but their main competition were actresses who had already won Oscars. I’m afraid Portman would probably lose out to a performance that was a bit more non-divisive (i.e. Annette Bening or Diane Lane).
Is Exit Through the Gift Shop eligible for Best Documentary? If so, do you think it has a chance of being nominated being that it is one of the best reviewed films of the year?
If you do choose to address this question, maybe bring up some other docs that are in the running.
1) There’s been a lot of talk that Black Swan is too edgy for voters. Do all of you think that’s true?
2) Is there anyone that can beat Colin Firth this year? In other words, based on performance alone and ignoring the “make-it-up-for-last-year” element, is anyone more worthy of the award this year?
What do you guys think of Dave Karger’s list he published this week?
Similar to previous posts, but I just want to know if you think Black Swan has a chance at an Oscar campaign. How awesome would it be to see an Aronofsky film get some real Oscar recognition? I saw Black Swan and I think this is his best work yet. Does it have potential as a contender?
As we head into our 2nd year of the Best Picture 10 experiment, do you think it’s working and achieving it’s goal (the mixture of art and commerce)? Would you like to see it continue?
How will a possible move up to January affect the Oscars and how studios market their supposed ‘Oscar’ movies. Why do they want to do this and what are the pros and cons for all involved?
Also Chris, why do you not have Jesse Eisenberg up on your contenders on the right side of your site? Can Javier Bardem really break through for this performance from a movie that’s going to need a lot of help from critics and bloggers to be noticed this awards season. Also he’s a previous winner, which in my opinion doesn’t help his chances.
I second Graysmith’s question about Julianne Moore in hopes that more people asking it will up its chances of getting answered. Also, do you think it would be wise for the studio to campaign her as supporting to secure a nomination? Is that category fraud? Such an unfair situation when both actresses are phenomenal.
As the oscars often reflect the tastes of other voting bodies I’d like to know which films you feel could win the Globes/DGA/WGA/SAG/Critics Choice/BAFTA.
Do you think there’s going to be a healthy split between these bodies this year to make the oscar outcome more exciting?
I’ve been recently questioning whether “127 Hours” really deserves recognition amongst the Best Picture nominees. I know I haven’t seen it yet, but most reviews I’ve seen have been simply on the lower side of good, rather than the delusions of grandeur that some are giving the film. What do you think of the film’s chances, and could we feasibly be in for a backlash against the film after more reviews hit the net?
I caught Another Year and I want to know Kris/Anne’s personal opinion on where Manville’s work stacks up against the other contenders. I personally think she has done better work this year than Moore, Bening and Lawrence.
Speaking of Manville, if it is all but certain that she would win best supporting actress or at least be a prime contender then why doesn’t SPC just move her. I am curious as to what a studio values more between a nomination for best actress or a win for best supporting actress.
I assume a studio will value a win over anything else right?
2 Oscar related questions:
1. Since the 72nd Academy Awards for the 1999 season (the year I first watched the Academy Awards), what do you guys think were the greatest upset winners at the Oscars?
2. Also, since the 72nd Awards, who do you guys think was the best host/hostess?
Thanks so much, love the podcast now that you’re taking questions and including more people!
Those asking about Julianne Moore: Is there really an answer to be had? Not trying to be an ass or anything, but I don’t think it’s fair to say she is getting the shaft by anyone other than maybe critics who were simply more wowed by Annette Bening’s showier work. There is no “shafting” being done by the studio, certainly, which has always been behind the role as a co-lead. I’m long on the record for preferring Moore, but I guess I just don’t know what the discussion would be surrounding that query (not to mention the fact that we addressed this in some detail last week — including the supporting argument regarding Bening).
Tom Hardy in Batman 3…woot woot.
What do you guys think of aronofsky directing wolverine 2? How likely do you think it will be? Personally, I hate the idea of it.
Will Inception have any chance of being recognized by critics groups for best picture/director?
I’d like to second Gareth Thomas’ question.
How do you all see the rest of the season playing out – before the oscars even come around?
Hey, Kris. Have either you or Anne seen ‘Fair Game’? I know it came & went with subdued praise some months ago, but I’m hearing good-to-great things about it again, and does Naomi Watts have a play?
What are your thoughts on the category placement of Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay for The Social Network? Will it stay in Adapted or, because of claims Sorkin was writing before the book was published, will it go the way of films like 2001 and Memento and be placed in Original?
What’s the movie you really hope won’t have any success in the main categories but are afraid it will?
I’m curious but feel free to ignore it if you don’t feel comfortable talking negatively about a film at this point.
Do any of the documentaries this year have a shot at a Best Picture nomination? If not, what kind of documentary do you think would have a shot at a nomination (if ever)?
JJ1: I know Anne has seen “Fair Game,” as have I.
Kris,
Well, what I wrote wasn’t so much a question that has a clearly-defined answer.. I just want her to be brought back into the mix now that I’ve seen the film. Why is she being dismissed (just look at the Gurus of Gold chart), and is it solely for the reason that people don’t believe two actresses from one movie can get nominated in the same category? I just think if that’s the case it’s a crappy excuse since the reason it rarely happens isn’t because of any Academy bias against doing that, but simply because how often are there movies with two nomination-worthy lead actresses?
The hardest part about getting nominated is having your film/performance be seen, and since most of us are expecting to see it nominated for Bening, Picture and beyond all and any who watches the movie will see Moore’s performance, and it’s not like she’s not holding her own.
I don’t know, I guess I just don’t get it, especially since both performances are so key in each other’s success.
JJ: Keep missing it. I’ll see it in a week.
Josh: I’ve addressed that in full here:
http://incontention.com/2010/09/17/could-sorkins-social-network-be-considered-original/
I don’t think there’s much more to add at this point.
OK, fair enough. Thanks Guy and Kris. :)
What do you think “Burlesque’s” chances are this award season? Can Cher make a comeback and get a nomination?
Also another question – Who in your opinion are some of the least deserving films or actors to win an Academy Award”
Do we really truly have a frontrunner at this point? Or at this point do you see it as anyone’s game? I am mostly talking about Best Picture here, but the conversation can certainly extend into other categories (certainly Mo’nique, Waltz, and Bridges seemed to have their Oscars locked up by this point). Perhaps a discussion on past “frontrunners” at this point would be cool.
Is there anything in particular this year that you would like to see nominated that hasn’t really garnered any traction? Is there anything that would pleasantly surprise you?
The only longshot mindf— I could think of is Julianne Moore being nominated for Best Actress and NOT Annette Bening. Not going to happen, but wouldn’t that be ironic after all the talk of Moore not being a contender to begin with…
Incidentally, I don’t buy “The Social Network” as an original screenplay — having read Ben Mezrich’s book, I’d say the film follows a similar structural model and has a number of near-identical scenes. Find it hard to believe it had no influence on Sorkin.
What chance does Justin Timberlake have of getting a best supporting actor nomination for The Social Network? or is Andrew Garfield the most likely nominee for the film in that category?
Also who do you think is the current front runner and most likely winner thus far in the best director category?
A random question I’ve thought about for a while- why is it the scripts based on real life are usually lumped in the Original category? Hear me out: a screenwriter for a biopic already has characters, plot points, beginnings and endings, character arcs, etc. as opposed to a truly original screenplay which creates all of that from scratch. How much different is it to adapt from a book vs. adapting from real life? Would be interested in hearing your thoughts.
My question:
Does the fact that Danny Boyle has been “validated” by the Academy with Slumdog Millionaire alter the perception of 127 Hours as a contender, or would 127 Hours have always been a contender even without the awards success of Slumdog?
What are Inception’s chances at the Oscars, and what you think it will get nominated for?
What prevented/is preventing a foreign film to be nominated in the field of 10? (This is just me griping over The White Ribbon and A Prophet not being included last year.)
Is Never Let Me go now considered dead in the water as far as its Oscar chances go?
Evan and Ken both touched on this, but I was wondering if you could just talk about the state of the documentary category. I just saw Inside Job and I’m seeing Waiting for Superman this weekend and I’m just hoping there’s room for Joan Rivers and Exit Through the Gift Shop.
Why no mention of Fair Game so far? Sasha Stone seems pretty confident about it coming into play in many categories.
What are the Oscar chances ( and Oscar buzz) for the romantic films : “How Do You Know” , the well-reviewed “Blue Valentine” , and ” Love And Other Drugs” ?
GREAT question, Anthony B.
What would say is the best American film you’ve seen this year?
Any chance the young males making impressions like Eisenberg, Franco, Garfield, Timberlake, and Hammer, could get in or completely forgotten? I feel the Academy rarely recognizes young male talent.
What are the chances of “Easy A” for a Best Picture nomination, Emma Stone in the actress race, and maybe Patricia Clarkson in Best Supporting Actress since you’ve mentioned that it is a soft category and I assume Clarkson is a loved person in the academy. I just got back from seeing this film at Bengies Drive-In (thank god for our local drive-in) and it’s absolutely one of my favorite of the year. Unlike other films that have came out and been bandied around in the Best Pic discussion, like The Town, Easy A didn’t hit one false note for me (like The Town’s central relationship did) and start to lose steam. In fact, the group I was with all remarked how it was consistently funny from start to finish, a rarity with comedies these days.
JTag, I only wish we lived in that world. It’s sad that we don’t.
Julianne Moore is definitely the actress that I walked away from The Kids Are Alright obsessing about.
I never really followed her before, and I was only there for Bening. However, Moore’s performance was much more “true,” even with an inherently unbelievable plot twist involving her character. AMAZING that she can make her character’s action seem to make sense! Bening did do a great job with the “discovery scene”… but Moore had the audience in the palm of her hand the ENTIRE movie.
Plus, I know this doesn’t really mean anything to the performance critics, but Julianne Moore was attached to this script 5 years ago, was instrumental in campaigning for its funding (they had a lot of problems getting the money, due to the content), AND is doing (way more than her share, I would think, if Bening and Moore are both equals) of the press circuit of this movie. SHE is that film’s Best Actress.
Do the more pop culture-oriented docos “Exit Through the Gift Shop”, “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work” and “Catfish” have any chance in the Best Documentary category?
Why isn’t Leslie Manville fully committed to the supporting actress category where she could win. Nobody claims that it would be category fraud.
What nominee would you like to see show up in each of the four acting categories?
(I mean if you could choose one person to make it into each category, who would you make sure is in?)
Do you think “Never Let Me Go” has any chances of Oscar nominations besides Best Original Score, for example Best Actress for Carey Mulligan?
And do you think Kristin Scott Thomas has chances in the Best Supporting Actress category?
This might be too big of a question but I am a sucker for all time lists. How about you go through some of the big categories and talk about what you think would win/be nominated if an ‘all time’ Oscars were held this year.
You could do it from the perspective of what you would pick or from the POV of what the Academy would pick. The latter could be interesting if you think some so-called locks (e.g. Citizen Kane for BP) would be snubbed.