Welcome to Oscar Talk.
In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds.
This week we’re happy to be joined by In Contention’s own Guy Lodge and indieWIRE‘s Peter Knegt, both calling from London where the London Film Festival has just kicked off. Plenty to chew on with four voices on the mic so let’s see what’s on the docket…
• With Guy and Peter in London it’s a good time to offer up a preview of sorts for this year’s fest. The opening night film was “Never Let Me Go” (meeting a cool response similar to what it received Stateside), but both are enjoying playing a bit of catch-up on this title and that.
• Guy, Anne and I caught up with Olivier Assayas’s “Carlos” recently — the five and a half hour cut, not the shortened theatrical version. We all admire it on different levels.
• The Best Foreign Language Film submissions list landed this week with 65 countries represented. Guy has seen a number of these already (I tend to hold off until later in the year). He, Peter and Anne talk about what they’ve seen and what trajectory the category could take in a lengthy discussion.
• Something all four of us have seen is Derek Cianfrance’s “Blue Valentine,” which was slapped with an NC-17 rating by the MPAA this week. We discuss the implications and fairness of the decision.
• Speaking of Ryan Gosling, Anne and I caught up with Andrew Jarecki’s “All Good Things” earlier in the week, and it was a train wreck by both our measures. Talk on that.
• And once again, listener questions. This week we field queries concerning “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” documentary features aimed at the Best Picture category, “Black Swan”’s Oscar potential and Lesley Manville’s lead actress campaign for “Another Year.”
Have a listen to the new podcast below (with The Clash leading the way, naturally). If the file cuts off for you at any time, remember you can click the download link to save it directly or play from the source. (It can be tougher to mix with four, so if there are slight sound issues, apologies.) And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here.
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Comments
63 responses to “OSCAR TALK: Ep. 36 — London fest, ‘Carlos,’ foreign film race, NC-17 for ‘Blue Valentine,’ ‘All Good Things’ and more with special guests Guy Lodge and Peter Knegt”
Another brilliant segment! Glad you finally got to my question, and I definitely agree with you that the odds are against “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1”. I hope it happens, because these are extremely lovable films. None of them are particularly bad, but as you said, they’ve not busted through the technical categories into the higher tier categories.
I think that “The Dark Knight” faced the same thing two years ago, and it’s probably going to be something very similar with “Deathly Hallows: Part 1” and “Part 2”. Whether it will end the same way, we’ll have to wait and see. I would say that it bodes better for “Part 2″‘s chances if “Part 1” is nominated this year. I’m glad to hear you guys address the subject. Sorry for taking you guys to task over it. hahaha
I think the last Harry Potter was released in a year of ten, and from what I’ve read about Black Swan, it seem more like the film the was meant to serve as showcase for Portman than anything else. I’m still excited for the film, it just sounds really self-indulgent.
Lovely, again!
For whatever reason, I was kind of shocked when I heard Guy’s voice but I got used to it. Creepy and delicious, I thought a first.
And the four-people thing worked out fine.
Uh… thanks?
From now on Guy shall be known as “Creepy Delicious.” I’m changing your byline on the backend. Not up for debate.
I’m cool with that. Call it my Bond villain moniker.
In love with Guy’s accent.
I mean, I know I should never speculate on how a voice might or might not sound like, and I did know what kind of mix your accent has, but I thought it was extremely formal and eccentric. In a neutral-to-good way. Especially in the context of the other voices.
Let me put it in another way. I would have imagined Nick Davis to have that voice (weren’t he American).
Hey if this is an evalutaion, it’s a “pass”
But it seems more like pure rambling :p
Hehe. I just saw that.
So, the audience of this podcast are the ones who still listen to CDs? :p
Excellent pocast! I’m really looking forward to “Black Swan” and hoping that Natalie Portman delivers the way you guys say she does. It would be great to see her get a nomination. I don’t really see the Potter films getting any more awards love than what their predecessors have gotten, but Peter brought up a good point about the wider Best Picture field maybe having an effect on the chances of the last two.
Woah was that Guy Lodge or Colin Firth.
I HAVE A VOICE!!
Oops…definitely meant to write *podcast.
Guy actually sounds a bit like Sebastian Roche from “Fringe”, or Ralph Fiennes from… any film that Ralph Fiennes appears in.
You’re right it is more like Ralph Fiennes..
I loved Guy’s voice.
btw I also love that this has turned into a post about Guy’s voice.
I’m glad to hear everyone is on board the Manville train. Without having seen Black Swan, Rabbit Hole or Blue Valentine I think I will be pulling for her all year.
I’m totally behind Derek Cianfrance. If the film is perfect the way it is, leave it the way it is. And as was reported on the ‘cast, there are a lot of fans. I think it can survive this, most definitely. Furthermore, the people that would go out and see this movie are well above the age of 17 anyway.
“Furthermore, the people that would go out and see this movie are well above the age of 17 anyway.”
That’s actually a good point, I guess.
Problem is, there are a number of more conservative adults who still see the rating as a turn-off.
I sense a certain holding back from praising Portman’s performance and I hate Anne’s snide comment about her being very well cast as though to suggest – as I’ve been hearing – that the role plays to Portman’s limitations and its only the physicality (dancing) that’s impressive.
I agree, with Cari above me.
Great podcast, really enjoyed the foursome, though, always enjoy just the 2 of you, too.
Great points made by all. I agree on the Harry commentary. It’s best best is next year, and even that is far from ‘for sure’.
I think that a small, but potent segment of AMPAS could go for Black Swan.
And I need to see this Manville performance, already!!! haha
best bet, I mean.
Lodge has a classy voice.
Any chance Hartigan comes on and hates everything and makes sarcastic jokes throughout?
James D, that’d be a howl. I support this.
cannot get into Carlos. Feels so superficial
I’m in the minority I guess, least favourite podcast in quite some time. Maybe it’s the Creepy Delicious vibe from Lodge.
The Carlos and Best Foreign Language chat was auditory tryptophan. I say ditch Creepy Delicious and Knegt and bring in Hartigan. He’ll certainly mix things up a bit while we wait for things to pick up.
Work on the tact there, Loyal.
Anyway, sorry it didn’t gel for you. I imagine Carlos and the foreign language discussion wouldn’t appeal if you don’t really know anything about the films we’re discussing.
But indeed, having Chad’s opinions bouncing off of Anne and myself would be a delight. I’ll surely extend an invite.
Cari: You’re totally misreading our tone on Portman — I think it’s a remarkable, nomination-worthy performance, as does Anne. We’re “holding back” on the prediction, not on the performance. (I’m sure it hardly needs to be said for the umpteenth time that predictions are not based on personal preferences.)
And there’s nothing “snide” about mentioning how cleverly cast Portman is — the role plays very interesting games with her established screen presence.
Loyal: You’ve always been a thoughtful and, well, loyal commenter, so I do take interest in what you have to say — but I’d prefer it if you could specify things I can change, rather than recycling second-hand jabs about my voice (which, I’m afraid, I can’t).
HP6 was released last year, in a year of 10.
Already noted Andrew, thanks.
I’m just getting tired of the slights on Portman with comments basically stopping short of saying she’s “playing herself” in that she, like her character, is trying to show a side of herself as an actress that we’ve never seen or thought her capable.
She’s never been given this opportunity before – as in her own words – people just don’t see her as fit for certain roles; but she’s always been more than capable of projecting the “darker” shades of her characters when necessary.
kris-
the 1st harry potter film earned BAFTA nods for Supporting Actor (Robbie Coltrane) and Best British Film…so it has managed to get major nods in the past..
Not nearly enough, kel. For obvious reasons. (BAFTA, Best BRITISH Film, etc.)
Kel: As I point out in the podcast, the first Potter film received a PGA nomination, which is more significant than any BAFTA nod it received. So yes, there’s some precedent there.
Cari: Now you’re just putting words in our mouths. Yes, in my review, I did refer to Portman’s past work and how this performance builds on that — but no one’s been casting doubts on her capability.
Oh, didn’t see Drew’s comment
Interesting that Greenland can submit its own films, seeing how it’s a part of Denmark. Or did I misinterpret what Knegt was saying?
Love the podcast, loved getting a shout-out. This is the best Oscar blog out there, keep it up!
English: Autonomous countries are allowed to submit.
I want to do dirty things to Guy’s voice. Fun podcast though! Guy and Anne went well together (and Kris, obviously).
“auditory tryptophan” who says that?
Can I just say that the Carlos discussion was the best thing to ever happen on these podcasts? I understand this is an awards site first and a movie site second, but it was so nice to hear talk on the value of a film rather than awards prospects, of which it has none both due to complexity and disqualification.
I know little to nothing about the way Oscar voters work, but are the directors and writers really the only ones that would embrace something as unorthodox as Black Swan, as Anne seemed to indicate? I feel like I’ve seen a lot of young actors on recent lists of new Academy members, and people who are so willing to put themselves out there strike me as, I don’t know, a bit less attached to tradition.
Also, any chance (looking forward) of Oscar nominations for the Harry Potter leads in 2012, or would above-the-line hopes be solely concentrated on Best Picture? If there were a weak Best Supporting Actress, I have a strange feeling that Emma Watson could gain traction (based on the strength and reviews of her previous performances).
By the way, I thought the podcast was great. Perhaps it’s weird to enjoy hearing people talk about obscure foreign films that I won’t see for months, but maybe that’s why I’m reading an Oscar blog at all.
Kris and Guy,
I didn’t mean to be without tact or thoughtfulness, my post had too much snark (I was playing off the creepy and delicious comments Guy, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with your voice). Sorry for the snark.
There’s usually a balance in the podcast between what I consider broad engaging topics and the more inside baseball stuff. I didn’t sense that balance today. It felt more academic than usual, stilted, really dry.
I enjoy the back and forth between Anne and Kris that goes from serious to light. I don’t think having four people was necessary the culprit, it just seemed less fun than usual, and the topics were lacking umpf. Like I said, I appear to be in the minority.
Guy’s accent is as posh and sophisticated as his writing. :P I kinda dug it! The four people thing worked out nicely indeed.
I’d also call for more discussion of foreign language films. I loved that segment along with the discussion on Carlos. Carlos is kinda an event-movie on the art house scene and deserves the length you guys gave it.
Kris I’d like to see you talking more about the acclaimed foreign language films released this year – A Prophet, Mother, Vincere, Everyone Else and when you finally see them – I Am Love and Dogtooth. Apart from A Prophet, many of these are I believe still eligible for this year’s awards. I still think that if campaigned aggressively, the writers might nominate Dogtooth for screenplay.
I can’t compete with Guy’s voice
I WISH I had Guy’s voice, haha. And the addition of Peter Knegt was really cool.
I certainly wouldn’t mind more podcasts like this in the future (with 3 or 4). That said, I do agree with some others that the Anne/Kris pods are my favorite. There’s an energy and flow to them that I really have enjoyed.
That’s not to say this podcast did not flow well or have some interesting things to say, it did. But I agree that it lacked a little spark (maybe ’cause it’s the first multiple person podcast). I wouldn’t mind more in the future with Guy, Peter, Chad, or others, but I hope we go back to the twosome, for a bit. :)
But again, I SO enjoy listening to these. They make my Fridays.
Guy Lodge = Christopher Eccleston. He could loop lines for the actor. Creepy delicious indeed.
Guy: Somehow your odd affinity for the teen pop stylings of Taylor Swift and the like were less unsettling before I knew your voice. I always imagined a soft-spoken pommy speaking when reading your columns, tweets, etc. Instead I get Tony Greig.
Having got that off my chest however, I do like it. That is all for now.