i think i might have asked this before but, where do critics and the Oscars draw the line when it comes to how the accuracy of a movie impedes on their enjoyment or appreciation of the film. Or maybe i should rephrase. Why is it that some films (even brilliant ones) are bashed for their inaccuracies (either big or small) while others get by unscathed.
Many of you pundits seem to be swayed in your opinion of actors’ performances by how you feel about the actors as individuals. This, to me, seems completely irrelevant to their work. How big a part does personal relationships play in Academy voting?
Sam C.
Do you think the Best Picture 10 has ruined the possibility of the typical “lone director” slot?
I think it’s possible that when the director’s branch, when filling out their top 10 and then their favorite 5 directors, there’s some sort of connection. Why pick a director who doesn’t even direct one of your top 10 films of the year? I doubt City of God, Talk to Her, Vera Drake, or Mulholland Drive would have made the top 10, or their respective directors nominated with this new system.
I’m asking since the last 2 years have seemed that the the Directors would have matched 5/5 with the presumed Top 5 Best Pictures.
When does an animated film stop being just animated and become an actual contender for best picture? Critical acclaim, box office, quality of voice actors?
monkey
Leonardo Dicaprio and Martin Scoresese has announced they’re set to film “Wolf Of Wall Street’, Are you or Anne tired of the Leo/Marty collaborations?
DarkLayers
Fitz the only ampas nod prior to ten nods was Beauty and the Beast. So the crucial difference may be appeal and momentum.
Maxim
I have a question but it requires some additonal explanation.
Do you think that the value of having a nomination (or even a win) have increased in the past 15 years?
I’ll explain what I mean. Prior to existence of IMDb (and the internet in general) people were less likely to remember whether or not lesser known actors or below the lines workers ever had a nomination. Very few people knew who won what in the decades prior, unless they were really interested in researching this kind of thing as there were far fewer reminders and the fame that came with those recognitions was probably more short term, whereas now once you get a nomination you’ll forever have it stated and immortolized on your main IMDb page and elsewhere.
Do you think this made people care more about getting them and subsequently increased their perceived value? Hope the question made at least some sense.
Mitchell
Do you want Banksy to show up at the Oscars to accept his possible award, and if you do, would want him to try and pull some kind of stunt to keep his identity concealed(i.e. a monkey mask, which has been rumored on numerous sites.)
Michael.
Everyone always complains that the Academy is old and out of touch and that many of them not only don’t see many movies but perhaps don’t even really appreciate film.
You guys talk to a lot of Academy members, what do you think is generally the case? Do they hold a reverence for P.T. Anderson? Do they even know of legends like Roger Deakins? etc.
Maxim
Sam, I think you are forgetting that Directors are nominated only by the director’s branch. Those people may concentrate on a different subset of directors that could appeal to the general voting public and could, indeed, have colllectively produce a different list of “10”. The same is true to a certain extent of any branch. So for them, something like “City of God” could very well be in the top ten.
“Many of you pundits seem to be swayed in your opinion of actors’ performances by how you feel about the actors as individuals.”
I take exception to this because it’s not true. Objective-thinking pundits may think a performance won’t get traction (as a hypothetical) if there is something about a persona that could work against a campaign (chilly demeanor, arrogant sensibilities, etc.), but that says nothing about what we think personally and everything about how we think others, namely voting bodies, may react.
It’s not THAT difficult a concept, is it?
Daniel Crooke
Who is this awards season’s most unrewarded player?
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard podcasters say things like . . “oh he is such a nice man . . . I hope he gets recognition.”
Cordy
Kris and Anne, isn’t best picture the only category that has a preferential ballot? I see this as being the main reason why David Fincher would win director over Tom Hooper, just based on the idea that a preferential ballot seems to prefer TKS as it is agreeable. Could you talk about the different chances each film has in these categories based on the different balloting?
Nelson
Can the King’s Speech win Best Sound Mixing?
JJ1
I second Cordy’s ^
Sam C.
Maxim,
Yes I know directors nominate directors, but I was just wondering if they really had Red, The Player, or Short Cuts in their Top 10 their respective years.
What I’m asking is, does the tendency to reward a “lone director” decrease, when the nominator realizes that that film isn’t even in their top 10?
Sam C.
I second Cody’s as well.
kel
This was a year of great movies, it was a year of great trailers, as well. Some that stand out for me include:
Animal Kingdom
Inception
Black Swan
The Illusionist
True Grit
Which ones stand out for you?
San FranCinema
What are you most excited about for the actual Oscar ceremony? Hosts? Presenters? Tributes?
brian
Who would you vote as Best Awards Season Performance? Actor (any of the 10 nominees BA/BSA)/Actress (any of the 10 nominees BA/BSA)/and Director
Drew C
With the BAFTA below-the-line awards not all going to The King’s Speech (Even things like Art Direction and Costume), as expected, is the extremely well-covered supposed sweep of the film still holding strong in both your and Anne’s opinion and in the opinion of the Academy voters? Or are we looking at what Anne called a year where “they give a little bit to everyone”?
Drew C
Sorry, I know you said one question, but you can read either of these; I certainly don’t need both.
Do you think the wins of both Rush and Carter in the BAFTA supporting races change where this race is headed? Is Christian Bale becoming the Eddie Murphy of the year? Or is that Melissa Leo’s story?
kel
@ Drew C – I think that’s Melissa Leo’s story. Like Murphy, she swept up all the major precursors (BFCA/SAG/GG) but failed to get a BAFTA nomination. As it turns out, the eventual BAFTA winner (Alan Arkin) ended up winning the Oscar b/c he was long overdue….Bonham Carter certainly is as well
Ervin
Of the 82 films that have won best picture, how many have you seen?
I’m hearing the idea being floated around that the The King’s Speech loss of Best Director to David Fincher for The Social Network at the BAFTAs indicates that best picture is still a race. The logic being that even if The King’s Speech weren’t the Best Picture frontrunner, it still would have won best picture at the BAFTAs, a la Atonement, which went on to lose the Oscar to No Country for Old Men. The editing BAFTA going to The Social Network is also being brought up to support the idea that it could upset the frontrunner at this point. Do you think there’s any credence to this theory, or do you think it’s just fans of The Social Network (or people who are bored and want a story) grasping at straws? Basically, I’m curious to what extend Kris and Anne still think that Best Picture is legitimately a race.
RichardA
Where are the answers from the last rounds of this?
bluemoon02
I am curious about the academy ballot. Sorry if i sound really ignorant but if an actor in the actor’s branch vote, can he/she vote for other categories aside from the acting categories and best picture category? Does it apply to the other branches? Sorry am confused..haha
Hey Cuz
Here’s my question. I apologize that it’s so long:
A couple weeks ago, there was a question submitted for Oscar Talk, the gist of which was, “What can the folks behind The Social Network do to reverse their fortunes in the Best Picture race?”
No one will blame you for not responding, “Help the Academy voters understand the importance of Facebook by making sure that it becomes a key factor in a peaceful revolution that overthrows a fascist regime somewhere in the world, thereby making sure that “Facebook” is mentioned on TV every 10 minutes during the height of voting, and adding the term “Facebook Revolution” to our collective lexicon.”
Is there any way that the massive (positive) exposure of Facebook during this key voting period, and having Facebook suddenly associated in our minds with one of the most inspiring political and social events of the last decade, help bring back the previously-touted reason to vote for it over The King’s Speech, which was “this is the movie that captures the current zeitgeist,” and thereby help it gain ground in the race?
Jason
Will Helena Bonham Carter win in an upset?
ala recent bafta winners like Tilda Swinton, Marion Cottilard, Alan Arkin
Jules
Do you think that on any of the races backlash (the “Really, this movie/performance/person? Let’s down vote it.” reaction) will be a factor?
Tyler
Kris, can you and Anne touch on what films playing at Cannes this year can impact the Oscar race next year?
Thanks,
Tyler
Adam
This is a totally hypothetical question, but I’d like to know what you guys think would win if TKS and TSN were in the same screenplay category?
This question is more about the Oscar show itself.
If the producers, writers, and co-hosts of this year’s Oscars were listening to your podcast, what advice would you give them to improve the show? Things like making it shorter, making it more loose, include longer speeches, less montages, or cutting out the song and dance routines?
Hey guys, I love the show. My Monday morning commute just isn’t as fun without “Oscar Talk” on my iPod. Thank you and great work!
My question is and you may have already answered this at some point, but I may have missed it, what does it mean when people campaign for an Oscar nomination or for even for the award itself? English is my second language and when I hear the word “campaign”, I immediately conjure up images of presidential campaign posters, buttons, flyers, speeches and the works. However, I supposed that is not what you mean by that. What exactly are these filmmakers doing to campaign for the Oscars?
Been meaning to ask a question for a while now, so here goes:
Saw “In a Better World” on Tuesday and was a bit surprised so many people were considering it the front runner. Although it was well acted thought it was really weak. Predictable and a bit pointless with nothing to say. Why is it the front runner?
Chris
If you could use one word to describe this awards season, what would it be?
Maxim
“OutSpeeched” or “Banskyboozled”
eurocheese
If we see an upset in one supporting category for The King’s Speech, can we expect the other to follow suit? (In other words, if Carter wins can we expect Rush to win, or vice-versa?)
Comments
43 responses to “Taking questions for Oscar Talk”
Who are you all predicting for the comedy/musical eddie award–is it safe to assume “Kids are All Right” has it in the bag?
Which award do you think RDJ & Jude are presenting?
i think i might have asked this before but, where do critics and the Oscars draw the line when it comes to how the accuracy of a movie impedes on their enjoyment or appreciation of the film. Or maybe i should rephrase. Why is it that some films (even brilliant ones) are bashed for their inaccuracies (either big or small) while others get by unscathed.
Many of you pundits seem to be swayed in your opinion of actors’ performances by how you feel about the actors as individuals. This, to me, seems completely irrelevant to their work. How big a part does personal relationships play in Academy voting?
Do you think the Best Picture 10 has ruined the possibility of the typical “lone director” slot?
I think it’s possible that when the director’s branch, when filling out their top 10 and then their favorite 5 directors, there’s some sort of connection. Why pick a director who doesn’t even direct one of your top 10 films of the year? I doubt City of God, Talk to Her, Vera Drake, or Mulholland Drive would have made the top 10, or their respective directors nominated with this new system.
I’m asking since the last 2 years have seemed that the the Directors would have matched 5/5 with the presumed Top 5 Best Pictures.
When does an animated film stop being just animated and become an actual contender for best picture? Critical acclaim, box office, quality of voice actors?
Leonardo Dicaprio and Martin Scoresese has announced they’re set to film “Wolf Of Wall Street’, Are you or Anne tired of the Leo/Marty collaborations?
Fitz the only ampas nod prior to ten nods was Beauty and the Beast. So the crucial difference may be appeal and momentum.
I have a question but it requires some additonal explanation.
Do you think that the value of having a nomination (or even a win) have increased in the past 15 years?
I’ll explain what I mean. Prior to existence of IMDb (and the internet in general) people were less likely to remember whether or not lesser known actors or below the lines workers ever had a nomination. Very few people knew who won what in the decades prior, unless they were really interested in researching this kind of thing as there were far fewer reminders and the fame that came with those recognitions was probably more short term, whereas now once you get a nomination you’ll forever have it stated and immortolized on your main IMDb page and elsewhere.
Do you think this made people care more about getting them and subsequently increased their perceived value? Hope the question made at least some sense.
Do you want Banksy to show up at the Oscars to accept his possible award, and if you do, would want him to try and pull some kind of stunt to keep his identity concealed(i.e. a monkey mask, which has been rumored on numerous sites.)
Everyone always complains that the Academy is old and out of touch and that many of them not only don’t see many movies but perhaps don’t even really appreciate film.
You guys talk to a lot of Academy members, what do you think is generally the case? Do they hold a reverence for P.T. Anderson? Do they even know of legends like Roger Deakins? etc.
Sam, I think you are forgetting that Directors are nominated only by the director’s branch. Those people may concentrate on a different subset of directors that could appeal to the general voting public and could, indeed, have colllectively produce a different list of “10”. The same is true to a certain extent of any branch. So for them, something like “City of God” could very well be in the top ten.
“Many of you pundits seem to be swayed in your opinion of actors’ performances by how you feel about the actors as individuals.”
I take exception to this because it’s not true. Objective-thinking pundits may think a performance won’t get traction (as a hypothetical) if there is something about a persona that could work against a campaign (chilly demeanor, arrogant sensibilities, etc.), but that says nothing about what we think personally and everything about how we think others, namely voting bodies, may react.
It’s not THAT difficult a concept, is it?
Who is this awards season’s most unrewarded player?
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard podcasters say things like . . “oh he is such a nice man . . . I hope he gets recognition.”
Kris and Anne, isn’t best picture the only category that has a preferential ballot? I see this as being the main reason why David Fincher would win director over Tom Hooper, just based on the idea that a preferential ballot seems to prefer TKS as it is agreeable. Could you talk about the different chances each film has in these categories based on the different balloting?
Can the King’s Speech win Best Sound Mixing?
I second Cordy’s ^
Maxim,
Yes I know directors nominate directors, but I was just wondering if they really had Red, The Player, or Short Cuts in their Top 10 their respective years.
What I’m asking is, does the tendency to reward a “lone director” decrease, when the nominator realizes that that film isn’t even in their top 10?
I second Cody’s as well.
This was a year of great movies, it was a year of great trailers, as well. Some that stand out for me include:
Animal Kingdom
Inception
Black Swan
The Illusionist
True Grit
Which ones stand out for you?
What are you most excited about for the actual Oscar ceremony? Hosts? Presenters? Tributes?
Who would you vote as Best Awards Season Performance? Actor (any of the 10 nominees BA/BSA)/Actress (any of the 10 nominees BA/BSA)/and Director
With the BAFTA below-the-line awards not all going to The King’s Speech (Even things like Art Direction and Costume), as expected, is the extremely well-covered supposed sweep of the film still holding strong in both your and Anne’s opinion and in the opinion of the Academy voters? Or are we looking at what Anne called a year where “they give a little bit to everyone”?
Sorry, I know you said one question, but you can read either of these; I certainly don’t need both.
Do you think the wins of both Rush and Carter in the BAFTA supporting races change where this race is headed? Is Christian Bale becoming the Eddie Murphy of the year? Or is that Melissa Leo’s story?
@ Drew C – I think that’s Melissa Leo’s story. Like Murphy, she swept up all the major precursors (BFCA/SAG/GG) but failed to get a BAFTA nomination. As it turns out, the eventual BAFTA winner (Alan Arkin) ended up winning the Oscar b/c he was long overdue….Bonham Carter certainly is as well
Of the 82 films that have won best picture, how many have you seen?
It seems like everyone is picking Deakins to win Cinematography come Oscar night, what would you say the chances are that he ends up not winning?
I’m hearing the idea being floated around that the The King’s Speech loss of Best Director to David Fincher for The Social Network at the BAFTAs indicates that best picture is still a race. The logic being that even if The King’s Speech weren’t the Best Picture frontrunner, it still would have won best picture at the BAFTAs, a la Atonement, which went on to lose the Oscar to No Country for Old Men. The editing BAFTA going to The Social Network is also being brought up to support the idea that it could upset the frontrunner at this point. Do you think there’s any credence to this theory, or do you think it’s just fans of The Social Network (or people who are bored and want a story) grasping at straws? Basically, I’m curious to what extend Kris and Anne still think that Best Picture is legitimately a race.
Where are the answers from the last rounds of this?
I am curious about the academy ballot. Sorry if i sound really ignorant but if an actor in the actor’s branch vote, can he/she vote for other categories aside from the acting categories and best picture category? Does it apply to the other branches? Sorry am confused..haha
Here’s my question. I apologize that it’s so long:
A couple weeks ago, there was a question submitted for Oscar Talk, the gist of which was, “What can the folks behind The Social Network do to reverse their fortunes in the Best Picture race?”
No one will blame you for not responding, “Help the Academy voters understand the importance of Facebook by making sure that it becomes a key factor in a peaceful revolution that overthrows a fascist regime somewhere in the world, thereby making sure that “Facebook” is mentioned on TV every 10 minutes during the height of voting, and adding the term “Facebook Revolution” to our collective lexicon.”
Is there any way that the massive (positive) exposure of Facebook during this key voting period, and having Facebook suddenly associated in our minds with one of the most inspiring political and social events of the last decade, help bring back the previously-touted reason to vote for it over The King’s Speech, which was “this is the movie that captures the current zeitgeist,” and thereby help it gain ground in the race?
Will Helena Bonham Carter win in an upset?
ala recent bafta winners like Tilda Swinton, Marion Cottilard, Alan Arkin
Do you think that on any of the races backlash (the “Really, this movie/performance/person? Let’s down vote it.” reaction) will be a factor?
Kris, can you and Anne touch on what films playing at Cannes this year can impact the Oscar race next year?
Thanks,
Tyler
This is a totally hypothetical question, but I’d like to know what you guys think would win if TKS and TSN were in the same screenplay category?
This question is more about the Oscar show itself.
If the producers, writers, and co-hosts of this year’s Oscars were listening to your podcast, what advice would you give them to improve the show? Things like making it shorter, making it more loose, include longer speeches, less montages, or cutting out the song and dance routines?
Hey guys, I love the show. My Monday morning commute just isn’t as fun without “Oscar Talk” on my iPod. Thank you and great work!
My question is and you may have already answered this at some point, but I may have missed it, what does it mean when people campaign for an Oscar nomination or for even for the award itself? English is my second language and when I hear the word “campaign”, I immediately conjure up images of presidential campaign posters, buttons, flyers, speeches and the works. However, I supposed that is not what you mean by that. What exactly are these filmmakers doing to campaign for the Oscars?
Been meaning to ask a question for a while now, so here goes:
Saw “In a Better World” on Tuesday and was a bit surprised so many people were considering it the front runner. Although it was well acted thought it was really weak. Predictable and a bit pointless with nothing to say. Why is it the front runner?
If you could use one word to describe this awards season, what would it be?
“OutSpeeched” or “Banskyboozled”
If we see an upset in one supporting category for The King’s Speech, can we expect the other to follow suit? (In other words, if Carter wins can we expect Rush to win, or vice-versa?)
“Predictable and a bit pointless with nothing to say.”
Wow, Brian. Watch it again. PLEASE.
We’ll be addressing the foreign films, in any case.
And thanks for the questions, as always, folks!