In Contention

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  • 10/26 Oscarweb Round-up

    Luke and Brie are on a First Date• Tom O’Neil ponders Angelina Jolie’s Oscar hopes yet again… [Gold Derby]

    • …and rather pointlessly takes a shot at Sean Penn. [Gold Derby]

    • Peter Bart is charmed by Clint Eastwood’s development through the years. [Peter Bart]

    • Eastwood, meanwhile, offers up 12 key influences on his life in movies. [Entertaiment Weekly]

    • Peter Sciretta takes a look back at Paul Thomas Anderson’s short film “The Legend of Dirk Diggler.” [/Film]

    • Condon and Mark tap Roger Goodman to helm the 81st annual Oscar telecast. [The Hollywood Reporter]

    • Gaynor Flynn spends some time with Debra Winger, assumed by some to be a shoo-in nominee for the worst five minutes of “Rachel Getting Married.” [The Independent]

    • Howard Feinstein talks “Synecdoche, New York” with the haunted and brilliant Charlie Kaufman. [indieWIRE]

    • Ditto Rachel Abramowitz. [Los Angeles Times]

    • Harrison Ford is crowned best movie President for his performance in “Air Force One.” [Reuters]

    • Mark Blankenship digs into the differences between “Billy Elliot” on stage and screen. [New York Times]

    • Karina Longworth has some nice remarks about our old friend Chad Hartigan and his feature debut “Luke and Brie are on a First Date,” currently playing the Hamptons Film Festival. [Spout Blog]

  • Not a home run but a delightful autumn gem

  • Make a movie, win a trip to Oz

    Win a trip to Australia

  • WEEKLY WRAP: ‘Button’ rises, ‘Torino’ surfaces, ‘Doubt’ swoops

    Apologies for the slightly delayed wrap. Much to discuss this week — here are the highlights:

    • With some formerly hot prospects now off the radar, this week’s Off the Carpet column surveys the landscape, and concludes that things look good for “Benjamin Button.”

    • “The Soloist” withdrew as the AFI fest opener; their loss is “Doubt”‘s gain.

    • With a trailer for “Gran Torino” finally emerging, we wonder if Clint Eastwood is the real frontrunner for Best Actor.

    • The Gotham Independent Film Awards unveiled the season’s first set of nominees — good news for titles like “Ballast” and “The Visitor.”

    • More impressions from the London Film Festival, including hot foreign-language contender “The Class.”

    • Still in London, we caught up with “Happy-Go-Lucky”‘s superb Best Supporting Actor contender, Eddie Marsan.

    • This week’s edition of Tech Support put Art Direction in the spotlight.

    • We were in a listmaking mood this week, rounding up some of the most scandalously unnominated actors of this era …

    • … while John Foote reminisced over his personal favourite movie moments.

    • And finally, who should host the Oscars? Our answer may surprise you.

  • Revealing ‘Coraline’

    Focus Features unveiled 30 minutes of Henry Selick’s “Coraline” today in Beverly Hills in two separate press events, and the material was as stunning as you would expect.

    Based on Neil Gaiman’s graphic novel of the same name, “Coraline” is Selick’s first fully stop-motion feature effort since “The Nightmare before Christmas” 14 years ago.  All of the puppets are hand-crafted, many of them on display during the reception that followed the footage, including this miniature set, featured in one of the scenes revealed today (forgive the crude iPhone shot — I wasn’t expecting such goodies):

    Minature set from Coraline

    Based on these fleeting moments, I’d say the film will be a creative dazzler.  The 3-D really pops without drawing attention to itself, and that’s a breath of fresh air after “Beowulf” failed to capitalize on the by now decades old technology in a similar fashion last year.  (How many “look, it’s in 3-D!!” moments did we really need in that thing anyway?).

    What’s more, the film seems to be carrying Gaiman’s eerie tale across properly, without a lot of fuss and with an eye toward preserving the author’s atmospheric intentions.

    Selick spoke brielfy beforehand and mingled afterward, but I had to leave before getting any face time with him myself.  The film is set to bow in February and will be part of an interesting duo of animated endeavors for Focus next year (along with “9”).  Can’t wait to see the rest.

  • On ‘Synecdoche’

    I’ve been pretty silent about my feelings on Charlie Kaufman’s “Synecdoche, New York” ever since I first saw the film a month ago.  I haven’t been coy, I just haven’t known how to qualify a film like this in a review format, and while I respect those whose job it is to convey such sentiments week in and week out, I think it’s a foolish exercise in this instance.

    Predictably, the film is splitting the critical masses as hordes of viewers wrestle with the idiosyncracies of Kaufman’s narrative.  I won’t comment on the brilliance of Manhola Dargis’s lede or the stupidity of Rex Reed’s assessment, but I will say this: count me in the “one of the year’s best” field.

    More in the year’s Top 10 column in December, no doubt.

  • Our hearts go out to Jennifer Hudson

    UPDATED (8:30 p.m.): The pain of confirmation here.

    EARLIER: What else can really be said?  Absolutely crushing.

  • Who should host the Oscars?

    Kevin SpaceyThis morning I linked to our friend John Campea at The Movie Blog who offered up a list of 15 possibilities for host of this year’s Oscar festivities.  Producers Bill Condon and Larry Mark are hard at work putting the show’s particulars together (when Condon has a few moments away from that Richard Pryor biopic he’s been writing), and sooner or later, an announcement will be made.

    I agree with a few of Campea’s suggestions.  George Clooney, for instance, is an inspired pick, the charmer of Hollywood without an enmy in the world — well, except for McCain supporters, I guess.  I also like the choice of Robert Downey Jr., though in 2008, it’s almost TOO on the nose.  Rounding out the big names that make sense, I’d be on board for Tom Hanks as well, always adept at working a crowd.  But Steve Carrell seems to lack the right prestigious “umph,” while Denzel Washington would prove to be too cardboard-stiff, I’d wager.

    We’ve been there and done that with Steve Martin, Ellen Degeneres and Jon Stewart — new blood would be preferable.  And Steven Colbert would be a false echo of Stewart’s attempts.  Will Ferrell and Ben Stiller — too silly.  Tina Fey — too one-note.  Jerry Seinfeld — too snooty.  And Ricky Gervais was a manifested pipe-dream from the start.  But I’d absolutely be on board if Condon and Mark want to hand over emcee duties to Uwe Boll.  Who wouldn’t??  But you might as well toss in Kelsey Grammer in full-blown Beast make-up as a co-host at that point.

    So the question remains: Who should be the host?  Who has the right amount of showmanship to off-set his dramatic faculties and keep the even keel a show like this needs?  Who has the right comedic reserve to tap into when necessary and who would absolutely light up the stage with his consistent determination to perform?

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  • “It was him. Him and his men. They shot him. Forever. The bullets kept hitting him. Forever.”

  • ‘Gran Torino’ trailer drops at Apple

    Click on the angry badass to check it out:

    Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino

  • EW Oscar chatter

    Dave Karger and Missy Schwartz of Entertainment Weekly have “formally” launched their Oscar Watch video show.  The duo will be looking at the Oscar race as it unfolds, digging into the contenders as they present themselves.  This week, it’s a look at Angelina Jolie and “Changeling,” Charlie Kaufman’s “Synecdoche, New York” and the cop drama “Pride and Glory.”  Check out the conversation here.

    Dave Karger

  • Is Clint Eastwood going to win his first acting Oscar?

    Clint Eastwood in Gran TorinoI’ve been mulling this over for a few weeks now, and though we all know it’s foolish to sit back and predict Oscar winners when the race is still developing a clear slate of nominees, I keep coming back to the amount of sense it makes for Clint Eastwood to take the gold this year for his upcoming leading performance in “Gran Torino.”

    Let’s look at the obvious factors first: competition. There is no agreed upon, media-charming performance going into the season that either has forged, or is expected to forge the kind of undeniable mass appeal that Jamie Foxx did in 2004, the last time Eastwood had a shot at an acting prize.

    Of the contenders most anticipate to be in play, only Sean Penn’s portrayal of Harvey Milk has the on-paper swagger, while Leonardo DiCaprio (despite generating considerable heat — I’ve heard one person say “it’s one of the best performances I’ve ever seen”) could spoil the party if he can push past the pretty boy image that fellow hopeful Brad Pitt will face.

    Mickey Rourke is the odds-on favorite heading into November for a nomination, but despite the brilliance of the performance and the film, there is the sense that the nod will be the reward. An Indie Spirit Award is probably in the cards, and if so, promises to be the usual kiss of death.

    Frank Langella, to round out my own predicted five, faces an uphill battle in gaining an Oscar to go along with his Tony for the same performance. Even with plenty of positive assessments, the potential to underwhelm is out there, in the open, and waiting to keep “Frost/Nixon” an also ran in multiple areas.

    Benicio Del Toro could be a real threat if the film finds the traction necessary to move into serious play, but it probably won’t be the event that Eastwood’s efforts will be. And the only other performance that really shouts for attention is Josh Brolin’s work in “W,” a film that could be yesterday’s news sooner than later.

    Then there is the chatter flying around that “Gran Torino” will be our last opportunity to see Eastwood perform on the screen, a swan song to his career as an actor. If so, what better way to cap off a hell of an autumn run than with a statue for his nearly six decades of achievements in front of the camera?

    The film will be emotional, and given the particulars of the script, the portrayal is sure to prove heartbreaking. It could be the stiff upper lip of an awards season that finds itself competing with the election year, a note of hope and even a demand for sacrifice.

    So I’ll just put it out there now: Clint Eastwood is going to win the Oscar for Best Actor come February. From where we sit right now, it just makes sense. But that’s the thing about “right now.” It changes.

    We’ll see…

    Have your say. Who do you predict to win the Oscar for Best Actor this year?

  • 10/24 Oscarweb Round-up

    Kate Winslet in The Reader• Dave Karger ponders a double nomination for Kate Winslet. [Oscar Watch]

    • Six of us all agree that “Slumdog Millionaire” is in this hunt to stay. [Gold Derby]

    • David Poland waxes on about the year’s film product amid the political season.  And somehow he thinks Clint Eastwood’s front-and-center, in-nearly-every-scene role in “Gran Torino” is “more interesting as a supporting actor.” [Movie City News]

    • Andrew Gnere talks to “Changeling” scribe J. Michael Straczynski. [Moviemaker Magazine]

    • 15 possible Oscar hosts. [The Movie Blog]

  • Just now getting to this…

    And I like it.  A proper representation of this whirlwind of a film:

    Fox Searchlight Pictures\' Slumdog Millionaire

  • Tom O gets the goods on the ‘Doubt’ AFI move from the horse’s mouth

    Tom O’Neil wants you to understand and be clear that he was in attendance at the uber-private “Doubt” screening in New York this evening, but he was able to get some choice quotes from the film’s producer, Scott Rudin, on the decision to bow the film at the AFI Fest one week from today.

    Here’s the meat:

    “It was a big gamble…It was hard enough to pull everything together in such a short time,” Rudin said, “but to do it before we even had the first industry reaction to the film — that was the hardest part. But we did it and I’m glad we did.”

  • ‘Doubt’ replaces ‘Soloist’ as AFI Fest’s opening night gala

    Meryl Streep in DoubtThe press release, in part:

    The festival will screen an unfinished version of DOUBT when it opens AFI FEST on Thursday, October 30, 2008, at ArcLight Hollywood’s Cinerama Dome Theatre. The Opening Night Gala is the film’s World Premiere and is presented by Audi of America…

    “The movie is still being finished, but we were so excited to show DOUBT and help our friends at AFI FEST and the American Film Institute at the same time. We couldn’t possibly pass up the opportunity,” said Miramax president Daniel Battsek.

    “We are grateful to Miramax Films and producers Scott Rudin and Mark Roybal for providing AFI the honor of premiering this highly anticipated, unfinished version of DOUBT.  There is no doubt that bringing together Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams in concert with the extraordinary talents of writer/director John Patrick Shanley promises an evening that will celebrate the finest in American film,” said Rose Kuo, AFI FEST Artistic Director.

    Truthfully, we should have seen this coming.  Of the major films that are basically completed and ready to go, it was the only possibility (though the “unfinished version” bit is made clear at throughout — hedging their bets).  “Milk” has its fancy San Francisco debut on Tuesday, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is too comfortable in its position as the year’s last minute wower.  “Revolutionary Road” is completed, but only just, while “Australia” is still in the editing lab.

    The New York screening of “Doubt” tonight is for friends and family with the original cast of the play in attendance and the film will be screening for trade press on Wednesday, just before AFI’s opening night the next day.  Perfect timing.

  • LONDON: “W,” “Genova,” “Il Divo” and more

    We’ve reached the midway point of the London Film Festival, and today’s big event is the European premiere of “W.” As I eavesdropped on assorted critics’ reactions coming out of the press screening this morning, the dominant feeling appeared to be one of pleasant surprise; I have a feeling the film may find a rather warmer reception here than in its home country.

    I’m still gathering my thoughts on the film, which I thought riveting in some respects and messy in others, though it’s clear Stone has transcended the limitations of Stanley Weiser’s script. Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks offer such persuasive, full-bodied characterisations that the Madame Tussaud’s quality of certain supporting players (Thandie Newton in particular) pales by contrast.

    With that, here’s another roundup of notable films from the last few days, beginning with yesterday’s starry but rather under-the-radar Mayor of London gala selection:

    GENOVA (**1/2)

    There is much to engage the eye and ear in “Genova,” the new film from restless Brit auteur Michael Winterbottom. A return to his usual, more organic directorial style after the disappointingly conventional “A Mighty Heart,” the new film teems with activity: from the loose, jazzy rhythms of the editing to the fragmented, eclectic soundtrack overlaying busy dialogue, and above all, superb location work that turns the labyrinthine alleys of the eponymous Italian coastal city into a playground of threat and desire.

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  • TECH SUPPORT: Best Art Direction — Volume One

    Tech Support at In ContentionThe Academy Award for Best Art Direction is somewhat of an odd category in that the art director does not actually receive a nomination or statuette.  Rather, the award is given to two individuals with unique roles in the crafting of a film’s sets.  The production designer heads up the entire art department, specifically in charge of set creation and design. The award also recognizes the set decorator, responsible for filling in the sets with details and dressing to bring them to life.

    Much like he costume designers, this branch tends to favor period and fantasy work, surely because such sets naturally draw attention to themselves.  It does tend, however, to be more kind to fantasy than the branch’s costume designing colleagues. It also usually prefers grandiose work and large-scale set pieces.

    Just as I believe is the case in Best Costume Design, Catherine Martin might be leading the way for “Australia” here this year. Martin, who won this category for “Moulin Rouge!” in 2001 and was also nominated for “William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet” five years earlier, will have the opportunity to create the interiors – and exteriors – of a rugged Australian outback filled with hubby Baz Lurhmann’s distinct vision.

    Donald Graham Burt has fashioned numerous contemporary films, or films set in the relatively recent past, in his career to date. With “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” he has the opportunity to visually wow us through eight decades of 20th century. The film, at the least, should be visually spectacular so I suspect Burt is looking extremely good for a nomination.

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