In Contention

Tag: guild awards

  • DGA nominees

    DGAI think we’re locked and loaded, folks…

    David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
    Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight”
    Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”
    Gus Van Sant, “Milk”
    Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”

    What more is there to add at this point?  This is where John Shanley needed to show up if there was any more hope for “Doubt.”  This is where Darren Aronofsky needed to stake a claim if there was any Best Picture juice in “The Wrestler.”  Ditto Stephen Daldry and “The Reader,” I guess.  But with this, I think the consensus has become overwhelming and a bit difficult to ignore.

  • Cinema Audio Society nominees

    Cinema Audio Society awardThe five contenders for the 2009 Cinema Audio Society (CAS) Awards are:

    “The Dark Knight”
    “Iron Man”
    “Quantum of Solace”
    “Slumdog Millionaire”
    “WALL-E”

    So this is the second “Defiance” snub that has surprised me so far, following Eduardo Serra coming up short with the lensers earlier today.

    “The Dark Knight,” “Iron Man” and especially “WALL-E” were certainly expected, but the show of support for “Slumdog Millionaire” indicates the deep industry love this film has going for it.  I wouldn’t necessarily expect this to translate to a Best Sound Oscar nomination, given the fates of films like “Finding Neverland,” “Crash,” “Babel” and “Into the Wild,” Best Picture frontrunners that scored with CAS but missed with AMPAS (though “Wild” is something of an anomaly there).

    Then again, “Slumdog” is a much more craftily conceived piece of filmmaking than those efforts.  I thought the sound was amazing, personally.  So perhaps this could be the first year since 2003 that the guild matches the Academy’s picks 5/5.

    The inclusion of “Quantum of Solace” is particularly interesting, though.  “Casino Royale” had a solid showing in the 2006 guild circuit, scoring with the art directors, costume designers, sound editors and even the visual effects artists.  But the mixers in the CAS gave it the cold shoulder where a lot of us thought the film had its best shot.  That the Society would tip its hat to the sequel is somewhat telling, I’d say.

    With that in mind, I’d be tempted to predict this quintet for Oscar as well.  The only Edward Zwick movie to miss a CAS nomination and turn up in the Academy’s tally was “Legends of the Fall” in 1994.  So there is still hope for mixing legends (and branch favorites) Anna Behlmer and Andy Nelson.  But the duo also have two other contenders in play: “Australia” and “Cloverfield,” which might be leaving their colleagues with too many choices.

    There are a number of other possible surprise nominees in the mix, all of them featuring respected sound mixing talent.  Add to the aforementioned “Australia,” “Defiance” and “Cloverfield” (my pick for the best work here in 2008) “Body of Lies” and “Valkyrie,” and you’re still looking at a number of possibilities.  And let’s not forget another Best Picture frontrunner, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” strong in this arena in a number of sequences.  But I would have expected a mention here if it was in the cards for Oscar.

    Like I said, this is a smart list to bet on, with “Defiance” as the spoiler.

  • WGA nominees

    WGAOriginal Screenplay
    “Burn After Reading” (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen)
    “Milk” (Dustin Lance Black)
    “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (Woody Allen)
    “The Visitor” (Thomas McCarthy)
    “The Wrestler” (Robert Siegel)

    Adapted Screenplay
    “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Eric Roth; screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord; based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald)
    “The Dark Knight” (Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan; screen story by Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer; based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics; Batman created by Bob Kane)
    “Doubt” (John Patrick Shanley; based on his stage play)
    “Frost/Nixon” (Peter Morgan; based on his stage play)
    “Slumdog Millionaire” (Simon Beaufoy; based on the novel “Q and A” by Vikas Swarup)

    Documentary
    “Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story” (Stefan Forbes, Noland Walker)
    “Chicago 10” (Brett Morgan)
    “Fuel” (Johnny O’Hara)
    “Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson” (Alex Gibney; from the words of Hunter S. Thompson)
    “Waltz With Bashir” (Ari Folman)

    So, the lesson?  “The Dark Knight” is in this thing for real now.  As I said last night, this was going to be the real test.  “I wanted to see what you’d do.  And you didn’t disappoint.”  The rest of the adapted screenplay nominees will likely translate to Oscar 5/5, but I somehow doubt the Coen brothers will turn their guild mention into an Oscar berth.  Remember, the WGA likes comedies, so “Burn After Reading” was always going to have a leg up here.

    More love for “The Wrestler,” and though it’s not entirely unexpected, I must say it was a pleasant surprise.  And we all figured Thomas McCarthy would find love with the same group that nomianted him for 2003’s “The Station Agent.”  He may or may not translate that into an Oscar nomination, but it’s certainly a good possibility.

    And remember, animated films are not eligible, so “WALL-E” still has a shot at sliding in.  Maybe.  It is, indeed, the most critically acclaimed film of the year, but it’s a slightly different case than “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo” and “Ratatouille,” I think.

    Biggest snub: “Rachel Getting Married” (very odd, but frankly, a welcome exclusion)
    Needed this one bad: “In Bruges” (the studio is trying hard); “The Reader” (that Scripter nod might have provided elevated hopes)

    Anyway, I think Christopher Nolan’s DGA nomination is pretty much in the bag tomorrow.  I’d be tempted to call the Best Picture five a done deal after that, but we must always remember “Almost Famous and “Being John Malkovich,” two films that landed nominations from the PGA, DGA, WGA and a grabbed a SAG ensemble mention, yet failed to make into Oscar’s Best Picture five.  And “The Dark Knight” didn’t even get the SAG Ensemble nod, so “Doubt” is still lurking.  It ain’t over yet.

  • Guessing the DGA

    Directors Guild of AmericaSo, with SAG, PGA and ASC out of the way, and with WGA still to come in a matter of hours, I guess it’s worth mentioning that the big daddy guild is announcing tomorrow: the Directors Guild of America (DGA).  Now’s as good a time as any to take a stab at guessing the nominees…

    The DGA has been one hell of an Oscar Best Picture barometer for the last decade or so.  Last year was the first real hiccup as the guild only nailed three of the eventual five nominees with their director choices.  2006 saw one misfire (but we all still figured “Dreamgirls” was in around this time two years ago).  Then it was four years in a row five-for-five until we have another hiccup, Ridley Scott making it in for “Black Hawk Down” and Christopher Nolan (in the mix again this year) for “Memento.”

    After that, the general trend was four-for-five with some 100 percents thrown in here and there, but you get the picture.  This is, more often than not, quite the prognosticative (that’s so not a word) guild.  With the PGA clearly establishing a consensus of sorts (not that those five films haven’t been the obvious contenders for weeks upon weeks), I see no real reason to get creative right now, so I’m going with the following:

    David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
    Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight”
    Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”
    Gus Van Sant, “Milk”
    Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”

    There are only two filmmakers that I think have a shot of cracking this quintet: Woody Allen for “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and, perhaps more so, Darren Aronofsky for “The Wrestler.”  John Patrick Shanley and “Doubt” showing up would truly shock me and Andrew Stanton is not eligible for “WALL-E,” so the field is rather thin.

    What are you thinking?

  • WGA nominations land at noon

    Just got off the phone with the WGA press office and they told me noon on the website for the nominations announcement.  If they land before then, someone must have an exclusive, but that’s the info I have, so sleep it off for another two hours, folks.

  • ASC nominees

    Ralph Fiennes in The ReaderThe American Society of Cinematographers have announced their annual list of nominees, which are:

    “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Claudio Miranda)
    “The Dark Knight” (Wally Pfister)
    “The Reader” (Roger Deakins and Chris Menges)
    “Revolutionary Road” (Roger Deakins)
    “Slumdog Millionaire” (Anthony Dod Mantle)

    I’m pleasantly surprised by the “Reader” inclusion.  Though I didn’t care for the film, one of the first things I noted was the sublime photography.  This could carry over to Oscar, but I must say I’m somewhat surprised Eduardo Serra’s beautiful work in “Defiance” was excluded.  Harris Savides, meanwhile, continues to come up short with his peers despite being the best in the game (and many of his peers would say the same thing, which makes it all the more baffling).  And the “Australia” snub is hardly surprising since Mandy Walker’s work never reached the level many anticipated.

    But all this brings me to a question I’ve had racing through my head for some time now: could Claudio Miranda be the one of this lot snubbed of an Oscar nod?  The Academy has shown a bias against digital photography where the guild hasn’t.  “Apocalypto” and “Collateral,” you’ll recall, failed to translate their ASC nomiantions into AMPAS love, so it’s certainly something to consider.

    WGA on the way…

  • PGA nominations announced

    Well, it seems I was off by one.  Could this be the first year ever that the PGA matches with Oscar 5/5?  We’ll soon find out.  DGA on Thursday (the real precursor to watch), as well as the BFCA Awards.

    And the nominees are:

    Motion Picture
    “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
    “The Dark Knight”
    “Frost/Nixon”
    “Milk”
    “Slumdog Millionaire”

    Animated
    “Bolt”
    “Kung Fu Panda”
    “WALL-E”

    Documentary
    “Man on Wire”
    “Trouble the Water”
    “Standard Operating Procedure”

  • PGA noms coming next week

    Producers Guild of AmericaThe Producers Guild of America announces its nominees Monday.  Then the DGA wraps up the big three (after PGA and SAG) on Thursday.  I expect “The Dark Knight” is a no-brainer nominee here and the likely winner.  After that, I’d say “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Slumdog Millionaire” are likely, especially in the case of the former, what with producing powerhouses Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall (the former popping up here last year for “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” in something of a surprise).

    After that it gets a bit tricky.  I’d be tempted to think “WALL-E” will turn up here like “The Incredibles” in 2004.  Box office + critical acclaim + major awards consideration, all that.  But with the animated category being instituted a few years back, that scenario becomes less likely.

    There isn’t much that screams PGA about “Doubt” or, to a lesser extent, “Revolutionary Road.”  But Scott Rudin did well enough with two films last year.  “Milk” and “Frost/Nixon” might be a decent bets, but surely something will pop up in the way of the unexpected.  I just can’t put my finger on what that will be.  Since the group began a nominations format, the eventual five Best Picture nominees have never been assembled in the PGA collective, and that includes 2002 and 2003, the two years that netted six nominees.

    “Iron Man” popping up wouldn’t be a shock.  “The Wrestler” could be a nice indie call, but I think it’s doubtful.  Ah screw it, I’m going to go with the following, including a “Milk” snub that is most likely a mistake:

    “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Ceán Chaffin, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall)
    “The Dark Knight” (Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas)
    “Frost/Nixon” (Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard)
    “Revolutionary Road” (Bobby Cohen, John Hart, Sam Mendes, Scott Rudin)
    “Slumdog Millionaire” (Christian Colson, Paul Ritchie)

    What are your predictions?

  • ‘Doubt’ leads with five SAG noms

    Amy Adams in Doubt(Apologies for the delay getting these up this morning.  I had technical difficulties signing in and had to scoot shortly after the announcement.  Here are the belated nominees with commentary.)

    The Screen Actors Guild didn’t have much up its sleeve this morning for its heavily anticipated nominations announcement.  No left-field zingers, no “3:10 to Yuma” or “Station Agent” surprises, just a slick rundown of the season’s favorites so far.

    Looking deeper into the categories, we can point to a number of things.  The fact that “Doubt” leads the way is no surprise, since all four principles from the cast were nominated and, therefore, the film landed a nod for Best Ensemble.  But praise for the acting, even if that represents the biggest branch of the Academy, isn’t necessarily enough.  Will the other branches be on board for this as a “film,” or will they simply see it for what it is: a photographed play with no creative bridge to the screen?

    Dev Patel’s nomination for Best Supporting Actor is the boost he needed for Oscar, though it should be noted that the SAG likes to nominate younger actors.  Dakota Fanning, Jamie Bell, etc.  Also, it’s worth noting that Taraji P. Henson received three nominations this morning, two for her performance in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (supporting actress and ensemble) and one as part of the “Boston Legal” ensemble on the TV side of things.  Congratulations to one sweetheart of a girl.

    The absence of Sally Hawkins is a bit distressing, however.  Especially when you consider the fact that the actress categories tend to go five-for-five with the Academy.  That could of course change this year as both fields are more competitive than usual, but seemingly a sure-thing after her critics awards bonanza, it seems the lovely Hawkins is back on the bubble.

    “Revolutionary Road” is, sad to say, officially on life-support, if the night nurse hasn’t already tripped on the chord and yanked it from the wall entirely.  One nomination for Kate Winslet, nothing for Leonardo DiCaprio, nothing for the brilliant Michael Shannon.  The industry doesn’t seem to be responding to this film.  So I think the likely five have finally slid into place, and “Doubt” remains the spoiler.

    The nominees after the jump.

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  • How about some SAG predictions?

    Screen Actors Guild awardWith tomorrow’s SAG announcement hovering, waiting to be the first true litmus test of what the industry thinks of the year’s product (being the first guild out of the gate), I thought I’d take a stab at predictions, fit with alternates for old times’ sake.

    I think this will be the first real trial for a film like “The Dark Knight,” virtually assured a nomination for Heath Ledger in supporting actor, but will the ensemble be taken seriously enough?  Better yet, can another of the film’s cast, like, say, Gary Oldman, show up with a surprise mention?

    Meanwhile, Kate Winslet has been coasting with critics’ nomiations for her performance in “The Reader,” but I’m not completely sold yet.  It’s a great portrayal, but that’s a stacked category that could go a number of ways.  Still, the SAG tends to correctly anticipated the Academy’s list of nominees in both actress categories, so when the names are called tomorrow morning, start locking them away and taking them to the bank.

    Speaking of Winslet, “Revolutionary Road” could really use another shot in the arm.  A nomination for Best Ensemble is somewhat crucial, I think, and would be indicative of deep support for the film from the actors, many of which share membership in AMPAS.  I could see anywhere from five nods (including an ensemble bid and notices for Michael Shannon and Kathy Bates), to a mere two (for Winslet and co-star Leonardo DiCaprio).

    One last note, I’m going out on a limb by predicting a Clint Eastwood snub.  I’m probably wrong but the actor’s fellow thesps didn’t vouch for him in 2004 when the Academy did, so it could play out similarly this year.  We’ll know in due time.

    For now, here’s how I see things panning out:

    Best Actor
    Leonardo DiCaprio, “Revolutionary Road”
    Richard Jenkins, “The Visitor”
    Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon”
    Sean Penn, “Milk”
    Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”
    (alt.: Josh Brolin, “W.”)

    (more…)

  • TECH SUPPORT: Gleaning the guilds

    Tech Support at In ContentionIt’s been three weeks since the last “Tech Support” column. For that, my apologies. In the meantime, we’ve had Thanksgiving, the NBR, the LAFCA, the NYFCC, the BFCA and the Golden Globes to keep us entertained.

    The Screen Actors Guild is the first guild to announce its nominees and will do so next week. Between then and the date the Oscar nominations are announced, the various crafts guilds will also announce their nominees.

    The guilds have a knack of shaking up the race, even more so than the Globes. The guilds have crossover membership with the Academy, which is incredibly important in predicting AMPAS nominees. The American Cinematographers Society (ASC), the American Cinema Editors (ACE), the Art Directors Guild (ADG), the Costume Designers Guild (CDG) and the Cinema Audio Society (CAS) all have a tendency to accurately predict the eventual Oscar nominees –- and often, winners –- in their respective categories.

    So what to expect from these groups when they announce their nominees in January?

    The ASC has what is probably the best correlation of any guild-to-Oscar nominees. Every year, at least three, usually four, of its five nominees tend to be cited by AMPAS.  Last year, all five nominees were cited by both groups.  This year, I would expect Roger Deakins (a guild favorite) to be nominated for “Revolutionary Road.” The living legend of cinematographers lensed what seems to be a major player among this year’s contenders. Moreover, the work has his customized style and class.

    Claudio Miranda (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) and Anthony Dod Mantle (“Slumdog Millionaire”) also seem primed for citations from this guild and AMPAS. Though awards have not been common in their careers to date, both are working on films which are leading the Oscar race so far. Moreover, the cinematography on both films is incredibly showy and Mantle has already been awarded by the NYFCC for his efforts. Miranda may face difficulty come Oscar time due to the use of visual effects to brush up his work. But that tends to be less of a problem from the guilds.

    (more…)

  • Cinema Audio Society to vet Dennis Maitland, Paul Mazursky

    The Cinema Audio SocietyThe Cinema Audio Society (CAS) has announced plans to honor esteemed but wrongfully Oscar-snubbed sound mixer Dennis Maitland and Oscar-nominated writer and director Paul Mazursky at this year’s CAS Awards, set to be held on February 14.  Here is the press release, in part:

    In keeping with the synergy of the three previous CAS Filmmaker and Career Achievement recipients, Maitland and Mazursky both have distinguished individual careers which have overlapped on many projects resulting in wonderful collaborations on several films including the Oscar® Nominated AN UNMARRIED WOMAN, TEMPEST, WILLIE AND PHIL and MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON.

    In making this announcement, CAS President Edward L. Moskowitz said “We are thrilled to present both our Career Achievement and our Filmmaker Award to two consummate filmmakers who have contributed so much to filmmaking and brought us so many enjoyable and prestigious projects. This is what the CAS awards endeavor to acknowledge and this year we have hit another home run.”

    Maitland has worked on more than 80 feature films including the critically acclaimed and Oscar® nominated: AS GOOD AS IT GETS, THE PRINCE OF TIDES, MOONSTRUCK, PRIZZI’S HONOR, …AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, LENNY, THE PAWNBROKER, THE WAY WE WERE, THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR and SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER to name a few

    As the 27th recipient of the Cinema Audio Society’s highest honor, Mr. Maitland joins an illustrious group of past honorees that include: Ray Dolby, Robert Altman, Jack Solomon, John Bonner, Bill Varney, Don Rogers, Walter Murch, Jim Webb, Richard Portman, Tomlinson Holman, Mike Minkler, Ed Greene and Dennis Sands.

  • James Earl Jones and the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award

    James Earl JonesI’m two days behind in writing something up about this.  The press release landed Thursday but I haven’t been able to squeeze in two minutes to comment.  I’ll just link The Envelope for the story, which takes this quote from the release:

    “James Earl Jones’ distinguished career on stage, in film, on television, in commercials and as a vocal presence without peer commands our admiration and respect,” SAG President Alan Rosenberg said. “His long and quiet devotion to advancing literacy, the arts and humanities on a national and local scale deserves our appreciation. It is our honor to bestow the Guild’s highest tribute on this extraordinary actor.”

    Very cool news.  Jones always been an actors’ favorite, going back to his SAG nomination in the guild’s first awards year, 1995, for “Cry, the Beloved Country,” when almost all other awards-giving bodies ignored his work in the film.  The clip reel should be fun, everything from “The Great White Hope” to “Star Wars” to, fingers crossed, “The Sandlot.”

    Big congrats to Mr. Jones.  It’s been a long time coming.