In Contention

Tag: Hugh Jackman

  • Ratings were up!

    From Nikki Finke at Deadline Hollywood Daily:

    News reports this morning say the 81st Academy Awards broadcast delivered increased ratings in the 50 or so biggest U.S. markets, up about 6% over 2008 which registered the lowest ratings in the history of the telecast. New York delivered the largest rating Sunday (34.1/49 share), followed by Chicago (31.2/46) and Los Angeles (28.1/44). For the night, ABC beat the combined household delivery of CBS, NBC and Fox by roughly 30%. If this holds (and a more complete Nielsen report will come out later today), then Oscars producers Larry Mark and Bill Condon, as well as host Hugh Jackman, and director Roger Goodman, and designer David Rockwell, did AMPAS proud by at least reversing the recent downward spiral.

    Here is the AP story she’s sourcing but not linking, mind you.  And lest she stop being herself, let it be known that Nikki hated the show.  I always get an icky feeling when I link to her…

  • A private function

    When all is said and done, it wasn’t an awards season that deserved a fireworks finish, so perhaps last night’s muted, largely tasteful, faintly insular ceremony was an appropriate summation. It ran smoothly enough, with a handful of novel distractions and a uniformly generous, empathetic spirit running through the night’s speeches –- but I’d be hard pressed to remember many notable ‘moments’ from last night’s proceedings a week from now, let alone years hence.

    Part of that stems from the fact that, as has been discussed ad nauseum on these and other pages, we had a less-than-stellar field of contenders to work with. But I’m afraid I must slide into the apparently tiny glass-half-empty minority on the show itself –- as efficiently and enthusiastically as the show unfolded, I simply didn’t find all that much to love about it. As Danny Boyle suggested in the midst of yet another boundless, winning acceptance speech (can we find something for him to win every year, please?), it looked like a blast for those present, but I’m not sure the clubby, “we’re all in this together” vibe really translated to the distance of a TV screen.

    After the cloak-and-dagger secrecy shrouding Bill Condon and Laurence Mark’s revised take on the Oscars, I must say I was expecting a slicker, more dramatic reworking of the format –- and on that front, I must say I was a little disappointed. Hugh Jackman was certainly a game, likeable emcee, but I wasn’t certain who the target audience for his big set pieces was. Equal parts Crystal-esque shtick and endearingly naff “let’s put on a show” razzle-dazzle, both elements seemed to me too dated to court the broader, younger, hipper viewership the Academy wanted. The Baz Luhrmann-staged musical number at the centre was fun in itself, but existed in a similar cultural vacuum, despite the presence of current pop phenomena like Beyonce or Zac Efron. For all the hype, this was familiar content.

    (more…)

  • ‘Slumdog’ takes 8 trophies as Oscar keeps it under 190 minutes

    Danny Boyle at the 81st annual Academy AwardsIn the final analysis, there isn’t much to say other than: What a captivating way to put a bow on the worst and, ultimately, most boring Oscar season of all time.  The 81st annual Academy Awards swiftly went down earlier this evening with few surprise winners and a classy new sheen.  It was captivating and, at times, inspiring.  Here are my thoughts on Hollywood’s biggest night:

    The winners
    I did extremely well with my predictions this year, nailing 21 of the 24 categories and making good with gambles in the foreign language film and short film categories.  I stuck with my heart on Mickey Rourke despite the smart money being on Sean Penn, but regardless of the strong desire to see the former holding an Oscar in his hands and delivering one more barn-burning speech, it is, of course, impossible to argue with Sean Penn’s expert work in “Milk.”  His heartfelt acceptance was a highlight and it all felt somehow more complete than it did five years ago.

    That “Departures” win took the wind out of the sails of one of the year’s most ingenious productions and yes, this is a committee that still needs a major overhaul.  I don’t think I could possibly say it enough.  That should take nothing away from Japan’s victory, mind you, because their submission is a delightful film that won’t deserve most of the ill will coming its way from those who haven’t even seen it.  But “Bashir” seems to have wrongfully faced an uphill battle from the start.

    The sound categories (hotly debated all week) proved once again that the Academy doesn’t understand the impact of mixers and editors on animated films.  “Slumdog Millionaire” took the mixing award (I’m kicking myself for changing that), while “The Dark Knight” took the sound editing trophy.

    Regarding those shorts, by the way, Pixar remains winless in the animated field since 2001’s “For the Birds” (the gorgeous “La Maison en Petits Cubes” rightly won tonight), while “Toyland,” with its ambitious structure (for a short) and obviously baity subject matter reigned supreme in live action.

    The only award I missed kind of irritated me, I have to admit: Best Documentary Short.  “Smile Pinki” took down what I thought to be the best of the field (and being the most cinematic, the most likely winner), Steve Okazaki’s “The Conscience of Nhem En.”  But there was a concerted publicity effort behind the former that maybe I should have paid more attention to.

    (More, plus a full list of tonight’s Oscar winners, after the jump.)

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  • Ebert gathers his thoughts

    Ahead of tonight’s ceremony, Roger Ebert has collected some final, scattered musings — among them, a modest semi-boast that he predicted tonight’s probable “Slumdog” victory a mere 60 seconds after seeing the film last summer.

    He also anticipates a successful hosting performance from Hugh Jackman (the combination of being both Australian and a youngest sibling bodes well, apparently), and shares my inkling about Viola Davis:  

    I choose Davis because her performance provided, for me, one of those rare Yes!! moments, when an actor appears on the screen, electrifies you, and makes you intensely happy. A lot of people must have shared that feeling, I reasoned.

    Which performance is objectively better is of course beside the point. You can’t grade art objectively. It is worth reflecting that many best actor winners over the years have likely not scored a simple majority in their categories. We’ll never know who lost by one vote. The secret ballots have been called a rebuke to democracy, but there is nothing democratic about it. If there was, there should be primaries.

    Fair enough. I must admit that if I was using “Yes!!” moments as my criteria, I’d be predicting Marisa Tomei, but I have yet to hear anyone breathe even a word of criticism about Davis’ performance. Almost a pity that one of the night’s most exciting contests will be settled right off the bat.

  • Hugh practices for the big night

    (Thanks to Jack.)

  • ‘The nightclub of your dreams’

    Hugh Jackman talks Academy Awards here, admitting he’s a little biased towards Heath Ledger in this year’s race (though frankly, who isn’t?), and dropping more hints about the more intimate atmosphere promised at this year’s Academy Awards:

    Obviously I’m not a standup comedian and generally there’s been comedians who are actors as well (who) have been doing it for the last however many years. So there’s not the same pressure. I don’t think people expect me to come out and do seven minutes of bang-bang-bang jokes. … They really just encourage me to do what I feel I do best. It’s a night to have a feeling of celebration, of community.

    The look of the theater is very different. It’s more like the nightclub of your dreams. It’s very intimate. … It’s got to be a lot closer. It’s been a little austere in the past. You know, there’s that stage, the host being up above the stalls, looking down at everybody. … But this is a lot more intimate. It’s still spectacular, being in the Kodak Theatre. But it’s a real difference in the way things are laid out.

    It sounds like a lovely set-up for the guests. I just hope they’ve given enough thought to how it plays on TV — what feels “clubby” to people in the room could feel remote to those watching at home. I do trust Bill Condon and Laurence Mark, of all people, to retain a sense of glamour and spectacle. And I still believe Jackman has the star magnetism to bring it home. But the sheer amount of changes proposed this year gives me the feeling this is either going to be a roaring success or a crashing failure. Fingers crossed.

  • 2/11 Oscarweb Round-up

    Hugh Jackman• The first Oscar promo pic of Hugh Jackman. [Just Jared]

    • David Steinberg writes up Johnny Carson’s Oscar hosting legacy. [Los Angeles Times Magazine]

    • David Carr ponders the lead actress race. [The Carpetbagger]

    • Tom O’Neil conveys a case for Amy Adams in “Doubt.” [Gold Derby]

    • Dave Karger needs Oscar campaigns to get out of the way in order to enjoy “The Reader.” [Entertainment Weekly]

    • Mark Olsen chats with “Doubt” star Philip Seymour Hoffman. [The Envelope]

    • Michael Ordoña, meanwhile, gets some face time with Marisa Tomei. [The Envelope]

    • Christopher Campbell goes all in for “Milk”‘s original screenplay. [Spout Blog]

    • Maria Puente reports on the interior design of Oscar’s green room. [USA Today]

    • Anne Thompson spotlights the magazine rack’s Oscar issues. [Thompson on Hollywood]

  • Hugh Jackman finally talks his Oscar hosting gig

    Hugh JackmanIn the first interview I’ve come across where he talks at length about his upcoming Oscar emcee gig, Hugh Jackman talks to ABC’s OntheRedCarpet.com about memories watching Johnny Carson and Billy Crystal hosting the show, plans for a “twist” in the natural order of things and his overall philosophy on the job at hand.  It’s a fascinating four-and-a-half minute video well worth a look (and listen).

    Here are some highlights:

    It’s one of those nights where it seems the whole world takes the night off and enjoys the show.  What I was most excited about was, and I don’t want to give anything away, but there’s a twist this year.  I feel like I’m part of something new, part of a new initiative, a new era.  It feels like [Oscarcast producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon] are guiding me in a way that will make the show fun and quicker.

    We say “host” here, but in my country we would call it an “emcee” or a “master of ceremonies.”  Your job is to ensure that everyone has the best time possible and has a great night.  I don’t feel the show should be about the host.  My role is to keep the night flowing, fun, to keep it inclusive.  I have a game plan, I have a number of stuff written and things like that but at the same time I think it’s also important as the host to be ready to go with whatever happens.  I think my experience in theater is no matter what you’re doing, you want to give people that sense that anything can happen, and let’s face it, at the Oscars, anything can.

    Check out the video here.

  • When will they learn?

    In the gloomiest piece of awards-related news I’ve heard this week, it turns out that this year’s BAFTA awards will be hosted, once again, by the smug talent vacuum that is Jonathan Ross. (“Who?” I hear you American readers asking. Answer: you’re better off not knowing.)

    I understand that BAFTA hasn’t the budget or the resources to compete with the Academy Awards when it comes to putting on a show. However, if they want to be a truly international ceremony — as they claim they are — it might be worth hiring a host who can potentially draw an international audience.

    You know, someone who is actually known outside of Britain. Someone who has a halfway credible industry profile. Someone who is actually funny. Not that I’m not naming names, of course.

    Chances are Ross will perform no better and no worse this year than he has previously. (Which is to say, he’ll be as reliably excruciating as always.) But in a year when the Oscars have really upped the ante in their choice of host, BAFTA’s resistance to change is all the more embarrassing.

     

  • 12/29 Oscarweb Round-up

    Scarlett Johansson• Anita Singh looks at the upcoming year of the dog for British movie-goers, including “Beverly Hills Chihuahua,” “Bolt,” “Marley and Me” and “Wendy and Lucy.” [Daily Telegraph]

    • “A Christmas Tale” tops Andrew O’Hehir’s list of the 10 best indie films of 2008. [Beyond the Multiplex]

    • Jonathan Miles talks to newly minted Oscar host Hugh Jackman about “Australia” down under in Sydney. [The Times]

    • “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” screenwriter Eric Roth sues his investment manager for “losing a bundle” in businessman Bernie Madoff’s ill-fated Ponzi scheme. [New York Daily News]

    • Speaking of “Button,” Brad Brevet takes a deeper look at two negative assessments of the film. [Rope of Silicon]

    • James Rocchi chats with “Reader” director Stephen Daldry. [Cinematical]

    • Scarlett Johansson: the reluctant sex symbol. [The Times]

    • Susan King chats with Zoe Kazan about her role in “Revolutionary Road.” [Los Angeles Times]

  • 12/17 Oscarweb Round-up

    Roger Ebert• Jeff Wells knows how to fix “Valkyrie” after the fact. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • John Campea suffers through the worst films of the year. [The Movie Blog]

    • Scientists claim that real-life relationships can’t live up to those in the movies. [Daily Telegraph]

    • Rob Turbovsky says biopics are hijacking real life for narrative gain. [Rope of Silicon]

    • David Poland spends 30 minutes with “Che” star Benicio Del Toro. [The Hot Blog]

    • Kelley L. Carter reports from Monday night’s rainy “Revolutionary Road” premiere. [USA Today]

    • Roger Ebert gets lifetime honorary membership in the DGA. [Associated Press]

    • Reed Johnson covers the making of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” [The Envelope]

    • Mark Olsen, meanwhile, catches up with David Kross and his coming of age in “The Reader.” [The Envelope]

    • Tom O’Neil finally gets around to why Hugh Jackman is the perfect choice for Oscar host. [Gold Derby]

    • Dave Karger makes a sound argument for the Best Picture exclusion of “Doubt” and “Revolutionary Road” with 42 West honcho Cynthia Swartz’s stretch for a counter argument based totally on things that…haven’t happened yet. [Entertainment Weekly]

    • Karina Longworth lists the top 10 unreleased films of the year. [Spout Blog]

  • 12/16 Oscarweb Round-up

    Jeff Goldblum• Jeff Wells shows his annual true colors, wants to know who should be taken down a peg of the agreed-upon Oscar contenders. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Tom O’Neil reports on a leaked Academy screener. [Gold Derby]

    • David Carr boils the season down to a couple of “mortal locks.” [The Carpetbagger]

    • Todd Longwell profiles NBR award-winning “Gran Torino” scribe Nick Schenk. [Hollywood Reporter]

    • Xan Brooks says his heart goes out to newly chosen Oscar host Hugh Jackman, whose hands are certainly full. [The Guardian]

    • Susan Wloszczyna catches up with “The Wrestler” star Mickey Rourke on the set of “13.” [USA Today]

    • Chris Sullivan profiles “Che” star Benicio Del Toro. [The Independent]

    • One reason might be because you’re an editor-in-chief and would be moving into the territory of your publication’s critics, but what do I know? [Peter Bart]

    • Christopher Campbell calls for some notice for “Milk” supporting actor Diego Luna. [Spout Blog]

    • Bilge Ebiri talks to Jeff Goldblum about his role in “Adam Resurrected,” among other things. [Vulture]

    • Dave Karger could chat all day with “Last Chance Harvey” star Dustin Hoffman. [Entertainment Weekly]

  • “You’re so money and you don’t even know it.”

    Hugh Jackman in AustraliaTim Gray has put together a typical response piece to the Hugh Jackman emcee news over at Variety, but the real interesting bits are as follows:

    “[W]e are trying to turn a corner and to give the evening more of a nightclub-party feel — which it once had,” said the show’s producer Laurence Mark.

    And…

    “Hugh will entertain the audience throughout the show,” [Oscarcast executive producer Bill] Condon said. Jackman’s goal, as theirs, is “to keep the show hot throughout, to make it communal and great fun.”

    I always knew guys like Spacey, Clooney and Jackman made sense as an Oscar host, but I never could really put into words why.  But it’s starting to click.  Jackman and the rest, they are perfect “master of ceremonies” types, yes, but they’re also the kind of guys you can totally see as a soiree host with the most, bouncing around an intimate gathering and asking, “How’s the tuna tar-tar?”  Things like that.  Mark’s “nightclub” quote nails it and I have to say, it’s nice to see him and Condon taking this so seriously and with the height of class.

    Better and better…

    Meanwhile, Mary McNamara has a wandering Envelope piece up that reads like a “who should host” story that had to be rethought after the Jackman news hit.  Whether that’s true or not, I can’t be sure, but it’s a tally of stars to fill the hours on the show…I think.

  • In honor of our newly minted Oscar host

    Though I wish they’d “officially” release this thing already.  It’s attached to prints of “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” so feel free to sneak in and half a look before ducking out of that atrocity.  Personally, I think it kicks ass, but I’m as aware of this troubled production as the next guy, so here’s hoping:

  • WEEKLY WRAP: Jackman hosting, Globes puzzling, Hawkins rising

    • After months of speculating, we finally have an Oscar host … and his name is Hugh Jackman. Bouquets all round.

    • Obviously, the Golden Globe nominations were the week’s biggest news. They offered their usual dose of wacky surprises — principally the near shut-out of “Milk.”

    • Sticking with the Globes, we got some of the nominees’ reactions here, before offering a subjective take on the rights and wrongs of this year’s slate.

    • Elsewhere in the precursors, the Los Angeles Film Critics threw up the most unexpected — and contentious — pick of the awards race so far, handing their top prize to “WALL-E.”

    • Their New York counterparts played it safer, giving Best Picture to “Milk,” but they had their own surprise package in the shape of “Happy-Go-Lucky.”

    • Meanwhile, the latter film’s star, Sally Hawkins, emerged as a genuine threat in the Best Actress race, taking awards from both groups. We interviewed her here.

    • The Broadcast Film Critics announced their nominations — which were more interesting for what they left out (“Revolutionary Road” in particular) than what they kept in.

    • In a rare mea culpa from the Academy’s music branch, the disqualification of “The Dark Knight”‘s score was thankfully reversed.

    • We chatted to the man who has so far enjoyed the smoothest ride through awards season: “Man on Wire” helmer James Marsh.

    • As the prospect of an acting victory for Clint Eastwood hovers in the background, this week’s edition of The Lists examines which noteworthy actors have won for less notheworthy work.

  • Hugh Jackman named Oscar host

    The news is out — the Australian thesp and “Sexiest Man Alive” will host February’s 81st Academy Awards.

    And why not? He’s charismatic, well-liked by all, a bona fide movie star and a genuine showman who has proved his mettle at this short of thing before by hosting the Tony Awards (and winning an Emmy for his pains).

    I’ve always said the Oscar host doesn’t necessarily need to be a comedian — it needs to be someone urbane, witty and relatable, who can deliver good material and keep things running at a fair clip. I have no doubt that Jackman can pull that off, and the fact that he’s an able song-and-dance man will no doubt come in handy.

    Meanwhile, add the fact that more young viewers actually know who he is, and that more female viewers (hell, more male viewers too) will probably tune in for the eye candy, and this fits neatly with the strategy to boost telecast ratings. But it’s no dumbing-down move either: Jackman is an old-fashioned Hollywood star who should keep the traditionalists happy.

    I’ve always thought George Clooney would be the ideal choice, while Kris imaginatively plumped for Kevin Spacey a while back, but the choice of Jackman is a clear move in a similar direction. Good call, Bill Condon.

  • 11/26 Oscarweb Round-up

    WALL-E• Jeff Wells is beside himself because Oscar prognosticators understand “Che” has a snowball’s chance in hell at a best Picture nomination. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Noah Forrest podcasts “Changeling” screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski. [Movie City News]

    • Anne Thompson gets the “Australia” goods from Hugh Jackman. [Thompson on Hollywood]

    • Tom O’Neil, meanwhile, wonders if pundits are underestimating the film…nah. [Gold Derby]

    • The economy takes a bite out of one of the season’s biggest Oscar bashes. [Vanity Fair]

    • Pete Hammond is a party pooper, makes sure we all understand a SAG strike could put a damper on the season. [Notes on a Season]

    • Nathaniel Rogers talks to “Rachel Getting Married” gals Rosemarie DeWitt and Jenny Lumet. [The Film Experience]

    • Peter Bart joins my Brandon Walters bandwagon, says director Baz Luhrmann has created a star. [Peter Bart]

    • Kevin Kelly talks to “WALL-E” and “Star Wars” sound whiz Ben Burtt. [Spout Blog]

    • Patrick Goldstein digs into the emotional chill factor of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” [The Big Picture]

    • A Harvey Milk Cliff’s Notes for your “Milk” screening preparations. [USA Today]

  • The first time??

    Hugh Jackman in Australia

    He’s talking about his latest movie — Australia, Baz Luhrmann’s epic romantic adventure set against the backdrop of a massive WWII-era cattle drive — and his lead role as an enigmatic figure known only as the Drover. But, come on: Doesn’t the guy have, like, a real name?

    “Ah,” the 40-year-actor replies with the playful purr of a cat that recently dined on a tasty canary, “I can’t reveal that, my friend. That is a very , very good question — no one’s asked me that one, yet — but I can’t reveal it. He’s known as the Drover because, basically, that’s his job. And it’s a very fitting name, because he’s an outsider, and he’s known for what he does best. Which is being a drover — or, if he were an American, a cowboy. And he’s just so synonymous with what he does that that’s all he’s ever been known as. But as for his name — well, of course, I do know. But I can’t reveal what exactly will happen there.”

    From the latest issue of Cowboys & Indians magazine, featuring a cover story interview with Hugh Jackman.