In Contention

Tag: polls

  • POLL: Who gets the fifth supporting actress slot?

    One of the interesting things about this morning’s BAFTA announcement is that it scattered the already fluid Best Supporting Actress category to the winds.  Nominations for Barbara Hershey, Miranda Richardson and Lesley Manville put them in the hunt with contenders like Mila Kunis and Jacki Weaver for what appears to be an up-for-grabs fifth slot.

    Anne and I will probably address this at length in Friday’s final pre-nods Oscar Talk, but it seemed a good bet for a poll update as well.  Surprises happen.  And you risk being crazy to think outside-the-box (as in, last year, when everyone thought I was out to lunch for thinking Maggie Gyllenhaal had a chance).

    In the left sidebar, I’ve listed the five competitors that seem most likely to battle it out for a chance to join Melissa Leo, Amy Adams, Helena Bonham Carter and Hailee Steinfeld (who herself could suddenly fall lead) in the Best Supporting Actress category this year, as well as the NSFC-winning Olivia Williams and an obligatory “other” option thrown in.  Chalk up your vote there and head on back here for your reasoning and hopefully we’ll get some good discussion out of all of this.

    [Photo: Sony Pictures Classics]

  • POLL: Predict the Best Picture 10

    Now that we’re deep into the precursor season and it seems there are 11 legitimate contenders for 10 Best Picture slots, it seemed a good time to revisit this poll.

    I’ve slotted those 11 in the left sidebar, with the obligatory “other” option for those of you who want to predict a curve ball (and we most certainly could get one).  But even if you don’t, there’s plenty to discuss regarding your bubble picks, so chalk up your predictions there and come back here with your thoughts.

  • POLL: What is your favorite Coen brothers film?

    This is borderline lazy filler and distraction for the time being as the old poll was uber stale, but it’s worth it to put a query like this out there since the Coens will be fodder for plenty of column inches by week’s end.

    But it’s worth pointing out that the brothers are more prolific than ever.  “True Grit,” opening nationwide December 22, is the duo’s fourth film in as many years, a record streak (though if they had muscled something out in 2002, they would have had a fiver between 2000 and 2004).

    The great thing about Coen cinema is that, as identifiable as it is, each film is wildly different from the last.  Though they have a signature, their work never stagnates and always remains fresh, vital and progressive.  That kind of thing lends itself to favorites so let’s just put the question out there: what is your favorite Coen brothers film to date?  Have your say in the left sidebar poll and come on back to the comments section here to debate and discuss your picks.

    [Photo: Paramount Pictures]

  • POLL: Predict the 2010 Best Picture nominees

    Also by request, I’ve updated this week’s sidebar poll.  It’s October and I know a number of you haven’t been able to see most of the contenders, but it’s good to get an early gauge of what the readership thinks will be nominated come January.  And it dovetails nicely with our new Calling All Predictions feature.

    In the left sidebar I have listed what I think are the 27 films with a legitimate shot at a Best Picture nomination this year.  Granted, things can change.  Something could jump up and surprise.  And we all know there are films that will fall out of contention.  So perhaps we’ll update with another poll later in the season.  But for now, I’d say 27 is a beefy enough number, and in case someone wants to go out onto a limb, the requisite “other” selection has been included.  Just be sure to let us know in the comments section here what you’re thinking.

    So have at it.  You can select no more than 10 so just crank out your predictions and we’ll see how right (and wrong) you all are in a few months time.

  • POLL: What is your favorite Peter Weir film?

    Last week’s query regarding David Fincher’s filmography turned out to slightly favor “Fight Club” over the rest of his work.  I’ve been spending the last week or two diving back into Peter Weir’s offerings, especially topical given the recent announcement of “The Way Back” as an official contender in this year’s Oscar race.  So it seemed a good time to offer up a new poll on the matter.  What’s your favorite film from Weir?  Let us know in the left sidebar and feel free to offer up your defense in the comments section below.

  • POLL: What is your favorite David Fincher film?

    As mentioned over the weekend, I’ll have a David Fincher-themed list coming your way tomorrow.  In the meantime, however, I thought I’d update the poll with a new query.

    Fincher has offered up eight feature films in the last 18 years.  It’s a healthy portfolio and, I think it’s fair to say, a singular one.  I’ve had a blast digging back into his work over the past week or so but I don’t even think I could answer this question fully at the moment.  Still a few more re-viewings to go.

    Now that “The Social Network” is in theaters, I’ll just put it out to you: What’s your favorite film from the director?  Check the left sidebar and pencil in your vote.  And feel free to use this space to discuss your pick and others’.

    Be sure to check back some time tomorrow for that list, our first in, jeez, three months?  We really should knock the dust off that feature.

  • POLL: Does ‘Avatar’ deserve to win Best Picture?

    Judging from our last poll, most readers seem to think James Cameron’s “Avatar” will rack up the most Oscar nominations in just under a month’s time.  But does it deserve to win the big prize, as a great many prognosticators are currently expecting?  The debate is raging elsewhere, but let us know your cut-and-dry answer in the sidebar poll and feel free to explain your position in the comments section below.

  • POLL: Which film will land the most Oscar nominations?

    I tossed up the nine films that made the most sense and an “other” field.  Let us know in the left sidebar what you think.

  • POLL: Which film will be the critics’ darling this year?

    Sunday kicks off the critical kudos season with the LAFCA’s list of superlatives.  Every year one film stands out as the “critics’ darling” if you will, a film that commands support from quality-gaugers across the board.

    So what’s it going to be?  In the latest sidebar poll, I’ve offered up a list of possibilities (leaving off less traditional stuff that was nevertheless critically acclaimed, such as “District 9,” for instance, or “Star Trek”).  Have your say and, if you think it’ll be something else, tell us in the comments section below.

    (By the way, the last poll asking which of the “big four” everyone expected to fail?  Interesting results.)

  • POLL: Which of the big awaited titles do you expect to underwhelm the most?

    This weekend has already brought junket screenings of Rob Marshall’s “Nine,” so we can’t call it “unseen” anymore.  Then again, everyone has signed agreements not to discuss (even trigger happy HFPA types), so we can still safely call it “awaited.”  Screenings of “The Lovely Bones” may or may not be set prior to the big London unveiling on the 24th, while “Invictus” is expected to start rolling out next week.  “Avatar,” meanwhile, has nearly another month before we get a look.

    The question is, which one is going to miss and miss big?  Perhaps the answer is none, I don’t know, but we’re in that dangerous territory where anticipation could kill the impact and/or something might just fall on its face, much like we’ve seen over and over again in the past with countless other pretenders.  If you have an opinion, let us know in the what that is.  Come on back here with further thoughts if you wish.

  • POLL: What did you think of Matt Damon in ‘The Informant?’

    It’s been a LONG time since our last poll (and that “Avatar” trailer intriguingly split the readership right down the middle).  So I figured this weekend’s biggest awards-flavored release, “The Informant!,” was a good point of entry.

    One of our loyal readers asked in the Sunday Cents column whether Matt Damon’s performance had enough steam to make it into Oscar contention once the rest of the field has shown itself, and I think that’s a fair enough question.  I personally think it’s the actor’s best work to date and will have more than enough gas to get him there, but I’d like to know what readers thought of the work in general.

    So have your say in this week’s sidebar poll.  What did you think of Damon’s performance?  Expand further in the comments section if you like.

  • POLL: How do you feel about the Academy’s decision to expand the Best Picture category to 10 nominees?

    It’s been such a busy day I neglected to mention our newst poll, which has been in the sidebar there since last night.  The headline says it all, so be heard.  And if you haven’t already done so in the latest Off the Carpet column, tell us why you say “yay” or “nay” in the comments section below.

  • POLL: What is your favorite Michael Mann film?

    (from left) Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeline Stowe in The Last of the mohicans“Public Enemies” lands at the Los Angeles Film Festival tomorrow, and with it, a slew of reviews and Michael-Mann-centric features is sure to follow.  Next week we’ll be dedicating an edition of The Lists to the director, but this week I thought we’d put a query out to the readership.  In the simplest of terms, What’s your favorite Mann feature?

    I’ve gone ahead and included television’s “The Jericho Mile” in case there are those who have seen it and feel it in them to be even more contrarian than picking “The Keep.”  I’m really curious to see where this one goes.  There is plenty of “Miami Vice” and “Collateral” goodwill from our largely younger readership, and plenty, I’m sure (like me) who have a devotion to Mann’s work in the 1990s.  Even still, his 1980s career is at once of a piece with his portfolio and curiously outside of it, sure to nurture a following.

    So have your say in this week’s sidebar poll.  Pick your favorite Mann movie and head on back here to discuss why.

  • POLL: What is your favorite Pixar film?

    Now that our “most influential” series is complete, I figured a light and frothy poll would be just what the doctor ordered.  Now that “Up” has been in theaters for a couple of weeks here in the US (and as it slowly makes its way to other territories), I figured I’d go ahead and poll the readership on your favorite feature Pixar endeavor.

    For my thoughts on this issue, check my list of the studio’s efforts from a few weeks back.  Have your say in the sidebar poll and in the comments below.

  • Your ranked list of the 10 most influential films of all time

    Citizen KaneAnd with that, our poll series comes to a screeching halt.  I’ve already offered some thoughts on how all of this turned out.  I hope readers unfamiliar with some of the films I’ve been harping on will take that to heart and at least seek them out.  You owe it to yourself as a film lover, believe you me.

    Here is your ranked list.  For background on all of these shenanigans, click here.  I want to thank everyone who participated in the polls and made this a real community effort.

    1. “Citizen Kane” (Orson Welles, 1941)
    2. “Star Wars” (George Lucas, 1977)
    3. “2001: A Space Odyssey” (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
    4. “The Godfather” (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)
    5. “The Wizard of Oz” (Victor Fleming, 1939)
    6. “Psycho” (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)
    7. “Jaws” (Steven Spielberg, 1975)
    8. “Pulp Fiction” (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
    9. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (David Hand, 1937)
    10. “Toy Story” (John Lasseter, 1995)

    Honorable mention: “Annie Hall,” “Apocalypse Now,” “Battleship Potemkin,” “The Birth of a Nation,” “Casablanca,” “The Godfather Part II,” “Gone with the Wind,” “The Matrix,” “Metropolis” and “Rashomon”

    One of these days I’ll cook up my own list.  Until then, once again, thanks for participating.

  • POLL: the most influential films of all time, round three

    (from left) John Travolta and Uma Thurman in Pulp FictionAnd we come to the third and final round, which will decide the ranking order of your chosen 10 most influential films of all time.  For background on this series, go here.

    Unfortunately, a number of our readers are apparently unaware of the influence films like “Battleship Potemkin,” “The Birth of a Nation” and “Metropolis” have had on the film medium.  Both were able to squeeze out enough votes in the early rounds to make it through to last week’s survey, but they join “Annie Hall,” “Apocalypse Now,” “Casablanca,” “The Godfather Part II,” “Gone with the Wind,” “The Matrix” and “Rashomon” on the list of runners-up to your definitive collective.  And if we’re being honest, a number of those films shouldn’t have even made it through to last week’s poll.

    I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was a bit disappointed by the way this series has turned out.  I don’t want to sound like I’m chiding the readership or anything, but it did become painfully honest rather quickly that the poll was being viewed as a popularity contest more than anything else.  At the same time, if you’ve only seen the popular titles, you can’t be expected to blindly know the impact of films like “Potemkin” and “Metropolis.”

    (more…)

  • POLL: the most influential films of all time, round two

    Keir Dullea in 2001: A Space OdysseyWe’ve made it to the second round in our mammoth series polling In Contention readers for a list of the most influential films of all time.  “Annie Hall,” “Psycho” and “The Wizard of Oz” squeezed past the competition to become our final trio to move on to the next stage.  We’re getting very close now, having whittled down the original set of 66 movies to 20, all of which you’ll find listed in the sidebar poll this week.

    I’ve decided to shake things up a bit in the second round and give more of a voice to everyone, as I’m sure the consistent picking of five and then three titles has made for more than a few hair-pulling moments.  This time, you get to decide on your choice of 10 films from our consolidated 20.  In a nutshell: of the 20 films to the left, what are the 10 films you deem the most influential films of all time?

    When all is said and done, we’ll have 10 clear victors (which will go on to form our list) and 10 clear honorable mentions.  Next week, we’ll take our top 10 and, in the third and final round, have one more poll to determine the ranking order!

    If you’re somewhat confused, be sure to read up on the background of this series here.  Now…get your votes in!

  • POLL: the most influential films of all time, round one, part six

    Alright, we’re at the end of round one with a final set of 10 films.  For background on this series, click here.

    By the way, “Jaws,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “Toy Story” were the survivors from the last round.  Have your say in the left sidebar by picking up to three films to move on and join the 17 waiting the next round!