In Contention

Tag: The Dark Knight

  • One last Bat analysis

    Heath Ledger in The Dark KnightI was happy to help my pal Scott Bowles out with this USA Today piece, taking up the task of analyzing the Best Picture chances of Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight.” But I was slightly misquoted and a thought was tossed in without the right context toward the end:

    “You can argue that The Dark Knight is getting all this attention because of a perfect storm of events,” Tapley says. “We had been hearing that Ledger was doing great things with the part way before he died. So it was going to be big, and he was going to get noticed. But is the movie this big if there’s not some rubbernecking due to his death? Probably not.”

    By “big,” the point I was making (and I believe I used these words, actually) was that the film might not have made as much money as it did without the voyeurism of seeing Heath’s penultimate performance.  I think critical acclaim was coming whether he was still with us or not.  And “rubbernecking” ain’t my terminology.

    Anyway, there are some nice notices of support from industry folks throughout the piece. I liked this bit from Steven Spielberg:

    “I am really happy to see that The Dark Knight is making a last-minute run at recognition,” he said after the Golden Globes. “I was very happy with the Heath (Golden Globe) win and am looking forward to some more Dark Knight momentum. … That balances things out.”

    It’s interesting because in having a discussion about this issue with a fellow Oscar blogger this evening, the point was raised that it’s possible “The Dark Knight” lands in the big category but misses perhaps in the screenplay and even the directing fields. “Then it’s ‘Jaws,’” my colleague said.

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  • Last minute thoughts

    Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting MarriedLike I said, I’m on the record.  I’ve given some left-field choices (as have you).  But here are some lingering thoughts bouncing around inside my tired old head this evening:

    1) I think we’re going to see tomorrow, finally, that “Rachel Getting Married” is nothing more than a critical fave.  Personally, I liked it enough, but all the “one of the year’s best” talk was dubious to say the least.  A SAG ensemble nod would have kept me quiet.  Talk about a place it could have made a stand.  And that WGA snub was just one more smack by the industry, in my view.  Maybe it’s just like one voter told me: “I couldn’t stand these people.”  Anne Hathaway, step up for the film’s consolation nod.

    2) “Gran Torino,” “Gran Torino,” “Gran Torino.”  I can’t say it enough…this film is creeping up.  It’s possible it came on too late and Clint missed the timing this time out, but, like I’ve said…watch it.  Personally I think it’s a bigger threat than “The Reader.”  A bad-ass white guy kicking kids off his lawn or a porno about a sympathetic Nazi.  Which film is going to resonate more with the Academy?  You tell me.

    3) Everyone says, in varying degrees, that everything from “The Dark Knight” to “Frost/Nixon” to “Milk” are on the bubble.  But here’s a radical idea: what if the weak link is the film many have called cold and removed?  “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” sure does have a lot of guild support…but so did “Dreamgirls.”

    4) Could one of the biggest stories tomorrow be the snubbing of Brangelina?  Some think he’s out, some think she’s out…but what if they’re both out?  Eesh.

    5) Better yet, might the biggest shock of the day be a “Man on Wire” snub in the documentary feature category?  All I’m saying is films dominated by preexisting footage can struggle here sometimes.

    Then again…maybe I’m off my rocker.  But there you have it.

    I’ve only made one prediction alteration, FYI, and that’s swapping “Slumdog Millionaire” for “Quantum of Solace” in the sound editing field.  The latter was just an arbitrary choice to reflect the mixers’ feelings, but I’m thinking of a sweeper possibility there and I like the advenurous choice of “Slumdog” more than “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”  But really, that category lately?  Flip a coin.

    Enjoy the morning.

  • TECH SUPPORT: Final preview special, part two

    Tech Support at In ContentionThis is part two of my last glance at the year’s tech category contenders.  For part one, click here.

    Best Music (Original Score)
    Now here is a category where there are no locks. Nonetheless, considering the success of their films and scores in awards season to date, A.R. Rahmen (for “Slumdog Millionaire”) and Alexandre Desplat (for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) seem solid bets.

    Thomas Newman, despite only having a BAFTA nomination to his credit so far in the awards season, often scores when the precursors don’t coming calling so I think he’s in for “WALL-E.” Alternatively, he could get in for “Revolutionary Road.”

    The rest of the Golden Globe nominees strike me as facing challenges. Clint Eastwood has performed well this season with “Changeling” but I am doubtful he will ever be embraced by the music branch. James Newton Howard’s compositions for “Defiance” may be lost with his film while Hans Zimmer’s Globe citation for “Frost/Nixon” seems more like a tribute to the composer, a Globe favorite.

    I would actually wager that Zimmer and Howard have a better opportunity with their fantastic “The Dark Knight” collaboration. Zimmer has been campaigning hard. Even so, I’m skeptical the duo will score. Co-composers receiving Oscar nominations is extremely rare. (Though, in all fairness, so is co-composing.)

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  • TECH SUPPORT: Final preview special, part one

    Tech Support at In ContentionFive months of Tech Support reach their climax on Thursday morning.

    This Canuck is, like the rest of the world, celebrating a new American President today. The fact remains, however, that a new set of Oscar nominees will greet us tomorrow and I can’t help but share my final thoughts on the categories.

    This is the first part of my review, including the categories of best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing and best Makeup.  We’ll chart the final five fields later today, so be sure to check back.

    Best Art Direction
    Starting with the most difficult category, there is only one film I would give the title “lock,” and it’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” I’d be stunned if Donald Graham Burt’s exquisite sets failed to make the cut.

    I suspect that Michael Corenblith is a solid bet for his detailed and realistic sets for “Frost/Nixon.” If “American Gangster” could get in last year, I would surprised if Corenblith did not score, especially considering his past success when working with Howard. James Murakami also seems a solid bet for “Changeling” for what were detailed and memorable designs of 1920s Los Angeles. His guild and BAFTA nominations suggest people remember the work.

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  • My dream ballot: part one

    Back in December, Kris offered his take on how he would fill out his nominee ballot if he were an Academy member (affording himself the luxury, obviously, of voting in all categories). Of course, playing voter is a popular sport in the blog world, with Nathaniel Rogers’ annual Film Bitch Awards as thorough and intelligent a rundown as you could ask for. Would that the Academy displayed such passion and imagination in their choices.

    For my part, finalising my predictions was a dispiriting procedure, as I realized the range and depth of work that will inevitably go unrecognized as the AMPAS gravitates towards the favoured and the familiar. And so it is that, as the nominations loom over us, I decided to chalk up my own ballot, acknowledging those who I feel most deserve to hear names called on Thursday morning, whether or they’re deemed possible — or even eligible.

    Today’s post focuses on the technical categories; tomorrow’s will run through the main ones. (Before I begin, let me add the caveat that, much to my chagrin, I haven’t yet seen “Let the Right One In.”)

    Best Cinematography
    Wally Pfister, “The Dark Knight”
    Sean Bobbitt, “Hunger”
    Luca Bigazzi, “Il Divo”
    Darius Khondji, “My Blueberry Nights”
    Maryse Alberti, “The Wrestler”

    After last year’s banner year for the art of cinematography, this was a year of subtler accomplishments in the field. I must admit that much of the year’s most celebrated work in the field didn’t particularly dazzle me, with several revered names only working at (or below) par. Pfister’s muscular, burnished lensing of “The Dark Knight,” however, did not disappoint, while Bigazzi’s hyper-stylised work on “Il Divo” was no less kinetic.

    In something of a breakthrough year for female DPs, Alberti effortlessly captured the rhythms of human movement, while Khondji conjured up the year’s dreamiest palette for Wong Kar-Wai’s otherwise muddled “My Blueberry Nights.” The year’s crowning achievement, however, came from Sean Bobbitt, whose breathtaking compositions for “Hunger” took equal inspiration from the art gallery and the newsroom. Just missing the cut were “The Fall,” “Gomorrah” and “The Good, The Bad, The Weird.”

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  • Another gong for ‘WALL-E’

    I must admit, I’m not really clear on what, or who, the Online Film Critics Society are — there are just so many critics’ awards these days, I can’t really keep up. I can say, however, that they have pretty commendable taste, as they became the latest group to give “WALL-E” their top honour, and handed four awards apiece to “The Dark Knight” and “Let the Right One In.”

    Their acting awards strike me as particularly on the money, with Mickey Rourke, Heath Ledger and Marisa Tomei all adding to their well-deserved hauls. Meanwhile, I’m pleased to see they looked beyond the usual Best Actress favourites and recognised the wonderful work of Michelle Williams in “Wendy and Lucy” — surely one of the most under-rewarded performances of the season.

    What do these mean? Nothing, of course, but it’s a fun list of winners nonetheless. (Full list below the cut.) I keep wanting to crawl back onto that “WALL-E” limb for the Oscars, but can’t quite go there.

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  • POLL: Can a Best Picture nomination for ‘The Dark Knight’ help the Oscar telecast ratings?

    After a healthy one-week run, the majority of the readership seems to think “WALL-E” has the best show at upsetting the agreed-upon five for a Best Picture bid. “The Wrestler” and “Doubt” filled out the top three. But this week, running on the assumption that the caped Crusader will slide in after all, I thought I’d ask whether it will matter for the show’s ratings.

    Of course, a number of things could make a perfect storm in this sceneario, a “Dark Knight” nod being just one of them.  We have two exciting new producing talents at bat and a new host that could bring out the voyeurs.  But specifically as it regards a Best Picture nod for the Bat, can that spike the ratings for a show that has continued to dwindle?  Tell us in the sidebar poll!

  • OFF THE CARPET: Enough foreplay

    WALL-EWhat else is there to say?  Tomorrow we’ll have a new president and the last eight years will, hopefully, start to fade away.  In four days we’ll have a fresh slate of Oscar nominees and the last four months of awards speculation will suddenly be a distant memory.  The big wheel keeps on turning.

    I don’t know what else can be added to the conversation at this point that hasn’t been mulled over a million times already.  I do know, as my final set of Oscar predictions will reflect, that this years seems to be given to the safe bet more than any other in recent memory.  But I also know the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a difficult group of people to corner.  There are always surprises.

    As I look over the landscape of the 2008-2009 season, I find myself seeking out those blind-side possibilities.  No one saw “City of God” coming four times over in 2003.  Hardly anyone expected Tommy Lee Jones to snatch a nomination last year after failing to pop up throughout the precursor season.  And certainly, no one banked on a “Dreamgirls” snub in 2006.

    But these things happen.  I’ll lay out a set of my own left-field possibilities on Wednesday, since this year’s inauguration proceedings have kept the weekly Oscar column somewhat removed from the actual announcement (generally I write this the day before), but today I thought I’d end phase one with a few question marks I feel it necessary to punctuate.

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  • Are you different?

    Okay, by now, most Oscarwatchers and prognozticators are expecting the same five titles to pop up in the Best Picture category: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “The Dark Knight,” “Frost/Nixon,” “Milk” and “Slumdog Millionaire.”

    But not everyone.

    My questiont o you is, if you are predicting a DIFFERENT lineup, what is it?  I figure there are only so many combinations that can come out of the sane awards-watching universe, but I’m prepared to be surprised.  Tell us your different angle on the season.  I’m curious…

  • 1/19 Oscarweb Round-up

    (from left) Abigail Breslin and Paul Dano in Little Miss Sunshine(It’s kind of hard to find anything with meat on its bones amid all the boring, derivative Sundance coverage.)

    • David Poland spends 30 minutes with genius Charlie Kaufman. [The Hot Blog]

    • Patrick Goldstein comes to Edward Zwick’s defence over a wrong-headed, borderline moronic assessment of his recent film “Defiance.” [The Big Picture]

    • Nathaniel Rogers takes his final Oscar stabs. [The Film Experience]

    • Tom O’Neil catches up with “Reader” makeup head Ivana Primorac. [Gold Derby]

    • Speaking of which, in case you missed it over the weekend, Gerard Kennedy talked to Primorac and the rest of the film’s below-the-line crew in this week’s edition of “Tech Support.” [In Contention]

    • Dave Karger wonders if Meryl Streep’s precursor consistency will nab her a third Oscar.  If pressed to answer today, my money would be on her, too. [Entertainment Weekly]

    • Your chance to be interviewed about “The Dark Knight” and Oscar and a poll asking whether you’d be more inclined to watch the Oscars if the film is nominated for Best Picture. [USA Today]

    • Christopher Campbell takes a look at a Sundance story of yore: “Little Miss Sunshine.” [Spout Blog]

  • Visual Effects Society nominees

    CloverfieldOh yeah, another guild (well, industry award I should say) this week: the Visual Effects Society (VES).  The group’s typically unnavigable list of kudos contenders can be found below and after the jump.

    It’s interesting to note “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” having a decent showing throughout, yet failing to make it to the final bake-off round.  Ditto “Cloverfield.”  Meanwhile, bake-off survivor “Australia” is nowhere to be found.

    “The Dark Knight” looked to be shut out until the miniatures and special effects categories came to its aid, but even with the four nominations to its credit (two of them in the same category — that’s not a typo), I’m tempted to think “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” might be breathing down its neck.  After all, in-camera wizardry isn’t often recognized by a visual effects branch that likes to award innovative CGI.  Then again, after the VES nods were announced two years ago, I might have thought “I Am Legend” was set for a nomination.

    The big winners throughout are, of course, Paramount’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Iron Man.”  The former is still looking strong to walk away with the Oscar in about a month.

    The awards will be handed out on February 21.  “Button” producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall have already been announced as lifetime achievement award recipients.

    The nominees (I’m just listing the film categories):

    Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture
    “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”
    “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
    “Cloverfield”
    “Hellboy II: The Golden Army”
    “Iron Man”

    (more categories after the jump)

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  • EW’s Heath Ledger appreciation

    Cover of Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly’s current cover story is a somewhat engaging retrospective on the career of Heath Ledger through the words of his friends and collaborators.  The first story of its kind to date, the piece is a nice idea given that Jan. 22 is both the anniversary of Ledger’s unfortunate death and the day he will likely nab a posthumous Oscar nomination for his work in “The Dark Knight.”

    My only beef with the story is the insistence on either writers Josh Rottenberg and Cristine Spines, or their editor (can’t be sure which), to fish out the most US Weekly-brand quotes from some of these people, splashing suspicion on the drug use about (though director Terry Gilliam refutes that at one point), leaning heavily on talk about Ledger’s insomnia and basically painting a much more morose portrait than was really necessary.  It’s a tough, sad read as a result.  But it’s solid and, like I said, unique.  Here are some highlights:

    “The Patriot” co-star Mel Gibson:

    His audition for The Patriot was rough. But he got the gig because of some kind of honest thing that was intrinsic to him. He was just authentic and sincere. I don’t think he knew the power he had already. So he’d work himself up into an angst situation, trying to get at things that were already there. You almost wanted to say, ”Dude, just calm down and be yourself. It’s good.”

    “Monster’s Ball” director Marc Forster:

    When he read the script, Heath said, ”Look, I get this character. I totally understand him. I’ll come down there and breathe in that world.” He wanted to try something different, something where the movie wasn’t resting on his shoulders. The one thing he said was, ”I’m not going to participate in the promotion of the movie. I’m just going to come in and focus on the acting.”

    “Four Feathers” co-star and friend Wes Bentley:

    Heath didn’t give himself enough credit for his talent as an actor. He didn’t know what he had so he decided to enjoy what was being offered to him. I wanted to explain to him, ”Please wake up to how great you are.” He didn’t have any classical training. He didn’t have anyone making him feel like he had credibility. The only voice he listened to was his own self critic, because it was the loudest.

    And finally, this sobering remark from Gilliam:

    I was in Vancouver, and there was a computer with a BBC website and it says, ”Heath Ledger found dead.” My immediate response was, ”It’s a f—ing Warner Bros. publicity stunt for the Joker!” We kept looking at the computer thinking it was going to change. But it wouldn’t go away…We’re cutting Parnassus now, so it’s like I work with Heath every day. He’s in fine shape, at least in the world I’m inhabiting at the moment. It just doesn’t make sense. Every day goes by and I think, He’ll be back in a second.

    Read the rest of the piece here.

  • The top 10 shots of 2008: part two

    The Dark KnightToday we wrap up my list of the year’s best shots.  In case you missed it, have a look at part one here.

    Before digging into the top five today, I thought I would give a shout out to the images that almost made the cut, and there were a few.  For instance, who can forget the fateful shot of Harvey Milk ascending the stairs of San Francisco’s City Hall as Dan White stalks the corridors in the distance?  Similarly, how about the image of White from behind as he psyches himself into assassinating his fellow politician?

    Meanwhile, there was an array of images to choose from in “The Dark Knight,” certainly too many to name here.  As beloved as the image of Heath Ledger’s Joker is, breathing in his freedom and tearing off into the night in a Gotham patrol car, I chalk that up to performance as much as if not more than Wally Pfister’s work behind the camera.  But the iconography of James Gordon standing, arms crossed in front of the Bat signal was a difficult one for me to snub (for reasons you’ll find out after the jump).

    “Let the Right One In” will show up on today’s list, but one other image that came very close to making the cut for me was that of Eli’s victim bursting into flames on a hospital bed once exposed to sunlight streaming in through the window.  And though Maryse Alberti’s work on “The Wrestler” has already been represented, I was always tickled by the creativity of The Ram’s walk through the bowels of a supermarket deli, mirroring his walk to the ring.

    Finally, Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” is loaded with wonderful cinematography.  The image I chose yesterday had personal value, but I also loved the long shot of young Jamal and young Salim on the roof of a train to start the film’s exciting montage, as well as the three-shot overhead view of the Mumbai slums during the film’s opening sequence.

    This is to say nothing of the work from fine lensers on films that just didn’t make the cut for whatever reason, but were nonetheless wonderful examples of cinematography this year.  “The Fall” (Colin Watkinson), “Gomorrah” (Marco Onorato), “The Reader” (Roger Deakins and Chris Menges) and “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (Javier Aguirresarobe) are just a few examples.

    But enough of the also-rans, right?  Let’s get on with the real show: the five best shots of 2008…

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  • On the Sally Hawkins BAFTA snub

    Sally HawkinsOne of the biggest surprises from yesterday’s BAFTA nominations announcement was the exclusion of “Happy-Go-Lucky” across the board.  But at the very least, awards watchers might have expected a nod for Sally Hawkins, who has been tearing up the precursor circuit stateside and has a clear shot at nabbing an Oscar nomination one week from today.

    Daily Telegraph reporter Anita Singh cornered BAFTA chairman David Parfitt on the issue, and here’s what he had to say:

    It is always difficult. What’s most interesting is what came sixth? We have 200-300 films under consideration each year and there are probably 100 serious contenders, and we can only have five nominees. I’m sure that Sally got close, just as I’m sure Mike Leigh got close. But we can’t have everybody. Who would you drop out of the five? It’s hard, really hard.

    We might be saying the same thing about a certain Caped Crusader in a week if this last minute surge for “Gran Torino” and/or “The Reader” proves to be a major spoiler.

    An Oscar colleague is always telling me, “One day someone is going to write one of the greatest industry books of all time, listing the Oscar nomination and winner voting tallies throughout the years.”  That would make for fascinating reading indeed.  But do we really want to discover that “Chocolat” came in second to “Gladiator”‘s Best Picture win?

  • After finishing off the Joker, Batman may have to fend off a Nazi and a biggot on the way to Oscar

    Kate Winslet in The ReaderA week ago with the announcement of the Directors Guild Awards (DGA), it seemed Christopher Nolan and “The Dark Knight” were headed for Oscar night, with nominations for Best Picture and Best Director highly likely. But like a full balloon with a slow leak, the air is slowly hissing out as “Gran Torino” and “The Reader” seem to be gaining momentum.

    I loved “The Dark Knight.” It was, for me, the best film of the year and highly deserving of top tier nominations. Regardless of its comic roots, Nolan’s accomplishment in giving the film a heart and soul on a grand scale is even greater, and I hope the Academy sees it that way.

    “Gran Torino” has gained enormous momentum since being released wide, racking up more than $30 million at the domestic box office.  Audiences are coming in droves to see Clint back on screen.  He surrounded himself with largely or complete unknowns, amplifying is screen presence.  Very shrewd.  Audiences are going to see him, possibly for the last time, as he portrays the sort of character they love to see.

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  • 1/15 Oscarweb Round-up

    Will Smith• Kim Voynar responds to the foreign shortlist. [Movie City News]

    • Pete Hammond wonders if “The Dark Knight” in dicey waters with the “Reader” surge coming on strong. [Notes on a Season]

    • Tom O’Neil thinks keeping the Oscar presenters a secret until the big night is a mistake.  Eh, I dig it. [Gold Derby]

    • Paula Schwartz catches up with Clint Eastwood at the National Board of Review awards. [The Carpetbagger]

    • Nirpal Dahliwal on why “Slumdog Millionaire” could have only been made by a westerner. [The Guardian]

    • The Press Association gets some Obama inauguration comments from Will Smith at the “Seven Pounds” red carpet across the pond. [The Independent]

    • The only nomination “The Dark Knight” will share with “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” all year long: the Publicist Awards. [Variety]

  • ‘Slumdog,’ ‘Button’ lead BAFTA pack with 11 nods each

    Each year, the BAFTAs never fail to find new and frustrating ways to surprise me.

    It wasn’t hard to guess that “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Slumdog Millionaire” would come out on top here — though even as a fan of the latter film, I do wonder whether nominations for Best Production Design and Best Supporting Actress are pushing it a little. (Sure, Freida Pinto is gorgeous, but… )

    But look closer and the oddities come thick and fast. Who would have guessed, come nomination morning, that “Changeling” would land 8 nominations (including mentions for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay), while “Happy-Go-Lucky” gets zilch? I was aware that Mike Leigh’s delightful film has played better with critics Stateside than it did over here in the spring, but failing to even nominate Golden Globe winner Sally Hawkins is a blatant — and in my opinion, unforgivable — slap in the face.

    As I predicted, despite the film’s mixed reception, BAFTA voters responded well to “The Reader,” which lands in the Best Film derby alongside four of the Oscar favourites in the category. While I thought “Milk” might miss with the Brits, it was actually “The Dark Knight” that came up short — and while I’m not entirely surprised that it proved too genre-oriented for their top category, their failure to nominate Brit helmer Christopher Nolan is pretty stunning.

    Bar the Hawkins snub, the acting categories name most of the usual suspects, though there’s still room for typically BAFTA-esque eccentricities. Brendan Gleeson is an pleasant surprise in the Best Supporting Actor category, and while I anticipated Brad Pitt’s appearance in that field for “Burn After Reading,” Tilda Swinton’s Supporting Actress nod for the same film is the kind of out-of-nowhere hometown favoritism that only BAFTA can come up with. The real headscratcher in that category, however, is Amy Adams’ inclusion at the expense of Viola Davis — one has to wonder whether voters actually watched “Doubt,” or voted on name recognition alone.

    (More thoughts, and the full list of nominees, below the cut.)

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  • What if they made a ‘Dark Knight’ NES game?

    Well, I’m guessing it would look something like this:

    Can I just say: that’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen in my life?  You might recall my boyish reminiscence of the original “Batman” NES game a few months ago (I finally beat the Joker recently, by the way), which was fun and all, but I’d love to see the guys that cooked this thing up go all out and generate some game play.

    And hey, why don’t we get some new NES games on the market anyway?  I’d buy them.  The best graphics in the world can’t substitute the glee I feel after 30 minutes of kicking the alien queen’s ass in “Contra,” that’s all I’m sayin’.  (Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start, baby.)

    (Courtesy: /Film)