Features







2007-08 Oscar Calendar



[Monday, December 3, 2007]

Official Screen Credits
Forms Due.


[Wednesday, December 26, 2007]

Nominations ballots mailed.


[Saturday, January 12, 2008]

Nominations polls close
5 p.m. PST.


[Tuesday, January 22, 2008]

Nominations announced
5:30 a.m. PST
Samuel Goldwyn Theater


[Wednesday, January 30, 2008]

Final ballots mailed.


[Monday, February 4, 2008]

Nominees Luncheon


[Saturday, February 9, 2008]

Scientific and Technical
Awards Dinner


[Tuesday, February 19, 2008]

Final polls close 5 p.m. PST.


[Sunday, February 24, 2008]

79th Annual
Academy Awards Presentation
Kodak Theatre

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Anticipation Station

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It’s that time again; time to rattle off a list of anticipations for the 2007 film awards season. Starting with August releases and moving forward, I came up with only 17 films that have me chomping at the bit. A small number, but I’m picky. There are other interestes, but these are the only ones I’d jump at the opportunity to screen tomorrow.


Let’s get into this…


10. “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
Warner Bros. Pictures; Directed by Andrew Dominik


This was high on my list of anticipations in 2006, its original year of release. But with every new bump down the schedule, every new bit of distressing information and the increasing likelihood of a studio hack job on the final cut of the film (word is director Andrew Dominik has been going back and forth with Warner Bros. on this very subject, holding up release as a result)…I have to say I’m having my doubts. But being a massive fan of the western genre and the Shakespearean power of this story, I still find myself hoping – and anticipating – this troubled project.

9. “Leatherheads”
Warner Bros. Pictures; Directed by George Clooney


There’s something rose colored and endearing about George Clooney’s tackling such homely subject matter as the world of 1920s football. When I talked to film editor Stephen Mirrione last year about the project, he was visibly excited at the day-to-day work he was doing at the time. So color me sentimental, I’m looking forward to “Leatherheads.” And I’ve found myself more and more in line with Clooney’s school of thought behind the camera, so any time he offers up a new vision, I’m sure I’ll be there.


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8. “Charlie Wilson’s War”
Universal Pictures; Directed by Mike Nichols


I wasn’t anticipating director Mike Nichols’ latest until I read Aaron Sorkin’s lascerating screenplay. Now I can’t wait to watch what can only wind up becoming an awards hog with teeth take hold of the Oscar season later this fall. Some might say, with reason, that Tom Hanks is a bit miscast in the lead role of a Texas Congressman footing the bill to arm Afghani troops against Soviet encroachment in the mid-80s, but I’d stand in line just to see what Phillip Seymour Hoffman will do with the role of Gust Avaraktos. And, personally, I can’t get enough of Sorkin.


7. “The Savages”
Fox Searchlight Pictures; Directed by Tamara Jenkins


There aren’t a lot of comedies I’m holding out for this season, but the Fox Searchlight awards hopeful “The Savages” staked a claim pretty early for me. I didn’t attend Sundance but was happy to hear the positive reaction, and of course, the trailer released a couple of months back really piqued my interest. It looks like Phillip Seymour Hoffman will have a solid year, what with a lead turn here and a supporting riff in “Charlie Wilson’s War.” But I’m most looking forward to stage actor Philip Bosco’s portrayal.


6. “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”
Universal Pictures; Directed by Shekhar Kapur


To my mind, one of the great Oscar tragedies of the 90s was Cate Blanchett’s losing the 1998 Best Actress prize to Gwyneth Paltrow for what had to be one of the great performances of that decade. Shekhar Kapur’s “Elizabeth” was a towering achievement and a surprising introduction to the director. In the nine years since, Kapur has only offered one other piece of work, 2002’s woeful “The Four Feathers.” But tackling some of the most exciting and juicy material from the life of Queen Elizabeth I in “The Golden Age” should put him, and Blanchett, right babck in the groove.


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5. “Youth Without Youth”
Sony Pictures Classics; Directed by Francis Ford Coppola


Some negative early word isn’t enough to kill the anticipation of Francis Ford Coppola’s first film in a decade. Indulgent or not, “Youth Without Youth” should be high on the list of any cinephile’s expectations. Based on a short story that seems to beg for creative expansion, I have to expect Coppola at least has the opportunity to offer his A game, but we’ll have to wait and see. A solid performance from Bruno Ganz is certainly expected, after a dazzling portrayal in 2004’s “Downfall.”


4. “Beowulf”
Paramount Pictures; Directed by Robert Zemeckis


Robert Zemeckis is one of the last couple of filmmakers actually pushing the boundaries of the medium’s technical possibilities. Along with Steven Spielberg, he seems to share the desire to put an audience in the middle of a film. His work seems to exponentially hint at this with every passing picture, the last dazzler being 2004’s “The Polar Express.” This time he takes on the legend of Beowulf and Grendel in a film cast to perfection. The technical showcase is there to be had, but let’s simply hope the legend shows through as the great story that it is, without too much unnecessary finagling.


3. “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Warner Bros. Pictures; Directed by Tim Burton


I will forever consider Tim Burton one of the singular talents of the filmmaking medium. I will forgive a “Planet of the Apes” here, a “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” there if it means we get “Batman,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “Ed Wood” and a host of others as the payoff. And even with his failures, Burton is a director undebniably personal in his approach each and every time, for those willing to look beyond his bogus “style over substance” classification. “Sweeney Todd” is pegged as an Oscar contender in many quarters, but beyond looking toward the Oscar season, this looks like yet another genre twist up Burton’s sleeve, and a likely cinematic feast for us all.


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2. “There Will Be Blood”
Paramount Vantage Pictures; Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson


I’m quite proud of filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson and the choices he’s made in his career thus far. All too often can a writer/director get locked into the “me” mentality that spells disaster on the screen, films succeeding in the head of the creator alone. (I suddenly find myself considering that other Anderson). But after coming close to insularity with 1999’s admittedly brilliant “Magnolia,” P.T.A. took a radical departure in 2002 with a 90 minute romantic comedy, “Punch-Drunk Love.” And now, he takes up the reins of an adaptation – blasphemy! You mean to say a level of security exists in the writer/director lot that will permit creativity from without rather than within??


1. “No Country for Old Men”
Miramax Films; Directed by Ethan Coen & Joel Coen


My Most anticipated film at the start of the year remains as much, especially after such high marks at the Cannes International Film Festival. I’ve been high on “No Country for Old Men” ever since I discovered it to be the Coen brothers’ next venture. With added personal endearment for author Cormac McCarthy, on whose book the film is based, I find myself counting down the days until I can finally sit down and screen this film.


OTHER ANTICIPATIONS:


“Across the Universe”
Julie Taymor is a visual genius and this is one of the most ambitious cinematic projects I’ve heard of in a long time.


“American Gangster”
Ridley Scott is on more often than off, and working from a hell of a true story his latest promises to be an awesome ride.


“Gone, Baby, Gone”
Ben Affleck has been working to get back in the saddle, and following a great performance in last year’s “Hollywoodland,” he takes a stab behind the camera in what could be another great Dennis Lehane adaptation.


“I Am Legend”
I’m a major fan of the novel (which contains perhaps the most intellectually exciting closing paragraphs in science fiction literature). I consider myself a fan of Will Smith. And – shockingly – I found some room to forgive director Francis Lawrence’s “Constantine.” This could be a good time.


“Into the Wild”
Sean Penn tackles subject matter that could lift an audience out of its seat with idealistic wonder. Or not.


“Michael Clayton”
More Clooney, this time under the guidance of “The Bourne Supremacy” and “The Bourne Ultimatum” scribe Tony Gilroy, a wonderful new talent stepping out from behind the laptop and behind the camera for the first time.


“The Walker”
There’s something imminently appealing about Woody Harrelson in the role of an aging gigolo, in a Paul Schrader film, no less.

Comments

once again kris our tastes seem to be intertwined. No Country for Old Men and There Will be Blood sit at the top of my most anticipated list, along with Margot at the Wedding. My anticipation for "Blood" is marked with some hesitancy though, because of the exact point you brought up - the adaptation. It's not that I don't think Anderson can pull it off, it's more my love for the strikingly original work he has done in the past to continue. All that being said, I still think he comes through and surprises people.

I think one of the movies I'm most looking forward to this fall is definitely The Golden Age, and hope to see a previous wrong righted!

Kris,

You do know that "Beowulf" is an animated film, right? I noticed that you have it on your prediction charts under Costume Design and Makeup, and that you've completely left it off the Animated Feature Film list.

I frankly don't quite understand WHAT it is. I've read stuff about it being animated, but why have a Pescucci in there? I expect it's akin to The Polar Express, but...eh.

It's exactly like "The Polar Express" a la motion-capture animation.

Costumes still have to be designed for animated films. It's just, when has an animated film ever been honored for its costumes?

Like I said, I haven't been 100% privy to WHAT "Beowulf" was going to be. I've been a bit out of the loop until maybe four weeks ago, John. But in any case, charts are and have been woefully out of date for some time. Even last month's update was just a once over. I'll get to it.

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2008 Year in Advance Predictions


UPDATED: 2/25/2008





Main Charts | Tech Charts



[Motion Picture]

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Doubt”

“Frost/Nixon”

“Revolutionary Road”

“The Soloist”



[Directing]

David Fincher
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Ron Howard
“Frost/Nixon”

Gus Van Sant
“Milk”

Sam Mendes
“Revolutionary Road”

Joe Wright
“The Soloist”



[Actor in a Leading Role]

Benicio Del Toro
“The Argentine”

Jamie Foxx
“The Soloist”

Frank Langella
“Frost/Nixon”

Sean Penn
“Milk”

Brad Pitt
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”



[Actress in a Leading Role]

Vera Farmiga
“Nothing But the Truth”

Angelina Jolie
“Changeling”

Julianne Moore
“Blindness”

Meryl Streep
“Doubt”

Kate Winslet
“Revolutionary Road”



[Actor in a Supporting Role]

Josh Brolin
“Milk”

Russell Crowe
“Body of Lies”

Robert Downey, Jr.
“The Soloist”

Heath Ledger
“The Dark Knight”

Michael Sheen
“Frost/Nixon”



[Actress in a Supporting Role]

Amy Adams
“Doubt”

Kathy Bates
“Revolutionary Road”

Cate Blanchett
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Catherine Keener
“The Soloist”

Carice van Houten
“Body of Lies”



[Writing, Adapted Screenplay]

“Body of Lies”

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Doubt”

“Frost/Nixon”

“Revolutionary Road”



[Writing, Original Screenplay]

“Changeling”

“Hamlet 2”

“Milk”

“The Soloist”

“WALL·E”



[Art Direction]

“Australia”

“Defiance”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“Red Cliff”

“Revolutionary Road”



[Cinematography]

“Australia”

“The Dark Knight”

“Defiance”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“Revolutionary Road”



[Costume Design]

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Doubt”

“The Other Boleyn Girl”

“Red Cliff”

“Revolutionary Road”



[Film Editing]

“Body of Lies”

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Defiance”

“Frost/Nixon”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”



[Makeup]

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“The Dark Knight”

“Red Cliff”



[Music, Original Score]

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“The Soloist”

“Revolutionary Road”

“WALL·E”



[Music, Original Song]

coming soon



[Sound Editing]

“Defiance”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“Iron Man”

“Speed Racer”

“WALL·E”



[Sound Mixing]

“Defiance”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“Cloverfield”

“The Chronicles of Narnia:
Prince Caspian”

“WALL·E”



[Visual Effects]

“The Chronicles of Narnia:
Prince Caspian”

“The Incredible Hulk”

“Iron Man”



[Animated Feature Film]

“9”

“Kung Fu Panda”

“WALL·E”



[Foreign Language Film]

coming soon



[Documentary, Features]

coming soon



[Documentary, Short Subjects]

coming soon



[Short Film, Animated]

coming soon



[Short Film, Live Action]

coming soon