Massive Oscarbait collapse in progress at this September's film festivals

Heavens to Betsy and Murgatroyd!

Thanks, Obama!

Jesus Christ, no!! No, no, no, no!! How can we live??

Hopefully, this means that earlier 2015 releases such as "Mad Max: Fury Road," "Ex-Machina" and "Testament of Youth" will be part of the awards circuit this winter.

Does this mean that the best picture contenders will be Jurassic World, Ant Man, Avengers 2, Furious 7 and Fury Road?

Mad Max won't win shit

But it might be nominated. Stranger things have happened.

Is "The Program" about potential gay lovers facing the obstacle of different majors/programs? /

I think that was actually "The Book Resale"

It's all about Steve Jobs and Michael Fassbender this year.

Testament of Youth was terrific. I would love to see it get some awards love.

Link, please, OP.

I'm still laughing that anyone truly thought JGL had a chance at winning anything. Maybe ten years ago before he turned into a smug cunt who actually put effort into his work, but not now.

*when he actually

The Snowden biopic is in editing hell at the moment, hence the pushback.

R15 - Does that mean it sucks or is that just something that happens?

This year it's all about THE DANISH GIRL starring Academy Award® winner Eddie Redmayne! No doubt Eddie's second Oscar will be handed to him by Caitlyn Jenner.

Mad Max will probably be nominated for Best Makeup.

It deserves Costume, Art Direction and Cinematography, too. Could get a Visual Effects nom.

So don't underestimate, bitches.

[quote] Does that mean it sucks or is that just something that happens?

Not usually a good sign, no. The Walk is supposed to be good, so I wouldn't count Joe out yet.

[quote] Mad Max will probably be nominated for Best Makeup. It deserves Costume, Art Direction and Cinematography, too. Could get a Visual Effects nom. So don't underestimate, bitches.

I agree. The Cinematography was amazing.

Gordon-Levitt isn't a good actor.

R20 - He was before he got full of his own shit. Now he's just smug and horrible.

Hey, what's with the kinder attitude, JGL Source? Did he let you suck him or something?

I just heard The Walk was good. I was surpised actually, because his accent sounded awful in the trailer.

I scream with TRANS POWER!!!

A lot of supposed contender films have yet to open, such as "Spotlight"; "Beasts of No Nation"; "Brooklyn"; and "Room". Then there are the standard Oscar-bait crapfests like Spielberg's "Bridge of Spies" and Tarrantino's "The Hateful Eight".

Room is definitely going to be a contender.

Regarding The Walk, why would anyone want to watch a CGI-fest when we have a documentary with real footage of it happening? It makes no sense.

R26 - Exactly. Same with the Snowden biopic - we have Citizenfour, why do we need a film with mediocre actors in it?

JGL was blatantly chasing the statue, after always proclaiming himself above it. I remember him saying he thought film making shouldn't be competition, but like everything he says, it was bullshit.

"The Interview" will get a couple of nominations. Anne might get in for Best Actress. DeNiro for Best Actor. Rene Russo possibly for supporting actress.

Katharine Heigl has a lesbian movie out that will most likely get her a Best Actress nomination as well/.

Sandra Bullock might be getting her third nomination with Our Brand is Crisis.

Some say Blanchett for Carol, but her bitchy behavior last time might not go unnoticed. There are more worthier performances anyway. And she's gotten sloppy as an actress.

Rounding out Best Actress could be Alicia Viklander and Jennifer Lawrence.

I mean "The intern"

I wouldn't count out Lily Tomlin in the best actress race. Her performance in Grandma was uniformly praised by critics, and the film has turned a tidy little profit in limited release so far ($5 million on a $600k budget) with almost no major advertising.

[quote] Katharine Heigl has a lesbian movie out that will most likely get her a Best Actress nomination as well

Honey, what universe do you live in? That movie was a day and date theatrical/VOD that made about 5 cents, and it came out months ago. They have no money to launch any campaign, even if they had a prayer in hell of getting her a nomination for a performance no one is talking about.

I just got home from seeing "Grandma". Tomlin is terrific and definitely awards-worthy.

Any reviews or news about Jolie Pitt movie?

The Room is really good and the two main leads deserve some sort of recognition, though likely any nods will go to the better known supporting cast. Spotlight was really good as well even if obvious Oscar bait. Ruffalo might g e t another nomination he won't win and maybe they'll do something to make up to Keaton for last year.

Yes, Tomlin was good in Grandma, but it was such a minor movie and something like 75 minutes long. I don't think it stands a chance of getting nominated for anything.

[quote]I just got home from seeing "Grandma". Tomlin is terrific and definitely awards-worthy.

"Grandma" is a largely forgettable little film with lazy writing and forced emotions. And there is nothing at all outstanding or memorable about Tomlin's performance. She's not terrible but I've seen her much better in other films. This would be one more example by the Academy of a purely sentimental nomination and/or win.

Spotlight is by far the film with the biggest post-festival buzz.

One of the NYPOST.COM writers said in a Tweet, a lot of the buzzed about films are turning out to be "good"....meaning nothing special or awards-worthy.

I think Tomlin is a tremendous performer, but I've never thought her acting in naturalistic roles was a strong as everyone else seems to. I know people raved about her work in "Nashville," and the scene where she is listening to Keith Carradine singing "I'm Easy" had quiet power to it. But she seems a bit forced when she is acting in a drama or comedy written by someone other than her or Jane Wagner. Her "Search for Signs" on Broadway was marvelous, but it didn't resemble naturalistic acting--nor did it need to: it was sui generis. She is excellent when she only needs to sustain a character for the length of a scene or sketch--and, hence, that's why she's perfectly fine on "Grace and Frankie," where she mainly has some scenes and gets to do an interesting variation on the ditsy hippie ex-wife.

[quote] "Grandma" is a largely forgettable little film with lazy writing and forced emotions. And there is nothing at all outstanding or memorable about Tomlin's performance. She's not terrible but I've seen her much better in other films. This would be one more example by the Academy of a purely sentimental nomination and/or win.

She got an Emmy nomination for her utterly dreadful performance in the even worse Grace & Frankie, so don't count her out for this.

Dame Maggie will probably take Best Actress. The Academy knows this will probably be the last chance to honor one of the world's great actresses and she only has two Oscars (one supporting).

Blanchett's behavior has got to be an issue. The outing and inning, the continual bitchy comments about other actors, the tacky way she attacks interviewers who annoy her. She doesn't come off like a diva who must be indulged, just a bitchy woman full of resentment. A sore winner. Everybody hates that.

Why would anyone want to watch CGI instead of the real thing? Because it's a creative interpretation, bitches! Plus, in 3D, JGL will drop in our laps.

R41 - No thanks. Hypocrites don't give me a boner.

If a guy is hot, I get a boner. Plus, he would be a good hate fuck.

R40, just because you hate Cate Blanchett, that doesn't mean everyone else does.

Blanchett won't win again so soon. Very, very few actors have three Oscars, and that's a club that doesn't let in many members. Only six have done it and all except for DDL were over 60 when it happened.

[quote]This year it's all about THE DANISH GIRL starring Academy Award® winner Eddie Redmayne! No doubt Eddie's second Oscar will be handed to him by Caitlyn Jenner.

A CIS Gender white man playing trans? The trans fascists will not stand for this!

I wish Frears had waited for a better screenplay for The Program. I loved reading about the mutual David Walsh/Lance Armstrong hate fest. I suppose he cast Chris O'Dowd for the name recognition but he's too inconsitant an actor for me to like

Fassbender is as charismatic as fuck, in spite of being a less genial, more violent Colin Farrell style mess in real life. He will likely get a nomination for Jobs (as will Winslet, natch) but his American accents are pretty awful.

I think Aaron Sorkin was right to advocate for Tom Cruise on the basis of Lions For Lambs. I'm not even kidding,

The Big Short. Watch.

Fassbender is a perfect choice for Steve Jobs. He has that evil sociopath thing down pat. Cruise is far too smarmy for Jobs. And short.

I imagine Mad Max will get a Best Picture nom.

But I can't tell you how pleased I am that the general public don't care for Tom Hardy.

Did the Academy go back to 5 Best Picture nominees again? If it did, I can't see Mad Max getting a nomination; the reason the Academy increased the number of films was because The Dark Knight wasn't nominated in its year and they wanted to appeal to a younger demographic.

What about that Tutu movie which starred Leo and Tom HArdy ? When it is going to be released ?

Leo and Tom Hardy as ballerinas?

IS EVERYONE IN THE BIG SHORT WEARING A WIG?

I liked the mini-series Testament of Youth (1979) and the documentary Man on Wire, so why would I want to see lesser versions?

I really hope they do not give any Oscars to the trans movie. All the housewives will make their kids trans.

Don't mind me and my HUGE OPENING about to break all October records.

It stands to reason that your opening would be huge, Matt at R57.

Matt "Sweet Stuff" Damon's movie is a hit because life on Earth is becoming so disgusting, everyone wants to go to another planet. Not because of his acting. I think his best acting was in The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Tilda Swinton will get a nomination for Best Actress for her performance in "A Bigger Splash."

A Bigger Splash looks good. When is that opening?

Did you see it, R60?

I did not. A friend of mine saw it at the Venice Film Festival and said it was great. She doesn't speak at all in the movie, yet gives an amazing performance.

sounds great, R63 - but, did you just give away a kind of spoiler

I don't think A Bigger Splash is out until next spring

yes, you are right, I just checked, R65

I hope Eddie Redmayne wins again. I find him far too mannered a screen actor but to be a back to back winner barely anyone in the world knows would be a hoot. And it would send his peers Cumberbatch, Hardy, Whishaw, Hiddleston etc apoplectic.

Eddie Redmayne was absolutely insufferable last year campaigning for the Oscar. He was as bad as Anne Hathaway, only because Redmayne isn't a star, people barely noticed it.

I hope that the last time he ever attends the Oscars is when he presents the Best Actress award this year. He deserves to be another Adrien Brody.

The Martian is going to be a big hit and Damon might win because people will feel its his turn.

Look for Oscarbait films Trumbo, Suffragette, and Truth to be huge flops.

OP, the Julianne Moore film is called "Freeheld" not "Freehold." How many times has this actress played gay?

Will Leo be nominated for The Reverant or would that be for next year?

I knew I should have showed my cock. Even if Jobs only had four inches. Famously.

Matt Damon deserves a nomination for "The Martian," but it's the type of role that they'd almost never give awards. If he were playing a man trapped on a deserted island instead of a man on Mars, people would be falling all over the performance and he'd be assured of getting the nod.

[quote] Matt Damon deserves a nomination for "The Martian," but it's the type of role that they'd almost never give awards.

You mean like my role in "the Blind Side"?

Bullock played a real person in an inspirational drama that takes place on Earth. It was a massive hit that drastically exceeded expectations thanks to a lack of explosions or superheroes; "The Martian" is a big-budget science fiction film, so no one will be surprised when it makes tons of money.

"The Blind Side" is complete shit, but it's the type of shit that the Academy likes.

I only have a few minutes in Sufragette. If I'm nominated I'll probably send Mamie or the younger one to accept.

R40 must be Mia, Ronan and/or Dylan's truth again.

r68 = B. Cumberbatch

It's getting so you'll have to play someone who poops her pants to get a nomination.

Lucky me!

R78, Cumberbatch was also a shameless campaigner, but since he had no chance of winning few people noticed. Usually it's the women who go crazy with campaigns, but since both races were locks for Moore and Arquette, only Jennifer Aniston went over-the-top so she could get a nomination. Thankfully, Oscar voters realized that "Cake" was terrible and Aniston was terrible in it.

I saw Steve Jobs at the New York Film Fest today and it is absolutely fantastic. Fassbender REALLY deserves to get nommed (and maybe even win) as does Winslet. I could see Jeff Daniels making it in too

Is Winslet a lead role or a supporting?

I think they'll probably campaign her Supporting, r82, and that's fine really, it is primarily Fassbender's film, I think he's there every single scene. But Winslet's the connective tissue, carrying him from scene to scene, and is in it probably 75% as much as him - she's always there five steps away, and she's got an arc.

Jeff Daniels makes sense as a nominee. He's had a long career but has never been nominated, even when he had a couple roles that might have been possible contenders (Purple Rose of Cairo, The Squid and the Whale). It all depends on how much the Academy loves "Steve Jobs."

[quote]Tilda Swinton will get a nomination for Best Actress for her performance in "A Bigger Splash."

I doubt it. She should have won a few years ago for her haunting performance in 'We Need to Talk About Kevin,' and she wasn't even nominated. Her performance was leagues better than any of the pathetic nominees that year (Streep for 'Iron Lady,' Glenn Close for 'Albert Nobbs,' Rooney Mara for 'Dragon Tattoo,' Michelle Williams for 'My Week with Marilyn'.)

The only nominee who even came close to matching her performance was Viola Davis. Tilda must have turned off the Academy prudes with her Batsuit nipple speech. She hasn't been nominated since then, not even for 'I Am Love.'

She wore a batsuit?

Tilda didn't get nominated because nobody saw the film. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" was making tons of money during voting for the awards, and Mara had a lot of goodwill left over from her role in "The Social Network" (the Academy didn't nominate her for Supporting Actress, but they extended her Academy membership that year, which they didn't even do for all of the nominees in that category). The other nominee that Swinton could have replaced, Close, had a passion project that she had attempted to make for years. That usually helps even when the performance isn't that notable, like Salma Hayek for "Frida."

She should have been nominated, easily. Kirsten Dunst in "Melancholia" and Charlize Theron for "Young Adult" were also more deserving than some of the terrible nominees that year.

Tilda has been snubbed a few times, but my favorite performance of hers might be "Julia," which was seen by even fewer people than "We Need to Talk About Kevin."

People were shocked that she wasn't nominated. I thought she could have won for Kevin, too.

Tilda should basically just be handed an award every time she stands in front of a camera. I'm always pretty shocked someone so genuinely compelling and bizarre and talented has had the career she's been allowed to have, much less actually have an Oscar of all things

That year was such an abysmal list of nominees. I get the politics of why Mara and Close and Streep got nominated, but in hindsight it's one of the most abysmal years for Best Actress ever. Compare that to what could have been:

Tilda Swinton for WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, Kirsten Dunst for MELANCHOLIA, Viola Davis for THE HELP, Charlotte Gainsbourg for MELANCHOLIA, Saoirse Ronan for HANNA

Now that's a list of nominees.

Swinton is absolutely brilliant. She should be playing every role middle-brow Blanchett gets offered.

[quote]Kirsten Dunst in "Melancholia" and Charlize Theron for "Young Adult" were also more deserving than some of the terrible nominees that year.

Absolutely!

I had to look to see who was nominated, and won

Meryl Streep – The Iron Lady as Margaret Thatcher Glenn Close – Albert Nobbs as Albert Nobbs Viola Davis – The Help as Aibileen Clark Rooney Mara – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as Lisbeth Salander Michelle Williams – My Week with Marilyn as Marilyn Monroe

Roony Mara was actually good as the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I didn't mind her getting nominated. It should have been Tilda as the winner, and I agree Dunst and Theron should have been nominated. Charlotte Gainsbourg was good, too.

No one cares what you people think. Are you voters? No? Then shut up.

Suffragette, which I saw in a preview, is unfortunately lackluster. It doesn't deserve any nominations, though if the competition is sufficiently weak it could get some. Streep is only in one scene and Carey Mulligan gives her usual bland performance. I really wanted to like this one, but couldn't. Mike Leigh and Jane Campion do far better with this kind of historical drama.

Spielberg's "Bridge of Spies", with a 5 star review. Trailer makes this film look boring, but it does have Mark Rylance and was (re) written by the Coen Brothers.

Reviews for Freeheld (including both Julianne Moore and Ellen page) are horrendous. That one is dead in the water in terms of Oscar.

The casting of Freeheld made it look like mother and child

[quote]Spielberg's "Bridge of Spies", with a 5 star review.

UGH! I can't think of anything more bland sounding than another Spielberg-Hanks movie. Is John Williams the composer?

R96 the Coens also wrote Unbroken last year and that was crap.

I hear Suffragette is getting pretty lacklustre reviews. Room sounds fascinating. And I hope we're all rooting for queen Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years! She's never been nominated but critics are saying this is a career best for her and she already won best actress in Berlin (it was a minor hit in the UK release). Between her, Maggie Smith and Lily Tomlin, could it be the year of the veteran? What are Blythe Danner's chances for I'll See You In My Dreams?

I must admit it's sort of gratifying to see shameless Oscar bait flop a little.

That Charlotte Rampling didn't even get nominated for "Under The Sand" is a crime against humanity.

Rampling refuses to play the Hollywood game. She'll be ignored again.

Rampling has been around for fifty years and has never been nominated, despite a respectable career. The fact that she refuses to play the Hollywood game might not matter, if the reviews are good enough. Sometimes Hollywood relents, especially if it might be the last time an actor can be rewarded.

I doubt Rampling could win, but throwing her a nomination while they give it to someone young enough to be her granddaughter (Brie Larson, Saiorse Ronan) seems like such an Academy thing to do.

[quote]but throwing her a nomination while they give it to someone young enough to be her granddaughter (Brie Larson, Saiorse Ronan) seems like such an Academy thing to do

Tell me about it.

Even though you didn't win, Emmanuelle, I still left the ceremony saying "I can't believe I lost the Oscar to that old lady."

So true about the Academy, but at least a nom would put her back in the spotlight (where she belongs imo) and would put her back in line for the few roles for older women out there. We'd be able to see a bit more of her for the next few years and that can only be a good thing.

Yeah, I wouldn't even have minded seeing her win for Under the Sand, that last scene was terrifying and beautifully acted. But I believe this is her best chance at a nomination since maybe she did the Woody Allen supporting actress thing (Stardust Memories) and missed out, or even her juicy supporting role in Sidney Lumet's big Oscar player (and BP nominee) The Verdict. She could even have gotten in for Georgy Girl like 50 years ago, I just looked at her wikipedia page and I can't believe she hasn't even been nominated for a BAFTA.

What is Charlotte Rampling's previous best work? I only know her from The Verdict which I think she was kind of stiff in.

BTW Have you seen the new Paul Newman stamp? Yummy!!!!

Newman stamp an abomination. Where are his blue eyes??

I didn't notice R110. What color are they on the stamp.?

I got the Maya Angelou one too. If you smell it you get high.

Rampling's best work? The Night Porter with Bogarde. Cheesy but wonderful. She's beautiful in The Damned too. Unfortunately, Rampling made an awful lot of crappy movies.

I will forever shake my head at people who think Kirsten Dunst was even remotely tolerable in the unwatchable Melancholia.

And to the naysayer above, Testament of Youth is one of the best films of the year; deserves nods for Picture, Director, Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Film Editing, Costume Design and Original Score.

Most of Rampling's best films are French, with Francois Ozon as director. Another British actress, Kristen Scott Thomas, also has done most of her best work in French films.

The kids probably best know Rampling's work from her season on "Dexter."

The Big Short is getting raves on Twitter from some who attended a screening last night.

Even if "The Big Short" is excellent, I can't see a scenario in which the Best Director Oscar goes to the man behind "Step Brothers" and "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy."

Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara are truly great in "Carol". Michael Fassbender's American accent in "Steve Jobs" is awful. Jeff Daniels is the standout in the film. Charlotte Rampling's best performance is in "Under the Sand" for which she wasn't nominated.

[quote]The Big Short is getting raves on Twitter from some who attended a screening last night.

Publicists, you mean. Twitter is little more than one big advertorial.

"I Saw the Light" with Tom Hiddleston as Hank Williams has been pushed back to 2016 after bad reviews at film festivals. I'm glad it failed, because I don't think I could deal with a year of Hiddleston's crazies taking part in the Oscar race just a year after the Cumberbitches infiltrated it.

R115, or as the third lead in Basic Instinct 2.

Bruce Feldman, who claims not to be an insider or pundit, tweet today about The Big Short screening. He liked it a lot. He's an Academy and BAFTA member, not a publicist, R119. Dial back your "SHILL!" shrieking for a change.

The people who tweeted about The Big Short also said it was unlikely to be an Oscar contender, maybe a supporting nom for Steve Carell. That's it. Haven't seen Steve Jobs yet but Fassbender's accent in the trailer is completely off.

Nobody has mentioned if Johnny Depp has a shot at a nom, for Black Mass yet.

[quote]I will forever shake my head at people who think Kirsten Dunst was even remotely tolerable in the unwatchable Melancholia.

Keep shaking your head all you want, it won't make any bit of difference.

I thought Steve Carell and Channing Tatum were good in Foxcatcher

Black Mass tanked, so no Oscar for Johnny.

Fassbender's accent in Jobs may be so-so but he's supposed to be superlative in the third act. Really nails the essence of the character. And I'm wondering if the critical acclaim he's also getting for Macbeth will also support his chances in the best actor race; a one-two punch type of thing.

DiCaprio of course is campaigning early and like a pro, he'll call in every connection and favor ever owed so this will likely be the tight race: Fassy and Leo. With Depp, Remayne and another chasing behind.

Macbeth's reviews were middling and Fassbender wasn't convincing. He may get nominated for Jobs, but mainly because this has been such a weak year for actors. Last year was the most competitive in history and the year before was cutthroat too. Underwhelming films and underwhelming performances so far.

[quote]Last year was the most competitive in history

Seriously? Keaton and Redmayne and Cumberbatch and Cooper and Carrell the "most competitive in history"? Last year was one of the WORST years for Best Actor.

I had dinner with some les friends last night who said Depp was fantastic in Black Mass.

Could Damon get nominated for Martian?

And which film will Cate be nominated for - Carol or Truth or will they cancel each other out?

Then tell your lesbian friends to go out more. Depp gives a one-note performance in a Scorsese-lite film.

The one from the Gatsby film playing his brother was very good.

I am amazed Joseph Gordon-Levitt and The Wire have been such been largely ignored and a flop.

[quote]The Wire

The Walk. You're confusing it with Man on Wire (the doc) and The Wire (the unrelated television show).

When the dust settles The Big Short could still be an Oscar contender. It will probably end up on a lot of critics' ten best lists. And the cast apparently loves the film and its director/Adam McKay so will go out of their way to promote it. Paramount is putting a lot of muscle behind it. I wouldn't count it out just yet.

Is Best Picture still up to 10 nominees?

R30 last year's nominees were probably the worst nominations. All these actors deserved nominations over the 5 who got them: Spall, Oyelowo, Gyllenhaal, Hardy, McConaughey. All of them gave better performances.

Agreed, R137. Spall should have won. Redmayne is the new Goop.

Jane Fonda is getting Oscar buzz for Youth.

I hope a lot of legends get in this year. There does seem to be a lot of momentum for Rampling, Tomlin, Fonda, and Maggie Smith.

But people are already buzzing about a second Oscar for Jennifer Lawrence for Joy. They give second Oscars out like candy these days.

I hope Maggie Smith wins. Haven't seen her film yet and maybe it's not great, but she's certainly the greatest living actress (suck on it Meryl) and deserves to have a second Best Actress Oscar before she kicks the bucket. Supporting doesn't count.

[quote]but she's certainly the greatest living actress

Bitch please. I love Maggie Smith, but she doesn't have much range. She plays feisty, headstrong old English ladies. Even when she was young she played feisty, headstrong old English ladies.

I hope Redmayne and Lawrence win their second Oscars this year just for the secondhand embarrassment.

R142 if they do, hopefully it will kill their careers just like it did Hilary Swank's.

R123 is either lying to be contrary or works for Harvey Weinstein. The only tweets about The Big Short have been from that one guy and were highly favorable. It absolutely will be an awards contender-the Academy wants Gosling, Pitt, Carell and Bale all there on Oscar night.

A little late but Rampling's best performances are Under the Sand, Swimming Pool, Heading South, The Cherry Orchard, A Purple Taxi, The Damned, Flesh of the Orchid, Lemming... I could go on and on. Plenty of amazing performances in underseen films. But the Ozon ones are especially great. I hope she gets nominated this year, I haven't seen 45 Years yet but the film has across the board raves and was a box office hit in the UK (it broke some kind of record for On demand same day release or something). She also just published her memoir in French, maybe she'll be open to the awards trail campaign a little more.

R141 needs to watch more Maggie Smith movies...and then realize that she has also had a superlative theatre career where she tackled great roles by great playwrights.

That is the real reason that Meryl Streep can never be the greatest actress -- she has made a career of being the best thing in mediocre movies. The great British actresses have dominated the stage. Her contemporaries like Glenn Close and Helen Mirren have pushed boundaries in television. French actresses like Juliette Binoche are showing the courage to work with the great international directors. And then there's Meryl. Since the 1980's...what has she really done? Take out Mike Nichols and what do you have? Who cares about all those bullshit Oscar noms? Where is her Lady MacBeth? Her Mary Tyrone? Her Violet Venable? And on...and on...and on...

[quote]Her contemporaries like Glenn Close and Helen Mirren have pushed boundaries in television.

Yes, Glenn Close's portrayal of Nellie Forbush in TV's South Pacific really pushed boundaries! I mean, someone in their mid-50's playing a young ingenue type was an incredible thing to behold!

I don't know who's worse -- the Meryl Loons or the Anti-Meryl Loons.

Streep isn't an actress. She's a mimic who unfortunately ushered in an era of mimics being celebrated as great actors (Day Lewis + all those Brits with their loopy American accents).

You never, ever believe for a single second that Streep is the character she's playing. It's always "oh, listen to that accent!"

Great actors convey truth, not actors' tricks and certainly not mimicry.

R147...Right. Because that's all the TV that Glenn Close has done. Try again.

Doubt if Academy members will watch it, but Beasts of No Nation will probably clean up with the critics groups. The kid who plays the lead and Idris Elba probably picking off Best Actor and Supporting and Fukunaga taking Best Director.

Will "Stonewall" get any nominations?

[quote]I hope Redmayne and Lawrence win their second Oscars this year just for the secondhand embarrassment.

They are already predicting that Jennifer Lawrence will get the best actress nomination for "Joy".

Joy!

Truth has tanked at the box office.

Truth is hampered by the fact that it solely relies on the opinions of the Blanchett character, who is clearly in a biased position. If Blanchett is nominated, it will be for Carol, although Mara is more likely.

I don't think Kristen Stewart's chances for THE CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA are strong, but her Cesar is well deserved. Of her tics and mannerisms are present, they are bended so precisely to the actions of the character.

Similarly JOY looks surprisingly fun and looks like it will take advantage of Jennifer Lawrence's tendency to be a bit hammy.

Speaking of JLaw, I wonder what happened to the Chris Terrio screenplay THE ENDS OF THE EARTH about the oil tycoon who marries his stepdaughter? That was a great script.

Is Clouds of Sils Maria on Netflix or Amazon now? I wanted to see it and missed it. I saw Camp Xray and was astonished that Stewart gave such a good performance.

Suffragette opens next weekend. Carey Mulligan is meant to give a great performance.

[quote] Truth has tanked at the box office.

No it didn't. it made nearly $13K per screen and was only released on 6 screens. Not blockbuster, but it had the third highest per screen average of ALL releases this weekend.

TRUTH has Canadian sexicle Bruce Greenwood. It goes on my To Watch list.

According to Scott Mendelson of Forbes: Weekend Box Office: 'Room' Scores, 'Truth' Tanks, 'Beasts Of No Nation' Is Film Of Few Tickets

Room was a great book, but will be a difficult film to watch. The only certain Best Picture nominee at this stage is "Bridge of Spies".

Anything on "The Walk"? I thought it was impressive.

Maybe visually, R163, but the lead can't act.

I'm not sold on "Bridge of Spies" as an Oscar contender, despite Spielberg and Hanks. Too easy to forget once voting starts, it's not a huge hit, and it's not positioned as a contender like Spielberg usually does for his non-action films. "Room" will get in, easily. It's the type of movie that's difficult to watch, but so emotional that Oscar voters will respond to it.

It won the People's Choice at Toronto, which is a great sign. Previous winners of the award include: Slumdog Millionaire, The King's Speech, 12 Years a Slave, Silver Linings Playbook, Precious and The Imitation Game. All of these films were nominated for Best Picture, and even the ones that didn't win the top prize still took home a major Oscar.

Mark Rylance should be nominated for Bridge of Spies.

Really R166? He was so disappointing in Wolf Hall. I loved that book and his Cromwell was so uninspired.

Rylance is actually now considered a front runner for all the awards. He probably has the SAG award in the bag because of his phenomenal reputation as an actor paired with his great performance in Bridge of Spies.

The Walk and Truth are both DOA. Neither will be awards contenders.

[quote]The Walk and Truth are both DOA. Neither will be awards contenders.

Why? I thought The Walk was a wonderful movie.

"The Walk" was dead the moment that everyone heard that ridiculous French accent, although I wouldn't count it out for some technical nominations.

JGL is insufferable on screen.

The Walk is flatlining at the box office and its reviews were underwhelming. Yes, it could be up for Visual Effects but that's it.

I enjoyed watching "The Walk" but, it's a must on IMAX 3-D.

I couldn't even watch the trailer for The Walk. Made me feel sick. And JGL ain't gonna happen. He's the least charismatic actor ever.

[quote] According to Scott Mendelson of Forbes: Weekend Box Office: 'Room' Scores, 'Truth' Tanks, 'Beasts Of No Nation' Is Film Of Few Tickets

Is Scott Mendelson some college freshman Forbes hired as an intern so they wouldn't have to pay someone to write that garbage?

Truth did not "tank." And why the fuck would anyone be surprised that Beasts of No Nation didn't generate ticket sales? You can see it for free on Netflix. The release was little more than a qualifier for Academy consideration.

I am getting deep feeling of happiness at watching JGL fail.

Saw The Walk last night. Five people in the theater. It was gone from IMAX (thanks to the shitastic, non-3D Crimson Peak) but I still got to see it regular 3D and I'm glad I did, because it was the rare film that needed to be seen in that format. Even though I wasn't "surrounded" by the screen the way I might have been in IMAX, I still very much felt the effects of the 3D and was very much immersed in the last hour of the film. Unfortunately, you have to get through the first hour of it before you get to the good stuff. I've seen much worse, but if the film would have gotten to NYC about 30 minutes sooner, this would be a major Oscar contender for many tech awards, and have gotten much better reviews. JGL also eases into the performance better in that half of the film (though he's still not terribly good, he's eons better than when he's in France- or I was just more distracted by good things on which to focus). The writing is awful. Zemeckis should never script a movie again. But I walked out of the film strangely moved and exhilarated, so I can't bag on it too much. If you have plans to see it, hurry. W/ the new piece of shit Paranormal Activity moving in Fri, it might just lose all its remaining 3D screens and this is a movie that begs to be seen in that format.

Why did Zemeckis cast a French Canadian girl with awful teeth as a beautiful Parisian?

R176, ooh, any info on JGL? Thought he was the real deal in Mysterious Skin but hated Don Jon and the way he ironically channels Mr Skin in his cheesy publicity photographs.

R179 - Not anything you haven't heard, I think. He's a manipulative, fake asshole.

I think he's tremendous.

I see most movies at the end of the year, but Oscar Season has become an increasing trial over the past 10 years. The films I plan to see in a cinema this year are CAROL, HATEFUL EIGHT, YOUTH, SICARIO, and maybe JOY.

So far...

Loved "Room". Brie Larson and that boy should be locks for Oscar nominations. And the film too for Best Picture. But the kid (Jacob Trembley) is definitely a lead, and I wonder if the powers-that-be are going to try to get him in the supporting category cause of his age. That'd be absurd.

Suffered through "Suffragette". Carey Mulligan is very good, as are all the performances (even Meryl Streep in her one scene), but the writers make such a crucial and odd narrative mistake that the ending falls completely flat. As a result, it's all underwhelming.

Two supporting performances that make huge impacts are Mark Rylance in "Bridge of Spies" and Benecio Del Toro in "Sicario". Both excellent.

I wanted to see "The Walk" on an IMAX screen. But it came and went so quickly. Not a good sign.

Trying to muster the strength to see "Steve Jobs" and/or "Truth", both of which are failing to set box offices aflame but look worthwhile.

R45 Correction: DDL was NOT the only exception.

Walter Brennan beat him to punch by winning ALL 3 of his Oscars BEFORE the age of 50!

"I'll NEVER be complete!" vows massive Oscarbait film collapse

Today's victim: The Big Short

"strenuously unfunny" - Hollywood Reporter

[quote]Loved "Room". Brie Larson and that boy should be locks for Oscar nominations.

I completely agree. I thought that Brie Larson was just phenomenal in it. ***SPOILERS*** The scene where she's being interviewed by the reporter, aghast at her line of questioning is an obvious standout. But I'd also cite two other scenes that really stood out to me. One was, I believe, the only scene not seen through Jack's eyes and it's Joy alone in the dark at night crying - I believe this is right before she hatches her final plan of escape. And then the scene where she's just rolled Jack up in the rug and is screaming at Old Nick to promise not to look at him. I think she must be considered a serious contender for Best Actress this year and I'm ecstatic that it seems she's finally broken through. Interesting that with Jennifer Lawrence in the mix, there might be two characters named "Joy" duking it out for Best Actress.

I had previously read the book, so although I knew that Ma and Jack would make it out (and how they would make it out), I was still on the edge of my seat during that entire escape sequence which I think is a real testament to the strength of the direction and the screenplay (written by the author herself).

Joan Allen was also perfection in this and I wouldn't count her out for a nomination (it was nice to see her on-screen again). I worry that voters won't think she "does enough" in the movie to merit consideration but I think she really pulled off a tricky role, especially in her scenes with Larson where she's kind of tip-toeing around her daughter to straddle the line between the comfort she'd like to provide her and the questions she has about what Joy has endured. The moment when Jack reveals that he used to hide in the wardrobe when Old Nick visited was quite a moving moment.

And in a year where they seem to be scrambling for candidates to fill out the Best Actor roster (I mean, Will Smith, seriously?) I think it's unfortunate that Jacob Tremblay's performance isn't being considered more seriously. He's just as dominant in the film as, say, Quvenzhané Wallis was in Beasts of the Southern Wild and she managed to place in lead even though she gave a juvenile performance. I thought he was just incredible--exerting control and authority of the space of "room" that is all he knows while portraying the expected level of naïveté about the mechanics of an unconsidered world outside its walls. His delicate foray into that world outside once they escape is very heartfelt and earnest. I appreciated his slow transformation and awakening to everything around him, especially as its set against his yearning to return to "room" which he misses. There were small ways this was also telegraphed that were such nice touches, too. There's one scene where he's built what looks like the shed in which they were imprisoned out of the Legos, even adding what looks like a skylight on top. Then he destroys it. So much conveyed in that small moment.

This is definitely an actor's showcase and certainly the best movie I've seen this season so far.

"Martian", "Bridge of Spies", "Room", "Suffragette" and "Spotlight" are the top 5 on my list, along with one terrific film from early in the year which, sadly, doesn't stand a chance - "'71"

I also loved Room and I'm really upset that none of the pundits are calling for Trembley in the lead. He IS the lead male, he is NOT supporting. Goldderby doesn't even rank him very high in in supporting.

Goddammit if Fassbinder wins the Oscar this year I will really be pissed.

Suffragette doesn't stand a chance either, R187.

At this point I am 99% certain Martian, Inside Out, Bridge of Spies, Room, and Spotlight will be Best Picture finalists.

I think Brie Larson has a strong chance of winning the Best Actress Oscar. Saoirse Ronan is getting great notices for Brooklyn, but the performance might be too recessive. Jennifer Lawrence is too young to get another so soon. She'll just continue to rack up nominations. And I don't see Cate Blanchett joining the Meryl club at this point (they made Meryl wait over 3o years between her two Best Actress statuettes; Blanchett won just two years ago). One of the veteran ladies waiting in the wings for their respective vehicles could certainly be honored (Blythe Danner, Lily Tomlin, Maggie Smith, Charlotte Rampling), but I think they're all just holding out for a nomination at this juncture.

Which leaves Larson who has a ton of "Oscar moments" in Room and gives one of the most complex performances of the year. I think she's a very strong contender.

I saw Spotlight last night, and it is the exact kind of picture the Academy goes for. Good performances, social justice-y, directed well if perfunctorily. I could see Ruffalo or Tucci getting Supporting Actor nods, as well as nods for Screenplay and Score.

[quote] If you have plans to see it, hurry. W/ the new piece of shit Paranormal Activity moving in Fri, it might just lose all its remaining 3D screens and this is a movie that begs to be seen in that format.

Unfortunately I just can't: I've been invited to a very important series of pajama parties.

[quote]I wanted to see "The Walk" on an IMAX screen. But it came and went so quickly. Not a good sign.

It was only showing for a week at my IMAX theater. Most of you will have to wait for the 3-D version on Blu-Ray. It does deserve a lot of Oscars for tech and sound.

I think AMPAS will bump Rooney Mara up to leading for Carol. It's not as easy to get away with category fraud when everybody is talking about it. Her and Blanchett are going to do a Thelma & Louise (they'll probably share heaps of precursor awards like the NYFCC). But i'd really just love to see one of the old girls win. Lily Tomlin would make the best speech, seeing Blythe Danner just nominated would be thrilling at this stage of her career and she could probably use the boost more than everybody else, Maggie Smith is always fun, and Charlotte Rampling is absolutely shattering in 45 Years. Perhaps her best performance in a career where she has frequently out-acted her peers in interesting films. Her final moments in the film took my breath away. If she had more 'Oscar clips' she'd be a strong contender in a year like this.

Haven't seen Room yet but the novel was wonderful and I like Larson, really looking forward to her performance and kind of rooting for her over the other young girls.

[quote]seeing Blythe Danner just nominated would be thrilling at this stage of her career

Mary!

"I'll NEVER be complete" vows Massive Oscarbait Collapse

[quote]I think Brie Larson has a strong chance of winning the Best Actress Oscar.

Not anymore, she's not. How many critics awards has "Room" won?

R198 National board of review best actress but movie fans pick these winners. I trust the Hollywood Foreign Press for the Globes to pick better winners but that's not saying much lol.

I hope Kristen Stewart is nominated for CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA. A rare role that contained a lot of her tics yet focused her naturally and strongly. She doesn't seem to be campaigning, though. Juliette Binoche was even better.

If Sly gets that nomination for CREED, he may well win. *If* he is nominated. It is a strong year for supporting actors with Ruffalo, Keaton, Rylance, Del Toro, Dano, Tremblay, De Niro. And speaking of CREED, I hope Michael B. Jordan comes out of nowhere with a nomination. He is so fucking likeable.

[quote]I hope Michael B. Jordan comes out of nowhere with a nomination. He is so fucking likeable.

Where's Wallace? Where the fuck is Wallace? Huh? Huh? String? String? Look at me! Where the fuck is Wallace?

Speaking of collapse, that "Macbeth" is godawful. I mean, terrible to the nth degree. Loathed it.

"Son of Saul" and "45 Years" are both excellent. "Saul" is a lock for that Foreign Language Oscar. Both are worthy films that I never want to see again though...

I don't get the Kristen Stewart love for "Clouds". What am I missing? I thought she was fine, good even. But I feel like I missed something everyone else sees so clearly.

The lead in Son of Saul will also be nominated for Best Actor.

Well, JOY has crashed and burned.

R203,

You think so? I certainly hope so. He's amazing. But he's Hungarian, and totally new on the scene. That concerns me. But if I were voting, he'd be at the top of my ballot.

Golden Globes and SAG nominations out this week.

I thought Jennifer Lawrence was getting an Oscar for joy?

I thought Kristin Stewart was wonderful in Clouds of Sils Maria, never thought I would say that! I hope she gets the nomination. 👍🏻

Creed is not getting any nominations, it's like nominating Magic Mike 2.

Best animation should go to The Peanuts Movie.

Leo should have won Best Supporting Actor for DJANGO instead of Waltz.

The only even solid lock to win at this point is Leo.

Solid lock to win, R212? He's not even a solid lock for a nomination. Are you one of those Leo fangirls who's been declaring him the winner from your blog before his movie has even been released?

There are no locks for any of the acting races right now. At this point last year, we had Julianne Moore (Best Actress), J.K. Simmons (Best Supporting Actor) as locks and, approaching near-lock status, Patricia Arquette (Best Supporting Actress).

You're not particularly good at this, R212.

You're an idiot, r213. Sure, they'll give it to Eddie Redmayne or Matt Damon instead.

How am I an idiot, R214? Declaring locks at this point makes YOU look like an idiotic fangurl.

Leo is absolutely the front runner for BA.

Being a frontrunner is different from "Leo is a solid lock to win."

Leo has the narrative. The already legendary shoot and his physical traumas, a solid star for 20 years, the 4 nominations.

He is the *only* acting lock.

r214/r215 - obvious logic fail.

[quote] Best animation should go to The Peanuts Movie.

It should, but The Rat is gonna pull out the stops for their Oscar campaign on [italic]Inside Out[/italic] to distract from the wage-fixing lawsuit plaguing the animation industry right now. It already won the New York Film Critics' Circle award for Best Animated Film.

Inside Out has already won the animation Oscar. Don't even think about anything else winning.

Inside Out is more a traditional "lock" then, say, Leonardo DiCaprio who could easily fall by the wayside once his film opens and voters gravitate to other candidates (some of whom might not even be in the conversation at this point). Academy voters don't like being told who they're supposed to vote for.

How many times were we told that Kate Hudson was a "lock" the year she lost to Marcia Gay Harden? She had the narrative too: her own mother had won the same award thirty years earlier, she was the heir apparent of comedic Hollywood royalty, etc. etc. But voters didn't go for it.

R218, your particular fail is trying to apply logic to Oscar voting.

Leonardo DiCaprio is not even close to a lock. That status goes to so few, especially for films that haven't been released yet.

And I know, cause I vote. In fact, I was one of those voters who voted for Marcia Gay Harden at the last minute instead of Kate Hudson when I finally got my butt to a screening of "Pollock". Never expected Harden to win, but glad she did. And I wasn't voting for anyone's family legacy, nor were most other Academy members. I was voting for those performances that year, and Harden won me over just a little bit more than Hudson.

As for the lead actors (I'm not part of that branch, so I'll only vote for an actor once the nominees are known), I'd vote for the Geza Rohrig from "Son of Saul" if given the opportunity. Doubt he'll be nominated though, so as for the others, the jury is still out. I need to see "Steve Jobs" still, and "The Revenant" (Leo!), among others.

'Joy' will get no nominations.

Leo is pretty much a lock for best actor, I can't picture anyone else winning besides Leo.

It's definitely been a weird year for Oscar-caliber-type films. Reminds me of 2011, which was so weak the Oscars honored dreck like The Help, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Tree of Life, and Meryl finally wins her second Best Actress for the horrible Iron Lady.

2011 had some great movies: Pariah, Take Shelter, Margin Call, Jane Eyre, We Need to Tale about Kevin, Melancholia, Shame, Rango.

Naturally, they were all ignored by the Academy.

R226, yes but the difference from this year is most of those were not major studio releases with a big push behind them. The Academy often misses the actual best films of the year.

How 'bout only three Best Picture nominees this year? Worst year in film on record unless some big guns show up at the 11th hour. They had better hurry up though.

Tree of Life deserved its nomination. You may not appreciate Terrence Malick's vision and style but even his lesser movies are far more interesting from the point of view of pure moviemaking than the safe, middlebrow schlock peddled by, say, DOR.

I definitely think Malick is one of the better and more interesting filmmakers, but I also thought Tree of Life was way overrated. That doesn't make it worse that DOR schlock though.

Peanuts Movie managed to remain true to Charles Schultz's characters. Something that I thought would be impossible, but Paul Feig and the cast pulled it off. It is also better than the feature length Peanuts movies that were made under Schultz.

Inside Out is more of the same massively overhyped Pixar fare.

Excited for the SAG and Globe noms.

[quote]Bitch please. I love Maggie Smith, but she doesn't have much range. She plays feisty, headstrong old English ladies. Even when she was young she played feisty, headstrong old English ladies.

Well, you've just revealed your ignorance. She was hugely critically acclaimed and celebrated for her screen performances as Desdemona in "Othello" (when she was young and lovely) and the title role in "The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne," nether of whom fit that description. And her most famous and definitive stage role was the witty Millamant (again when she was young and lovely) in Congreve's "The Way of the World," which also does not fit that description.

They will put Michael Douglas/Keaton up for supporting to make up for last year. Hopefully he won't pull a Renner and lose twice in a row.

This is undoubtedly the worse year in pictures, the only movies I liked were The Martian and The Peanuts Movie. I don't care who wins this year, because it will be some film overrated anyway.

You sound like you have fabulous taste R235.

The Big Short is getting good reviews, although I'm not impressed with the clips/trailer I've seen. There is still Concussion and Hateful Eight, either of which could be the big winner if they live up to the hype. And the Star Wars movie, if good, could get some award attention.

Saw Spotlight last night. it's massively overrated and, though they function well as an ensemble, no one in the cast deserves any individual recognition. The movie felt flat and uninspired, and what should have been a hugely emotionally manipulative movie (in a good way, I mean), is surprisingly uninvolving. It was also shot and edited like a TV movie.

HATED Anomalisa. Absolutely hated it. No one is getting any nominations for that, though it will probably sneak in for animated. If I'd realized Charlie Kaufman was behind it, I'd not have bothered. I loathe his work.

R224 = Leo fangurl.

I'm putting it out there now - Abraham Attah for a Best Actor nomination.

Look to more movies having Netflix distribution concurrent with a cinema release if the Globes and the Oscars follow the SAG's trend.

It looks like Trumbo's collapse is not complete. Three SAG nominations isn't bad, and I think Cranaton might translate that into an Oscar nod. Critics were never going to go nuts for it, but it's the type of middlebrow thing that Hollywood likes despite what critics think.

Trumbo looks like one of those films you have to watch in ethics classes. It looks so worthy, even Mother Teresa would sneer at it.

Carol for costumes, absolutely. :)

Hopefully Leo's not nominated for his latest vile offering. He's not owed anything...

R242, "Trumbo" isn't bad, it's just pretty basic. It's actually a lot of fun when Trumbo is writing for the B-movie studio headed by John Goodman, who probably would be in contention for an Oscar nomination had his role been a bit larger. It's the type of movie that critics dismiss because there's nothing that surprising or innovative about it, but the elderly Academy voters will probably love it.

I'd rather see Cranston win the Oscar than DiCaprio, since "The Revenant" is just about the dumbest, most excruciating film I've ever seen where DiCaprio doesn't act, he crawls and wheezes, while "Trumbo" is just middlebrow. Hell, I'd probably even prefer Depp or Redmayne over DiCaprio, and I despise both actors and usually like DiCaprio.

I can not stand Cate Blanchette I thought she deserved to win last year but that's the end of that,

I'd love to see Charlotte Rampling win but it's a European arthouse movie and she doesn't strike me as a type who would do the whole "for your consideration" circuit through a feature in Vanity Fair, cracking jokes on talk shows, etc, so it'll be a tough row to hoe. The fact that she wasn't even nominated for "Under The Sand", let alone win, is a crime against humanity.

Blanchett's performance in Carol reminded me of another Carol- Burnett parodying dramatic acting on her variety show. She was pretty terrible, actually. Mara was decent, but the whole film was a huge who gives a fuck

Rampling is actually doing the awards circuit this year. She was honored at the AFI film festival last month in Hollywood, and there were constant reminders that she has never been nominated for an Oscar. I think she probably won't show up anywhere until the Oscars, kind of like Marion Cotillard last year.

So far, Rampling is the only one truly deserving of the award this year (even though her movie was a snore). She did wonderful work and is very overdue for some recognition. Larson was very good, but her shitty movie kept her from truly being great. Ronan was pleasant, but anyone could have played that role and done that work. I do not get the love for her in Brooklyn.

WHEN will DL fave John Goodman get his long overdue Oscar nom?!!!

[quote] "Trumbo" is just middlebrow.

Middlebrow is just what the Oscars need to avoid.

Mark Rylance is utter shit in Wolf Hall, but he has the DOWNTON ABBEY Class slot. I am really surprised the SAGs don't seem to have supporting categories for TV. If it's an open playing field it is a crime Nicole Kidman was nominated for GRACE over Mo'Nique in BESSIE.

It makes sense the HFPA would want JLaw and Sly to come to the party.

R253 WHOOPSIE! Mo was NOT in Bessie! But thanks for playing! A swing and a miss I'm afraid.

[quote] Mark Rylance is utter shit in Wolf Hall,

Couldn't disagree more. He was great. It's a very subtle and affecting performance.

Tree of Life was one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. It wasn't about its narrative. It was an evocative essay on the things we hold close and dear and the memories of those things. When I finally saw it less than a year ago I almost felt sad for those unable to open themselves up to it - I remember reading that people walked out of it and people were confounded by it.

"Middlebrow" is what the Academy aspires to. Most of the Academy members are actors who dropped out of high school and publicists who started out working in the mail room because their Uncle Milton got them the job. "Middlebrow" is aiming high for these people.

R255, Mo'Nique was in "Bessie." She didn't play Bessie Smith, but she was in it, and received an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance. Since the post about Mo'Nique was about supporting performances in SAG, it only takes a little bit of thought to realize that maybe R253 wasn't talking about Queen Latifah's lead performance.

[quote]Ronan was pleasant, but anyone could have played that role and done that work.

No. Just no. She was brilliant. If Larson is the front runner, Ronan is the solid second place. Rampling will probably not even get an Oscar nomination.

"Trumbo" is the surprise of awards season. Now the Awards websites are saying Cranston might definitely take it away from Di Caprio.

[quote] No. Just no. She was brilliant. If Larson is the front runner, Ronan is the solid second place. Rampling will probably not even get an Oscar nomination.

What was so fucking brilliant? This was as straightforward of a film as could possibly be. Everything the characters wanted was right out in the open. There was nothing to play except earnestness, which she did very well, but that only takes you so far. I'm not saying she wasn't good, I'm saying she wasn't exceptional, nor was the role or the film.

Ronan was utter perfection in Brooklyn. She's going to win Best Actress.

It's now between Larson and Ronan. I thought Larson would do much better among critics, but she still has the type of role that seems more likely to win than Ronan, who doesn't have the type of plate-smashing histrionics that usually prevail in the category. Ronan benefits from the Jodie Foster phenomenon, awarding a former child actress for making a transition to adult roles without fucking up her life.

At least Best Actress is better than the wasteland it was last year. Felicity Jones was a sure bit for a nomination and Jennifer Aniston damn near got nominated for a terrible performance in a terrible movie. You can't get much worse than that, even if they do decide to go for Sarah Silverman.

Has anyone seen 99Homes? Michael Shannon's performance seems to be gettting a lot of love from critics. I figured it would be available via OnDemand, but apparently not until February? You think the studio would move up.

99 Homes is a really well done, but really depressing movie. Strong writing, totally believable, very well acted yet such a sad story I'm amazed it was actually made. Shannon is good but so is the whole cast.

I usually am NOT a fan of Shannon's acting, but I think he's wonderful in 99 Homes, which, despite a collapsed third act, is really a very good movie.

Saw The Big Short last night. Loved it. Definitely gonna be a Best Pic contender. Best Screenplay too. Christian Bale might very well get nominated too.

Son of Saul's lead should be nominated for Best Actor. But he's Hungarian, so I don't see it happening.

Charlotte Rampling is wonderful in 45 Years, but the movie itself is rather meh. She deserves a nomination, but if only one older actress is going to get it, I'd go for Lily Tomlin in Grandma.

Michael Shannon should have won for TAKE SHELTER. That was the year that Jean Dujardin won for THE FUCKING ARTIST.

Tilda Swinton also should have won that year for WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN. Instead, Meryl Streep won for THE FUCKING IRON LADY.

JGL fans are butthurt at his lack of nominations. Because that accent was SO AWARD WORTHY.

R269 YES. And Gyllenhaal should have won last year over Redcarpet.

Gyllenhaal delivered my favorite performance of the decade last year but doesn't look like "Southpaw" or anything else will make up for it this year -- despite Harvey's rather premature prediction back in the Spring. Too bad because I love how good Jake has gotten right before our eyes. He went from dull (and maybe even repressed if you believe the rumors) to one of the best actors we have and, nope, I'm not exaggerating. "Nightcrawler" was that good.

Why isn't "The Walk" getting any nominations? It was wonderful.

R273 - Because nobody watched it and JGL's peformance was terrible.

Gyllanhaal definitely got gypped out of a nom for "Nightcrawler". Certainly a better performance than Carrell or Cooper

Hopefully the crappy work Cooper has turned in this year in flop after flop will cure the Academy of the compulsion to nominate him for everything. Hopefully it cures them of the compulsion to nominate David O Russell and JLaw too. And Amy Adams and Christian Bale.

God, American Hustle was such a load of shit.

Then there's still a chance for Bear Fuck Part 25!

Two gentle, moving and sensitive performances that I hope Oscar recognizes are from Paul Dano And Elizabeth Banks in Love & Mercy...I really hope the Academy recognizes their work. See this film if you haven't already

Yes, Love & Mercy was an excellent movie.

Dano should have been up several times by now and he's even been in major Oscar honored fare but nothing. They just don't "get" him (yet... I'd put money on him as a future Oscar winner though. He's just had sheer talent since he was a boy in "L.I.E.", though maybe he makes it look too easy somehow. Who knows? "There Will Be Blood", for one, owes him a lot. And I liked him in "12 Years a Slave" too).

What's with them continuing to ignore Paul Dano and import a bunch of second-rate Brits and Aussies and trying to make them stars? Weird. Dano's a much better actor than all the Edgertons, Hiddlestons, etc. Ridiculous he isn't getting pick of the roles. He may not be much of a looker, but neither are Edgerton and Hiddleston.

In fact, Dano headed to the UK to get a decent lead. He's playing Pierre Bezukhov in the BBC's new War and Peace mini-series. Can't wait.

I caught up with "Carol" yesterday and I'm pretty mystified by all the love Rooney Mara is getting....she was okay, but she plays such a passive character. Cate's no better in it, though, but at least we all know she will give a mannered performance in everything she does.

Dano gave a good performance but Banks was just okay. The problem with Dano is that Brian Wilson was very attractive in his youth and Dano is not. Brian was also a big man and Dano is small and slight. For those of us who remember the attraction of Brian Wilson it made accepting him as Brian more difficult - I imagine his performance worked better for those who didn't know or remember Brian from back in the day.

Elizabeth Banks was middling in L&M, but her character was poorly written, and it doesn't help that she was surrounded by dreadful John Cusack and Paul "I only know how to give one performance, so I hope it fits the character" Giamatti. Dano was stupendous, but was also helped by the fact that his half of the movie was the better written, better shot, better directed and more compelling segment of the two.

Who knows, maybe this could be the year Dano finally gets his deserved nomination at the least (a win might be too much to hope for). God knows the competition is beyond weak this year and he can get the indie "Half Nelson" slot. Loooong overdue in his case so we can all cheer if it happens (and report back to this thread).

Dano is weird looking, which is why he isn't, and never will be, a bigger star. He's destined for a career as a character actor.

I haven't seen this film but I loathe Paul Dano. And I agree he's really strange looking, bordering on hideous (for a movie star).

The Revenant is such a wonderful surprise.

I heard people complaining about it, and I thought I would absolutely hate it.

It is one of my favorite movie experiences ever.

[quote] I caught up with "Carol" yesterday and I'm pretty mystified by all the love Rooney Mara is getting

Is it one of Harvey's?

I can't stand John Cusack, but I actually thought he was pretty good in "Love and Mercy" - a performance that matched Dano's.

Stick a fork in "In the Heart of the Sea" 'cause it's a flop

Really? I thought he was horribly miscast. I will say that it's the best he's been in a long while, but that's because it's the first film he's done in years that wasn't for a paycheck only.

Is Black Mass completely out of it? That was a fantastic film.

Black Mass is toast, probably

This is undoubtedly the worse year in movies...too many overrated indie films. I know everybody agrees with me.

[quote] the worse year

I'm sure everybody working on their GED agrees with you, R295.

Terrible, terrible year for movies. I love how critics are trying to talk up crappy movies like The Martian, Revenant, etc which would in normal years be considered what they are - a popcorn flick and a failed Terrence Malicky experiment.

Pathetic.

Pathetic indeed. Even the upcoming Oscar bait looks dreary as hell. It could rival 2004, the worst year of Best Picture nominees in history if you ask me. Part III of that tired trilogy, that damn horse, movie star problems in Japan (perhaps the best of the bunch, sadly), "Man Overboard!", and the most overrated of many overrated Clint Eastwood movies. Just awful.

[quote]How many times were we told that Kate Hudson was a "lock" the year she lost to Marcia Gay Harden? She had the narrative too: her own mother had won the same award thirty years earlier, she was the heir apparent of comedic Hollywood royalty, etc. etc. But voters didn't go for it.

Hudson was not a lock to win in 2000. The precursors were split among Hudson (Golden Globe), Dench (SAG), McDromand (Critics Choice), and Walters (BAFTA). It was anyone's guess. What was surprising about Gay Harden's win was not that she upset a frontrunner, but because she came out of nowhere to win. She won NYFCC, but that was her only major nomination. SAG, Critics Choice, BAFTA, and Golden Globe ignored her. going into Oscar night, no one was predicting her. Everyone thought she should just be happy to get nominated.

This is undoubtedly a worst year in pictures with no film that is worthy of best picture. I don't really care who wins during award season.

She might not have been a "lock," R299, but as I remember it that year, everyone was predicting her to win. So, maybe "heavily favored" is a better way of stating it. And you just know that little bitch thought she had it sown up.

R301 were you happy when Gay Harden won?

First real-world victim of the 2015 Oscarbait Collapse - Focus Features, whose entire leadership was dismantled and the mini forced into merger with Universal's foreign production label, after Oscarbait flops like Suffragette and The Danish Girl.

These were simpler times.

So far the 21st century has been a pretty boring era for theatrical motion pictures. Television on the other hand has improved considerably.

That's just it, if television is so good fuck the movies.

They now produce a few serious movies to try to get Oscars otherwise it is all superhero bullshit. So boring. Cinema is dead. Fucking George Lucas and Marvel killed it off.

Ironic