Oscar noms thread with link to streaming announcement- Page 5

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/12/13 at 4:28pm

It's funny, each year whenever anyone asks me who I want to win the Oscar I always quote whats-her-face from IN & OUT when she says "I hope that nice Sally Field wins". That movie came out in 1997 and Field hasn't even been nominated since so it's nice that I can say it and actually mean it this year.

[BwayTday]

Posted: 1/12/13 at 5:06pm

"And if Jennifer Lawrence doesn't win Best Actress, it'll just be all too goddamn typical."

If Lawrence doesn't win it's because of an underwritten role in a problematic film. She's great, but I agree that the race seems to be between Riva and Chastain.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 1/12/13 at 6:24pm

Never underestimate the power of Harvey Weinstein.

That said there is bound to be backlash to the backlash regarding Zero Dark Thirty (I mean seriously, the Bigelow-Riefenstahl comparisons are just low) based on the fact it is now opening in more theaters that I think can help Chastain's case. It will be interesting to see if Amour continues its momentum beyond the Foreign Film category.

[OrdinaryJukebox]

Posted: 1/13/13 at 12:04am

Having seen all of the best actress nominees except Watts, I can honestly say, the nomination for Wallis is laughable. Riva could easily take it for a stunning performance in "Amour." I love what Lawrence did in "SLP," and Chastain is just so wonderfully gifted and does great work in a film we don't usually see anchored by a female character. But, this child did not, by any stretch of the imagination, deserve to bump Marion Cottilard. It's disgraceful!

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 1/13/13 at 7:40am

For me the work most incomprehensibly undervalued by the awards season is Trintignant's.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 1/13/13 at 11:24am

^^^^^^^
I absolutely agree. Equal in legend as Riva and to me the movie cannot really be as effective without that performance. The recent BAFTA nominations where Riva got nominated while his category included Ben Affleck's really unremarkable acting performance (that speaks nothing to his direction but anybody could have played that role) over Trintignant was a brow-raiser.

[little_sally]

Posted: 1/13/13 at 5:39pm

I love Jennifer Lawnrence and I would love to see her win but her character is too much of a cliche.

Also, I just saw Django Unchained and it is a shame Leonardo DiCaprio wasn't nominated. He is giving one of his best performances in years.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/16/13 at 6:04pm

I watched Zero Dark Thirty and for some reason, Chastain's performance didn't really make a huge impression on me. She was good, but I didn't get Best Actress from it. But then, I felt the same about Kate Winslet in The Reader. Perhaps it's just the film itself just left me cold. Jennifer Ehle was the only standout for me in that film.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 1/16/13 at 6:48pm

Yeah, I understand not being blown away by the performance. I actually think Jason Clarke's role is at the heart of the film as much as Chastain's Maya. And the more I think about it, that his performance gained no traction beyond some regional film critics awards is a mystery to me.

I did see Silver Linings Playbook. I understand why the academy is in love with the performances of the film. But David O. Russell's direction and the script? Not so much. The third act felt like a completely different film and set of characters but Russell's directing choice and camera movements were distracting in the vein of Tom Hooper's choices in Les Miserables. I heard similar complaints about The Fighter and SLP, like The Fighter, has a lot of movement and physicality. Yet to me that felt right in The Fighter and not so much in this.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 1/24/13 at 5:43pm

Just saw ZD30, I'm not really getting the buzz for Chastain even though I do love her. Not to mention, the torture scenes weren't that bad.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 10:43am

Silver Linings Playbook is a solid, well done romantic comedy. I think the Academy's love for it has a great deal to do with solid, well done romantic comedies being so incredibly rare lately. Cooper gives a breakthrough delightful performance. Lawrence is good but has given stronger performances and will again. B+

(As Russell comedies goes, though, Flirting with Disaster is more fun, smart, touching and original; and far wittier.)

Zero Dark Thirty - for all its proficiency - is not a great film. The movie goes for journalistic economy while depersonalizing its characters - Jennifer Ehle in a small role is an exception as she brings, as always, a personal connection and passion, she jumps off the screen as a recognizable human being - particularly its protagonist. Chastain does what she can but its hard for a movie like this to be carried by a heroine whom the audience identifies solely as a monomaniac. (Foster worked hard to bring vulnerability to a similarly distant G-sleuth role in Silence of the Lambs; there was a human fear beneath her resolve; as a result it was easy to care about her). If the movie was saying we lost our soul looking for Bin Laden it might or might not have been persuasive, it could have been ridiculous; at least it would have had a grounding point of view. But the movie only hints at that - barely - in the final scene when we see Maya alone wondering what's next.

As a historical record film (in the tradition of Battle of Algiers and United 93), which is how it needs to be judged, it fails to completely succeed because its treatment of torture (which, commendably it neither endorses nor condemns) is dubious and therefore sensationalizing; torture pervades the first third of the movie not to show how we succeeded in finding Bin Laden but to keep us awake. B-

Beasts is an odd likable fable. Its strength is in marrying myth to the simple facts of one little girl's traumatic and joyous life. It is no easy trick for Zeitlin to pull that off, or for Wallis to carry it. They both succeed. A-

Argo gets so much right from its funny dialogue to its tension to its consistent insistence on character. It's a rich, taut, fun movie. As historical record it may be as dubious as Zero Dark Thirty. Fortunately, its purpose isn't to provide a historical record but to respectfully turn history into flesh and blood narrative. A

Les Mis has a few moments that soar like the best musicals do. Unfortunately, it's mostly inept. Twenty minutes of A, two and half hours of F = C

Amour is a masterpiece. The hermetically sealed lives of Anne and Georges and Haneke's image system of physical and often brutal intrusion into that apartment and, by definition, their lives, profoundly reveal a story of genteel isolation and genuine dignity. Trintignant and Riva give performances which already prove legendary. The best movie of the year (of those I've scene). A+

Lincoln is so good, so intelligent, and has such a well hone and topical point of view, that it would be among Spielberg's finest achievements if he didn't let us down by falling into drivel (with predictably Spielbergian bad taste, a tragic flaw in this great filmmaker) in the final ten minutes. Day-Lewis will and should win the oscar. I'd give Field the oscar too but will not be unhappy with a Hathaway win. Two and half hours of A, ten minutes of F = B+.

Have yet to see Pi and Django.



















Updated On: 1/29/13 at 10:43 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 11:01am

Thanks for your recap! I'm looking forward to seeing Amour.

I think Lincoln will win this year, and I'm perfectly fine with that, although I agree with you about the last ten minutes. If only Spielberg's editor (or anybody else close to him) had said, "end the picture here, Steven," right after Day-Lewis delivered his last line and walked down he stairs. That was such a powerful moment and a perfect time to "exit and leave them wanting more."

Hey, at least when I get the BD, I can turn it off then, or jump to the credits.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 11:10am

Argo won the PGAs last night so maybe there is something about to shift. Silver Linings Playbook also got some awards overseas so the SAG awards should be interesting tonight. I just hope it screws up consensus so we have an pretty unpredictable Oscar night though maybe consensus has Argo and Lincoln switching off spots (the PGAs have usually staged where momentum for one film shifts).

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 11:23am

ARGO is an incredible film, I really think it's unstoppable at this point. I actually think the Director snub will help the film win because now there seems to be this huge wave of support for Affleck and the film. I don't think LINCOLN will win.

[AC126748]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 12:21pm

I gained a lot more appreciation for Silver Linings overall the second time I saw it, but given the choice I think I'd prefer to see Argo win.

[bwayrose7]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 12:25pm

I really am delighted to see Argo surging ahead. Like many others, I understand the hype surrounding Lincoln and Silver Linings Playbook, but I'll admit to checking the time repeatedly during both movies. Agree that DiCaprio should've been nominated, but he seems to be one of those actors who's always second best- which is a shame. As far as Les Mis goes, I did see several flaws in the movie which I'm sure will prevent it from winning, but I was glad to see it beat SLP at the Globes and from an emotional standpoint, I found it rather moving. But I think Argo is a great example of what Best Picture ought to be: smart and well-made but immensely entertaining.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 2:03pm

I wonder if Ben Affleck will take the DGA Award.

I know only a handful of DGA winners have not gone on to win the Oscar, but has the DGA winner ever not been nominated for the Oscar?

[strummergirl]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 2:05pm

Ron Howard, Apollo 13.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 2:27pm

Oh, I remember that was a big snub! Thanks.

It could happen again this year.

EDIT: I figured out the right way to Google it, and, aside from Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg is the only other person to win a DGA without being nominated for the Oscar (for The Color Purple). So Affleck would be #3 if it happens.

Updated On: 1/27/13 at 02:27 PM

[strummergirl]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 3:11pm

The "poor Ben" sentiment seems to be swinging the momentum. But usually you see that in the film a director makes after the 'snub' like Spielberg in the 90s or Scorsese the last decade where it was building toward, 'it is his time'. It's easy to see Argo's appeal but honestly, the snubs of the Best Director category let alone the nominated group definitely felt like they had more of a hand in what their films were than Affleck did (the only way I could say this was an Affleck film is a Titus Welliver appearance) so you can understand why a crowded field maybe left him out. Plus he already has an Oscar, all three of his films have been nominated and buzzed about (why is Argo considered the 'comeback' film?), and his production credits already gave him a Best Picture nod. So basically, the snub commentary the media pushed post-'snub' is indeed the best thing that happened to Affleck and Argo.

Oddly Lincoln has not really won a major Best Picture nod beyond regional critic awards and those have been scattered going more to Argo and Zero Dark Thirty before we got to the BFCAs, PGAs, and Golden Globes.

And since 2/5 DGA nods did get Oscar nods, I can see it again with Bigelow or Affleck getting it.

[tazber]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 3:23pm

There is a huge groundswell for Argo. It's definitely the closest challenger to Lincoln at this point.

Normally I would be placing my money on Argo after the PGA win, but this year has been a precedent breaker so I'm still betting on on Lincoln.

Plus, aside from the PGA another equally accurate indicator is the number of nominations. The film with the most almost always takes the big prize. And Lincoln has more than any other film.

It's just such a wonderful scenario to actually have a race for a change. I'm excited for the broadcast for the first time in years.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 3:50pm

I agree, there is not a "lock" on Best Picture. Argo, Lincoln, and Zero Dark Thirty are all favorites to win.

As for the PGA, it's only been around since 1989, and while it has a good track record for parallel Best Picture wins, The Crying Game, Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, Moulin Rouge!, The Aviator, Brokeback Mountain, and Little Miss Sunshine did not go on to get the Academy Award.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 4:48pm

I doubt it will but I'd be eager to see the reaction if Les Mis came out of nowhere and takes it with those 3 splitting the votes.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 5:38pm

SLP needs to be in the BP conversation especially if they do well tonight at SAG awards.

Rumor is Lincoln now is pressing on the gas, some say in panic. Argo and SLP are most aggressive. ZD30 is trying to press on with Chastain and Bigelow (including a really interesting cover story in Time) everywhere but I think it's best bets are actress and editing. Too tainted at this point. Interested to see how Amour and Beasts do.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 6:01pm

Silver Linings Playbook is predicted to win the SAG Ensemble award tonight, although I think that it will have as much bearing on a Best PIcture Oscar win as The Help's win did.

If Lincoln takes the Ensemble award tonight, that puts it into a stronger position for Best Picture, since it's not predicted to win that award tonight. It would indicate "unexpected love" for it.

On the other hand, if Bradley Cooper were to win the SAG Best Actor (as an upset), that would put SLP into a favored spot for top Oscars.

We shall see. Look for "unexpected wins" to help show how tides are turning. Predicted wins don't tell much.