It seems like many of the more acclaimed Oscar prognosticators (maybe that will include me one of these days) are posting their thoughts on who they think will win. I figure I should go ahead and add my two cents before I am accused of stealing ideas.
PICTURE
Juno
Some people are not going to agree with me on this, but I think "Juno" will win Best Picture this year. I see "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood" splitting the vote which leaves the winning slot wide open for "Juno." "Michael Clayton" doesn't seem feasible to me, and I think "Atonement" barely (but thankfully) made it into the top five. Plus, the support is there for "Juno." Not many expected it to receive a director nod. It is also the highest grossing film of the five contenders and should not have a problem crossing the $100 million mark.
DIRECTOR
Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
I think it's theirs to lose. They have won many of the critics' awards, and the film is the "safe" choice to win Best Picture. I could also see Paul Thomas Anderson or Julian Schnabel winning though. Probably not Schnabel, though the Globe win was a nice surprise. Anderson, however, seems to be picking up steam.
ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
I wouldn't say he is guaranteed a win because nothing in the Oscar race is a guarantee, but I'll just I am fairly confident that we will see him on the podium come Oscar night.
ACTRESS
Julie Christie, Away from Her
The support for this film is there, as can be seen by the surprise Adapted Screenplay nod. She is the safe choice right now, even though I really wanted to pick Ellen Page for "Juno."
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
For some reason my gut is telling me to pick him. If he loses the SAG award I may be inclined to switch my pick to Bardem, but I right now I am sticking with Affleck. This prediction may also be a little bit of wishful thinking too.....
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
I don't particularly care for this pick right now and may end up changing it later. I do not think Blanchett will win because of her win a few years back. I could see Saoirse Ronan coming out of nowhere and winning, on what I think will be an odd Oscar night.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Juno
Another prediction that I am fairly confident about.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
No Country for Old Men
This has won most of the critics' awards in this category. I could see a possible upset, but I do not think it is likely.
ANIMATED
Ratatouille
DOCUMENTARY
Sicko
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Counterfeiters
ART DIRECTION
Sweeney Todd
CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
COSTUME DESIGN
Atonement
FILM EDITING
There Will Be Blood
MAKEUP
La Vie en Rose
SCORE
Atonement
SONG
"Falling Slowly" Once
SOUND EDITING
Transformers
SOUND MIXING
Transformers
VISUAL EFFECTS
Transformers
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
My Top 10 Films of 2007
Before presenting my top 10 films of 2007, I quickly want to name some films that I was unable to see that I was really looking forward to seeing before making this list: “Persepolis,” “4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days,” “Starting Out in the Evening,” and “Southland Tales.” Well, here’s my top 10!
10. Disturbia
OK, please do not immediately dismiss my list because of my first pick. “Disturbia” was probably the most fun I have had at cinemas all year. It may not be the most complex film, but it is certainly fun to watch, and it features a breakthrough performance from Shia LeBeouf. This film probably won’t make an appearnce at my own personal Oscar awards, but it deserves to be recognized somewhere. This film reminded me of the joy that comes with watching a movie; it is fun just to watch a movie for what it is: two hours of pure, popcorn entertainment.
9. Lust, Caution
Ang Lee’s “Lust, Caution” may not be as good as “Brokeback Mountain,” but it is a good follow-up. Tang Wei, in her first feature, gives a brave and commanding performance that really carries the film. The nudity featured in the film may be graphic, but it never takes away from the film. Overall, the film was an emotionally engaging and moving film that takes its time but slowly pulls the viewer in.
8. Once
The scene in which Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova sing “Falling Slowly” is, in my opinion, the best scene to hit cinemas in 2007. Watching that scene I felt like my soul was removed from my body; it was true movie magic. The film could not reach that high point again, but the rest of the film was still extremely enjoyable. “Once” shows that a filmmaker does not need an extraordinary budget to create a good film, just passion.
7. Zodiac
“Zodiac” was the epic crime drama that I was hoping it to be. Many of my friends complained about the film’s length, but the film’s major theme is obsession and how that obsession plagued the individuals involved in the Zodiac case. Director David Fincher stays true to the theme of obsessions and directs the film obsessively himself, illustrating his passion for the subject matter. Great performances all around, well-written screenplay, and nice production design make this film one of the best of its kind in years.
6. No Country for Old Men
I did not realize how great this film was until the second viewing. The first time I saw it I thought it was good, but lost focus in the end. The ending also puzzled me. A second viewing helped me see exactly what filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen had done. The film is extremely suspenseful and captivating, yet there is no musical score—a great accomplishment in itself. The script is extremely well-written and darkly humorous at times. Javier Bardem turns in the creepiest performance since Anthony Hopkins in “The Silence of the Lambs.” It is a film that deserves to be watched more than once and studied. I may not have been totally satisfied with the ending, but I appreciated the great filmmaking that went into making this film.
5. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Last year Darren Aronofsky did it with "The Fountain," as well as Alfonso Cuaron with "Children to Men." These are filmmakers that test the boundaries of film, creating instant masterpieces that demand to be watched. Julian Schnabel has joined that elite group of filmmakers with "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," creating an original, visually intoxicating masterpiece. The cinematography in the film was also unlike anything that I had ever seen, creating a totally original moviegoing experience. It is a film that inspires and moves and deserves to be seen.
4. Juno
Diablo Cody has written the best screenplay of the year and the funniest (and most quotable) movie in some time. With “Hard Candy” and “Juno,” Ellen Page shows that she is a force to be reckoned with. Last year, she barely missed my own personal predictions, but there is no way that is going to happen again. Her character is filled with charisma and personality unlike any other (besides Giselle in “Enchanted”) character on the big screen in 2007. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses. I can’t forget to mention the wonderfully subtle and heartbreaking performance given by Jennifer Garner. It is a shame she was snubbed.
3. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
In any other year this probably would have been my favorite film of the year, but 2007 saw many great films. Despite the film’s two hour and forty-five minute running time, I never had to check my watch. My eyes were suctioned to the screen taking in the beauty of this extraordinary film. Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck (especially) give amazing performances; I really hope Affleck can upset Bardem at the Oscars. The cinematography is excellent and establishes Jesse James as a myth that many people do not understand. It is sad that poor marketing doomed this great achievement in filmmaking.
2. Atonement
This is probably my favorite period romance since “Titanic.” It is a film of breathtaking beauty, great performances, and amazing source material. It started off slow in the beginning (all great films seem to), but it subtly pulls the viewer in for an emotional ride that is hard to get out of your head. I am ecstatic about young Saoirse Ronan receiving a Best Supporting Actress nomination. She deserves to win in my opinion. The film is beautifully written and shot and features an extremely powerful score (the best since ‘Requiem for a Dream”).
1. There Will Be Blood This is a film that deserves not only to be watched, but studied. It is a film that seems simple, but is filled with complexities. It is an intense character study about the consequences of greed especially when it crosses path with religion. It is also a searing portrait of a man’s descent into madness. Daniel-Day Lewis gives the best performance in at least a decade. He commands every scene he is in. The end may be classified as chewing scenery, but it was what the scene called for. Plus, no one could have done it better than Day-Lewis. Director Paul T. Anderson has hinted at greatness with his previous films “Boogie Nights” and “Magnolia,’ but he has finally achieved it with “There Will Be Blood.”
10. Disturbia
OK, please do not immediately dismiss my list because of my first pick. “Disturbia” was probably the most fun I have had at cinemas all year. It may not be the most complex film, but it is certainly fun to watch, and it features a breakthrough performance from Shia LeBeouf. This film probably won’t make an appearnce at my own personal Oscar awards, but it deserves to be recognized somewhere. This film reminded me of the joy that comes with watching a movie; it is fun just to watch a movie for what it is: two hours of pure, popcorn entertainment.
9. Lust, Caution
Ang Lee’s “Lust, Caution” may not be as good as “Brokeback Mountain,” but it is a good follow-up. Tang Wei, in her first feature, gives a brave and commanding performance that really carries the film. The nudity featured in the film may be graphic, but it never takes away from the film. Overall, the film was an emotionally engaging and moving film that takes its time but slowly pulls the viewer in.
8. Once
The scene in which Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova sing “Falling Slowly” is, in my opinion, the best scene to hit cinemas in 2007. Watching that scene I felt like my soul was removed from my body; it was true movie magic. The film could not reach that high point again, but the rest of the film was still extremely enjoyable. “Once” shows that a filmmaker does not need an extraordinary budget to create a good film, just passion.
7. Zodiac
“Zodiac” was the epic crime drama that I was hoping it to be. Many of my friends complained about the film’s length, but the film’s major theme is obsession and how that obsession plagued the individuals involved in the Zodiac case. Director David Fincher stays true to the theme of obsessions and directs the film obsessively himself, illustrating his passion for the subject matter. Great performances all around, well-written screenplay, and nice production design make this film one of the best of its kind in years.
6. No Country for Old Men
I did not realize how great this film was until the second viewing. The first time I saw it I thought it was good, but lost focus in the end. The ending also puzzled me. A second viewing helped me see exactly what filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen had done. The film is extremely suspenseful and captivating, yet there is no musical score—a great accomplishment in itself. The script is extremely well-written and darkly humorous at times. Javier Bardem turns in the creepiest performance since Anthony Hopkins in “The Silence of the Lambs.” It is a film that deserves to be watched more than once and studied. I may not have been totally satisfied with the ending, but I appreciated the great filmmaking that went into making this film.
5. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Last year Darren Aronofsky did it with "The Fountain," as well as Alfonso Cuaron with "Children to Men." These are filmmakers that test the boundaries of film, creating instant masterpieces that demand to be watched. Julian Schnabel has joined that elite group of filmmakers with "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," creating an original, visually intoxicating masterpiece. The cinematography in the film was also unlike anything that I had ever seen, creating a totally original moviegoing experience. It is a film that inspires and moves and deserves to be seen.
4. Juno
Diablo Cody has written the best screenplay of the year and the funniest (and most quotable) movie in some time. With “Hard Candy” and “Juno,” Ellen Page shows that she is a force to be reckoned with. Last year, she barely missed my own personal predictions, but there is no way that is going to happen again. Her character is filled with charisma and personality unlike any other (besides Giselle in “Enchanted”) character on the big screen in 2007. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses. I can’t forget to mention the wonderfully subtle and heartbreaking performance given by Jennifer Garner. It is a shame she was snubbed.
3. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
In any other year this probably would have been my favorite film of the year, but 2007 saw many great films. Despite the film’s two hour and forty-five minute running time, I never had to check my watch. My eyes were suctioned to the screen taking in the beauty of this extraordinary film. Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck (especially) give amazing performances; I really hope Affleck can upset Bardem at the Oscars. The cinematography is excellent and establishes Jesse James as a myth that many people do not understand. It is sad that poor marketing doomed this great achievement in filmmaking.
2. Atonement
This is probably my favorite period romance since “Titanic.” It is a film of breathtaking beauty, great performances, and amazing source material. It started off slow in the beginning (all great films seem to), but it subtly pulls the viewer in for an emotional ride that is hard to get out of your head. I am ecstatic about young Saoirse Ronan receiving a Best Supporting Actress nomination. She deserves to win in my opinion. The film is beautifully written and shot and features an extremely powerful score (the best since ‘Requiem for a Dream”).
1. There Will Be Blood This is a film that deserves not only to be watched, but studied. It is a film that seems simple, but is filled with complexities. It is an intense character study about the consequences of greed especially when it crosses path with religion. It is also a searing portrait of a man’s descent into madness. Daniel-Day Lewis gives the best performance in at least a decade. He commands every scene he is in. The end may be classified as chewing scenery, but it was what the scene called for. Plus, no one could have done it better than Day-Lewis. Director Paul T. Anderson has hinted at greatness with his previous films “Boogie Nights” and “Magnolia,’ but he has finally achieved it with “There Will Be Blood.”
RIP Heath Ledger
The news of Heath Ledger's death has shocked and devastated me. He was a great actor who was just hitting his peak. He gave an amazing performance in "Brokeback Mountain" that I will never forget, which remains one of my 10favorite films of all-time. The acting community today has lost one of the true up-and-comers. Hopefully, this will not be the last we hear about Heath Ledger. Ever since I heard of the casting of Ledger as the Joker in "The Dark Knight," I expected a Best Supporting Actor nod. His memory will live on in the wonderful films that he brought us.
Oscar Nominations are Here!
Overall, I got 68/99 of the nominees correct.
The complete list of nominees:
Performance by an actor in a leading role
George Clooney in "Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.)
Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)
Johnny Depp in "Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
Tommy Lee Jones in "In the Valley of Elah" (Warner Independent)
Viggo Mortensen in "Eastern Promises" (Focus Features)
I got 4/5 of the nominees. The Tommy Lee Jones nomination came out of nowhere. He was good, but I would have given it to Hirsch, Gosling, or McAvoy before him.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Casey Affleck in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" (Warner Bros.)
Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Charlie Wilson's War" (Universal)
Hal Holbrook in "Into the Wild" (Paramount Vantage and River RoadEntertainment
)
Tom Wilkinson in "Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.)
I got all 5 nominees! This was the category I was most confident in; this lineup has appeared in numerous percursors.
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" (Universal)
Julie Christie in "Away from Her" (Lionsgate)
Marion Cotillard in "La Vie en Rose" (Picturehouse)
Laura Linney in "The Savages" (Fox Searchlight)
Ellen Page in "Juno" (Fox Searchlight)
I only got 3/5 of the nominees. I knew I should have predicted Blanchett, but she didn't deserve it. Amy Adams should have gotten a nomination, no questions asked. I was also surprised to see Linney in the lineup. I just saw The Savages yesterday, and I have to say I was disappointed. She gives a good performance, but I just could not get into the film and did not find it that funny.
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There" (The Weinstein Company)
Ruby Dee in "American Gangster" (Universal)
Saoirse Ronan in "Atonement" (Focus Features)
Amy Ryan in "Gone Baby Gone" (Miramax)
Tilda Swinton in "Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.)
I got 4/5 again. American Gangster was not that great of a film, and the same could be said for Ruby Dee's performance. Personally, I would have nominated Imelda Staunton in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Best animated feature film of the year
"Persepolis" (Sony Pictures Classics): Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud
"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney): Brad Bird
"Surf's Up" (Sony Pictures Releasing): Ash Brannon and Chris Buck
2/3
Achievement in art direction
"American Gangster" (Universal): Art Direction: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Beth A. Rubino
"Atonement" (Focus Features): Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
"The Golden Compass" (New Line in association with Ingenious Film Partners): Art Direction: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount): Art Direction: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax): Art Direction: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson
3/5
Achievement in cinematography
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" (Warner Bros.): Roger Deakins
"Atonement" (Focus Features): Seamus McGarvey
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (Miramax/Pathé Renn): Janusz Kaminski
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage): Roger Deakins
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax): Robert Elswit
5/5
Achievement in costume design
"Across the Universe" (Sony Pictures Releasing) Albert Wolsky
"Atonement" (Focus Features) Jacqueline Durran
"Elizabeth: The Golden Age" (Universal) Alexandra Byrne
"La Vie en Rose" (Picturehouse) Marit Allen
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount) Colleen Atwood
3/5
Achievement in directing
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (Miramax/Pathé Renn), Julian Schnabel
"Juno" (Fox Searchlight), Jason Reitman
"Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.), Tony Gilroy
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage), Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax), Paul Thomas Anderson
Surprised by the Reitman nomination. I was hoping for a Wright nomination, but you can't get everything you want.
Best documentary feature
"No End in Sight" (Magnolia Pictures) A Representational Pictures Production: Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
"Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience" (The Documentary Group) A Documentary Group Production: Richard E. Robbins
"Sicko" (Lionsgate and The Weinstein Company) A Dog Eat Dog Films Production: Michael Moore and Meghan O'Hara
"Taxi to the Dark Side" (THINKFilm) An X-Ray Production: Alex Gibney and Eva Orner
"War/Dance" (THINKFilm) A Shine Global and Fine Films Production: Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine
3/5
Best documentary short subject
"Freeheld" A Lieutenant Films Production: Cynthia Wade and Vanessa Roth
"La Corona (The Crown)" A Runaway Films and Vega Films Production: Amanda Micheli and Isabel Vega
"Salim Baba" A Ropa Vieja Films and Paradox Smoke Production: Tim Sternberg and Francisco Bello
"Sari's Mother" (Cinema Guild) A Daylight Factory Production: James Longley
Achievement in film editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum" (Universal): Christopher Rouse
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (Miramax/Pathé Renn): Juliette Welfling
"Into the Wild" (Paramount Vantage and River Road Entertainment): Jay Cassidy
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage) Roderick Jaynes
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax): Dylan Tichenor
4/5
Best foreign language film of the year
"Beaufort" Israel
"The Counterfeiters" Austria
"Katyn" Poland
"Mongol" Kazakhstan
"12" Russia
4/5.
Achievement in makeup
"La Vie en Rose" (Picturehouse) Didier Lavergne and Jan Archibald
"Norbit" (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount): Rick Baker and Kazuhiro Tsuji
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (Walt Disney): Ve Neill and Martin Samuel
1/3
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
"Atonement" (Focus Features) Dario Marianelli
"The Kite Runner" (DreamWorks, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and Participant Productions, Distributed by Paramount Classics): Alberto Iglesias
"Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.) James Newton Howard
"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney) Michael Giacchino
"3:10 to Yuma" (Lionsgate) Marco Beltrami
2/5
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"Falling Slowly" from "Once" (Fox Searchlight) Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and: Marketa Irglova
"Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted" (Walt Disney): Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
"Raise It Up" from "August Rush" (Warner Bros.): Nominees to be determined
"So Close" from "Enchanted" (Walt Disney): Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
"That's How You Know" from "Enchanted" (Walt Disney): Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
2/5
Best motion picture of the year
"Atonement" (Focus Features) A Working Title Production: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Paul Webster, Producers
"Juno" (Fox Searchlight) A Dancing Elk Pictures, LLC Production: Lianne Halfon, Mason Novick and Russell Smith, Producers
"Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.) A Clayton Productions, LLC Production: Sydney Pollack, Jennifer Fox and Kerry Orent, Producers
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage) A Scott Rudin/Mike Zoss Production: Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax) A JoAnne Sellar/Ghoulardi Film Company Production: JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Lupi, Producers
I was surprised and very excited about the Atonement nod. It's my second favorite film of the year behind There Will Be Blood. I got 4/5. I would have taken out Michael Clayton and put The Diving Bell and the Butterfly in its place.
Best animated short film
"I Met the Walrus" A Kids & Explosions Production: Josh Raskin
"Madame Tutli-Putli" (National Film Board of Canada) A National Film Board of Canada Production Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski "Même Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)" (Premium Films) A BUF Compagnie Production Samuel Tourneux and Simon Vanesse
"My Love (Moya Lyubov)" (Channel One Russia) A Dago-Film Studio, Channel One Russia and Dentsu Tec Production Alexander Petrov
"Peter & the Wolf" (BreakThru Films) A BreakThru Films/Se-ma-for Studios Production Suzie Templeton and Hugh Welchman
Best live action short film
"At Night" A Zentropa Entertainments 10 Production: Christian E. Christiansen and Louise Vesth
"Il Supplente (The Substitute)" (Sky Cinema Italia) A Frame by Frame Italia Production: Andrea Jublin
"Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)" (Premium Films) A Karé Production: Philippe Pollet-Villard
"Tanghi Argentini" (Premium Films) An Another Dimension of an Idea Production: Guido Thys and Anja Daelemans
"The Tonto Woman" A Knucklehead, Little Mo and Rose Hackney Barber Production: Daniel Barber and Matthew Brown
Achievement in sound editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum" (Universal): Karen Baker Landers and Per Hallberg
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage): Skip Lievsay
"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney): Randy Thom and Michael Silvers
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax): Matthew Wood
"Transformers" (DreamWorks and Paramount in association with Hasbro): Ethan Van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins
3/5
Achievement in sound mixing
"The Bourne Ultimatum" (Universal) Scott Millan, David Parker and Kirk Francis
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage): Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff and Peter Kurland
"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney): Randy Thom, Michael Semanick and Doc Kane
"3:10 to Yuma" (Lionsgate): Paul Massey, David Giammarco and Jim Stuebe
"Transformers" (DreamWorks and Paramount in association with Hasbro): Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Peter J. Devlin
3/5
Achievement in visual effects
"The Golden Compass" (New Line in association with Ingenious Film Partners): Michael Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris and Trevor Wood
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (Walt Disney): John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and John Frazier
"Transformers" (DreamWorks and Paramount in association with Hasbro): Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Russell Earl and John Frazier
2/3
Adapted screenplay
"Atonement" (Focus Features), Screenplay by Christopher Hampton
"Away from Her" (Lionsgate), Written by Sarah Polley
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (Miramax/Pathé Renn), Screenplay by Ronald Harwood
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage), Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax), Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson
I got 3/5. The Away from Her nod caught me by surprise. I knew I should have picked Atonement, but I thought it would get snubbed. I am glad to see that it received plenty of recognition.
Original screenplay
"Juno" (Fox Searchlight), Written by Diablo Cody
"Lars and the Real Girl" (MGM), Written by Nancy Oliver
"Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.), Written by Tony Gilroy
"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Brad Bird; Story by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Brad Bird
"The Savages" (Fox Searchlight), Written by Tamara Jenkins
I got 4/5. I went with Knocked Up over Ratatouille. There was probably a little bit of bias in that prediction.
The complete list of nominees:
Performance by an actor in a leading role
George Clooney in "Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.)
Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)
Johnny Depp in "Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
Tommy Lee Jones in "In the Valley of Elah" (Warner Independent)
Viggo Mortensen in "Eastern Promises" (Focus Features)
I got 4/5 of the nominees. The Tommy Lee Jones nomination came out of nowhere. He was good, but I would have given it to Hirsch, Gosling, or McAvoy before him.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Casey Affleck in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" (Warner Bros.)
Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Charlie Wilson's War" (Universal)
Hal Holbrook in "Into the Wild" (Paramount Vantage and River Road
Tom Wilkinson in "Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.)
I got all 5 nominees! This was the category I was most confident in; this lineup has appeared in numerous percursors.
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" (Universal)
Julie Christie in "Away from Her" (Lionsgate)
Marion Cotillard in "La Vie en Rose" (Picturehouse)
Laura Linney in "The Savages" (Fox Searchlight)
Ellen Page in "Juno" (Fox Searchlight)
I only got 3/5 of the nominees. I knew I should have predicted Blanchett, but she didn't deserve it. Amy Adams should have gotten a nomination, no questions asked. I was also surprised to see Linney in the lineup. I just saw The Savages yesterday, and I have to say I was disappointed. She gives a good performance, but I just could not get into the film and did not find it that funny.
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There" (The Weinstein Company)
Ruby Dee in "American Gangster" (Universal)
Saoirse Ronan in "Atonement" (Focus Features)
Amy Ryan in "Gone Baby Gone" (Miramax)
Tilda Swinton in "Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.)
I got 4/5 again. American Gangster was not that great of a film, and the same could be said for Ruby Dee's performance. Personally, I would have nominated Imelda Staunton in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Best animated feature film of the year
"Persepolis" (Sony Pictures Classics): Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud
"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney): Brad Bird
"Surf's Up" (Sony Pictures Releasing): Ash Brannon and Chris Buck
2/3
Achievement in art direction
"American Gangster" (Universal): Art Direction: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Beth A. Rubino
"Atonement" (Focus Features): Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
"The Golden Compass" (New Line in association with Ingenious Film Partners): Art Direction: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount): Art Direction: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax): Art Direction: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson
3/5
Achievement in cinematography
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" (Warner Bros.): Roger Deakins
"Atonement" (Focus Features): Seamus McGarvey
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (Miramax/Pathé Renn): Janusz Kaminski
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage): Roger Deakins
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax): Robert Elswit
5/5
Achievement in costume design
"Across the Universe" (Sony Pictures Releasing) Albert Wolsky
"Atonement" (Focus Features) Jacqueline Durran
"Elizabeth: The Golden Age" (Universal) Alexandra Byrne
"La Vie en Rose" (Picturehouse) Marit Allen
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount) Colleen Atwood
3/5
Achievement in directing
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (Miramax/Pathé Renn), Julian Schnabel
"Juno" (Fox Searchlight), Jason Reitman
"Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.), Tony Gilroy
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage), Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax), Paul Thomas Anderson
Surprised by the Reitman nomination. I was hoping for a Wright nomination, but you can't get everything you want.
Best documentary feature
"No End in Sight" (Magnolia Pictures) A Representational Pictures Production: Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
"Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience" (The Documentary Group) A Documentary Group Production: Richard E. Robbins
"Sicko" (Lionsgate and The Weinstein Company) A Dog Eat Dog Films Production: Michael Moore and Meghan O'Hara
"Taxi to the Dark Side" (THINKFilm) An X-Ray Production: Alex Gibney and Eva Orner
"War/Dance" (THINKFilm) A Shine Global and Fine Films Production: Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine
3/5
Best documentary short subject
"Freeheld" A Lieutenant Films Production: Cynthia Wade and Vanessa Roth
"La Corona (The Crown)" A Runaway Films and Vega Films Production: Amanda Micheli and Isabel Vega
"Salim Baba" A Ropa Vieja Films and Paradox Smoke Production: Tim Sternberg and Francisco Bello
"Sari's Mother" (Cinema Guild) A Daylight Factory Production: James Longley
Achievement in film editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum" (Universal): Christopher Rouse
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (Miramax/Pathé Renn): Juliette Welfling
"Into the Wild" (Paramount Vantage and River Road Entertainment): Jay Cassidy
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage) Roderick Jaynes
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax): Dylan Tichenor
4/5
Best foreign language film of the year
"Beaufort" Israel
"The Counterfeiters" Austria
"Katyn" Poland
"Mongol" Kazakhstan
"12" Russia
4/5.
Achievement in makeup
"La Vie en Rose" (Picturehouse) Didier Lavergne and Jan Archibald
"Norbit" (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount): Rick Baker and Kazuhiro Tsuji
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (Walt Disney): Ve Neill and Martin Samuel
1/3
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
"Atonement" (Focus Features) Dario Marianelli
"The Kite Runner" (DreamWorks, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and Participant Productions, Distributed by Paramount Classics): Alberto Iglesias
"Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.) James Newton Howard
"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney) Michael Giacchino
"3:10 to Yuma" (Lionsgate) Marco Beltrami
2/5
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"Falling Slowly" from "Once" (Fox Searchlight) Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and: Marketa Irglova
"Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted" (Walt Disney): Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
"Raise It Up" from "August Rush" (Warner Bros.): Nominees to be determined
"So Close" from "Enchanted" (Walt Disney): Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
"That's How You Know" from "Enchanted" (Walt Disney): Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
2/5
Best motion picture of the year
"Atonement" (Focus Features) A Working Title Production: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Paul Webster, Producers
"Juno" (Fox Searchlight) A Dancing Elk Pictures, LLC Production: Lianne Halfon, Mason Novick and Russell Smith, Producers
"Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.) A Clayton Productions, LLC Production: Sydney Pollack, Jennifer Fox and Kerry Orent, Producers
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage) A Scott Rudin/Mike Zoss Production: Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax) A JoAnne Sellar/Ghoulardi Film Company Production: JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Lupi, Producers
I was surprised and very excited about the Atonement nod. It's my second favorite film of the year behind There Will Be Blood. I got 4/5. I would have taken out Michael Clayton and put The Diving Bell and the Butterfly in its place.
Best animated short film
"I Met the Walrus" A Kids & Explosions Production: Josh Raskin
"Madame Tutli-Putli" (National Film Board of Canada) A National Film Board of Canada Production Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski "Même Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)" (Premium Films) A BUF Compagnie Production Samuel Tourneux and Simon Vanesse
"My Love (Moya Lyubov)" (Channel One Russia) A Dago-Film Studio, Channel One Russia and Dentsu Tec Production Alexander Petrov
"Peter & the Wolf" (BreakThru Films) A BreakThru Films/Se-ma-for Studios Production Suzie Templeton and Hugh Welchman
Best live action short film
"At Night" A Zentropa Entertainments 10 Production: Christian E. Christiansen and Louise Vesth
"Il Supplente (The Substitute)" (Sky Cinema Italia) A Frame by Frame Italia Production: Andrea Jublin
"Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)" (Premium Films) A Karé Production: Philippe Pollet-Villard
"Tanghi Argentini" (Premium Films) An Another Dimension of an Idea Production: Guido Thys and Anja Daelemans
"The Tonto Woman" A Knucklehead, Little Mo and Rose Hackney Barber Production: Daniel Barber and Matthew Brown
Achievement in sound editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum" (Universal): Karen Baker Landers and Per Hallberg
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage): Skip Lievsay
"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney): Randy Thom and Michael Silvers
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax): Matthew Wood
"Transformers" (DreamWorks and Paramount in association with Hasbro): Ethan Van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins
3/5
Achievement in sound mixing
"The Bourne Ultimatum" (Universal) Scott Millan, David Parker and Kirk Francis
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage): Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff and Peter Kurland
"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney): Randy Thom, Michael Semanick and Doc Kane
"3:10 to Yuma" (Lionsgate): Paul Massey, David Giammarco and Jim Stuebe
"Transformers" (DreamWorks and Paramount in association with Hasbro): Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Peter J. Devlin
3/5
Achievement in visual effects
"The Golden Compass" (New Line in association with Ingenious Film Partners): Michael Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris and Trevor Wood
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (Walt Disney): John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and John Frazier
"Transformers" (DreamWorks and Paramount in association with Hasbro): Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Russell Earl and John Frazier
2/3
Adapted screenplay
"Atonement" (Focus Features), Screenplay by Christopher Hampton
"Away from Her" (Lionsgate), Written by Sarah Polley
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (Miramax/Pathé Renn), Screenplay by Ronald Harwood
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage), Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax), Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson
I got 3/5. The Away from Her nod caught me by surprise. I knew I should have picked Atonement, but I thought it would get snubbed. I am glad to see that it received plenty of recognition.
Original screenplay
"Juno" (Fox Searchlight), Written by Diablo Cody
"Lars and the Real Girl" (MGM), Written by Nancy Oliver
"Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.), Written by Tony Gilroy
"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Brad Bird; Story by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Brad Bird
"The Savages" (Fox Searchlight), Written by Tamara Jenkins
I got 4/5. I went with Knocked Up over Ratatouille. There was probably a little bit of bias in that prediction.
Friday, January 18, 2008
"There Will Be Blood" (****)
I am only just beginning to understand the magnitude and unequivocal greatness of "There Will Be Blood." Even though the story may seem simple enough, the film is layered with complexities. This film not only deserves to be seen by everyone, but intricately studied. I am hesitant in writing this review because I feel like I need to see this movie a few more times before I even begin to comprehend the scope of what I have just witnessed. This review is an effort to help me deconstruct this film and get at its deeper meaning.The film begins with an opening shot of desert landscape as composer Johnny Greenwood's wonderful, pounding score begins. The first fifteen minutes of the film pass with no dialogue. The viewer sees Daniel Plainview, at this time a silver prospector, during a usual day of work. Once Plainview discovers oil in one of his silver claims, his descent into madness begins.
One of his workers on the job, leaving behind a son. Plainview takes the kids as his own and uses him as a prop, trying to sell his newfound business as one that thinks highly of family. He uses his son as a tool to get people to accept his proposals. One thing that I could not completely determine from the film was if Plainview really felt anything for his son, H.W. Many critics would argue that Plainview merely saw H.W. as a means of achieving success faster, but I think he really cared for him.
When a kid approached Plainview about an "ocean" of oil in a town named Little Boston, a small religious community. Plainview travels to the town and sees his future laid out for him. The vast amount of oil occupying the land will make him one of the richest oil tycoons in existence. The only thing he cannot foresee is the effect religion will have on his greedy and ambitious nature, eventually destroying him.
Eli Sunday is the leader of the local church, a sort of prophet, who sees nothing good about Mr. Plainview. He sees him as the town's destruction. Eli tries to get Plainview to allow him to bless the oil well. Plainview, however, sidesteps him, and does not let this happen; Eli sees this as the omen that will lead to his downfall.
One of the following scenes, in my opinion, is one of the best of the year. One of the derricks erupts in a burst of steam and oil. H.W., who was near the explosion, is blown backwards and loses his hearing. All the while, the music is pounding, overwhelming the viewer and informing them to the sheer intensity of the situation. At first, Plainview rushes to the attention of his son, but once he figures out that there is nothing that he can do for him, he rushes out to control the damage that has been done. He would eventually ship his son off to live somewhere else because he does not know how to handle the situation (or did he just see it as a hindrance to business?).
The torment of losing his son profoundly affects Plainview. He considers selling Little Boston to Standard Oil, but when the man says he could use the money to take care of his son, Plainview reacts harshly, threatening to slit the man's throat. He even attacks Eli, the supposed prophet and healer, demanding why he did not help his son. Eventually, he would get his son back, but things would not be the same.
At the end of the film, Plainview is extremely wealthy but alienated from society (what he wanted anyways). The last scene (I'm not going into details) is awesomely done, but it may be called over-acting by some. Madness and greed has completely taken over Daniel.
Daniel Day-Lewis is the perfect person to portray Daniel Plainview. He gives a fiery, intense performance of a man driven by ambition and greed. He is a monster trapped in a human's body. A man that has progressed so far into darkness, he cannot be saved. Plainview is a man who hates people (he even says so), and all he wants to do is earn enough money to escape civilization. The only compassion he shows is for his son, who the viewer is not even sure if he loves or not. This is truly the tour-de-force performance of the decade.
Paul Dano is also good as Eli Sunday, but he seemed to be overacting at times. The role, however, called for some overacting. This is noticeable when he is giving his sermons and is acting as "healer." It is a good performance, but he cannot match Daniel Day-Lewis.
If I were an academy voter, this film would get my vote in the supporting actor category. I was moved by the performance of newcomer Dillon Freasier. He does not say much, but he doesn't have to. The viewer can often see him in the background looking around, taking everything in. Later in the film when he loses his hearing, it is heartbreaking to watch him sit down and snap his fingers near his ear, hoping to hear something. I found the scene in which he sees his father for the first time after he abandoned him to be very powerful as well.
Paul Thomas Anderson has made some really good films in his past ("Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia"). This, however, is his crowning achievement (at least for now). He lets the film develop slowly, focusing more on Plainview than anything else. It's risky opening the film with absolutely no dialogue for fifteen minutes, but for a film to truly standout among others, it needs to be different. Paul Thomas Anderson has made something so epic and different that it is hard to describe in words.
I think I have rambled enough about this film. Hopefully, my review isn't too incoherent. I may offer more thoughts on this film later (I forgot to add how it is relevant to corporate society today, but I cannot muster the energy to add it now.). It is a film that I definitely plan on seeing again to pick up on some things. Just go out and see this film. Not only watch it but let every film seep in and analyze it. This is a film that will be talked about for year's to come.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Oscar Predictions
It is hard to believe that the Oscar nominations are less than a week away. This year has been one of the most unpredictable in recent years, which for this Oscar enthusiast, is very exciting indeed. I am going to post my predictions. For most of the technical nominations I am relying on my gut instinct, as well as for the foreign and documentary categories. I should have my own personal ballot out by the end of the month. I will be seeing "There Will Be Blood" and "The Savages" this weekend and I think "Starting Out in the Evening" the following week.
PICTURE
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Michael Clayton
Juno
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Commentary: I thought about replacing "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" with "Into the Wild," but I think when it comes down who placed higher on voters' ballots I think "Diving Bell" will edge out "Into the Wild."
DIRECTOR
Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Paul T. Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Sean Penn, Into the Wild
Commentary: I really feel uncomfortable predicting Tony Gilroy, but he is the safe choice right now. I wanted to put either Tim Burton or Joe Wright in his place but neither of them are getting enough love.
ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Emile Hirsch, Into the Wild
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Commentary: I think either Depp, Hirsch, or Mortensen could be replaced in this category by either Ryan Gosling or Denzel Washington. It would be nice to see someone like James McAvoy receive a surprise nod.
ACTRESS
Julie Christie, Away from Her
Ellen Page, Juno
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart
Amy Adams, Enchanted
Commentary: Personally, I hated "La Vie en Rose," and that affected Cotillard's performance for me. I still am clinging to the Amy Adams nomination; something in my gut tells me it will happen. If Cotillard were removed and replaced by Knightley, then this scenario would prefectly match my own ballot. If there is a God Cate Blanchett will not get in for the horrible "Elizabeth: The Golden Age."
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson’s War
Commentary: This is the category that I feel most confident predicting, but I know better to say that anything is set in stone. Who knows? Max von Sydow could possibly sneak in or even Tommy Lee Jones.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Catherine Keener, Into the Wild
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Commentary: There seems to be many options in this category, but there have not been many great performances for supporting actresses this year (which is the likely reason for the plethora of options). I could see Ruby Dee nominated, but I don't think "American Gangster" should receive anything.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Juno
Michael Clayton
The Savages
Lars and the Real Girl
Knocked Up
Commentary: I am not sure about this lineup, but it is the best that I could come up with. I could see anyone of these nominees except for "Juno" and "Michael Clayton" to be replaced by "American Gangster," "Once," or "Ratatouille."
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Into the Wild
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Zodiac
Commentary: This is another category that I am fairly confident on. The only possible change I would make would be that "Zodiac" would be replaced by "Atonement."
BEST ART DIRECTION
Sweeney Todd
Atonement
There Will Be Blood
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
300
CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Atonement
COSTUME DESIGN
Hairspray
Atonement
Sweeney Todd
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
FILM EDITING
There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
Into the Wild
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Zodiac
MAKEUP
La Vie en Rose
Sweeney Todd
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
SCORE
Atonement
Into the Wild
There Will Be Blood
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Ratatouille
SONG (Don’t know how many they nominate but I’m going to choose 5)
“Falling Slowly” Once
“Guaranteed” Into the Wild
“That’s How You Know” Enchanted
“Come So Far” Hairspray
“Society” Into the Wild
SOUND EDITING
Transformers
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
300
Ratatouille
The Bourne Ultimatum
SOUND MIXING
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
Transformers
Sweeney Todd
300
VISUAL EFFECTS
I Am Legend
Transformers
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Sicko
No End in Sight
Lake of Fire
The Rape of Europa
War/Dance
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Counterfeiters
Days of Darkness
Beaufort
12
Katyn
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Ratatouille
Persepolis
The Simpson’s Movie
PICTURE
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Michael Clayton
Juno
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Commentary: I thought about replacing "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" with "Into the Wild," but I think when it comes down who placed higher on voters' ballots I think "Diving Bell" will edge out "Into the Wild."
DIRECTOR
Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Paul T. Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Sean Penn, Into the Wild
Commentary: I really feel uncomfortable predicting Tony Gilroy, but he is the safe choice right now. I wanted to put either Tim Burton or Joe Wright in his place but neither of them are getting enough love.
ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Emile Hirsch, Into the Wild
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Commentary: I think either Depp, Hirsch, or Mortensen could be replaced in this category by either Ryan Gosling or Denzel Washington. It would be nice to see someone like James McAvoy receive a surprise nod.
ACTRESS
Julie Christie, Away from Her
Ellen Page, Juno
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart
Amy Adams, Enchanted
Commentary: Personally, I hated "La Vie en Rose," and that affected Cotillard's performance for me. I still am clinging to the Amy Adams nomination; something in my gut tells me it will happen. If Cotillard were removed and replaced by Knightley, then this scenario would prefectly match my own ballot. If there is a God Cate Blanchett will not get in for the horrible "Elizabeth: The Golden Age."
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson’s War
Commentary: This is the category that I feel most confident predicting, but I know better to say that anything is set in stone. Who knows? Max von Sydow could possibly sneak in or even Tommy Lee Jones.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Catherine Keener, Into the Wild
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Commentary: There seems to be many options in this category, but there have not been many great performances for supporting actresses this year (which is the likely reason for the plethora of options). I could see Ruby Dee nominated, but I don't think "American Gangster" should receive anything.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Juno
Michael Clayton
The Savages
Lars and the Real Girl
Knocked Up
Commentary: I am not sure about this lineup, but it is the best that I could come up with. I could see anyone of these nominees except for "Juno" and "Michael Clayton" to be replaced by "American Gangster," "Once," or "Ratatouille."
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Into the Wild
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Zodiac
Commentary: This is another category that I am fairly confident on. The only possible change I would make would be that "Zodiac" would be replaced by "Atonement."
BEST ART DIRECTION
Sweeney Todd
Atonement
There Will Be Blood
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
300
CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Atonement
COSTUME DESIGN
Hairspray
Atonement
Sweeney Todd
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
FILM EDITING
There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
Into the Wild
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Zodiac
MAKEUP
La Vie en Rose
Sweeney Todd
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
SCORE
Atonement
Into the Wild
There Will Be Blood
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Ratatouille
SONG (Don’t know how many they nominate but I’m going to choose 5)
“Falling Slowly” Once
“Guaranteed” Into the Wild
“That’s How You Know” Enchanted
“Come So Far” Hairspray
“Society” Into the Wild
SOUND EDITING
Transformers
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
300
Ratatouille
The Bourne Ultimatum
SOUND MIXING
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
Transformers
Sweeney Todd
300
VISUAL EFFECTS
I Am Legend
Transformers
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Sicko
No End in Sight
Lake of Fire
The Rape of Europa
War/Dance
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Counterfeiters
Days of Darkness
Beaufort
12
Katyn
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Ratatouille
Persepolis
The Simpson’s Movie
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Golden Globe Predictions
Best Picture (Drama): Atonement
Best Picture (Comedy): Juno
Best Director: Ethan and Joel Coen, No Country for Old Men
Best Actor (Drama): Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Best Actress (Drama): Julie Christie, Away From Her
Best Actor (Comedy): Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Best Actress (Comedy): Ellen Page, Juno
Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Best Screenplay: Juno
Best Foreign Film: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Best Animated Film: Ratatouille
Best Original Score: Dario Marinelli, Atonement
Best Original Song: "Guaranteed" Into the Wild
Best Picture (Comedy): Juno
Best Director: Ethan and Joel Coen, No Country for Old Men
Best Actor (Drama): Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Best Actress (Drama): Julie Christie, Away From Her
Best Actor (Comedy): Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Best Actress (Comedy): Ellen Page, Juno
Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Best Screenplay: Juno
Best Foreign Film: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Best Animated Film: Ratatouille
Best Original Score: Dario Marinelli, Atonement
Best Original Song: "Guaranteed" Into the Wild
Monday, January 7, 2008
DGA Predictions
I want to briefly offer my predictions for the DGA announcement. I expect 4/5 of the films I chose to go on to be nominated for Best Picture. I really want to put Jason Reitman in the 5, but I do not know who to remove. I think "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is the film that will most likely miss out on a Best Picture nomination and be replaced by "Juno." With there being no clear frontrunner, I think that "Juno," with its all its critical praise and commercial success, could go on and surprisingly win Best Picture at the Oscars this year.
1. Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
2. Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
3. Sean Penn, Into the Wild
4. Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
5. Joe Wright, Atonement
Alts:
Jason Reitman, Juno
Tim Burton, Sweeney Todd
Andrew Dominik, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
1. Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
2. Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
3. Sean Penn, Into the Wild
4. Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
5. Joe Wright, Atonement
Alts:
Jason Reitman, Juno
Tim Burton, Sweeney Todd
Andrew Dominik, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Thursday, January 3, 2008
"My Most Anticipated of 2008"
Got bored so I figured I would offer my 10 most anticipated films of the year. Here they are:
10. "Cloverfield"
The hype surrounding this film is monstrous (couldn't pass up the pun). The style of filmmaking hasn't been used since "The Blair Witch Project." The marketing for this film has just been amazing. Because of this, I am not sure it can live up to its hype.
9. "Revolutionary Road"
This film will probably be on many people's shortlist for Best Picture next year. The combination of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet (last seen together in "Titanic") will automatically make this film the Best Picture frontrunner when people take wild stabs at predicting next year's Oscars. I know it will be on mine. I have high hopes for this film, but I am afraid its frontrunner status could be its downfall. If you want to compare this film to one of director's Sam Mendes' previous films, the closest one would be "American Beauty," my favorite film of all time (tied with "Donnie Darko").
8. "The Dark Knight"
I liked "Batman Begins," but I do not think it was the amazing film many people were calling it. This, however, looks even better than "Batman Begins." The performance that I am most excited about is Heath Ledger's Joker. I am guessing that he will be nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his destined to be crazy performance a la Johnny Depp in "Pirates of the Caribbean."
7. "Funny Games"
I absolutely loved this trailer. It was totally fantastic and left me salivating at the mouth. I have not seen the original, but I don't want to see it yet. Michael Haneke is an amazing filmmaker. I really enjoyed "Cache." Here's hoping this lives to the expectations I have set for it.
6. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
This film does not really come off as a David Fincher film, but I am eager to see what he does with it. it also stars Brad Pitt, who is in my opinion one of the best actors today. I loved him in both "Babel" and "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford." Parts of the film were also filmed where I live, so that just helps to boost my expectations.
5. "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince"
I was a little disappointed with the 5th installment, and there is really no way that the movies can live up to the books. No way. The only director that has come close has been Alfonso Cauron. Still, Harry Potter is sort of an obsession for me, so it automatically earns a spot on my list.
4. "The City of Ember"
I love this book. It may be a children's book, but the story is fascinating. When I read it, my thoughts automatically turned to a movie idea. I am an aspiring filmmaker, and when I read this I was like, "I want to make this film." Unfortunately, someone beat me to the punch. The cast is great, lead by Saorise Ronan, who gave an outstanding performance in "Atonement," My favorite film of the year. The film is also directed by the man behind "Monster House," my favorite animated film of 2006.
3. "The Box"
When I first saw Richard Kelly's "Donnie Darko," my life was changed; I didn't look at movies the same way again. The release of his second film ,"Southland Tales," has garnered critical pans. The film still has its following like "Donnie Darko." I have not had the opportunity to see it, but I am sure it is at least better than the critics are giving it credit for. His next film features a better cast and some good source material. Here's hoping to Mr. Kelly can rock my world once again.
2. "The Happening"
I do not care what the critics think about him. I love M. Night Shyamalan. I have enjoyed every one of his film, and "The Sixth Sense" is definitely on my top 10 list. An early script review for this film was positive, and the plot seems interesting. I will be first in line opening night.
1. "Blindness"
I was immediately intrigued when I heard about the concept of this film. The cast is great, and it is directed by the man who brought us "The Constant Gardener." I am interested in seeing what Gael Garcia Bernal brings to the film also. He is one of my favorite actors working today. It is only a matter of time before he wins an Oscar.
10. "Cloverfield"
The hype surrounding this film is monstrous (couldn't pass up the pun). The style of filmmaking hasn't been used since "The Blair Witch Project." The marketing for this film has just been amazing. Because of this, I am not sure it can live up to its hype.
9. "Revolutionary Road"
This film will probably be on many people's shortlist for Best Picture next year. The combination of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet (last seen together in "Titanic") will automatically make this film the Best Picture frontrunner when people take wild stabs at predicting next year's Oscars. I know it will be on mine. I have high hopes for this film, but I am afraid its frontrunner status could be its downfall. If you want to compare this film to one of director's Sam Mendes' previous films, the closest one would be "American Beauty," my favorite film of all time (tied with "Donnie Darko").
8. "The Dark Knight"
I liked "Batman Begins," but I do not think it was the amazing film many people were calling it. This, however, looks even better than "Batman Begins." The performance that I am most excited about is Heath Ledger's Joker. I am guessing that he will be nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his destined to be crazy performance a la Johnny Depp in "Pirates of the Caribbean."
7. "Funny Games"
I absolutely loved this trailer. It was totally fantastic and left me salivating at the mouth. I have not seen the original, but I don't want to see it yet. Michael Haneke is an amazing filmmaker. I really enjoyed "Cache." Here's hoping this lives to the expectations I have set for it.
6. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
This film does not really come off as a David Fincher film, but I am eager to see what he does with it. it also stars Brad Pitt, who is in my opinion one of the best actors today. I loved him in both "Babel" and "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford." Parts of the film were also filmed where I live, so that just helps to boost my expectations.
5. "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince"
I was a little disappointed with the 5th installment, and there is really no way that the movies can live up to the books. No way. The only director that has come close has been Alfonso Cauron. Still, Harry Potter is sort of an obsession for me, so it automatically earns a spot on my list.
4. "The City of Ember"
I love this book. It may be a children's book, but the story is fascinating. When I read it, my thoughts automatically turned to a movie idea. I am an aspiring filmmaker, and when I read this I was like, "I want to make this film." Unfortunately, someone beat me to the punch. The cast is great, lead by Saorise Ronan, who gave an outstanding performance in "Atonement," My favorite film of the year. The film is also directed by the man behind "Monster House," my favorite animated film of 2006.
3. "The Box"
When I first saw Richard Kelly's "Donnie Darko," my life was changed; I didn't look at movies the same way again. The release of his second film ,"Southland Tales," has garnered critical pans. The film still has its following like "Donnie Darko." I have not had the opportunity to see it, but I am sure it is at least better than the critics are giving it credit for. His next film features a better cast and some good source material. Here's hoping to Mr. Kelly can rock my world once again.
2. "The Happening"
I do not care what the critics think about him. I love M. Night Shyamalan. I have enjoyed every one of his film, and "The Sixth Sense" is definitely on my top 10 list. An early script review for this film was positive, and the plot seems interesting. I will be first in line opening night.
1. "Blindness"
I was immediately intrigued when I heard about the concept of this film. The cast is great, and it is directed by the man who brought us "The Constant Gardener." I am interested in seeing what Gael Garcia Bernal brings to the film also. He is one of my favorite actors working today. It is only a matter of time before he wins an Oscar.
Who Will Win?
I have not been following the Oscars for that long, maybe 7 years, but this has to be the most exciting one as of yet. This year has been totally unpredictable, something that is really exciting for me. I am eager to see how things play out. I haven't posted in awhile, but I want to have my top 10 list up soon. I still have to see "There Will Be Blood," "The Savages," and "The Orphanage." I would like to see "4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days" before I make my list but that does not seem likely. I will likely post my list after I see "Starting Out in The Evening," which is slated to open in Memphis on the 25th. I know I am a lot slower than most of your seasoned prognosticators, but they receive screeners and such. Hopefully if people start reading this blog, maybe something good will come of it. Also, the weekend before the Oscars I will post my own personal awards. I want some time to rewatch a couple of films before I choose my definite 5. Anyways, the purpose of this post is for me to predict the winners at this year's Academy Awards. If I am close, someone please alert the media so that maybe this crappy blog can gain some attention.
Best Picture: "No Country for Old Men"
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood"
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood"
Best Actress: Ellen Page, "Juno"
Best Supporting Actor: Casey Affleck, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Best Supporting Actress: Catherine Keener, "Into the Wild"
Best Adapted Screenplay: "No Country for Old Men"
Best Original Screenplay: "Juno"
Best Art Direction: "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Best Cinematography: "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Best Costume Design: "Atonement"
Best Film Editing: "There Will Be Blood"
Best Makeup: "Hairspray"
Best Music - Original Score: "Atonement"
Best Music - Original Song: "Once"
Best Sound: "Transformers"
Best Sound Editing: "Transformers"
Best Visual Effects: "Transformers"
Best Animated Feature: "Perespolis"
Best Foreign Language Film: "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days"
Best Picture: "No Country for Old Men"
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood"
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood"
Best Actress: Ellen Page, "Juno"
Best Supporting Actor: Casey Affleck, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Best Supporting Actress: Catherine Keener, "Into the Wild"
Best Adapted Screenplay: "No Country for Old Men"
Best Original Screenplay: "Juno"
Best Art Direction: "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Best Cinematography: "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Best Costume Design: "Atonement"
Best Film Editing: "There Will Be Blood"
Best Makeup: "Hairspray"
Best Music - Original Score: "Atonement"
Best Music - Original Song: "Once"
Best Sound: "Transformers"
Best Sound Editing: "Transformers"
Best Visual Effects: "Transformers"
Best Animated Feature: "Perespolis"
Best Foreign Language Film: "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days"
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