FormerBondFan
00 Agent
Posts: 5,455
Favourite James Bond Films: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Mission: Impossible and any upcoming action films starring Pierce Brosnan (no, it's not James Bond which is good because he'll need it to expand his reputation as an actor, especially in the action realm)
Favourite Films: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Harry Potter, Middle-Earth, The Matrix, Mission: Impossible
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Post by FormerBondFan on Jul 4, 2010 13:57:42 GMT -5
www.dailycomet.com/article/20100704/ENTERTAINMENT/100629383/1275?p=all&tc=pgallWhat are the mid-season Oscar contenders?
By Mick LaSalle San Francisco Chronicle
Published: Sunday, July 4, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. Last Modified: Monday, June 28, 2010 at 4:28 p.m.
Everybody wants to live in boom times, and just about everybody would like to live in an inspired period for movies, but those two things rarely go hand in hand. The Great Depression gave us a golden age, and so did the Vietnam-Watergate-malaise era of the late 1960s and the 1970s. By contrast, the economy was humming along for most the ‘80s and ‘90s, while those movie years were just average, with only the usual number of good and anomalously great movies.
Six months ago, two things pointed to a coming third golden age of film: 1) The economy, though not quite at the brother-can-you-spare-a-dime stage, was pretty miserable; and 2) 2009 was the best year for movies so far this century. Moreover, the ways in which 2009's movies were strong — their anxiety and dystopian vision — suggested a cinema tapping into the unconscious currents of its time.
Six months later, the economy is still anemic, and the movies . . . well, actually, the movies of 2010 have been fairly average, with no evidence yet on the horizon of a golden age. But it's still early. After all, January and February are generally a wasteland; then things get a little better in March and April. Then comes the cultural lobotomy known as the summer season, which goes on until Labor Day. Point being, we could actually be in the midst of the greatest movie year ever and not know it, just as film critic Otis Ferguson didn't know it, when he wrote in 1939, “This film year has been about the leanest in seven.”
He wrote that early in 1939. Things got better.
As it stands, our midterm report isn't bad. Regrets, we've had a few. “Sex and the City 2” was a disaster. “Shutter Island,” a Martin Scorsese film, played more like something by M. Knight Shyamalan, but without the wit. And in “The Last Song,” Miley Cyrus proved that she couldn't act — though come to think of it, that wasn't exactly a disappointment. That was more, like, funny.
There have also been some frustrating near misses. “The Green Zone” was almost a provocative drama about the Iraq war. “Winter's Bone,” which contains a brilliant performance by newcomer Jennifer Lawrence, was earnest but rhythmically glacial. And “Robin Hood,” Ridley Scott's fresh take on the green guy's origins, lacked compelling emotion.
What follows are 15 films released in 2010 that have some hope (or deserve to have hope) of awards consideration at the end of the year. We're not just talking about the Oscars or Golden Globes, don't forget. We're also talking about truly august groups such as the various film critic's circles and associations, which now blanket the country like an epidemic:
The Book of Eli (January): This futuristic, post-apocalyptic nightmare was good, not great, but Gary Oldman's performance as an opportunistic would-be dictator was perfection.
Edge of Darkness (January): Crime thrillers usually don't get much respect during award's season, but if anyone cares to pay attention, Mel Gibson gave the performance of his career as an aging cop whose life is destroyed when his daughter is murdered.
The Ghost Writer (March): Roman Polanski, who still isn't allowed to leave his house, won a much-deserved best director prize from the Berlin Film Festival, for this film about a ghost writer who kicks over a hornet's nest while collaborating on the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister. Ewan McGregor has a reasonable shot at best actor and Pierce Brosnan as supporting actor. But Polanski seems guaranteed to pick up some director prizes, and the film stands to be nominated for best picture.
Chloe (March): Erin Cressida Wilson deserves a prize for best adapted screenplay for this film about the relationship between a middle-aged wife (Julianne Moore) and the call-girl (Amanda Seyfried) she is paying to sleep with her husband. The only disadvantage Wilson has is that most people are unfamiliar with the source material, the French film, “Nathalie,” from director Anne Fontaine. But anyone who bothers to look will see that Wilson took a flat story and brought out all its latent and dormant elements, to create one of the best women's films of the year. Someone should also consider Moore for best actress.
Greenberg (March): American movies contain very few good supporting actress roles, which means that Greta Gerwig's charming turn as a professional nanny could be acknowledged.
The Girl On the Train (March): Andre Techine's film, starring Emilie Dequenne as a young confused woman who gets in trouble, is a possible best foreign film nominee.
The Runaways (April): This moody, accurate exploration of 1970s angst, focusing on the rise and fall of the seminal all-girl band, could yield nominations for Kristen Stewart (Joan Jett) and Dakota Fanning (Cherie Currie).
Vincere (April): Highlighted by Giovanna Mezzogiorno's on-fire performance as Mussolini's mistress, this historical drama from veteran Italian director Marco Bellocchio seems a probable best foreign film nominee.
Harry Brown (April): Michael Caine incarnates the disappointment and life weariness of an old man who picks up a gun, in a vigilante thriller highlighted by Caine's searing performance. This movie will get no respect, but Caine's performance will be acknowledged.
Get Him to the Greek (June): It's a longshot — comedies rarely win anything — but Nicholas Stoller's screenplay and Russell Brand's supporting performance deserve a look.
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (June): It's one of the best showbiz documentaries out there, and if it doesn't pick up some best documentary prizes, something is very wrong.
Cyrus (June): Marisa Tomei's warm and charming performance as a woman caught between her lover and her son could pick up some supporting actress nominations.
Toy Story 3 (June): This may be the first movie with “3” in the title, as in “third installment,” that qualifies as a masterpiece. Best animated film is a lock — from the lowliest critic's group to the Oscars. But it's also a guaranteed best picture nominee. It should be a contender at the Oscars and will probably come in first with many critics' groups.
Yet to be released, but I've seen them, and I tell you everything:
The Kids Are All Right (July): This film has awards written all over it. First, the movie is excellent. Second, it deals, in passing, with gay marriage, which is topical. Third, it contains a fantastic performance by Annette Bening, who has been an inevitable Oscar winner for 20 years (and has deserved to win at least twice). Expect best screenplay and best actress nominations, for sure. Also possible: Best director, for Lisa Cholodenko, and best supporting actor, for Mark Ruffalo.
Mademoiselle Chambon (August or September): This lovely French film, about the love between an itinerant school teacher (Sandrine Kiberlain) and a married construction worker (Vincent Lindon), is all but guaranteed a best foreign film nomination. It might win, too. Moreover, it's a lean year for actresses, and if the film maintains its momentum (it racked up good numbers in New York), Kiberlain could easily get some best actress nominations.
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Post by Cpt. Sir Dominic Flandry on Jul 5, 2010 5:57:32 GMT -5
www.dailycomet.com/article/20100704/ENTERTAINMENT/100629383/1275?p=all&tc=pgallWhat are the mid-season Oscar contenders?
By Mick LaSalle San Francisco Chronicle
Published: Sunday, July 4, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. Last Modified: Monday, June 28, 2010 at 4:28 p.m.
Everybody wants to live in boom times, and just about everybody would like to live in an inspired period for movies, but those two things rarely go hand in hand. The Great Depression gave us a golden age, and so did the Vietnam-Watergate-malaise era of the late 1960s and the 1970s. By contrast, the economy was humming along for most the ‘80s and ‘90s, while those movie years were just average, with only the usual number of good and anomalously great movies.
Six months ago, two things pointed to a coming third golden age of film: 1) The economy, though not quite at the brother-can-you-spare-a-dime stage, was pretty miserable; and 2) 2009 was the best year for movies so far this century. Moreover, the ways in which 2009's movies were strong — their anxiety and dystopian vision — suggested a cinema tapping into the unconscious currents of its time.
Six months later, the economy is still anemic, and the movies . . . well, actually, the movies of 2010 have been fairly average, with no evidence yet on the horizon of a golden age. But it's still early. After all, January and February are generally a wasteland; then things get a little better in March and April. Then comes the cultural lobotomy known as the summer season, which goes on until Labor Day. Point being, we could actually be in the midst of the greatest movie year ever and not know it, just as film critic Otis Ferguson didn't know it, when he wrote in 1939, “This film year has been about the leanest in seven.”
He wrote that early in 1939. Things got better.
As it stands, our midterm report isn't bad. Regrets, we've had a few. “Sex and the City 2” was a disaster. “Shutter Island,” a Martin Scorsese film, played more like something by M. Knight Shyamalan, but without the wit. And in “The Last Song,” Miley Cyrus proved that she couldn't act — though come to think of it, that wasn't exactly a disappointment. That was more, like, funny.
There have also been some frustrating near misses. “The Green Zone” was almost a provocative drama about the Iraq war. “Winter's Bone,” which contains a brilliant performance by newcomer Jennifer Lawrence, was earnest but rhythmically glacial. And “Robin Hood,” Ridley Scott's fresh take on the green guy's origins, lacked compelling emotion.
What follows are 15 films released in 2010 that have some hope (or deserve to have hope) of awards consideration at the end of the year. We're not just talking about the Oscars or Golden Globes, don't forget. We're also talking about truly august groups such as the various film critic's circles and associations, which now blanket the country like an epidemic:
The Book of Eli (January): This futuristic, post-apocalyptic nightmare was good, not great, but Gary Oldman's performance as an opportunistic would-be dictator was perfection.
Edge of Darkness (January): Crime thrillers usually don't get much respect during award's season, but if anyone cares to pay attention, Mel Gibson gave the performance of his career as an aging cop whose life is destroyed when his daughter is murdered.
The Ghost Writer (March): Roman Polanski, who still isn't allowed to leave his house, won a much-deserved best director prize from the Berlin Film Festival, for this film about a ghost writer who kicks over a hornet's nest while collaborating on the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister. Ewan McGregor has a reasonable shot at best actor and Pierce Brosnan as supporting actor. But Polanski seems guaranteed to pick up some director prizes, and the film stands to be nominated for best picture.
Chloe (March): Erin Cressida Wilson deserves a prize for best adapted screenplay for this film about the relationship between a middle-aged wife (Julianne Moore) and the call-girl (Amanda Seyfried) she is paying to sleep with her husband. The only disadvantage Wilson has is that most people are unfamiliar with the source material, the French film, “Nathalie,” from director Anne Fontaine. But anyone who bothers to look will see that Wilson took a flat story and brought out all its latent and dormant elements, to create one of the best women's films of the year. Someone should also consider Moore for best actress.
Greenberg (March): American movies contain very few good supporting actress roles, which means that Greta Gerwig's charming turn as a professional nanny could be acknowledged.
The Girl On the Train (March): Andre Techine's film, starring Emilie Dequenne as a young confused woman who gets in trouble, is a possible best foreign film nominee.
The Runaways (April): This moody, accurate exploration of 1970s angst, focusing on the rise and fall of the seminal all-girl band, could yield nominations for Kristen Stewart (Joan Jett) and Dakota Fanning (Cherie Currie).
Vincere (April): Highlighted by Giovanna Mezzogiorno's on-fire performance as Mussolini's mistress, this historical drama from veteran Italian director Marco Bellocchio seems a probable best foreign film nominee.
Harry Brown (April): Michael Caine incarnates the disappointment and life weariness of an old man who picks up a gun, in a vigilante thriller highlighted by Caine's searing performance. This movie will get no respect, but Caine's performance will be acknowledged.
Get Him to the Greek (June): It's a longshot — comedies rarely win anything — but Nicholas Stoller's screenplay and Russell Brand's supporting performance deserve a look.
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (June): It's one of the best showbiz documentaries out there, and if it doesn't pick up some best documentary prizes, something is very wrong.
Cyrus (June): Marisa Tomei's warm and charming performance as a woman caught between her lover and her son could pick up some supporting actress nominations.
Toy Story 3 (June): This may be the first movie with “3” in the title, as in “third installment,” that qualifies as a masterpiece. Best animated film is a lock — from the lowliest critic's group to the Oscars. But it's also a guaranteed best picture nominee. It should be a contender at the Oscars and will probably come in first with many critics' groups.
Yet to be released, but I've seen them, and I tell you everything:
The Kids Are All Right (July): This film has awards written all over it. First, the movie is excellent. Second, it deals, in passing, with gay marriage, which is topical. Third, it contains a fantastic performance by Annette Bening, who has been an inevitable Oscar winner for 20 years (and has deserved to win at least twice). Expect best screenplay and best actress nominations, for sure. Also possible: Best director, for Lisa Cholodenko, and best supporting actor, for Mark Ruffalo.
Mademoiselle Chambon (August or September): This lovely French film, about the love between an itinerant school teacher (Sandrine Kiberlain) and a married construction worker (Vincent Lindon), is all but guaranteed a best foreign film nomination. It might win, too. Moreover, it's a lean year for actresses, and if the film maintains its momentum (it racked up good numbers in New York), Kiberlain could easily get some best actress nominations. I hope Brosnan wins an oscar just to annoy Chuck.
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FormerBondFan
00 Agent
Posts: 5,455
Favourite James Bond Films: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Mission: Impossible and any upcoming action films starring Pierce Brosnan (no, it's not James Bond which is good because he'll need it to expand his reputation as an actor, especially in the action realm)
Favourite Films: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Harry Potter, Middle-Earth, The Matrix, Mission: Impossible
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Post by FormerBondFan on Jul 5, 2010 9:57:48 GMT -5
www.dailycomet.com/article/20100704/ENTERTAINMENT/100629383/1275?p=all&tc=pgallWhat are the mid-season Oscar contenders?
By Mick LaSalle San Francisco Chronicle
Published: Sunday, July 4, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. Last Modified: Monday, June 28, 2010 at 4:28 p.m.
Everybody wants to live in boom times, and just about everybody would like to live in an inspired period for movies, but those two things rarely go hand in hand. The Great Depression gave us a golden age, and so did the Vietnam-Watergate-malaise era of the late 1960s and the 1970s. By contrast, the economy was humming along for most the ‘80s and ‘90s, while those movie years were just average, with only the usual number of good and anomalously great movies.
Six months ago, two things pointed to a coming third golden age of film: 1) The economy, though not quite at the brother-can-you-spare-a-dime stage, was pretty miserable; and 2) 2009 was the best year for movies so far this century. Moreover, the ways in which 2009's movies were strong — their anxiety and dystopian vision — suggested a cinema tapping into the unconscious currents of its time.
Six months later, the economy is still anemic, and the movies . . . well, actually, the movies of 2010 have been fairly average, with no evidence yet on the horizon of a golden age. But it's still early. After all, January and February are generally a wasteland; then things get a little better in March and April. Then comes the cultural lobotomy known as the summer season, which goes on until Labor Day. Point being, we could actually be in the midst of the greatest movie year ever and not know it, just as film critic Otis Ferguson didn't know it, when he wrote in 1939, “This film year has been about the leanest in seven.”
He wrote that early in 1939. Things got better.
As it stands, our midterm report isn't bad. Regrets, we've had a few. “Sex and the City 2” was a disaster. “Shutter Island,” a Martin Scorsese film, played more like something by M. Knight Shyamalan, but without the wit. And in “The Last Song,” Miley Cyrus proved that she couldn't act — though come to think of it, that wasn't exactly a disappointment. That was more, like, funny.
There have also been some frustrating near misses. “The Green Zone” was almost a provocative drama about the Iraq war. “Winter's Bone,” which contains a brilliant performance by newcomer Jennifer Lawrence, was earnest but rhythmically glacial. And “Robin Hood,” Ridley Scott's fresh take on the green guy's origins, lacked compelling emotion.
What follows are 15 films released in 2010 that have some hope (or deserve to have hope) of awards consideration at the end of the year. We're not just talking about the Oscars or Golden Globes, don't forget. We're also talking about truly august groups such as the various film critic's circles and associations, which now blanket the country like an epidemic:
The Book of Eli (January): This futuristic, post-apocalyptic nightmare was good, not great, but Gary Oldman's performance as an opportunistic would-be dictator was perfection.
Edge of Darkness (January): Crime thrillers usually don't get much respect during award's season, but if anyone cares to pay attention, Mel Gibson gave the performance of his career as an aging cop whose life is destroyed when his daughter is murdered.
The Ghost Writer (March): Roman Polanski, who still isn't allowed to leave his house, won a much-deserved best director prize from the Berlin Film Festival, for this film about a ghost writer who kicks over a hornet's nest while collaborating on the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister. Ewan McGregor has a reasonable shot at best actor and Pierce Brosnan as supporting actor. But Polanski seems guaranteed to pick up some director prizes, and the film stands to be nominated for best picture.
Chloe (March): Erin Cressida Wilson deserves a prize for best adapted screenplay for this film about the relationship between a middle-aged wife (Julianne Moore) and the call-girl (Amanda Seyfried) she is paying to sleep with her husband. The only disadvantage Wilson has is that most people are unfamiliar with the source material, the French film, “Nathalie,” from director Anne Fontaine. But anyone who bothers to look will see that Wilson took a flat story and brought out all its latent and dormant elements, to create one of the best women's films of the year. Someone should also consider Moore for best actress.
Greenberg (March): American movies contain very few good supporting actress roles, which means that Greta Gerwig's charming turn as a professional nanny could be acknowledged.
The Girl On the Train (March): Andre Techine's film, starring Emilie Dequenne as a young confused woman who gets in trouble, is a possible best foreign film nominee.
The Runaways (April): This moody, accurate exploration of 1970s angst, focusing on the rise and fall of the seminal all-girl band, could yield nominations for Kristen Stewart (Joan Jett) and Dakota Fanning (Cherie Currie).
Vincere (April): Highlighted by Giovanna Mezzogiorno's on-fire performance as Mussolini's mistress, this historical drama from veteran Italian director Marco Bellocchio seems a probable best foreign film nominee.
Harry Brown (April): Michael Caine incarnates the disappointment and life weariness of an old man who picks up a gun, in a vigilante thriller highlighted by Caine's searing performance. This movie will get no respect, but Caine's performance will be acknowledged.
Get Him to the Greek (June): It's a longshot — comedies rarely win anything — but Nicholas Stoller's screenplay and Russell Brand's supporting performance deserve a look.
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (June): It's one of the best showbiz documentaries out there, and if it doesn't pick up some best documentary prizes, something is very wrong.
Cyrus (June): Marisa Tomei's warm and charming performance as a woman caught between her lover and her son could pick up some supporting actress nominations.
Toy Story 3 (June): This may be the first movie with “3” in the title, as in “third installment,” that qualifies as a masterpiece. Best animated film is a lock — from the lowliest critic's group to the Oscars. But it's also a guaranteed best picture nominee. It should be a contender at the Oscars and will probably come in first with many critics' groups.
Yet to be released, but I've seen them, and I tell you everything:
The Kids Are All Right (July): This film has awards written all over it. First, the movie is excellent. Second, it deals, in passing, with gay marriage, which is topical. Third, it contains a fantastic performance by Annette Bening, who has been an inevitable Oscar winner for 20 years (and has deserved to win at least twice). Expect best screenplay and best actress nominations, for sure. Also possible: Best director, for Lisa Cholodenko, and best supporting actor, for Mark Ruffalo.
Mademoiselle Chambon (August or September): This lovely French film, about the love between an itinerant school teacher (Sandrine Kiberlain) and a married construction worker (Vincent Lindon), is all but guaranteed a best foreign film nomination. It might win, too. Moreover, it's a lean year for actresses, and if the film maintains its momentum (it racked up good numbers in New York), Kiberlain could easily get some best actress nominations. I hope Brosnan wins an oscar just to annoy Chuck. Or at least nominated by one. Pierce has got to have a movie nominated by the Oscars since 1998's Quest For Camelot, which was nominated for Best Song. He totally deserve it.
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Post by Cpt. Sir Dominic Flandry on Jul 5, 2010 20:02:51 GMT -5
You never know what might happen.
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FormerBondFan
00 Agent
Posts: 5,455
Favourite James Bond Films: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Mission: Impossible and any upcoming action films starring Pierce Brosnan (no, it's not James Bond which is good because he'll need it to expand his reputation as an actor, especially in the action realm)
Favourite Films: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Harry Potter, Middle-Earth, The Matrix, Mission: Impossible
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Post by FormerBondFan on Jul 5, 2010 20:13:38 GMT -5
In Pierce's career, only 3 of his films got nominated by the Oscars: 1993's Mrs. Doubfire for Best Makeup, 1996's The Mirror Has Two Faces for Best Supporting Actress (Lauren Bacall) and Best Song, and 1998's The Quest For Camelot for Best Song. Out of the 3, Mrs. Doubtfire took home the Oscar. If any of Pierce's upcoming films are not potential blockbusters, then I hope they get Oscar nominations. He may not need them, but he TOTALLY deserves it BIG TIME!!!!!!!
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Post by 009 on Jul 6, 2010 19:11:15 GMT -5
Some terrible films have won an Oscar down the years though.
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FormerBondFan
00 Agent
Posts: 5,455
Favourite James Bond Films: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Mission: Impossible and any upcoming action films starring Pierce Brosnan (no, it's not James Bond which is good because he'll need it to expand his reputation as an actor, especially in the action realm)
Favourite Films: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Harry Potter, Middle-Earth, The Matrix, Mission: Impossible
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Post by FormerBondFan on Jul 6, 2010 20:06:22 GMT -5
Pierce has got to have to have new and/or recent movies to be nominated by the Oscars.
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FormerBondFan
00 Agent
Posts: 5,455
Favourite James Bond Films: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Mission: Impossible and any upcoming action films starring Pierce Brosnan (no, it's not James Bond which is good because he'll need it to expand his reputation as an actor, especially in the action realm)
Favourite Films: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Harry Potter, Middle-Earth, The Matrix, Mission: Impossible
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Post by FormerBondFan on Sept 3, 2010 17:45:17 GMT -5
calitreview.com/11332I hope Pierce and The Ghost Writer gets the attention from Academy. Since his unfair dismissal from Bond, I have been longed to see him to do movies that have potential to get nominated by the Oscars. He TOTALLY deserves it BIG TIME!
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Post by Greg Haugen on Sept 4, 2010 13:28:45 GMT -5
It would be a nice moment for the Brozzer if he got a nomination.
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FormerBondFan
00 Agent
Posts: 5,455
Favourite James Bond Films: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Mission: Impossible and any upcoming action films starring Pierce Brosnan (no, it's not James Bond which is good because he'll need it to expand his reputation as an actor, especially in the action realm)
Favourite Films: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Harry Potter, Middle-Earth, The Matrix, Mission: Impossible
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Post by FormerBondFan on Sept 4, 2010 14:46:30 GMT -5
He has four movies that came out in theaters this year: The Greatest, Percy Jackson, The Ghost Writer, and Oceans. The Greatest seems unlikely to be nominated. As for the other three, I hope any of them gets an Oscar nomination.
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Post by Jake on Sept 5, 2010 13:21:30 GMT -5
He's keeping busy anyway.
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FormerBondFan
00 Agent
Posts: 5,455
Favourite James Bond Films: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Mission: Impossible and any upcoming action films starring Pierce Brosnan (no, it's not James Bond which is good because he'll need it to expand his reputation as an actor, especially in the action realm)
Favourite Films: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Harry Potter, Middle-Earth, The Matrix, Mission: Impossible
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Post by FormerBondFan on Sept 5, 2010 15:29:29 GMT -5
Pierce TOTALLY deserves movies that has potential to get nominated by the Oscars.
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FormerBondFan
00 Agent
Posts: 5,455
Favourite James Bond Films: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Mission: Impossible and any upcoming action films starring Pierce Brosnan (no, it's not James Bond which is good because he'll need it to expand his reputation as an actor, especially in the action realm)
Favourite Films: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Harry Potter, Middle-Earth, The Matrix, Mission: Impossible
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Post by FormerBondFan on Oct 8, 2010 22:35:41 GMT -5
www.deadline.com/2010/10/oscar-contenders-part-3-long-distance-run/Oscar Contenders, Part 3: A Long Distance
By PETE HAMMOND | Friday October 8, 2010 @ 4:37pm PDT
Previous installments of my 2010 Oscar contenders rundown have included Part 1 about Oscar race films that played the Big 3 Fall Festivals: Venice, Toronto, and Telluride. And then Part 2 about Oscar race films set for release in the final three months of the year that skipped those fests or simply weren’t ready in time. Now in Part 3, I'll look back at films from the first eight months of the year that have reason for awards hopes, and, in some cases, may have to struggle against the odds just to be remembered. If I left any film out, it was purely intentional. I am not listing pics that don’t have a rat's chance. Here they are, in order of release date. And, remember, these are just titles from the first 8 months of the year:
THE GHOST WRITER (Summit - Feb 17) Roman Polanski earned strong reviews for this Hitchcock-style drama in which Ewan MacGregor ghostwrites the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister played by Pierce Brosnan. It has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 84% fresh and did well by indie film standards. Oscar Chance: Summit will have to step up to the plate in order to revive it. Insiders at the distrib have special hopes for a Brosnan supporting bid.
SHUTTER ISLAND (Paramount - Feb 19) Paramount had initially penciled in this fine Martin Scorsese thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio for last season’s awards race. But financial considerations led them to move to the very unfriendly Oscar territory of February. Yet it became the legendary director’s most successful film ever at the box office, earning $292 million worldwide and receiving good critical notice. Oscar Chance: The studio intends to campaign it and has already sent out screening notices to Guilds and Academy members. But it will be competing with Par’s two year-end entries True Grit and The Fighter for attention from the front office.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND (Walt Disney Pictures - March 5) Tim Burton’s take on the classic tale remains one of the biggest success stories of the year with a whopping billion dollar take at the worldwide boxoffice. Critical response was right down the middle with a 51% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Oscar Chance: This would seem a natural bet for the Golden Globes Comedy/Musical categories and lots of technical nods at the Academy, too.
CITY ISLAND (Anchor Bay - March 19) Andy Garcia’s finely-honed comic turn in this New York-centric family comedy could -- and should -- be remembered at Golden Globe time. Oscar Chance: Slim, but the tiny distributor has hired a PR firm to make sure it’s not forgotten. Awards pundits got a DVD in the mail this week.
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (Music Box - March 19) The first in the Swedish trilogy became the most successful foreign language release of the year and has created Best Actress buzz for star Noomi Rapace. Oscar Chance: Music Box will have to spend to reap rewards. Problem is, Rapace has become so hot that she’s now filming the Sherlock Holmes sequel in England and likely won’t be around to promote the final chapter, The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest when it opens at the end of the month. She'll miss valuable face time in front of voters.
GREENBERG (Focus Features - March 19) Focus has set up some screenings and includes it in their Academy ads. But it's not likely to give much support beyond that to this Ben Stiller/Noah Baumbach passion project which never quite caught on the way they hoped. Oscar Chance: Uh, probably not.
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (Dreamworks Animation - March 26) Rapturous reviews gave it a 98% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes placing it between Toy Story 3 and The Social Network for bragging rights. Top box office doesn’t hurt, either. Oscar Chance: An animated feature nod is a given. But Dreamworks is aggressively going for the gold with this one, starting with a big DVD launch party next week to renew the fire. Suggestions of not only an animated category nom but also Best Picture mean they dream big there. But is there room for two toons on that list of 10 which will include Disney's Toy Story 3?
PLEASE GIVE (Sony Pictures Classics - April 30) Writer/Director Nicole Holofcener’s quirky comedy was well received and sparked buzz of an Original Screenplay nomination upon its release last spring. But that seems to have faded. Oscar Chance: It’s still deserving as is Ann Morgan Guilbert’s nifty supporting turn as the tenant who just won’t die. SPC will be asking members to please give the DVD a play.
MOTHER AND CHILD (Sony Pictures Classics - May 7) Rodrigo Garcia’s multi-character drama came and went in theatres, so wisely SPC made sure the screener was the very first one Academy voters got this season. Oscar Chance: On the DVD box, they are suggesting Annette Bening for Best Actress but, great as she is here, there’s no way she gets it for this over the higher profile The Kids Are All Right.
IRON MAN 2 (Paramount - May 7) The first Iron Man in 2008 only landed nominations for Visual Effects and Sound Editing. Oscar Chance: Visual Effects and Sound Editing.
LETTERS TO JULIET (Summit - May 14) This chick flick did pretty well at the box office. Oscar Chance: Vanessa Redgrave was terrific in a supporting role. And, in a 14 month span during which she lost her daughter, sister, and brother, she could use some good news. Long shot.
ROBIN HOOD (Universal - May 14) Ridley Scott’s take on the legendary Robin Hood tale starring Russell Crowe opened Cannes and did better internationally than in the U.S. where it just barely crossed $100 million. Oscar Chance: Even Universal doesn’t think it has one. Maybe a tech category or two.
SOLITARY MAN (Anchor Bay – May 21) Michael Douglas received some of the best reviews of his career in this highly unsympathetic role. Oscar Chance: There is a lot of good will for the cancer-stricken star. And Anchor Bay is making sure the DVD gets circulated to press who can remind voters of this performance. An indie spirit nomination is a definite possibility.
WINTER’S BONE (Roadside Attractions – June 11) A critical darling and surprise indie hit at $6 million and counting, this could be the sleeper awards success of the season. Oscar Chance: Roadside needs to do everything it can to put it front and center with critics groups who could champion it. Could be forced into the Best Picture race this year a la The Hurt Locker. With some precursor awards, newcomer Jennifer Lawrence could crack the tough Best Actress group.
I AM LOVE (Magnolia Pictures - June 18) A sumptuous showcase for Scottish Oscar winner Tilda Swinton who speaks Italian with a Russian accent and gets to wear great clothes. Oscar Chance: Italy killed the film’s chances for a Best Foreign Language nod by submitting something else. But Magnolia is going to try to put it into other races like Cinematography, Art Direction, Costumes, and Actress where Tilda’s awesome language feat could gain traction with her fellow actors.
TOY STORY 3 (Disney/Pixar - June 18) A worldwide smash and, with 99% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, it's the highest rated movie of the year that isn’t a French documentary about Henri-Georges Clouzot. Oscar Chance: The frontrunner for animated feature and on just about everyone’s list for a Best Picture nomination as well. Is 3 the charm? Neither of the other two Toy Story's were around when the animated category was created. But the first one got a special Oscar for John Lasseter.
DESPICABLE ME (Universal - July 9) Call it the toon that saved Universal this year. It had strong reviews and great box office. Oscar Chance: In a field of five animated nominees, it’s a given. But if there are only three, its chances become one in a minion.
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (Focus Features – July 9) It's THE focus for Focus this year. They hope to turn this $20 million grossing movie about lesbian parents who encounter the birth father of their kids into that rare comedy that cracks Best Picture. Oscar Chance: Parlaying a Golden Globe Comedy/Musical win into a Best Picture nomination seems doable with screenplay. And acting nominations for Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo very likely. The deserving Julianne Moore competing with Bening for Best Actress recognition could be a tougher sell in that overcrowded field. Both women are overdue.
INCEPTION (Warner Bros – July 16) Christopher Nolan was snubbed for The Dark Knight so will the Academy make it up to him for this audacious and original fever dream of a movie that has made three-quarters of a billion at the worldwide boxoffice and inspired love letters from critics? Oscar Chance: How can voters deny this achievement even if they don’t quite get it? Best Picture and loads of tech noms while iffier is the always great Leonardo DiCaprio who has to compete with himself in Shutter Island for a Best Actor nod. Hey, he can dream can’t he?
THE CONCERT (The Weinstein Company – July 30) This French comedy sleeper surprised and delighted members who saw it at the official Academy screening. And they've been talking about it ever since. Oscar Chance: Not eligible for Foreign film, plus it didn’t hang around long and Harvey’s got bigger fish to fry. But it could turn up some place where you least expect it. Golden Globes, for sure.
GET LOW (Sony Pictures Classics - July 30) Nice-sized indie hit for SPC is now going strong in its third month and has special appeal for older voters. Oscar Chance: Robert Duvall is a good bet in the Best Actor race and Sissy Spacek might squeak into Best Supporting Actress. Original Screenplay is possible together with a long shot shot for Picture if later entries fizzle.
CAIRO TIME (IFC Films - August 6) This quiet adult drama received nice notices for its talented star, Patricia Clarkson, in a romance about an ill-fated brief encounter set in Egypt. Oscar Chance: In a weaker year for actresses, Clarkson could have scored. But the competition is too tough and the film is just too small. Indie Spirits, anyone?
ANIMAL KINGDOM (Sony Pictures Classics - August 13) This tough Australian crime drama joined Mother and Child as the first DVD screener sent to Academy members this season, but its box office has been spotty. Oscar Chance: If those voters pop this thing in their DVD player, they will see a classic supporting actress turn from Jacki Weaver who deserves the recognition. (And the T-shirt SPC sent to bloggers promoting her performance.)
EAT PRAY LOVE (Sony Pictures – August 13) A bestselling book, some decent if not spectacular box office, and a starring role for Julia Roberts on global locations should add up to something worth awards attention, right? Well, she did get a Golden Globe nomination last year for the flop Duplictiy so... Oscar Chance: Pray.
LOVELY, STILL (Monterey Media - September 10) A small little gem of a drama about two old people who find romance near the end of their lives features brilliant performances from Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn. They both deserve awards recognition even though the movie came and went without a whimper and has little hope of being seen by voters. Oscar Chance: Fortunately Landau and Burstyn already have one.I hope The Ghost Writers gets the nomination. Pierce deserves a movie that gets nominated by the Oscars....something he doesn't have since 1998's The Quest For Camelot.
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mh4213
Commander
Saved by the bell...!
Posts: 241
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Post by mh4213 on Oct 9, 2010 5:33:52 GMT -5
Let's hope Pierce gets a nomination at least.
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FormerBondFan
00 Agent
Posts: 5,455
Favourite James Bond Films: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Mission: Impossible and any upcoming action films starring Pierce Brosnan (no, it's not James Bond which is good because he'll need it to expand his reputation as an actor, especially in the action realm)
Favourite Films: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Harry Potter, Middle-Earth, The Matrix, Mission: Impossible
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Post by FormerBondFan on Oct 9, 2010 13:32:23 GMT -5
It would better if The Ghost Writer released later this holiday season. The movie would have high chances of getting multiple Oscar nominations.
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