FormerBondFan
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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 12, 2010 13:45:29 GMT -5
She said she might revisit the Harry Potter universe someday.
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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 Dec 2, 2010 14:45:12 GMT -5
theenvelope.latimes.com/la-en-fantasy-actors-20101202,0,2990305.story Critic's Notebook: Can 'Harry Potter' ever capture Oscar magic?
The academy is notorious for thumbing its nose at the fantasy genre, but six films with no wins is an outrage. Maybe the penultimate 'Deathly Hallows' can cast its spell on voters.
By Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times Television Critic
December 2, 2010
There is something touching about the fact that " Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1" opened in mid-November. It's the unofficial beginning of Oscar season, after all. Whether Warner Bros. is thumbing its nose at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences or is still holding out hope for getting voters' attention, it's hard to imagine that this year will be any different from the previous six because Oscar just does not like Harry.
Think about it. Six films and no Oscars. None. Moving staircases, talking pictures, heart-stopping Quidditch games, villains that scare even adults and no Oscars. There have been nominations — for art direction, score and costume — but no wins, which, frankly, is hard to fathom. How could none of these films have won for costume? Screenwriter Steve Kloves, an Oscar nominee for "Wonder Boys," has adapted all but one of the books, a feat unprecedented in the annals of the Writers Guild, and he's never been nominated for them. Ditto any of the directors. Or actors.
That's right, none of the actors in six of the most popular films of all time has been nominated for an Oscar for their "Potter" roles. It's not surprising that the young leads — Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint — have been passed over; the academy prefers to nominate children in supporting roles and even then only in such scrappy emo-heavy indies as "The Piano" or "Little Miss Sunshine."
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But the supporting adult characters have consistently been played by some of the best actors around from Britain and Ireland. Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Brendan Gleeson, Kenneth Branagh, Imelda Staunton, Jim Broadbent and now Bill Nighy — the list borders on the absurd. All of these performers are, or have been, brilliant in roles that so easily could be over-played or phoned in or made ridiculous. Consider the trappings — Rickman has pitch-black hair and a cape; Ralph Fiennes looks like a snake; Coltrane is a hairy half-giant; Brendan Gleeson has a revolving fake eye. These are not easy things to work around. And yet, they do.
No doubt some academy members regret not nominating Harris for his final role before his death, but Gambon has been consistently passed over too. As Albus Dumbledore, the two actors wore a ZZ Top beard, sometimes with little charms hung in it, and funny hats, and yet in both cases created a fully believable headmaster who is not just the wisest and most humble of men, but also the kindest, projecting a sorrowful optimism up until the moment of his death.
Granted, none of the adults have a lot of screen time, but if Judi Dench can win supporting actress for uttering five lines and wearing an enormous side-bustle as Queen Elizabeth in "Shakespeare in Love," then Gambon's death scene, Broadbent's combination of hubris and shame, or Rickman's pained fury deserve at least a nomination.
Unfortunately, while the academy loves a good high-brow costume drama, it has never been too fond of fantasy, especially in the acting category. "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" may have cleaned up in 2004, but none of its actors were even nominated. Imagine, a best picture and none of the actors nominated. Ian McKellen got a nod for the first installment, "The Fellowship of the Ring," but after that, nothing. Three of these films and nothing for Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Elijah Wood or Bernard Hill, who's King Theoden still brings tears to my eyes. "Now for wrath, now for ruin and a red dawn" — these are lines that require professional courage and an ability to transcend place and time in a way that most modern drama, no matter how good, simply doesn't have to do.
It's ironic, or infuriating, depending on what side of the screen you're on, because the key to great fantasy is characters who are both extraordinary and utterly human. It's one thing to play a serial killer or a corrupt company gal; it's another when that character also has to be believable as an evil wizard or officious witch. Putting real meaning into an actual curse is way tougher than uttering an expletive, and waving a deadly wand in all seriousness takes more guts — and more acting finesse — than firing a gun.
Perhaps the academy is waiting until the final " Harry Potter," just as it waited for the third "Lord of the Rings." Or maybe now with 10 best picture nominees there will be room not only for animated films but for fantasy as well. Either way, there must be some acknowledgment not just of the success of this film franchise but also of the brilliance and effort it has required of so many.
Accio, Oscar.
mary.mcnamara@latimes.com
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times
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FormerBondFan
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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 Dec 2, 2010 14:48:28 GMT -5
www.thelantern.com/arts/potter-series-looking-for-love-from-academy-1.1798541Potter series looking for love from academy
By Nicole Sperling
Published: Monday, November 29, 2010
Updated: Monday, November 29, 2010 20:11
By many measures, the "Harry Potter" series is the ultimate winner: It's the most successful film franchise in box-office history, selling more than $5.8 billion in tickets worldwide. Audiences love it, returning seven times over the last 10 years to theaters to see the latest installment. But now, with the penultimate movie released last week and the final installment due next summer, the pressure is on the boy wizard to snare the one accolade that has eluded the series: an Oscar.
Is the prize the unattainable Horcrux, or can Harry and Co. conquer the academy?
That battle for Oscar recognition may be as epic as Harry's quest to defeat Voldemort. Over the years, the Warner Bros. series has occasionally received nominations for categories such as art direction, costume design and visual effects, but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has never rewarded the series with a win.
Some Oscar consultants say it's unlikely the academy will look seriously at this year's film, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" after snubbing the series for so long, and knowing that they have another chance next year.
But if director David Yates delivers a tour de force with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" in July, the academy might take a closer look next season, essentially honoring the eight-picture series for its overall achievement.
It wouldn't be the first time that a populist film with a literary history gets rewarded by the academy in its final incarnation. "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" took home 11 Oscars in 2004, including best picture and director, when voters acknowledged director Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema for the extraordinary wager they took by financing and filming the three films in the trilogy at once.
"With ‘Lord of the Rings,' there was a huge risk involved, and it was the risk people rewarded," said one veteran Oscar marketer who asked not to be identified. "With ‘Harry Potter,' it would be the consistency of so many movies well done that would be rewarded. (The academy would be saying) ‘here's your cherry to go on top of the gazillions of dollars you've made.'"
But unlike Harry Potter, the early installments in the "Lord of the Rings" series did win Academy Awards in categories including cinematography, makeup, original score, sound editing and visual effects. And all three were nominated for best picture.
A number of top Oscar consultants say they have heard that Warner Bros. is planning a massive campaign in Los Angeles, New York and London next fall for the final film, bringing out for the media and the voters all of the characters that have been killed off, a campaign that would essentially remind voters of the scope of the "Potter" series.
Warner Bros. declined to comment, saying that they do not reveal the details of their Oscar campaigns, especially for a film that's not yet complete.
With "Lord of the Rings," New Line had an advantage in high-profile writer/director/producer Jackson, whose distinct vision created an epic trilogy of story-telling.
The "Harry Potter" films, in contrast, had multiple directors, so its creative center is producer David Heyman. While regarded as highly proficient, he is not seen as an auteur, and that may count against the franchise when it comes to Oscar voters in the specific guilds.
The "Potter" films have had four directors: Christopher Columbus helmed the first two, Alfonso Cuaron and Mike Newell each directed one, and Yates led the last three into theaters.
With different directing styles came uneven reviews and "Harry Potter" never had the kind of endorsement from the critical community that "Lord of the Rings" enjoyed through its entirety.
"‘Lord of the Rings' was extraordinarily reviewed, unbelievably reviewed, all three of them," said Russell Schwartz, New Line's former president of marketing who orchestrated the films' campaigns. "‘Return of the King' won the New York Film Critics Award," he added. "That's not going to happen with ‘Potter.'"
Of the seven "Potter" films released thus far, Cuaron's "Prisoner of Azkaban" was the best-reviewed, according to Rotten Tomatoes' Top Critics rankings. The most recent film received the second-worst reviews of the bunch, faulted for its slow pacing and lack of conclusion.
"The last one, if it stands on its own, will get the good marks for everything else by association," Schwartz said. "It has to be as good as the best one."
Until then, the studio is tasked with keeping "Harry Potter" in the minds of Academy Awards voters.
"They've done it right all the way through," said Oscar consultant Melody Korenbrot. "It just depends on what else comes out. But this is a big boy now."
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Post by James on Dec 2, 2010 18:21:52 GMT -5
They ignored Lord of the Rings until the last film.
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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 Dec 2, 2010 19:57:49 GMT -5
Neither of the HP films got Best Picture Oscar nod.
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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 Dec 5, 2010 17:00:29 GMT -5
Is it possible that DH1 will reach the $1 billion mark?
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Post by Gambit on Dec 5, 2010 18:49:45 GMT -5
How much has it made so far?
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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 Dec 5, 2010 20:25:32 GMT -5
According to Box Office Mojo, DH1 has made $713,336,000 worldwide.
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Post by harrypalmer on Dec 6, 2010 20:09:00 GMT -5
Think they'll reboot Potter in a few years?
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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 Dec 6, 2010 20:16:20 GMT -5
Think they'll reboot Potter in a few years? That's just ridiculous.
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alvin
Commander
Posts: 430
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Post by alvin on Dec 6, 2010 21:05:37 GMT -5
If they reboot Harry Potter, they should get Daniel Craig to play him as an adult. That would be awesome if we saw Daniel looking back at some of his childhood adventures in that wizard school.
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Post by harrypalmer on Dec 6, 2010 21:32:10 GMT -5
The boy wizard all grown up
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Post by 007 on Dec 7, 2010 20:30:55 GMT -5
Does anyone know where I can buy one of those hats?
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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 Dec 8, 2010 16:09:00 GMT -5
If they reboot Harry Potter, they should get Daniel Craig to play him as an adult. That would be awesome if we saw Daniel looking back at some of his childhood adventures in that wizard school. A different character within Potter universe would be appropriate for him. I would be very much interested to see JK write more stories in the Potter universe but with different characters in a different setting.
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Post by Jake on Dec 10, 2010 14:08:33 GMT -5
I'm sure she'll write something more to do with Potter if they wave enough money under her nose.
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