Well put, Frank.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
My favourite NBR citations
It's probably too late to post this, but I'm glad that I was able to think about what I liked about the National Board of Review's awards, in spite of some disappointing picks (*cough* Slumdog Millionaire *cough*).
4) Changeling is mentioned in the Top Ten Films
Maybe it wasn't the masterpiece that Cannes proclaimed it to be, but it also wasn't the piece of shit that the New York press hissed it was. The direction and screenplay was uneven, but it was ultimately a solid film with some dynamic performances and stunning production values.
3)Viola Davis's Breakthrough performance by an Actress win
Okay, I have not yet seen Doubt, so I am not really qualified to comment on the value of this victory, but I wish instead that it had been in the full-fledged Supporting Actress category. She is a fantastic actress; she is my Best Supporting Actress of 2002 for Solaris (and Far from Heaven). But how is this a breakthrough? She's a Tony winner, for crying out loud!
2)WALL-E is mentioned in the Top Ten Films
I hate how deserving animated films are automatically demoted to the animation ghetto, and are seldomly mentioned in the same top ten lists as live action features. It is great that WALL-E is included in this list. This film should be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, but of course it won't be.
1)Anne Hathaway's Best Actress win
I am hoping that this win will create traction for the possibility of an Oscar turn for Anne Hathaway. I really, really love Rachel Getting Married, and was unexpectedly blown away by her adroit scenery chewing. Kym is such an unlikeable character, because of her druggie-diva antics and desire to make her personal hell a bigger deal than her sister's Big Day. But Anne, evidently, was able to find enough that she liked in Kym and what makes the people around her love her, and picked out the moments where she could add colour to a potentially one-note performance. I hope that there is enough space in the shortlist for her inclusion; she could benefit more from a nomination than any of the actresses in the unimaginative line-up of the Blanchetts, Streeps, and Winslets.
4) Changeling is mentioned in the Top Ten Films
Maybe it wasn't the masterpiece that Cannes proclaimed it to be, but it also wasn't the piece of shit that the New York press hissed it was. The direction and screenplay was uneven, but it was ultimately a solid film with some dynamic performances and stunning production values.
3)Viola Davis's Breakthrough performance by an Actress win
Okay, I have not yet seen Doubt, so I am not really qualified to comment on the value of this victory, but I wish instead that it had been in the full-fledged Supporting Actress category. She is a fantastic actress; she is my Best Supporting Actress of 2002 for Solaris (and Far from Heaven). But how is this a breakthrough? She's a Tony winner, for crying out loud!
2)WALL-E is mentioned in the Top Ten Films
I hate how deserving animated films are automatically demoted to the animation ghetto, and are seldomly mentioned in the same top ten lists as live action features. It is great that WALL-E is included in this list. This film should be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, but of course it won't be.
1)Anne Hathaway's Best Actress win
I am hoping that this win will create traction for the possibility of an Oscar turn for Anne Hathaway. I really, really love Rachel Getting Married, and was unexpectedly blown away by her adroit scenery chewing. Kym is such an unlikeable character, because of her druggie-diva antics and desire to make her personal hell a bigger deal than her sister's Big Day. But Anne, evidently, was able to find enough that she liked in Kym and what makes the people around her love her, and picked out the moments where she could add colour to a potentially one-note performance. I hope that there is enough space in the shortlist for her inclusion; she could benefit more from a nomination than any of the actresses in the unimaginative line-up of the Blanchetts, Streeps, and Winslets.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Meryl's Globe prospects
At the top of the year, I brazenly forecasted a victory for Meryl Streep at the 66th Golden Globe awards. The Golden Globe is essentially the Meryl Streep Award; she has won a staggering six times! I reasoned that if she had momentum for and possibility of an awards sweep for her role as Sister Alyosius, that she would win for Doubt. If Doubt flopped, then it seemed obvious that she would cement her status as the actress with the most Globe wins even further by winning trophy number seven for Mamma Mia!, effectively breaking her tie with Jack Nicholson as the thespian with the most citations.
As more competitors have emerged in the Best Actress categories, I have become doubtful that Meryl Streep will win her seventh Globe this year. But like everyone else with even the most rudimentary sense of this year's competition, I am predicting that barring a huge upset, Meryl Streep will be cited in another two shortlists at the Golden Globes for Doubt and Mamma Mia! When this happens, she will eclipse Jack Lemmon's record for the most Globe nominations. So I'm excited!
Right now, I am predicting that Kate Winslet will win her first Globe for Revolutionary Road in the Drama race, and that Sally Hawkins will snag the award in the Musical/Comedy arena for Happy-Go-Lucky. Now that Anne Hathaway has received placement in the Drama category for Rachel Getting Married, the field in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy category is even less competitive and I get this nagging feeling that Meryl could upset Sally Hawkins for the win.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
