I haven’t written for a while,
I’ve been busy working but I managed to see both Blue Jasmine and Prisoners on
Friday. Its funny some people wouldn’t dream of attending the cinema twice in a
month let alone twice in one day, but hey. I was busy over the weekend, so
these movies aren’t as fresh in my mind as they could be so I’ll keep my
thoughts brief and casual. Just to note for those interested, I’ll be attending
the London
Film Festival in two weeks time. I’ll be attending nine movie premieres, if you
wish to hear about my experience along the red carpet, mingling with the stars
and information from the Q & A sessions then feel free to check back here. I’ll
have it all covered.
Firstly let’s begin with Denis
Villeneuve’s Prisoners, a film which has been on my radar for a very long time.
The script by Aaron Guzikowski first came to my attention when it appeared on
the 2009 Hollywood Blacklist along with Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Network. For
those who don’t know, The Blacklist is a list of the best unproduced
screenplays in Hollywood.
I just double checked my laptop and I’ve had the original script for Prisoners
on my laptop since 17th July 2009, fours years ago. If anyone is
interested in reading it, let me know and I’ll send you a copy. I probably have
other undiscovered gems too but after years of pre-production which included
various directors and actors linked to the project including Christian Bale,
Mark Wahlberg and Leonardo DiCaprio, the film was finally made. Amazing! I’m
surprised it took so long; I don’t remember exact details of the script when I
first read it but I remember thinking it was very good. I’ll probably re-read
it in the next few days to see if any changes were made, which is usually the
case from a first draft, so it’s always interesting to read. I read a draft of
Django Unchained a year before it was released in the theatre and the ending
was completely different, it happens. Anyway remember in my Oscar Prediction
post when I said, sometimes a film comes out of nowhere in the Oscar race? Well
Prisoners could very well be that movie. I had my suspicions whether to include it in my predictions but
personally I thought Prisoners would just be another regular Hollywood
style thriller without much substance. But I was completely wrong; the film
successfully absorbs the audience with countless brilliant performances
combined with an intense, suspenseful, haunting portrayal of how far are we
willing to go, to protect the people we love? The film evolves two families,
the Dover’s (Hugh Jackman & Maria Bello) and
the Birch’s (Terrence Howard & Viola Davis)
who’s daughters Anna Dover and Joy Birch are abducted on Thanksgiving after
they were spotted playing near an RV driven by Alex Jones (Paul Dano).
Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is assigned to the case, but when Loki cannot
convict Alex Jones due to lack of evidence. Keller Dover(Jackman)
takes the law into his own hands, kidnapping and imprisoning Jones, determined to
find out the truth himself. The film is two and half hours long, I know some
viewers have complained about the duration but I personally felt it flew by,
the brief synopsis I just described to you, all takes place within the first
twenty minutes so there is a lot of twists and turns along the way, that will
keep you at the edge of your seat. Many viewers have described their surprise
at the performance of Hugh Jackman during the film; the actor portrays a huge
range of intense emotion and rage, fully embodying his character. Jackman was
looked at differently by the majority of audiences after last year’s Oscar
nominated performance in Les Miserables, but I assure you Hugh Jackman is a lot
more then just Wolverine, he is a phenomenal actor. I’ve been a huge fan of
Hugh Jackman’s work for a number of years, many people have suggested Prisoners
is a career best for Jackman but I disagree, while he is very good, his work in
Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain is exceptional. One of my favouritemovies, if you haven’t seen it then please
do. The range of acting Jackman displays in The Fountain is some of the best
work I’ve ever seen on screen, which is probably while I am not as surprised
and applauding Jackman’s performance like other critics. Don’t get me wrong, Jackman
is fantastic in the movie, the interrogation scenes with Paul Dano are
disturbing to watch at times with Hugh Jackman beautifully displaying the
lengths his character is willing to go, to find his missing daughter. The
desperation and rage are balanced perfectly that only an actor of Hugh
Jackman’s ability could successfully pull off naturally. I’d love the Academy
to show Hugh Jackman some love but I won’t get my hopes up. One person who could capture the
Academy’s attention and was the biggest standout surprise for me was Jake
Gyllenhaal, who in my opinion actually managed to upstage Hugh Jackman which is
a big challenge in itself. Gyllenhaal has had successful roles in movies such
as BrokebackMountain, Zodiac, End of Watch in which
he has displayed his acting ability tremendously well but I personally felt his
portray of Detective Loki was his finest work to date. A compelling, subtly
layered performance of a man tasked with the impossible mission while dealing
with his own personal demons. If Jake Gyllenhaal is campaigned in the
supporting category, like Daniel Bruhl from Rush it would be category fraud as
Gyllenhaal is clearly co-lead but I could definitely see him stand a chance of
scoring an Oscar nomination. Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal
were clearly the two stand out heavyweights but with a supporting cast of two
former Oscar nominees Terrence Howard and Viola Davis, an Oscar winner Melissa
Leo, Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello and finally Paul Dano whose portray of
the mentally handicapped Alex Jones also deserves some praise, it’s no surprise
the film was brilliantly acted. The cinematography was beautifully shot by
Roger Deakins, after his outstanding work on Skyfall last year, this was
equally impressive. I hope he scores a nomination with the Academy. A scene in
the final half of the movie involving a car sequence with Jake Gyllenhaal’s
character in the pouring rain; portrays how outstanding the cinematography was.
The film score by Johann Johannsson was masterfully placed during the movie,
adding to the overall intensity of certain situations while Joel Cox and Gary
Roach did a great job editing. Like I stated earlier, this 153 minute movie
flew by. I was impressed by some of the directional shots by Denis Villeneuve,
I’m not familiar with his work but a few interesting shots throughout the movie
including the car sequence I mentioned earlier and a scene which included Paul
Dano’s character imprisoned caught my eye and stood out but overall a great
job. I look forward to viewing more of Villeneuve’s work in the future. If I
had to criticise any part of
the movie, I would point out the lack of character development for the women.
Viola Davis and Maria Bello are two great actresses, who were able to bring
something to their characters, but I felt a lesser actress might have
struggled, because both characters felt very flat on paper it seemed to me
personally as a writer. So how do I think Prisoners will
fair with the Academy? Well it’s received positive reviews from critics but can
the buzz last until January? Denis Villeneuve’s 2010 film Incendies was
nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars, could he go one better and score
a Best Picture nomination this time around? While I thought the film was a
brilliant achievement on all fronts, I personally feel its chances with the
Academy are quite slim due to the competition surrounding it. The movies
biggest chances stand in the Original Screenplay and Cinematography categories
with a chance of Jake Gyllenhaal landing a nomination if he is campaigned
supporting. Depending on how loved the film is, it could stand a chance at Best
Picture along with a nomination for Hugh Jackman but I find that very doubtful.
Oscar Potential Best Picture Best Actor in a Leading Role,
Hugh Jackman Best Actor in a Supporting Role,
Jake Gyllenhaal Best Original Screenplay, Aaron
Guzikowski Best Original Score, Johann
Johannsson Best Cinematography Best Editing
Moving on to Woody Allen’s latest
movie Blue Jasmine. While Prisoners will no doubt draw audiences in due to the
star power of Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, its unfortunate Blue Jasmine
will probably go unnoticed by the general moviegoer because not only is the
film an enjoyable watch, it has handed us our first genuine Oscar contender of
the season in Cate Blanchett. I love Woody Allen but his movies are usually hit
or miss, which is not a surprise since he seems to have a new one out every
year. It always amazes me how Allen is able to capture the beauty of the
various cities, he shoots his movies in whether it’s Paris,
Rome
or San
Francisco, he never fails. Blue
Jasmine focus on the story of a New
Yorksocialite, deeply troubled and in denial arrives in San
Francisco to impose upon her
sister while dealing with her unprecedented past. The films narrative structure
evolves around the tale of Jasmine shuffling between past and present time
frames. Cate Blanchett, brilliantly portrays the difference between the
glamorous high life in which Jasmine, bathed in privilege is willing to turn a
blind eye to certain circumstances in contrast to her subdue reality of
shacking up with her adoptive sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins) above a Mexican
café in San Francisco. “Anxiety, nightmares and a nervous breakdown, there’s
only so many traumas a person can withstand until they take to the streets and
start screaming” quotes Jasmine, who is on the verge of a breakdown herself, in
a booze filled desperation to build some hope of a new life in San Francisco. Jasmine is clearly lost and
struggling to adapt to life without her businessman husband Hal (Alec Baldwin)
whose whereabouts and Jasmine’s feelings towards him in the present timeline
are hinted at but not made clear until the third act. Jasmine claims to be
flat-out broke but arrives in San
Francisco flying first class with
a full set of Louis Vuitton baggage shows how deluded to the harsh realities of
life, Jasmine truly is. But during her stay with Ginger and her Stanley
Kowalski inspired boyfriend Chili (Booby Cannavale), Jasmine begins to learn
the true realties of life, or does she? While there might not be any
screams of “Stella” during this movie, Woody Allen clearly takes some
inspiration and puts his own modern spin on Tennessee
Williams’ stage play A Streetcar Named Desire which was successfully adapted
into a movie starring Marlon Brando. While the story might not be completely
original, it’s surprising to think at seventy seven years old Woody Allen was
able to write something which is quite relevant and impactful to the youth of
today’s society. While Cate Blanchett steamrolls her way through this brilliant
portrayal, and is clearly the highlight of the movie, the strong supporting
cast shouldn’t go unnoticed either. Sally Hawkins brought the warmth and
tenderness to her character Ginger to balance Blanchett’s self loathed
character. Note I saw Sally Hawkins on stage last year; she’s a phenomenal
British actress, who nailed her American actress. Alec Baldwin, Booby Cannavale
and Peter Sarsgaard all performed well in their roles too but the main male
standout for me personally was Andrew Dice Clay, who played Ginger’s ex husband
Augie. While it wasn’t a major supporting role, I felt Dice Clay successfully
portrayed the anger and emotion of his character, after feeling deceived by
Jasmine and her husband. His final scene with Jasmine in the third act was
beautifully executed. While I personally preferred Woody Allen’s last
successful hit Midnight in Paris,
Blue Jasmine is an overall stronger, more polished movie which Woody Allen
certainly brought his A-game. Woody Allen may have written a truly fascinating
character but only an actress of Cate Blanchett’s talent could bring the full
range of Jasmine to life and still make her some what likeable, dare I say. So how do I think Blue Jasmine
will fair with the Academy? Well Woody Allen himself has four wins and twenty
three nominations. He won Best Director and Best Original screenplay for Annie
Hall along with best Original Screenplay for Hannah and Her Sisters and
Midnight in Paris.
That is where Blue Jasmine stands it biggest chance of scoring a nomination
outside of Cate Blanchett, who will surely be nominated for Best Actress. The
early release date could potentially damage her chances if stronger competition
appears later in the season but if anyone is capable of carrying the highly
claimed buzz thorough until January it’s certainly Cate Blanchett. Oscar Potential Best Actress in a Leading Role,
Cate Blanchett Best Original Screenplay, Woody
Allen
I’m not too familiar with Formula 1, I briefly watched the 2001 season but
you don’t need any previous knowledge to enjoy and experience Ron Howard’s
latest feature which is far more then seeking a thrill ride around a race
track, it’s a brilliant character study of obsessive compulsion, driven by the
real-life racing and personal rivalry between Niki Lauda and James Hunt
climaxing with their pursuit of the World Championship during the 1976 Formula
1 season with deadly consequences. Ron Howard, the director of films such as
Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon is no stranger to true story sporting
dramas after the success of Cinderella Man but in my opinion, Howard has
exceeded his previous effort. Collaborating once again with his Frost/Nixon screenwriter
Peter Morgan, who is no stranger to biographical movies himself including The
King of Scotland, The Queen and The Damned United along with a thrill seeking
movie of his own in the form of James Bond’s latest outing Skyfall. Morgan’s
script perfectly lays the foundation and intensity of these two rivals, both of
whom could be presented as unlikeable but Morgan builds two strong characters
in which the audience not only want to invest in but can understand emotionally
why their obsession pushes them to the edge of their own limits. “Don’t go to
men who are willing to kill themselves driving around in circles looking for
normality” quotes James Hunt during the movie, these men were of a different
era from today’s Formula 1 stars, they really did risk their lives in every
race, determined to be proven as the best. Niki Lauda and James Hunt couldn’t
be more different from each other outside the race track. Lauda was
disciplined, focused, straight talking and unsociable towards his peers using
his intellect to win races unlike Hunt, the reckless, charming, partying
playboy who relied on speed to ensure victory. Hunt outlandish partying
reputation of drinking, drugs and women couldn’t be further from Lauda’s remote
lifestyle of practising, fixing and analysing his car yet these two men seemed
determined to bring out the best in each other, a true sporting rivalry. I have to applaud the film’s casting director because Niki
Lauda and James Hunt are both perfectly cast with Daniel Bruhl and Chris
Hemsworth taking on the roles, in which both give great performances. Bruhl
will no doubt receive more attention from the critics and rightfully so,
shining in the role of Lauda. Bruhl has fully embedded himself within the role,
capturing the accent, sharp delivery and characterisation of Lauda, excelling
in the final third of the movie where the more emotional character arc
transpires. I’ve never seen Daniel Bruhl act before, but he certainly caught my
attention here. While everyone will rave about Bruhl, I think Chris Hemsworth
shouldn’t go unnoticed either, he might not of had the emotional arc Lauda’s
story posses but Hunt has his own inner demons, he battles throughout the movie
which Hemsworth portrays successfully, combined with the lavish charisma
required to portray Hunt. People might criticise Hemsworth’s accent but I
thought he did a fine job. While Rush is very much a male driven show, I wish
to praise the ladies of the movie too. Olivia Wilde did a great job in her
small role of Suzy Miller, nailing her British accent. I wish Olivia Wilde
would do more roles like this; she’s a talented actress picking the wrong
roles. Natalie Dormer, the star of Game of Thrones also only had a brief role
but she’s a fantastic actress, who deal well with her limited screen time.
While Alexandra Maria Lara had the biggest female role of the three as Lauda’s
love interest and eventual wife Marlene Knaus, in which she dealt well
portraying the balance between cold unloving desire her husband shows her yet
understanding his obsession. While the acting was great, the story was compelling; I felt
the real success of the movie laid in the technical aspects. The cinematography
was beautifully shot, really capturing the essence of the seventies atmosphere.
The severe weather conditions during some of the races also captured the magic
of the cinematography while the cars looked stunning. The whole movie is edited
well but the race sequences were edited perfectly including some first person
view points, the action sequences during the race were extraordinary shot too.
I know some fans of Formula One might not agree but regular moviegoers will
surely be thrilled by the intense fast pace footage. But the real star in my
opinion was Hans Zimmer; composer of films such as The Dark Knight trilogy really
captured the mood of the characters emotions and journey, whether an impactful
adrenaline speed bust through the speakers or a slow saddening tone, it worked
perfectly. Overall I believe Rush is an exception movie that I would highly
recommend. Great direction, strong acting performances, an emotional thrilling
script combined with the perfect score from Hans Zimmer should be enough to
send the audience home satisfied. How do I think Rush will fair with the Academy? Well Frost/Nixon picked up 5
nominations including Best Director for Howard and Best Picture. Cinderella Man
only scored 3 nominations. Apollo 13 scored 9 nominations while Howard’s most
successful feature with the Academy, A Beautiful Mind scored 8 nominations
which included wins for Best Director and Best Picture. I think Rush could
score 5 nominations for Cinematography, Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing
and Best Supporting Actor for Daniel Bruhl, which is technically category fraud
as Bruhl is more lead then Hemsworth in my opinion but I’m sure Bruhl will be
campaigned in supporting. Depending on how much the Academy likes the film it
could also score nominations for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original
Screenplay depending on the competition. I’d love to see Hans Zimmer nominated
but he probably stands more chance with Twelve Years a Slave. Oscar Potential Best Picture Best Director, Ron Howard Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Daniel Bruhl Best Original Screenplay, Peter Morgan Best Original Score, Hans Zimmer Best Cinematography Best Editing Best Sound Editing Best Sound Mixing
Ever since the
closing shot of The Dark Knight Rises last summer, speculation had begun
surrounding what was next for the Batman franchise. Earlier this year at San Diego’s Comic Con
event, Man of Steel director Zack Snyder finally gave us an answer. Here’s a
link to that exact moment.
Henry Lennix reading
a quote from The Dark Knight Returns, the graphic novel in which The Dark
Knight Rises was loosely based on. Haven’t read it? You should or watch the
animation version which is equally as epic. So once Warner Brothers confirmed
they were planning a Superman/Batman movie speculation continued as to who exactly
would portray Bruce Wayne. Ryan Gosling and Josh Brolin were named the early
front runners, Christian Bale was apparently offered $50 million to return
while Orlando
Bloom was also rumoured to have been considered, let’s hope that last one was
just a rumour. Two weeks ago Warner Brothers finally announced that Ben Affleck
would be the new Batman. To say that the response to Affleck’s casting was
negative, would be an understatement. Since the news broke, thousands of
petitions have been sent around the Internet, asking for Affleck to be removed
from the role. People have even requested President Obama make it illegal for
Warner Brothers to cast Affleck. Seriously calm down people, it’s just a movie
at the end of the day. The casting of Affleck came as quite a surprise to many
people but I personally wasn’t surprised at all, I thought it was quite the
obvious choice. Now would Ben Affleck of been my first choice for the role? No.
But do I believe Ben Affleck is the right choice for the role? Yes.
Before
I explain my reasoning as to why I believe Ben Affleck is the right choice, let
me just note down a few things. I’m a huge fan of Christopher Nolan’s Dark
Knight Trilogy; it’s the Star Wars trilogy of our generation which will leave a
huge legacy on cinematic history, the trilogy which changed the way comic book
movies were made. Christian Bale will always be Batman to me personally, but
that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy watching how someone else performs in the role.
Was it stupid of Warner Brothers to reboot Batman so soon? Yes, but they are
playing catch up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Instead of thinking with
their heads they are thinking with their wallets. Do I think it is stupid to
introduce Batman in the Man of Steel sequel? Yes, I do once again. They should
let Superman find his own feet first within this new franchise but this is
Warner Brother’s quick attempt to counter The Avengers: Age of Ultron, which is
released the same summer. Instead of learning from Marvel’s intelligent build
towards a successful Avengers movie, Warner Brothers instead are rushing their
DC Comic properties towards a Justice League movie. To be honest I could write
a whole article about this. I might in the future. But the point is do I think
Man of Steel 2, Batman vs. Superman or Superman vs. Batman whatever it ends up
being called, will be successful? Well of course. People will be intrigued
either way. But the one reason I believe Warner Brothers might stand a chance
of competing successfully with the Marvel Cinematic Universe regarding the film
quality is Ben Affleck.
Now
people being apart of the hate bandwagon is nothing new. I remember clearly
when Heath Ledger was cast as The Joker; people were claiming how could the gay
cowboy from BrokebackMountain
be The Joker? Two years later not only did Ledger’s role go down as one of the
greatest performances in comic book history, it went down as one of the
greatest of all-time with Ledger being rewarded with an Oscar. Daniel Craig was
labelled the Blonde Bond that nobody could ever imagine being James Bond, many
of them same people now claim he is the best ever. People even questioned the
casting decision of Robert Downey Jr. as Ironman when it was first announced. Now
I’m not speaking on behalf of everyone but my point is, people are quick to
change their mind and then claim they supported that actor the entire time. Does
every casting decision always work out? No of course not. But people are too
quick to judge, wait until you’ve seen the movie first or at least footage before
you criticise a casting decision, because the casting directors in the audition
room clearly liked something they saw.
I’m not
the biggest fan of Ben Affleck’s acting ability. I never have been, I’ll admit
I haven’t seen many of the movies in which he has starred. I’ve always
preferred Matt Damon. But I do like Affleck’s performance as Neil in He’s Just
Not That Into You. So you’re probably asking yourself, why do I believe Ben
Affleck is the right choice for Batman? Ben Affleck might not be the strongest
actor in the world, but what people are forgetting is, Ben Affleck is a
fantastic filmmaker. That is the part of this news which intrigues me the most.
For those not familiar with Ben Affleck’s directional efforts Gone Baby Gone,
The Town and Argo you should check them out. Argo won the Best Picture at the
Oscar’s last year with people and critics claiming it was a crime Affleck
wasn’t nominated himself in the directing category, considering he picked up
nearly every other major directing award along the way. Some of the action sequences
within The Town were largely inspired by The Dark Knight. Affleck even stating
he considers Christopher Nolan an influence on his work. Its interesting
Christopher Nolan actually first offered Ben Affleck the chance to direct Man
of Steel, before Affleck declined and Nolan approached Zack Snyder instead.
So Nolan clearly admires Affleck's filmmaking skills. Warner Brothers then approached Ben Affleck to direct the eventual Justice
League of America
movie but Affleck once again declined. It’s funny how these things come around
in circles. Ben Affleck is a highly rated filmmaker at Warner Brothers after
the success of The Town and Argo, which is why it came as no surprise to me
they would approach Ben Affleck to play Batman. Why? Because Ben Affleck
directs and stars in his own movies, which means playing Bruce Wayne will
eventually lead to Ben Affleck directing the eventual Batman reboot, which is
only a positive thing for moviegoers and comic book fans. Affleck is known to
be a huge comic book fan, especially Batman so he knows the source material
well and will treat it with the respect it deserves unlike many filmmakers or
screen writers who ignore the original source material completely. Remember Ben
Affleck is a screenwriter too, he co-wrote Gone Baby Gone and The Town along
with winning an Oscar for co-writing Good Will Hunting with Matt Damon. Affleck
brings a lot more to the table then just being an actor, which will only be an
added bonus for Zack Snyder on set.
Ben
Affleck will know he will need to step up, anyone replacing Christian Bale was
going to find it tough. But since Affleck has begun directing his own movies, I’ll
admit his acting ability has improved. Acclaimed directors such as Terrence
Malick and David Fincher have cast Ben Affleck in their latest movies which
means Affleck is clearly now a talent the best directors want to work with.
Most actors would jump at the chance to work with Fincher or Malick but these
guys are approaching Affleck, which only is a benefit for Affleck because he
wants to still learn from the best directors around both as an actor and a
filmmaker. When I attended the premiere of Argo last year, I heard Ben Affleck
discuss the movie on the stage in front of me and you can tell firstly this guy
knows what he is talking about, he is a very intelligent filmmaker but also at
the end of the day, he clearly loves movies. Has he made bad career choices in
the past? Yes, but he obviously wants to turn that around and the past few
years, Affleck has done that. I might not have liked Ben Affleck before, but in
recent years, he has won me over as a filmmaker and I actually consider him an
inspiration. Ben Affleck is still in good shape, he has the Bruce Wayne look about
him, same height, dark features, square jaw and I believe he has all the
qualities to be a successful Bruce Wayne/Batman. Ben Affleck being in control
of the Batman reboot means we as an audience are in the safe hands of one of
the best filmmakers working in the industry, a real talent but most importantly
a comic book fan. I wish Ben Affleck the best of luck in the role and hope he
is able to win over the doubters both in front and behind the camera.
Anyone not familiar with
Ben Affleck’s directional efforts? I’ve attached the trailers for The Town and
Argo above and below to help demonstrate Affleck’s filmmaking ability. Who
would have been my choice for Batman? Jon Hamm who appears as the FBI agent in
the Town, who you see in the trailer. But I’m genuinely happy with the casting
decision of Ben Affleck because he offers a lot more to the future of the
overall Batman franchise then perhaps a single actor could under the wrong
direction. Thank you for reading.
September is finally here. Thank god! Summer might be over but filmgoers
have something else to look forward too over the coming months and I’m not
talking about Christmas. Oscar season has finally arrived! After a very
disappointing lacklustre summer of film which saw many huge blockbuster flops,
cinema has become interesting once again. Over the next few months studios will
begin to campaign their movies in hope of gaining that prestigious Oscar
nomination. We've already seen some potential Oscar candidates premiere at the
Sundance, Cannes and Venice Film Festival's but
it's at Toronto
where critics will gain their first major look at many of the top candidates. I
wish I was there, maybe one year. Last year I attended the London Film Festival
and saw the premiere of eventual Best Picture winner Argo. I passed Argo
director Ben Affleck on the red carpet which was a pretty cool moment. I hope
to go again this year. The festivals will begin to give some indication of
where the Oscar race is heading but it's at the main award ceremonies such as
the Golden Globes, BAFTA’s, Screen Actor’s Guild and Critics Choice that will
indicate the eventual Academy Award winners. In this post I'm going to give a quick rundown of the films in which I
believe stand the strongest chance at some Oscar success. So if you're
interested in films, these are the movies in which you should be watching,
hopefully. Of course, as always some of these films might flop completely while
a surprise film might pop up out of nowhere and join the race. That is the
beauty of the Oscar race, you never know what to expect. My favourite Academy Awards? The 83rd edition, it was the first one I
actually watched live. My two favourite film makers Christopher Nolan and
Darren Aronofsky were in the race along with filmmakers I hugely admire such as
David Fincher, Danny Boyle and David O.Russell. I actually thought Fincher’s
Social Network had Best Picture won but The King’s Speech took the award. Toy
Story 3 was nominated for Best Picture, Jennifer Lawrence bust onto the scene
and my favourite actor and actress Christian Bale and Natalie Portman won their
first Oscars. Overall it was a good night.
Let's highlight eight films in which I believe stand the strongest chance of
being successful during Oscar season and could potentially earn a Best Picture
nomination.
American Hustle
The clear front-runner in my opinion. David O.Russell’s follow up feature to
Silver Linings Playbook, which was my personal choice for Best Picture last
year. Loosely based around the real-life FBI Abscam operation. O.Russell has an
impressive track record with the Academy in recent years scoring 7 Oscar
nominations for The Fighter followed by 8 Oscar nominations for Silver Linings
Playbook which means he is clearly admired by the Academy. American Hustle will
see O. Russell work once again alongside Christian Bale and Amy Adams (The
Fighter) together with Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro
(Silver Linings Playbook). All five actors gained Oscar nominations under
O.Russell’s direction with Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence going on to win
their respective categories. The addition of two-time Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner
makes a very impressive overall cast. So why American Hustle? Well with the real-life story element, an impressive
cast of former nominees, O.Russell's recent film success and the 1970's period
setting. The film ticks most of the boxes the Academy likes. If American Hustle
is anywhere near the quality of O.Russell's previous two movies then this has
the potential to pick up some very big awards on Oscar night. Potential Nominations Best Picture
Best Director, David O.Russell
Best Actor in a Leading Role, Christian Bale
Best Actress in a Leading Role, Amy Adams
Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Bradley Cooper
Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Jennifer Lawrence
Best Original Screenplay
Best Editing
Original Score
August: OsageCounty
Another potential contender based on the Tony award and Pulitzer
Prize-winning play of the same name. A story about the lives of the women of
the Weston family, whose paths have diverged, until a family crisis bring them
back to the Oklahoma house in which they grew up in and to the dysfunctional
woman who raised them. This might only be director John Wells' second feature
but with a cast including Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris
Cooper and Benedict Cumberbatch you can't go wrong. So why August: OsageCounty? Well being
adapted from a successful award winning play is a huge factor combined with the
star power of Academy favourite Meryl Streep, who has been nominated a record
17 times and Hollywood favourite Julia Roberts, the movie will create huge buzz
no doubt. But when you add the backing of producers Harvey Weinstein, who led
The King's Speech and The Artist to Best Picture victories in 2010 and 2011 and
George Clooney producer of last years Best Picture winner Argo then the film
will no doubt be in with a good chance come Oscar night. Potential Nominations Best Picture
Best Actress in a Leading Role, Julia Roberts
Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Meryl Streep
Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Margo Martindale
Best Adapted Screenplay
Captain Philips
Based on the true story of Captain Richard Philips who was taken hostage by
Somali Pirates during the Maersk Alabama hijacking in 2009. Director Paul
Greengrass best known for his work on The Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum earned
a Best Director nomination back in 2006 for his work on United 93, the film
portrayed the events aboard United Airlines Flight 93 which was hijacked during
the September 11 attacks. The casting of Tom Hanks as Philips will no doubt
create the buzz this film needs. So why Captain Philips? While I'm not completely convinced Captain Philips
will be a major player in the Oscar race it's the type of movie the Academy
usually goes for. A true story, directed by a former nominee for a similar type
of movie combined with an Academy favourite and former two-time winner in the
leading role, you're onto a potential winner. Potential Nominees Best Picture
Best Director, Paul Greengrass
Best Actor in a Leading Role, Tom Hanks
Best Adapted Screenplay
Gravity
The story of a medical engineer and an astronaut, who work together to
survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space directed by acclaimed
filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of
Azkaban). If you're not familiar with Alfonso Cuaron's work, I highly recommend
checking out the single shot sequences in Children of Men, the longest single
shot runs at 454 seconds during a battle sequence, the other two involving a
birth scene and car sequence are equally as impressive. Phenomenal filmmaking
from a talented director. The film stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, the
only two actors in this 90 minute feature, which is quite a daunting task to
keep the audience entertained for that period of time. So why Gravity? Well it's an ambitious feature that could go either way.
Cuaron scored 3 nominations for Children of Men but with the addition of former
winners Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, this movie is bound to catch the
Academy's eye. Clooney only has a small supporting role which means Bullock
will be on the screen, on her own for lengthy durations of the movie. If pulled
off successfully, Bullock could be in the running for a nomination. Gravity
will certainly pick up some tech nominations, but can it be a major player in
the race? We'll have to see. Potential Nominations Best Picture
Best Director, Alfonso Cuaron
Best Actress in a Leading Role, Sandra Bullock
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Visual Effects
The Monuments Men
I've already mentioned George Clooney twice in this post; not my intention
but the Academy loves him. If Clooney stands any major chance at the Oscars
this year then it's most likely to come from his next directional effort based
on a true story, adapted from the novel The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi
Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History. How that fits on the front
of a book I'll never know. A crew of art historians and museum curators unite
in a race against time to recover renowned works of art stolen by Nazis before
Hitler destroys them. Sound fun? The film posses an impressive cast with George
Clooney, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Bill Murray and Jean
Dujardin, who beat Clooney to win Best Actor in 2011.
So why The Monuments Men? Well like I've already stated George Clooney is
well liked by the Academy, he's a former winner and three-time nominee for
acting. His directional effort Good Night and Good Luck scored a total of 6
Oscar nominations back in 2005 with a Director nomination for Clooney himself
but Clooney's last feature The Ides of March only managed 1 Oscar nomination.
I'm not fully convinced The Monuments Men will be a major player, it could go
either way. But the World War II setting, the true story aspect of the film and
impressive cast works in its favour. Potential Nominations Best Picture
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Score
Twelve Years a Slave
The true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man who was kidnapped and
sold into slavery. Directed by British director Steve McQueen, not the famous
movie star. This is McQueen's third feature film after the critical success of
lower budget productions Hunger and Shame; the latter was unfairly overlooked
by the Academy in 2011 in my opinion. If you haven't seen it, go watch it. The
film stars regular McQueen collaborator Michael Fassbender joined by Brad Pitt,
Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti, Paul Dano, Quvenzhane Wallis, who became
the youngest ever Oscar nominee at age 6, last year and Chiwetel Ejiofor in the
leading role of Solomon Northup. So why Twelve Years a Slave? Well the subject matter, the true story
element, previous critical success and an impressive cast, all work in the
films favour. Why does this movie stand more chance of appearing on the
Academy's radar then McQueen's other features? The addition of Brad Pitt, who
might only have a small role in the movie, but Pitt's production company Plan B
is producing the movie which will help give it some more recognition during
Oscar season. Hans Zimmer is doing the score which is always an added bonus. Potential Nominations Best Picture
Best Director, Steve McQueen
Best Actor in a Leading Role, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Michael Fassbender
Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Lupita Nyong'o
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Score
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
A film which hasn't really been discussed as a potential Oscar threat, but
in my opinion could be the surprise hit of the year. The potential Hugo or Life
of Pi of this awards season, the film which catches the magic of going to the
movies and is labelled the feel good movie amongst the Best Picture nominees.
Surprisingly directed by Ben Stiller, the film tells the story of an office
worker who lives inside fantasy worlds where he gets to live an adventurous
life while romancing his co-worker. Stiller's last directional effort Tropic
Thunder actually scored an Oscar nomination back in 2008. The film stars Ben
Stiller, Kristen Wiig and Sean Penn in this remake of a 1947 movie based on a
1939 short story written by James Thurber.
So why The Secret Life of Walter Mitty? To be honest I hadn't actually heard
anything about this movie until last week when I stumbled across the trailer on
YouTube. The trailer doesn't really give much away in terms of plot but I was
blown away. The cinematography looks beautifully shot and the use of Dirty Paws
by Of Men and Monsters gets a thumbs up from me. I have no real reason why I
believe Walter Mitty stands a chance but I believe it's the movie which could
cause an upset amongst the current favourites. Do I honestly believe Ben
Stiller has the potential to win an Oscar? Yes, yes I do. Potential Nominees Best Picture
Best Director, Ben Stiller
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
The Wolf of Wall Street
Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio re-team together for their fifth
collaboration. Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort's memoir of the same
name, the story follows Belfort
and his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall
involving crime, corruption and the federal government. I personally am very
excited to see Martin Scorsese return to what he does best, crime dramas!
Nominated 7 times for Best Director for his work on films such as Taxi Driver,
Raging Bull, Goodfellas and The Departed with surprisingly only one win doesn't
stop the fact Scorsese is one of the greatest directors of all-time. The
screenplay is written by Terrence Winter, creator of Boardwalk Empire and the
writer/producer of The Sopranos. The cast has Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and
Matthew McConaughey in the major roles.
So why The Wolf of Wall Street? Well Martin Scorsese is a well respected
director returning to the genre that made him famous. The genre that won him
Best Director and Best Picture back in 2006 for The Departed. A respected
writer Terence Winter on a real life story only boosts its potential. Add in
Leonardo DiCaprio as your leading man and you're on to a winner. The main
question going into this Oscar season will be, can Leonardo DiCaprio finally
win an Oscar? After 3 previous nominations but snubbed in recent years could
this finally be the one? In my opinion Leonardo DiCaprio will have some stiff
competition but judging by the trailer, he looks very good while having alot of
fun with the role instead of being too serious so it's a different approach
which the Academy like. Note - The use of Kanye West's Black Skinhead in the
trailer just makes you want to go and party like they do. This looks alot of
fun. Potential Nominations Best Picture
Best Director, Martin Scorsese
Best Actor in a Leading Role, Leonardo DiCaprio
Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Jonah Hill
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Editing
What Else?
After highlighting the main contenders, let's switch our focus to the movies
which will be involved in the Oscar race but mainly in the acting categories.
Like I have stated, the Academy love movies which portray real-life figures,
well this year we have plenty more to choose from. Idris Elba portrays Nelson
Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. If the Academy nominated Morgan
Freeman in 2009 for his portrayal of Mandela in the forgettable Invictus, no
offense Clint Eastwood, then Idris Elba should have no problem earning his
first nomination. Judging by the trailer Elba doesn't just look better then
Freeman, Elba looks phenomenal! With Harvey
Weinstein producing the movie, Elba stands a
strong chance of being nominated. Naomie Harris could also be in with a shot
for a Best Supporting Actress nomination. Here's the trailer to judge for
yourself.
Another British actor making his third appearance already in this post is
Benedict Cumberbatch who swaps a supporting role for a starring one as
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate. I'll admit I don't know
too much about Julian Assange so I YouTube'd some videos of him and it seems
Cumberbatch has nailed him perfectly, the accent, the mannerisms. Cumberbatch
had a break out year, could it lead all the way to a nomination? Here is the
trailer for The Fifth Estate.
Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks star as P.L Travers and Walt Disney respectively
in Saving Mr. Banks which centres around the story of P.L Travers and her
negotiations with Walt Disney around the adaptation of her novel Mary Poppins
in 1961. The Academy could really go for this movie, director John Lee Hancock
scored a Best Picture nomination and led Sandra Bullock to a Best Actress win
for The Blind Side back in 2009. Could Saving Mr. Banks and Emma Thompson do
the same?
A quick rundown of the other potential acting nominees to watch out for.
Naomi Watts could be in line for back to back nominations with her portrayal of
Princess Diana in Diana. Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl portray Formula One
driver’s James Hunt and Niki Lauda in Ron Howard's Rush. Nicole Kidman stars as
Hollywood starlet, Grace Kelly in Grace of
Monaco. The Butler
loosely based on the real-life 34 year tenure of White House butler, Eugene
Allen stars Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey. Matthew McConaughey stars in
Dallas Buyers Club based on the true life tale of Ron Woodroof, a man diagnosed
with HIV. Steve Carrell and Mark Ruffalo star in Moneyball director Bennett
Miller's Foxcatcher, based on Olympic wrestling gold medallist Mark Schultz's
autobiography of how paranoid schizophrenic John DuPont killed his brother.
Other movies which could be in contention for portraying fiction characters
include Scott Cooper’s Out of the Furnace starring Christian Bale, Casey
Affleck, Woody Harrelson, Zoe Saldana, Forest Whitaker and Willem Dafoe.
Cooper's last feature film Crazy Heart scored 3 Oscar nominations including a
Best Actor win for Jeff Bridges. Ridley Scott’s The Counselor starring Michael
Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt written by
No Country for Old Men author Cormac McCarthy could be a hit or miss. The film
follows a lawyer who finds himself in over his head when he gets involved in
drug trafficking. Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine could see Cate Blanchett score a
Best Actress nomination while Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin should also be in
contention for their roles in acclaimed director Jason Reitman’s Labor Day.
Reitman’s previous two movies Juno and Up in the Air have a combined 10 Oscar
nominations between them.
What we already know?
A few films have already premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and Sundance
Film Festival earlier this year, which have created some buzz. All is Lost
stars Robert Redford as a man lost at sea, premiered at the Cannes Film
Festival. Redford is the only cast member in
the film which has almost no dialogue. Redford
received a standing ovation for his performance after the film premiered and
could be in contention for a Best Actor nomination. Nebraska directed by Alexander Payne who
scored 5 Oscar Nominations for his 2011 film The Descendants. The story follows
an aging, booze-addled father who makes the trip from Montana
to Nebraska
with his estranged son in order to claim a million dollar Mega Sweepstakes
marketing prize. Bruce Dern earned the Best Actor award for his performance at Cannes could he also earn
an Oscar nomination? Inside Lleywn Davis the latest film from the acclaimed
Coen Brothers, won the Grand Prix award at Cannes,
follows a week in the life of a young singer as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961 starring Oscar
Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman and Justin Timberlake. Now last year a
small Austrian movie Amour, premiered at Cannes,
won the Palme d'Or before scoring 5 Oscar nominations including Best Picture.
Could we see a repeat this year? Well I personally think it's unlikely but two
movies which stand a strong chance of scoring an Oscar nomination for Best
Foreign Film are Blue is the Warmest Colour which won the Palme d’Or this year.
While 2011 Oscar nominee Berenice Bejo was awarded Best Actress for her role in
The Past at Cannes,
can either film follow in Amour's footsteps? We'll have to wait and see.
Moving on to the Sundance Film Festival. Could any film emulate the success
of last year's Sundance breakout out hit, Beast of the Southern Wild which
scored 4 Oscar nominations including Best Picture? Well there are two movies
which stand the most chance of repeating this success. Fruitvale Station which
won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance which led Harvey Weinstein to acquire the
distribution rights. If you haven't realised by now, Harvey is sort of a big deal, when he
produces a film, it usually means business. Fruitvale Station is based on the
true story of Oscar Grant, a young man who was killed by police officer
Johannes Mehserle at the Fruitvale Bay Area Station in Oakland, California,
Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer star. Before Midnight the third instalment
in the Before Series which like its two predecessors received widespread
critical acclaim. If you've never seen Before Sunrise or Before Sunset, go
watch them! Before Sunset earned a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination in 2004
which is probably the only realistic chance Before Midnight stands at a
nomination. But from a personal perspective it would be fantastic to see Ethan
Hawke and Julie Delpy nominated for their roles as Jesse and Celine, which they
first starred in 18 years ago. One can dream right?
My Suggestions
Lastly I would like to mention three movies which might not necessarily make
any impact on the Oscar race, apart from maybe some screenplay nominations. But
they are my three most anticipated movies for the rest of the year. Joseph
Gordon Levitt’s directional/writer debut Don Jon which co-stars Scarlett
Johansson tells the story of a New
Jersey guy dedicated to his family, friends, and
church, develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn and works to find
happiness and intimacy with his potential true love. I’m a big fan of Joseph
Gordon Levitt's work so I’m excited to see how he transitions into directing.
As an aspiring writer/director myself it’s always good to see the work of
people I admire following the same action.
The Spectacular Now adapted from Tim Tharp’s novel of the same name, by the
500 Days of Summer writers. A hard-partying high school senior whose philosophy
on life changes when he meets the not-so-typical “nice girl”, Miles Teller and
Shailene Woodley won the Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting at Sundance for
their role in this movie. This is my most anticipated movie of the year.
Lastly we have Her from acclaimed director Spike Jonez. I’ve always been a
fan of the obscure movies Jonez makes. A lonely writer who develops an unlikely
relationship with his newly-purchased operating system that’s designed to meet
his every need starring Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, Rooney Mara
and Scarlett Johansson. Her could be a real potential sleeper hit during the
Oscar season or my new reality if I don’t end this post.
Thank you for reading the first entry in my blog. I hope you have enjoyed
and watch some of the movies I have mentioned when they come to a cinema near
you. I’ll be reviewing them over the next few months when they are released, so
if you want to hear my thoughts then you’ll find them here along with any other
films I might view in the cinema in the coming months. To play us out I’ve got
Lana Del Rey’s Young and Beautiful from The Great Gatsby soundtrack which will surely
win the Oscar for Best Original Song, with Lana performing live at the ceremony
unless you’re a fan of Britney Spears Ooh La La from Smurfs 2 *facepalm*
