Oscar bound?

Here are a few trailers that kind of got that silly little hopeful voice in my head whispering “Could this performance be nominated?”.
That voice will be causing major headaches in the next few months.

Firstly we have “It’s Complicated”


Sure the trailer looks like a big ole basket of fluff, but never underestimate the power of Meryl Streep. Remember when Nancy Meyers for Diane Keaton a nomination for “Somethings Gotta Give”?
No one was expecting that when the trailer came out. Well here she teams up with La Streep who could be looking at a double nomination should her performance in “Julie and Julia” get put in supporting.


“Boys are Back”


Well this certainly looks like a bit of a weeper. Manly mans man Clive Owen getting all teary eyed just makes me want to reach out and hold him close to my chest, and comfort him in the shower whilst I wash his back………….mmmmmmmm. However it looks like it could be the sort of role that gets some love. Do slushy films about men do that well though?


“Motherhood”


Maybe I just really want to see Uma do something great without Tarantino. Perhaps I just really want Minnie Driver back on the big screen. Perhaps I am a sucker for this type of dramedy. Here is hoping Uma and Minnie capture my hearts again…regardless of if they get a nomination.


“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”


Apparently Heath Ledger is in this more than people initially thought, and apparently he is great fun. So excited to see what he does.

The Numbers and Final Predictions

Ok, after the BAFTA nominations everyone started to panic...myself included, about the snub of 'The Dark Knight', 'Sally Hawkins', 'Gus Van Sant' and 'Viola Davis'.
As you know I have been steadily gathering all the numbers for the top 6 awards this year. Ciritcs awards, guilds, awards bodies, top ten lists and various wins.
Let us break it down now.
For each category I am going to only give the top eight contenders in accordance to the scriptures my numbers:

Best Picture
1- Slumdog Millionaire
2-WALL-E
3-The Dark Knight
4-Milk
5-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
6-Frost/Nixon
7-The Wrestler
8-Happy-Go-Lucky

I would say the only two locks are 'Button' and 'Slumdog', the tides could change with the rest of the other three ('Milk' is the next safest). I would say you can take out 'Happy' and 'The Wrestler' and do a pick and mix with the remaining three films and you could have a very believable Best Pic line up. I am not giving up on 'TDK' or 'WALL-E' just yet, even though everything in my brain is saying the Academy are not going to embrace two genre films in one year. However I am going with the fact the world is high on hope and the nominees will easily be 'Slumdog', 'WALL-E', 'TDK', 'Milk', 'TCCOBB', outside shot 'Frost/Nixon'

Best Director
1-Danny Boyle
2-David Fincher
3-Christopher Nolan
4-Gus Van Sant
5-Ron Howard
6-Andrew Stanton
7-Mike Leigh
8-Stephen Daldry

Easily take out Daldry.
Leave Boyle and Fincher as locks, Nolan and Van Sant as near locks and play eeany meeny miney moe with the last three. Stanton and Leigh are wild cards, but Leigh has surprised before. Since the 'Slumdog' fever I assume people want a bit of hope and joy, and that makes me think 'Happy-Go-Lucky' could be a stronger contender than people think. So being overly optimistic I say we see Boyle, Fincher, Nolan, Van Sant, Leigh. HA! outside shot Stanton.

Best Actress
1-Sally Hawkins
2-Anne Hathaway
3-Meryl Streep
4-Kate Winslet
5-Angelina Jolie
6-Melissa Leo
7-Kristen Scott Thomas
8-Michelle Williams

How funny that the person leading with precursors coming into this is the one most at risk.
Hathaway and Streep are locks. Take out Williams and you could be looking at a very interesting game for the last 3 slots.
I am not going to be surprised in Jolie is snubbed again, for what many many people think is a lesser performance. Do they really feel the need to make it up to her?
I say Hawkins, Hathaway, Streep, Winslet, Leo. Not that on a limb, but still a good(ish) set. Outside shot Jolie although can still see Williams surprising.

Best Actor
1-Sean Penn
2-Mickey Rourke
3-Frank Langella
4-Richard Jenkins
5-Brad Pitt
6-Clint Eastwood
7-Leonardo DiCaprio
8-Benicio del Torro

This is another interesting race. Penn, Rourke and Langella are locks, easily. Take out del Torro and the last two slots are looking to be filled by 4 actors. I say Eastwood will be nominated. I can just see him pulling an Ed Harris 'Pollock' last minute nom. therefore my crystal ball says Penn, Rourke, Langella, Jenkins, Eastwood outside shot DiCaprio

Best Supporting Actress
1-Penelope Cruz
2-Viola Davis
3-Marisa Tomei
4-Kate Winslet
5-Amy Adams
6-Rosemarie DeWitt
7-Taraji P. Henson
8-Alexis Zegerman

Zegerman is a pipe dream. Most likely so is DeWitt (so sad). Seven Actresses are vying for 5 slots. Will Winslet split votes or not? Who can say? It can go either way for her. She can end up with two noms, 1 nom in lead or supporting or no noms. I really believe that Cruz and Davis are the only locks, with Tomei coming up as a major possibility. I kind of closed my eyes and pointed and came up with Cruz, Davis, Tomei, Winslet, DeWitt. (I say Dewitt pulls a Marcia Gay Harden) outside shot Henson.

Best Supporting Actor
1-Heath Ledger
2-Robert Downey, Jr.
3-Philip Seymour Hoffman
4-Dev Patel
5-Josh Brolin
6-Eddie Marsan
7-Michael Shannon
8-Ralph Feinnes

For being so low on the list Brolin in a lock, as is Ledger (duh!). I am not 100% about Downey, Jr. and Hoffman, but they are very likely as well. Feinnes and Shannon are very dark horses indeed....so dark I can hardly see them. That leaves Marsan and Patel. A Marsan nom would be great (how can they watch the film and not write down his name?), but would not surprise me all that much, same with Patel. Um.....Ledger, Downey, Jr., Hoffman, Patel, Brolin outside shot Marsan.

To be honest I will be watching live, expecting to very very disappointed come nomination day. No Batman, no Sally, no Marsan, no Leo, no Stanton no film to really get behind.
So wearing my heart on my sleeve is the only way I can get through it....I mean it is a nail biter ripe with disappointments isn't it?

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Dount
Frost/Nixon
Slumdog Millionaire

alt: The Reader

Best Original Screenplay

Happy-Go-Lucky
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
Vicky Christina Barcelona
WALL-E
alt: In Bruges

'Wendy and Lucy' trailer

There has been considerable festival buzz regarding the performance by Michelle Williams in director Kelly Reichardts critically acclaimed feature about a young woman (Williams) en route to a summer job in Alaska. When her car breaks down and her faithful dog Lucy is taken to the pound, her financial circumstances break down.

We may see Williams name being thrown about come year end awards, but the film is small so she is going to need a considerable push. Good start though as the buzz is slowly rising and she is beginning to crop up on peoples radars.

To have her nominated with Heath will be very bitter sweet indeed.

The year thus far.

Is it me or has 2008 been a slow year out of the starting gate?

Aside from the phenomenon that is “The Dark Knight” there has not been a lot to shout about, especially awards wise. We all know that the beginning of the year is the slowest part, but usually you have some strong contenders at this point.

In Best Picture we have “The Dark Knight” and “WALL-E” as the only real films that have opened to awards worthy reviews. That’s right a superhero film and a cartoon, two genre’s the Academy has not readily embraced, although this year could easily see one of these nominated. As much as I loved “WALL-E” my money is on “The Dark Knight”. Not only is the director very well respected, but the film has been met with flat out raves and stellar box office. Never under estimate the power of ticket sales in an industry where profits have been steadily falling. Added to this, the film is popular, and a nomination may just help out the Oscar ceremony come back from it’s dwindling ratings.

Over in Best Actress, Cannes gave tremendous buzz to Angelina Jolie’s performance in Clint Eastwood’s “The Changeling/Exchange”.
Also garnering raves is Sally Hawkins in Mike Leigh’s “Happy-Go-Lucky”. Both directors are very good with their actors, and are respected by the Academy so either of these could easily happen.
Melissa Leo has also garnered great reviews for the small film “Frozen River”. A hit at Sundance, this film could very well see a nomination for it’s lead performance.
If I were to bet now though I would say the one to be in the top five would be Hawkins. Playing an eternally optimistic and bubbly woman could be a breath of fresh air amongst the heavy performances that will be cluttering up year end.

Best Actor has also been quiet. Only two actors have made the type of awards buzz you cannot ignore. Benicio del Torro won Cannes for the epic and gruelling “Che”. Even if the film seems a little long in the tooth and doesn’t get the support it needs for other categories, you can expect del Torro to make it to year end.
Richard Jenkins has been getting wonderful notices for “The Visitor”. The TV vet has had the breakout role of the year thus far, and everyone has sung his praises. The film is small and hardly anyone saw it, but that should not matter much. I do expect to see him in the awards race come year end. A nomination will be tricky, but a good campaign and precursors will make all the difference. I actually wouldn't be at all surprised to see del Torro left off in favour of Jenkins.

Supporting Actress also only has two contenders thus far. Misty Upman in “Frozen River” seems unlikely at this point. If the film is going to be rewarded for anything it will be for Leo. The one sure fire nominee is Penelope Cruz for “Vicky Christina Barcelona” who is said to be sensational in the new Woody Allen film. Adding to this is the fact that many are saying it is a long overdue return to form for the director, who has released a few duds lately.

Supporting Actor…..well…it is all about Heath Ledger. And too right!

September will be an interesting month for releases as we have “Nothing But the Truth”, “Towelhead”, “Burn After Reading”, and “Blindness” . Plus many of the later ‘Oscar’ films will be having screenings to get the buzz-a-building so hopefully the best is yet to come. If not, how depressing.

Mini review "The Dark Knight"

Wow.... what can I say... wow.

First the negative. Nolan does not write women well. That being said Maggie Gyllenhall did wonders with a paper thin character. You can understand Wayne falling for her over Katie Holmes portrayal.

Saw it at Imax, and unless you have a great seat at the back the action scenes look a little bit like a jumbled mess.

The good.

Batman has always been my favourite superhero because he is simply a man. True he is a man with a lot of cash at his disposal, but Nolan has created a world so gritty and real that most importantly, the viewer can relate. People are driven to do what they do because of the world they live in, and the way they choose to handle it makes them either villains or heroes. Sure the action never lets up, but the story was so intense that you didn't mind the roller coaster ride. I mean after 3 pints of beer before hand I was busting to pee from the beginning, but forgot about it 1/4 way through.

Obviously, for me, the best thing about the film was Heath Ledgers funny, frightening, intense and brilliant portrayal of The Joker. The Joker has always been this campy villain, but what Ledger does is strip him of the camp and just make him a bloody scary anarchist. I man so swathed in his own pain that he no longer feels it. He feels no remorse for what he does and does not fear his death. The ticks and mannerisms only add the the menace. You have no idea when he is going to go off.

If Javier Bardem can win an Oscar for his portrayal of a cold killer in "No Country For Old Men" the Heath should not have a problem with this. Out right brilliance. If I see a better male performance this year I will be so happy.

The Film A-

If there is one thing I would change it would be something that happens at the end. But I can't talk about it here because there are people who haven't seen it.

SPOILER!

Highlight below if you are curious.

When he two ferries are in the harbour. It would have been been shocking, and also play right into the Jokers point that people all have that dark side if the big tough black prisoner on the prisoner ferry has chucked the bomb detonator into the ocean, but the nerdy white man had gone ahead. Would have said a lot about society and the world we live in today. The corporate white guy playing God with peoples lives. It would not have been happy, but it would have made a valid point

Lessons should be learned

All those news papers, tabloids, celeb rumor sites, those bitchy gossips who have nothing better to do and a lot of my fellow bloggers should now learn a valuable lesson. Never ever speculate about something so deeply private.

My final self-absorbed words

Ok. I am not going to dwell on this. I will not speculate as to why. It is not my business, only that of his friends and family. I will also not go on and on for weeks about how strangely and deeply this has affected me.

I have been trying to understand why this is so and a lot of it has to do with “Brokeback Mountain” of course. Not only was this one of the first mainstream gay romances, but also the best that I can think of.

Jake Gyllenhall and Heath created two living, breathing characters that the liberal side of the audience could stand behind, and the conservative could be educated by. For me they represented the gay men and women without a voice who came before me, and still (scarily so) exist today. These two straight actors were brave in their choice of taking these two roles. With so many actors shying away for these types of roles in fear of killing their career or worse yet being gossiped about, Heath and Jake fearlessly took them.

For two young, good looking heart throbs to take all that on is fearless and had endeared them to me for life. To me they were more heroic than some out gay actors. They were not fae, and did not speak with a lisp and know how to sew and decorate, they were just men who loved each other in a world that did not want them to. Finally a depiction of gay men free of stereotype.

I wish I could have thanked them personally, especially Heath, for what they did. When you are moved by an actor it is usually due to a performance that resonates inside you, and affects you in ways you were not prepared for. It leaves you with feelings of love for that person.

The death of a person you loved will always hurt however trivial or superficial that love was. In a scenario like this you always question your feelings because you had no personal involvement in their life. Also when they are young like Heath is it gives you a sobering realization of mortality.
Last night I felt like a drama queen. I was not a family or friend, or a co worker even. I had never met him so why these feeling of mourning? Now I understand.
Now to end my self involvement.

My thoughts are with his family and friends who not only have to deal with the death of a loved one, and the questions surrounding it. They also have to deal with all of those complex feelings in a media whirlwind.

Which brings me on to the ugly of this sad situation.

I have not seen the picture of the actor on the stretcher, and I hope I never do. All the gawkers outside the apartment should feel ashamed for taking picture and creating a crowd. His mother has not even seen him are there they are, recording this very private scene for their own personal gain. Sometimes human behaviour disgusts me to the core.

And for the last time I visited the website of Perez Hilton (which I refuse to link to). Already there are conspiracies and sad articles about how his private and possibly fabricated sufferings. There are those people in the world who love the misery of others, sadly Perez Hilton gives them a leader.
As an out gay man who is proud and free, I am ashamed to have this person as a public representative of that queer part of me.

Time for us all to find better sources of entertainment. *

A young man has died and people are grieving and here is Perez, this thing, gaining publicity for himself and his site out of this tragedy. The ugly side of people never fail to upset me.
Of course he is not the only one gaining financial rewards out of this, and maybe it is unfair to pick on him solely. There are loads of magazines and gossip rags getting A LOT out of this.
Only in this fucked up world can a persons death be seen as a money making opportunity.
Sick.
The thought of someone making money out the my grief for my loved ones lost would turn me into an Uma Thurman/Kill Bill revenge seeking killing machine.

Here is hoping this ugly side of the media will be shielded from Heaths friends and family as they grieve.
Here is hoping that they are able to heal privately.
And here is hoping certain media outlets gain a soul.
Finally here is hoping that through the coming media circus, Heath Ledger is able to rest in peace.



* Perez does represent a queer voice about celebrities, fashion and music, but there are other queer alternatives:

For a funnier and far less malicious source of celebrity going ons, go to Pink is the New Blog.

All the celebrity fashion, hair and makeup fiascos you can handle can be found in a much wittier and less school yard bully style on Go Fug Yourself.

And finally for a queer perspective on new and exciting music, I cannot recommend Arjan Writes enough.

Go fourth and browse.

"For as long as we can ride it. There ain't no reins on this one."

How sad the ride was so short.............

You need something like this to put in perspective how meaningless the Oscars really are. His performance in "Brokeback" was so personal to me that I feel the gut punch of loss. Perhaps it is just the dramatist in me getting caught up in this strangers death. Who knows. All I know is he will be miss, by so many, on so many levels.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns teaser trailer - bootleg

This sneak peek that has appeared really gets me excited, espeically when we hear Heath as The Joker.
I am utterly convinced he can pull this off.
I am covered in goose bumps at the thought. This is my only 'Can't Wait' movie. Kind of sad considering Oscar season is around the corner, and this is almost a year away.
Watch before it gets taken down.

Sorry, it did! but you can see it here (slow as shit)