Image = Oscar Nominations Best & Worst

It is finally time to talk about The Oscars!  The good, the bad and the absurd.  Here's my take on the nominees – who & what deserves the acknowledgment and who doesn’t – and who did not make the cut.

THE BEST:

12 Years a Slave – This is simply the best film of the year and my pick for Best Picture.  Great script, wonderful performances, visually stunning and a period piece about a subject of great social significance.  I will be holding my breath to hear the name “Lupita Nyong’o” announced early in the evening because she is the Best Supporting Actress this year.  Also - Michael Fassbender's performance as a sadistic slave owner is one that I will remember forever.  If I was an Academy voter, it would be challenging for me to choose between Fassbender & Jared Leto.   

Philomena – I love everything about this movie.  Compelling true story, wonderful script and inspired performances by both Judy Dench and the incredibly underrated Steve Coogan (who also co-wrote the screenplay).  I am rooting for this film for Best Adapted Screenplay. 

Nebraska –  I love that the Academy is finally honoring small indie films like this.  Nebraska is a totally original and heartwarming film about a family dealing with a crisis in an unusual way.  On the journey, there is both great drama and delightful comedy, featuring two seasoned thespians - Bruce Dern & June Squibb.  It is also great to see Will Forte do something completely different and do it so well.             

Gravity – This film is visually stunning and technically groundbreaking, but I was not impressed with the script or Sandra Bullock.  Gravity deserves every technical award it is nominated for and Alfonso Cuaron deserves credit for helming such a revolutionary film. 

Cate Blanchett – It is about time for this exceptional actress to have a Best Actress statuette and I’m thrilled that Woody is the one to make it happen for her.  Period. 

Dallas Buyers Club – Some reviews of this film said that McConaughey & Leto are great but not the film.  I completely disagree. This is a great independent film about AIDS, which still plagues American society 30 years later.  It also raises critical questions about how much the government harms us under the guise of protection.  Its anti-establishment tone may be why Dallas Buyers Club is not nominated for Best Picture.  And yes - Jared Leto deserves the Oscar because his performance as Rayon is heartbreaking and wonderful.

Matthew McConaughey – It is his year.  Period.  For more on this – see my recent blogpost and this great article from The New Yorker about Matthew's McConaissance: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2014/0/the-mcconaissance.html


THE OVERRATED:

American Hustle – For the second year in a row a David O. Russell film is totally overrated and getting an absurd amount of acclaim.  Last year, Silver Linings Playbook was shoved down our throats and now once again there is outrageous hype over a not that special movie.  The only phenomenal thing about American Hustle is Christian Bale, who completely transforms himself, as usual.  The rest of the movie is all over the place.  It’s mostly serious but with moments of farce that border on ridiculous. The story gets very convoluted in the third act and the movie is at least 20 minutes too long.    

Jennifer Lawrence – How did this idol worship of Jennifer Lawrence happen?  It was intriguing when she was nominated in 2010 for Winter’s Bone.  No one had heard of her and it’s always fun to have a dark horse in the race.  But now – after she won the Oscar last year (which she did NOT deserve) she is a huge movie star and regaled as this brilliant actress and it’s all too much too soon.  She is only 23 for goodness sake.

Amy Adams – Please take a year off, Amy.  You were so amazing in Junebug, Enchanted and even Julie & Julia and since then, you have been churning out films every year and getting nominated over and over and losing over and over.  You are definitely talented but maybe be a little more selective in your career choices and maybe - oh I don’t know – change your hair and your voice every once in a while (your “English” accent in American Hustle does not count).  It seems as if you get nominated for simply making a movie every year and that’s just not what this is all about.

The Wolf of Wall Street – I really hated this movie.  To me, it is one note storytelling with a one note leading performance and it is entirely too long.  There is nothing redeeming about these debauched characters and after a short while the unabashed gluttony is exhausting.  The only shining light is a great breakthrough performance from the gorgeous and talented Margot Robbie.
   

Leonardo DiCaprio – I LOVE Leo, who has definitely been robbed in the past for Oscars (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and The Aviator) but I truly hope the Academy does not give him an owed award.  I hate when they do that.

*Note to Leo – Please take a break from working with Scorsese and maybe consider playing an original but fictional character just for a change of pace.  I think you are in a Marty/real life character rut.

Jonah Hill – WTF?  No one mentioned his name all season and then he gets an Oscar nod out of nowhere?  It’s fishy.     

August: Osage County – What a downer!  This movie was more depressing than 12 Years a Slave!  Wonderful ensemble cast (so great to see the great Chris Cooper again!) but once again I feel like its nominations are based upon hype versus substance.  Julia Roberts is good but not great and Meryl the great is good but a little too much of a caricature.  I enjoyed the Broadway play much more and the Tony Award winning Deanna Dunagan was a powerhouse because I really believed that she was that bitter and evil.  In terms of supporting players, I would have loved to see Margo Martindale honored for her performance.

THE FORGOTTEN:

Saving Mr. Banks – It boggles my mind that this amazing movie got so outrageously overlooked.  Emma Thompson is sensational and Colin Farrell is heartbreakingly wonderful.  It has everything – great script, wonderful supporting cast and the compelling story of a woman healing her childhood wounds through the creation of a beloved children’s book which becomes a huge Hollywood film.  And Tom Hanks is in it too.  What more does the Academy want?  In this stellar year for film, couldn’t they go ahead and make the Best Picture nominations an even ten?

Lee Daniels’ The Butler – This movie has Oscar written all over it.  It’s a slice of American history with a huge ensemble cast (and some ingenious casting) about the civil rights movement with a remarkable performance by Forest Whitaker.  And David Oyelowo deserves some recognition as well.  Maybe it was just released too early in the year?  It’s interesting that Harvey Weinstein didn’t push this one harder for Oscar glory.

All is Lost – This is a completely unique film in every way and Robert Redford kept me engaged throughout despite barely saying a word. Redford is the real deal and it is crazy that he doesn't have an Oscar for acting yet.

Oscar Isaac – I could not take my eyes off the screen when he was on it in Inside Llewyn Davis.  It is one of my favorite performances of the year.  Isaac is captivating in a critically acclaimed film and it is strange that the Oscars did not follow the trend of the enormous amount of praise this film has received all season.   

Who would you like to see take home Academy Awards on March 2?

 

 

             

    

Image = The Tragic Loss of Greatness

I loved Philip Seymour Hoffman.  He significantly enhanced my life through his work.  Philip was one of a rare breed of "real" actors who completely commit to their characters and get lost in them.  There are countless movie stars who are skilled at playing the same part again & again, but there are few actors who actually transform themselves in their work. 

The list of American actors without matinee idol looks who submerge themselves into a role is very small.  Dustin Hoffman, Sean Penn & Paul Giamatti come readily to mind – and that’s about it.  What was truly remarkable about Philip Seymour Hoffman was that he traditionally fit into the role of a character actor but despite this image, he broke the rules and actually starred in films and did it well.  In less than 25 years he was triumphant in theater - both local and Broadway, indie films, and big budget Hollywood movies.  His sudden tragic death is a devastating loss for the entire entertainment industry. 

Over the past 72 hours, I have read a lot about the many great roles Philip Seymour Hoffman played – Boogie Nights, Almost Famous, Charlie Wilson's War, Doubt, Capote, etc.  But no one has mentioned my favorite PSH role ever – Flawless (1999).  PSH stars as a drag queen who becomes a vocal coach for Robert De Niro, a homophobic cop who has suffered a stroke.  I won’t say much except that Philip is transcendent and I highly recommend finding it and watching it.   

PSH in Flawless

I was fortunate to meet PSH at a Tribeca screening three years ago.  It was a completely inspiring documentary about a wonderful band in Haiti called When the Drum is Beating.  My friend and I spotted Philip as we were exiting the theater and I was struck dumb.  After working with talent for years, I am usually pretty cool around famous actors, but not this time.  What could I say to him that would even begin to elucidate my admiration?   My never shy friend said, “She loves you.  You have no idea how much she loves you,” and I said something of little importance.  PSH deflected the comments and just said, “Wasn’t that a great film?  What a really great film.”  He was the most normal guy who in that moment was just another film goer.  Not exactly a meaningful encounter but a memorable one for me, especially now. 

One of the few things in life that makes sense to me is great art.  Film, theater, music, literature...  I take solace in the joy of a great performance or an inspired piece of writing.   

Philips's death makes no sense to me.  How could this gifted actor be gone so soon? 

 

I don’t want to talk too much about how Philip died but there is something to say about the trend in entertainment.  Perhaps the elusive demon that plagues people with an addictive personality is the same characteristic that curses people of extraordinary talent.  Judy Garland, John Belushi, Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Cory Monteith...  It is an all too frequent consequence for great artists.  My sincere hope is that Philip Seymour Hoffman will not be remembered for how he left us but for the incredible gifts that he left with us.             

Image = Best of 2013

With the Oscars just about a month away - it's time to declare my favorite films of 2013.  So here they are - in no particular order - except for 12 Years a Slave which is simply the Best Picture of 2013 because it is the most courageous & indelible.  All the films on my Best of list are great for different reasons.  My main criteria are a unique approach to film making (Gravity, Inside Llewyn Davis) and/or storytelling (All is Lost, In a World...), a great script (Philomena), sensational acting (Dallas Buyers Club, Blue Jasmine, Saving Mr. Banks) and a significant emotional impact (Enough Said, Last Vegas).  Most have more than one of these qualities.  2013 was an exceptional year for films - both big & small.   

 

12 Years a Slave

 

Before Midnight

 

Nebraska

 

Philomena

 

Lee Daniels' The Butler

 

Enough Said

 

Dallas Buyers Club

 

Bridegroom

 

All is Lost

 

Inside Llewyn Davis

 

Blue Jasmine

 

Gravity

 

In a World...

 

Last Vegas

 

Saving Mr. Banks

 

Image = All right, All right, All right!

as Ron Woodruff

Here’s the truth about the Academy Awards.  Sometimes awards (especially for acting) are given (as they should be) for a performance because it is far and above THE BEST of the year – as in Helen Mirren for The Queen or Mo’Nique for Precious.  Sometimes it’s for a body of work and the actor has been passed up before and (I hate this) the Academy feels they owe someone an award – as in Denzel Washington when he “won” for Training Day after he lost for his uh-mazing performance in The Hurricane. 

Golden Globe winner

This year is a little different.  It was a fantastic year for movies and there are a bunch of worthy contenders.  Matthew McConaughey – once a punch line – not taken seriously because of his great looks and his resume of romantic comedies – has actually transformed his career and his image in Hollywood.  It was a conscious effort by him and his team to choose more serious and risky roles, beginning with The Lincoln Lawyer in 2011 and followed by Bernie, Killer Joe, Magic Mike, Mud and of course Dallas Buyers Club.  The gamble paid off and we are now looking at McConaughey very differently.  

Matthew has shown his commitment to show business for 22 years.  To put it very simply, it is his time.  First he transformed his career and then he physically altered himself to play unsavory hustler Ron Woodruff.  Dallas Buyers Club is a tour de force and a story about a critical time in American history that will raise awareness about AIDS, American healthcare and being transgender.  I want McConaughey to win the Oscar for Best Actor this year for two reasons.  1 – he deserves it and 2 – the biggest award in the industry will cause more people to see this great independent film. 

Image = A Great Year for Film & Awards

2013 was a great year for movies and I am excited about the upcoming awards season.  Often there is one behemoth film that towers over the rest and essentially sweeps everything, but this year there is no such animal.  The films of 2013 were very diverse with big studio films and tiny independent films getting equal acknowledgment.   

{The Academy Award nominations will not be announced until January 16 but there are many intriguing nominations among the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and Independent Spirit Awards}.

 

When I saw the low budget Dallas Buyers Club, I said “I hope this film gets recognition” - and it did.  This is also a sign of social progress.  Films about AIDS don’t often get a mainstream audience but DBC is getting seen in large part due to Matthew McConaughey’s star power.  Respect for McConaughey as an actor has increased tremendously in the past few years and he deserves an Oscar for his transformational performance.  And so does Jared Leto.  If 12 Years a Slave was not an indie, Matthew & Jared would be shoe-ins for their respective Independent Spirit Awards.

It is interesting to note that the Golden Globes forgot all about Lee Daniel’s The Butler.  Forest Whitaker & David Oyelowo were both amazing.  Maybe it’s a result of being released so early in the year? The SAG Awards however, did not forget about Whitaker and also honored Oprah Winfrey with a nomination for Supporting Actress.  Lee Daniel’s The Butler seems like an ideal Oscar film – a period drama about social injustice with a huge Hollywood cast.  It’ll be interesting to see if the Academy bequeaths it with any nods.   

There is some very tough competition in the acting categories this year, in almost every category and every award.  This year we have both newcomers like Lupita Nyong’o & Barkhad Abdi and legends like Bruce Dern & Robert Redford who are exactly the same age and each man has yet to win an Oscar for acting.  As much as I want to root for Jared Leto, Michael Fassbender’s performance was completely breathtaking.  I loved Philomena and Judi Dench is wonderful but Cate Blanchett acted her butt off in Blue Jasmine and I’ve said for a long time that it’s absurd that she doesn’t have a Best Actress statuette yet.  I think this may finally be Cate’s year to be the queen. 

  

A couple more things…  I am thrilled that Julie Delpy was recognized for her bold & brave performance in Before Midnight.  I’m a huge fan of the incredibly unique Before series.  And again – I hope it’s a positive sign of changing times that a little indie like Before Midnight is getting big industry recognition.  One of my favorite films of the year was Enough Said and I’m glad that Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Gandolfini have received acclaim for their work.  Last thing – the movie I enjoyed the most last year was Last Vegas.  It’s a big splashy Hollywood film with a huge heart and it was the best time I had in a movie theater in 2013.  No nominations but a great life-affirming movie nonetheless. 

Image = The Renaissance of Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin is one of my top 2 favorite people in show business (the other is John Cusack.)  I have admired Mr. Baldwin for many years and right now Alec Baldwin is having a major renaissance.  Alec has already been a huge movie star and a celebrated TV star and now he’s branching out in other ways.  He started with a podcast called Here’s the Thing, interviewing celebrities and other notable people to find out what truly makes them tick.  And he has a distinctive knack for interviewing.  He asks questions most conventional hosts don’t ask, out of a true inquisitiveness and respect for his guests.  Now Baldwin is hosting a talk show on MSNBC called Up Late with Alec Baldwin where he features more political guests such as NY Democratic candidate for Mayor Bill de Blasio. 

On his podcast, I’ve heard Alec say a number of times that he’s thinking about quitting acting.  I don’t think that he will ever completely leave show business, but he has been very open about his disillusionment about the process of movie making.  He and longtime friend James Toback made a documentary/mockumentary called Seduced and Abandoned (premiering on HBO tonight) about trying to raise money at Cannes for an ill-conceived movie concept.  Unabashed about who he is and his politics for years and now being vocal about becoming un-enamored about the movie business are many of the reasons I love Alec Baldwin.  Most actors just do the same thing for 50 years, but not Alec.  He is not afraid to take chances or even become unpopular in order to evolve and stay true to himself.

Alec on the set of Up Late

He may have done so early in his career but these days, Alec Baldwin doesn't play the Hollywood game.  First, he's a native New Yorker and very involved with New York politics and culture.  He walks the streets, he's the voice of the New York Philharmonic and he publicly endorses candidates like de Blasio.  Alec, once considered a major sex symbol, didn't shy away from acting (and winning an absurd number of awards for 30 Rock) when he gained a significant amount of weight a few years ago.  (He slimmed down a lot after his doctor told him he was pre-diabetic). The New York Post trashes him regularly and it doesn't seem to phase him.  Unless he is literally tackling paparazzi, he seems cool and very comfortable in his skin.

The most amazing thing about Alec Baldwin is what a fan he still is despite being a long established member of the club.  He is forever in awe of SNL and shows up there whenever Lorne Michaels calls.  He says that Michaels and Tina Fey "changed his life" with the opportunity to do 30 Rock.  And the last thing he said when he interviewed Billy Joel (a fellow Long Islander) was, "You're the king!"

This quote probably sums up Alec and my admiration of him best:
"And yet, for everything that's happened to him and around him, Alec Baldwin shows not the pitted surface of a battered survivor but the smooth finish of a beloved entertainer." - James Wolcott, Vanity Fair March 2010