Mildred Pierce (Re-Watch) Dead Of Night The Picture Of Dorian Gray Blithe Spirit The Way To The Stars Les Dames Du Bois De Boulogne The Wicked Lady Pride Of The Marines Fallen Angel Isle Of The Dead My Name Is Julia Ross The Southerner Love Letters The Valley Of Decision The Enchanted Cottage Perfect Strangers Pink String And Sealing Wax Paris Frills Ziegfeld Follies The Woman In Green State Fair Cornered A Royal Scandal A Walk In The Sun The Last Chance Our Vines Have Tender Grapes Rhapsody In Blue Strange Confession Lady On A Train The House Of Fear Road To Utopia Without Love The Strange Affair Of Uncle Harry Dillinger Confidential Agent Along Came Jones Kitty San Antonio The Naughty Nineties The Affairs Of Susan Strange Illusion The Great Flamarion Yolanda And The Thief Blood On The Sun Danger Signal The Horn Blows At Midnight Pillow To Post
Poor Things (Production Design) Oppenheimer (Picture) Emma Stone Cillian Murphy Oppenheimer (Editing) Poor Things (Makeup) Poor Things (Costumes) Robert Downey Jr. Oppenheimer (Cinematography) The Boy and the Heron Godzilla Minus One Da'Vine Joy Randolph The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar "What Was I Made For" The Zone of Interest Anatomy of a Fall American Fiction
Razor thin margins between the top 9. Just a fantastic set of winners.
I have seen 20 Days in Mariupol, but it falls into an "out of competition" type of doc for me.
I'll do my predictions when I've seen these. And yeah great choices tonight all around.
Louis: thoughts on Binoche and Magimel in The Taste of Things? So glad you liked it, and I'm sad that it got so much vitriol this awards season for something that was completely out of its control.
Oh and thoughts on Tran Anh Hung's direction (which now that you've seen all the Cannes winners, I think we can agree they made some great choices across the board).
Happy Oppenheimer did so well, need to catch up on 2023 films real bad. For someone who saw Batman Begins when they 10, and genuinely had their life changed by The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan finally getting his moment fills me with pure joy.
Also, I loved the little Tony Stark salute to the crowd Downey did when he won.
Louis: I'm not asking you if you've finished any of them, but how far along are you on the recommended shows?
Additionally - were there any other nominated films tonight aside from 20 Days that you saw but didn't log on Letterboxd? If there were any you haven't seen, do you have some interest in seeing any of them or will you just be moving entirely onto 1945 for now?
Didn't watch the ceremony, but I'm very happy to see the results, especially the wins on behalf of acting branch, Oppenheimer and Poor Things. Overall 2023 was a really enjoyable year to explore, hope this trend continues.
Second year in a row I enjoyed the Oscars, perhaps the horrendous ceremony with the Will Smith Slap created some sort of time warp where the Oscars are actually decent to watch again. I thought last years was better but this was fine.
Maestro losing everything is so funny hahaha.
Jimmy Kimmel has hosted 4 times now and actually..has been solid in 3 of them now, the only one I thought he was meh in was the follow-up year to his great 2017 ceremony featuring the Best Picture debacle.
The in memoriam, it's so frustrating because at first, it was working, when they started showing actual clips of some of the actors/directors but then it started doing the old nonsense of just still images while an overbearing performance plays and the camera barely shows the mentions, so annoying.
On the UK side of things, Jonathan Ross actually did a fine job presenting, I do like that he and the OK panel actually did criticise the odd film, such as saying that Bradley Cooper had crocodile tears during his campaigning for Maestro.
Luke: Baftas should be better than what they are to watch, I mean, for every great in memoriam they do they have an awful skit like Nick Mohammed doing his grating shtick.
Last night was the first time since “The Artist” where a film won Picture, Director AND Leading Actor. The first time since “Ben Hur” where a film won those three AND Supporting Actor.
The direction is very much the key to the film, which is actually a very strong hand if done in a way that seems very modest. The overarching approach is one just to entrench us into location, with such a strong environmental sense of place with the gorgeous cinematography emphasizing that sense with such splendor, that you do feel like you too are longing around in the scenic gardens. His direction of the moments of the actors are relatively straightforward though consistent in just framing conversations as we are sort of also lounging around in the room and listening in, and giving appropriate, if almost casual, time for the actors to explore their roles. But the centerpiece of the direction and the film is the direction of the food making. Which in part is just making the most delicious looking meals, photographed to accentuate every color, but even more so is the attention to detail of the preparation, with every sound, every movement, every sort of accentuation of what makes the meal the perfect meal crafts together such captivating and well scrumptious detail. I think key though is both performances as well, and what we see in their work in the meal prep, and eating, where you see dedication and love in equal measure which goes beyond just the meals.
And yes, those were a set of strong choices from CANNES.
Anonymous:
Actor:
1. Anthony Hopkins - The Father 2. Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer 3. Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea 4. Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant 5. Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour 6. Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything 7. Brendan Fraser - The Whale 8. Joaquin Phoenix - Joker 9. Rami Malek - Bohemian Rhapsody 10. Will Smith - King Richard
Actress:
1. Emma Stone - Poor Things 2. Olivia Colman - The Favourite 3. Frances McDormand - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 4. Michelle Yeoh - Everything Everywhere All At Once 5. Emma Stone - La La Land 6. Frances McDormand - Nomadland 7. Brie Larson- Room 8. Julianne Moore - Still Alice 9. Jessica Chastain - The Eyes of Tammy Faye 10. Renee Zellweger - Judy
Supporting Actor:
1. Ke Huy Quan - Everything Everywhere All At Once 2. Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri 3. Robert Downey Jr. - Oppenheimer 4. J.K. Simmons - Whiplash 5. Marhershala Ali - Moonlight 6. Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies 7. Daniel Kaluuya - Judas and the Black Messiah 8. Brad Pitt - Once Upon A Time in Hollywood 9. Troy Kotsur - CODA 10. Mahershala Ali - Green Book
1. Youn Yuh-jung - Minari 2. Ariana DeBose - West Side Story 3. Alison Janney - I, Tonya 4. Viola Davis - Fences 5. Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers 6. Regina King - If Beale Street Could Talk 7. Jamie Lee Curtis - Everything Everywhere All At Once 8. Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl 9. Laura Dern - Marriage Story 10. Patricia Arquette - Boyhood
Anonymous:
I tried, but honestly the episodes kind of merged together for the most part so it has become a bit hard to parse out.
Tony:
No, I did not have time for them, once we reach the Oscars, I move on.
There were no others.
Luke:
Greenwood - 3.5(Thinking about it, he would've been a great Batman in the 80's, as he has the right look and combination between physique and sort of that trustworthy "good guy" appearance. Anyway, definitely working with the Conroy mold, but not just trying to ape it in an obvious way. Brings the right sort of natural intensity that delivers that Dark Knight sort of bluntness you want, but in his own way that balanced a certain degree of more humanity at times. Something that the movie only can do so much with, but he explores it well with what he has.)
Ackles - 3.5(I mean fine in bringing the needed sort of angry intensity of someone both filled with anger and having something to prove. His performance I wouldn't say quite goes beyond so to speak, but he keeps the character from just being hot air as well.)
Harris - 3(Gets sidelined as the movie progresses, but I liked his Grayson, bringing the right sort of casual confidence and more happy-go-lucky manner.)
DiMaggio - 2(Found his Joker pretty lackluster, just a weak imitation of Hamill in my book, without really accentuating the right parts either to create something that at least apes Hamill in a good way, nor does he bother to do his own thing.)
I'd need more time with the Dune 2 score to decide that.
Antony:
1. Poor Things 2. The Favourite 3. The Curse 4. La La Land 5. Maniac 6. The Battle of the Sexes 7. Birdman 8. Easy A 9. Cruella 10. The Amazing Spider-man 2 (I guess, I look forward to Kind of Kindness replacing this...though Lanthimos' back as the co-writer does have me concerned.)
I mean kind of a capitalization for Hauser really being over his pay grade after playing such a ridiculous character in notion, who I would say is entirely love/hate in his absurd nature, and here though you get more of an actual depth to the character within his fears and wants that Hauser manages to articulate well in his performance and give the silly character some actual depth.
Tony:
I mean nothing that didn't get a mention on my tv lists.
Anonymous:
Hmmm, I think it could easily go into just random jump scares in a progression to an obvious foretold ending, therefore a "not for me" horror film if that's the case. Though seems to have a decent visual aesthetic and I'll certainly take Ralph Ineson doing exposition. I just wonder if they're will be an actual characters here, or just pawns to be knocked down.
Louis: What do you think could have caused BAFTA going 0/4 last year with the acting Oscars, to basically calling most of the awards (including Stone over Gladstone).
Marcus: When it comes to the technical categories, I feel genuine passion was the main driving factor, a la Poor Things's tech sweep, Godzilla's win, etc. I personally predicted Barbie for Production Design, and I was super glad to get that wrong.
I also think the international block helped Stone the same way it did Murphy, as KOFTM is ostensibly an American story. Gladstone's not making it there should have been much larger cause for doubt in hindsight, as practically the same thing happened to Mulligan for Promising Young Woman.
Louis: Damn, that was an anticlimactic answer, I was hoping to get your thoughts on Boardwalk Empire season 1. Can I ask, how far along are you on The Goes Wrong Show, then? I think that was the only TV rec you checked out.
Also, can I get your take on this article about Oscar season from last year? https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/08/magazine/oscars-campaign.html
To be as cynical as possible, it might've been all about when voting began. Last year voting began right after the SAG awards, this year, the voting had already begun, so the "last voice" could still be a thing, but this year the voice would've been mixed between BAFTA and SAG due to when voting opened.
But to be less cynical you could also say there was definitely a disconnect with BAFTA voters from EEAO, and an intense love for it from the Academy, which might've been the reason.
Tony:
I have not continued to watch it, with TV recs, I try to give the show a couple episodes, but I won't necessarily watch the whole season, if I'm not loving the show. Next year I probably will give preference to the more frequent commentors's requests first, rather than just going in order.
Outlines the whole idea of the Oscar campaign and really the ridiculousness of it, all around Riseborough's nomination which played the game a slightly different way, though not unprecedented, as they failed to mention Sally Kirkland did something similar for her Anna nomination. Although one does wonder if the results would be all that different these days particularly, without the campaigns, given that no longer are critically derided films nominated, and there are plenty of campaigns that flop completely (The Color Purple) so the work itself definitely does matter to the whole process.
97º Cimarron 96º The Great Ziegfeld 95º The Broadway Melody 94º Crash 93º Gigi 92º The Greatest Show on Earth 91º Mrs. Miniver 90º Cavalcade 89º Chicago 88º Tom Jones 87º Out of Africa 86º The English Patient 85º The King's Speech 84º Shakespeare in Love 83º Driving Miss Daisy 82º Gentleman's Agreement 81º Slumdog Millionaire 80º Green Book 79º Oliver! 78º CODA 77º American Beauty 76º Going My Way 75º Grand Hotel 74º Around the World in 80 Days 73º Ordinary People 72º Dances With Wolves 71º The Life of Emile Zola 70º My Fair Lady 69º Gandhi 68º Mutiny on the Bounty 67º Terms of Endearment 66º All the King's Men 65º An American in Paris 64º How Green Was My Valley 63º Rain Man 62º Everything Everywhere All at Once 61º Kramer vs Kramer 60º Chariots of Fire 59º Argo 58º A Beautiful Mind 57º Wings 56º FromHere to Eternity 55º Rocky 54º The Shape of Water 53º The Hurt Locker 52º The Best Years of Our Lives 51º West Side Story 50º In the Heat of the Night 49º Gladiator 48º You Can't Take It With You 47º Hamlet 46º Titanic 45º Spotlight 44º Million Dollar Baby 43º Forrest Gump 42º Annie Hall 41º Gone With the Wind 40º A Man for All Seasons 39º 12 Years a Slave 38º Patton 37º Rebecca 36º Platoon 35º The Artist 34º The Sting 33º The Departed 32º Marty 31º Moonlight 30º The Sound of Music 29º The Lost Weekend 28º Oppenheimer 27º The Last Emperor 26º Midnight Cowboy 25º Nomadland 24º Birdman 23º The Bridge on the River Kwai 22º The Deer Hunter 21º All About Eve 20º The French Connection 19º All Quiet on the Western Front 18º Ben-Hur 17º The Silence of the Lambs 16º No Country For Old Men 15º Braveheart 14º One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 13º The Apartment 12º Sunrise 11º Unforgiven 10º It Happened One Night 9º On the Waterfront 8º The Godfather 7º The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 6º Amadeus 5º Casablanca 4º Parasite 3º The Godfather Part 2 2º Schindler's List 1º Lawrence of Arabia
Louis: Were you as surprised as I was that there are apparently people who consults on multiple Oscar campaigns in the same season? Seems like a major conflict of interest, to say the least.
Also, which Oscar seasons have been the most enjoyable for you to follow?
No, because studios will have two films competing in the same categories so that isn't truly surprising, in that there's a lot of natural snake eating its own tail. Though it does make one ponder if purposeful bad advice has ever been given.
This one pretty easily, and usually it does indeed have to do with how much I like the films in contention overall, so 2020 was another that was easy, albeit overlong even by overlong awards season standards and of course Parasite with the surprise (and wonderful) upsets it pulled fro 2019. Seasons where I'm not really enthusiastic about much of the potential winners throughout the season are where it gets really long for me like 2021 for example.
Louis: I mean, one of the interviewed strategists were consulting on films from different studios, so I don't think it's a case of a snake eating its own tail, exactly.
Regarding a 70s KOTFM, how do you feel about John Huston as William Hale?
If you know about consulting firms in general not just in the Oscar campaign space, as strange as it is, they can freely consult for competing companies even if that does seem like a problem it's side stepped because theoretically it isn't "their" company or campaign, they're just giving advice...
I'd say Huston's just a little on the nose, given that Noah Cross is very similar.
Anonymous: I think he'd be great in pulling off the first sequence in Hae-sung's 20s, but not sure if he would have the same innate presence for the second half.
I'll admit I paused doing "acting moments" because the types of rankings I probably enjoy doing the least, in fact kind of dislike doing them (in a given year is probably the only time I fully enjoy it...except 73 lead actor), are "best of the best" of all time just because it becomes like parsing really nonexistent differences between great things. But to still give something, I'll give "up to" top three directing moments per film (depending on how much I like the film so I will skip some), although Nolan's a director who has great moments of direction even if I don't love the film.
Memento:
1. The truth about Sammy Jenkins 2. No, he's chasing me. 3. Who am I talking to?
Insomnia:
1. A hint of light 2. Stuck under logs 3. Fog chase
Batman Begins:
1. The first "I'm Batman" 2. You never did learn to mind your surroundings, turn around. 3. Scarecrow gets the upper hand
The Prestige:
1. The Look on their faces 2. Failed tank trick 3. The transported man
The Dark Knight:
1. Bank Robbery 2. Convoy Attack 3. Joker blowing up a hospital
Inception:
1. Hallway Fight 2. Opening sequence 3. Folding World
The Dark Knight Rises:
1. Bane blows up everything 2. Opening 3. Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb.
Interstellar:
1. Docking 2. Black-hole 3. Messages from Home
Dunkirk:
1. Farrier saves the day 2. First Dogfight 3. Opening
Oppenheimer:
1. Ending 2. Trinity 3. Townhall
Anonymous:
He seems far too young for the role honestly, and from everything I've seen him in, he exudes younger than even his actual age. So I have to agree with Tahmeed, definitely would've been right for the college age section but the older section, I think you need the 40 year olds they cast.
Tony:
I mean I'm sure I'll see them at some point.
Ray's story - Good Time (RIP) Drug deal gone wrong - Boogie Nights Three stories - Magnolia Travis's story - Paris, Texas Butler's scene - McCabe & Mrs. Miller Mike Yanagita - Fargo In the trench - All Quiet on the Western Front Rudolph Petersen - Judgment At Nuremberg Sam the Lion's memories - The Last Picture Show Brooks's Story - The Shawshank Redemption
8000's:
Altogether hilarious scene, including the fact that Elwes is a dummy since the scene was that funny, and probably the most ideal cinematic use of Billy Crystal, where his comedic sensibilities are perfect for a one scene like this. And he's genuinely great in playing purely the shyster angle to every little moment, and having the best random asides such as his love for the MLT sandwich and his whole way of downplaying any noble intentions of our heroes. But it only gets funnier when Kane comes in as the scolding wife, particularly with Crystal's "Get Back Witch" as though saying it is the most natural thing possible. But altogether subverting every notion of the wise sage healer character through every second, particularly with the perfect line and delivery of "Have fun storming the castle" and "it would take a miracle".
For the extra challenge decided to limit to sound non-animated films:
1. The Ox-Bow Incident 2. Bride of Frankenstein 3. The Setup 4. Frankenstein 5. The Narrow Margin 6. Simon of the Desert 7. Before Sunset 8. Six Shooter 9. The Music Box 10. The Invisible Man
Anonymous: He gave them here, scroll down to the post he made on April 1st - https://actoroscar.blogspot.com/2020/03/alternate-best-supporting-actor-1996_89.html
Matt: Speaking as a non American, is now really the best time to release a Donald Trump film - with everything going on, with so much of the States' political stability at stake?
Stan looks good and I'm sure he will be good, don't get me wrong. I'm just really questioning the timing/affect of the film.
Matt: That's fair, but then again, Strong's track record in films is not very good and he has some big shoes to fill here, especially since I watched Angels in America not that long ago.
Hot take here, but I thought Strong was kinda great in Armageddon Time. I get the argument he overplayed it at first, but I felt it wasn't THAT overdone, and it made for the second half of his performance to feel all the more shocking in its restraint.
Granted, I'm the only person here who loved Armageddon Time. Or more specifically, it upset me in a good way.
Ytrewq: Yeah, I'd rather someone else be playing him, but I'm still curious. And Angels in America is amazing but obviously they're probably gonna make him a little less symbolic in this.
Other than the ending, where there's a big swing that just didn't work for me, and an act of cruelty that just felt unnecessary, Love Lies Bleeding is largely an antidote to Drive Away Dolls, also a lesbian centered crime thriller of sorts. This one though actually bothers to develop its characters and relationships in an interesting way, and Rose Glass directs with style that invigorates the proceedings at nearly every turn particularly I must the body building competition, except again that ending. Creates through a frequently captivating state of mind that is a remarkable mix between a unique romantic invigoration and horrifying descent, through a plot that does have a few genuine surprises, but more so works in just the way it allows us to examine a most memorable pair of characters at its bleeding heart.
Proval - (I mean he has just a great presence for this kind of role with his dead eyed manner that just has an innate menace to it. He's very effective though in playing really from the outset this certain internalized frustration as he deals with Tony always creating the sense of the man who feels that he's misplaced by having to answer to him. Proval brings this callous disregard towards him if only just enough that slowly builds up throughout the season. What again he's terrific at though is balancing that out with playing other sides in the scenes where there isn't what I would call humanity exactly, but there is some kind of person at least in there as he interacts with Janice, or his moments of sorta defending Adrianna. Proval in these moments does bring not exactly a depth that makes you like him anymore, but does show there are other shades to the guy even if they are not really any less ugly than the rest of him.)
Van Zandt - (His performance is so specific that honestly it would only work with the most precise performance, as proven by John Magaro's truly atrocious attempt to replicate it. Van Zandt's performance though is all about that ultra specific performance where he is a caricature, but he also isn't at the same time because he seems completely authentic within his caricature qualities, which is no small feat. And yes he is very entertaining in his tight lipped constantly very blunt and always intense manner. But more so though what Van Zandt does is being able to utilize some nuance to give a bit more to it, whenever he is called for more like the boat whacking, Van Zandt does deliver on his end, or when he has to talk to Tony about his relationship with Tony B., Van Zandt delivers again. He is always called upon to be more than just hilarious in being so much his type, which again that type in itself is extremely entertaining but whenever he is called upon to do so, including his brief stint as acting boss, he's great.)
I don't have any real thoughts on Capotorto, I think when I originally made the list I probably mistook Little Paulie for Little Carmine.
Turturro - (I mean probably one of the most difficult roles to portray quite honestly because Janice is pretty hard to take, and Turturro doesn't really hide that fact, however that is definitely the point consistently with the character. She's supposed to be grating like Tony's mom and really toxic in so many ways in her behavior that drains everyone. Having said that, Turturro I think does find the right balance in playing the part in which creates this intolerable quality without seeming to just become a caricature in that sense, which is usually the way such roles are played. She is hard to take, but you always see sort of the sense of the broken psyche of the woman behind so much of it, as going for really the negative emotion every time she can. The moments where we see her segue towards her worst elements, Turturro brings that quiet real unease and really traumatic life behind it, such as when we see her kill, or when Tony purposefully and joyfully pushes to set her off. Turturro doesn't make Janice likable, but she shows where all that behavior comes from deep down in that terrible well that defines her.)
Eh, I wasn't really buying Skarsgard in the role from this look, and to me looked a little too influenced by John Wick, making it wholly generic, with just some sprinkles of the original Crow that don't add up to much. Arcadian got less interesting the more the trailer went on, as I liked the atmosphere at first, then it progressively got dumber.
Tahmeed:
Pretty great as basically this slightly refined explanation that in real time quickly devolves into the initial description of the attention seeking child, by basically gradually becoming a screed where the song becomes less and less of an actual song and more of this mental breakdown/tantrum.
Jonathan Williams:
Give me time to research that one.
Matt:
I think young Trump is probably the better way to approach the subject, since it creates a natural distance which is so difficult at the current venture, and it will be I think potentially easier for Stan not to be just a parody, which is nearly impossible with Trump, but also perhaps in a way have something more cogent to say because of that certain separation allowed. Having said that, few non-English language directors successfully make the switch (including someone like Bergman), so that does leave some pause.
Well this is weird: https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3804505/little-shop-of-halloween-horrors-joe-dante-directing-horror-movie-written-by-gremlins-2-writer/
The interrogation in Kiss Kiss, is one of the funniest scenes, from doing the "badass" bullet removal as though he knows exactly what he's doing to immediately killing the guy via his bad math, then Kilmer's whole reaction of disbelief and befuddlement, all is just a hilarious flow of essentially subverting the "tough guy" interrogation to just botched ridiculousness.
One of the scenes where you have most actors it wouldn't work, as Rockwell can do that manic energy in a way that is endearing rather than annoying as he announces his proud accomplishment of basically forcing the climax of the film. With again, not Farrell's biggest stretch with McDonagh but proper straight-man work in his realistic frustration, then Walken is perfect in his deadpan repetition of great.
Great comedic chemistry between the two, as is consistent, and Crowe really is great by playing Jackson so straight in the moment in just doing what he's going to do while Gosling is hilariously all over the place, especially his child at a dentist like stubbornness as he doesn't want to give out his arm to get it broken.
Anonymous:
Kind of need to broach spoilers with most, so wait on that.
Robert:
interesting, could very well be terrible in the end, but do love that Corman is still producing.
Anonymous:
The screenplay that takes a book, that basically is the joke of the film, that the film isn't, in that it is ridiculous for one man to just blindly wander through important events in history while unrealistically leveling up at every turn, which the book plays into that as a joke, which the film takes seriously. And what is Roth's screenplay, it is in part just this progression through history where basically it is a series of gags, which makes up much of the film and is the progression of that, and really I think what probably created the level of appeal the film garnered. Where I think many perhaps mistook, later trying to create an interpretation of Forrest's life as a "what it all means". It really doesn't mean anything, of being part of the establishment or not, it just is a way to, despite the nature of some of the events, have fun ping ponging around history. Which I think is summarized by the speech in the D.C. scene, where Forrest ends up not saying anything to the audience, and pretty much sums up the film in terms of any political intention. And in a way shows its shortcomings because it really is just this nostalgic run through life, as again, something like his long run, what does that mean? I don't think much of anything as a screenplay even if it is successful in its travelogue through recent history, if in a perfunctory entertainment way. But where the film succeeds, and not in a way I love, but this falls into a film where I don't love the film, but I do get why people love it. Basically setting up the tearjerker moments, of Forrest and his mom, who don't speak to great depth, but hey everyone cares about their destiny. Or with Jenny, where it glosses over some real trauma and problems, but hey as long as there's a happy sad ending who cares. Or Lt. Dan who goes from the pits of despair to a self-actualized man. I don't think any one of these journeys find truth, but what it does is create efficient emotional stakes, structured effectively, and produce the intended impact. I personally don't love it or often like it, but it is easy to see the appeal of it in the screenplay...even if there is an artifice and a razor thin quality to much of it.
8000's:
Well it is hard to bet against Hayden the 6'5'' legit secret agent.
I'll have to pass, because the academy actually typically doesn't get all four wrong, 04's probably the worst but almost every other year is typically saved by half or at least one.
Tahmeed:
The scene really is interesting as you get probably Mark at his most vulnerable and human, where you see in Eisenberg's performance he genuinely does want to apologize in the moment, though Erica isn't having it from what he did, and the words from her though definitely Sorkinese, work and actually perhaps were even more meaningful after the film than before it. And while it is a relatively more subdued role for her Mara does make the most of it she can, with portraying the indignation towards what Mark did, though with a bit of a knife twist in her dismissive accentuation of "Good luck with your video game."
Well it's from act two of Steve Jobs, so that means it is pretty great. And I think the watch use is a great easy to understand illustration of sort of what the two Steves bring, as one sees the value of the technology, while the other sees the very practical weakness of it, before getting into the actual conversation between the man who became famous off the other man's work. And doing so in a way that is funny but also streamlined. The rest of the scene is what Sorkin does best, when he's on, and he's on in this scene in doing a rundown of a ton of information with going through the history of Jobs's accomplishments though intertwined with that progressing plot of the current situation all mixed in with the friendship being behind it all. And I think it is a great scene for Fassbender where you get sort of the pompous ease of the man's ego as as notes Wozniak's "free pass" at first, as the grandmind, despite Wozniak always saying it straight played properly without ego by Rogan, but with empathy. But Fassbender subverting that side of Jobs beautifully in his final line delivery of sadly acknowledging Wozniak's words as truth, but still in a way that weirdly strokes his ego.
I mean if Howerton is yelling a scene will always be great, and works as such in just playing that ire for all its worth in just wanting the problem solved immediately. Although the scene though naturally works as well in reinforcing the two sides of sort of tech versus capitalism as Lazaridis trying to look at it from the tech side has no place in Balsillie's whole mindset that is just to sell more, though in the scheme of the film you actually do entirely understand his point as reinforced by that very line.
Tony:
1. Goodfellas 2. Silence 3. The Wolf of Wall Street 4. The Irishman 5. The Last Temptation of Christ 6. Raging Bull 7. The Departed 8. After Hours 9. The Age of Innocence 10. Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore 11. Shutter Island 12. Taxi Driver 13. Killers of the Flower Moon 14. Gangs of New York 15. The King of Comedy 16. Casino 17. Hugo 18. The Aviator 19. Kundun 20. Bringing Out the Dead 21.Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese 22. Who's That Knocking at My Door 23. The Color of Money 24. New York New York 25. Cape Fear
RIP David Seidler, the most deserving winner of The King Speech's wins, and underrated work for Tucker.
Kundun I think was well shot (naturally with the Scorsese/Deakins combo), but just *fine* in kind of an overly straightforward prestige approach that seemed frankly a little safe for Scorsese.
Rolling Thunder is weird, as Scorsese doing his own F is For Fake really, but doing the last act of that film as a feature length experiment as it really isn't a documentary it just uses the techniques of one. And honestly I wasn't sure what to make of it entirely the first time I watched it, which is also the only time. It's one maybe I should give another shot, because it is certainly an experiment...but that's the most I can say of it at this time.
1. Pierre Brasseur 2. Laird Cregar 3. Danny Kaye 4. Errol Flynn 5. Roger Livesey
Louis: Are you planning on posting any more top 25s for years already covered here or on your letterboxd in the near future, or are you taking a break from that? And if you are, how often would you be open to requests for that?
Louis: Which actors and actresses do you think have the largest differences in terms of the quality of their very best and their very worst performances?
I'll still do them, but I'd say as a once a month type thing.
Ytrewq:
If you mean wrong performances in the same year:
Ian Bannen - Flight of the Phoenix (The Hill) Robert De Niro - Awakenings (Goodfellas) Dennis Hopper - Hoosiers (Blue Velvet)...despite being good in Hoosiers. Maximilian Schell - Julia (Cross of Iron) Christian Bale - American Hustle (Out of the Furnace) Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl (Ex Machina) James Stewart - The Philadelphia Story (The Shop Around the Corner) Ingrid Bergman - For Whom The Bell Tolls (Casablanca) Charles Durning - The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Tootsie) Yul Brynner - The King and I (The Ten Commandments)
Marcus:
Sean Penn John Wayne Gregory Peck Fredric March Orson Welles Marlon Brando Rod Steiger Richard Burton Leonardo DiCaprio Bette Davis Jodie Foster Julianne Moore Amy Adams Kate Winslet Diane Lane Scarlett Johansson
Louis: Which of your personal categories do you normally exclude docufiction films from? (if you exclude them at all, generally). I saw Abbas Kiarostami's "Close-Up" recently, and given how much that films blends reality and fiction, including recreating events with the actual people involved, also had me questioning what my own rule is in those cases.
I'd say it's case by case situation for me, particularly with how unique such films can be. And I wouldn't say there is an obvious answer, for example I didn't include Pacino and crew for Looking for Richard, because it's a hybrid, even though there are performance scenes, it is also more often doc, and when it gets too tricky I tend to not include.
125 comments:
1. Cregar
2. Brasseur
3. Livesey
4. Flynn
5. Kaye
Mildred Pierce (Re-Watch)
Dead Of Night
The Picture Of Dorian Gray
Blithe Spirit
The Way To The Stars
Les Dames Du Bois De Boulogne
The Wicked Lady
Pride Of The Marines
Fallen Angel
Isle Of The Dead
My Name Is Julia Ross
The Southerner
Love Letters
The Valley Of Decision
The Enchanted Cottage
Perfect Strangers
Pink String And Sealing Wax
Paris Frills
Ziegfeld Follies
The Woman In Green
State Fair
Cornered
A Royal Scandal
A Walk In The Sun
The Last Chance
Our Vines Have Tender Grapes
Rhapsody In Blue
Strange Confession
Lady On A Train
The House Of Fear
Road To Utopia
Without Love
The Strange Affair Of Uncle Harry
Dillinger
Confidential Agent
Along Came Jones
Kitty
San Antonio
The Naughty Nineties
The Affairs Of Susan
Strange Illusion
The Great Flamarion
Yolanda And The Thief
Blood On The Sun
Danger Signal
The Horn Blows At Midnight
Pillow To Post
Louis how would you rank tonight's winners?
Luke, thoughts on the Oscar wins
More or less delighted overall.
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the Under The Red Hood cast.
1. Cregar
2. Brasseur
3. Flynn
4. Livesey
5. Kaye
Happy with the Oppenheimer wins, especially Nolan and Murphy.
What a great night for film awards.
1. Brasseur
2. Livesey
3. Cregar
4. Kaye
5. Flynn
Anonymous:
Poor Things (Production Design)
Oppenheimer (Picture)
Emma Stone
Cillian Murphy
Oppenheimer (Editing)
Poor Things (Makeup)
Poor Things (Costumes)
Robert Downey Jr.
Oppenheimer (Cinematography)
The Boy and the Heron
Godzilla Minus One
Da'Vine Joy Randolph
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
"What Was I Made For"
The Zone of Interest
Anatomy of a Fall
American Fiction
Razor thin margins between the top 9. Just a fantastic set of winners.
I have seen 20 Days in Mariupol, but it falls into an "out of competition" type of doc for me.
I'll do my predictions when I've seen these. And yeah great choices tonight all around.
Louis: thoughts on Binoche and Magimel in The Taste of Things? So glad you liked it, and I'm sad that it got so much vitriol this awards season for something that was completely out of its control.
1. Cregar
2. Brasseur
3. Livesey
4. Flynn
5. Kaye
Calvin: He gave them on the previous post.
Oh and thoughts on Tran Anh Hung's direction (which now that you've seen all the Cannes winners, I think we can agree they made some great choices across the board).
1. Cregar
2. Brasseur
3. Livesey
4. Flynn
5. Kaye
Louis: Louis: Your favorite single-episode performance by each of the main cast members of Barry?
Louis: Your rankings of the last ten Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress winners?
Happy Oppenheimer did so well, need to catch up on 2023 films real bad. For someone who saw Batman Begins when they 10, and genuinely had their life changed by The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan finally getting his moment fills me with pure joy.
Also, I loved the little Tony Stark salute to the crowd Downey did when he won.
Louis: I'm not asking you if you've finished any of them, but how far along are you on the recommended shows?
Additionally - were there any other nominated films tonight aside from 20 Days that you saw but didn't log on Letterboxd? If there were any you haven't seen, do you have some interest in seeing any of them or will you just be moving entirely onto 1945 for now?
Louis: Your thoughts on this scene https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-JnyDzS-wEQ
Didn't watch the ceremony, but I'm very happy to see the results, especially the wins on behalf of acting branch, Oppenheimer and Poor Things. Overall 2023 was a really enjoyable year to explore, hope this trend continues.
1. Cregar
2. Brasseur
3. Flynn
4. Kaye
5. Livesey
1.Brasseur
2.Cregar
3.Kaye
4.Livesey
5.Flynn
Luke, your rating predictions
Cregar - 5
Brasseur - 5
Livesey - 4.5 (Hiller a 5)
Flynn - 4.5
Kaye - 4.5
Louis: Did you prefer Zimmer's score in Dune Part 2 over 1.
Louis, your top 10 Emma Stone perfomances?
1. Cregar
2. Brasseur
3. Flynn
4. Livesey
5. Kaye
Louis: I look forward to getting your thoughts on Hedgehog in the Fog on Friday. It's one of the all-time great animated short films.
It feels so weird seeing two of my winning requests in this lineup lol.
Great choice deciding to review Brasseur as well.
1. Cregar
2. Brasseur
3. Livesey
4. Kaye
5. Flynn
Second year in a row I enjoyed the Oscars, perhaps the horrendous ceremony with the Will Smith Slap created some sort of time warp where the Oscars are actually decent to watch again. I thought last years was better but this was fine.
Maestro losing everything is so funny hahaha.
Jimmy Kimmel has hosted 4 times now and actually..has been solid in 3 of them now, the only one I thought he was meh in was the follow-up year to his great 2017 ceremony featuring the Best Picture debacle.
The in memoriam, it's so frustrating because at first, it was working, when they started showing actual clips of some of the actors/directors but then it started doing the old nonsense of just still images while an overbearing performance plays and the camera barely shows the mentions, so annoying.
RatedRStar: BAFTA always get it right.
On the UK side of things, Jonathan Ross actually did a fine job presenting, I do like that he and the OK panel actually did criticise the odd film, such as saying that Bradley Cooper had crocodile tears during his campaigning for Maestro.
Luke: They really do.
Luke: Baftas should be better than what they are to watch, I mean, for every great in memoriam they do they have an awful skit like Nick Mohammed doing his grating shtick.
I actually think John Cena would make a decent host for an awards ceremony, he has comedic timing and charisma in spades.
or have Ryan Gosling pull a Hugh Jackman type host.
Louis: Are there any notable TV shows you followed closely but have never discussed in-depth on here?
Louis: thoughts on the trailer for The First Omen?
1. Laird Cregar
2. Pierre Brasseur
3. Roger Livesey
4. Danny Kaye
5. Errol Flynn
RatedRStar: I feel like John Mulaney was giving his audition to host The Oscars in his one bit, and I'd personally give him the callback.
Last night was the first time since “The Artist” where a film won Picture, Director AND Leading Actor. The first time since “Ben Hur” where a film won those three AND Supporting Actor.
Calvin:
The direction is very much the key to the film, which is actually a very strong hand if done in a way that seems very modest. The overarching approach is one just to entrench us into location, with such a strong environmental sense of place with the gorgeous cinematography emphasizing that sense with such splendor, that you do feel like you too are longing around in the scenic gardens. His direction of the moments of the actors are relatively straightforward though consistent in just framing conversations as we are sort of also lounging around in the room and listening in, and giving appropriate, if almost casual, time for the actors to explore their roles. But the centerpiece of the direction and the film is the direction of the food making. Which in part is just making the most delicious looking meals, photographed to accentuate every color, but even more so is the attention to detail of the preparation, with every sound, every movement, every sort of accentuation of what makes the meal the perfect meal crafts together such captivating and well scrumptious detail. I think key though is both performances as well, and what we see in their work in the meal prep, and eating, where you see dedication and love in equal measure which goes beyond just the meals.
And yes, those were a set of strong choices from CANNES.
Anonymous:
Actor:
1. Anthony Hopkins - The Father
2. Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer
3. Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea
4. Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant
5. Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour
6. Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything
7. Brendan Fraser - The Whale
8. Joaquin Phoenix - Joker
9. Rami Malek - Bohemian Rhapsody
10. Will Smith - King Richard
Actress:
1. Emma Stone - Poor Things
2. Olivia Colman - The Favourite
3. Frances McDormand - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
4. Michelle Yeoh - Everything Everywhere All At Once
5. Emma Stone - La La Land
6. Frances McDormand - Nomadland
7. Brie Larson- Room
8. Julianne Moore - Still Alice
9. Jessica Chastain - The Eyes of Tammy Faye
10. Renee Zellweger - Judy
Supporting Actor:
1. Ke Huy Quan - Everything Everywhere All At Once
2. Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri
3. Robert Downey Jr. - Oppenheimer
4. J.K. Simmons - Whiplash
5. Marhershala Ali - Moonlight
6. Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies
7. Daniel Kaluuya - Judas and the Black Messiah
8. Brad Pitt - Once Upon A Time in Hollywood
9. Troy Kotsur - CODA
10. Mahershala Ali - Green Book
Supporting Actress:
1. Youn Yuh-jung - Minari
2. Ariana DeBose - West Side Story
3. Alison Janney - I, Tonya
4. Viola Davis - Fences
5. Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers
6. Regina King - If Beale Street Could Talk
7. Jamie Lee Curtis - Everything Everywhere All At Once
8. Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl
9. Laura Dern - Marriage Story
10. Patricia Arquette - Boyhood
Anonymous:
I tried, but honestly the episodes kind of merged together for the most part so it has become a bit hard to parse out.
Tony:
No, I did not have time for them, once we reach the Oscars, I move on.
There were no others.
Luke:
Greenwood - 3.5(Thinking about it, he would've been a great Batman in the 80's, as he has the right look and combination between physique and sort of that trustworthy "good guy" appearance. Anyway, definitely working with the Conroy mold, but not just trying to ape it in an obvious way. Brings the right sort of natural intensity that delivers that Dark Knight sort of bluntness you want, but in his own way that balanced a certain degree of more humanity at times. Something that the movie only can do so much with, but he explores it well with what he has.)
Ackles - 3.5(I mean fine in bringing the needed sort of angry intensity of someone both filled with anger and having something to prove. His performance I wouldn't say quite goes beyond so to speak, but he keeps the character from just being hot air as well.)
Harris - 3(Gets sidelined as the movie progresses, but I liked his Grayson, bringing the right sort of casual confidence and more happy-go-lucky manner.)
DiMaggio - 2(Found his Joker pretty lackluster, just a weak imitation of Hamill in my book, without really accentuating the right parts either to create something that at least apes Hamill in a good way, nor does he bother to do his own thing.)
I'd need more time with the Dune 2 score to decide that.
Antony:
1. Poor Things
2. The Favourite
3. The Curse
4. La La Land
5. Maniac
6. The Battle of the Sexes
7. Birdman
8. Easy A
9. Cruella
10. The Amazing Spider-man 2 (I guess, I look forward to Kind of Kindness replacing this...though Lanthimos' back as the co-writer does have me concerned.)
Anonymous:
I mean kind of a capitalization for Hauser really being over his pay grade after playing such a ridiculous character in notion, who I would say is entirely love/hate in his absurd nature, and here though you get more of an actual depth to the character within his fears and wants that Hauser manages to articulate well in his performance and give the silly character some actual depth.
Tony:
I mean nothing that didn't get a mention on my tv lists.
Anonymous:
Hmmm, I think it could easily go into just random jump scares in a progression to an obvious foretold ending, therefore a "not for me" horror film if that's the case. Though seems to have a decent visual aesthetic and I'll certainly take Ralph Ineson doing exposition. I just wonder if they're will be an actual characters here, or just pawns to be knocked down.
Louis: What do you think could have caused BAFTA going 0/4 last year with the acting Oscars, to basically calling most of the awards (including Stone over Gladstone).
Louis: *most of the awards this year, is what I intended to write.
Marcus: When it comes to the technical categories, I feel genuine passion was the main driving factor, a la Poor Things's tech sweep, Godzilla's win, etc. I personally predicted Barbie for Production Design, and I was super glad to get that wrong.
I also think the international block helped Stone the same way it did Murphy, as KOFTM is ostensibly an American story. Gladstone's not making it there should have been much larger cause for doubt in hindsight, as practically the same thing happened to Mulligan for Promising Young Woman.
Louis: Damn, that was an anticlimactic answer, I was hoping to get your thoughts on Boardwalk Empire season 1. Can I ask, how far along are you on The Goes Wrong Show, then? I think that was the only TV rec you checked out.
Also, can I get your take on this article about Oscar season from last year? https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/08/magazine/oscars-campaign.html
Marcus:
To be as cynical as possible, it might've been all about when voting began. Last year voting began right after the SAG awards, this year, the voting had already begun, so the "last voice" could still be a thing, but this year the voice would've been mixed between BAFTA and SAG due to when voting opened.
But to be less cynical you could also say there was definitely a disconnect with BAFTA voters from EEAO, and an intense love for it from the Academy, which might've been the reason.
Tony:
I have not continued to watch it, with TV recs, I try to give the show a couple episodes, but I won't necessarily watch the whole season, if I'm not loving the show. Next year I probably will give preference to the more frequent commentors's requests first, rather than just going in order.
I don't have access to the article.
Louis: Does this archived version of the article work for you? https://archive.is/Sw9iA
Tony:
Outlines the whole idea of the Oscar campaign and really the ridiculousness of it, all around Riseborough's nomination which played the game a slightly different way, though not unprecedented, as they failed to mention Sally Kirkland did something similar for her Anna nomination. Although one does wonder if the results would be all that different these days particularly, without the campaigns, given that no longer are critically derided films nominated, and there are plenty of campaigns that flop completely (The Color Purple) so the work itself definitely does matter to the whole process.
My mega rankings of :
Lead Actress = https://letterboxd.com/brazinterma/list/mega-ranking-oscar-lead-actress-atriz-protagonista/
Lead Actor = https://letterboxd.com/brazinterma/list/mega-ranking-oscar-lead-actor-ator-protagonista/
And finally the mega ranking of best picture:
97º Cimarron
96º The Great Ziegfeld
95º The Broadway Melody
94º Crash
93º Gigi
92º The Greatest Show on Earth
91º Mrs. Miniver
90º Cavalcade
89º Chicago
88º Tom Jones
87º Out of Africa
86º The English Patient
85º The King's Speech
84º Shakespeare in Love
83º Driving Miss Daisy
82º Gentleman's Agreement
81º Slumdog Millionaire
80º Green Book
79º Oliver!
78º CODA
77º American Beauty
76º Going My Way
75º Grand Hotel
74º Around the World in 80 Days
73º Ordinary People
72º Dances With Wolves
71º The Life of Emile Zola
70º My Fair Lady
69º Gandhi
68º Mutiny on the Bounty
67º Terms of Endearment
66º All the King's Men
65º An American in Paris
64º How Green Was My Valley
63º Rain Man
62º Everything Everywhere All at Once
61º Kramer vs Kramer
60º Chariots of Fire
59º Argo
58º A Beautiful Mind
57º Wings
56º FromHere to Eternity
55º Rocky
54º The Shape of Water
53º The Hurt Locker
52º The Best Years of Our Lives
51º West Side Story
50º In the Heat of the Night
49º Gladiator
48º You Can't Take It With You
47º Hamlet
46º Titanic
45º Spotlight
44º Million Dollar Baby
43º Forrest Gump
42º Annie Hall
41º Gone With the Wind
40º A Man for All Seasons
39º 12 Years a Slave
38º Patton
37º Rebecca
36º Platoon
35º The Artist
34º The Sting
33º The Departed
32º Marty
31º Moonlight
30º The Sound of Music
29º The Lost Weekend
28º Oppenheimer
27º The Last Emperor
26º Midnight Cowboy
25º Nomadland
24º Birdman
23º The Bridge on the River Kwai
22º The Deer Hunter
21º All About Eve
20º The French Connection
19º All Quiet on the Western Front
18º Ben-Hur
17º The Silence of the Lambs
16º No Country For Old Men
15º Braveheart
14º One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
13º The Apartment
12º Sunrise
11º Unforgiven
10º It Happened One Night
9º On the Waterfront
8º The Godfather
7º The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
6º Amadeus
5º Casablanca
4º Parasite
3º The Godfather Part 2
2º Schindler's List
1º Lawrence of Arabia
Louis: Were you as surprised as I was that there are apparently people who consults on multiple Oscar campaigns in the same season? Seems like a major conflict of interest, to say the least.
Also, which Oscar seasons have been the most enjoyable for you to follow?
Tony:
No, because studios will have two films competing in the same categories so that isn't truly surprising, in that there's a lot of natural snake eating its own tail. Though it does make one ponder if purposeful bad advice has ever been given.
This one pretty easily, and usually it does indeed have to do with how much I like the films in contention overall, so 2020 was another that was easy, albeit overlong even by overlong awards season standards and of course Parasite with the surprise (and wonderful) upsets it pulled fro 2019. Seasons where I'm not really enthusiastic about much of the potential winners throughout the season are where it gets really long for me like 2021 for example.
Brazinterma: i`ve said it before and i`ll say it again: Shakespeare in Love is a goddamn masterpiece. Rocky is way too low too.
we can thoroughly discuss all the other ones (that i`ve seen) if you will, but i`ll stand behind those two!!!!
Louis: For a 70's Killers of the Flower Moon, what do you think of Mitchum as William King Hale?
Curiously, Scorsese did watch Blood on the Moon (in which Mitchum stars in) for inspiration for KOTFM.
Louis: I mean, one of the interviewed strategists were consulting on films from different studios, so I don't think it's a case of a snake eating its own tail, exactly.
Regarding a 70s KOTFM, how do you feel about John Huston as William Hale?
8000's:
A natural fit.
Tony:
If you know about consulting firms in general not just in the Oscar campaign space, as strange as it is, they can freely consult for competing companies even if that does seem like a problem it's side stepped because theoretically it isn't "their" company or campaign, they're just giving advice...
I'd say Huston's just a little on the nose, given that Noah Cross is very similar.
Tim: It's okay if you like it, it's just the film that hasn't impacted me yet.
1. Brasseur
2. Cregar
3. Livesey
4. Flynn
5. Kaye
Louis: Your top 10 Christopher Nolan directing moments?
Louis: how do you think Choi Woo-shik would’ve fared as Hae-sung in Past Lives (he was the original casting choice)
Anonymous: I think he'd be great in pulling off the first sequence in Hae-sung's 20s, but not sure if he would have the same innate presence for the second half.
Louis: Any interest in seeing Problemista and I Saw the TV Glow?
1. Brasseur
2. Cregar
3. Livesey
4. Kaye
5. Flynn
Louis: Top 10 film scenes you think work as self-contained short films?
Louis: Your thoughts on the "mostly dead" scene in The Princess Bride.
Luke, who do you predict to win Best Supporting Actress as it's clear to me that Milland, Johnson and Dunn are keeping their wins.
Anonymous: I'll go with Margaret Rutherford in Blithe Spirit.
Marcus:
I'll admit I paused doing "acting moments" because the types of rankings I probably enjoy doing the least, in fact kind of dislike doing them (in a given year is probably the only time I fully enjoy it...except 73 lead actor), are "best of the best" of all time just because it becomes like parsing really nonexistent differences between great things. But to still give something, I'll give "up to" top three directing moments per film (depending on how much I like the film so I will skip some), although Nolan's a director who has great moments of direction even if I don't love the film.
Memento:
1. The truth about Sammy Jenkins
2. No, he's chasing me.
3. Who am I talking to?
Insomnia:
1. A hint of light
2. Stuck under logs
3. Fog chase
Batman Begins:
1. The first "I'm Batman"
2. You never did learn to mind your surroundings, turn around.
3. Scarecrow gets the upper hand
The Prestige:
1. The Look on their faces
2. Failed tank trick
3. The transported man
The Dark Knight:
1. Bank Robbery
2. Convoy Attack
3. Joker blowing up a hospital
Inception:
1. Hallway Fight
2. Opening sequence
3. Folding World
The Dark Knight Rises:
1. Bane blows up everything
2. Opening
3. Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb.
Interstellar:
1. Docking
2. Black-hole
3. Messages from Home
Dunkirk:
1. Farrier saves the day
2. First Dogfight
3. Opening
Oppenheimer:
1. Ending
2. Trinity
3. Townhall
Anonymous:
He seems far too young for the role honestly, and from everything I've seen him in, he exudes younger than even his actual age. So I have to agree with Tahmeed, definitely would've been right for the college age section but the older section, I think you need the 40 year olds they cast.
Tony:
I mean I'm sure I'll see them at some point.
Ray's story - Good Time (RIP)
Drug deal gone wrong - Boogie Nights
Three stories - Magnolia
Travis's story - Paris, Texas
Butler's scene - McCabe & Mrs. Miller
Mike Yanagita - Fargo
In the trench - All Quiet on the Western Front
Rudolph Petersen - Judgment At Nuremberg
Sam the Lion's memories - The Last Picture Show
Brooks's Story - The Shawshank Redemption
8000's:
Altogether hilarious scene, including the fact that Elwes is a dummy since the scene was that funny, and probably the most ideal cinematic use of Billy Crystal, where his comedic sensibilities are perfect for a one scene like this. And he's genuinely great in playing purely the shyster angle to every little moment, and having the best random asides such as his love for the MLT sandwich and his whole way of downplaying any noble intentions of our heroes. But it only gets funnier when Kane comes in as the scolding wife, particularly with Crystal's "Get Back Witch" as though saying it is the most natural thing possible. But altogether subverting every notion of the wise sage healer character through every second, particularly with the perfect line and delivery of "Have fun storming the castle" and "it would take a miracle".
Louis: what are your 10 favorite films that are less than 80 minutes long?
Lucas:
For the extra challenge decided to limit to sound non-animated films:
1. The Ox-Bow Incident
2. Bride of Frankenstein
3. The Setup
4. Frankenstein
5. The Narrow Margin
6. Simon of the Desert
7. Before Sunset
8. Six Shooter
9. The Music Box
10. The Invisible Man
Louis: Your thoughts on these Sopranos performances?
David Proval
Steven van Zandt
Carl Capotorto (mainly because I'm surprised how high he is in your ranking of the cast)
Aida Turturro
New to this blog. Can I get your top 10 male lead performances from 90s, Louis?
Anonymous: He gave them here, scroll down to the post he made on April 1st - https://actoroscar.blogspot.com/2020/03/alternate-best-supporting-actor-1996_89.html
5º Errol Flynn
4º Danny Kaye
3º Roger Livesey
2º Pierre Brasseur
1º Laird Cregar
Louis: thoughts on the trailers for The Crow and Arcadian?
Louis: Your thoughts on this performance of "Art is Dead" by Bo Burnham?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le0vB1TgOjw&ab_channel=FunVoid
Louis: Are there any animated films this year that you may have an interest in.
Louis: Your ten best songs that didn't receive an Oscar nomination.
Luke, who are your acting wins
How are we feeling about the potential for The Apprentice starring Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump and Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn?
Murphy
Stone
Ruffalo (I'm going back and forth between him and De Niro)
Foy
Matt: Despite the abhorring subject matter I'm kinda hyped for this, though maybe not so much in case of Strong.
Ytrewq: See, the thing is, Roy Cohn is MUCH more interesting than Trump is, just on a basic level, and I'm curious to see what Strong does with him.
Younger Trump is a good role for Sebastian Stan, but I also hope to see Jeremy Strong fully deliver in a film role.
Matt: Speaking as a non American, is now really the best time to release a Donald Trump film - with everything going on, with so much of the States' political stability at stake?
Stan looks good and I'm sure he will be good, don't get me wrong. I'm just really questioning the timing/affect of the film.
Louis: Side question here...thoughts on the following comedic scenes?
Failed interrogation - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
That's just great - Seven Psychopaths
Jackson's message to Holland - The Nice Guys
Matt: That's fair, but then again, Strong's track record in films is not very good and he has some big shoes to fill here, especially since I watched Angels in America not that long ago.
Hot take here, but I thought Strong was kinda great in Armageddon Time. I get the argument he overplayed it at first, but I felt it wasn't THAT overdone, and it made for the second half of his performance to feel all the more shocking in its restraint.
Granted, I'm the only person here who loved Armageddon Time. Or more specifically, it upset me in a good way.
Ytrewq: Yeah, I'd rather someone else be playing him, but I'm still curious. And Angels in America is amazing but obviously they're probably gonna make him a little less symbolic in this.
Mitchell: At this point we're so fucked politically that releasing it probably won't even be a flash in the pan.
I actually still haven't seen Armageddon Time, but I'm a big James Gray fan.
Robert: Fair enough. Just know if things really turn sour, you more than welcome here as far as I'm concerned.
Oh, and tell SCOTUS that they can get bent.
I probably won't be able to get around to seeing Objective, Burma! just yet but I'll just drop my predictions anyway
1. Cregar
2. Brasseur
3. Livesey
4. Flynn
5. Kaye
1. Cregar
2. Brasseur
3. Livesy
4. Flynn
5. Kaye
1. Cregar
2. Brasseur
3. Livesey
4. Flynn
5. Kaye
Tony Kim: Yeah, but I imagine there might be some changes considering both Pearce and Crowe, and even Duvall are now ranked above Hall.
Louis, your ranking for last 10 winners of Alternate Best Actor?
Louis: Actually lol I had forgotten I technically had 3 requests for 1945 if you remember your......investigation.
Other than the ending, where there's a big swing that just didn't work for me, and an act of cruelty that just felt unnecessary, Love Lies Bleeding is largely an antidote to Drive Away Dolls, also a lesbian centered crime thriller of sorts. This one though actually bothers to develop its characters and relationships in an interesting way, and Rose Glass directs with style that invigorates the proceedings at nearly every turn particularly I must the body building competition, except again that ending. Creates through a frequently captivating state of mind that is a remarkable mix between a unique romantic invigoration and horrifying descent, through a plot that does have a few genuine surprises, but more so works in just the way it allows us to examine a most memorable pair of characters at its bleeding heart.
Stewart - 4.5
O'Brian - 4.5
Harris - 4
Malone - 3
Baryshnikov - 4
Franco - 3
Tony:
Proval - (I mean he has just a great presence for this kind of role with his dead eyed manner that just has an innate menace to it. He's very effective though in playing really from the outset this certain internalized frustration as he deals with Tony always creating the sense of the man who feels that he's misplaced by having to answer to him. Proval brings this callous disregard towards him if only just enough that slowly builds up throughout the season. What again he's terrific at though is balancing that out with playing other sides in the scenes where there isn't what I would call humanity exactly, but there is some kind of person at least in there as he interacts with Janice, or his moments of sorta defending Adrianna. Proval in these moments does bring not exactly a depth that makes you like him anymore, but does show there are other shades to the guy even if they are not really any less ugly than the rest of him.)
Van Zandt - (His performance is so specific that honestly it would only work with the most precise performance, as proven by John Magaro's truly atrocious attempt to replicate it. Van Zandt's performance though is all about that ultra specific performance where he is a caricature, but he also isn't at the same time because he seems completely authentic within his caricature qualities, which is no small feat. And yes he is very entertaining in his tight lipped constantly very blunt and always intense manner. But more so though what Van Zandt does is being able to utilize some nuance to give a bit more to it, whenever he is called for more like the boat whacking, Van Zandt does deliver on his end, or when he has to talk to Tony about his relationship with Tony B., Van Zandt delivers again. He is always called upon to be more than just hilarious in being so much his type, which again that type in itself is extremely entertaining but whenever he is called upon to do so, including his brief stint as acting boss, he's great.)
I don't have any real thoughts on Capotorto, I think when I originally made the list I probably mistook Little Paulie for Little Carmine.
Turturro - (I mean probably one of the most difficult roles to portray quite honestly because Janice is pretty hard to take, and Turturro doesn't really hide that fact, however that is definitely the point consistently with the character. She's supposed to be grating like Tony's mom and really toxic in so many ways in her behavior that drains everyone. Having said that, Turturro I think does find the right balance in playing the part in which creates this intolerable quality without seeming to just become a caricature in that sense, which is usually the way such roles are played. She is hard to take, but you always see sort of the sense of the broken psyche of the woman behind so much of it, as going for really the negative emotion every time she can. The moments where we see her segue towards her worst elements, Turturro brings that quiet real unease and really traumatic life behind it, such as when we see her kill, or when Tony purposefully and joyfully pushes to set her off. Turturro doesn't make Janice likable, but she shows where all that behavior comes from deep down in that terrible well that defines her.)
Louis: Thoughts on the Love Lies Bleeding cast?
Anonymous:
Eh, I wasn't really buying Skarsgard in the role from this look, and to me looked a little too influenced by John Wick, making it wholly generic, with just some sprinkles of the original Crow that don't add up to much.
Arcadian got less interesting the more the trailer went on, as I liked the atmosphere at first, then it progressively got dumber.
Tahmeed:
Pretty great as basically this slightly refined explanation that in real time quickly devolves into the initial description of the attention seeking child, by basically gradually becoming a screed where the song becomes less and less of an actual song and more of this mental breakdown/tantrum.
Jonathan Williams:
Give me time to research that one.
Matt:
I think young Trump is probably the better way to approach the subject, since it creates a natural distance which is so difficult at the current venture, and it will be I think potentially easier for Stan not to be just a parody, which is nearly impossible with Trump, but also perhaps in a way have something more cogent to say because of that certain separation allowed. Having said that, few non-English language directors successfully make the switch (including someone like Bergman), so that does leave some pause.
Well this is weird: https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3804505/little-shop-of-halloween-horrors-joe-dante-directing-horror-movie-written-by-gremlins-2-writer/
Louis: Your thoughts on the screenplay of Forrest Gump
Louis: Who do you think would win in a fight, Lawrence Tierney or Sterling Hayden?
Luke:
Vaguely interested in the LOTR animated film.
Mitchell:
The interrogation in Kiss Kiss, is one of the funniest scenes, from doing the "badass" bullet removal as though he knows exactly what he's doing to immediately killing the guy via his bad math, then Kilmer's whole reaction of disbelief and befuddlement, all is just a hilarious flow of essentially subverting the "tough guy" interrogation to just botched ridiculousness.
One of the scenes where you have most actors it wouldn't work, as Rockwell can do that manic energy in a way that is endearing rather than annoying as he announces his proud accomplishment of basically forcing the climax of the film. With again, not Farrell's biggest stretch with McDonagh but proper straight-man work in his realistic frustration, then Walken is perfect in his deadpan repetition of great.
Great comedic chemistry between the two, as is consistent, and Crowe really is great by playing Jackson so straight in the moment in just doing what he's going to do while Gosling is hilariously all over the place, especially his child at a dentist like stubbornness as he doesn't want to give out his arm to get it broken.
Anonymous:
Kind of need to broach spoilers with most, so wait on that.
Robert:
interesting, could very well be terrible in the end, but do love that Corman is still producing.
Anonymous:
The screenplay that takes a book, that basically is the joke of the film, that the film isn't, in that it is ridiculous for one man to just blindly wander through important events in history while unrealistically leveling up at every turn, which the book plays into that as a joke, which the film takes seriously. And what is Roth's screenplay, it is in part just this progression through history where basically it is a series of gags, which makes up much of the film and is the progression of that, and really I think what probably created the level of appeal the film garnered. Where I think many perhaps mistook, later trying to create an interpretation of Forrest's life as a "what it all means". It really doesn't mean anything, of being part of the establishment or not, it just is a way to, despite the nature of some of the events, have fun ping ponging around history. Which I think is summarized by the speech in the D.C. scene, where Forrest ends up not saying anything to the audience, and pretty much sums up the film in terms of any political intention. And in a way shows its shortcomings because it really is just this nostalgic run through life, as again, something like his long run, what does that mean? I don't think much of anything as a screenplay even if it is successful in its travelogue through recent history, if in a perfunctory entertainment way. But where the film succeeds, and not in a way I love, but this falls into a film where I don't love the film, but I do get why people love it. Basically setting up the tearjerker moments, of Forrest and his mom, who don't speak to great depth, but hey everyone cares about their destiny. Or with Jenny, where it glosses over some real trauma and problems, but hey as long as there's a happy sad ending who cares. Or Lt. Dan who goes from the pits of despair to a self-actualized man. I don't think any one of these journeys find truth, but what it does is create efficient emotional stakes, structured effectively, and produce the intended impact. I personally don't love it or often like it, but it is easy to see the appeal of it in the screenplay...even if there is an artifice and a razor thin quality to much of it.
8000's:
Well it is hard to bet against Hayden the 6'5'' legit secret agent.
Louis what would be your 5 worst Oscar acting winners foursomes?
RIP David Seidler
RIP David Seidler
Louis: Your thoughts on these scenes?
'The internet is written in ink' - The Social Network
'What do you do?' - Steve Jobs
Middle of a hostile takeover - Blackberry
Louis: On your Screenplay top 5s, Waititi is your 2010 (Original) winner for Boy while it says Animal Kingdom on your Wins page.
Louis: Your updated Scorsese ranking?
Luke, which films from 2007 do you think could break into that years' Top Ten when that bonus round arrives
Anonymous:
I'll have to pass, because the academy actually typically doesn't get all four wrong, 04's probably the worst but almost every other year is typically saved by half or at least one.
Tahmeed:
The scene really is interesting as you get probably Mark at his most vulnerable and human, where you see in Eisenberg's performance he genuinely does want to apologize in the moment, though Erica isn't having it from what he did, and the words from her though definitely Sorkinese, work and actually perhaps were even more meaningful after the film than before it. And while it is a relatively more subdued role for her Mara does make the most of it she can, with portraying the indignation towards what Mark did, though with a bit of a knife twist in her dismissive accentuation of "Good luck with your video game."
Well it's from act two of Steve Jobs, so that means it is pretty great. And I think the watch use is a great easy to understand illustration of sort of what the two Steves bring, as one sees the value of the technology, while the other sees the very practical weakness of it, before getting into the actual conversation between the man who became famous off the other man's work. And doing so in a way that is funny but also streamlined. The rest of the scene is what Sorkin does best, when he's on, and he's on in this scene in doing a rundown of a ton of information with going through the history of Jobs's accomplishments though intertwined with that progressing plot of the current situation all mixed in with the friendship being behind it all. And I think it is a great scene for Fassbender where you get sort of the pompous ease of the man's ego as as notes Wozniak's "free pass" at first, as the grandmind, despite Wozniak always saying it straight played properly without ego by Rogan, but with empathy. But Fassbender subverting that side of Jobs beautifully in his final line delivery of sadly acknowledging Wozniak's words as truth, but still in a way that weirdly strokes his ego.
I mean if Howerton is yelling a scene will always be great, and works as such in just playing that ire for all its worth in just wanting the problem solved immediately. Although the scene though naturally works as well in reinforcing the two sides of sort of tech versus capitalism as Lazaridis trying to look at it from the tech side has no place in Balsillie's whole mindset that is just to sell more, though in the scheme of the film you actually do entirely understand his point as reinforced by that very line.
Tony:
1. Goodfellas
2. Silence
3. The Wolf of Wall Street
4. The Irishman
5. The Last Temptation of Christ
6. Raging Bull
7. The Departed
8. After Hours
9. The Age of Innocence
10. Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
11. Shutter Island
12. Taxi Driver
13. Killers of the Flower Moon
14. Gangs of New York
15. The King of Comedy
16. Casino
17. Hugo
18. The Aviator
19. Kundun
20. Bringing Out the Dead
21.Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese
22. Who's That Knocking at My Door
23. The Color of Money
24. New York New York
25. Cape Fear
RIP David Seidler, the most deserving winner of The King Speech's wins, and underrated work for Tucker.
Forgot Mean Streets, which would be #11.
Louis, your thoughts on Kundun and Rolling Thunder Revue? If you've posted them before, I couldn't find them.
Tony:
Kundun I think was well shot (naturally with the Scorsese/Deakins combo), but just *fine* in kind of an overly straightforward prestige approach that seemed frankly a little safe for Scorsese.
Rolling Thunder is weird, as Scorsese doing his own F is For Fake really, but doing the last act of that film as a feature length experiment as it really isn't a documentary it just uses the techniques of one. And honestly I wasn't sure what to make of it entirely the first time I watched it, which is also the only time. It's one maybe I should give another shot, because it is certainly an experiment...but that's the most I can say of it at this time.
1. Pierre Brasseur
2. Laird Cregar
3. Danny Kaye
4. Errol Flynn
5. Roger Livesey
Louis: Are you planning on posting any more top 25s for years already covered here or on your letterboxd in the near future, or are you taking a break from that? And if you are, how often would you be open to requests for that?
Louis: Your 10 biggest examples of incorrect Oscar acting nominations (think Cornel Wilde in 1945)?
Louis: If you've watched and finished Masters of the Air, may I have your thoughts on the series and its cast.
Louis: Which actors and actresses do you think have the largest differences in terms of the quality of their very best and their very worst performances?
Michael:
I'll still do them, but I'd say as a once a month type thing.
Ytrewq:
If you mean wrong performances in the same year:
Ian Bannen - Flight of the Phoenix (The Hill)
Robert De Niro - Awakenings (Goodfellas)
Dennis Hopper - Hoosiers (Blue Velvet)...despite being good in Hoosiers.
Maximilian Schell - Julia (Cross of Iron)
Christian Bale - American Hustle (Out of the Furnace)
Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl (Ex Machina)
James Stewart - The Philadelphia Story (The Shop Around the Corner)
Ingrid Bergman - For Whom The Bell Tolls (Casablanca)
Charles Durning - The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Tootsie)
Yul Brynner - The King and I (The Ten Commandments)
Marcus:
Sean Penn
John Wayne
Gregory Peck
Fredric March
Orson Welles
Marlon Brando
Rod Steiger
Richard Burton
Leonardo DiCaprio
Bette Davis
Jodie Foster
Julianne Moore
Amy Adams
Kate Winslet
Diane Lane
Scarlett Johansson
Louis: Oh wow, Cape Fear below New York New York?
I mean the latter has the song at least, the former I just find pretty much grating the whole way through except ironically Robert Mitchum's cameo.
Louis: Which of your personal categories do you normally exclude docufiction films from? (if you exclude them at all, generally). I saw Abbas Kiarostami's "Close-Up" recently, and given how much that films blends reality and fiction, including recreating events with the actual people involved, also had me questioning what my own rule is in those cases.
Tahmeed:
I'd say it's case by case situation for me, particularly with how unique such films can be. And I wouldn't say there is an obvious answer, for example I didn't include Pacino and crew for Looking for Richard, because it's a hybrid, even though there are performance scenes, it is also more often doc, and when it gets too tricky I tend to not include.
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