Don't Look Back in Anger

For the past week I've been griping to almost anyone who will listen about various omissions from this year's list of Oscar nominees (Note: As suggested by fellow blogger Bob, I'm trying to avoid using the term "snub"). But of course, such bemoaning is nothing new. On the one hand, time gives us the benefit of hindsight. A movie may seem like it's the top dog at the time, but often as time passes, other choices age better and leave us questioning the decision.

Regardless, it feels like every year, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences puts themselves into an early hole by flat out overlooking a film, director, or actor by not even nominating them. And from my perspective, these were five of the worst cases...

Hatter's Five Biggest Oscar Oversights

#5. PAN'S LABYRINTH (2006) - Guillermo del Toro, Best Director... For starters, del Toro was in tough against an amazing class of directors (Innarritu, Eastwoood, Greengrass, Frears, and Scorsese), which is indeed a challenge that faces nominees every now and then. However, I think that the vision of this lush film truly deserved to be rewarded, and this was the best place to do it. Many years, The Academy honours a particular director by nominating their work, if not their movie with a Best Picture nod, and this year they did that for Greengrass' work directing UNITED 93. Greengrass was an admirable choice, but if I had the power to go back and request a "do-over", I'd drop him or even Stephen Frears (for THE QUEEN) in favour of del Toro's marvelous bit of directing.
#4. THE GENERAL (1927) - Buster Keaton, Best Actor... The Academy was formed in 1928, and this mighty whiff should have been a sign of things to come. This omission is even more perplexing since the Academy only named three acting nominees, despite the window of eligibility spanning two years (1927 & 1928) rather than the customary one. Perhaps then, like now, comedy was regarded as a lesser art. Hard to say, but what's easy to say is that Keaton's performance in THE GENERAL was the stuff of legend. It still stands today as a lasting bit of comedic genius.
#3. THE GODFATHER II (1974) - John Cazale, Best Actor... Cazale, who played Fredo Corleone in the first two Godfather films, has an interesting Oscar track record. He passed away of bone cancer at the age of 43. He himself was never nominated for an Oscar, however the six movies he acted in were all nominated for Best Picture. Cazale had a tough fight in '74, since he was already up against three other supporting players from GODFETHER II (Michael Gazzo, Lee Strasberg, and the eventual winner, Robert DeNiro). After that cluster, we also have fred Astaire nominated for THE TOWERING INFERNO, and Jeff Bridges for THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOTOf those five, I'd count Bridges as the weak link...the "Fredo" if you will. It's a pity, since Cazale's part in the film is so tender and sad, that it really didn't deserve to be the odd one out.
#2. VERTIGO (1958) - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor... Don't ask me why, but The Academy never seemed to get Hitchcock. Only one of his films ever scored a Best Picture nom. Say what you will about the Academy's tendency sometimes to hand out an award for a lifetime of work, it's far better than ignoring brilliance time after time only to dish out a too-little-too-late Honourary Oscar late in the artist's life. This twisted tale, now considerede amoung the very best of all time, was virtually ignored. According to The Academy, this movie was no match for such lasting winners like SEPERATE TABLES or AUNT MAME.
#1. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1953) - Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Art Direction*, Best Costume Design*, Best Cinematography* Un-believable. For a long time The Academy was deeply in love was practically every musical ever made. However, when it comes to this one, one of the greatest of them all, it's almost as if it didn't happen. That laundry list of categories where the movie missed the cut defies logic. Worse yet, the final three categories* tapped nominees for both colour and black & white films at the time. That's right gang - ten nominated films, and still no love for this film! It landed a paltry two nominations...which if you're keeping score at home, ranks it behind TRANSFORMERS for total Oscar nominations. With all due respect to my friend Bob, this is a snub!

Did I miss one? Feel free to leave comments naming other glaring Oscar omissions, along with suggestions for the next top five.

Wolf Like Me (WOLVERINE Teaser Poster)

...sometimes a gorgeous poster can be just that simple.

Wise Up (Dear Mickey Rourke...)

Dear Mickey Rourke...

How's it goin? Bored of staring at that shiny new Golden Globe yet?? Hopefully not, and hopefully you're enjoying this comeback you've worked so hard for.

Thought I'd write and wish you luck in the upcoming Oscar race. Also, I thought I'd share a word to the wise. News last week was that you were to participate in WWE's Wrestlemania this spring. Dude - do you really want to squash your Oscar chances? You just got people looking at you as a serious actor again, do you really just want them thinking of you as "That Wrestler Guy"?? Let's face facts, there's a world of difference between giving an honest and tender performance as a wrestler, and whoring yourself out to participate in a highly hyped match with a wrestler.

As it happens, I've since read that someone has talked you out of it, and that you are now on record as not participating in Wrestlemania. Whoever convinced you to do this - listen to them. The Academy is known for cutting a comeback short when the comebackee reminds them of who they used to be during the Oscar voting window.

Does the word "Norbit" mean anything to you?

Hopefully the damage isn't already done, but just to be on the safe side, try to be on your best behaviour for the next four weeks or so, kay? Best of luck to ya!

sincerely,

Hatter

Diamond Dogs (SAG Award Winners)

I realize I'm a day or two late on this one, but here are the award winners from the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday night...

Best Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet, THE READER
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, THE DARK KNIGHT
Best Actress: Meryl Streep, DOUBT
Best Actor: Sean Penn, MILK
Best Ensemble Cast: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

As far as predicting how this might affect the eventual Oscars, it's good news for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE's chances of taking best picture, but bad news for Mickey Rourke's chances of completing the comeback and receiving Best Actor.

Review: FROST/NIXON * * * 1/2

It's strange that we live in an age of 24-Hour news, with channel upon channel of talking heads talking who never dare to ask the tough questions. So many journalists and pundits sit down with the most powerful people in the world, and far too often seem reluctant to go after them. However, thirty two years ago one interview took place where the tough questions were asked. The host was an unlikely source, and the guest was controversial president.

FROST/NIXON begins with the resignation of President Richard Nixon (Frank Langella). The 37th American President is all but certainly about to be impeached on charges of obstruction of justice, and rather than face the humiliation of standing trial, makes the last play he can and concedes the presidency. It's a moment the whole world seems to be watching, including TV host David Frost (Michael Sheen).

Frost isn't exactly what you'd call a beacon of journalism. In modern terms he'd find himself rating somewhere in between Geraldo Rivera and Jerry Springer. Not to be deterred, he makes a pitch to Nixon's people to sit down for an in-depth interview. In the three years since leaving office, Nixon has wanted to tell his side, and his advisor Jack Brennan (Kevin bacon) and literary agent Swifty Lazar (Toby Young) tell him this might just be his best chance. Oh, and the $600,000 he'll receive to do so won't hurt either.

To Frost's credit, he doesn't want to waste the opportunity and brings in a team of researchers to get to the heart of this controversial subject (played with great gusto by Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt, and Matthew Mcfadyen). Together, they want to get straight answers from the once commander-in-chief...to perhaps give him the trial he never had. As the cameras roll, they believe they've put together their best effort. But with air time far from guaranteed, and so much money still needing to be found, Frost finds himself in a truly imposing position - and this is before Nixon has even answered a question.

FROST/NIXON is based on a Tony nominated play of the same name, and fittingly, the play starred the same two men in the title roles. It's easy to envision the piece as a play, since much of the movie is indeed people sitting around talking. What elevates the story, is the fact that Sheen and Langella are able to give a powerful performance based on subtlety, knowing that the camera will pick up every nervous stutter, and every sad pause.

Of the two leads, it is Frank Langella that you will focus on. He mercifully avoids turning his role into the Nixon impression so many of us try to do, and instead plays the man with a confidence and earnestness befitting an ego who is still convinced he has done no wrong. He plays Nixon as one part uncle who won't stop telling stories at a wedding reception, and one part executive ready to ruin any dissenters who would dare question him. It's a complex performance, and indeed one of the year's best.

The movie is an effective adaptation by screenwriter Peter Morgan, director of the stage version who previously wrote THE QUEEN. Likewise, it's an impressive bit of directing by Ron Howard (a man I'm not always the biggest fan of). One slight flaw for my money was the pacing of the story once the interviews begin. We are told that there will be six session, totaling twelve hours. The movie seems to jump from the second session to the last session in a heartbeat. While its true that much of those first eleven hours went the same way, and that there was no reason to go deep into all of it, the transition might feel a bit quick for some. It's a minor flaw though, since what follows the transition is what makes the whole movie.

At one point in the film, Jack Brennan compares Frost to a boxing contender, who after taking his first punch from the champ realizes what he's actually in for. The analogy is a good one, since I can't help but look back on the events in this movie and see the similarity to a title fight. Indeed the two actors spar like a pair of welterweights, and while one dominates for many rounds the opponent still stands, and the bell never sounds. Much like Ali and Foreman during The Rumble in The Jungle, one of these two will seem dominated, weary, and beaten, until finally going for the knockout in the final round.

Review: THE WRESTLER * * * *

A friend of mine suggested that I fill this piece with as many wrestling verbs as I can. He suggested that I refer to the "choke-holding script", or the "body-slam of a plot twist". In the end I decided to refrain, though the notion was tempting.

I took a pass because this movie is about far more than wrestling. It's about anyone out there who's only good at one thing, and what they are supposed to do when they can't do that one thing anymore.

THE WRESTLER is Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke). Randy used to be a huge star, selling out hockey arenas' worth of wrestling fans who would rise to their feet as his Quiet Riot entrance music thundered out. Twenty years have past since those glory days, but The Ram still wrestles. However these days Madison Square Garden has given way to community centres and hotel ballrooms. Clearly the glory days are over - but don't tell The Ram that. He doesn't think the world is done with him yet, and that he still has a shot at getting back on top.

When The Ram isn't pile-driving or suplexing opponents in front of adoring fans, his life becomes spectacularly unspectacular...and sad. Randy lives in a trailer, or his van if he's behind on his rent. He works in receiving in the local supermarket, and the closest thing he has to a friend is Cassidy (Marisa Tomei), a stripper at the bar he spends way too much time at. Soon we see, that he isn't just a shell of a hero, he's a shell of a man. The saddest thing about it though, is that deep down he knows it.

After a particularly brutal match, one involving thumbtacks, barbed wire, and shards of glass, Randy suffers a heart attack. He's put his body through far too much for far too long, and is told he can't continue. This crossroads in his life shakes and inspires him, and with Cassidy's urging, he attempts to re-connect with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood). She agrees to meet with him, and after he pours his heart out to her, he pledges to get his act together, and to be a better person. Sadly though, they have this saying about old dogs...

While its true that THE WRESTLER is a film that succeeds on the shoulders of an individual performance, it is likewise a heartbreaking story that achieves as a complete movie. It's the story of every disposable hero that has come and gone, be they wrestlers, TV stars, or singers. Our society craves celebrity, and consumes every delicious, non-nutritious bit of them we can. We toss them aside when we're done and move on to the next flavour, but what is to become of them then?

What happens then is what Mickey Rourke tries so hard to show us with his every move and weary smile. Rourke is a man who has been there-and-back-again, so hearing these words come out of his mouth hits that much harder. This role is his attrition; his way of expressing that he knows what he has done with his life, but that he still has something to offer the world. Rourke gives The Ram an optimism, a sadness, and an honesty that no other actor could have offered, and it is indeed the role of a lifetime.

The movie is constructed in such a way that actually heightens the reality of its sad story. The movie looks gritty and grainy, all primarily coming from a single hand-held camera. It achieves a documentary-like style that left me believing that I was watching what had become of my own childhood wrestling heroes. watching The Ram work a supermarket deli counter made me wonder if Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat is now a FedEx driver...or if Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake is now a mechanic in some small town. People like them, and "The Ram" were once stars, now they're summed up with a simple "Weren't you...?"

Very few of us find ourselves living out our lifelong dream, which can be disappointing. What THE WRESTLER wants to show us, is that even after achieving a dream, that disappointment can still find its way into our lives. When it happens after achieving such heights, it ends up drop-kicking us that much harder.

Damn, I was so close.

And So It Goes (aka Hatter rants About the Oscar Nominations)

The last few years I've had precious little to argue with when it came to Oscar nominations...yesterday morning I really missed that feeling.

While the academy managed to get one or two nods right (congrats go out to Richard Jenkins and Melissa Leo), they left so many of the year's best standing on the platform while the subway pulled away without them. Consider...

• No Sally Hawkins
• No animation nod for WALTZ WITH BRASHIR
• No Bruce Springsteen
• No Clint Eastwood (or any love at all for GRAN TORINO)
• No Christopher Nolan...or any sufficient love for THE DARK KNIGHT

As you've likely read by now, the leading nominee is THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON with a whopping 13 (any besides me find it funny that a 3 hour movie gets nominated for best editing?). My thoughts on the movie are well known by now, and if I'm preparing myself for inevitably having to say that I didn't much care for this year's best picture winner. Only three movies have ever scored 13 nods and not taken the big prize.

These omissions might have been bad enough on their own, but adding insult to injury is the sudden love for THE READER which has caught many off-guard (To be fair - I haven't seen it, though that will be corrected in the next few days).

What bothers me most about its place amongst the best picture and best director nominees, is how it unquestionably came as a result of a hard-pressing "For Your Consideration" campaign courtesy of The Weinstein brothers. Remember the days when movies like CHOCOLAT and THE CIDER HOUSE RULES somehow managed to score Best Picture nods in place of more deserving flicks? Welcome back to the age of jive.

Of course, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't think THE DARK KNIGHT deserved that fifth spot. That said, I can also think of half a dozen other movies that could have likewise taken its place (WALL-E and THE WRESTLER to name a pair).

So yes, I find myself disappointed with this year's crop...and wish The Academy could have continued its forward thinking (like awarding a dark film like NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN) instead of cowering back into its shell the way it has this year.

I'm sure someone out there is ready to argue with me...let's hear it folks - comments welcome!

81st Oscar Nominations

The nominations are coming in...To say I'm surprised at the choices is putting it mildly.

Best Picture:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost / Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director:
Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Stephen Daldry, "The Reader"
David Fincher, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Ron Howard, "Frost / Nison"
Gus van Sant, "Milk"

Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams, "Doubt"
Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis, "Doubt"
Taraji P Henson, "The Curious case of Benjamin Button"
Marisa Tomei, "The Wrestler"

Best Supporting Actor:
Josh Brolin, "Milk"
Robert Downey Jr., "Tropic Thunder"
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt"
Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"
Michael Shannon, "Revolutionary Road

Best Actress:
Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"
Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"
Meryl Streep, "Doubt"
Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

Best Actor:
Frank Langella, "Frost / Nixon"
Sean Penn, "Milk"
Brad Pitt, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"
Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"

Best Original Screenplay:
Milk
Frozen River
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
WALL-E

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Slumdog Millionaire
The Reader
Frost / Nixon
Doubt
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I'm Amazed

Can someone please tell me how with all the thoughtful flicks playing right now, a movie like this manages to finish tops at the box office?

Tomorrow's Oscar nominations can't come soon enough.

Tell Me Baby

In the last year, I've met a lot of other movie enthusiasts due to this blog. One such entusiast is T who writes 10 Movies to See Before You Die.

One fun little side effect of our friendship is anytime she mentions not enjoying a movie I believe to be a classic, or essential viewing. My reaction to this news is usually the same:

"You must have missed something. Go back and watch it again."

While part of this answer comes from trying to be a twerp and see how much I can get away with, another part of it comes from my own experience. See there are films - great films - that I watched at one time or another. When the credits rolled, I can remember thinking to myself "What the hell was that supposed to be?". At the risk of revealing my ignorance, FARGO was possibly the foremost example where I just didn't get it until years later.

I thought about turning this notion into a top five..."Top Five Films I Hated-Then-Loved" (spoiler alert, THE THIN RED LINE, and RUSHMORE would have made the cut). But instead I thought I celebrate my emergence from online hibernation by asking you dear readers...

What movie did you hate on first viewing, only to later discover that you actually really liked it?

Money Talks

This isn't terribly movie related, but it just confounds me so darned much that I had to post it.

It seems as though ABC is seriously considering reviving "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?", based in part on the warm reception to a certain Golden Globe winning film.

All I can say to this is "Really???"

Further On Up The Road

For a moment or two this morning, I considered posting a reaction to the Golden Globes. However, while they got through handing out this year's hardware without getting too crazy, I'd rather just leave them be and move on. Before I do, I'd just like to say how happy it makes me to see SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE out to such a good start this awards season.

While it brings Oscar geeks like me such joy to look back at the year that was and play guessing games about who might win, I've started to get more excited by looking at the year ahead and thinking about some of the goodies that await me on screens over the next twelve months.

So while we'll get back to talking about the wrap-up of 2008 in short order, allow me to talk a minute about what has me all a-tither for 2009...

Top Five Movies Hatter's Excited About for 2009
#5. SHERLOCK HOLMES... By the looks of that FIGHT CLUB-esque still, this ain't your grandaddy's Holmes! Robert Downey Jr. follows his stellar 2008 by starring as the titular inspector, with Jude Law cast as Dr. Watson. The whole she-bang is directed by Guy Ritchie, which suits me just fine given how much I enjoyed his last film ROCKNROLLA. I ask you though - how many clever "elementry" puns are we gonna have to suffer through in the marketing of this film? (November)

#4. BRUNO... Yep, he's back. Unsatisfied by the sizeable dent he made in pop culture with his Borat character, Sacha Baron Cohen has returned to give another one of his characters, "Bruno", a whirl on the big screen. Early whispers are that Bruno manages to get himself into even more outlandish situations than Borat did...wait- is that even possible? (May)

#3. THE TERMINATOR: SALVATION... OK, quick show of hands, after RISE OF THE MACHINES who out there ever thought they'd ever be excited about another Terminator movie? But some way, somehow, this franchise might just have pulled itself out of the fire! Of course casting Christian Bale as an adult John Connor can't hurt right? (May)

#2. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE... I grew up with this book, so knowing that the technicolor imagination of director Spike Jonze is what's behind this movie brings me nothing but joy. This one has been a long time coming, and word is that the first cut Jonze turned in was considered "too dark" by Warner Brothers. Am I the only one who'd be curious to see that version?? (October)

#1. PUBLIC ENEMIES... The story of John Dillinger...Johnny Depp plays Dillinger, Christian Bale plays the FBI agent hunting him down, and Michael Mann directs the whole thing. Need I say more? Didn't think so. See ya there! (July)

Did I miss one? Feel free to leave comments with the movies you're looking most forward to this coming year, along with suggestions for the next top five.

Moment of Clarity (DGA Award Nominations)

Alright Oscar geeks, the final precursor before the Oscar nominees are announced has arrived; that being the Directors Guild of America nominees. And they are...

David Fincher, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Christopher Nolan, THE DARK KNIGHT
Ron Howard, FROST/NIXON
Gus Van Sant, MILK
Danny Boyle, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

So what does this mean?

For starters, it would be more than a bit surprising if on Januray 20th22nd, these were not the five nominees announced for Oscar's Best Picture. As the the year has wound down, almost all of these titles have been nominated time and time again by damned near every voting body not handing out statues that look like Golden Globes. One might not carry over, but two or more of these not making the cut would be a surprise.

Secondly, over time, the DGA has had a knack of calling Oscar nominees (and often the eventual winner when they announce their top dog) with startling accuracy. So if long standing trends are to believed, these five will be named best-in-show.

For what it's worth, if any of these five titles are vulnerable, it's THE DARK KNIGHT. While it has made a great case for itself by getting nominated by the directors, producers, and writers guilds, it still has that slight uphill climb of getting over the "But it's a big budget comic book movie" hump.

Here's hoping it can!

Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat (THE BOAT THAT ROCKED Trailer)

Edit: I'm aware that I've been "phoning it in" for much of the new year. I must beg forgiveness as it's a busy time for me at the day job and my brain is fried by the time I sit down to write. All apologies for the sporadic posting that'll happen for the next ten days or so. - Hatter

Sometimes the cast that a film assembles is reason enough to give a movie a whirl. The cast assembled for THE BOAT THAT ROCKED is just such an occasion. Give it a look...

I Want to Be A Producer (PGA Nominations)

This week will get Oscar geeks like me into a tither as more guilds name their nominees, and the Golden Globes get handed out. Today The Producers Guild named their shortlist...

Their Nominees for Best Picture:

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
FROST/NIXON
MILK
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

...slowly...oh-so-slowly...the Oscar nominee picture is getting clearer.

Review: RACHEL GETTING MARRIED * * * *

RACHEL GETTING MARRIED is about a wedding. No, really.

Jokes aside, the movie wants to tell us the point of a wedding. A wedding is more than just a great big party. It's a chance to gather and surround two people in love with some of the most important things in life: laughter, love, food, music, and family.

Indeed, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED is about a wedding. Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt) is marrying Sidney (Tunde Adebimpe). For the special day, her sister Kym (Anne Hathaway) has been granted leave from her rehab facility. She jokingly refers to herself as "Shiva the destroyer, your harbinger of doom"...though unfortunately, she isn't terribly far off. While she does very little to be actually disruptive, her very presence brings up unresolved issues for her, Rachel, their father Paul (Bill Irwin), and mother Abby (Debra Winger).

RACHEL GETTING MARRIED is a tender and beautiful film. While some may be off-put by the photography - all of it shot on hand held DV - the decision to film in this manner gives the film a sense of truth. Director Jonathan Demme has created a movie that in many respects feels like a documentary filmed by a guest at this family event. The long takes and the rambling dialogue add to the authenticity, and it all comes together to form a rather honest film.

RACHEL GETTING MARRIED is a plea for redemption. Though we may not have made the mistakes she made, Kym stands up for anyone who has ever screwed up royally. Though it's part of her program, she hasn't yet made amends - possibly because she doesn't know where to begin. For those of us who've stumbled on our life's journey, she embodies the confusion we face as we try to dust ourselves off and move forward. What's worse, is that those she has hurt the most and are making her tremble and squirm, are those she loves the most. Her confusion and nervousness when faced with certain judgment is palpable, and familiar. After all, how is one supposed to stand and ask forgiveness, when one hasn't yet forgiven onesself?

The film is also a story about the importance of family. Watching these people relate to each other at this point in their lives - the difficult junction when everybody is old enough to understand the weight of their actions - is a fable in family bonds. Even the most wholesome-seeming family can have long unspoken, deep running rivers of pain. What the movie tries to tell us, is that we will indeed hurt those closest to us as our life unfolds. It's how we come together and move forward from the hurt that makes for true family.

After everything, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED is a sweet, and moving lesson. In our lives, family and redemption often go hand in hand. Whether our family is our blood relatives, or those who we've grown up with who might as well be blood, they are the ones we all want to lean on most. Sadly, not every family's dynamic is designed for such support. But for those of us whose family is built that way, every day is a blessing, and an opportunity to seek forgiveness. Even from ourselves.