Sunday
Feb132011
Podcast: Oscar Switches, Summer Dreams
Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 4:00PM 
See?
We are trying to get weekly. We recorded the new podcast early this week (included at the end of this post) as today I knew I would be all wrapped up in a wedding. Well, attending one that is. But you know how time consuming they are. It was a lovely snowy Connecticut wedding and I'm just back. So here is the new podcast. There's a bit of a lull in Oscar happenings as we wait for the big night, so this week, Joe and Katey and I go a little more Off-Gold than usual.
Topics include:
- Chris Nolan (Inception and a brief Memento cameo)
- The Jesse Eisenberg Show
- Spirit Award Best Actress ballot. Could there be a Natalie Portman upset?
- The success of the Best Picture field at the box office
- Our individual least favorite Best Picture nominees (surprising results!)
- Toy Story 3. Is it a great movie or just a great 15 year narrative?
- Oscar Narratives. Reading purpose.
- Super 8 and Superbowl trailers
- Crushing on Michael Fassbender
- Nostalgia for Harrison Ford
- Reese Witherspoon: "Think about your choices, lady!"
- Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher
Join the conversation in the comments.
Reader Comments (14)
One of the funniest podcasts! Good job guys.
And to be honest, even though I'm tired of the current, almost-finished Oscar season, when you proposed a convo about the next Oscars, I was like "YEAH". I'm already thinking about the 2011 movies pretty intensely and, obviously, Oscar potential. I never stop. I just run a little fast ;)
I know I'll probably come out as stupid, but I loved the music at the end and though I feel like I should have recognised it, I didn't.
This is my new favorite thing. I love these!
YAY PODCAST!!!! XDD
Great podcast, guys!
I've got to admit, I reside on the island of people who don't like The Social Network along with Joe. It's obvious that it's well made and well performed, but to me it seemed like it was making so many jabs at my generation and like it was trying to tell us the moral of a story that isn't finished being told yet. But I don't know, maybe that's why everyone else likes it? That certainly makes it unique. The King's Speech isn't my favorite of the year (Winter's Bone is) but in the match between those two front-runners, I would like to see TKS win.
But one thing we can ALL agree on is that Thor looks crazy horrible. at least there's some things we can always rely on.
Fun, guys! And a win for everyone that I couldn't participate because I haven't seen any of these trailers except Cowboys & Aliens and Treading Water for Oscar Winners, and Elephants.
The Fassbender's helmet kills me too. I always feel sad when I see good actors playing those stupid characters. Do they really need the money that much?
Nick -- don't try to make us feel better. Everyone wishes you were there. :)
James T -- if it sounds familiar it's because it's the X-Men First Class trailer music... i don't know if it's an original score or a repurposed one (as trailers often do)
Awesome podcast!
Nathaniel—Like Joe, I too must thank you for the experience of ROGER DODGER—after Campbell Scott won your Best Actor prize I remember giving it a shot and having a wonderful time.
Katy— omg yes! You voiced my exact feelings on why I liked but not loved THE FIGHTER
Joe— I was laughing my ass off at some of your comments, particularly the bit about sitting Reese and Rachel down to discuss their ‘choices’
Seems my Streep comment was deleted. Too bad the world's greatest actress won the part of Violet in August instead of someone unexpected. Certainly, that means you all should resent Streep, please...she will hit it out of the park. Also, you are all dreading the Thatcher (burlesque) movie because of the shitty directors (Streep always has shit directors) and will be terrific as usual. Perhaps you all should see the movies before tearing into Streep.
Last podcast I will be listening in on...
markus -- i don't delete comments (unless i've warned someone repeatedly because they're being mean to another commentary but that's very very rare) so i don't know what you mean
Markus, I'm sorry you felt like we were tearing into Streep-- I hoped we were making it clear that we love her as an actress and know she'll excel at anything, but more than anything we're worried about a Streep backlash that will come from other people who don't adore her as much.
I have to disagree on two points that were brought up in the podcast.
One, I think District 9 is a great science-fiction film that was a surprise hit. I don't think anyone anticipated a foreign, relatively low-budget social commentary film from a first time writer/director was going to take off in America. If you want to make the "nominated because it was a blockbuster" argument, you have to look at Avatar, which had a well-tread plot, familiar faces, a gigantic budget, and a huge box office return. That was the reason for its nomination. And neither of those is as offensive as "let's nominate Sandra Bullock's film because Jesse James cheated on her."
Two, I don't think 10 Best Picture nominees takes away from the excitement of the technical categories. You could tell in the past that films like Pan's Labyrinth, Amelie, and The Bourne Ultimatum had to be on the cusp of a Best Picture nomination because they earned so many key technical nominations. The 10-wide field just means films like Winter's Bone or Inception that would have been up for maybe an acting prize or some tech awards get recognized for also being great features. I think that's far more exciting to see people talking about The Kids Are All Right at all then it is to grouse about who was robbed in a 5-wide field.
If you check Streep's list of director's, you might find that they are NOT all "shit dirctor's"