"I think, Evelyn, that we've lost touch..."
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 5:40PM Evelyn: Why, what's wrong?
Patrick: I need to engage in homicidal behavior on a massive scale, cannot be corrected, but I have no other way to fulfill my needs. We need to talk.
Evelyn: Talk about what, Patrick?
I'm pretty sure that a fresh Oscar gets you an 8:30 res' at Dorsia any night you want.
Three whole days have gone by and I haven't mentioned how pleased I was to see Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) receive his Oscar from former fiancé Evelyn (Reese Witherspoon). And they still don't seem very important to each other!
Patrick: It's over Evelyn. It's all over.
Evelyn: Touchy Touchy. i'm sorry I brought up the wedding. Let's just avoid the issue, all right? Now.. are we having coffee?
Patrick: I'm fucking serious. It's fucking over, us. This is not joke. I don't think we should see each other anymore.
Evelyn: But your friends are my friends and my friends are your friends. I really don't think it would work.
If you don't know what the hell we're talking about your assignment is to watch American Psycho (2000) immediately. For maximum time capsule pleasure, try to find a store that still rents VHS tapes so that you can return some videotapes later.
Bale's performance as the psychopath is justifiably classic already but less often discussed is how much Reese nails her vacant pseudo human fiancee. Reese has always been so great at comic stylization. When are the great directors and screenwriters going to give her something worthy of her gifts again? It's been way too long.
Christian Bale's Oscar was 10 years late but at least it arrived. Speaking of which, under the decade too late rule, who is due for a statue in 2012? Whose coronation should we obsess over next?
American Psycho, Christian Bale, Oscars (00s), Oscars (10)
Reader Comments (32)
Ian McKellen!
Since we're talking 10 years later... So that'd be 2001 or 2002...
Obviously Julianne Moore and Ed Harris (but with these ones we've obsessed for decades now and it still hasn't happened). And Tom Wilkinson (I feel like he'll be rewarded someday in a supporting role). And Chris Nolan (provided he comes up with something as brilliant as that 'Memento' script).
And I really want a win for Amy Adams. I like her and I'd like for them to award her in her prime which is undoubtedly now. I'd rather they gave her the award and be done with it instead of nominating her forever for far lesser craft than other more deserving people (although I have nothing to say about her 2005 and 2010 nominations; the 2008 one I'll give her the benefit of the doubt since it was a very weak field to begin with).
oh, and of course NAOMI WATTS!
If we're talking about the younger crowd, I'll say Michelle Williams has an amazing shot at the prize next year - if Meryl Streep bombs.
'My Week With Marilyn' + 'Take this Waltz' + 'Meek's Cutoff'? Talk about an impressive future filmography.
Ian McKellen for LoTR.
Jake Gyllenhaal for Donnie Darko.
John Cameron Mitchell for (directing, writing, and acting in) Hedwig.
Guy Pearce for Memento.
I'm going to say especially Guy Pearce. What does that guy have to do to get an Oscar nom? Seriously? L.A. Confidential AND Memento AND King's Speech (where he should have been the real Supporting Actor candidate). C'mon. Get him in the club.
Helena Bonham Carter
Danny Glover getting a 1st nomination
Gary Oldman getting a 1st nomination
Guy Pearce getting a 1st nomination
I think this year may be a "who's more overdue?" battle between Close and Streep in Actress. (So, a decade too late for Streep and two decades too late for Close.) Of course, now that I've said that, I'm sure I've just cursed them both. :)
I've just looked back on the films of 2001- you've made me feel old!
The Man Who Wasn't There came out in 2001 so maybe next year will be Roger Deakins' turn! Also I think Guy Pearce (10 years after Memento) is due at some stage.
It's also the 10-year anniversary of Ghost World! I'd love if Scarlett, Thora or Zwigoff did something that great again.
eurochesse -- nah, they were already cursed by their age. they'll split each other's vote and some 28-34 year old will win. that's how it always goes down.
no american psycho lovers in the house?
JOHNNY DEPP FOR EDUARD SCCISSORHANDS, ED WOOD, PIRATES AND SO HOPE HE WON FOR THE RUM DIARY!
Me! One of my all-time favorite films "Cool it with the anti-Semitic remarks!"
For maximum time capsule pleasure, try to find a store that still rents VHS tapes so that you can return some videotapes later.
True story: some weeks ago I tried to sell some old VHS movies. Nobody wants them. So, I still got my walkman, ha.
I saw Memento much later to its theatrical run (= years later) and thought it was a very smart movie I liked a lot, but not a great one. So, I'm curious to see what you think.
Streetcar is one of my all time favourite movies and as I have always depended on the kindness of strangers , I lent my copy. So, you may say Well, that's a stupid thing to do. It is indeed, I don't have it back.
Bizarre coincidence or not? I just watched American Psycho for the first time yesterday...Reese fake cries thru this scene brilliantly...totally agree stylized comedy is her wheelhouse...is she too expensive and commercial now? Do indie directors not want her anymore? Come back Reese!
I would love to see Glenn take it home for Albert Nobbs...if not her, then Michelle Williams for any one of her three films.
Hahaha, I was trying to italicize but why would I write i? That'd be too predictable and easy, I had to write b. Haha. Thinking outside the box + html are incompatible.
"Christian Bale's Oscar was 10 years late..."
You think that's bad? Tell that to the Empire of the Sun fans who thought he should have become the youngest Best Actor winner 23 years ago.
words cannot describe how much it gives me pleasure to read this scene. i think i'll go youtube some AP clips again.....
did you see the "oscars winners walk cam" with reese and bale? they seem to be on friendly terms enough; she said something and laughed; he said something. god i wish i knew what they were saying.
Audrey Tautou getting the win. I know you weren't a huge fan of Amelie, Nat, but it was a passionate, human, unassuming and beautiful movie. /3rtful: Helena Bonham Carter and Gary Oldman? They didn't have anything that screams awards worthy in 2001. HBC: Planet of the Apes and Novocaine. Oldman: Hannibal and Nobody's Baby. Those were really nom worthy films? I don't try to be prejudiced against any genre. I'm prejudiced against BAD MOVIES, regardless of what they are. Take stock of what a performer has released in the period mentioned as under scrutiny (in this case, 2001 and 2001 only.) You got Glover and Pearce right, though. (I love Gary Oldman, personally. 5 noms from me: Sid and Nancy, True Romance, Leon, Harry Potter 4 and The Dark Knight. (Breaks down into 1 lead, 4 support.) But in 2001?)
Volvagia – Glover should’ve gotten a career nod in the supporting category for Tenenbaums. Oldman’s best, for me anyways, is Dracula. I’m in love with him, Sadie Frost, the score, the costumes, the set design and art direction, the cinematography – sure there’s much to fault in the film – the ham and cheese of Keanu, Anthony Hopkins and Winona being overwhelmed by Oldman’s Oldman-ness.
Brian Cox is long overdue for at least a nomination. (It was his performance in 2001's L.I.E. that reminded me.) IMDB has him in six movies this year, so let's hope one of them strikes (Oscar) gold.
Streep vs Close vs Williams at a minimum next year.
Your best bet is to sell your old VHS tapes to a Half Price Books. You might get a quarter for each of them.
Overdue...Naomi, Julianne. Having trouble coming up with some actors because for years #1 would have been Jeff Bridges. Robert Mitchum never won one, and the Academy refused to give him an honorary Oscar after his death, even with the campaign supported by Johnny Depp.
Johnny Depp - 10 years late for Blow. I think it was one of his best but not a sympathetic character for voters.
I am not expecting much from The Rum Diary but if there is even a whiff of a chance, Depp might campaign since it is his production company.
I think Naomi Watts is majorly overdue. I can't believe she only has one nomination (and I thought she was completely deserving this year...the field was just way too competitive)...
...and this is random, but I think someone we'll be seeing a lot this year is Rachel Weisz. Has anyone seen her projects on imdb? She literally has around ten films to be released this year and next...I have a feeling she might be in Oscar contention with The Whistleblower...she got great reviews out of Toronto this year (and so did the film).
This isn't really an answer to the question, but Christian Bale's win reminds me of Tilda Swinton's three years ago. Both are amazing actors who never seemed to get Oscar love despite decades of fantastic work. The interesting difference is that Tilda didn't win anything that season except the BAFTA, and Christian won everything this season except the BAFTA. Funny how that works!
The Academy's gone back to ignoring Tilda's great work, but that hasn't deterred her in the least. I hope Christian continues to be great, too. I thought his acceptance speech was excellent--classy and passionate, moving and gracious at the same time.
Overdue? Patricia Clarkson-Best Supporting Actress. When is it going to happen? She has delivered so many worthy supporting performances and is just a magnificent and glorious Actress.
Oh there are some people deserving one. But I'd say Julianne Moore first... soon it will be one year since the epic year (at least epic in my book), but she needs a great movie for that. My dream would be a PTA or Todd Haynes movie (or maybe both? my almost impossible dream would be her winning both actress and supporting for a Haynes and PTA movie respectively; and I think I spent too much time thinking about this)
Then Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Depp (if he starts to make good movies again), Patricia Clarkson...
Julianne Moore is beyond overdue. 4 noms, and she has deserved at least another 4 (TKAAR, A single man, Magnolia, Safe). Its kinda getting ridiculous now.
10 year rule...Naomi Watts for sure. I always forget she only has 1 nomination
"...And I really want a win for Amy Adams. I like her and I'd like for them to award her in her prime which is undoubtedly now. I'd rather they gave her the award and be done with it instead of nominating her forever for far lesser craft than other more deserving people..."
Jorge, isn't that saying that she'll never get any better than she is right now? That instead of possibly expecting more depth, richness, subtly, etc, that's all downhill from here because she';; be getting older? I'm sure not sure that's what you mean but on the surface it's a depressing thought.
And admit to not having seen any of her work except Julie and Julia, in which she was bland at best.
Janice,
That was not what I meant. What I meant to say was: instead of having the Academy nominating her now and then for lesser performances (like they did with Meryl in the 90s for example) I'd rather they gave her the Oscar for an interesting performance such as this one for The Fighter while she is still at the top of her game.
What I don't want is for her to win for a lesser performance like so many great stars of today (Winslet is the most obvious example) have. I say: if the performance is good, give it to her instead of dragging it on forever and then we may reach a point when she's so taken for granted she'll never win.
:) I like Amy Adams and I really do prefer her to Leo in The Fighter. I just want them to give the Oscar in a Penelope Cruz-style - while she's at the top. I fully expect her to develop and grow as a performer; but I don't know if the Academy will always notice her.
Someone whom i feel will be getting a long overdue win is leonardo dicaprio for j.edgar and maybe gary oldman for the john le carre film.
If we're talking 10 years from 2001, then I'm still waiting for Ian McKellen and Tom Willkinson to win. And Naomi Watts, of course, though I don't much care for her these days.
If we're talking 10 years from 2002, then yes, it's all about JULIANNE MOORE. Still waiting. Patricia Clarkson and Dennis Quaid haven't done any better in the intervening years either. And what ever happened to Campbell Scott?? Roger Dodger seemed to grant a big career only to Eisenberg...