Thursday
Nov292012
Busy Busy. What Are You Busy Thinking About?
Thursday, November 29, 2012 at 11:39PM 
Kerry Washington interview forthcoming!I apologize for my radio silence. I've been busy preparing for interviews (4 exciting ones this weekend) and updating Oscar charts (director, picture, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress) and otherwise terribly occupied with only half terribly interesting things (like Oscar campaign events). Regular blog posting speed recommences this weekend.
What have you been doing... and which movies can't you stop thinking about?
tagged Oscars (12)
Oscars (12)
Reader Comments (24)
I can't get Beasts of the Southern Wild out of my head, which not only is probably going to be my #1 movie of the year, but probably of the last few as well. I'm awfully afraid it's going to go the Martha Marcie May Marlene route at the Oscars though, i.e. a critically-loved and well-respected indie with a strong first-time director and a fantastic female lead that somehow slips through the season's cracks. I really hope not, but I've got a bad feeling.
I keep thinking about Beasts too! Really hope its amazing score, among other things, get the recognition they deserve.
I'm thirding the Beasts love. I was in love with it over the summer, and finally just as I thought I was able to move on and love other movies again, I went to a Q&A with Benh Zeitlin and the obsession was reborn. But I'm also here to say AH! You lucky dog!!!! Kerry Washington!!!!! I love her!
It also must be said that despite the fact that work has kept me from almost all of the baity Oscar season movies, my most anticipated movie at the moment is the Beyonce documentary. I'm only human.
I was at the Lincoln Sq AMC yesterday watching 'Lincoln',. Halfway through it, they evacuated the entire building because of fire. It was supposedly a hoax. Now, I can't bother myself to go back and watch the movie again knowing I have to sit through the first 90 minutes of this thing just to see the second half. Yes, first world problems... LoL.
But felt good getting that off my chest.
Saw "Life of Pi" today in 3D and IMAX... what beauty both visually and emotionally ... I have never read the book, so was not sure what it would be about ... was not at all disappointed.
I think the Indian boy in the movie was terrific and cannot understand why he isn't at all considered award-worthy. A masterful job of acting.
Thinking about how I must see Amour, need to see Argo a third time (I love love love it!) and wondering if I should book to see Les Mis in IMAX. Also - no mention of Kristin Scott Thomas in Salmon Fishing in Yemen for Supporting Actress. Why is there no campaign? She was terrific and hilarious. She'll at least appear on the BAFTA longlist surely.
I'll second Life of Pi on my mind. Although it wasn't perfect or Lee's best IMO, I wish more movies left me this torn and inspired and mesmerized by the magic of visual storytelling.
I have many more movies to see, but the list is dwindling for this year, and I hate the feeling every year when the end is in sight and your having a more grounded reality-check on the quality of the film output. There's no more unknown possibilities to look forward to or surprises to be discovered. Maybe that's my favorite part of the year, when the 30-long list of potential great films is still unseen and likely better in your imaginatively hopeful mind.. Now its just the awards rat-race to watch unfold in all its bloody, sometimes boring, glory. (I won't lie. I love it)
Why there's no SAG nom for Quvenzhané Wallis? Is it an age thing or is it because she's not sindicated?
Peggy Sue: She wasn't in the guild when they made the film, so they can't vote for her.
Volvagia -- Thanks! Mmh, I see. I can't help thinking about Jamie Bell or Keisha. Were they members? Really?
Finally saw The Lion in Winter a few days ago and I'm still regretting that Peter O'Toole will never get an Oscar.
Really, REALLY looking forward to seeing Killing Them Softly today.
Jennifer Ehle is an intriguing new name in a weak Supporting Actress field. I'm hoping there's some variety in the nominees throughout the precursors and the Oscars for that category, because I'm starting to feel that it could be a lock-step sort of year, since AMPAS doesn't have many contenders in the lineup. My predicted lock-step at this point being: Smith, Adams, Hathaway, Hunt, and Field.
Though it's weird to think that if those five are the nominees, that would make 2012 the first time ever that five former nominees made up the Best Supporting Actress lineup.
I've been thinking about Silver Linings Playbook a lot. Didn't much care for The FIghter and, based on certain criticisms I've read, went into the theater more or less loaded for bear. But I really really liked the film. The acting is great, the writing is mostly sharp and tight as a drum, but the thing that gave me the biggest kick was honestly the super high energy, Scorsese-esque visual style. All those lunging camera moves! Swoonworthy. I definitely appreciate a number of the criticisms and had them in mind while watching the film, but the actual experience of watching it disarmed those criticisms for me and overall it worked so well that it felt like some kind of minor miracle that Russell actually pulled it off. Possibly only because my expectations were very low it has emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the year for me.
Nathaniel -- Based on the charts, I take it you weren't too impressed with the supporting actors in Les Mis, were you?
ITA with rick, Suraj Sharma should be in contention for Best Actor. Astonishing emotional truth from Life of Pi's charismatic lead actor.
Created this limerick yesterday based on the events in The Help:
She said, “Why, this pie is delightful!”
But it seems she was not too insightful.
The choc’late she thought
that Minny had bought
was in fact poo she’d ate by the bite full.
Now off to Rust & Bone.
I'm looking forward to having a movies weekend with shopping, and seeing Life of Pi (loved the book) and Silver Linings Playbook (lust the Cooper). I'm also wondering how many of these smaller films (Amour, Beasts, Bext Exotic) are available on Charter OnDemand.
ChrisD--I totally agree about Kristin Scott Thomas! She's still my favorite supporting actress of the year. Talk about a performance that's better than the movie itself. She's sharp as a tack and piercingly funny in a movie that's way too soft for its own good. Thinking about her reading of "Shut up, hacks!" still makes me smile almost nine months later. Love her.
Surprised you've got Brian Cranston ahead of Alan Arkin for ARGO. Surely it's the other way round?
Cranston's part is so small it hardly registers. I don't think Arkin did great work in Argo, just a few nice moments. I liked the movie, but the performances were just above average.
I just saw a poster for that Jack Reacher movie. I can't believe Werner Herzog is doing a Tom Cruise film. I hope he has been making a behind the scenes doc while on set. Can you imagine? Werner Herzog on Tom Cruise would be fassssinating! And the dvd commentary too! It's my Christmas wish.