Link File
Thursday, November 21, 2013 at 11:11AM Balder & Dash Dan Callahan on Alfre Woodard's contribution to 12 Years A Slave
Pixar Times on The Blue Umbrella failing to make the Academy Animated Short finalists
Huffington Post wants a return policy on Dallas Buyers Club's AIDS history
Awards Circuit notices some campaign trickery chez TWC. Fruitvale Station's lead actor is now supporting? and it's screenplay is Adapted. Whaaaa?
Man at Arms crafting Mjölnir, Thor's Hammer
THR on the success of black cinema this year. I'm alarmed at some of these clickbait (racebait?) headlines lately on this topic but i love sentences like "The Butler's success in crossing over is attributed to Oprah Winfrey and Forest Whitaker, mainstream stars who relentlessly promoted the film"... relentlessly sounds so threatening given the context/headline. LOL!
AV Club kicks off a series of "firsties" with Guillermo del Toro. I'm not crazy about his films (I know this is an off consensus opinion) but he's always a good listen/read. Like this quote:
I’m not a brand. I’m an acquired taste. So who’s going to buy this? I’m a caviar-filled doughnut. There’s not a huge demand; it’s not going to be in every supermarket.
It would only take her 49 more years to get her ownFinally...
If you're still thinking about The Governor's Awards which brought us this hot pick, a smart off-mainstream honor, and those wonderful acceptace speeches, make sure to read Mark Harris's piece on why it's a travesty that these awards aren't still part of the Oscars. He calls it the worst decision the Academy ever made and I wholeheartedly agree. As stated in the comments of an earlier post, my whole indoctrination into cinephilia was prompted by the Oscars and I sought out and learned so much Old Hollywood BECAUSE of the ceremony's focus on multiple generations. Meanwhile if you're still smiling from Angela Lansbury's win enjoy this old haiku for her at Dial M for Movies that's a sweet reminder of the anticipation.
Reader Comments (13)
love the post on Woodard in 12 Years.... for my money, hers was the only performance that leapt off the screen and wasn't saddled with cliche or one-dimensionality (it should be said that Sarah Paulson was a close second). her speech was fantastic and gloriously warped.... it complicated the film in an unexpected way that the rest of the film couldn't transcend to.
(also: for all the mentioning of Woodard's acting career in the article, there's nothing about Star Trek: First Contact?! maybe it's my sentimentality talking, but her verve throughout and chemistry with Patrick Stewart positively crackles in that movie)
When they say Alfre Woodard, are they actually talking about Idris Elba? Is that possible?
I'm so happy that people are talking about Woodard in 12 Years. She's really remarkable, and that Callahan piece is really great.
I'll be happy for all attention shone on any of 12 Years' quartet of supporting actresses (Nyong'o, Woodard, Paulson, Oduye).
Really glad to read these good things about Woodard....I'm sorry she has no buzz for her (too brief?) perf in TYAS...I hope she could be the second contender in best supporting actress race after Lupita but Paulson has actually some buzz...
I'm happy to see Woodard getting attention for her remarkable bit in 12 Years', and the Callahan piece is really great. Her career is so interesting.
I'll be thrilled for all attention given to any of 12 Years' quartet of supporting actresses (Nyong'o, Woodard, Paulson, Oduye).
My problem with the DBC piece is that hello, the movie takes place in Texas, near the Mexican border. ACT UP was largely an East Coast movement or a major city movement for people who while not in power were close to those in power to put pressure on them. I think that is why Vallee had always been struck by the DBC in how does one who faced that disease adapt when they are not only disenfranchised but away from the action.
But whatever, HuffPo can often look, feel, and read as an overwhelming sausage factory of freelancers, 'look at me and my opinions!' pieces, and trolling headlines.
I'm fairly certain those categorizations on TWC website are typos, not campaign switches. Notice how they made just one "Best Supporting Actress" category under which to list both Octavia Spencer and Melonie Diaz, but there are two separate "Best Supporting Actor" categories (one above the Supporting Actress contenders, one below them), one for Jordan and one for Kevin Durand. I've got to believe the top one was meant to say Best Actor in a Leading Role. Surely no one would buy a supporting campaign for him, right?
Maybe I could see a switch to Adapted Screenplay if Weinstein starts throwing around some article that he'll say the movie was based on from here on out, especially since the Original Screenplay category is actually more competitive than the Adapted Screenplay category this year (which is rare). But even then, my guess is it's a typo.
Edwin, all: The Weinstein website has fixed both mistakes.
Loving the Alfre Woodard love. Aside from Nyong'o, it's really difficult choosing which of the other major actresses in the film are worthy of singling out. All are amazing.
Woodard, perhaps, has the most challenging role as she seems to have the shortest amount of screen time with which to convey a very odd wrinkle in plantation culture. Women like Mistress Shaw were actually fairly common, based on what I've read, but they've never received much attention. Woodard captured the contradictions and rationalizations of her station perfectly.
Hi Nat, when are you gonna post about AOC?
I disagree about Passion Fish. It is one of the most arresting performances I can remember and I still have the memory of the scene at the road (with her father and child) burned in my mind. The writer also gets it wrong when he implies she was simply playing a helpmate to a white woman. That may be true technically, but the character had just come out of rehad, needed the job and a white woman's nurse was the job she got.
I would watch Woodard read a phone book and I love her work on Memphis Blues.
Damn, that Harris piece about the honorary Oscars is pure truth. Tell it, brutha! I still get tears in my eyes thinking about Myrna Loy, Mickey Rooney and Audrey Hepburn up on that stage.
The Harris piece just reminds me how much last Oscar season missed with his truth-telling. Dang it, Harris, why must you have ethics and bowed out last season because Tony wrote Lincoln? Especially when SO MUCH of that race stank of unethical dirty tricks