Linkville
Sunday, December 1, 2013 at 1:44PM Television Blend Baz Luhrmann may direct Napoleon as a miniseries for television
House Next Door on the Oscar prospects of August: Osage County. Yet another critic who thinks Julia is the MVP. I'm mystified but congrats, Julia!
In Contention wonders if The Wolf of Wall Street is just what Oscar season ordered? We know that the SAG screening went sensationally well in Los Angeles. Our friend Paul, who we just featured in Reader Spotlight, thinks Leonardo DiCaprio is now the Best Actor frontrunner and tweeted this photo from the festivities:
And then they plied us with food, alcohol and music. Unnecessary, but yum. #howlingwolf @kristapley @nathanielr pic.twitter.com/QFXsU8nK0a
— Paul Outlaw (@poutlaw) December 1, 2013
Cinema Blend Jurassic World not a reboot (thank god) but a sequel set 22 years in future. Chris Pratt, suddenly in demand since slimming down and bulking up for ZDT, rumored for lead.
Variety Fernando Eimbcke's Club Sandwich wins the Turin Fest. We interviewed its actress icymi.
RIP Paul Walker (1973-2013)
And finally, as you've undoubtedly heard by now, Paul Walker died yesterday in a car accident in California en route to or from a charity event of all things. Terrible. He was 40 years old. The actor starred in all but one of the six episodes of the big screen series The Fast and Furious. It's worth noting that The Fast and the Furious 7 is currently filming. There's no word yet on exactly how and what they'll do to finish it without him but the movie will undoubtedly move forward.
The original F&F franchise director Rob Cohen told Variety:
His American beauty, his athleticism, the directness of his approach to the character, his effusive, down-to-earth personality brought joy to me and everyone around him."
Aside from the F&F franchise we'll remember him most for that All American b&w jock beauty in Pleasantville (1998) and one of the best B movies of the early Aughts Joy Ride (2001).
Reader Comments (44)
It must be Meryl fatigue - all these people saying Julia is MVP. I'm mystified as well. Meryl clear standout for me.
Still not completely buying The Wolf of Wall Street as a game-changer in the race. People will still be complaining about the run-time, having to follow an anti-hero, and the possible stereotype hang-ups of it. I think it was factor as a Django Unchained where it might win some significant awards but the awards bodies will be overall lukewarm to it despite the usual suspects of critics and viewers championing it. I actually think fellow Paramount film Nebraska may be hurt the most by it because I think Paramount putting this movie this late may cause them to consider swapping priority awards films. Leo though as Best Actor, finally breaking out of tortured, ultra-serious Leo(TM), definitely could shake things up. Not too impressed by All is Lost and Captain Phillips and I think Captain Phillips will easily slip to Priority 2 for Sony and Roadside Attractions is in an uphill battle. While I think McConaughey is the most vulnerable out of the contenders, Hanks and Redford are still not locks in my eyes.
murtada -- for me the standout was the sister-rapport (very believable) between Streep & Martindale. I just dont get the Julia thing. Maybe it's because i've seen the stage play and that role is so freaking rich and i think she merely sells some of it.
Tapley seems very high on Wolf, but he isn't quite as enthusiastic about its awards potential in that piece.
To be honest, I'm just exhausted by the whole Scorsese and DiCaprio (separately or together) at this pont, and although I am basically an Oscar completist, it's going to take some outstanding reviews across the board to get me to the theater during a crowded Christmas season for this three-hour film. I wonder how many awards voters feel like I do, and how many of the attendees at the initial screening were huge fans of Scorsese and/or DiCaprio.
I am someone who really is not into the Scorsese-DiCaprio pairings (particularly because, although bless him, DiCaprio seems so involved in the casting processes of the ensembles since The Aviator, and I would say that is one of my bigger complaints of the films in general- There seems to be a 'Friends of Leo' club in these movies than people I'd actually believe Scorsese had on his list) but this has me excited. It looks like it is not completely shooting to be the greatest thing ever, that unfortunately Shutter Island got misunderstood for being, but rather a mix of After Hours/The King of Comedy/Casino. I completely believe this easily could've been a mini-series hearing about 5-6 hours of footage of story. Paramount knows it could be in any time of the year that it will rake in money. I think it was mentioned on a previous TFE podcast that sometimes people mistake time of year for an awards movie. I really don't think people thought of Hugo out of the gate would be a potential Oscar player but I think that it was a Christmas movie helped it a lot.
Tapley also is cool on American Hustle's award chances but that seems like a matter of taste with David O. Russell. He is kind of being too sycophantic bullish on Out of the Furnace, that he has admitted to having friends involved in the film (and it has an Affleck too!)
Today is a good day for everyone to revisit the best movie of 1998 (Pleasantville).
Anytime Julia Roberts delivers a performance of any substance that the critics feel doesn't rely on her star power they're going to recognize it with overwhelming praise. Although, Julia's too big a star not to be taken in by her star power regardless of the performance she's giving.
I'm pleased that so many are high on Julia's performance, because I love her, and I'm psyched to see her in Osage.
However, if all this attention pushes her into the supporting category with a lead performance, I'll be SO irritated. Especially since the best actress race could use a legit 6th option to keep it interesting. (I love all the indie gals that gave amazing performances this year, but they're all such long shots.)
Paul was the perfect late 90s matinee idol for that brief teen movie renaissance. She's All That, Varsity Blues, The Skulls, Fast and Furious and, my personal favorite, Pleasantville.
Very sad news about Paul Walker ....
I think people trying to find excuses as to why so many think highly of Julia's performance is bullshit. It's not because she's a movie star and people don't expect much, it's not because of Streep fatigue - here's a novel idea she gives a damn fantastic performance. IMO it's one of the best performances of the year and no scene has a greater or deeper emotional resonance than the scene between Julia and Abigail in the back of the car. It is best scene in the film, it is probably the most honest and raw scene in the film and it is incredibly well acted.
Also I am so over reading these words "Well I saw the play and..." And what? The play is the play and the film is the film. I don't understand why this is so hard for people to understand. What works on stage does not necessarily work on film and vice versa. I saw the play and it was great but that had little to no effect on my opinion of the film. Tracy Letts's screenplay was significantly reworked by Tracy himself for the film and yet there's still incessant whining about the film not being exactly like the play. Well, no shit. If it was exactly like the play it would be a play.
I personally feel like Julia is a completely different actress than she was 15-20 years ago but often still felt pressure in taking the same roles she'd take in that previous period. I think she was on an interesting path being in Closer (I personally would've nominated her over Natalie, I live for those Larry and Anna scenes). She went to the stage and unlike say a Scarlett Johansson, her debut went off like a lead balloon in a very public way. Maybe it was motherhood or something but I still hold onto Closer and Duplicity as the best stuff she has ever done. Maybe she works well with Clive Owen (Talk about an actor who appeared on the cusp and never really went anywhere.... Poor Duplicity) for me. Admittedly, she has taken roles that either fall into her 90s comfort zone and also roles I feel as though befit an older actress e.g. Charlie Wilson's War and Mirror Mirror. She's also a mother of three and does not seem too bothered by the dearth of good movie roles for her age but she does appear extra-appreciative that she got this specific role.
Having not seen A:OC, I have to say I was never really skeptical of her as Barbara. She does seem to be a fan of theater but she is probably permanently hurt by the Three Days of Rain experience to ever do it again. I find it fascinating that her next two roles come from really juicy female stage roles, her as the female Doctor in The Normal Heart on HBO in addition to A:OC. It's like she is trying to do theater by proxy (adaptation) but without the vicious theatre critics watching her every night.
Genie -- it's not that they shouldn't make changes. They absolutely should. The worst thing about many popular franchises for example is their obvious fear about messing with the source material. as for AOC I think the opening monologue is VERY SMARTLY incorporated/changed to accept that this is a movie and not a play. But some other transitional things are a mess (like retaining but also cutting the show's most problematic character, the Misty Upham character. seriously it's such a noncommittal decision that it ends up being nothing... or the botched ending.... or the framing of certain key moments where Wells seems to have no idea where to put the camera to capture it.
I dont care if Tracy Letts rewrote it. That doesn't absolve it of changes that don't work well just because the original author is involved. Many geniuses in other artforms have trouble transitioning tk the bigscreen (Sondheim, one of the greatest geniuses of all time, seems downright dumb about the cinema. in what he endorses and such)
I've heard as many as three different endings being randomly shown at separate screenings. It's like the ending to Clue.
Letts had involvement in Bug and Killer Joe from stage to screen. I'm sure those not only had him retain his plays with creative freedom but also that him and Friedkin were on the same page. A:OC feels like too many cooks in the kitchen with Harvey, Clooney, Heslov, and Wells, who seems there because of who he is friends with than any grasp on the material or a significant directorial eye. Then you have the actors. Some of the actors mention pretty casually that Meryl controlled a lot of the scene. This is not in a negative way but, in fact, complimentary of Meryl.
I saw Club Sandwich last month in Morelia, beautiful film (a little thin and too many silences, bit very potent) and I just read the interview with Dannae Reynaud. I met her (and the whole crew) at the festival and thought they were all delightful people, very humble and committed (Fernando Eimbcke is a treat to hear, especially in how he answered a question I asked during a press session). Happy to hear he's winning awards for it (by the way, Lucio Gimenez Cacho, the boy in the film, is the son of actor Daniel Gimenez Cacho, who among many other roles is the narrator in Y Tu Mamá También).....
Anything that means Meryl is not nominated is fine by me.
The person who wrote the review about A:OC has an obvious chip on his (her) shoulder about Streep. When he or she writes the oh-so-tired-word 'calculated' next to Streep's name, I automatically dismiss the article.
CMG - To me, every movie that Leo has done since, say, The Beach has been an "awards movie." He hasn't done a smaller budgeted film or a non-Scorsese-helmed comedy or an action film or anything that might be, you know, purely fun. And he only works with huge AMPAS-approved A-list directors, never anyone new or risky or on his or her (her! As if) way up. It's clear to me that he has the big statue in his eyes. A lot of actors probably do, but if you compare his filmography to, say, Clooney's or Pitt's (or McConaughey's over the last couple years), I just think it's deadly dull.
And honestly, I have trouble viewing anything Scorsese has done since he hooked up with Weinstein for Gangs outside the context of Oscars as well. He gave up final cut on that film. Post-Raging Bull he did a series of really diverse, interesting small films - the best films of his career IMO - but over the past 10-15 years, his budgets have become out of control, and his films, other than The Departed, have become turgid and boring. But save Shutter Island, they've all gotten nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, whereas King of Comedy, After Hours, Age of Innocence, etc., didn't, so I guess that proves something.
I know most movie fans still love Scorsese, and maybe WOWS is great, but I've felt burned by so many of his recent films that it's hard for me to be enthused by it.
I am one of those unfortunate people who usually have to fight to stay awake during a 90-minute movie because I am so wired in my daily life that suddenly sitting still in a darkened room makes me drowsy;
I am also one of those unfortunate people who was never totally sold on the Scorsese-DiCaprio collaboration;
and I am also one of those unfortunate people who thinks that Di Caprio is a character actor who rarely if ever reaches the heights he did in What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
Last night, however, I was on the edge of my seat for three hours. While it's not necessarily the best, it's the most exciting non-documentary film Scorsese has made since Goodfellas: The screenplay is witty, playful, topical and irreverent; cinematography and editing are top-notch as always; production design and visual effects spectacular. The cast is excellent down to the walk-ons: McConaughey kills in a cameo, as do three directors (Rob Reiner, Jon Favreau and Spike Jonze). I'm not a fan of Jonah Hill, but he's undeniably strong in this. What a vile character.
And Leo carries the whole thing. It's a powerhouse comic performance with a thrilling physicality and nastiness unlike anything he's done before. One sequence in particular will make you think of Buster Keaton, Jim Carrey and David Hyde Pierce. I was in awe. The only thing missing from the performance are tears and redemption, which could prove fatal in the Oscar race. But maybe not.
So yeah, between The Wolf of Wall Street, 12 Years a Slave, Her, Gravity, Fruitvale Station, Dallas Buyers Club and Out of the Furnace I'm definitely invested in the races. And I still have to see August: Osage County (tonight), American Hustle (Wednesday), Saving Mr. Banks, Inside Llewyn Davis (soon) and The Butler and Blue Jasmine (screeners?). Exciting year.
Suzanne, not disagreeing at all. I am putting aside all my DiCaprio issues, and I agree with your reading of his career decisions, and focusing on Marty. This does not seem like the stuff that has plagued his millennium with decades-in-the-making passions projects (Gangs of New York, The Aviator), getting lost in his own film geekery (Hugo, The Aviator, and Shutter Island). This seems closer to The Departed (although I much prefer the Infernal Affairs trilogy, there is stuff to like although I wish he was more ambitious in his music supervising for the soundtrack and was not so kind to William Monahan's obvious script). It feels like he is just making a movie although he clearly has indulged in a lot of story if there is a supposedly workable 5 hour cut to behold.
I am nostalgic for Scorsese in the late 70s/80s but he had flops during that time that led him to be a director for hire with The Color of Money (Only Spielberg appeared to go through that decade not completely crapping the bed like his other colleagues financially like Coppola and Scorsese). That was just a different stage of his career. Now he can make virtually anything because he is clearly the most influential among critics and aspiring directors and has a lot of cache for his support of film preservation/history.
I am interested in this because I don't think this ensemble falls into, 'Leo clearly picked these people' but rather 'People that Marty actually thought were interesting choices'. Jean Dujardin supposedly has a juicy supporting role and Leo is not crying over a dead lover but living a Caligula-like life. To me that news is the smell of roses!
Nathaniel, thank you for reminding me of "Joy Ride," which completely took me by surprise when I rented it upon its home video release. I was not prepared for how much I was going to be taken in by it, and it remains my favorite Paul Walker film. What tragic news that was to learn.
"Chris Pratt, suddenly in demand since slimming down and bulking up for ZDT [...]" -- Unfortunately, now more so than ever there seems to be little space for anyone with unconventional looks in entertainment, even on stage, unless they're being laughed at, made fun of, or pitied.
Chris Pratt actually gained that weight he lost for ZDT back to play Andy and then he lost it again. Supposedly Bigelow first noticed him in Moneyball, playing Scott Hatteberg, never seeing an episode of Parks & Rec. Meanwhile, I definitely believe James Gunn watched all of Pratt as Andy Dwyer in Parks & Rec.
Paul - that's actually encouraging to hear. I'm one of the people who aren't sold on the Scorsese-Dicaprio pairing (my favourite Scorsese movie since way too long has been Hugo, to be blunt), so it's good to hear it still works! Esp. as I quite like the Scorsese comedies. After Hours is brilliant.
On a different note, Paul Walker was in Pleasantville? Damn, I need to watch that again. And it's funny about the F&F movies. They create this alternate reality around them - they're actually pretty enjoyable while I'm watching them although I'd be damned if I could explain why whenever I'm not watching them. Perhaps it's the ridiculous dialogue. Or the even more ridiculous premises. Or the most ridiculous behaviours. Sigh. RIP.
Joy Ride, absolutely. Grade-A B movie. Oddly, it remains the first thing I think of when I hear Paul Walker's or Steve Zahn's name.
I've not seen the A:OC play but having seen the movie, I honestly feel that Julia was competent but hardly a standout. I agree with a reader here that perhaps when someone like Julia gives a performance that keeps her star power at bay (still a good performance nonetheless), the critics go ga-ga over her.
Julia Roberts has always been a fascinating figure to me. I mean, aside from being - in terms of box office receipts - the most successful actress of all time and biggest movie star this world has seen since the Hepburns her whole personal life (especially in the 90's with her many male suitors was always interesting).
However I agree with the poster that she's evolved and changed a bit since she's gotten older. Yes she will always be known for her laugh, smile, rom-coms and charisma, but I've found that when she isn't joking or playing and is given an introspective interview she has a lot of interesting things to say (and she's super smart - seems to actually be a huge fan of film). The thing is, she rarely takes interviews seriously, she kind of laughs them off and charms the person she's talking to - and while I haven't seen A:OC yet I have found her interviews about the film and her interpretation of Barbara really smart and fascinating.
Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DAQ16tNjDk
Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkLlCyLvXcY
I love you Joseph.
Just caught a trailer for Wolf of Wall Street. Looked pretty good. But what stuck out most to me was the diner shown in the clip. I grew up right across the street from that diner - The Shalimar Diner on 63rd Dr in Rego Park, Queens.So strange to see it on my TV with Leo sitting in a booth I've sat in.
I still think Margo will get the Oscar nod for Supporting but wouldn't be completely surprised if Julia bumped June out of the final five.
Supporting Actor seems to now be the most wide open. After Fassbender and Leto, the other three nominations could go to several different roles. I'm thinking Wolf, August and Hustle may pad their nomination totals with noms for Hill, Cooper or a longshot like McDermott or McGregor. I don't think Captain Philips has the coattails to garner a nom for an unknown like Abdi and just don't think Hanks will pull off a double nod but if they love Saving Mr Banks, maybe Farrell gets some love.
I don't know, I think liking Julia or Meryl in August is kind of mutually exclusive, so it isn't necessarily about the performances in and of itself, but more about their approach to acting. Julia has a very naturalistic, intuitive approach, while Meryl is more technical, bordering on mannered. So depending on what you appreciate in acting, you ll either prefer Julia or Meryl.
I just got home from seeing it and I don't "prefer" either one. In fact, the whole thing didn't do very much for me, sad to say. The direction is so inert, but then again it's probably not fair to watch this movie the day after seeing the new Scorsese. Not to mention being acutely aware of the changes to the script from the theater version (even though it's been ages since I saw it).
Roberts' performance bored me, and while Streep nails the addiction and the illness, her take on Violet's rage is overloaded with Streep-isms. Don't get me wrong: This is not a bad performance, but there's less revelation in it than in her Thatcher, and I was not fond of that movie. I was most captivated by the work of Julianne Nicholson, Sam Shepard and Misty Upham, so I guess that says it all.
(Ewan McGregor remains dreamy.)
Bacio,
I completely agree with you. I love great acting period. N yes, Julia does have a naturalistic way of acting, while Meryl is a technician. But I have seen the film, n I loved both performances. I have also seen the play, and I loved Deanna Dunagan's performance, and Meryl's was a whole different take of it...I thought she nailed it. I think that Meryl Streep's performance is only second to Cate Blanchett's in Blue Jasmine this year.. and way better than the nominees last year.
On the other hand I was not a big fan of Amy Morton's performance in the play. I thought it was too.."LOOK AT ME, I AM GETTING MAD! DID YOU NOTICE MY CHARACTER ARC?!! I AM TURNING INTO MY MOTHER" type of performance. What I loved about Julia's performance is that Julia is so natural in conveying emotions- something that Amy Morton completely lacked- and it was completely perfect for the film. I thought her performance was a revelation.
Meryl is mannered. That's the problem. It's all "click, click, click." You can SEE her acting. It didn't used to be that way, she's turned in some fine, naturalistic performance but this certainly isn't one of them. In fact, Meryl has been nothing short of hammy lately - that includes The Iron Lady and most especially Doubt and August Osage County.
Meryl doesn't become the character, it just looks like Meryl playing another character. I think she's a fine actress (I am much fonder of her earlier work than I am of her recent work) but I think she might need a break.
Mike -- but Julia misses the "turning into her mother" thing which IS the arc! You'd only know it because Ewan McGregor says it. This is my principle problem with her performance. It is naturalistic and strong in individual scenes but i just don't feel that the arc happens and the arc is crucial to the affect of the story. That said, for as much as i hate the new ending, she is really moving in said horrible new ending so it's one of those things...
you take the good you take the bad... [sing it with me]
also i am so annoyed at category fraud each year. If Julia is nominated this just mean that some character actress (like probably June Squibb or Margo Martindale) has to sit the Oscars out and the supporting categories were designed for people like that who contribute a lot but dont otherwise get recognition.
Nathaniel,
I respect your opinion but whether or not Julia is nominated, Margo Martindale certainly shouldn't be. She's a great actress but does next to nothing here. I agree with whomever said Chris Cooper completely steals a scene from her, she and Meryl don't share enough screentime together to really register and her "big" scene IMO fell incredibly flat.
I also don't get the idea that you don't see the complete arc. It's quite apparent in the scene with Julia, Juliette, and Julianne that Barbara was turning into Violet. *SPOILERS* The way that she constantly places guilt and blame on Ivy for daring to consider leaving (the exact same thing that Violet does to her) and, as the film goes on, the way she speaks to, and berates her daughter gets uglier and uglier and more like Vi.*END SPOILERS*
I also have to echo the comment about the scene between Julia and Abigail in the back of the car. That was just a stunning scene, both poignant and devastating. Never once did I feel like Julia was "acting" (well maybe for a brief second in the "eat the fish" scene) but I felt like it was a fully realized and completely lived in character.
actually, so many different versions of August now exist that it''s not quite clear if we are even talking about the same film here. Apparently, they cut another 10 minutes from the Toronto version, so maybe there is a chance that some of Julia's arc was cut?
katharine hepburn is happily laughing somewhere.
"blah blah blah" -Meryl Streep Death Becomes Her
jamie - yeah, it's boring by now. next year we''ll have it again: "meryl is not subtle as the WITCH, she's awful!".
Marcelo- Exactly....
Oh, here we go again. The Streep-haters pop out of the woodwork. It's boring folks.
Really sad to hear about Paul Walker he was a truly great actor i loved all the Fast & Furious films and still have not seen the latest one, which i will be definitely watching over the Christmas period, it does sadden me to see the image of wrecked car and to see it caught on fire as well there was just know chance of coming out of that alive, i'm sure his spirit will live on for many years to come gone but never forgotten.
la Kate Hepburn hated Meryl Streep's very mannered acting style, she compared it to a machine or something. But she liked Julia very much! She saw her in Mystic Pizza and predicted that Julia will be a huge star. These infor are from her authorized biography, can't remember the title though.
cause hepburn was not 'mannered' at all.
my current dream is that meryl streep and jennifer lawrence star as mother and daughter in a prestige picture just to see the internet react.
R.I.P. Paul Walker
Thank you for your genuine sweet personality, enjoyable films (F&F series, She's All That, Noel, Pleasantville) and wonderful performances (Running Scared, Eight Below, Flags of Our Fathers), and for coming into our lives.
Here's hoping your family & daughter have lots of support during this time, and I look forward to your two remaining films ("Hours" "Brick Mansions").