Today in Stupid: 20 Best Picture Nominees & Standing Os for August: Osage County
Tuesday, September 10, 2013 at 7:53PM 
Relax. The headline is misleading, thank the baby Jesus. Variety is merely wondering if there should be 20 nominees and the only argument they can see against it is that it would make the ceremony even longer?!? Why would anyone propose such a thing? Oh, yes, shameless traffic-baiting is always the why. A website gotta have hits. But since we're feeling generous we've indulged them with a link.
The Film Experience would rather go back to 5 when a Best Picture nomination meant something and was difficult to procure. Even with 10 slots available it's so diluted. One unfortunate side effect is the Best Director category which, despite some fascinating surprises last year, has lost some of its appeal since gone are the days when you could wonder about the "lone wolf" nominee. With any more Best Picture nominees all the tension and drama that comes with annual competition would instantly be sucked out of it, like a zigzagging balloon with knot untied, falling to the ground in a rubbery lump of no fun who cares.
In other stupid news there seems to be a weird notion floating around twitter that the Standing Ovation for August: Osage County is a big deal somehow or that it's "rare". Standing ovations are the furthest thing from rare at festival screenings if the cast or director actually shows up... unless they went and changed the definition of rare while I was up flying the friendly skies. They're kind of expected... that thing you do to say 'thank you for coming, movie stars!'
Julianne, Dermot, Julia, Juliette, Ewan & Abigail at the premiere
Nevertheless August: Osage County is clearly where your head is out (I read the comments sections) and where Twitter's been sl let's discuss the reactions after the jump
Also re: AUGUST OSAGE, Streep & Martindale are sure things, Roberts, best pic and screenplay also possible. But critics won't be big fans.
— Peter Knegt (@peterknegt) September 10, 2013
#tiff. Meryl Streep is do good in August Osage County that its literally scary. Great movie. Best pic nominee without a doubt
— Showbiz 411 (@showbiz411) September 10, 2013
Not surprising Streep, Roberts & Chris Cooper are great in AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. It IS surprising Dermot Mulroney steals every scene he's in
— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) September 9, 2013
I admired work of Julianne Nicholson and Benedict Cumberbatch in August: Osage County. Would have preferred a movie about their characters.
— Anthony Breznican (@Breznican) September 10, 2013
Julianne Nicholson really needs to be in more movies. Streep was unsurprisingly great but Roberts steals the show #AugustOsageCounty #TIFF13
— Steph Sharples (@cinemavine) September 9, 2013
Full of the stars but Julianne Nicholson stole my heart. #AugustOsageCounty #TIFF13 @cameron_tiff
— Josh Epstein (@joshepstein1) September 9, 2013
Best "Osage County" perfs, in this order: Streep's Violet, Margo Martindale's Mattie Fae, Jullianne Nicholson's Ivy, Juliette Lewis' Karen.
— Hollywood Elsewhere (@wellshwood) September 9, 2013
I mostly chose these ones to share because opinions seem very diverse about who the standouts are. Beyond Streep of course who wins her usual loud chorus of adulation and genuflection [cue "Handel's Messiah"] ...and she shall reign for ever and ever.... the mighty queen.... the everlasting actress Most of the Streep reactions play like this one.
Just saw a screening of August: Osage County. I have no words for Meryl Streep's performance. She went from the best, to incomprehensible!
— Matt Angel (@MattAngel23) September 4, 2013
This is all a long way of saying it will be interesting to see if they can pull off nominations for any Supporting cast members (and no I'm not talking about Julia Roberts if that happens in that fraudulent category). Since we're still 3 months away from its release I think we can't really say we have "consensus" yet though everyone likes to say that the day after a premiere when the first reviews come in, but if there is one come December and it follows this first wave of excitement it's something like "mediocre movie / awesome performances".
Or, in other words...
August: Osage County didn't work for me, I'm afraid. It felt like PERFORMANCES!: The Motion Picture. #TIFF13
— Anthony Breznican (@Breznican) September 10, 2013
Thoughts? I know you're having them in September: [Insert Your County]
Podcast a group discussion of TIFF 13: Oscar buzz, our favorite films, and more
Ambition & Self Sabotage on Gravity and Eleanor Rigby: Him & Her
Mano-a-Mano Hallucinations Norway's Pioneer & Jake Gyllenhaal² in Enemy
Quickies Honeymoon, Young & Beautiful, Belle
Labor Day in a freeze-frame nutshell
Jessica Chastain at the Eleanor Rigby Premiere
Rush Ron Howard's crowd pleaser
The Past from Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi & Cannes Best Actress Berenice Bejo
Queer Double Feature: Tom at the Farm and Stranger by the Lake
Boogie Nights Live Read with Jason Reitman and Friends
First 3 Screenings: Child's Pose, Unbeatable and Isabelle Huppert in Abuse of Weakness
TIFF Arrival: Touchdown in Toronto. Two unsightly Oscars
Reader Comments (33)
I only wish they had simulcast the film all around the world. Of course it has built-in audience interest, so why hold on until Christmas? Maybe William Friedkin would have been a better director, and Ewan MacGregor better served by being put in a different film? I have to give Julia Roberts some props for working hard and doing a good job. It's not easy to be her. As for Meryl and angel sounds, what else do you expect? You will miss her when she's gone.
I think if any of the men can get nominated, it'll be Chris Cooper. I read another TIFF review that said the scene where he finally stands up to Martindale on defense of their son is the best in the film. It's a great character and he's very well cast.
And I still have hopes for Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep both in lead. I think the film could easily be the big acting piece of the year and get 4 acting nominations (Streep, Roberts, Martindale, Cooper).
Belinda -- I miss you.
I follow Variety on Facebook and I swear I immediately thought about you when I read the 20 nominees stupidity.
I'm not surprised with the tweets. Violet Weston is a role designed to sweep every major award out there. Even a Grammy for screaming.
I would want to watch it anyway but even more now that people didn't find it horrible :p
Nicholson had a funny spoilery moment during the press conference when she told people what she learned from her character.
I loved how relaxed Julia was in same press conference and how respectful of Meryl she was and how obviously happy she was to be there and a part of that project/experience.
Now I'll just wait at least four months until the movie comes to Greece.
I can't help but think that the ridiculous 20-nominee idea stems from some idea that everything, everwhere deserves some kind of reward. Will there be 20 movies this year that are worthwhile films? Definitely. Does that mean that we need to call 20 movies the best? Nope. Calling everything a 'best picture' robs the term of any meaning whatsoever.
Geez, and we don't even have a Christopher Nolan movie this year.
I really like Cooper and would love to see him get a nomination. I am excited to read a few of the reviewers cite him as a standout. It's going to be a tough year, though.
So tell us what you really thin, Nathaniel.
If these reviews were coming out of Cannes, I might be more inclined to say "Well, maybe American audiences will bite." But considering that it's Toronto and the general trend from festival and other early screenings is to overhype, I say "ruh roh."
American audiences might still relish the chance to see Julia back in good movies, but its Best Picture chances seem done for. Maybe it can get a War Horse-esque nomination and an acting win, and maybe it will surprise me, but I'm moving it down my predictions.
Belinda -- my favorite piece i ever wrote about Meryl Streep said just as much. that i'll miss her when she's gone. I missed her in those years when she wasn't working much ~ 1991-2001 were kinda light on the Streeping!
And by "good movies," I mean serious, Oscary dramas. (Let my bias show there, didn't I?!) ;-)
Nathaniel
I guess you put me in my place in the "stupid news" category .... but I will bet if it were Kidman or Pffeifer, you would have been much more forgiving.
I will write no more about Streep in A:OC...
still looking forward to this, despite the already expected "the director didn't have a firm hand" criticism... (I don't doubt this, but I think some were predisposed to think like this)
and I don't mind "too much shouting!" (I mean, I thought "autumn sonata" had too much shouting, but I still appreciated it very much... not comparing bergman to wells of course)
so here's the thing - violet weston is a truly legendary role for a matron. its tender, vicious, drug fueled, vulnerable, heartbreaking and hilarious. if one of the best actresses of our time did not do it justice, there would be no hope for acting. to deliver the role competently is to deliver it expertly. meryl's natural talent and streepian details would naturally shine in a role this showy. good for her.
i'm still a wait and see on julia roberts given how titanic amy morton was on stage as barbara.
there's a reason this play won every available award. its that good. if the translation to screen worked at all, its a winner. virginia woolf, eat your heart out.
9 films have 5 acting nominations. 5 acting nominations is the most for any one film.
Maybe it's Julia Roberts, but this movie reminds me so much of Fireflies in the Garden and that movie seriously sucked. I don't think it will be one I'll rush out to see.
Judging from these early reactions, either everyone or no one from the cast will get nominated. I personally relish whatever praise Julianne Nichols receives because she has been criminally underused for so long. Still, I shall reserve any excitement for the film for after it is released, and people whose opinions I trust have something to say about it
rick -- this was not directed at you. please dont take it personally. if i took every hit on things i loved personally good god i would vanish from the internet in 2 seconds. (and it's not like i've never had issues with pfeiffer or kidman performances. I maintain the right to be judgmental. lol.)
brandz -- i did not get to see the picture so i have no "what i really think" thing to share. trust that i was broken hearted while travelling to the airport knowing everyone else was experiencing the movie. sniffle.
meryl streep lovers -- you all forget i am a huge meryl streep fan. i realize i make it hard for people to remember that i love love love love love her. I've just been a little tired by her dominance lately is all and i guess that the iron lady left a bad taste in my mouth... kind of how all the people who normally love kate winslet were pissed at her at her shameless oscar neediness during The Reader.
troy -- by everyone or no one... you mean no one BUT meryl right? Because there's no way a role this big (god Violet is SUCH a great character) is going to miss for a nomination from Streep
Yes, excluding Meryl, whom we all know gets nods for simply breathing.
More than anything to do with the acting, my big takeaway from the reviews is that the thing has been carved down to two hours. Two freaking hours! Who needs character moments? Not John Wells, apparently.
I've been dubious about this project basically since the word go, but today makes me feel like we really do have a for-real boondoggle on our hands. One more for the "Meryl great, movie sucks" nomination pile.
Sorry, I just love the play so damn much. Saw it during the world premiere Chicago run, and have felt possessive ever since.
I don't know why but I get a feeling that this will be like "Doubt" part 2; basically a so so movie with ok to good performances in it. I hope I am proven wrong but the trailer and the hype surrounding it just don't give me confidence in it.
hmm the actors seem to get lots of praise even though the film is uneven for some and the director is too gentle with both the material and the cast
Some say Streep is the standout aka tour de force
Some say Roberts shine and is the true heart and soul of the movie. The best Julia has ever done
Some say Chris Cooper steals every scene
Some point out how good Juliette Lewis is
Others is in big favour of Julianne Nicholson´s work in the movie
Margot Martindale gets lots of praise
But the movie is even a strong one with possible Best Picture chances or too uneven to be in the running at all ( too theatrical )
While reading the reviews, I keep seeing Glenn Close as Viiolet. Oh man how outstanding wouldn´t she be as Violet. I think Glenn Close was born to play Violet. Oh well some other time or life I suppose
What all the reviews seems to state- no matter what happens - Meryl is getting that 18th nomination..
Meryl is becoming ever more mysterious from her lack of public appearances. I have to applaud that.
Sounds like the reaction to LES MISERABLES.
Nathaniel, did you catch The Railway Man? Because you are such a Kidmaniac I thought that you are going to make us happy with a review :)
Starting to get worried now that with all these "steals the show" and "tour de force" citations for so many that this is going to be one LOUD movie full of ACTING!
Saw this at TIFF as well. I think Meryl will be the only acting nominee for this (in lead) unless they category fraud Roberts and put her in supporting. This is a superb SAG nominee for ensemble. The rest of the cast have moments and little vignette scenes here and there - but no one performer stands out from the other to warrant a sole nomination just for them. Every movie viewer will have their favourites in the ensemble.
Only read this one review from The Guardian:
"... Violet goes full diva, ripping strips off the whole pack, sparing no prisoners beneath Al Pacino fright wig, choking the air with 65 years of unfiltered nihilism.
It's bracing, but it does feel closer to panto than melodrama, more exhausting than illuminating. Violet is a queen bitch with only the tiniest of chinks, a hybrid of Streep's imperious Thatcher, Kristin Scott Thomas in Only God Forgives and, in cuddlier moments, Ricky Tomlinson in The Royle Family. Yet for all the sparks, the character can't quite catch fire in these conditions. Such southern fried frankness might thrill those in the theatre but at the cinema we eat this sort of thing for breakfast."
Definitely an Oscar nomination then!
Although the 20 nominees idea is goofy, it is kind of mentally freeing, lifting for a moment the mental slavery of "the lock". If we remained opened to at least 20 possibilities, then at the end of the year, we could actually choose the 5+ best with a little more of an open mind.
The "lock" mentality always reminds me if the tea party sequence in Alice in Wonderland. "Go away, go away, there's no room!" Alice says, "What do you mean, there's plenty of room."
Locks seem to be so anti-joy and anti- discovery. Because we're saving a seat for a future film, we can't consider the good films that are happening at the moment. OTOH, because we already loved one film, we can't let another in. So if we did adopt the attitude that we were going to consider at least 20 films, maybe we could relax and appreciate all the artistry and skill on display.
Can't say Kidman blew me away in the trailer,rember she replaced Rachel Wiesz at the last minute.
Joe, that's actually a rather negative review of Meryl, no?
I'm really enjoying all of the back and forth on actors that's going on in this comments thread. I want to go in a slightly different direction, though. Rich's comment, "virgina woolf, eat your heart out" actually reminded me of the biggest problem I have with what little I've seen/read about August: Osage County; nobody's talking about the movie. The actors? Absolutely! Anything else? Nope.
A:OC is (as we all keep saying) an absolutely incredible play written for actors. However, as done by Steppenwolf, it was also an absolutely incredibly designed and directed play. It was one of the best plays I've ever seen in its marriage of all theater elements.
I'm deeply concerned that the same attention has not been paid to the other film elements besides acting in this movie. The trailer looked very Hallmark Channel Original Movie. No word on the score yet. The comparison to Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf is telling, because Virginia Woolf was an incredible film *all around,* whereas A:OC may just be another case of great acting against blah everything else.
I'm hoping to be proven wrong in a month.
Jason, I agree with you. It was noticeable that Streep 'called in' at TIFF, was a no show. I think she is wisely (and admirably) staying out of the limelight. She knows the game and avoids it all the time.