Saturday
Jan022016
Open Thread & Podcast Questions
Saturday, January 2, 2016 at 1:35AM 
Hello from the other side (of the calendar). How's 2016 treating you? I'm under the weather today -- not Leonardo DiCaprio all caps SUFFERING mind you but out of sorts -- so it's your turn.
What's on your cinematic mind? Also since we'll be recording another podcast real soon, do you have any questions for the team?
Reader Comments (39)
Why do so many people believe Leo has to eventually win a #BestActorOscar when O'Toole, Burton and Grant never did, and Fonda almost didn't?
Do you think any of last year's non-nominated supporting actresses (Rene Russo, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Stewart, Carrie Coon, Tilda Swinton) would stand a chance at a win this year?
If Mara gets in Best Actress, does she become a threat to win?
#OscarsSoWhite is looking pretty plausible to repeat this year if the voters don't go for Elba, Smith, Jackson or Jordan. Do you think voters will make a conscious effort to avoid another all-white lineup? And is Mya Taylor the actress of color who'll come closest to a nomination?
Rounding up with the movies in time for those sick awards. Finally saw Spotlight. Everyone's comparing it to All The President's Men and they have a point... but, seriously, how come no one assume its Erin Brockovich-ian procedures when the reporters are checking those damm books? Im I the only one that see lighting and, hell, score!!, borrowed out of that film? Is threre a post in TFE about this? because I'd like to know or I might have missed it.
"Bull Durham" is a such a gem of a film: beautifully acted, sharply funny, and totally, totally feminist.
For Nick: How academic is "The Desiring Image" and how familiar should we be with the films?
For Katey: You must chose between watching Oscar Isaac without hearing him or listening to him without seeing him. Which do you choose?
For Joe: 366 films? Are you crazy?
For Nathaniel: What 2015 film's under-performance surprised you the most?
Finally saw "Carol" and am trying to puzzle through why I merely liked it. Far from bad, but it felt remote and, yes, kind of like a doll house.
Also saw "Nasty Baby"; Silva is officially a filmmaker I love who has yet to make a film I unreservedly love. His last few have all been fascinating, bold, genre-less, and make me feel sort of queasy. He does unease like no one else. Can't wait to see what he does next.
Maybe there's a question in that: what are filmmakers you have high regard for that have yet to make an unqualified success? Not sure how else to describe that - exciting but flawed, potential for greatness but haven't had a consensus hit just yet?
Which great performances from 2015 stood out for coming from weaker films, or poorly written characters? Much of the year's best work has come from films that are working so well with their casts in terms of writing, direction, co-stars, etc. But who carved a killer performance out of nowhere?
If Blanchett hasn't won BA for Blue Jasmine, would she be the frontrunner this year? How would you compare the performances of Blanchett and Mara to Moore in that other great Haynes vehicle, Far From Heaven?
Knowing that 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight have different management teams but under the same umbrella, do you think with The Martian and The Revenant both being major players in multiple categories that it has come at the expense of Brooklyn and Youth? Brooklyn seems to have been reduced to Lead Actress and Youth to supporting actress/song...was there enough oxygen for everyone?
I was also thinking about Mara as a potential Best Actress winner. Room's buzz has been diminishing and, even thought we all love Brie Larson, she's largely unknown and would seem like an odd winner. Given that there's no other apparent choice, if Mara can sneak in that category, I think she'd be a threat to win.
And that would also teach Harvey a lesson.
I have a question: Which Oscar category's nominations does each of you, historically, agree with the most?
If you guys had ONE almighty vote to automatically grant any contender an Oscar nomination, who would it be?
Mine would be Johann Johannson's score for "Sicario."
For the Questions session: It's that time of the year-- the time when list-making cinephiles try to catch up on noteworthy films they've missed thus far, even when (for some of them) they've had the film on the "to-see" list for months. Nathaniel, what films have you missed thus far that you're trying to cram in at the last minute (or that you expect you won't see before making your Top Ten)?
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For the podcast: I know Nathaniel loathes predicting winners before the nominations are even out so let's play a different, more cryptic version of that game. How many of the 24 Oscar categories have their winners on 'lock' at this point? Note: you do not need to name the category (unless you want) or the winner you're predicting.
I'll say 6 with a 7th on-deck should a certain contender eke past a infamously-unpredictable branch and earn an nomination.
If Mara and Vikander both get nominated for best actress who wins supporting actress?
I am with Chi-raq on my mind qustioning why it haven't received the amount of love it deserves
something a bit off-Oscar: any new discoveries of 2015 (actors, directors, composers, anything!) you are hoping delivers on their potential and become bigger in the next few years? (for instance, I'd say Bel Powley or Alex Garland)
Nathaniel, after the governors awards you said we'd get more material on Gena Rowlands in December. It's still gonna happen?
Sometimes you really cheese me when you bust some artist's chops for what they did in a work, but man, you are usually dead-on with Leo. Jesus Christ, crack a smile Leo you have a great one.
I love the podcast team's new year's resolutions so far. Nick with the Best Actress project, and Joe with 366 films. Can we expect anything similarly specific from Katie and Nathaniel?
For Nathaniel: Carol or Nicole Kidman?
For Katey: team domnhall is awesome in his movies last year! Woo! Don't let them force you to cry.
For nick of nicksflickspicks: what is the last movie you clapped at in theaters? (During or at the end)
For Joe: would you rather vikander get in for Danish or machina?
New objective: since reaction videos are the new craze...film yourselves reacting to the Oscar nomination announcements. We must see your reactions.
I'm just watching Thelma & Louise after a long time and I wonder what does Susan Sarandon needs to get her mojo back. Does she need a TV serie a la Jessica Lange?
What lauded work of yesteryear did you finally catch for the first time? I've been lucky to be blown away by both In the Heat of the Night (don't get Rod Steiger's O win, but Lee Grant is life) and Wings of the Dove. The entire opening sequence to Wings -- HBC runs into someone on a subway in 1910 -- was like a master class in filmmaking condensed to 10 minutes. The angles, genuinely having no idea what would happen, the music, NO dialogue and that hat! It pains me that out of the key players of the film, only HBC's career is still going strong.
Had such problems with Leo in Revenant. All suffering, no character.
A question for the podcast: What is your favorite survival/"suffering" performance (i.e. Bullock in Gravity, Hanks in Cast Away or Watts in Impossible) and which do you find is the most overrated?
Sometimes I find that just because someone "endured the elements," people will praise the performance, even if they somehow forget to craft a character beyond the suffering. Just a minor pet peeve.
why no one is talking about chi-raq?
Spike lee's best since I dont know when, SUPER important theme and zero talk.
Should be and easy screenplay and song nominee
Since you all were already kind enough (and hilarious enough) to answer my question about Hot Directors on Twitter, the only question I'd love to have answered on the podcast is: HOW DID YOU ALL MEET? Nathaniel, Nick, Joe and Katey have great chemistry with each other and I'd love to know how each of you knows the other one etc. Like a flashback episode of Friends where...I dunno, Katey had a crush on one of you and then found out you were gay or whatever. :)
With Star Wars becoming a behemoth at the Box Office when does it become too big to ignore? I know it doesn't feel like a BP nominee. It's not in my top tier, but it is enjoyable.
I'm not sure that Hail Ceasar! will really play into next year's Oscar race, but IF Tilda knocks it out of the park as Hedda Hopper, and IF Mirren rides Trumbo to a nomination for playing Hopper first.... I'm going to be so bummed if that works against Tilda's chances. And I like Mirren more than most of the TFE community :)
THAT's what's on my cinematic mind. (That and Channing Tatum in a sailor suit!)
What remaining tea leaves do we have worth noting for the last two Best Actress slots (assuming Blanchett, Larson and Ronan are in)? For instance, if Lawrence wins the Globe, does that matter? Does it matter if she loses to Schumer, or to Smith or Tomlin? If Mara or Vikander win the Globe, should we watch for them in lead? Is a BAFTA nod a must for any of Rampling, Smith or Tomlin, or does that even matter? What if Mirren or Silverman show up at BATFA? Basically just wondering if any of the above change the conversation, or if the last two slots are down to a crap shoot now.
Btw, Thelma & Louise will turn 25 this year. Hope you celebrate it.
Who would you wish an Oscar on first: Channing Tatum or Joseph Gordon-Levitt? Show your work.
Questions for the team: Underappreciated comedic performances this year? They say comedy is harder than drama so how come actors working real magic in truly comedic performances (ahem Michael Pena in Ant Man or Jason Statham in Spy ahem) are never given their due?
Also, FYC for Best Supporting Actor and FYC for Best Line Reading (they seriously could take up your whole category here):
Michael Pena in Ant Man and Jason Statham in Spy
Michael Pena deserves bigger parts. He's been playing the sidekick roles to Paul Rudd, Matt Damon, Seth Rogen and Jake Gyllenhaal types for the past decade when he should be in the staring roles. He's definitely talented enough, fantastic in both dramatic and comedic roles and has charisma for days.
I saw Citizenfour for the first time yesterday and my tiny mind was blown to smithereens. I am still a bit on edge. I actually started yelling at the TV screen at one point - the bit when the hotel alarm goes off and he's fiddling with the phone. The tension broke me. I started yelling "run Edward, they're coming!!!!". I wouldn't make a very good whistle-blower.
Podcast Question for the Team - If you won an Oscar, where would you house it? For example, would it be somewhere quirky like your bathroom (hello Kate Winslet), or somewhere very formal like a museum (hello Cate Blanchett)?
If after every performance, we all got collective amnesia and it had been as if we'd never seen Blanchette, Streep, Winslet, Leo, Hanks, etc, before and we were watching their performances as if they were their first major movie credit, which nominations would stand, and what forgotten performances might sneak in? The question could work just for this year, or more broadly.
Assuming time travel was doable, who would you swap roles with, just to see what would happen? Mine would be Streep in Network, and Faye Dunaway in Kramer vs. Kramer.
Sorry if this is a lot, I'm very curious!
For the podcast, does anyone have an under-the-radar performance they're hoping will pull a Laura Dern? In that same vein, what are Jacob Tremblay's odds of getting nominated, but in lead? And is there a world where Vikander is double nominated for The Danish Girl and Ex Machina?
I also hav a feeling that Mara could pull a Winslet-The Reader stunt & win regardless which cat she was placed in.
If Mara moved up the ladder, then I hope Winslet will win her 2nd Oscar, unless Vikander get nom for Ex-machine
Actor-wise, I tink they will probably give Leo his due, although I'm rooting for a Fassbender upset.
Supp actor is more or less sew-up for Rylance, but I would like to see a Keaton surprise win!
You know what's underrated? Rachel Weisz.
Also I just LOVE Kristin Scott Thomas in 4W1F.
Recently rewatched The Blind Side, and still has no idea how on earth Sandy won the Oscar for that!