We’re back with another spotlight on one of the strongest films of 2021, Mass, which managed to earn exactly one nomination from BAFTA today, for Ann Dowd in the supporting actress category. Nathaniel spoke with Dowd recently and I had the chance to talk to writer-director Fran Kranz, and today we have Martha Plimpton, the fantastic stage and screen actress who plays Gail…
In the middle of this second virtual Sundance, I was fortunate to be able to revisit one of the highlights of the first virtual edition which is now eligible for awards consideration: Mass. It’s been troubling to see that, despite initial early buzz for the film and for its cast, particularly Ann Dowd, it’s missed out at a number of important precursors, including that SAG Cast nomination that should have been...
Nick and Nathaniel reunion part two (of three!). This past weekend we had a mammoth talk trying to cover everything we've been catching up with or watching again. So we've split this podcast into two. Apologies that it ends on an ellipses but we live in franchise culture so you're used to it by now!
62 minutes 00:01 Indie critical darling Test Pattern 07:40 The ensemble work in Mass with a shout-out to Martha Plimpton's revelatory work 15:50 Admiring The Tragedy of Macbeth ...especially Kathryn Hunter 24:20 Nick is obsessed with The Lost Daughterand tells us why. We particularly dig into Maggie Gyllenhaal's direction and how hot smart people are 42:00 An unexpected defense (albeit with several reservations) of Being the Ricardos. We both love Nicole Kidman in it (sorry haters) but we wish Aaron Sorkin would stop directing his own stuff 49:23 No Time To Die... franchise culture, changing times, and the Daniel Craig era. 1:01:30 To be continued...
You can listen to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher orSpotifyor download the attachment below. If you missed our previous recent discussion covering a full dozen 2021 movies, that's here.
I'm can't really do a TFE-patented "Yes No Maybe So" for the just-dropped trailer for Mass -- writer-director Fran Kranz's Sundance smash that gives four great roles to the character actors Ann Dowd, Reed Birney, Jason Isaacs, and Martha f'ing Plimpton, playing the parents of two children involved in a school shooting -- because the trailer is mostly critical hosannas from Sundance, with maybe ten seconds of actual and intense footage from the intense film slammed down at the end, a bit like a punch in the gut. What am I gonna say, "Yes to that Variety quote but I'm iffy on the one from the Post?"
Anyway I already saw the movie at Sundance and it should be a yes for all of you, just trust me. All four actors have made it clear they're aiming for Supporting nominations Oscars-wise, and I wouldn't be surprised to see all of them make it. I'm rooting for all of them! The film hits NYC & LA on October 8th and rolls on out after that. Here's that trailer...
We may have gotten a little carried away with wishful thinking in (some) of our Supporting Actress chart building this time around. You see, so many actresses we love that have never or only once been in the Oscar race have what sound like amazing parts this year. But it's early enough in the year that optimistic guesses are as good as pessimistic guesses. At least that's true in the supporting categories where less is usually known this early about the roles themselves.
But what we found most interesting while thinking through the first predictions of the year was how many films have the potential for a double nomination in Best Supporting Actress...