Amreeka – Written and Directed by Cherien Dabis
We’ve seen this kind of thing on TV and in movies before. Actually, a lot recently. But this story of a single mother emigrating from Palestine and working at a White Castle in Illinois looks interesting. If you liked The Visitor, you’ll probably enjoy this, and it’s gotten a lot of positive reviews from Cannes and Sundance.
Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muellam, Alia Shawkat
September 4

Carriers – Written and Directed by Alex and David Pastor
Chris Pine (Star Trek, Bottle Shock) has already proven himself to be a versatile actor. Looks like your typical virus-ends-mankind thriller, but since when is that a bad thing? The Pastor brothers are new, but the preview is enticingly vague and eerie.
Chris Pine, Piper Perabo, Lou Taylor Pucci
September 4

Extract – Written and Directed by Mike Judge
The creator of Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill has been sadly absent from cinema since Office Space in 1999 (save 2006’s Idiocracy). About an Extracts plant owner who thinks his wife is cheating on him, the fact that the preview and the tagline compare it to Office Space could spell trouble, but Judge, Bateman, and J.K. Simmons haven’t let me down so far.
Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Mila Kunis, J.K. Simmons, Kristen Wiig, Clifton Collins Jr.
September 4

Gamer – Written and Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
Pro: It’s good to see Gerard Butler in an action movie after being in bullcrap like P.S. I Love You, Nim’s Island, and The Ugly Truth. Con: The Writer/Director team is the same guys who did Crank and Crank 2. Futuristic story about convicts who are players in a live action video game, controlled by real people. The winner is set free…everyone else dies. Granted, it appears to be a solid movie, but Crank 2 didn’t do anything for Jason Statham’s career (especially after Transporter 3), and after movies like Death Race, The Condemned, and Running Man, don’t expect to see anything groundbreaking.
Gerard Butler, Ludacris, Michael C. Hall, John Leguizamo
September 4

9 – Directed by Shane Acker, Written by Shane Acker and Pamela Pettler
Sure, 9 little rag dolls running around in a post-apocalyptic world might not rattle your cage, but after seeing Sebastian’s Voodoo at the Ashland Festival last April, I can’t wait to see Shane Acker’s animated short come to life as a full length feature. Not only is the voice casting solid, but it’s being produced by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. I feel like I’ve been waiting for this for 9 years (don’t worry, I already punched myself for that one.)
Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, Crispin Glover
September 9

The Other Man – Written and directed by Richard Eyre
Liam Neeson suspects his wife is cheating on him. Then she disappears, which makes him…slightly more suspicious. So he sets out to find and meet the man she’s seeing. Then they play a game of chess (if only Ingmar Bergman was alive to collect royalties on that). Kinda looks like Taken 2, but Neeson, Banderas, and Linney are all solid, and Eyre directed Notes on a Scandal, which got a lot of Oscar attention. Also based on a short story by Bernhard Schlink, who wrote The Reader. Unsure about this one.
Liam Neeson, Antonio Banderas, Laura Linney
September 11

The Burning Plain – Written and Directed by Guillermo Arriaga
Kicking off Oscar pre-season is Guillermo Arriaga’s (writer: 21 Grams, Babel) poignant drama about three women searching for happiness. Not only are Theron and Basinger involved, but composer Hans Zimmer (Frost/Nixon, The Dark Knight), cinematographers Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood, Michael Clayton) and John Toll (Gone Baby Gone, The Last Samurai, Almost Famous), and Production Designer Dan Leigh (The Last Kiss, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) are all present and accounted for. Could be a contender.
Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, John Corbett, Jennifer Lawrence, Joaquim de Almeida, Robin Tunney
September 18

Disgrace – Directed by Steve Jacobs, Written by Anna Maria Monticelli
Adaptation of Nobel Prize winning author J.M. Coetzee’s (Elizabeth Costello, Waiting for the Barbarians) novel about a professor in post-apartheid South Africa who has an affair with a black student. When he is dismissed, he goes to live with his lesbian daughter, and they are attacked by a group of black teenagers. Films like this are hard for Americans to swallow, because they often forget that apartheid really didn’t start to disappear until 1994. Rookie director and writer, but Malkovich is always brilliant.
John Malkovich
September 18

The Informant! – Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Written by Scott Z. Burns
I’m trying very hard to forget about Ocean’s 11-13, and Soderbergh’s love affair with George Clooney. If I focus really hard on films like Out of Sight, Traffic, and Sex, Lies, and Videotape, then maybe I’ll give this Kurt Eichenwald (Conspiracy of Fools) adaptation of an agricultural businessman turned government informant a chance. I make no promises.
Matt Damon, Scott Bakula
September 18

Paris – Written and Directed by Cedric Klapisch
About a Parisian man with heart disease who is waiting for a transplant. He observes the city, and the people around him as they struggle through life and love. Klapisch looks fairly prolific in France, and I’m a Juliette Binoche fan. Looking forward to it.
Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini
September 18

Jennifer’s Body – Directed by Karyn Kusama, Written by Diablo Cody
A hot high school girl takes a plain jane under her wing. Turns out she’s possessed, and trying to kill everyone. Normally I won’t even mention high school horror films like this. However, the people involved have me interested. Diablo Cody wrote Juno, which was amazing. Kusama directed Girlfight (good), but she also did Aeon Flux (not good). Probably won’t see it on the big screen, but I’ll look for it on On-Demand.
Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, J.K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris, Adam Brody
September 18

Splice – Directed by Vincenzo Natali, Written by Vincenzo Natali and Antoinette Terry Bryant
Again, normally I wouldn’t hype a film that appears to be a rip off of Species. But it also reminds me of Mimic, which was directed by Guillermo del Toro and, interestingly enough, del Toro is producing this sci-fi thriller. I like Adrien Brody, and I liked The Orphanage. Enough said.
Adrien Brody, Sarah Polly
September 18

The Blue Tooth Virgin – Written and Directed by Russell Brown
As an aspiring writer, I’m always a sucker for a film about aspiring writers. Two such people in L.A. have their friendship thrown into turmoil when one of them doesn’t like the other’s new screenplay. I’m interested, but most of you might wait until you see it on cable.
Karen Black, Roma Maffia, Lauren Stamile, Lance Aaron, Amber Benson, Bryce Johnson
September 25

The Boys are Back – Directed by Scott Hicks, Written by Alan Cubitt
The director of Snow Falling on Cedars and Hearts in Atlantis is teaming with Clive Owen for this dramedy about a man trying to raise his young son and reconnect with his older son after his wife dies suddenly. Looks more dramatic-family-dynamic than feel-good-comedy, a good departure for Owen as of late.
Clive Owen
September 25

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men – Written and Directed by John Krasinski
Krasinski’s directorial debut portrays a woman (Nicholson) interviewing men about their relationship patterns. Might not be really innovative, but after The Office and Away We Go, I’ll shell out $10 to support Johnny K. Not only that, it’s based on a short story by David Foster Wallace (Infinite Jest), who is freaking brilliant. Good luck finding this anywhere, though; I can’t even find an actual preview yet.
John Krasinski, Julianne Nicholson, Timothy Hutton, Lou Taylor Pucci, Josh Charles
September 25

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell – Directed by Bob Gosse, Written by Tucker Max
I’ve picked up Tucker Max’s book several times from the discount table at Borders, but, funny as it sounds, it’s not my kind of literature. However, the subject matter should make for an entertaining movie, and the outlandishly misogynistic things this guy says should be good for a laugh (the first line of the preview had me laughing out loud.)
Jesse Bradford, Matt Czuchry, Geoff Stults, Traci Lords
September 25

The Invention of Lying – Written and Directed by Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson
As much as I respect Ricky Gervais (The Office…no no, the original one), this inside-out Liar Liar has the potential to be esoterically dull. That being said, anything with Jeffrey Tambor has my initial approval.
Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Patrick Stewart, Jeffrey Tambor, Jason Bateman, Tina Fey
September 25

Pandorum – Directed by Christian Alvart, Written by Travis Malloy
Unknown meets The Descent meets Event Horizon in this sci-fi thriller about two crewmen aboard a large transport spaceship. They wake up alone, without any memory, and start to see weird monsters and crazy visions. Ben Foster is creepy all by himself, but this film looks dark and tense. Director, cinematographer, and editor each have a respectable body of work in Germany, but few successes in the US. I’ll definitely see it.
Ben Foster, Dennis Quaid, Antje Traue, Norman Reedus
September 25

Surrogates – Directed by Jonathan Mostow, Written by Michael Ferris and John D. Brancato
This is an almost Aasimovian story about a future where everyone just stays home on the couch, and controls a robot surrogate in the outside world with their mind. No one’s supposed to die. Then someone does. How do they never see that coming? Unfortunately, Mostow directed Terminator 3, which, along with Terminator Salvation, was also written by Farris and Brancato. If I see Schwarzenegger once, I’m throwing popcorn.
Bruce Willis, Rosemund Pike, Ving Rhames, Radha Mitchell, James Cromwell
September 25

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Dorian Gray – Directed by Oliver Parker, Written by Toby Finlay
Oscar Wilde’s original novel may have been a bit dry, but it’s a classic. Like most classics, however, this one is yet again being twisted and exploited by the film industry. The effects look cool, but the story seems a bit off, and the shameless addition of lurid sex scenes, while generally enticing, is just corrupting another good book, so today’s teens can read the smutty film novelization instead of the real thing. Not sure when it’s hitting the states, but the UK gets it next month.
Ben Barnes, Colin Firth
September 9 (UK)

Creation – Directed by Jon Amiel, Written by John Collee
The story of Charles Darwin in the midst of his controversial theories on evolution. It’s supposed to be based on a biography, but it appears to have a little church propaganda slant to it. Nevertheless, Bettany and Connelly are generally good, and the genuine emotions in the preview look solid. Not sure when we’ll see this one, but once again the UK gets it next month.
Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly, Jeremy Northam
September 25 (UK)

My apologies for slacking on this the last two months, we’ve had our hands full.  April’s looking interesting, but this is filler season between the Oscars and summer blockbuster season, so we’ll see.

Give ‘em Hell, Malone – Directed by Russell Mulcahy, Written by Mark Hosack
Before Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), Russell Mulcahy hasn’t made a big movie since 1994 (yeah, The Shadow wasn’t good…but it was big…kind of). However, this homage to private investigator film noir looks violent as hell, and entertaining.
Thomas Jane, Doug Hutchison, Ving Rhames, Leland Orser
April 1

The Escapist – Directed by Rupert Wyatt, Written by Rupert Wyatt and Daniel Hardy
This IFC picture debuted at Sundance last year, and has a limited release next month. Brian Cox is in prison, learns his daughter is terminally ill, and plots a daring escape attempt to make things right before she dies. IFC generally has strong writing, weak direction, and average acting, but I’ll always give them a shot. And if you can’t find it in theaters, I’m sure it’s already on Comcast OnDemand.
Brian Cox, Damian Lewis, Joseph Fiennes
April 3

Fast and Furious – Directed by Justin Lin, Written by Chris Morgan
So the original cast is back, and so is the Charger that made me cream my pants in 2001. The preview looks promising after two horrible sequels. However, both the director and writer have only been a part of Tokyo Drift, the most pointless one in the series. This is a studio film, and I’m really hoping they keep the cars flashy, the women naked, and the story simple.
Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster
April 3

Gigantic – Directed by Matt Aselton, Written by Matt Aselton and Adam Nagata
Newbie writer and director, but a solid cast. Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood, Little Miss Sunshine) heads this strange story about a mattress salesman’s plan to adopt a Chinese baby. Goodman looks hilarious, but there’s substance to it. I’m intrigued.
Paul Dano, Zooey Deschanel, John Goodman, Jane Alexander, Ed Asner
April 3

Lymelife – Directed by Derick Martini, Written by Derick and Steven Martini
I’m not sure how virgin director Derick Martini got Martin Scorcese to executive produce this, but if Marty signed off on it, it’s fine with me. The cast is interesting if not solid, with an Imaginary Heroes kind of feel to it. Not a big Jill Hennessy fan, but Rory Culkin seems to know what he’s doing already (at least he’s staying away from Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern).
Alec Baldwin, Jill Hennessy, Kieran Culkin, Rory Culkin, Timothy Hutton, Cynthia Nixon, Emma Roberts
April 8

Observe and Report – Written and Directed by Jody Hill
It could very well be Paul Blart II, but Rogen’s random humor coupled with Faris’ offbeat ridiculousness could turn the rent-a-cop genre legitimate…yeah, not so much.
Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Michael Pena, Ray Liotta
April 10

American Violet – Directed by Tim Disney, Written by Bill Haney
Based on a true story, newcomer Nicole Beharie plays a single mom living in Texas around the 2000 elections. Her apartment complex is raided by police task forces, and she is jailed on dubious drug-trafficking charges. She then attempts to flip it on the system. The plot screams Lifetime film, but the preview screams Oscar oversight.
Nicole Beharie, Will Patton, Alfre Woodard, Michael O’Keefe, Charles Dutton, Tim Blake Nelson, Xzibit
April 17

Crank: High Voltage – Written and Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
The tagline says it all: “He was dead…then he got better.” Are you fucking serious? The first movie, although possibly entertaining (Amy Smart getting pounded in the middle of China town was pretty sweet), was freaking retarded. And now, after falling out of a helicopter to certain death, Jason Statham is brought back to life, but he still has to keep moving. Did he learn nothing from the Transporter movies? This film is insulting to America, but saddening to me, because America is actually gonna go see this, count on it.
Jason Statham, Amy Smart
April 17

Sleep Dealer – Directed by Alex Rivera, Written by Alex Rivera and David Riker
In the future, America is a militarized state, and our borders are closed. However, we still rely on foreign workers through a network of virtual labor and digital communication. Three young people in Mexico, fed up with the lack of personal contact, attempt to break down the borders of society. Looks pretty flashy for coming out of Mexico, no big names, but the premise is interesting.
Leonor Varela, Jacob Vargas, Luis Fernando Pena
April 17

State of Play – Directed by Kevin Macdonald, Written by Matthew Michael Carnahan and Tony Gilroy
Mixed feelings. Kevin Macdonald directed The Last King of Scotland, which I really liked. Tony Gilroy, even though he only wrote this one, directed Michael Clayton, which I fucking hated. But with the exception of Ben Affleck, this is like an Oscar Allstar team, and the whole “government cover-up of a politician’s indiscretions” never seems to get old. That, and I would love to see Gladiator beat the shit out of Gigli.
Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Robin Wright Penn, Jeff Daniels, Viola Davis
April 17

The Informers – Directed by Gregor Jordan, Written by Bret Easton Ellis and Nicholas Jarecki
Gregor Jordan hasn’t really done anything of note yet, but Ellis wrote the novels American Psycho and Rules of Attraction, both great stories and cult classic films. The Informers is another 1980’s period piece about the intersecting lives of L.A.’s elite and down-and-out. Welcome back, Mickey, we missed you.
Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke, Winona Ryder, Jon Foster, Amber Heard, Rhys Ifans, Brad Renfro
April 24

Mutant Chronicles – Directed by Simon Hunter, Written by Philip Eisner
This has nothing to do with the X-men, just so we’re clear. Yes, there is a mutant army threatening life as we know it. Themes of totalitarian religious states and mankind’s struggle to survive overplay Ron Perlman’s weak Celtic accent, and Thomas Jane is a badass.
Thomas Jane, Ron Perlman, Devon Aoki, Pras, John Malkovich, Sean Pertwee
April 24

Powder Blue – Written and Directed by Timothy Linh Bui
This film got a lot of hype on the internet when it was rumored that Jessica Biel, who plays a stripper, will finally be getting naked (stupid WB and 7th Heaven). However, after all the hoopla, it may not get a wide theatrical release, if it sees the box office at all. I’m hoping this isn’t another “Nothing but the Truth”, we’ll see.
Forest Whitaker, Ray Liotta, Patrick Swayze, Jessica Biel, Lisa Kudrow, Kris Kristofferson
April 24

The Soloist – Directed by Joe Wright, Written by Susannah Grant
Just because I am including this film again, it will be pushed back to August, because Christopher McQuarrie is out to get me (don’t ask). Oscar nominee Joe Wright’s rigid, Oscar-cock-sucking style may have relaxed with this true story of a musical genius living on the streets. I just really want Downey to win an Oscar.
Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Stephen Root
April 24

Best Picture

Of the five films in this category, only two really have a shot. Frost/Nixon was a great stage adaptation with amazing performances and, while solid, was ultimately compromised by Ron Howard’s lack of technical abilities. The Reader was boring, poorly constructed, and probably the most overrated film in the last 20 years. And Benjamin Button was average at best.

That leaves us with Milk and Slumdog Millionaire. And it’s close.

Milk was perfectly casted, acted and edited. Thankfully, Gus van Sant showed enough restraint not to fuck it up with his usual annoyingly pseudo-artistic direction. Add to that the best performance of Sean Penn’s career and you have a serious contender for Best Picture.

But, unfortunately for Gus van Sant and Milk, 2009 is the year of Slumdog. With great music, flawless direction and screenplay, Slumdog Millionaire has finally brought Danny Boyle to the forefront of cinema. He’s a versatile director who can excel in any genre, and Slumdog’s complex, non-linear story line really allowed him to showcase his skills. The result was a beautifully executed film whose broad appeal, blending of cultures, and surprising rise to recognition puts it over the top.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Slumdog Millionaire

WHO WILL WIN: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor

Why is Brad Pitt in this category? He gave a much better, rounder performance in A River Runs Through It and is the weak link in this category with his one-note portrayal of Benjamin Button. Richard Jenkins is finally getting the love he deserves, after years of being “that guy”—you recognize him, know he’s in things, but you don’t know his name or why you seem to remember him (if you still don’t know who he is, he’s the dead father in Six Feet Under). Unfortunately, his well-developed performance will be eclipsed by the big three: Mickey Rourke, Frank Langella, and Sean Penn. This will ultimately be decided by politics: the resurrection of Mickey Rourke, the Nixon scandal, or the gay character post-prop 8.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Mickey Rourke WHO WILL WIN: Sean Penn, because the Academy loves him.

Best Actress

First off, the Academy needs to decide what constitutes a leading role, because Kate Winslet should have been up for Revolutionary Road, not The Reader, both for technical and performance-quality reasons. She’ll probably win, but only because Stephen Daldry is a marketing whore and has been politicking for The Reader like he was Blagojevich selling a Senate seat.

Meryl Streep and Angelina Jolie both had great roles, but it was more the writing than they acting that made their characters special. While Angelina Jolie will get a nomination for anything in which she’s not half naked shooting at people, Streep didn’t bring the expected veteran-actress energy to an already well written character—and it fell short.

Melissa Leo in Frozen River was an interesting choice. A small, low-budget, independent film shot in 24 days spawns a Best Actress nomination? But it’s a well-crafted story—solid throughout. As for Melissa Leo’s performance, as good a job as she did, she’s not beating out Streep, let alone Winslet.

Anne Hathaway, on the other hand, deserves credit for nailing her part as a fresh-out-of-rehab junkie—a role often cliched, parodied, and overplayed. Sadly, no one saw Rachel Getting Married. It’s not a great film but Hathaway more than makes up for it (Plus, Tunde from TV on The Radio plays her brother-in-law-to-be!)

WHO SHOULD WIN: Anne Hathaway WHO WILL WIN: Kate Winslet

Best Supporting Actor

Robert Downey, Jr. is an amazing actor and definitely deserves some fucking recognition. But Tropic Thunder? Really?? It’s picks like this that make people clown the Oscar. Everyone else was solid, but Josh Brolin, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Michael Shannon picked a shitty year to be nominated.

Philip Seymour Hoffman was miscast in the role of Father Flynn, and he did the best he could. Still, his subpar performance paled in comparison to most of his other work. Josh Brolin, though slightly outshone by the rest of the supporting cast, was impressive in Milk. He just seems to have bad luck—going against Daniel Day-Lewis last year, and now Heath Ledger. Michael Shannon had three great scenes, and blew me away in Revolutionary Road. He was the most interesting character in a Sam Mendes movie, which in itself says a lot, and he had a huge impact in his 120 seconds of screen time.

Yet as good as they were, Brolin and Shannon especially, no one is beating Heath Ledger. A solid, completely immersive portrayal of a psychotic clown in a movie that destroyed box offices everywhere? He deserves the award no matter what, and it only helps that he’s dead.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Heath Ledger (but only because he’s dead) WHO WILL WIN: Heath Ledger (but only because he’s dead)

Best Supporting Actress

How long do you have to be in a film to fulfill the “supporting” criteria? Viola Davis, though very emotional, had one scene in Doubt. However, she was just as memorable as Michael Shannon in her limited screen time. Penelope Cruz didn’t have a much bigger role, and she’s only here because she played a cup full of crazy in a Woody Allen movie, and her crazy wasn’t as good as crazies in the past (Wilkinson in Michael Clayton). But Amy Adams is a head above the rest in this category, and hopefully that’s enough.

Taraji Henson is here just because the Academy loved Benjamin Button, but it wasn’t a great film and she wasn’t all that good in it. Outside of Cruz, she’s the weakest nominee in this category. It was like she played the great-great-grandmother of her character in Hustle and Flow.

Marisa Tomei is the dark horse here. She gave an incredible performance in The Wrestler and she’s still ridiculously hot.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Amy Adams WHO WILL WIN: Penelope Cruz

Best Director

If you’ve ever read sexy gypsy, you already know our pick for Best Director. Motherfucking Danny Boyle.

Stephen Daldry is now on my shit list for The Reader—even more so for plugging the fuck out of an inferior movie and tricking everyone into thinking it was great. Who the fuck does he think he is, M. Night Shyamalan?

David Fincher is a great director with some amazing movies under his belt, but the travesty of Curious Case of Benjamin Button is not one of them. The sequence with Tilda Swinton and Brad Pitt was the only time you really saw Fincher’s influence, and it was the best part of the film.

Ron Howard is still Hollywood’s golden boy, so it’s not surprising he was nominated for Frost/Nixon. Aside from persistent anachronisms and mishandling of time, Howard preserved the spirit of the stage play and the camera work was excellent.

Gus van Sant finally decided to humble himself and make a solid, consistent film, and is really the only one who could challenge Boyle. The Academy loves him, and could look to make up for robbing him of Best Director in 1997, plus some Prop 8 guilt could come into play. This is definitely a category to watch.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Danny Boyle (with an honorable mention and apology to Sam Mendes) WHO WILL WIN: Danny Boyle

Conspiracies

• Who did Sam Mendes piss off? He is a great filmmakers and Revolutionary Road, though disturbingly depressing, was an amazing film. Camera work, editing, score, acting, screenplay—all great. Yet the Academy left him out of the running and even changed the nomination for Kate Winslet, calling her performance in The Reader a lead—a role which the HFPA considered a supporting a few months ago. I think he’s in the doghouse for some reason, and Michael Shannon’s nomination is an apology. I suspect that, though Ledger has it locked, they might upset everything and give it to Shannon, just to show there’s no hard feelings.
• Amy Adams deserves to win best supporting, but everything in Hollywood is political (which could also explain Winslet’s bump to lead role after Daldry’s whoring). My guess is that Cruz could walk with this one because the Academy loves Woody Allen and they’re sorry he made a dumb movie they can’t nominate for anything else.
• Again making up for its past mistakes, the Academy has shown major love to Benjamin Button. They want so badly to let Pitt have one, but Babel just wasn’t that good. And Zodiac, Fincher’s first Academy-worthy film, just came out too early for Oscar consideration.
• 4.) Robert Downey, Jr. has been in some great movies, always does his roles beautifully, and the Academy thinks he’s due for something. But since Charlie Bartlett got impatient and fucked off what could have been a serious, profound ending, he couldn’t get anything for that. And Iron Man was entertaining, but no actor will ever get an Oscar for playing a superhero. Downey’s next film is The Soloist with Jamie Foxx, directed by Joe Wright. It would have been a contender for the Oscars but was pulled from its November release date and slated for early March, 2009. So now it comes down to Tropic Thunder.

So now that we’ve all had a chance to absorb the Oscar nominations, it’s time to start placing bets. We already mentioned that, in the last three years, every Oscar winner for Best Actor and Actress also won the Golden Globe. This year, however, the nominations aren’t even the same. Kate Winslet won Best Actress for Revolutionary Road, but the Academy decided to nominate her for The Reader. Not surprising, but still unfortunate, is the lack of nominations for Sam Mendes and Revolutionary Road. Michael Shannon is the only one who got a nod, with a Best Supporting Actor nomination. We’re still unclear as to why Mendes is absent on the ballot this year, especially when The Reader is up for Best Picture, and Stephen Daldry is up for Best Director (boring movie, and he’s a rookie).

Heath Ledger has a little more competition in this race for Best Supporting Actor, but we’re hoping he gets what’s due him after arguably the best performance of 2008. And kudos must be given to the Academy for calling our bluff in this category. Robert Downey Jr. is up for Best Supporting for Tropic Thunder; we’re still going to complain, but Downey really deserves an award after being overlooked for so long, so the razor blades we promised will not be forthcoming.

On a lighter note, Danny Boyle carried over all of his Golden Globe nominations, and he’s all over the Oscars. With any luck, the Academy will think outside its microscopic box and give credit to the underdog instead of going with the predictable choice (Ron Howard). The only movie to really rival Slumdog Millionaire this year was Milk. Gus van Sant deserves the nomination, maybe the win. The editing wasn’t as complex as Slumdog, but it was still good. And Sean Penn is definitely giving Mickey Rourke a run for his money as Best Actor.

The Supporting categories are also a bit strange, in that several of the nominees had very little screen time in the film. Viola Davis has like two scenes in Doubt. Penelope Cruz wasn’t really in Vicky Cristina Barcelona until the very end. Taraji P. Henson had a slightly bigger role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but it was three hours long, and you didn’t see her that much. Even Michael Shannon only had three scenes in Revolutionary Road. Not that this is a first for the Academy (Tom Wilkinson for Michael Clayton, Ruby Dee for American Gangster), we’re just not sure how you justify giving an Oscar to someone who wasn’t really in the movie.

This year will not be the clash of the titans that last year was, but there are a lot of interesting choices, some standard nominations, and some unexplainable absences. It’s really anyone’s guess, but here at Sexy Gypsy, we’re smarter than everyone else, including the Academy, so be on the lookout for our official Oscar ballot choices next week.

It’s 2009. The Golden Globes have come and gone. Obama is officially president. We can finally put 2008 behind us, right? Wrong. Tomorrow, the Academy will announce its nominees for the 2009 Oscars ceremony on February 22. Which means for the next month, you can add, “So who do you think will win best sound mixing?” to your repertoire of suave pick-up lines.

As we said, we’ve never really paid attention to the Golden Globes. Around this time of year, we’re usually already trying to predict not only the Oscar nominees, but also the winners. However, after the surprising sweeps by Slumdog Millionaire and Kate Winslet, we decided to read up on the HFPA and compare them with the Academy. We found some interesting stuff.

2006 was the year of Crash, at least for the Oscars. Strangely enough, it didn’t even get nominated for a Golden Globe, which went to Brokeback Mountain (over A History of Violence) and Walk the Line (over The Squid and the Whale). If that wasn’t weird enough, George Clooney and Rachel Weisz undeservedly won both awards for best supporting (Syriana and The Constant Gardener respectively), and Ang Lee won both for Brokeback Mountain (also undeserved).

2007 saw some interesting competition. Little Miss Sunshine, Thank You For Smoking, The Departed, Babel, The Queen…the list goes on. The Academy was, if nothing else, consistent in its awards (The Departed won a couple…). The HFPA, on the other hand, gave best picture to Babel and Dreamgirls, the latter actually cleaning up the Golden Globes, with Eddie Murphy winning best supporting actor (Alan Arkin wasn’t even nominated, seriously?) and Jennifer Hudson getting supporting actress in both ceremonies, which is just silly.

2008 was the closest race in recent years, so we can’t be mad at either group. Atonement got the Globe for best picture, No Country for Old Men got the Oscar. Julian Schnabel (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) won a director Globe, The Coens scored the Oscar. The only travesty was Tilda Swinton winning a best supporting Oscar for Michael Clayton.

What we found interesting was that, in all three years, every Oscar winner for actor and actress also won the Golden Globe. Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote) and Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line) in 2006. Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) and Helen Mirren (The Queen) in 2007. Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood) and Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose) in 2008.

So what will happen in 2009? Will Danny Boyle finally grab the gold? Will Mickey Rourke finally give an acceptance speech (it sure as hell better not be Colin Farrell). Or will the Academy condemn the HFPA for not at least giving Woody Allen or Sean Penn a reach-around for being overrated?

We’ll see tomorrow.

Atonement

This sophomore effort by Joe Wright is a directorial paint-by-numbers designed specifically to get an Oscar.  It is rigid, mechanical, and devoid of the emotions it is supposed to arouse.  The score, costume design, and cinematography are all solid, but not extraordinary.  The screenplay lacks the substance to make you believe James McAvoy and Keira Knightley are truly in love, or truly suffering for the sake of it.  The acting is good, but appears to be hindered by a director unwilling to go outside the lines and actually make a film.  Will it win?  Probably.  Does it deserve to win? No.

Juno

For what it is, this film is perfect.  The quirky dialogue, music, and animated introduction all fit together amazingly on screen.  The subject matter is somewhat controversial, the parental reactions are unconventional, but it is a heartfelt story with amazing performances by the entire cast, great editing and camerawork.  I‚m just excited it was nominated.

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p class=”paragraph_style_2”>Michael Clayton

This is Rainmaker with a better cast, The Firm with less tension, and A Civil Action without victims or a clear understanding of the crimes committed.  John Grisham can write better in his sleep.  Editing, directing, cinematography, screenplay, acting, are all lacking.  George Clooney is George Clooney; no intensity, emotion, or drive in the character.  Tilda Swinton is barely in it, and she did a better job in The Chronicles of Narnia.  Tom Wilkinson deserves the nomination, but not the win.  He does crazy very well for 20 minutes, but we‚ve come to expect this from him.

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p class=”paragraph_style_2”>There Will Be Blood

For a film based on an Upton Sinclair novel, this movie is unconventional and well crafted.  Long and unusual camera shots, intense acting, and a killer score highlight a brave directing style.  Day-Lewis is an intriguing and multi-layered character whose ambition is depicted very well in the first ten minutes (in which there is no dialogue whatsoever).  The sound bleeds and artistic disconnect between sound and camera, are risky moves, but work out well.  My only complaint: The last 30 minutes are too removed from the rest of the film to make any real sense, and the characters and dialogue are completely different without an explanation.

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p class=”paragraph_style_2”>No Country for Old Men

My favorite film of 2007.  Directing was on point with established Coen Brothers style, with solid additions.  The lack of a score is still a score, as the silence is itself a character that plays well with the rest of them.  Cinematography and lighting are fantastic.  The screenplay is nothing spectacular, but the adaptation is respectable.  Performances are all seamless and tempered by simple, deliberate dialogue that allows intense emotions to come from scenes and facial expressions.  Javier Bardom is amazing, a standout performance that leaves you feeling uncomfortable and unnerved even when he‚s not on screen.  No lacking elements, and some extraordinary ones make it my Oscar pick.

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p class=”paragraph_style_2”>Additional Picks

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p class=”paragraph_style_2”>American Gangster

It takes a great director and great actors to produce a film like this nowadays.  It is calm, patient, and explosive at the same time.  Characters come off contradictory, but not underdeveloped.  Cinematography is solid.  Music and art design are perfect for the period.  It seems to have aspirations of Michael Mann‚s Heat, and it understandably falls short, but this film is well rounded, beautifully directed, and completely underappreciated by the academy.  That‚s a damn shame.

Zodiac

David Fincher‚s early 2007 adaptation of Robert Graysmith‚s book is dark, eerie, and well crafted. Typical Fincher, not his best, but solid.  Definitely one of Ruffalo‚s best, though Gyllenhaal doesn‚t stand out.  Editing and cinematography are worth a nod, as is the adapted screenplay.  It came out too early to get any credit.

Sunshine

Sci-fi films usually never get any kind of award notice.  However, this brilliant new film from Danny Boyle is a masterpiece of cinematography, editing, and stunning visuals.  It sucks that, in this genre, amazing filmmakers are overlooked, but Pirates of the Caribbean can get multiple nominations.

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p class=”paragraph_style_2”>Saw IV

I know, I know.  It‚s a low budget horror sequel not worthy of a Golden Globe.  However, when I walked out of this film, I wasn‚t thinking about the gore, the twists, or the revamping of the franchise.  I was thinking, „Damn, that was some amazing editing.‰  I say, if The Bourne Ultimatum can get three nominations it doesn‚t deserve, maybe the Academy should think a little more outside the box.

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p class=”paragraph_style_2”>The Kingdom

Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Chris Cooper have been in better films, but this was a great, non-political movie that could‚ve easily been nominated for best cinematography or sound mixing.  If I find out it‚s because it‚s about Iraq, heads will roll, Hollywood.

My condolences to the Academy for 2007.  It must be difficult to compile a list of nominees without being able to nominate Oliver Stone, Jack Nicholson, Ron Howard, or Peter Jackson.  Maybe next year.