Boyhood, Wes Anderson & Laura Dern, AKA Were Already Talking About - TopicsExpress



          

Boyhood, Wes Anderson & Laura Dern, AKA Were Already Talking About The 2015 Oscars Welcome to For Your Consideration, The Huffington Posts unapologetically obsessive conversation about the Oscar race. Ahead, managing entertainment editor Christopher Rosen and entertainment editor Matthew Jacobs look at the year thus far.Rosen: Here we are, Matt, at the years mid point. What a six months it has been! Who could forget Jason Batemans sparkling usage of browns and other browns in Bad Words? Or Johnny Depp sleepwalking through Transcendence? What about that remake of RoboCop with that guy from The Killing? Oscar contenders all! I look forward to seeing the For Your Consideration ads on the sidebars of Variety articles. Thats the Clickhole version of the awards landscape thus far. The reality is that no film released during the first six months of 2013 scored an Oscar nomination in the top six categories (Picture, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Director). In fact, last summer as a whole was only represented in those categories by two nominees: Blue Jasmine stars Cate Blanchett and Sally Hawkins. How does that translate to this year? Well, not too well: Of 2014 releases to date with legitimate awards aspirations, only Wes Andersons The Grand Budapest Hotel feels like a true contender. But even that film has blemishes and obstacles in its path. Grand Budapest was unexpectedly tragic in a way that Anderson hasnt strived for in quite some time, but it still paled in comparison to the rest of his CV, and none of those films really made major impacts with Oscar voters. Other great movies such as Edge of Tomorrow, Obvious Child, Neighbors and The Fault in Our Stars all feel too slight to make it through the forthcoming awards gauntlet. Were at the point where it might be time to put all of our eggs in falls basket and hope that 2014s remaining features are half as good as last years incredible crop. But where would the fun in that be? Thats why were writing this, after all: to push forth some crackpot theories about why Laura Dern should be an Oscar contender for The Fault in Our Stars and why Obvious Child writer-director Gillian Robespierre needs to be in the conversation for screenplay honors. Or am I just a fool who should focus his energy on real contenders like Boyhood, aka the best movie of 2014 that hasnt been released? What do you think?Jacobs: Its sad when a midyear checkup only serves to recall the malaise thats preceded us as far as stellar movies are concerned. Im battling a constant struggle to forget almost anything with Johnny Depp or Jason Bateman the instant the credits roll, so allow me to ask what this Transcendence you speak of is. Its true, though: Outside of superhero fare, these months have been rather revolting. Wheres our Midnight in Paris? Our Fargo? Our Silence of the Lambs? Everyone is terrified of being forgotten. Im surprised names like Darren Aronofsky, Clint Eastwood and Jim Jarmush are featured on the marquee at all during the early months. I do agree that Wes Anderson has given us what is surely the only legitimate contender so far, although Ill challenge your notion that The Grand Budapest Hotel pales. Months later, Im still positioning my feelings on the film, but I might call it Andersons best work yet. His name will rightfully reappear in screenplay considerations during the lead-up to Januarys nominations. Ill see your Laura Dern (phenomenal) and Gillian Robespierre (refreshing), and Ill raise you an Uma Thurman for her electrifying turn in the otherwise dismissible Nymphomaniac: Volume 1. Much like Viola Davis in Doubt and Beatrice Straight in Network, Thurman appears briefly in the movie but steals the two-hour ordeal right out from Lars von Triers prurient feet. Whether a von Trier performer -- save Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves -- can ever again catch the gleam in Oscar voters eyes begs another conversation, but if theres one performance that deserves recognition so far this year its hers. Frankly, the rest of the summer is a bit of a downer, too, with the exceptions of Boyhood (July 11), Love is Strange (Aug. 22) and perhaps Get On Up (Aug. 1), if it can escape the paint-by-numbers biopic approach its trailer suggests. Is this where we are now? In an era where dialogues like this are rendered moot because January through June is peppered almost solely with movies that fill four-quadrant quotas and Wes Andersons version of the sublime? No offense to Edge of Tomorrow, but a person can only take so many Tom Cruises in one Oscar-averse calendar.Rosen: I think the biggest problem with 2014 is that there have been stabs at more highfalutin, awards-y offerings, but the films have just missed the mark. Take Noah: Aronofskys previous film was Black Swan, an Oscar darling four years ago, so there was definitely a group of little gold men forming around his Biblical epic before it was released. Then it was released. Eastwood, too, while flagging in these later years, is still a consistent awards player. People loathe Jersey Boys, but its a quality movie; its biggest sin is not being up to Eastwoods standards of yore. Before it was bumped to February, The Monuments Men was one of 2013s surefire Oscar contenders; now its a forgotten and misbegotten relic from the years first quarter. So, its the movies. And they havent been that good. Which leaves us with Hail Mary passes at Dern, Thurman (good one!) and Robespierre. (Though give me a big, messy, weird drama like Noah any day of the week. I still cant believe a major studio released that one.) But lets focus on the positive! Literally every Best Picture nominee at this years Oscars was released between October and December of 2013. That recent history is good news for Gone Girl and Birdman and Unbroken, but maybe not so much for Boyhood? Nah. Lets make the case here that Boyhood is every bit as technically impressive as Alfonso Cuaróns Gravity, but with the added bonus of having an actual story and characters. (Before the hate mail comes rolling in, note that I put Gravity at the top of my personal best-of list in 2013. Story was not the reason why.) We saw a screening of Boyhood last week, and you and I were talking about our favorite movies on the way there. I believe I asked you if any recent movies would crack your list of all-time favorites? Well, Boyhood would crack mine. Ive seen it twice now. Ill see it a third time. Its breathtaking filmmaking, and its the kind of movie that reminds me why I love movies. (The previous sentence brought to you by pull quotes.) I would throw Oscar nominations at this one with two hands: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress for Patricia Arquette, Best Editing. The skys the limit here, and with a lower-scale slate of fall releases forthcoming -- nothing from Martin Scorsese, Kathryn Bigelow, Ang Lee, Alexander Payne, David O. Russell, Quentin Tarantino, Steven Spielberg, Joel and Ethan Coen, Steve McQueen or Cuarón -- I think Boyhood could stay in the race all year and into 2015. At the very least, Linklater, Arquette, Ethan Hawke and Ellar Coltrane (the boy of the title) should keep their calendars open for the Indie Spirit Awards.Jacobs: My biggest hope, and Im certain youll agree, is that Boyhood finds a mainstream audience and sees a successful wide release. As worthy and sprawling as it is, it exists outside the typical awards wheelhouse. Its down-to-earth and not the least bit pretentious, a true coming-of-age tale. If it can score some decent figures at the box office, it could be an instance where sales receipts truly buoy the attention voters give it. Plus, the Oscars owe Linklater penance after not showering Before Midnight with more love. That movie should have nabbed a Best Picture nod, and Boyhood is only better. Even Cannes felt less eventful this year. You mention Monuments Men, which finds company in Grace of Monaco. Its like Diana déjà vu! Poor Nicole Kidman. I so wanted her to remain a contender, but, like you say, we cant even rely on preordained Oscar fare. Whats Harvey Weinstein to do? At least we have Mike Leighs Mr. Turner to look forward to. But, okay, enough commiserating. Movies cant be all be bad! I actually am looking forward to the directors who will bring us our buzzy prestige films: Bennett Miller, Paul Thomas Anderson, Todd Haynes (a personal favorite of mine), Christopher Nolan, Stephen Daldry ... even Tim Burton could make his biggest awards play in years with Big Eyes. But hold on, Ive suddenly grown excited about whats to come and lost sight of what weve already seen. How about this for a crackpot suggestion? If we had to determine the nominations today, Rose Byrne should be a shoo-in for Neighbors. Also, Emma Watson was stunning in Noah. Between them, Thurman and Dern, Best Supporting Actress is practically wrapped up. Thats all nonsense, though. In truth, Boyhood and Grand Budapest will be the only movies with any shelf life once the snow is here. It probably wont be Get On Up, with the possible exception of Chadwick Boseman, nor will it be Love is Strange or Woody Allens Magic in the Moonlight. Although I will say, on that last count, that I had low expectations before Midnight in Paris, and it wound up being one of my faves of 2011. I dont expect Moonlight to shine as brightly, but Im willing to be convinced otherwise. Until then, Boyhood is our only hope for anything excellent this side of September. Linklater deserves something singular for that achievement. If one film has to represent the excellence of an entire seven-month period, Boyhood is a pretty great one to do it.Rosen: Its either that or Tammy ...
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 15:33:59 +0000

Trending Topics



Recently Viewed Topics



ESP

© 2015