In Contention » Oscar Talk

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. And this, as they say, is it. The penultimate podcast of the season, with nothing but the Oscars between us and the end of this year’s crazy ride. So, it’s time dive into the discourse one more time and read the tea leaves> Let’s see what’s on the docket today… • Well, there’s not much else to discuss, right? Time to lay down our final predictions and offer some thoughts on Oscar’s last weekend, so…that’s what we do! Have a listen to the new podcast below. It’s a LONG one, with plenty of thinking out loud. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 54

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. We’ve got another 10 days left in the 2010-2011 awards season, not that anyone’s counting. That means three more episodes of Oscar Talk and Anne and I will exit stage right, but for now, there is still, as always, plenty to chew on. Let’s see what’s on the docket today… • The BAFTA Awards went down last weekend. We discuss whether it means something or whether it’s just a blip on the season’s radar. • We focus on a couple of categories this week, starting with the Best Foreign Language Film race. Having seen each of the nominees, we both give our personal takes and our expectations for the Oscars. • Also discussed this week: the animated short films. It’s always a tough chore to pick what will resonate with these categories but we give it a try. • Banksy is in Los Angeles this week, making his presence known and keeping people talking about “Exit Through the Gift Shop.” Worth discussing. • This weekend brings the ACE and CAS awards, so we offer some quick anticipatory thoughts on those. • And finally, reader questions. We address queries concerning Facebook’s potential influence on the race, how we’d improve the show and what it means to “campaign” for an Oscar. Have a listen to the new podcast below. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 53

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. Anne is calling from New York today, later on in the show we drop in on Guy in London and I’m in Los Angeles as always, so we’ve got quite the international episode for you today. And with plenty happening between last weekend and today, we’ve got tons to cover, so let’s see what’s on the docket today… • Anne was in attendance at Monday’s Academy Nominees Luncheon where the annual class photo was taken and plenty of glad-handing went down. She gives us the scoop. • One of the things of note at the luncheon was the warm response to Annette Bening. She’s right on Natalie Portman’s heels for a variety of reasons and we touch on how she might upset the race. • Last weekend saw the WGA and Scripter awards, the former pretty much irrelevant given the ineligibilities this year that were nevertheless nominated by the Academy. We discuss. • The talk of the week, no doubt, was Melissa Leo’s strong personal campaign that many think could cost her an Oscar. Will it matter? • Coming this weekend, on the heels of yesterday’s London Film Critics Circle vote, is the BAFTA Awards. Is it possible some change in momentum could be hinted at by this or that winner there? We call up our own Guy Lodge to get his perspective on the ground across the pond. • Finally, reader questions. Many sprinkled throughout, a few addressed at the end. Have a listen to the new podcast below. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 52

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. It’s been a little over a week since last we left you, and to say the least, plenty has happened in that stretch. We’re both back in Los Angeles after some festival bouncing and have a number of things to chew on so let’s see what’s on the docket today… • What a difference a week and a half makes. Since we last recorded, “The King’s Speech” has won the DGA and SAG awards and become the undeniable frontrunner for Best Picture. We talk about the race where it is now, and how it got here. • There are a few areas where we could see a few more surprises. We discuss what they might be. • The Santa Barbara Film Festival is on-going and we were both there last weekend. Anne participated in a bloggers panel and we both were on hand for a few tributes so we offer our separate experiences. • Finally, reader questions. We address queries concerning Sundance Oscar potential this year and what we would do if we were charged with turning the train around on “The Social Network.” Have a listen to the new podcast below. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 51

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. Unless you’ve been under a rock this morning, you’re aware of the day’s big news. Oscar nominations were revealed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 24 categories. And, as is typically, there were enough eyebrow-raisers to give us a ton to talk about. We’ve got IC’s own Guy Lodge and indieWIRE‘s Peter Knegt on board. Also, it’s our 50th episode! Let’s see what’s on the docket today… • The first shocker of the morning’s announcement was the lack of Christopher Nolan in the Best Director line-up. • Being in Park City with Anne, Peter points out that last year’s Sundance field had a strong showing in this year’s Oscar line-up. • “The King’s Speech” brought in a massive haul of nominations, but is that enough to consider it the new frontrunner? We discuss. • We also spotlight curious decisions throughout the acting fields that could be indicative of this or that. • One of the strongest fields, we all agree, is the Best Documentary Feature category (where “Waiting for Superman” was an unexpected snub). Can Banksy win an Oscar? • Also surprising for many was the inclusion of “Dogtooth” in the foreign film category. We talk about the possibilities of that race, as well. • We run through all the categories with our predictions in each field (and Anne had to leave in the middle, but us dudes finished it up). • And finally, reader questions. Guy, Peter and I answer a few of your pressing queries from this morning. Have a listen to the new podcast below. It’s a long one, and all over the place with four voices. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 50

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. We’re moving into the last weekend before the Academy’s big nominations reveal on Tuesday. Anne is calling from Sundance, where the festival is just gearing up, leaving me alone in LA to my devices. But there are a number of things to address in these final pre-nod hours, so let’s see what’s on the docket today… • Leading things off, the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Movie Awards happened last weekend. We discuss. • Rather than move through each category with last-minute thoughts, we single out a handful of fields that have real meat on their bones and a couple that we haven’t really addressed yet, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress, Best Documentary Feature, Best Foreign Language Film and Best Animated Feature Film among them. • This leads us into discussing a few upset picks, contenders not many are predicting that we think could easily surprise. • Finally, reader questions. We address a quick mishmash of queries from yesterday. Have a listen to the new podcast below. We go a bit longer than normal but there’s a lot to cover a few days before nominations. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. (NOTE: With Anne in Sundance, we had ever-so-slight audio issues.) Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 49

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. Today is the final day of phase one this season. Ballots are due by 5pm PT, so everyone needs to pick a chair before the music stops. And we have plenty to discuss as a result, so let’s see what’s on the docket today… • We lead off things today with the knock-down, drag-out brawl — okay, verbal tit-for-tat — between Armond White and Darren Aronofsky at the New York Film Critics Circle awards this week. • Two of the most prognosticative guilds spoke up this week, the DGA and the ACE. We discuss the implications of the shared nominees (as each group cited the same films, which are our “five”). • One film that missed with both of those was “True Grit,” which is coming on strong late in the game. We briefly touch on the impressive box office haul and the fact that it could be pulling into the station at just the right moment. • We also preview the awards weekend, with the BFCA’s Critics’ Choice Movie Awards tonight and the Golden Globe awards Sunday night. • The supporting actress category seems to be up for grabs this season and could go a number of different ways. We talk about the different possibilities. • And finally, reader questions. We address queries regarding “Black Swan” as a potential dark horse Best Picture winner, lurking nominee hopefuls in that field, the fact that the category is not called “Best Makeup in a Good Movie” and…contender drinking games? Have a listen to the new podcast below, with some musical antagonism leading the way. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. (NOTE: Anne’s audio drops low for a portion of the podcast. Apologies for that. It’s not a problem, but just to let you know we’re aware.) Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 48

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. 2010 is finally in the rear view mirror. But the season isn’t over yet — not by a long shot. As we enter the new year, and the busiest frame of the circuit (awards-wise), we have tons to chew on today. Let’s see what’s on the docket… • With one more week of balloting in store, three of the four major guilds have announced their nominees (as have a handful of below-the-line guilds). We talk about what it all means. • Talk of “True Grit” leads to heated discussion on the lead vs. supporting vis a vis Hailee Steinfeld. • One of the precursor announcements this week was the list of USC Scripter Award finalists. Anne is a member of the esteemed selection committee. She talks about the process and we discuss the list five adaptations in play. • Campaigns are heating up in the new year. Earlier this week Sony Classics took advantage of an opportunity to put “Get Low” star Robert Duvall’s hands and feet in cement at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, while a DVD release party for “The Social Network” Thursday night kept the fire stoked for Sony and company. We talk about the goings on around town. • The first podcast of the year seems to be a good opportunity to look ahead to the films in 2011 that have our interest. We give it our best shot. • And finally, as always, reader questions! Have a listen to the new podcast below, with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross leading the way again this week (total accident), this time with their rendition of Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King” from “The Social Network.” If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 47

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. After a much-needed holiday week off, we’re back on the case to wrap things up on the final day of the year. There is plenty to chew on, though we kind of meander a bit, shaking off the holiday dust. Let’s see what’s on the docket today… • With the critics’ circuit largely behind us the question still remains, despite the temptation to call it over and done: Is “The Social Network” really so comfortably in the Oscar frontrunner position? We’re not so sure. • The guilds are on the way, which are the real indicators to pay attention to. We talk at length about the first out of the gate — the WGA (and it’s inevitable list of ineligibilities) — and a little about DGA and the already revealed SAG noms. • Speaking of ineligibilities, we briefly chart the thin Best Original Score ranks and some that didn’t make the cut for this reason or that. • One wonders whether latter-year releases can find a foothold, but one of them, “Rabbit Hole,” seems to be struggling to find an audience. Could that be trouble for Nicole Kidman’s Best Actress hopes? • Anne re-addresses her “steak eaters” piece concerning male response to “The Kids Are All Right.” • For better or worse, one of the bigger publicity stories of the holiday was Natalie Portman’s pregnancy, which could help or hurt her awards chances, depending on your source. • And finally, reader questions. We address questions concerning Aronofsky actors’ history with Oscar, the buzz necessary for a foreign performance to break through and potential surprise acting nominations. Have a listen to the new podcast below, with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross leading the way (largely as a tip of the hat to Jamie Stuart’s wonderful short film “Idiot with a Tripod”). If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 46

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. Going into the holidays and with the critics’ awards in full swing, we’ve brought In Contention’s own Guy Lodge on to discuss the goings-on of the season so far. After taking a break from the usual last week, the last 14 days have given us plenty to chew on. Let’s see what’s on the docket today… • The critics’ awards circuit has revealed a clear, predictable frontrunner in “The Social Network.” We discuss what that really means for the Oscar race. • The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced nominees for this year’s Golden Globes ceremony, a number of them more embarrassing than normal. We discuss those, because I guess we have to. • The awards that matter in an Oscar race, given crossover membership, are those on the guild circuit. The Screen Actors Guild kicked that wave off yesterday with a list of nominated actors. We dig into that. • This promises to be the week of The Dude as “TRON Legacy” opens today, “True Grit” opens next week and Jeff Bridges hosts Saturday Night Live this weekend. We use that as an opportunity to talk about those two films. • And finally, after a week away from them, reader questions! We address queries about the “zeitgeist” classification of “The Social Network,” the awards potential of “Burlesque” and and personal faves with no chance at Oscar recognition. Have a listen to the new podcast below, with a tip of the hat to the late Blake Edwards, who passed away yesterday, leading the way. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 45

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. It’s the middle of the season, critics’ awards are set to unleash next week, the guild announcements are right around the corner, the holidays are breathing down our necks and it couldn’t be a busier time of year. There’s plenty to discuss, but Anne and I are nevertheless straying from the usual format this week… Oops. No bullet points. (What, do you think I’m f@#$ing stupid, Hans?) Forgive the reference, but ’tis the season. We’re a number of weeks away from the end of the year but Anne and I have spent the last few settling on our personal picks for the 10 best films of the year, all in preparation for today’s podcast. So no talking points, no reader questions, no chit-chat on the circuit’s goings on, what voters might think of this or that. It’s full, unbridled, personal opinion on the year’s best, a solid 50 minute discussion. We had a blast with it and hope you enjoy listening. A reminder: I’ll be posting my usual year-in-review column Monday, slightly truncated given today’s Oscar Talk. Have a listen to the new podcast below, bookended by my favorite score of the year, Daft Punk’s work on “TRON Legacy.” If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 44

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. Given the indie film announcements of the week, it seemed a good time to bring indieWIRE‘s Peter Knegt back on to discuss those events and add perspective to the usual topics, of which there are plenty. Let’s dive in and see what’s on the docket today… • The National Board of Review announced its list of award winners yesterday, “officially” kicking off the 2010 film awards season. We discuss the slate and the curious omissions. • Earlier this week the IFP Gotham Independent Film Awards were held in New York. Peter was in attendance and offers his perspective on the ceremony. • Also announced this week were the nominations for the Film Independent Spirit Awards, which its own share of curious snubs and inclusions. We discuss. • The Coen brothers’ “True Grit” finally came out of hiding this week with screenings on both coasts. Peter hasn’t seen the film yet but Anne and I offer our thoughts on this very traditional western. • Also dropping this week was the news that Anne Hathaway and James Franco will be hosting the 83rd annual Academy Awards, an unexpected choice to say the least. We give our thoughts. • Finally, reader questions, including queries about a hypothetical five-film Best Picture slate, an apparent influx in populist cinema finding room in the Oscar race and how we all got our starts in the blogosphere. Have a listen to the new podcast below, with Johnny Cash solemnly leading the way. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 43

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. Anne and I are in a bit of a food coma today, so the podcast was a bit all over the place. We free associate from topic to topic bringing in your questions where applicable, but there’s a lot to digest. Let’s see what’s on the docket today… • Both of us met separately with “The Way Back” star Jim Sturgess this week. We talk about him and his work and reveal further concern about the film’s Oscar prospects in the season’s brutal environment. • The Best Actress race has all of its cards on the table as “Frankie & Alice” continues to screen (I caught up with it this week, though Anne hasn’t gotten around to it yet). We run down the field one more time. • With “The King’s Speech” opening today, the presumed Oscar frontrunner goes before the public to be judged. We talk about why we still think, more than ever, that it is the film to beat in the Best Picture race. • Also making the press rounds this week was Jeremy Renner. We discuss his film, “The Town,” and how it could tap into a vein of commercialism under-represented this year. • Finally, reader questions. Just a couple, including queries about the festival process and box office impact on voters. Have a listen to the new podcast below, with a precious taste of Carter Burwell’s “True Grit” score leading the way. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 42

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. There have been toasts in honor of talent and in the way of remembrance during this busy, and heartbreaking, week on the Oscar circuit. So as always, there’s plenty to cover. Let’s dive in and see what’s on the docket today… • Anne was at last weekend’s Governors Awards ceremony honoring Francis Ford Coppola, Eli Wallach, Jean-Luc Godard and Kevin Brownlow. She gives her report on the evening. • In the way of Oscar news, this week brought the shortlists for the animated feature and documentary feature categories. We mull over the contenders left standing. • Along the circuit this week, Focus Features has brought the cast and crew from “The Kids Are All Right” back around. Anne was at a luncheon on their behalf, while I give the lowdown on a Summit Entertainment (early) holiday gathering. • The industry was met with crushing news early in the week as one of our own, and a friend to many, Ronni Chasen was brutally murdered in Beverly Hills. Anne and I remember her, her undying charm and wit, and her dogged professional resilience. • Finally, reader questions. We only get to a handful as the podcast ran a bit long this week but we address queries concerning the decade’s defining films from a “state of society” standpoint and Christopher Nolan’s position in the year’s Best Director race. Have a listen to the new podcast below. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 41

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. AFI Fest has concluded, the first Academy Award ceremony of the year hits this weekend and we find ourselves in the thick of things. Between Galas, premieres, parties and the usual, there’s plenty to chew on, so let’s see what’s on the docket today… • Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” saw it’s Los Angeles premiere as part of AFI Fest’s closing night festivities last night. Anne and I were both there to take it in and observe the local crowd’s reaction. • Also bowing at AFI Fest as a “secret screening” was David O. Russell’s “The Fighter,” which also screened to industry members on the Paramount lot this week. We discuss what we like about the film and its awards potential. • This leads into an impromptu discussion of the sad state of spinelessness seen throughout the studio system, reflected in great films like “The Way Back” not being picked up by a major studio and “Black Swan” almost not even being made. • Anne was at last weekend’s Britannia Awards. She offers her thoughts on the night. • Similarly, tomorrow night brings the Governors Awards, where Francis Ford Coppola, Eli Wallach, Jean-Luc Godard and Kevin Brownlow will be honored. Anne will be on hand and we preview the ceremony. • Finally, reader questions. We address topics including “The Way Back,” the Best Original Song category and James L. Brooks’s elusive “How Do You Know.” Have a listen to the new podcast below. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 40