If my repeated attacks on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button aren't enough to keep you away, then maybe one from Jon Stewart will. It took me ten paragraphs to explain what was wrong with the movie. It took Jon Stewart about 20 seconds. Further proof that he is the most reliable source for...everything.
Showing posts with label Benjamin Button. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Benjamin Button. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Oscar Overload
As it has the past few years, AMC is doing a marathon of all five Best Picture nominees on the day before the Oscars, February 21st. The schedule goes like this:10:30 AM Milk
1:05 PM The Reader
3:45 PM The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
7:15 PM Slumdog Millionaire
9:45 PM Frost/Nixon
I'm personally not sure who would really want to subject themselves to this kind of a marathon. At least two of the movies (The Reader, Benjamin Button) are way too heavy to make you want to watch more, and they come in the first half.
Though if Benjamin Button isn't going to end the marathon, following it with Slumdog is a good choice. No better way to wake up from the Brad Pitt slumber than with Slumdog's fast cutting, fun music, and hopeful story. And I like Milk as a starter, since it gets you excited despite its downer of an ending. Sad though that so few will end up making it to Frost/Nixon.
So, if over 12 hours of super-serious Oscarbait is your idea of a good time, click the link above. If, like me, you think that sounds kind of like torture, then best start catching the best pic nominees now.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Benjamin Gump
Of course it's nice when everybody likes a movie, like Slumdog Millionaire, but what's more fun is when a movie divides people right down the middle. For my money, the biggest love it/hate it movie of 2008 is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which some of you may remember I panned a month ago. Now that it's been out for awhile, many of my friends have come up to me going, "What's wrong with you? That movie is brilliant! Have you no heart?" so I thought it was time to reopen the discussion. But first, a video to (humorously) make clear how true one of my criticisms is: BB is the exact same movie as Forrest Gump (but crappier):
BB supporters, try telling me the two movies don't have the same characters, plot points, and voiceover. And now the rest of my Top 10 Reasons Benjamin Button Sucks:
2. Too long
3. Too slow
4. Benjamin has no character
5. Benjamin's backwards aging rarely poses a major obstacle
6. Nothing drives the movie forward (because Benjamin is so passive)
7. No character beyond Queenie feels remotely genuine
8. The second half of the movie is just "look at how pretty Brad Pitt is"
9. No emotional connection whatsoever
10. Ridiculously overwrought score
But since BB has made over $100 million and will likely be getting a lot of Oscar nominations come Thursday, I'm obviously in the minority here. So what am I missing? Should I give the movie another chance? Or do people just really like looking at Brad Pitt? Let me know in the comments.
BB supporters, try telling me the two movies don't have the same characters, plot points, and voiceover. And now the rest of my Top 10 Reasons Benjamin Button Sucks:
2. Too long
3. Too slow
4. Benjamin has no character
5. Benjamin's backwards aging rarely poses a major obstacle
6. Nothing drives the movie forward (because Benjamin is so passive)
7. No character beyond Queenie feels remotely genuine
8. The second half of the movie is just "look at how pretty Brad Pitt is"
9. No emotional connection whatsoever
10. Ridiculously overwrought score
But since BB has made over $100 million and will likely be getting a lot of Oscar nominations come Thursday, I'm obviously in the minority here. So what am I missing? Should I give the movie another chance? Or do people just really like looking at Brad Pitt? Let me know in the comments.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
What to See on Jewish Christmas
Happy Christmas Eve everyone! TBS will be airing its yearly 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story at 8 PM tonight. I've actually never seen it, so maybe I'll check it out this year. But today I'd like to talk about one of my favorite holidays: Jewish Christmas. For those of you unfamiliar with Jewish Christmas, you celebrate it by eating Chinese food and seeing a movie. Now, you might ask, "Mah nishtah nah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot?" [Why is this night different from any other night?] After all, my family eats Chinese food and sees movies all the time. But Jewish Christmas makes that a holiday, and that's special.Now, as I did on Thanksgiving, I've got some advice on what movie to see. Once again, the movie selection is pretty weak, with most mainstream movies looking like the cinematic equivalent of a lump of coal. Yes Man and Bedtime Stories do nothing for me, while Seven Pounds and The Spirit have gotten reviews terrible enough to curdle your egg nog. So while I can't vouch for (or even recommend) some of the movies on this list, they're at least worth considering.
Slumdog Millionaire
It was my #1 pick for Thanksgiving, and it's still my #1 pick for Christmas. But unlike a month ago, Slumdog has now expanded to the point where I was able to see it again in Virginia yesterday. If you haven't seen it, you'll have fun and feel good. Even if you have, a rewatching is more worthwhile than Yes Man.
Marley & Me
A PG-rated movie with Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, and a dog? That's a big no thanks for me, but it's a logical choice. It's based on a super popular book, has two likable stars, and looks the most tolerable of the family movies. The reviews may be mixed, but they're certainly not terrible. If you can stand the trailer, you might want to check it out.
Valkyrie
The image of a one-eyed Tom Cruise leading a team to go kill Hitler is definitely silly. But silly might be preferable to all the super serious Oscarbait in theaters. Its solid Rotten Tomatoes score of 60% means it isn't the bomb we feared (that would be The Spirit at 14%). If your hatred of Tom Cruise doesn't turn you off, this could be a fun way to spend the holiday.
Frost/Nixon
Usually, the last thing you want during the holiday is politics. But this is surprisingly entertaining, filled with humor and wit. Yes, it's Oscarbait, but it's on a different level from the dour seriousness of Benjamin Button and Doubt. With such weak mainstream movies this year, Frost/Nixon may be a nice compromise.
Milk
This was also on my Thanksgiving list, and like Slumdog has since expanded further. It's still in pretty limited release (not playing in Virginia), but I've heard it's amazing. Still, a political movie about civil rights that ends with a death might not be the holiday cheer you were looking for.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Releasing wide on Christmas day, this epic tale of a backwards-aging man (Brad Pitt) will get a lot of attention. A big, epic tearjerker brings together the whole family, and women can enjoy Brad Pitt. But consider: It's nearly three hours long, it's incredibly slow, and it's really not that good. Still, the movie's Rotten Tomatoes score of 77% shows I may be alone on my opinion, so you may want to see for yourselves.
Doubt
Another very serious movie I didn't love (review coming soon), Doubt doesn't make for a fun trip to the movies. It may be well short of Benjamin Button's running time, but its slow pace nearly put me to sleep. Still, its great performances will get Oscar attention. And Meryl Streep vs. Philip Seymour Hoffman is a battle worth paying to see. It will expand enough tomorrow to find easily enough. It's not my first choice for Oscarbait, but it is an option.
And the Rest...
Yes Man's trailers make me want to bludgeon myself. The Day the Earth Stood Still may induce an Independence Day marathon to remember what a good alien movie looks like. Seven Pounds, well, I've covered that. The Tale of Despereaux and Bedtime Stories seem like they're just for kids. Instead of seeing The Spirit, just watch Sin City again. The Wrestler, The Reader, and Gran Torino are all better options, but are all in super limited release.
Whatever you choose, enjoy the holidays!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Movie Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Grade: B-
At the very beginning of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (coming out Christmas Day), an old, dying woman named Daisy (Cate Blanchett) tells her daughter (Julia Ormond) a story about a backwards clock. About midway through the story, you might start to wonder, "Isn't this a Brad Pitt movie? Where is he?" The movie takes its sweet time getting there. Much like an old storyteller, the movie rambles on, tangentially and sometimes enjoyably, but certainly twice as slowly as you would like.
After various false starts, the movie finally starts when Queenie (Taraji P. Henson), a nursing home worker, finds Benjamin left at her door. Benjamin's a baby with all the ailments of a man dying in his 80s: arthritis, cataracts, and so on. Benjamin's growing up years, that see him look steadily more like Brad Pitt, play out like the early chapters of a John Irving novel, with the unusual family of the nursing home raising him. Characters come and go, some important, some not. The most important one is Daisy, a young girl Benjamin befriends. But there is a certain enjoyable quality to the section. A lot of that can be attributed to Henson, whose warm turn as Benjamin's adopted mother gives the movie its heart. As long as Benjamin's at home, the movie's slow, rambling style fits the New Orleans setting.
But when Benjamin leaves New Orleans at "18," the movie loses most of its focus. We see many chapters in Benjamin's life, from an affair with Tilda Swinton in Russia to fighting in World War II to seeking out Daisy in New York. But there's no real narrative drive pushing him from one chapter to the next. He just passively stumbles by in life, getting steadily younger. You soon realize the movie has to go until his death, because there is no other plot to resolve.
The screenplay, though based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is written by Eric Roth, most famous for Forrest Gump. This should be no surprise, because Benjamin Button feels at times like a remake of Gump. Benjamin gives the same kind of voiceover that Forrest does, with the same pithy sayings to sum up each chapter. The movie has the same epic quality, going across the decades. It even has the same characters. Benjamin is basically Forrest, Daisy's not too different from Jenny, Captain Mike (of the World War II section) is Lt. Dan, and Queenie is obviously Mama.
But while the movie feels like Gump, it doesn't hold up to it. A lot of the reason is in the character of Benjamin. Forrest was passive as well, letting luck and history guide him. But he also had a certain drive to him, whether in pursuing Jenny or proving he's not stupid. And Tom Hanks was sympathetic and charismatic, making us want to watch him. Benjamin, on the other hand, is only interesting because he ages backwards and looks like Brad Pitt. Benjamin is a hard character to play, going through so many ages and the script giving so little insight into him. But Pitt doesn't do much with it. In the second half especially, his acting consists of "Look how handsome I am." A more astute character actor could anchor the movie, but Pitt just gets carried along in the tide.
The movie is even more plotless for how little it uses the backwards aging device. It's very prominent in the beginning, because we see it in this old man growing taller and younger. And at the end it comes back full force. But in the middle, its importance is relegated to, "Oh Benjamin, look how young you are." At one point Benjamin refers to it as his "condition," as if it were a mild case of Eczema. Forrest's low IQ was a legitimate obstacle for him being with Jenny, and he continually fought against it. But here Benjamin's "condition" just makes him more handsome. It ends up feeling like a wasted opportunity that such an intriguing plotline becomes such a minor component to the movie.
The rambling plot and weak central character might be more forgivable if the movie were not SOOO long. At 2 hours and 40 minutes, it could use to lose at least 45 minutes. It's easy to see what to cut, as Roth's screenplay draws out every detail from every scene. The way the wind blows, a second-by-second lead-up to a car crash, nothing is too minor for Roth's attention. And all of these details are not conveyed visually but through a voiceover far more extensive than in Gump. Benjamin probably has more voiceover than dialogue.
The movie's disappointment is all the greater because it was directed by David Fincher, one of my favorites for helming Fight Club and Se7en. His influence is seen in the visuals, which are absolutely breathtaking. The make-up ages Benjamin, Daisy, and Queenie believably, making it hard to recognize the actors. The visual effects are incredible, creating Brad Pitt's elderly child and a vivid battle scene. The cinematography creates a mood that magically recreates old New Orleans. The costumes and sets as well all bring to life the various time periods. You can expect the movie to sweep all the visual Oscars, and rightly so.
But while Fincher knows picture, he knows nothing about emotion. Se7en, Fight Club, and Zodiac were loved for their cool, detached attitidues. But Benjamin Button, an old-fashioned, epic weepy, could not be more different. Trying to shift gears, Fincher feels like Dexter faking human emotions. Fincher has clearly seen big, cheesy, Oscarbait movies and does everything he can to copy them. Hence Alexandre Desplat's at times unbearable score, which blasts ultra dramatic music constantly. When the music is playing, it feels like a Chappelle's Show sketch making fun of Oscar movies. Every scene feels like it is out of an Oscar reel.
But for all the attempts to fake emotion, it all still feels empty. Benjamin's lack of personality makes it impossible to connect with him, so you don't feel anything he goes through. The end includes some of the strongest moments in the film, meant to leave the audience bawling. But the long, rambling middle so throroughly lost my interest that I felt nothing. The only relatably human character in the movie is Queenie, and when she's onscreen the emotion is there. But otherwise, Fincher has made a very pretty movie with no heart. Maybe he needs to take a trip back to Fight Club.
At the very beginning of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (coming out Christmas Day), an old, dying woman named Daisy (Cate Blanchett) tells her daughter (Julia Ormond) a story about a backwards clock. About midway through the story, you might start to wonder, "Isn't this a Brad Pitt movie? Where is he?" The movie takes its sweet time getting there. Much like an old storyteller, the movie rambles on, tangentially and sometimes enjoyably, but certainly twice as slowly as you would like.
After various false starts, the movie finally starts when Queenie (Taraji P. Henson), a nursing home worker, finds Benjamin left at her door. Benjamin's a baby with all the ailments of a man dying in his 80s: arthritis, cataracts, and so on. Benjamin's growing up years, that see him look steadily more like Brad Pitt, play out like the early chapters of a John Irving novel, with the unusual family of the nursing home raising him. Characters come and go, some important, some not. The most important one is Daisy, a young girl Benjamin befriends. But there is a certain enjoyable quality to the section. A lot of that can be attributed to Henson, whose warm turn as Benjamin's adopted mother gives the movie its heart. As long as Benjamin's at home, the movie's slow, rambling style fits the New Orleans setting.
But when Benjamin leaves New Orleans at "18," the movie loses most of its focus. We see many chapters in Benjamin's life, from an affair with Tilda Swinton in Russia to fighting in World War II to seeking out Daisy in New York. But there's no real narrative drive pushing him from one chapter to the next. He just passively stumbles by in life, getting steadily younger. You soon realize the movie has to go until his death, because there is no other plot to resolve.
The screenplay, though based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is written by Eric Roth, most famous for Forrest Gump. This should be no surprise, because Benjamin Button feels at times like a remake of Gump. Benjamin gives the same kind of voiceover that Forrest does, with the same pithy sayings to sum up each chapter. The movie has the same epic quality, going across the decades. It even has the same characters. Benjamin is basically Forrest, Daisy's not too different from Jenny, Captain Mike (of the World War II section) is Lt. Dan, and Queenie is obviously Mama.
But while the movie feels like Gump, it doesn't hold up to it. A lot of the reason is in the character of Benjamin. Forrest was passive as well, letting luck and history guide him. But he also had a certain drive to him, whether in pursuing Jenny or proving he's not stupid. And Tom Hanks was sympathetic and charismatic, making us want to watch him. Benjamin, on the other hand, is only interesting because he ages backwards and looks like Brad Pitt. Benjamin is a hard character to play, going through so many ages and the script giving so little insight into him. But Pitt doesn't do much with it. In the second half especially, his acting consists of "Look how handsome I am." A more astute character actor could anchor the movie, but Pitt just gets carried along in the tide.
The movie is even more plotless for how little it uses the backwards aging device. It's very prominent in the beginning, because we see it in this old man growing taller and younger. And at the end it comes back full force. But in the middle, its importance is relegated to, "Oh Benjamin, look how young you are." At one point Benjamin refers to it as his "condition," as if it were a mild case of Eczema. Forrest's low IQ was a legitimate obstacle for him being with Jenny, and he continually fought against it. But here Benjamin's "condition" just makes him more handsome. It ends up feeling like a wasted opportunity that such an intriguing plotline becomes such a minor component to the movie.
The rambling plot and weak central character might be more forgivable if the movie were not SOOO long. At 2 hours and 40 minutes, it could use to lose at least 45 minutes. It's easy to see what to cut, as Roth's screenplay draws out every detail from every scene. The way the wind blows, a second-by-second lead-up to a car crash, nothing is too minor for Roth's attention. And all of these details are not conveyed visually but through a voiceover far more extensive than in Gump. Benjamin probably has more voiceover than dialogue.
The movie's disappointment is all the greater because it was directed by David Fincher, one of my favorites for helming Fight Club and Se7en. His influence is seen in the visuals, which are absolutely breathtaking. The make-up ages Benjamin, Daisy, and Queenie believably, making it hard to recognize the actors. The visual effects are incredible, creating Brad Pitt's elderly child and a vivid battle scene. The cinematography creates a mood that magically recreates old New Orleans. The costumes and sets as well all bring to life the various time periods. You can expect the movie to sweep all the visual Oscars, and rightly so.
But while Fincher knows picture, he knows nothing about emotion. Se7en, Fight Club, and Zodiac were loved for their cool, detached attitidues. But Benjamin Button, an old-fashioned, epic weepy, could not be more different. Trying to shift gears, Fincher feels like Dexter faking human emotions. Fincher has clearly seen big, cheesy, Oscarbait movies and does everything he can to copy them. Hence Alexandre Desplat's at times unbearable score, which blasts ultra dramatic music constantly. When the music is playing, it feels like a Chappelle's Show sketch making fun of Oscar movies. Every scene feels like it is out of an Oscar reel.
But for all the attempts to fake emotion, it all still feels empty. Benjamin's lack of personality makes it impossible to connect with him, so you don't feel anything he goes through. The end includes some of the strongest moments in the film, meant to leave the audience bawling. But the long, rambling middle so throroughly lost my interest that I felt nothing. The only relatably human character in the movie is Queenie, and when she's onscreen the emotion is there. But otherwise, Fincher has made a very pretty movie with no heart. Maybe he needs to take a trip back to Fight Club.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Oscar Preview
With the election now behind us, we can focus on a far less significant contest: the Oscars. While it's far too early to know what will hold up and what will crash and burn, here are the movies I think will hold up enough to be the best picture nominees this year.
My first pick: The Dark Knight. Many won't consider it because it's a comic book movie. But what they feel to realize is that it's the best comic book movie ever. It's also so much more than that, as an instant crime classic that looks at darker themes than even the real serious Oscar bait. Besides, Heath Ledger's Joker is the best villain since Hannibal Lecter. So comic books or not, I still think this is the one to beat for the win.
Next, another movie I've already seen, Slumdog Millionaire:
This is probably an even safer bet, as it's hard to imagine anyone not loving this movie, least of all Oscar voters. It's an epic, it's heartfelt, it's uplifting, and most of all it's really, really good. Acting, writing, directing, story, music, it all works together for one of the most enjoyable movies of the year. The only thing working against it is that about a third of the movie is in Hindi. It comes out November 12th, so make sure to go see it.
Another strong contender for a win (if good) is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button:
First off, the trailer looks pretty amazing. A beautiful looking film about a guy who ages backwards set against a long period of time? That sounds like Oscar territory. But add David Fincher as director, who hasn't made a bad movie since Alien 3 (Panic Room doesn't count), and Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett giving what look to be strong performances, and I'm sold too. I just hope it lives up to the hype.
The last of my solid predictions is Milk, another one you can see before December:
Director Gus Van Sant has recently just done dull experimental films (Elephant, Paranoid Park), but he showed with Good Will Hunting how well he does mainstream. Sean Penn sometimes overacts, but this part seems like a good fit for him. The supporting cast is very strong, with Josh Brolin, James Franco, and Emile Hirsch. And after the passing of Proposition 8 in California, a film about the first openly gay elected official in San Francisco's Castro region could not be more relevant. With all the early reviews raving, this one looks like it's in.
But while I feel good about the above movies' chances at this early point, there are a lot of movies that could fill the fifth slot. My current pick is Revolutionary Road:
Revolutionary Road is straight-up Oscar bait. Former winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty) is directing in familiar terrain. There's a Titanic reunion for Oscar favorites Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. It's based on a classic novel. And it is extremely reminiscent of Mad Men, which won the Emmy for best drama. But as obvious as its Oscar aspirations are, this is one I'm actually excited for. Not only am I a fan of the book and Sam Mendes, but the trailer looks pretty fantastic. Nobody's seen it yet, but if it's as good as the trailer it will definitely be a contender.
There's also two movies based on highly respected plays, Doubt and Frost/Nixon:
Both feature great actors likely giving great performances, and each will take up many acting slots. Of the two, I'm more excited for Doubt. Part of that is because I'm more familiar with the play. But I'm also really unimpressed with the Frost/Nixon trailer. Frank Langella in his Tony-winning role doesn't seem to resemble Nixon at all. The movie seems to paint the interview as an underdog triumph, the Mighty Ducks of journalism films. The Academy does love subpar Ron Howard movies though, so certainly don't count it out. As for Doubt, it's probably too small-scale for best picture, and early word has been mixed. Both might have to settle for the acting nods.
Last of the major contenders is Australia:
Australia seems likely to either be great or terrible. It's got an old Hollywood, epic style that Oscar voters love. Baz Luhrmann seems just the director to take this kind of period piece and make it feel modern. Yet I can't say I'm too excited. With the culture clash romance, a war, and something about Nicole Kidman helping Australian kids, I don't really know what the movie will end up being about. Until anyone sees it, this remains a mystery.
Beyond those eight, there are a number of other movies still in the running. Gran Torino is the second Clint Eastwood movie this year, Changeling's bad reviews probably keeping it out of contention. You can never count out Clint Eastwood, but the trailer made it look more like a stupid action movie where an old Eastwood goes around with a shotgun killing young people for making too much noise. It looked pretty silly to me, but you never know.
The Reader has the Holocaust, Kate Winslet, and Ralph Fiennes, definite Oscar checkboxes. The trailer also looks surprisingly good. But the behind-scenes drama between the producers may be enough to sink it.
The Wrestler has mostly gotten attention for Mickey Rourke's lead performance. But after Requiem for a Dream, Darren Aronofsky has shown he's got what it takes. And people who have seen it have loved it.
Going back further, there's also arguments to make in favor of Wall-E, Rachel Getting Married, The Visitor, Changeling, Che, Defiance, Nothing But the Truth, and Seven Pounds. Something else could also surprise (Valkyrie?). I'll know better once I've seen more. But if you're looking for what to watch in preparation over the next few months, the list above should help you be well prepared when it's time to make your Oscar pool.
My first pick: The Dark Knight. Many won't consider it because it's a comic book movie. But what they feel to realize is that it's the best comic book movie ever. It's also so much more than that, as an instant crime classic that looks at darker themes than even the real serious Oscar bait. Besides, Heath Ledger's Joker is the best villain since Hannibal Lecter. So comic books or not, I still think this is the one to beat for the win.
Next, another movie I've already seen, Slumdog Millionaire:
This is probably an even safer bet, as it's hard to imagine anyone not loving this movie, least of all Oscar voters. It's an epic, it's heartfelt, it's uplifting, and most of all it's really, really good. Acting, writing, directing, story, music, it all works together for one of the most enjoyable movies of the year. The only thing working against it is that about a third of the movie is in Hindi. It comes out November 12th, so make sure to go see it.
Another strong contender for a win (if good) is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button:
First off, the trailer looks pretty amazing. A beautiful looking film about a guy who ages backwards set against a long period of time? That sounds like Oscar territory. But add David Fincher as director, who hasn't made a bad movie since Alien 3 (Panic Room doesn't count), and Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett giving what look to be strong performances, and I'm sold too. I just hope it lives up to the hype.
The last of my solid predictions is Milk, another one you can see before December:
Director Gus Van Sant has recently just done dull experimental films (Elephant, Paranoid Park), but he showed with Good Will Hunting how well he does mainstream. Sean Penn sometimes overacts, but this part seems like a good fit for him. The supporting cast is very strong, with Josh Brolin, James Franco, and Emile Hirsch. And after the passing of Proposition 8 in California, a film about the first openly gay elected official in San Francisco's Castro region could not be more relevant. With all the early reviews raving, this one looks like it's in.
But while I feel good about the above movies' chances at this early point, there are a lot of movies that could fill the fifth slot. My current pick is Revolutionary Road:
Revolutionary Road is straight-up Oscar bait. Former winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty) is directing in familiar terrain. There's a Titanic reunion for Oscar favorites Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. It's based on a classic novel. And it is extremely reminiscent of Mad Men, which won the Emmy for best drama. But as obvious as its Oscar aspirations are, this is one I'm actually excited for. Not only am I a fan of the book and Sam Mendes, but the trailer looks pretty fantastic. Nobody's seen it yet, but if it's as good as the trailer it will definitely be a contender.
There's also two movies based on highly respected plays, Doubt and Frost/Nixon:
Both feature great actors likely giving great performances, and each will take up many acting slots. Of the two, I'm more excited for Doubt. Part of that is because I'm more familiar with the play. But I'm also really unimpressed with the Frost/Nixon trailer. Frank Langella in his Tony-winning role doesn't seem to resemble Nixon at all. The movie seems to paint the interview as an underdog triumph, the Mighty Ducks of journalism films. The Academy does love subpar Ron Howard movies though, so certainly don't count it out. As for Doubt, it's probably too small-scale for best picture, and early word has been mixed. Both might have to settle for the acting nods.
Last of the major contenders is Australia:
Australia seems likely to either be great or terrible. It's got an old Hollywood, epic style that Oscar voters love. Baz Luhrmann seems just the director to take this kind of period piece and make it feel modern. Yet I can't say I'm too excited. With the culture clash romance, a war, and something about Nicole Kidman helping Australian kids, I don't really know what the movie will end up being about. Until anyone sees it, this remains a mystery.
Beyond those eight, there are a number of other movies still in the running. Gran Torino is the second Clint Eastwood movie this year, Changeling's bad reviews probably keeping it out of contention. You can never count out Clint Eastwood, but the trailer made it look more like a stupid action movie where an old Eastwood goes around with a shotgun killing young people for making too much noise. It looked pretty silly to me, but you never know.
The Reader has the Holocaust, Kate Winslet, and Ralph Fiennes, definite Oscar checkboxes. The trailer also looks surprisingly good. But the behind-scenes drama between the producers may be enough to sink it.
The Wrestler has mostly gotten attention for Mickey Rourke's lead performance. But after Requiem for a Dream, Darren Aronofsky has shown he's got what it takes. And people who have seen it have loved it.
Going back further, there's also arguments to make in favor of Wall-E, Rachel Getting Married, The Visitor, Changeling, Che, Defiance, Nothing But the Truth, and Seven Pounds. Something else could also surprise (Valkyrie?). I'll know better once I've seen more. But if you're looking for what to watch in preparation over the next few months, the list above should help you be well prepared when it's time to make your Oscar pool.
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