9/25 Oscar Charts
No column this week. Nothing to write about (other than more discussion on the brilliance of "The Departed") and not enough moving and shaking to really get into anything with meat on it. However, the real issue this week and last seems to be the generally overwhelming response to "The Last King of Scotland," a film Fox Searchlight is really starting to see as a Best Picture contender.
This is the other end of the spectrum from "Little Miss Sunshine," yes, but the typical PR machinery on Kevin Macdonald's searing effort thus far has been smooth sailing. When you've got Oprah raving about the film, Cate Blanchett shouting its praises to buddy Brad Pitt, guild audiences feeling shaken to the core from the emotional turbulence of the film, and, not to mention, a visual marketing scheme that seems built for Oscar ads (imagine all that orange and red throughout one of Variety's special issues this fall) - let's just say there's a lot of potential there.
Anyway, more next week. I'll leave you with the charts:
Main Category Charts
Technical Category Charts
Oscar Predictions Archive
"The Contenders"
Previous Oscar Columns:
09/18/06 - "Aftermath"
09/11/06 - "It's All Happening."
09/04/06 - "Aw, Canucks."
08/28/06 - "On Your Marks..."
08/14/06 - "Enough Foreplay!"
08/07/06 - "Don't Knock Masturbation; it's Sex with Someone I Love"
07/31/06 - "Old and New, the Oscar Season Approaches"
Comments
Robin Williams? Are you serious?
Who knows, maybe you're right. Maybe you've already seen Man of the Year, and he knocks it out of the park, but it's just so... Golden Globe-y, like Jack Black in School of Rock or Pierce Brosnan in The Matador. Amusing, sure, throw 'em a GG nod and leave 'em be.
We shall see...
Posted by: William Goss![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| September 26, 2006 12:22 PM
Kicking ideas around.
Posted by: Kristopher Tapley![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| September 26, 2006 01:21 PM
I don't know about you, but after tonight, I really can't see Scissors in the running (pun kinda intended) nearly as much as I thought before, on any front.
However, I'm glad that Scotland wasn't Whitaker's show by as wide a margin as I had previously suspected. As great as he was, it was nice to see the supporting performers match his game.
But that's just me...
Posted by: William Goss![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| September 27, 2006 08:34 PM
What happened tonight?
Anyway, I caught Scissors at a test screening way back in February and have been basing my thoughts on it's potential off of that for some time. I think Bening is most certainly in, and Clayburgh is sentimental enough in her part to make it through as well.
Posted by: Kristopher Tapley![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| September 27, 2006 08:52 PM
Oh, I saw it tonight, which is why I said that. Sorry for any confusion. However, I personally wasn't impressed with any particular part of it enough to consider it a contender, especially going by buzz for other films at this point.
Then again, I'm also one of very few people to actively dislike Half Nelson, so who knows? Maybe I'm on crack after all.
Scotland, on the other hand, I'm very nearly share your enthusiasm on every front.
I haven't caught much by this point, being in Orlando and all, so I catch what I can and weigh in as I may. For what it's worth, I appreciate your insight, so keep up the good work and I'll just butt in whenever I get the chance. ;)
Posted by: William Goss![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| September 27, 2006 09:30 PM
Hey Kris, have you heard this talk that Jack is or will end up in Lead for The Departed by the voters.
Posted by: Paul8148![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| September 28, 2006 10:49 PM
I haven't heard that in the slightest. It's not a lead performance by any stretch, so I wouldn't pay much attention.
Posted by: Kristopher Tapley![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| September 29, 2006 01:28 AM
And I officially stand corrected, Paul. The more I've pondered this thing all week, and the more conversations I've had here and there, the more it seems like (as you'll note in today's column) this something that could come to pass. And you were the first person I heard the notion from, for what it's worth.
Posted by: Kristopher Tapley![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| October 2, 2006 12:51 PM