In Contention

Tag: Dreamgirls

  • THE LONG SHOT: Categorical denial

    Wild-eyed, table-banging outbursts — sometimes of enthusiasm, more often of outrage — are an essential part of the floor show at any Oscar viewing party, but I’ve rarely seen one more unhinged than a friend’s reaction to Angelina Jolie’s (widely expected) Best Supporting Actress victory at the 1999 ceremony.

    “Who the hell was she supporting?” she yelled, red wine slopping out of her glass as she pointed an accusatory finger at the TV screen. “The woman only went and swallowed the entire film without so much as chewing once, all but elbowed Winona out of every shot, and she’s rewarded for supporting her?” She was practically spitting now, so blind with fury she hadn’t even noticed the raven-haired Miss Jolie snogging her brother. “If that’s her idea of support, what happens when she’s against you?”

    I should perhaps explain that my friend’s love for all things Winona Ryder ran deep, and not a little frightening, in those days; the Academy’s heartless decision not to nominate Ryder for Best Actress that year already meant she was watching the ceremony under duress. So it probably wasn’t the best time to explain that, well, Jolie did have the secondary role in “Girl, Interrupted” and that, unfair world that this is, there was still no law preventing rising young actors from being much better than their first-billed co-stars. So we let her rant, at least until Phil Collins started singing and she had something new to complain about.

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  • THE LONG SHOT: What becomes of the broken-hearted?

    (A day later than usual — apologies.)

    After the London Film Festival raised its curtain last night with a typically flashy European premiere for Mark Romanek’s “Never Let Me Go,” this morning’s papers and breakfast TV reports have been busy with chatter about what Britfilm’s two it-girls, Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley, were wearing; how the next Spider-Man (that is, The Artist Formerly Known As Andrew Garfield) is settling into his red-carpet duties; and what the whole event promises about the beleaguered British film industry’s ability to, well, throw fancy parties.

    Something far fewer people have been talking about, however, is the film itself. That’s no great surprise: after securing eagerly awaited world premieres — “Frost/Nixon” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” — for their last two opening nights, London fest organizers dropped the ball slightly by picking a film that bowed at Toronto last month and has already opened in the States. You can’t expect the same level of excitement for a gift that has already been opened by someone else, even if the ribbon has been retied.

    Still, the air surrounding “Never Let Me Go” was not merely one of used goods, but of damaged goods at that: yesterday morning’s press screening was characterized by a near-palpable cloud of lowered expectations, as tepid-to-respectable reviews and fizzling box-office from across the pond foretold a high-class shrug of a movie. “That’s going to get Oscar nominations?” a critic in the row behind me asked as the end credits rolled; his tone translated the question as, “Yeah, good luck with that.”

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  • indieWIRE lists the decade’s worst Oscar snubs

    Dennis Quaid in Far From HeavenThe end-of-decade reflective mood is obviously catching. In yesterday’s Long Shot column, I looked back on the last ten years of the Academy Awards, singling out some of their most inspired choices and positive developments. You responded in great numbers, rare goodwill towards the Academy dominating the comments thread for a change.

    Of course, however, we all know that it’s more fun to bury the Oscars than to praise them. So today, indieWIRE’s Peter Knegt has compiled something of a flipside to my piece, listing the 50 most egregious snubs in the past decade of Oscar nominations.

    It’s an eclectic list, Knegt’s only requirement for inclusion being that a nomination for the film or individual in question had to be at least within the realm of possibility.

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  • THE LONG SHOT: Making the 10 work for you

    Coraline*This is the first installment of “The Long Shot,” a new weekly Oscar column from Guy Lodge here at In Contention.

    At some point last week, I snapped at a commenter for rather benignly suggesting that, with the clarity granted certain contenders by the festival season, we could now call 7 of the newly expanded 10 Best Picture slots securely filled in mid-September, thus leaving us a full four months to find another three.

    Going by that rationale, less than one new contender a month could emerge — roughly keeping pace with the film-going habits of many Academy members.

    It was a fair enough theory, I suppose, and I shouldn’t have responded with as much snark as I did — though I will always adhere to the no-fun theory that a film cannot be decreed a “lock” before it is seen.

    (Is “Invictus” a “Million Dollar Baby” or a “Space Cowboys” waiting to happen? Can “Nine” possibly match its ostentatious pedigree? What in the name of God is “Avatar?” Such are the tensions that make the season worth following.)

    But I think the main reason the theory got on my nerves had nothing whatsoever to do with the commenter’s reasoning, and everything to do with the dispiriting possibility of it actually being true. Because if all the much-ballyhooed widening of the Best Picture category amounts to is a catch-all solution to ensure that every frontrunner gets its due — thereby handily making the Oscars more predictable and less particular into the bargain — then I’ll regretfully turn my back on the annual institution that has fascinated me since the second grade, move to Paris and track the Cesars instead.

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  • How lies stay alive

    It really pisses me off that the LA Times would allow Tom O’Neil to perpetuate falsehoods on his Gold Derby blog without any editorial oversight.  Tom, God love him, just can’t help himself sometimes.  He has to create a controversy where there isn’t one and this two-year-old idea that Eddie Murphy was “furious” over his Oscar loss to Alan Arkin is rearing its ugly head yet again with the recent news that the actor will portray Richard Pryor in Bill Condon’s biopic.

    We put this issue to bed in February of 2007, but there it is with the LA Times masthead proudly above: “When [Murphy] lost to Arkin, he reportedly stormed out of the ceremony.”

    Using “reported” is a nice attempt at shifting the attribution, but the caption to O’Neil’s photo: “Eddie was furious when he lost his Oscar bid for Dreamgirls.”  It’s terribly frustrating.

  • Solid proof Condon/Mark is the right call

    “Dreagirls” was on HBO last night and even though I’m long on the record for not being a fan, I still give it a look from time to time.  I caught the last act or so and the closing credits sequence, and I had forgotten how dazzling that sequence is.  You probably remember it: every single aspect of the production, form the costume design to the film editing, the coreography and sound to the art direction, each element was treated to its own bit of razzle dazzle over the credits.

    Multiple angles for the editor, sketches for production and costume design, appropriate visuals throughout.  It’s a really special sequence, I think, and one that exhibits Condon’s clear affinity for the medium.  I’m sure he’ll bring every ounce of that passion into the Oscar cast in just under two weeks’ time, and no matter how boring the eventual outcome (for those bored by things like, I don’t know, the best film of the year winning Best Picture), I think we’ll all be in for a treat.

    I tried to find a YouTube clip of that “Dreamgirls” credits sequence, by the way, but no luck.  Go check it out again if you have a chance, though.  Lots of heart in that bit.

  • indieWIRE surveys the race, questions ‘Button’

    Lots of conflicting soundbites have been bandied about this week regarding “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” but here’s the first one I’ve seen with a credibly named source. In an article on indieWIRE, the site’s editor, Eugene Hernandez, discusses the awards race with colleague Peter Knegt, and offers this carefully-worded take on the still-embargoed film:

    While I feel that “Benjamin Button” is, on first viewing, hardly a lock for best picture, the attention that will justifiably be paid to its considerable technological achievements could sweep it into the higher profile categories. (“Forrest Gump” was popular with the Academy and there are some parallel’s here). But, as I was telling a friend today, for a much more striking and beautiful marriage of technology and ideas, I’d encourage folks to watch “WALL-E” again.

    Knegt, meanwhile, suggests that “Button” might follow a similar course to “Dreamgirls” two years ago, raking in the technical nods, but missing out in top categories.

    Other topics of conversation include “Milk,” which they posit as a clear frontrunner for Best Picture, and a “lock” for acting and screenplay nods. (They also side with Kris in selecting Josh Brolin as the film’s strongest supporting contender.) Meanwhile, they pretty much write off “Doubt” as a Best Picture contender, and go on to suggest some underdogs on the rise. Like me, they think “Gomorrah” could be one to watch:

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  • Cates out Condon/Mark in as Oscar telecast producers

    Bill CondonWow. This is a left-field choice to say the least, but it seems “Dreamgirls” director and producer Bill Condon and Laurence Mark have been tapped to produce this year’s Oscar telecast. Mark will be the producer, Condon the executive producer. The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop.

    Despite the negative B.S. that was flying around my opinion of “Dreamgirls” two years ago (things get perpetuated too far in a business governed by publicity), I genuinely like Condon and have a friendly chat every time I see him. He’s a true Oscar geek like the rest of us, a bright and creative guy who will probably do wonders for some of the telecast’s typically boring sequences (music performances are at the top of that list). And Laurence Mark is no slouch when it comes to putting stuff like this together.

    Good things. Here’s an excerpt from Gregg Kilday’s story (which briefly mentions Condon’s upcoming Richard Pryor movie):

    The “Dreamgirls” team of producer Laurence Mark and writer-director Bill Condon have been tapped to produce the 81st Annual Academy Awards telecast. Mark will serve as producer with Condon on board as exec producer; it’s the first time either has produced the Oscar show.

    Announcing their selection Wednesday, Academy president Sid Ganis said, “Larry and Bill are fresh thinkers who will bring a unique perspective to the Oscar show. That fact, joined with their enormous collective talent and enthusiasm, will serve the 81st awards proceedings perfectly.”…

    “What a thrill to produce the Oscar show,” Mark said. “I’m excited about this opportunity and look forward to the challenge of a live television show that celebrates the very best in film.”

    “The Oscars are the ultimate recognition of excellent work in movies, and I’m so pleased to be part of putting the show together,” Condon said.

    It’ll be interesting to see if the duo will be able to turn things around for a show that is consistently losing viewers. I’m sure they see it as a challenge, but a welcome one regardless. Good luck, guys.