A trio of new titles debut over the Easter weekend frame to compete with the second frames of hits The Croods and Olympus Has Fallen.
There is little doubt that G.I. Joe: Retaliation, with The Rock, Channing Tatum, and Bruce Willis will reign supreme over the weekend. I wrote an extensive post on Monday going over my prediction for G.I. Joe‘s debut. It can be found here:
Just as the #1 title is virtually assured, #2 will almost certainly belong to the second weekend of Dreamworks animated feature The Croods. The film had an impressive debut with over $43 million on opening weekend. A typical fall for this would be around 30-35% and that’s what I expect.
Things get more complicated after that. Slots 3-5 could be any order among the following three movies: the new Tyler Perry feature Temptation, the new fantasy pic The Host, and Olympus Has Fallen.
Tyler Perry’s Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor seems destined to open in line with just about every other non-Madea Perry feature. That would put it in the range of a mid-teens to low-twenties opening weekend gross. It’s even got Kim Kardashian in it!
The Host is based on a novel by Twilight author Stephanie Meyer. The film is directed by Andrew Niccol, who directed the well-regarded 1997 sci-fi flick Gattaca. He also wrote 1998’s The Truman Show. Niccol’s last feature was not well-received critically or commercially, 2011’s In Time with Justin Timberlake. The Host has the potential of gaining a big audience among teenage girls and it could certainly gross above $20 million. However, I just don’t see a great amount of enthusiasm and I’m predicting it will not reach that mark.
Finally, Olympus Has Fallen scored a very solid debut last weekend, grossing over $30 million. Audiences seem to really dig it as it earned an “A-” Cinemascore average. While titles like this often drop 50% or more in their sophomore frames, I am projecting Olympus will not fall that far.
And with that, my predictions for the Easter box office weekend:
1. G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Predicted Gross: $49.5 million
2. The Croods
Predicted Gross: $29.3 million (representing a drop of 33%)
3. Tyler Perry’s Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor
Predicted Gross: $19.2 million
4. Olympus Has Fallen
Predicted Gross: $16.8 million (representing a drop of 45%)
5. The Host
Predicted Gross: $15.7 million
As always, I’ll have updated posted throughout the weekend with a final report on Sunday!
If it seems a little early to be speculating on what movies might receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination for 2013… well, not really. Granted, most of these titles don’t even have trailers yet and the majority won’t be released until fall. Some don’t even have set release dates at the moment.
However, I realized that if this blog existed one year ago today and I had produced a list of 25 potential films, I would have included Argo, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, and Zero Dark Thirty. These composed six of the nine features nominated and the winner.
Scouring over the list of movies coming out in the remainder of the year, some things are for certain: there will be surprises. Films that come out of nowhere on the festival circuit that will become contenders. Also: some of the movies mentioned here will simply not pan out, not get very good reviews, and disappear from consideration. A 2012 example: Hyde Park on Hudson, with Bill Murray playing President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It certainly would have been on my list of consideration one year ago today. The picture was released, wasn’t well-received, and came and went quickly. Finally, I’m guessing at least five of the titles mentioned here will end up getting Best Picture nominations. Among the 25 titles I’m listing, I will note my Top Five most likely contenders for the big prize at this juncture.
And with that, here are 25 Early Best Picture Contenders for the 2013 Oscars:
August: Osage County
This family drama, from director John Wells (known more for his TV work on ER and The West Wing) has an impressive cast that includes Oscar darling Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, and Ewan McGregor. Release Date: November 8.
Before Midnight
This is Richard Linklater’s third in his series of romantic dramas starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, following 1995’s Before Sunrise and 2004’s Before Sunset. The two earlier titles received enormous critical acclaim and the Academy may feel it’s time to honor them by honoring this one. The picture screened recently at the Sundance Film Festival to very positive notices. Release Date: May 24.
Blue Jasmine
Woody Allen’s latest picture starring Alec Baldwin and Cate Blanchett. It’s a roll of the dice with Woody’s films. In 2011, his Midnight in Paris was his highest grosser of all time and earned a Best Picture nomination. In 2012, his To Rome in Love opened to mediocre reviews and box office and received zero awards attention. Impossible to know where this one falls, but it’d be foolish to leave it out of the running right now. Release Date: July 26.
The Butler
Director Lee Daniels got the attention of the Academy when his featurePrecious scored a Best Pic nod in 2009. His follow-up, last year’s The Paperboy, was met with critical scorn. The Butler sounds like more an awards contender, with Forest Whitaker playing a real life person who served as a White House butler for eight Presidents. The Butler will certainly garner attention for Whitaker’s performance. It includes an impressive supporting cast: John Cusack, Robin Williams, Oprah Winfrey, Alan Rickman, and Jane Fonda, among others. Release Date: October 18.
Captain Phillips
Paul Greengrass is the man responsible for directing the second and third Jason Bourne flicks, as well as United 93. This feature focuses on the Somali Pirate hostage incident of 2009 and stars Academy heavyweight Tom Hanks. Release Date: October 11.
The Counselor
Ridley Scott directs this thriller about an attorney (Michael Fassbender) who gets involved in the world of drug trafficking. Scott has directed his share of Best Pic nominees and winners, including Gladiator and Black Hawk Down. This boasts a heckuva supporting cast, including Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, and Javier Bardem. Release Date: November 15.
The Dallas Buyer’s Club
Matthew McConaughey has experienced a career resurgence as of late, with critically acclaimed performances in The Lincoln Lawyer, Magic Mike, and Bernie. This film could earn McConaughey an Oscar nod, playing a HIV positive man in the 1980s who begins smuggling alternative medicine into the U.S. McConaughey underwent a drastic weight loss to play the character. A nomination for him seems quite possible, but if audiences respond to the movie as well, it could be a contender. Release Date: Fall 2013.
Diana
Focusing on the last two years of Princess Diana’s life, Diana may garner the most Oscar attention for Naomi Watts’s performance as the Princess. Once again, though, if the film is really good… Release Date: Fall 2013.
Elysium
The sci-fi thriller is director Neil Blomkamp’s follow-up to 2009’s District 9, which received a Best Picture nomination. That alone makes it a contender. Elysium stars Matt Damon and Jodie Foster. Release Date: August 9.
Foxcatcher
Director Bennett Miller’s last two featues, 2005’s Capote and 2011’s Moneyball, both received Best Picture nominations. This drama focuses on the real life case of John duPont’s killing of Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz. With Steve Carell as duPont and Mark Ruffalo as Schultz, expect the actors to receive Oscar attention as well. Release Date: Fall 2013. TOP FIVE CONTENDER
Fruitvale
This indie drama that premiered at Sundance recently inspired a bidding war among studios that the Weinstein Company won (the studio that knows how to get Oscar nominations). For some historical perspective, two 2009 nominees (Precious, An Education), two 2010 nominees (The Kids Are All Right, Winter’s Bone) and a 2012 nominee (Beasts of the Southern Wild) debuted as Sundance and were audience favorites, like Fruitvale was. So its chances seem solid at the moment. Release Date: Undetermined.
Grace of Monaco
Like Diana, this picture focusing on the life of actress and Princess Grace Kelly may get more awards attention for Nicole Kidman’s performance in the lead role, as well as costars Tim Roth and Frank Langella. And like Diana, it could get a Best Pic nomination depending on how good it is. Release Date: December 27.
Gravity
Director Alfonso Cuaron is one of the most acclaimed directors of the last decade, having made Y Tu Mama Tambien, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Children of Men. This sci-fi drama stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. Release Date: October 4.
The Great Gatsby
This one’s a big question mark. Director Baz Luhrmann’s retelling of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel and 1974 Robert Redford film boasts an all-star cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, and Tobey Maguire. Gatsby was pushed back from its original Christmas 2012 release date, a time period usually reserved for more award-worthy material. Its summer 2013 release date may boost its box office potential, but not its awards potential. Release Date: May 10.
Inside Llewyn Davis
You can never count any Coen Bros movie out of the Best Picture race. Three out of their last four features have received nominations (No Country for Old Men, A Serious Man, True Grit). Davis focuses on the folk music scene in the 1960s and stars Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, and Justin Timberlake. Release Date: Fall 2013.
Labor Day
Director Jason Reitman saw two of his films in a row, 2007’s Juno and 2009’s Up in the Air, receive nominations before his follow-up, 2011’s Young Adult got zero attention. This drama, starring Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, and Tobey Maguire, could be a return to form. Release Date: Fall 2013.
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
This Mandela biopic with Idris Elba in the title role could certainly receive attention for its star and the movie itself. It was picked up by the Weinstein Company and given a plum awards consideration debut slot. Release Date: November 29.
Monuments Men
George Clooney directs this World War II drama about a team of men sent to Germany to save priceless pieces of art before Hitler destroys them. With an all-star cast including Clooney, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Jean Dujardin, and Matt Damon, this one is undoubtedly a major contender. Release Date: December 18. TOP FIVE CONTENDER
A Most Wanted Man
Based on a John le Carre, this thriller stars Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright, and Oscar darling Philip Seymour Hoffman. Release Date: November 2013.
Nebraska
Director Alexander Payne’s last two features, 2004’s Sideways and 2011’s The Descendants, both received nominations. That bodes well for this road trip drama starring veteran actor Bruce Dern and SNL alum (and MacGruber) Will Forte. Expect considerable attention for Dern for a Best Actor nomination. Release Date: Fall 2013.
Out of the Furnace
Scott Cooper’s directorial follow-up to 2009’s Crazy Heart (which earned Jeff Bridges a Best Actor win) is a crime thriller starring Christian Bale, Forest Whitaker, and Woody Harrelson. Release Date: Fall 2013.
Saving Mr. Banks
From director John Lee Hancock, who made the 2009 Best Pic nominee The Blind Side, comes this drama about the making of 1964’s Mary Poppins. With previous winners Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as author P.L. Travers, this could be a big hit and a nominee. Co-stars Colin Farrell and Paul Giamatti. Release Date: December 20. TOP FIVE CONTENDER
12 Years a Slave
The historical drama from Shame director Steve McQueen boasts a cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Paul Dano, and Paul Giamatti. Release Date: Fall 2013.
Untitled David O. Russell Project
Director David O. Russell has also seen his last two pictures, 2010’s The Fighter and 2012’s Silver Linings Playbook, earn nominations. This drama focuses on the Abscam political scandals of the 1970s and 1980s that brought down several Congressmen. Silver Linings costars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence join a cast with Fighter costar Christian Bale, as well as Jeremy Renner. Release Date: December 25. TOP FIVE CONTENDER
The Wolf of Wall Street
Martin Scorsese has seen four of his last five movies nominated (Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Hugo). His latest is a crime drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, and Jean Dujardin. Expect this one to be considered a major player the whole way through. TOP FIVE CONTENDER
As Easter weekend approaches at the box office, all industry eyes are on the opening of G.I. Joe: Retaliation, which has the very real potential of having the 2nd biggest opening of the year so far, behind Oz The Great and Powerful.
In order to do so, the sequel would need to beat the current #1’s opening weekend, The Croods, which just earned $44.7 million in its debut. This certainly seems like a real possibility.
To recap, 2009’s G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra was met with high negativity from critics, earning a weak 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. It didn’t matter. When the original debuted in August 2009, it made an astonishing $54 million in its debut weekend, surpassing industry expectations. It went on to earn $150M domestically.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation was originally supposed to be released in June 2012, but was pushed to March 2013 in order to do more effects work. It’s also been said that the studio didn’t want to open the picture on the same day as Magic Mike, which featured Retaliation costar Channing Tatum. That may be code for… they wanted Tatum to be an even bigger star when this was released. Mission accomplished.
This film also brings in action vets Duane “The Rock” Johnson and Bruce Willis to the mix, alongside Tatum. Though most major reviews have yet to be published, word is that Retaliation is a major improvement over its predecessor.
So… this would all lead you to believe that it will outgross Cobra, right? Not so fast. For starters, a summer opening usually means the potential for a bigger opening weekend period and by moving its release date, Retaliation eliminates that factor. There is also some lingering competition from Olympus Has Fallen, which had a great opening over the weekend and may experience a relatively small decline.
And then there’s the fact that while a lot of moviegoers saw the original… a lot of them didn’t really like it that much. Therefore, those same moviegoers may not rush out to see the sequel, even if it is supposed to be an upgrade.
The ceiling for Retaliation could be something like a $60 million opening. That would be fantastic and Paramount and Hasbro would be popping champagne bottles for a gross like that. My feeling is it will struggle to match the $54 million brought in by Cobra in its inaugural weekend. It could even struggle to have 2013’s second biggest weekend and outpace the $44.7M that The Croods made. Anything below $40 million would be a major disappointment and might cause the brass at Paramount and Hasbro to start drinking for different reasons.
Ultimately, I will predict that G.I. Joe: Retaliation gets to the second biggest weekend of the year, but doesn’t match Cobra‘s gross.
Final Prediction
G.I. Joe: Retaliation opening weekend: $49.5 million
Be sure to check back Wednesday for my full Easter box office predictions, as The Host and Tyler Perry’s Temptation also open and The Croods and Olympus Has Fallen enter their sophomore frames.
2010’s True Grit is proof positive that with the right filmmakers and actors involved, you can bypass the notion that remakes cannot improve on the original.
Of course, there will always be those who maintain that the 1969 version starring John Wayne is the best. It certainly is a solid movie where the Duke won a Best Actor Oscar, the only of his storied career. For me, however, the slight edge goes to the remake.
The brilliant Coen Brothers decided to embark on this remake, their first Western, casting their Big Lebowski star Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn, the role Wayne made famous. Cogburn is a surly, alcoholic U.S. Marshal enlisted by 14 year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) to find the killer of her father. It’s a simple plot (based on the 1968 Charles Portis novel) told well. Very well.
That’s what happens when the Coens are involved. True Grit includes a sterling supporting cast that includes Matt Damon as a Texas Ranger and Josh Brolin as the hunted man. Bridges is first-rate, even though Wayne fans will likely always consider their guy better.
To me, though, the True Grit remake belongs to Steinfeld. She’s the center of the movie and her performance is remarkable. It’s one of the best child actor performances I’ve seen, on par with Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense or Abigail Breslin in Little Miss Sunshine.
The other star of the film: Roger Deakins’ wonderful cinematography. True Grit is a beautiful picture to look at and makes the absolute most of its Western locales. The Coen Bros, known for their often quirky movies, play it mostly straight here. There is some well-placed humor (more than in the original), but this is a pretty straightforward classic Western tale. It’s just that most Westerns don’t have as much talent involved as True Grit does. It’s a very satisfying experience.
Dreamworks animated The Croods opened right on path with my prediction, topping the box office with an estimated $43.6 million, on pace with my $44.3M estimate. Gold star for Todd! The picture has a bright road ahead as it averaged an impressive “A” Cinemascore grade and has the benefit of kids being out of school with the Easter holiday approaching.
The White House action thriller Olympus Has Fallen also delivered a rock solid opening, earning an estimated $30.3 million, slightly above my $27.8M projection. Olympus brings great news for star Gerard Butler, who’s starred in a series of flops since his big breakout in 2007 with 300. It will be interesting to see how White House Down, a similarly plotted action flick with Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx, fares in June when it debuts. With an “A-” Cinemascore grade, Olympus seems to have audiences on its side.
In its third weekend, Oz The Great and Powerful fell to #3, grossing $21.5 million – just above my $20.7M projection. The film has amassed a giant $178 million since its opening. In its sophomore frame, Halle Berry’s The Call was fourth with $8.9 million, just below my $10M estimate.
Landing with a thud in the five spot is Admission with Tina Fey and Paul Rudd. As I mentioned in my predictions post, the marketing for this one seemed soft and a lackluster debut seemed likely. Admission managed a weak $6.1 million, below my $7.6M projection. With a discouraging “B-” Cinemascore grade, it will fade fest and be available for your On Demand viewing quickly.
Finally, I overestimated Spring Breakers, the indie comedy with James Franco, Selena Gomez, and Vanessa Hudgens. The film has an impressive limited opening last weekend. This translated to a pretty good wide release, grossing $4.8 million on only approximately 1,000 screens. It did not reach the lofty $6.8M that I projected.
Be sure to check back this week for predictions for the Easter Holiday frame when G.I. Joe: Retaliation, The Host, and Tyler Perry’s Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor all enter the competition. Stay tuned, my friends!
Few films are so influential that they are used to describe a host of other pictures that followed it, but 1988’s Die Hard belongs in that category. I listed it in my top ten movies of all time and put it #1 when it comes to action flicks.
For younger moviegoers, they may ask, “What’s the big deal about Die Hard?”
The answer is plenty. Die Hard moved the action hero protagonist in a different direction. The hero of Die Hard, John McClane (Bruce Willis), is a sh*t talker and he’s sarcastic. This is different from what audiences were accustomed to in the 1980s with action stars like Stallone and Schwarzenegger.
For me, though, the influence of Die Hard is clearest with its main villain, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). In many earlier action titles, the antagonist was not as important as the hero… or as interesting. This is not the case with Die Hard. The character of Gruber is stylish and smart. He seems like an even match for McClane. Gruber would influence countless villains that followed him.
Action movies would never be the same after Die Hard and the picture was copied in many ways. This led to the common description of future films as “Die Hard on a…”
For example, 1992’s Passenger 57 with Wesley Snipes? “Die Hard on a plane”…
Or wait… isn’t 1997’s Air Force One the same? I guess that’s “Die Hard on the President’s plane…”
What about that same year’s Con Air? “Die Hard on a plane full on convicts…”
Let us not forget our waterways because 1992’s Under Siege is “Die Hard on a ship…”
And 1997’s Speed 2: Cruise Control? “Die Hard on a cruise ship”…
Its predecessor, 1994’s Speed, is “Die Hard on a bus…”
There’s “Die Hard in the mountains…” (1993’s Cliffhanger)
“Die Hard at a hockey arena…” (1995’s Sudden Death)
“Die Hard on a train…” (1995’s Under Siege 2: Dark Territory)
“Die Hard at a boarding school…” (1991’s Toy Soldiers)
And, of course, there’s the four Die Hard sequels.
The brand has been talked about just this week as Olympus Has Fallen has opened and is being described as “Die Hard at the White House…”
There is no question this trend will continue into the future. People copy from the best. And when it comes to action flicks, Die Hard is just that.
Three new high-profile titles plus a film that surprised box office analysts in limited release last weekend all go wide in a busy weekend.
The two-week reign of Oz The Great and Powerful is likely to come to a close as Dreamworks animated The Croods opens. The film, featuring the voices of Nicolas Cage and Emma Stone, has had an aggressive marketing campaign. It’s not Disney and shouldn’t do Disney level numbers, but animation sells. The Croods could make anywhere between $30 million (which would be highly disappointing) to $55 million (unlikely and anything over that number would be fantastic news for Dreamworks). A gross in the middle of that range is what I foresee.
Speaking of aggressive marketing campaigns, I admit to being quite impressed by Film District’s selling of Olympus Has Fallen, an action thriller with Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, and Senator Ashley Judd. Olympus is the first of two action flicks this year about the White House being taken over by bad guys. This one is likely to make less than the other one, White House Down (opening summer) with Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx. Still, reviews for Olympus have been surprisingly positive and the trailers are solid. I look for the pic to make over $20 million for the weekend and could perhaps even get close to $30 million.
Last weekend, Steve Carell’s comedy The Incredible Burt Wonderstone bombed with an anemic $10.3 million opening. This weekend, his Date Night co-star Tina Fey and Anchorman co-star Paul Rudd may experience a similar result. Their comedy Admission really seems to be flying under the radar screen and critics haven’t been too kind. Even with the talent involved (like Wonderstone), I am predicting the makers of Admission will be displeased with the amount of moviegoers paying admission to see it.
Rounding out the newcomers opening wide is Spring Breakers, a comic thriller with James Franco, Selena Gomez, and Vanessa Hudgens. The indie film debuted to impressive results when it opened in limited release in New York and L.A. last weekend. It opens on a relatively small 1000 screens approximately now. For comparison’s sake, Croods opens on nearly 4,000 and Olympus on around 3,000. Still, Breakers could have a nice little opening on its limited number of screens and give Oz star Franco another hit for 2013.
As for Oz itself, the picture enters its third weekend with some real competition for the younger crowd. It dipped 48% in its second weekend (a decent hold) and I expect just a slightly bigger dip this frame.
Finally, the Halle Berry thriller The Call totally exceeded expectations in its opening last weekend, grossing an impressive $17.1 million. Audiences seem to like it and I expect a good hold for it as well.
With that, my predictions for a big weekend at the box office:
1. The Croods
Predicted Gross: $44.3 million
2. Olympus Has Fallen
Predicted Gross: $27.8 million
3. Oz The Great and Powerful
Predicted Gross: $20.7 million (representing a drop of 50%)
4. The Call
Predicted Gross: $10 million (representing a drop of 42%)
5. Admission
Predicted Gross: $7.6 million
6. Spring Breakers
Predicted Gross: $6.8 million
Be sure to check back through the weekend for updates and on Sunday for final results!
In 1989, Driving Miss Daisy was a surprise Best Picture winner over the frontrunner, Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July. In the 90s decade that followed, it could be said that every winner of the category was not a surprise at all:
Dances with Wolves in 1990. The Silence of the Lambs in 1991. Unforgiven in 1992. Schindler’s List in 1993. Forrest Gump in 1994 and Braveheart in 1995. The English Patient in 1996. Titanic in 1997.
This streak of non-surprises would end in 1998. Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, his World War II epic, was the clear favorite to take home the gold. It didn’t turn out that way, however, when John Madden’s period drama Shakespeare in Love took Best Picture.
1998 was a rather weak year for films, not holding a candle to the great year that was 1997… or a really impressive year that would follow in 1999 (more on that year very soon). Besides Ryan, the other three nominees were Elizabeth, Life is Beautiful, and another World War II epic, Terence Malick’s The Thin Red Line.
As always, I have my own thoughts about movies that could have been included. Peter Weir’s The Truman Show represented Jim Carrey’s first (and best) foray into drama. Steven Soderbergh’s Out of Sight was a terrific crime caper that proved George Clooney was a true movie star and represents Jennifer Lopez’s best performance to date. And there’s the Coen Brothers brilliant comedy The Big Lebowski, which wouldn’t gain its deserved following until a little later on.
While Saving Private Ryan was not honored with Best Picture, Spielberg would win his second Best Director honor, beating outMadden, Peter Weir, Terence Malick, and Robert Benigni for Life is Beautiful.
Mr. Benigni, though, would provide two surprises in another major category. The Italian actor took home the Best Actor prize. His win was not expected at all, especially over frontrunners Ian McKellen for his wonderful performance in Gods and Monsters and Nick Nolte for his fine performance in Paul Schrader’s Affliction. Other nominees: Tom Hanks for Ryan and Edward Norton for his memorable role in American History X. The other surprise with Benigni’s win: his very exuberant acceptance of the award.
Other actors deserving of a nomination: well, there’s the aforementioned Jim Carrey for The Truman Show, George Clooney in Out of Sight, and, of course, Jeff Bridges for The Big Lebowski.
Gwyneth Paltrow would win Best Actress, as expected, for Shakespeare in Love. The four other nominees: Cate Blanchett for Elizabeth, Fernanda Montenegro for Central Station, Meryl Streep for One True Thing, and Emily Watson for Hilary and Jackie.
I mentioned J-Lo for her performance in Out of Sight. Others that could have been considered: Emma Thompson in Primary Colors and Kristin Scott Thomas in The Horse Whisperer. Once again, though, the Academy missed a golden chance to honor comedy and nominate Cameron Diaz for her hilarious turn in the Farrelly Brothers hit There’s Something About Mary.
Ed Harris was the frontrunner for the Supporting Actor race for his work in The Truman Show, but he would lose out to James Coburn for Affliction. The other nominees: Robert Duvall in A Civil Action, Geoffrey Rush in Shakespeare in Love, and Billy Bob Thornton for A Simple Plan.
Keeping with the Lebowski love, why not John Goodman’s uproarious turn as The Dude’s buddy? Also – Bill Murray for Rushmore and Don Cheadle for Out of Sight would’ve been high on my list.
A little history was made in the Supporting Actress race with its surprise winner, Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love. She beat out frontrunners Kathy Bates in Primary Colors and Lynn Redgrave in Gods and Monsters, as well as Brenda Blethyn for Little Voice and Rachel Griffiths in Hilary and Jackie. The history? Dench had the least amount of screen time for any performer that won an Academy Award. Dench was on screen in Shakespeare for less than eight minutes!
Two more names that deserved consideration: Joan Allen (always wonderful) in Pleasantville and… of course, Julianne Moore for Lebowski.
All in all, 1998 represented a weak year at the Oscars that produced some truly surprising winners. Stay tuned for 1999!
Much like Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln isn’t a biopic and instead focuses on one particular chapter of the 16th President’s life, the same can be said for Sacha Gervasi’s Hitchcock and its depiction of the greatest film director of all time as he made 1960’s Psycho.
Considered by many to be Hitch’s masterpiece (it’s certainly in top five of an incredible filmography), it’s truly surprising now to witness the skepticism of studio heads as Mr. Hitchcock embarks on filming his now-classic. The director must put up his own money and mortgage his home to complete the project. This is right after he’s directed one of his biggest financial and critical triumphs, 1959’s North by Northwest.
Psycho is considered to be too bloody, too garish, and too tasteless for mass consumption. Hitchcock battles the studio and the censors to get it completed. He also battles his personal demons, which is what the film mostly focuses on. For film lovers who have studied the director’s career, it’s no secret that Hitch was a rather insecure man who was prone to rather unhealthy fixations on his leading ladies.
Hitchcock incorporates those elements of his personality, including his issues with his wife Alma, whom he suspects is having an affair with a writer. The Hitchcocks are played by Oscar winning actors Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren. Much like his portrayal of Richard Nixon in Oliver Stone’s 1995 picture, Hopkins concentrates more on embodying the personality of his subject than do a direct impersonation. He’s such a great actor that he pulls it off. Mirren is fantastic as Alma, who contributed more to her husband’s success than most know.
The actual filming of Psycho is not a major focal point. Scarlett Johannson plays Janet Leigh, Jessica Biel is Vera Miles, and James D’Arcy is Anthony Perkins. As a movie buff, I would have preferred to see more of Mr. Hitchcock’s mastery of his technique as he made this quintessential film.
Additionally, a common thread throughout the picture is Hitchcock communicating in fantasy sequences with Ed Gein (Michael Wincott), the real-life killer who inspired the character of Norman Bates. These scenes are meant to serve as an insight into Hitch’s mind, but never really connect as they should.
Still, the performances are first-rate and there’s enough Hollywood history and intrigue to make Hitchcock a worthwhile experience. When Psycho does finally premiere after a lot of heartache on the director’s part, we see Hitchcock watching the audience as they watch the film for the first time. As the shower scene plays (one of the most famous scenes in film history) and the audience freaks out, Hitchcock experiences a kind of unbridled joy that we haven’t seen him experience for the whole picture (he’s a rather sour fellow). That scene in Hitchcock is marvelous, showing the Master of Suspense revel in what he does best. It’s a scene that reminded me of why I consider him to greatest director to ever live. For that alone, Hitchcock was worth the time.
1997 was quite a strong year for movies. Oscar voters, like that year’s audiences, bestowed their love to James Cameron’s Titanic, which became the highest grossing film of all time. It would hold that record for an astonishing 12 years… until Cameron’s follow-up Avatar supplanted it.
Titanic was an obvious choice to win Best Picture. It beat out As Good As It Gets, The Full Monty, Good Will Hunting, and L.A. Confidential. A strong lineup of titles, with the exception of Monty, which doesn’t belong here. Of the five, my personal pick would be Curtis Hanson’s terrific L.A. Confidential.
It’s worth noting that my favorite film of 1997, Paul Thomas Anderson’s brilliant Boogie Nights, didn’t make the cut. Perhaps the subject matter was too risque, but it deserved at least a nomination.
My love for Quentin Tarantino probably would’ve meant a nomination for Jackie Brown as well, a film that I feel is undeservedly underrated.
James Cameron would take Best Director honors over Peter Cattaneo (Full Monty), Hanson (Confidential), Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting), and Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter). James L. Brooks was the odd man out whose film (As Good As It Gets) got a Picture nod while he didn’t. Once again, Boogie Nights maker Anderson should be on here. I would’ve given strong consideration to David Fincher for his work in The Game as well.
The Best Actor race saw four veteran heavyweights competing with a newcomer. That newbie was Matt Damon in the title role in Good Will Hunting, up against Robert Duvall (The Apostle), Peter Fonda (Ulee’s Gold), Dustin Hoffman (Wag the Dog), and Jack Nicholson (As Good As It Gets). It was Nicholson who took the prize, winning his second Best Actor trophy. Many Titanic fans noted the exclusion of Leonardo DiCaprio in the category, but I have no problem with that and he would earn nominations in later years for more deserving performances. Keeping my Boogie Nights theme going, I would’ve found room for Mark Wahlberg in his breakout role. Same goes for Aaron Eckhart, who gave a fantastic performance in the indie drama In the Company of Men. I also would’ve considered Samuel L. Jackson for his great work in Jackie Brown. And just as I mentioned Eddie Murphy’s comedic brilliance being ignored in 1996’s The Nutty Professor, how about Mike Myers equally brilliant turn in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery?
Nicholson’s co-star Helen Hunt would win Best Actress for As Good As It Gets.
The other four nominees: Helena Bonham Carter (The Wings of the Dove), Julie Christie (Afterglow), Judi Dench (Mrs. Brown), and Kate Winslet (Titanic). A popular nominee choice would likely have been Julia Roberts for My Best Friend’s Wedding, but I certainly would’ve had Pam Grier’s performance in Jackie Brown in the mix.
Robin Williams would take the Supporting Actor category for his performance as Will’s shrink in Good Will Hunting.
Other nominees: Robert Forster (Jackie Brown, well-deserved), Anthony Hopkins (Amistad), Greg Kinnear (As Good As It Gets), and Burt Reynolds (Boogie Nights). I love Anthony Hopkins, but his nomination here is questionable. This would’ve been another chance for the Academy to honor comedy with Rupert Everett’s hilarious turn as Julia’s BFF in My Best Friend’s Wedding. However, my personal choice would be for another comedy: Paul Giamatti’s unforgettable turn as Howard Stern’s producer Pig Vomit in Private Parts.
Kim Basinger would win Supporting Actress for her role in L.A. Confidential, beating out Joan Cusack (In&Out), Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting), Julianne Moore (Boogie Nights), and Gloria Stuart (Titanic). Keeping with the Jackie Brown love, Bridget Fonda should have been nominated for her surfer girl part in that picture. And here’s another name: Charlize Theron’s fine work as Keanu Reeves’ supremely freaked out wife in The Devil’s Advocate.
Of course, the Titanic lovefest extended to Celine Dion for her song “My Heart Will Go On”, even though I don’t remember the Canadian songstress dancing with and rapping about aliens like this guy did in that very same year:
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