Tag: Catherine Hardwicke

Oscar Predictions: Prisoner’s Daughter

Catherine Hardwicke’s Prisoner’s Daughter is one of the pics that failed to generate any buzz out of the Toronto Film Festival last fall. The drama casts Brian Cox as a terminally ill felon attempting to reconnect with his daughter played by Kate Beckinsale. Costars include Christopher Convery, Jon Huertas, and Ernie Hudson.

The film is out this weekend in limited fashion. Despite Cox’s recent visibility and acclaim in HBO’s smash Succession, Daughter has received scant promotion. Reviews are mostly weak with a 47% Rotten Tomatoes score.

I saw it in Toronto and can attest to its mediocrity. Hardwicke has been in the Oscar mix before when she directed Holly Hunter to a Supporting Actress nod in her 2003 breakout Thirteen. To mass audiences, the filmmaker is best known for 2008’s Twilight.

Despite Cox receiving some solid notices, this will most assuredly be unlucky when it comes to awards chatter. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Mafia Mamma

Toni Collette has had a fascinating filmography when it comes to recognition from major awards shows. Despite plenty of acclaimed performances across all genres, her sole nod from the Academy came in Supporting Actress for 1999’s The Sixth Sense. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (Golden Globes) didn’t mention her for Sense, but have nominated her twice in lead Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her breakout role in 1995’s Muriel’s Wedding and 2006’s Little Miss Sunshine. Critics Choice, meanwhile, singled her out for 2018’s Hereditary. In other words, there’s no consistency to be found.

This Friday, Collette headlines the whacky (get it?) crime comedy Mafia Mamma. She plays a middle-aged suburbanite thrust into the high concept of inheriting Cosa Nostra duties. Catherine Hardwicke (maker of Thirteen and Twilight) directs with a supporting cast including Monica Bellucci, Sophia Nomvete, Eduardo Scarpetta, Alfonso Perugini, and Francesco Mastroianni.

The Bleecker Street production wasn’t made for Academy consideration. However, it’s not crazy to think Collette could contend for another Actress mention in the Musical/Comedy race at the Globes (35 years after Michelle Pfeiffer was up in the same category for Married to the Mob).

Yet the reviews might have you pondering if Collette owed a debt to someone. Critics are analyzing this rather harshly with a 29% Rotten Tomatoes score thus far. It’s safe to assume that Mamma won’t be up for anything. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Miss Bala Box Office Prediction

A remake of an acclaimed 2011 Mexican pic with the same name, the action thriller Miss Bala hits theaters next weekend. Catherine Hardwicke, best known for making the original Twilight, directs with a cast led by Gina Rodriguez. She plays a tourist to our Southern border neighbor who gets mixed up with law enforcement and drug cartels. Ismael Cruz Cordova and Anthony Mackie are included in the supporting cast.

This is Rodriguez’s first headlining role after her successful TV career and co-starring parts in Deepwater Horizon and Annihilation. Bala arrives in what is traditionally a sleepy box office weekend that will include a highly rated game between the New England Patriots and L.A. Rams on Sunday. It’s the only new release out as studios don’t expect large openings during this frame.

I believe this could struggle to reach double digits and I’ll say it falls under it.

Miss Bala opening weekend prediction: $5.8 million