Tag: My Left Foot

Oscar Predictions: Anemone

On the rare occasion that Daniel Day-Lewis makes a movie, it immediately becomes a potential awards player. The English legend is one of just seven people who’ve won more than two acting Oscars with his three victories represented by 1989’s My Left Foot, 2007’s There Will Be Blood and 2012’s Lincoln. He nabbed three additional lead Actor nods for 1993’s In the Name of the Father, 2002’s Gangs of New York and 2017’s Phantom Thread.

Anemone marks his first role since Thread eight years ago and it premiered at the New York Film Festival prior to its semi-wide release next Friday. The family drama is also a family affair as son Ronan Day-Lewis makes his behind the camera debut. The director and his dad share credit on the screenplay. Sean Bean, Samantha Morton and Samuel Bottomley round out the cast.

Early word-of-mouth from the Big Apple indicates its star gives a magnetic performance with a couple of key monologues, including one that’s reportedly too filthy for an Oscar clip. Buzz for the film itself is more mixed with 79% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is highly unlikely to contend for Best Picture, Director or Original Screenplay.

Yet in a Best Actor competition that is notably open at press time, Day-Lewis could certainly squeeze in. Considering the varied reaction to the pic itself, I don’t envision him making a fourth trip to the Academy’s podium. **If he did, he’d become just the second individual to do so and join Katherine Hepburn with that distinction.

Beyond the three-time winner, Anemone could be in the mix for its cinematography. If Day-Lewis receives his seventh nom, Bean and Morton could ride his coattails to supporting mentions. Both are being heralded for their contributions. For Bean, it would mark his first at-bat with Morton going for a third mention behind 1999’s Sweet and Lowdown and 2003’s In America. Their nominations seem less probable their co-star’s. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Watch: Phantom Thread

Daniel Day-Lewis could be the only performer other than Meryl Streep whose automatic participation in a project warrants Oscar buzz. It’s not hard to figure out why. He’s the only male to win three Best Actor awards – for 1989’s My Left Foot, 2007’s There Will Be Blood, and 2012’s Lincoln.

Therefore, it was no surprise that his latest picture Phantom Thread garnered immediate awards chatter. The dramatic thriller in which he plays an obsessive London designer in the 1950s reunites the actor with his Blood director Paul Thomas Anderson. Reviews are now out prior to its end of year release and they suggest Day-Lewis should easily nab yet another nomination for what he claims is his last acting role. Winning his fourth statue could be another story.

The front-runner appears to be Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour, even though Mr. Oldman curiously has been left out of many precursor awards. That could certainly change, however. As I see it, Day-Lewis is right behind him.

When it comes to the picture itself, that’s a bit more unclear. Thread stands at a solid 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and some reviews have praised it as one of the year’s finest. Others have been more mixed. I have had the film just getting in and just being outside of my predicted nine features to be nominated. At press time, I consider Thread, Darkest Hour, and Mudbound to be strong possibilities for inclusion, but certainly not automatic.

Thread‘s other performances include Vicky Krieps, who will be campaigned for in Lead Actress. That category appears too crowded for her to get in. In Supporting Actress, the possibility of Lesley Manville having her name called is more likely, but also not assured.

Writer/director Anderson probably won’t get in for Director, though his Original Screenplay has already won some precursors. Yet there’s no guarantee there because that particular race is also jam-packed.

Down the line, Thread appears to be a shoo-in for Costume Design (it’ll probably win) and the acclaimed Original Score. Production Design and Makeup and Hairstyling nominations are also feasible.

My Oscar Watch posts will continue…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QY33WSUGPEQ