Tag: Stephen Dillane

Oscar Predictions: The Uprising

Paul Greengrass directed movies have occasionally resonated with the Academy from a Best Picture nom for 2013’s Captain Phillips to a directing nod for 2006’s United 93 to tech recognition for 2007’s The Bourne Ultimatum, 2020’s News of the World, and last year’s The Lost Bus.

The Englishman’s latest project is the 14th century set period drama The Uprising starring Andrew Garfield and featuring Jamie Bell, Stephen Dillane, Tom Hollander, Cosmo Jarvis, Thomasin McKenzie, Woody Norman, and Katherine Waterston. The Focus Features project is out this weekend where it’s expected to struggle at the box office.

It’s also unlikely to resonate with awards voters. Rotten Tomatoes is at 54% with a 53 on Metacritic. I’m skeptical it even gets serious consideration (and may not make shortlists) for down the line categories that are friendly to the genre (Production Design, Sound, Costume Design). The Uprising faces an uphill battle. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

The Uprising Box Office Prediction

14th century set action drama The Uprising hits theaters on September 11th from Bourne franchise director Paul Greengrass. Andrew Garfield headlines a cast including Jamie Bell, Stephen Dillane, Tom Hollander, Cosmo Jarvis, Thomasin McKenzie, Jonny Lee Miller, Woody Norman, and Katherine Waterston.

The Focus Features release has recently changed its marketing to reveal itself as a Robin Hood origin tale. I’m not so sure that’ll get it any more box office bucks. Recent iterations like 2018’s Robin Hood with Taron Egerton and this year’s The Death of Robin Hood with Hugh Jackman have flopped.

I haven’t detected any momentum for The Uprising and I’m projecting mid single digits at best considering the reported 1500 screen count.

The Uprising opening weekend prediction: $4.2 million

For my Practical Magic 2 prediction, click here:

Practical Magic 2 Box Office Prediction

For my Hope prediction, click here:

Hope Box Office Prediction

Oscar Predictions: The Outrun

As a recovering alcoholic returning to her native Scottish Island roots, Saoirse Ronan looks to enter next year’s awards mix in The Outrun. From Nora Fingscheidt, best known for 2021’s The Unforgivable with Sandra Bullock, the StudioCanal production is based on the 2016 novel by Amy Liptrot (who scripts). Costars include Paapa Essiedu, Stephen Dillane, and Saskia Reeves.

With a smattering of reviews from its screening at Sundance, this is at 83% on RT. One thing seems clear. Ronan probably will be in the conversation for Actress. At just age 29, she’s already a four-time Academy nominee. Her first mention was in the supporting field at 13 for 2007’s Atonement. The trio of Actress noms were in a five ceremony period: 2015’s Brooklyn, 2017’s Lady Bird, and Little Women in 2019. She’s yet to take the trophy. In recent times, her projects (See How They Run, Foe) have failed to garner any awards buzz.

As long as this is still on the voters radar in a year, Ronan could be in contention for her fifth attempt. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Watch: Outlaw King

The historical action drama Outlaw King might not immediately strike one as an Oscar hopeful. Yet it’s considered a bit of a thematic sequel to Braveheart, the Mel Gibson epic that also focused on the Scottish battle for independence. That film won Best Picture in 1995. This is also director David Mackenzie’s follow-up to Hell or High Water, which earned a Best Picture nod two years ago. And it was selected to open the Toronto Film Festival, which has kicked off today.

Even with that considerable pedigree, critical reaction suggests this won’t be a major player on the Oscar scene. Mackenzie reunites with Hell star Chris Pine with a supporting cast including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh, and Stephen Dillane. Early reviews haven’t been too kind thus far, though they have praised its epic scope. Perhaps some down the line tech recognition is possible, but even that could be a reach.

Bottom line: don’t expect Academy voters to crown King with love.

The pic is slated to debut on Netflix on November 9. My Oscar Watch posts will continue…

Oscar Watch: Mary Shelley

At the Toronto Film Festival last fall, Saudi Arabian director Haifaa al-Mansour premiered Mary Shelley with the hope of generating some solid critical buzz. The period drama casts Elle Fanning in the title role of the English author who brought Frankenstein to life in 1818. Costars include Douglas Booth, Maisie Williams, Ben Hardy, Bel Powley, and Stephen Dillane.

The picture largely landed with a thud. Scheduled for limited release in domestic theaters this Friday, Shelley is currently at just 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. Ms. Fanning is certainly an up and comer who could get her share of awards worthy roles in the future.

However, Mary Shelley isn’t it. Once it screened up north, the reaction assured its Oscar chances aren’t alive.

My Oscar Watch posts will continue…

Darkest Hour Movie Review

Winston Churchill died 100 years after Abraham Lincoln. In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister is now regarded as one of, if not thee nation’s most revered leaders in perilous times. Like Lincoln. And like Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln from 2012, Joe Wright’s Darkest Hour focuses on a short period when both men’s leadership abilities were put to their most strenuous tests. Lincoln featured Daniel Day-Lewis embodying the 16th President of the United States in memorable and Oscar-winning fashion. Hour has Gary Oldman with an equally towering performance that is also barreling toward Academy gold.

The picture takes place in May 1940 as Churchill becomes the doubted but consensus choice to succeed Neville Chamberlain as PM of England. He’s known as much if not more for his failures in previous offices than his successes. Churchill enters the position at a precarious moment for the country. Hitler is on the march, conquering European countries with sights set on England. King George VI (Ben Mendelsohn) is suspicious of the new leader. Office holders, especially Lord Halifax (Stephen Dillane), are pleading for Churchill to cut a deal with the Nazi Party.

It is Churchill’s instinct to fight on the battlefield and with his detractors. He gets support from his wife Clementine (Kristin Scott Thomas). His historic decision-making and speech dictation is witnessed by new personal secretary Elizabeth (Lily James). The key choices he must make involve Operation Dynamo, which was just chronicled in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk.

Oldman, buried under impressive makeup that render him barely recognizable, excels in making Churchill a force of nature. We’ve seen Oldman’s chameleon like abilities to disappear into a character before and it’s on full display here. The Prime Minister’s boozing and oratory prowess and connection to his countrymen are also displayed. The supporting players are all just fine, if understandably relegated to the sideline in favor of a far larger personality. Those in Churchill’s orbit probably came to realize they were part of his show. Same here with Mr. Oldman.

Darkest Hour doesn’t quite reach the heights of dramatic impact as the films mentioned from Spielberg and Nolan. It is, however, a well-crafted tale of leading with gut and gusto at a juncture when it was needed and with Oldman spearheading the eventual charge to victory.

*** (out of four)