Oscar Talk: Ep. 96 -- Thanksgiving on the way, 'Anna Karenina' and 'Silver Linings' open
Also: Surveying Best Makeup and Hairstyling
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Welcome to Oscar Talk.
In case you're new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar's stage and we're here to address it all as it unfolds.
In the middle of a big lull here, so we're scraping the barrel, but this week we discuss the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and what films are looking to take advantage of it.
"Anna Karenina" and "Silver Linings Playbook" open in limited release today, while "Lincoln" is expanding wide. We revisit all.
Moving along on category assessments, we dig in on Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
And finally, reader questions. Well, one. Regarding actors in danger of falling off the map after being perceived contenders early in the race.
Have a listen to the new podcast below. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. You to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. And as always, if you have a question you'd like us to address on a future podcast, send it to OscarTalk@HitFix.com.
"Here I Come" courtesy of Stuart Park.
Related Events
2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Film Editing
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Best Production Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Documentary Feature
Best Foreign Language Film
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupDylanS
November 16, 2012 at 1:57PM EST Reply to CommentThanks for answering my question, Kris. I was thinking of pretty much the same actors. Glad you mentioned Quevenzhane though, because that's the less obvious one, but kind of the point I was trying to make with the question. People will be shocked if she doesn't get in, but there are so many reasons why she might not. The film feels more and more like a complete outsider to me that might just be forgotten by the hollywood insiders. But I'm still predicting her.
And it kills me that the Kubrick exhibit (also my favorite director) isn't coming to MOMA or anything (which you would think they'd jump on), because that sounds amazing.
Ladesh
November 16, 2012 at 3:35PM EST Reply to CommentI wonder if Tarantino has it in him to make a non-violent film.
JJ1
November 16, 2012 at 9:17PM EST Reply to CommentI feel like Argo will be just fine. But I actually agree with Anne for once that it's not a slam dunk win right now and I think the critics awards - not reviews or box office - will mold the front runner (whether it's Argo or not).
Front runner that could fall off the planet:
Lead actor ... Hopkins, Denzel, Gere (to lesser extent).
Lead actress ... Knightley
Lead supp.actor ... Arkin (it's a long season)
Lead supp.actress ... Definitely Amy Adams ... the Master fumbled a bit, not sure Weinstein can keep her in (with potential double noms from Les Miz girls, Field, Hunt, Dench, Maggie Smith, Collins, Washington).
I agree that MakeUp/Hairstyle could go for something left field. Remember "Gainsbourg"? Was that last year?
Kristopher Tapley I don't ever mean "win" when I say frontrunner. Just FFR. I because we haven't gotten to nods yet. So the "race" is for a nod, and someone has to be out in front -- a frontrunner. And that, to me, is "Argo."
November 16, 2012 at 9:32PM ESTI don't get why others see it the other way -- Gurus, etc. -- but I don't. If you asked me to predict a winner right now -- and it would be just that, a sheer guess -- I'd say "Les Miserables."
JLPatt "Gainsbourg" wasn't nominated, but "Il Divo" was a couple of years ago.
November 16, 2012 at 10:07PM ESTKristopher Tapley Right, Il Divo.
November 17, 2012 at 1:03AM ESTNicolas Mancuso JJ1,
November 17, 2012 at 11:19PM ESTHave you realized that, every time you list actors, you use last names... but you always call Denzel Washington "Denzel"? I notice it every time, and I think it's hilarious.
Anyway, that's it. You've always been one of my favourite commenters on here. You're so innocently enthusiastic about everything. I look forward to reading your thoughts on things.
For what it's worth, I'm worried about Emmanuelle Riva, and 'Amour' in general. Kris and Guy are very high on it, but no one else seems to be predicting it. EW even calls Riva a longshot for a nomination. I can't wait to see it.
JJ1 Why thank you, Nicolas :)
November 17, 2012 at 11:34PM ESTAnd now that you mention it, you're absolutely right, it's always "Denzel", isn't it? Haha.
I haven't seen Amour yet, but I'm dying to. If Riva is as great as you and many others say, let's hope her name pops up a lot so that she can't be ignored.
HoustonRufus
November 16, 2012 at 11:02PM EST Reply to CommentQuestion, Kris. I typically avoid 3d unless I feel it really necessary to enjoy a film as the director intends. I take it Life of Pi is one of those films?
Kristopher Tapley You should see the 3D.
November 17, 2012 at 1:03AM ESTHoustonRufus Thanks Kris.
November 17, 2012 at 1:08AM ESTHoustonRufus
November 17, 2012 at 12:40AM EST Reply to CommentInterestingly enough, considering the Talk tonight, I saw just Argo and Lincoln back to back. Surprisingly, I find myself agreeing with Anne to some degree. I loved Argo. First-rate film-making. Highly entertaining. Affleck certainly turns a corner and joins the director's club. It's a damn good movie. Technically top drawer. And great at building suspense.
But Lincoln is, well, Lincoln. I liked it much more than I thought I would.
The details are meticulous and fascinating. Screen shots, gorgeous. Spielberg rarely if ever asserts himself too much. The script is beautiful. Tommy Lee Jones makes Thaddeus Stevens one of the year's best screen characters. Sally Field reminds us why we loved her so much--her scenes with Daniel Day Lewis are stagey but riveting nonetheless. Actually, she's probably never been better. And then there is Daniel Day Lewis who imbues Lincoln with such gentle but affirming life.
I remember arguing with someone on this site a while back that DDL's oscar was not a lock. Well, after seeing the film, I can't fathom him losing. It seems the perfect marriage of a role and actor. Lincoln is a figure Americans, all of us, deeply love. And yet somehow here, DDL makes him not a mountain but human. He is kind and humble. Funny and wordy. Brilliant and awkward. He's not what we expected but somehow more. The greatest compliment I can give the film is I missed Abraham Lincoln when the film was over. I understand DDL said he didn't want to say goodbye to Lincoln. I didn't either. So as much as I enjoyed Argo as a movie, Lincoln touched something much deeper. I think Academy voters will react in a similar way.
Of course, I say that until Les Miserables or Zero Dark Thirty are released. ha!
Kristopher Tapley My point is Argo's somewhat broader scope will work in its favor over something like Lincoln. It's more generally agreeable.
November 17, 2012 at 1:03AM ESTRichardZ
November 17, 2012 at 7:22AM EST Reply to CommentArgo and Lincoln are such zeitgeisty movies for the Oscars. I agree that Ben Affleck has a better chance of getting Best Director, if only because of his arc as a Hollywood story. "Look, Beniffer is all grown up, again!" But I think Argo is also a frontrunner to me because it is a broader movie; a thriller that has gotten to the top of the box office the week after its opening. It has a good word of mouth. I would compare to what happened to The Departed. As for Lincoln, its gravitas and prestige is undeniable. That means it really needs to work, to campaign like the the Weinsteins can. Add an Uggie to that.
Stefan
November 17, 2012 at 2:22PM EST Reply to CommentThe Annie Awards are also on December 3.
Evan
November 17, 2012 at 3:31PM EST Reply to CommentAstute point about Silver Linings's tracking. I attended a showing this morning at one of the two theaters in New Yok showing it and it wasn't even filled in a tiny theater. For comparison, Lincoln was packed in a huge theater last week at the same time. (And was still packed this morning.)
As for actors that might be surprising snubs, I'd be worried if I were John Hawkes. Where's that movie gone?!
Levi
November 20, 2012 at 4:01PM EST Reply to CommentI thought the New York Film Critics moved their announcements to November (like last year)? Wasn't there controversy that they made the change last year to get a jump on all the other critics groups?