Roundup: Kidman remembers Kubrick
Also: Lana Wachowski talks transgenderism, and 'Silver Linings' vs. 'Smashed'
Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise in "Eyes Wide Shut."
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As our recent top 10 list of her best work made clear, we love Nicole Kidman. So it's no surprise that my pick of yesterday's internet action is this fascinating piece the Oscar-winning actress wrote for The Hollywood Reporter, reflecting on the making "Eyes Wide Shut" with Stanley Kubrick. In it, she touches on her personal discovery of Kubrick's work, her affectionate, admiring relationship with a director that she refused to glorify and her closeness to Tom Cruise during filming -- despite media suspicions that the film wrecked their marriage. She writes: "Stanley wanted to use our marriage as a supposed reality... He used the movie as provocation, pretending it was our sex life -- which we weren't oblivious to, but obviously it wasn't us." Essential reading: more of this kind of thing, please. [THR]
A second interesting dose of personal reflection comes from "Cloud Atlas" co-director Lana Wachowski, who spoke candidly and movingly about her experience with a transgenderism at an award presentation last weekend. [Slate]
Speaking of the Wachowski's, Christopher Borrelli takes a tour of their secluded directors' workship in the Windy City. [Chicago Tribune]
With the film now having received Oprah's endorsement, indie distributor Participant Media are planning an Oscar campaign for the acclaimed "Middle of Nowhere," from African-American writer-director Ava DuVernay. [The Envelope]
Meanwhile, Lionsgate has their eye on Golden Globe attention for their Al Pacino-Christopher Walken comedy "Stand Up Guys," which will be getting a qualifying release in December. [The Playlist]
Jon Weisman compares "Silver Linings Playbook" to "Smashed," and concludes that the latter is getting shortchanged in the Oscar race. [The Vote]
Robbie Collin sits down with "The Master" star Philip Seymour Hoffman for a substantial interview. [The Telegraph]
Sasha Stone goes deep on the Best Actress race -- and is predicting a nomination for Anne Hathaway in "The Dark Knight Rises." Let's just say I don't quite see it. [Awards Daily]
Robert De Niro is as willing as anyone to admit he hasn't really been on award-winning for a long time prior to "Silver Linings Playbook." [AV Club]
Looking ahead to 2013, Alfonso Cuaron's eagerly awaited, agonisingly delayed sci-fi "Gravity" has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA -- which means it's finally finished. [Cinema Blend]
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 SignupJonnybon
October 25, 2012 at 12:17PM EST Reply to CommentI think Hathaway for Batman is unlikely too, but I think she has a better chance than Knightley. I'm wondering if those predicting Knightley have seen the film yet (and I'm guessing not). Lawrence/Wallis/Frenchies/Watts/Chastain/Mirren have to be the only real contenders.
Dooby You're really beginning to sound like a broken record.
October 25, 2012 at 6:16PM ESTJonnybon So do most people when there's something confounding to be addressed.
October 25, 2012 at 6:18PM ESTGuy Lodge Well, Kris has seen the film and is predicting her -- I have, too, but I'm not -- so perhaps you should find another line of argument.
October 26, 2012 at 5:37AM ESTJonnybon I often detect more than a hint of hostility/condescension from you :/
October 26, 2012 at 6:37AM ESTLiz
October 25, 2012 at 12:30PM EST Reply to CommentWow, do I disagree with Jon Weisman. I saw "Smashed" on Sunday and "Silver Linings Playbook" last night, so they're both fresh in my mind, and I think "Smashed" is by far the weaker of the two. Its (painfully thin) story hits every beat that you've seen in every other addiction drama, and the main character has virtually no personality aspects other than "addict." The whole thing is completely surface-level.
"Silver Linings Playbook" feels so much more real to me, and it's much more interested in peeling back the layers of its characters and seeing what makes them tick.
/3rt
October 25, 2012 at 12:42PM EST Reply to CommentI love Kubrick's insistence to not place him on a pedestal; although if given the opportunity to gravel at Pedro Almodovor; Paul Thomas Anderson; Paul Verhoeven; and Yorgos Lanthimos—I can't see how I could pass it up.
/3rt I love Kubrick's insistence to not place him on a pedestal; although if given the opportunity to grovel at Pedro Almodovor; Paul Thomas Anderson; Paul Verhoeven; and Yorgos Lanthimos—I can't see passing it up.
October 25, 2012 at 12:45PM EST