And so it is...that I finally finished the FiLM BiTCH Awards nominations. Which took me much longer than I was expecting this year. You can now read the whole damn thing if you're so inclined.
In 42 categories, Eternal Sunshine led the pack with 15 nominations. Kill Bill Volume 2 is close behind with 13 despite missing on most of the traditional Oscar categories. The Aviator and Spider-Man 2 are the only other double digit nominees with 11 and 10 nominations each.
The best film to fare the worst in my awards is spring, summer, fall, winter... and spring which is my 6th favorite film of the year but only received 1 nomination. (???) Of films which I did not find recommendation worthy, De-Lovely scores the highest with 4 nominations. Of my bottom ten films of the year, 3 received nominations --those lucky devils were The Passion, Troy, and Team America).
And the best 2004 films to be entirely snubbed in the FiLM BiTCH Awards were The Five Obstructions and The Bourne Supremacy. Weird how films you actually like quite a bit sometimes end up on the cutting room floor.
I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed compiling and writing about them. Medals (Gold, Silver, and Bronze) will be announced in each category on February 26th, 2005
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Tuesday, February 8, 2005
Sunday, February 6, 2005
The Pain The Pain
So how is this for a sick cosmic joke. I have to read all sort of upsetting stuff about my great country going to hell in a handbasket under this current corporation--I mean, administration, sorry. I also have to witness Million Dollar Baby continue to win things. Hilary Swank just WON'T go away. I have to do both of these things while in total pain. I threw my back out yesterday.
By my calculations this is the 1,139th time I've been bent over in pain like I was a granny with a walker since I was 16 (the first time I remember my back declaring mutiny) . Yes, this happens to me a lot. But it doesn't normally happen during weeks in which George Bush is throwing parties and Hilary Swank is electing Clint Eastwood to replace Jesus as the holy savior of mankind) Last night watching the SAGs I was in so much pain and so immobile that I caught myself wishing I were as spry as Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, James Garner, and that 100 year old actor who sent a video message to the SAG ceremony. Oh to be young again like them...
I am in a horrid mood right now (so please forgive if this message annoys) but I will try to cheer up (Lortab -save me!) and think of something else to say rather than describing my distaste for Hilary Swank for the 36th time in as many days. But before I go right this moment while my spine sends hateful messages to my brain I do want to stop and say that I think Swank is really pretty (people keeps saying she's ugly which I don't get) and maybe she should play Wonder Woman because she has that sort of brawny tawny Amazonian beauty going on. Also if she plays a superhero maybe everyone will laugh at her and her career will nosedive? That's how I got rid of Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry! Oh wait they're still working. Damn, I hate my life.
*this message can be blamed on excruciating pain. don't be a hater. wish me get well soons!*
By my calculations this is the 1,139th time I've been bent over in pain like I was a granny with a walker since I was 16 (the first time I remember my back declaring mutiny) . Yes, this happens to me a lot. But it doesn't normally happen during weeks in which George Bush is throwing parties and Hilary Swank is electing Clint Eastwood to replace Jesus as the holy savior of mankind) Last night watching the SAGs I was in so much pain and so immobile that I caught myself wishing I were as spry as Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, James Garner, and that 100 year old actor who sent a video message to the SAG ceremony. Oh to be young again like them...
I am in a horrid mood right now (so please forgive if this message annoys) but I will try to cheer up (Lortab -save me!) and think of something else to say rather than describing my distaste for Hilary Swank for the 36th time in as many days. But before I go right this moment while my spine sends hateful messages to my brain I do want to stop and say that I think Swank is really pretty (people keeps saying she's ugly which I don't get) and maybe she should play Wonder Woman because she has that sort of brawny tawny Amazonian beauty going on. Also if she plays a superhero maybe everyone will laugh at her and her career will nosedive? That's how I got rid of Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry! Oh wait they're still working. Damn, I hate my life.
*this message can be blamed on excruciating pain. don't be a hater. wish me get well soons!*
Saturday, February 5, 2005
SPEECH
I'm kinda bored because the dresses are bad this year and I'm not into many of the series or movies nominated... but the speeches tonight have been very good. No long list of names but funny, heartfelt statements and stories. Nice.
Kate loves Morgan
So, Kate Winslet was just telling Star Jones that she wants to be as good as Morgan Freeman when she's his age. Um, Kate... you're already like.close to the best actor on the planet. No worries. Big kiss!
SAG predictions
So... I'd rather use the time I have to comment on the awards themselves later tonight than update my SAG page today so here are my PREDICTIONS
SUPP ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett -The Aviator. If Cate loses here it's over for her. She's been called the frontrunner for a while but she has yet to win anything significant. Surprising, no? She's seated without a seatbelt with a malfunctioning overhead bin on that Aviator plane... she needs to win this.
spoiler: Virginia Madsen. If she wins this I think the Oscar is hers and it's a Jennifer Connelly sweep type of thing. (Only with a deserving performance this time)
SUPP ACTOR
Thomas Haden Church -Sideways. The reason I'm going with Church over Freeman is the makeup of the SAG voting body which encompasses a far wider membership than the Academy and includes boatloads of television actors and Church has a firm foundation there and has crossed over without getting too popular. There won't be any envy. There'll only be congratulations. That's my theory at least. Plus he's hilarious and they have to reward at least one comedic thing, right?
spoiler: Morgan Freeman -Million Dollar Baby. Could begin his Oscar run here because he, like Blanchett, is a frontrunner without a lot of steam.
ACTRESS
Hilary Swank -Million Dollar Baby. This will cause everyone to say "she's locked to win the Oscar!" But she isn't really. The competitors may be the same but the issues and the voting body are different. The SAG seems to go about 50/50 with their four winners in terms of the Oscars. I can't really see Hilary losing here but if she does she's definitely NOT winning the Oscar. She should be able to take this easily given the current Swank-a-thon in the media despite being the least deserving of the five nominees. And the SAG voters usually go for the totally in-the-moment thing (think Renee Zellweger for Chicago instead of Nicole Kidman for The Hours.
Spoiler: None.
ACTOR
Jamie Foxx -Ray. It's a Julia Roberts type of juggernaut. There's no stopping him.
Spoiler: None.
ENSEMBLE
Sideways. I know it's out of vogue after a great December followed by backlash. But I think the actors will probably be drawn to the film that relies most on its actors to deliver it's laughs and heart. And that has more than three cast members: see below.
Spoiler: This category is a tough call. If they use it to reward the "ensemble" like it's called the spoiler is probably the Aviator. If they're thinking of it as best picture which they often do, they might ignore the 3 people don't really make an ensemble problem and give it to Million Dollar Baby.
SUPP ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett -The Aviator. If Cate loses here it's over for her. She's been called the frontrunner for a while but she has yet to win anything significant. Surprising, no? She's seated without a seatbelt with a malfunctioning overhead bin on that Aviator plane... she needs to win this.
spoiler: Virginia Madsen. If she wins this I think the Oscar is hers and it's a Jennifer Connelly sweep type of thing. (Only with a deserving performance this time)
SUPP ACTOR
Thomas Haden Church -Sideways. The reason I'm going with Church over Freeman is the makeup of the SAG voting body which encompasses a far wider membership than the Academy and includes boatloads of television actors and Church has a firm foundation there and has crossed over without getting too popular. There won't be any envy. There'll only be congratulations. That's my theory at least. Plus he's hilarious and they have to reward at least one comedic thing, right?
spoiler: Morgan Freeman -Million Dollar Baby. Could begin his Oscar run here because he, like Blanchett, is a frontrunner without a lot of steam.
ACTRESS
Hilary Swank -Million Dollar Baby. This will cause everyone to say "she's locked to win the Oscar!" But she isn't really. The competitors may be the same but the issues and the voting body are different. The SAG seems to go about 50/50 with their four winners in terms of the Oscars. I can't really see Hilary losing here but if she does she's definitely NOT winning the Oscar. She should be able to take this easily given the current Swank-a-thon in the media despite being the least deserving of the five nominees. And the SAG voters usually go for the totally in-the-moment thing (think Renee Zellweger for Chicago instead of Nicole Kidman for The Hours.
Spoiler: None.
ACTOR
Jamie Foxx -Ray. It's a Julia Roberts type of juggernaut. There's no stopping him.
Spoiler: None.
ENSEMBLE
Sideways. I know it's out of vogue after a great December followed by backlash. But I think the actors will probably be drawn to the film that relies most on its actors to deliver it's laughs and heart. And that has more than three cast members: see below.
Spoiler: This category is a tough call. If they use it to reward the "ensemble" like it's called the spoiler is probably the Aviator. If they're thinking of it as best picture which they often do, they might ignore the 3 people don't really make an ensemble problem and give it to Million Dollar Baby.
Thursday, February 3, 2005
For adult fans of Lindsay Lohan only!
Do not click on the link above if vulgarity (of the sexual/profane varieties) bothers you. But if it doesn't and you love yourself regular 'La Lohan' fixes this is a must.
Vocal Delivery
No, this post is not about Emmy Rossum wowing the Parisian set with her sappy "Think of Me" debutante number in Phantom of the Opera. It's rather about individual line readings. My winners for this year are posted at the website. Now, awardage is not an exact science of course and I'm sure that I forgot some really worthy contenders --or I leave them out because it's impossible to select one line because every reading is a gem (see Daryl Hannah in Kill Bill, Vol 2 among others) or every line is classic (Brad Bird as Edna Mode in The Incredibles) but since I get a surprising amount of mail about this category every year I thought I'd just explain how I come up with the nominees.
It's a simple matter of things that get trapped in my head. Sometimes it's just a great line that the actor in question delivers perfectly. Sometimes it's an absolute throwaway that the actor makes memorable solely by their delivery. Mostly it's just a matter of things that get stuck, like mini mpegs in my head ...The voices I hear (accurately and with precision like the movie is still playing) in my head when I think about the movies.
It's a simple matter of things that get trapped in my head. Sometimes it's just a great line that the actor in question delivers perfectly. Sometimes it's an absolute throwaway that the actor makes memorable solely by their delivery. Mostly it's just a matter of things that get stuck, like mini mpegs in my head ...The voices I hear (accurately and with precision like the movie is still playing) in my head when I think about the movies.
Wednesday, February 2, 2005
CATE is great (?)
I've noticed that many people are still calling Cate Blanchett the frontrunner for Best Supporting Actress for her "Katharine Hepburn" in The Aviator. And I'm wondering why.
She didn't win the NBR. Didn't win the Globe. Didn't win the BFCA. She lost the three major critics awards (NYFCC, LAFCA, and NSFC). Yet, people still proclaim her the frontrunner. Hmmmm. Conspiracy of wishful thinking or good common predictive sense about her connection to a majorly nominated film and the film's no-chance status in the other acting races?
She didn't win the NBR. Didn't win the Globe. Didn't win the BFCA. She lost the three major critics awards (NYFCC, LAFCA, and NSFC). Yet, people still proclaim her the frontrunner. Hmmmm. Conspiracy of wishful thinking or good common predictive sense about her connection to a majorly nominated film and the film's no-chance status in the other acting races?
Tuesday, February 1, 2005
Most Likely to Repeat?
If past years are any indication one of this year's nominees will be nominated again in another 11 months. So, for those with a film lined up for next season, who is it?
ANNETTE BENING -Mrs. Harris / Running with Scissors (Two meaty roles for this delectable actress)
CATE BLANCHETT -Little Fish
JOHNNY DEPP -Charlie & the Chocolate Factory / The Libertine / Rum Diary
LEONARDO DICAPRIO -The Departed (Remake of Infernal Affairs w Scorsese again. Costarring Matt Damon)
JAMIE FOXX -Jarhead (for Sam Mendes)
MORGAN FREEMAN -Edison / Batman Begins / Lucky Number Slevin / An Unfinished Life
LAURA LINNEY -The Exorcism of Emily Rose / Jindabyne / The Squid and the Whale
VIRGINIA MADSEN -the Wrong Element (thriller with Harrison Ford)
SOPHIE OKONEDO -Aeon Flux (sci-fi with Charlize Theron & Frances McDormand)
CLIVE OWEN -Savage Grace (with Julianne Moore) / Derailed (thriller) / Sin City
NATALIE PORTMAN -Paris Je T'Aime / V for Vendetta / Star Wars Episode 3 / Free Zone
IMELDA STAUNTON -Nanny McPhee (with Emma Thompson)
HILARY SWANK -The Black Dahlia (for Brian dePalma)
KATE WINSLET -Romance and Cigarettes (with Susan Sarandon and James Gandolfini)
ANNETTE BENING -Mrs. Harris / Running with Scissors (Two meaty roles for this delectable actress)
CATE BLANCHETT -Little Fish
JOHNNY DEPP -Charlie & the Chocolate Factory / The Libertine / Rum Diary
LEONARDO DICAPRIO -The Departed (Remake of Infernal Affairs w Scorsese again. Costarring Matt Damon)
JAMIE FOXX -Jarhead (for Sam Mendes)
MORGAN FREEMAN -Edison / Batman Begins / Lucky Number Slevin / An Unfinished Life
LAURA LINNEY -The Exorcism of Emily Rose / Jindabyne / The Squid and the Whale
VIRGINIA MADSEN -the Wrong Element (thriller with Harrison Ford)
SOPHIE OKONEDO -Aeon Flux (sci-fi with Charlize Theron & Frances McDormand)
CLIVE OWEN -Savage Grace (with Julianne Moore) / Derailed (thriller) / Sin City
NATALIE PORTMAN -Paris Je T'Aime / V for Vendetta / Star Wars Episode 3 / Free Zone
IMELDA STAUNTON -Nanny McPhee (with Emma Thompson)
HILARY SWANK -The Black Dahlia (for Brian dePalma)
KATE WINSLET -Romance and Cigarettes (with Susan Sarandon and James Gandolfini)
Cry Me a River
Sympathy votes. How sentimental is Oscar feeling? This is a major question this year. And this question affects at least four races...
1. SUPPORTING ACTOR
Can Morgan Freeman ride "due" sentiment all the way, overcoming the fact that everyone knows he could have given his charming performance in Million Dollar Baby in his sleep? Or will people throw a bone to Sideway's hilarious Church or bow down to the potency of Clive Owen's work (it's not impossible to win for vulgar hateful characters... it's just harder). I've met no one anywhere who doesn't feel that Owen gives less than a great performance --it has a unanimous factor that none of the other performers have when discussing their merits.
2. ACTRESS
Will Hilary Swank ride the sentimentality of playing the sweet and likeable 'underdog' to her second win or will sentiment go the other way entirely. Will voters feel it is cruel to allow Swank to beat Annette Bening twice? Or will voters cast sentiment aside altogether and vote for someone like Imelda Staunton who has near universal raves (see, it's the same problem as Best Supporting Actor)
3 & 4. PICTURE AND DIRECTOR
Do sympathy votes go to Million Dollar Baby now that it's feeling the backlash? Or are sympathy votes unwaveringly for Scorsese who looks like the most shunned world class director to have come out of Hollywood when it comes to Oscar.
If they're feeling sentimental, who does it benefit? The question is more difficult to answer than it first appears.
1. SUPPORTING ACTOR
Can Morgan Freeman ride "due" sentiment all the way, overcoming the fact that everyone knows he could have given his charming performance in Million Dollar Baby in his sleep? Or will people throw a bone to Sideway's hilarious Church or bow down to the potency of Clive Owen's work (it's not impossible to win for vulgar hateful characters... it's just harder). I've met no one anywhere who doesn't feel that Owen gives less than a great performance --it has a unanimous factor that none of the other performers have when discussing their merits.
2. ACTRESS
Will Hilary Swank ride the sentimentality of playing the sweet and likeable 'underdog' to her second win or will sentiment go the other way entirely. Will voters feel it is cruel to allow Swank to beat Annette Bening twice? Or will voters cast sentiment aside altogether and vote for someone like Imelda Staunton who has near universal raves (see, it's the same problem as Best Supporting Actor)
3 & 4. PICTURE AND DIRECTOR
Do sympathy votes go to Million Dollar Baby now that it's feeling the backlash? Or are sympathy votes unwaveringly for Scorsese who looks like the most shunned world class director to have come out of Hollywood when it comes to Oscar.
If they're feeling sentimental, who does it benefit? The question is more difficult to answer than it first appears.
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