While the Academy Awards tease us with lists of semifinalist pre-nominations in only certain categories — like foreign film and some of the technical ones — the BAFTAs have "long lists," as they're called, in almost all categories. Indeed, 15 films are in the running in most of the races. The final five contenders in each category will be announced Jan. 15 (the week before the Oscars' nods are unveiled) with the awards fest on Feb. 8 (two weeks before the Academy Awards ceremony).
This year, nine films have made it over the threshold of 10 BAFTA long-list mentions with "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Frost/Nixon" leading with 14 each, followed by "Changeling," "The Dark Knight," "The Reader," "Revolutionary Road" and "Slumdog Millionaire" with 13 apiece while "Milk" and "Burn After Reading" have 11 each. All of them are in contention for best picture, as are nine-times-mentioned "Doubt," "The Wrestler" and "In Bruges"; eight-timer "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"; "Wall-E" with six mentions; and five-timer "I've Loved You So Long."
Last year, "Atonement" led the BAFTA long list with 17 mentions, followed by 13 for "American Gangster," "Elizabeth: The Golden Age," "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood." On the big night, "Atonement" — the only British film among the final five best-picture nominees — won that race as well as production design. All four acting winners — Daniel Day-Lewis ("There Will Be Blood"), Marion Cotillard ("La Vie en Rose"), Javier Bardem ("No Country for Old Men") and Tilda Swinton ("Michael Clayton") — went on to repeat at the Oscars. In 2006, one of the two pix that tied for the most long-list bids, "The Queen," won best picture, but three years ago the big leader, "Memoirs of a Geisha," didn't even get a nom in the top race.
Among the acting contenders, Ralph Fiennes, who won the supporting award in 1993 for "Schindler's List," is on that long list for three films — "The Duchess," "In Bruges," and "The Reader." His costar from "The Reader," Kate Winslet, is contending in the lead race for that role, though she is being touted in the supporting category stateside. The reason for that demotion is so that Winslet, a five-time Oscar loser, does not dilute her chances for a lead nod for "Revolutionary Road." As she is also on the BAFTA long list for that role, it will be interesting to see which of these, if either, gets her into the final five at BAFTA. If the two roles cancel each other out, Winslet , who won her only BAFTA (out of five noms) back in 1995 for her supporting role in "Sense and Sensibility," will be ruing this promotion by her British brethren.
Meryl Streep is also a double contender on the leading-actress long list for "Doubt" and "Mamma Mia!" As that ABBA musical has supplanted "Titanic" as the all-time top-grossing film in the UK, Streep could land her ninth lead nom for that frolic rather than the dour "Doubt." Surprisingly, Streep's first two Oscar-nominated performances — supporting turns in "The Deer Hunter" and "Kramer vs. Kramer" — saw her competing in the lead category at BAFTA. She lost both of those races, as well as her three supporting ones. The only BAFTA Streep won was for her 1981 leading role in "The French Lieutenant's Woman." Her 1982 Oscar-winning performance in "Sophie's Choice" was not seen in the UK until 1983, and she lost that race to Julie Walters for "Educating Rita."
John Malkovich ("Changeling" and "Burn After Reading") and Tilda Swinton ("Benjamin Button" and "Burn After Reading") are both double supporting nominees. And the director list mirrors that of the best-picture race with the exception of DGA ineligible Andrew Stanton ("Wall-E"), who got bumped by Steve McQueen ("Hunger").
BEST FILM — TOP 15 "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" "Burn After Reading" "Changeling" "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" "The Dark Knight " "Doubt" "Frost/Nixon" "In Bruges" "I've Loved You So Long" "Milk" "The Reader" "Revolutionary Road" "Slumdog Millionaire" "Wall-E" "The Wrestler"
DIRECTOR — TOP 15 "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" "Burn After Reading" "Changeling" "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" "The Dark Knight " "Doubt" "Frost/Nixon" "Hunger" "In Bruges" "I’ve Loved You So Long" "Milk" "The Reader" "Revolutionary Road" "Slumdog Millionaire" "The Wrestler"
LEADING ACTOR — TOP 15 Benicio del Toro — "Che: Part One" Brad Pitt — "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" Christian Bale — "The Dark Knight" Colin Farrell — "In Bruges" Dev Patel — "Slumdog Millionaire" Frank Langella — "Frost/Nixon" George Clooney — "Burn After Reading" Javier Bardem — "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" Josh Brolin- "W." Leonardo DiCaprio — "Revolutionary Road" Michael Fassbender — "Hunger" Michael Sheen — "Frost/Nixon" Mickey Rourke — "The Wrestler" Richard Jenkins — "The Visitor" Sean Penn — "Milk"
LEADING ACTRESS — TOP 15 Angelina Jolie — "Changeling" Anne Hathaway — "Rachel Getting Married" Cate Blanchett — "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" Frances McDormand — "Burn After Reading" Kate Winslet — "Revolutionary Road" Kate Winslet — "The Reader" Keira Knightley — "The Duchess" Kristin Scott Thomas — "I’ve Loved You So Long" Meryl Streep — "Mamma Mia!" Meryl Streep — "Doubt" Nicole Kidman — "Australia" Penelope Cruz — "Elegy" Rebecca Hall — "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" Sally Hawkins — "Happy-Go-Lucky" Scarlett Johansson — "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
SUPPORTING ACTOR — TOP 15 Brad Pitt — "Burn After Reading" Brendan Gleeson — "In Bruges" David Kross — "The Reader" Eddie Marsan — "Happy-Go-Lucky" Heath Ledger — "The Dark Knight" John Malkovich — "Burn After Reading" John Malkovich — "Changeling" Josh Brolin — "Milk" Kevin Bacon — "Frost/Nixon" Peter O’Toole — "Dean Spanley" Philip Seymour Hoffman — "Doubt" Ralph Fiennes — "The Duchess" Ralph Fiennes — "In Bruges" Ralph Fiennes — "The Reader" Robert Downey Jr. — "Tropic Thunder"
SUPPORTING ACTRESS — TOP 15 Amy Adams — "Doubt" Charlotte Rampling — "The Duchess" Elsa Zylberstein — "I've Loved You So Long" Emma Thompson- "Brideshead Revisited" Freida Pinto — "Slumdog Millionaire" Judi Dench — "Quantum of Solace" Julie Walters — "Mamma Mia!" Kathy Bates — "Revolutionary Road" Marisa Tomei — "The Wrestler" Penélope Cruz — "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" Rebecca Hall — "Frost/Nixon" Tilda Swinton — "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" Tilda Swinton — "Burn After Reading" Vera Farmiga — "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" Viola Davis — "Doubt"
ANIMATED FILM — TOP 5 "Kung Fu Panda" "Persepolis" "The Tale of Despereaux" "Wall-E" "Waltz With Bashir"
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY — TOP 15 "The Baader Meinhof Complex" "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" "The Dark Knight " "Dean Spanley" "Defiance" "Doubt" "The Duchess" "Frost/Nixon " "Gomorrah" "Mamma Mia!" "Persepolis" "The Reader" "Revolutionary Road" "Slumdog Millionaire"
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY — TOP 15 "Burn After Reading" "Changeling" "Che Part One" "Happy-Go-Lucky" "Hunger" "In Bruges" "I’ve Loved You So Long" "Milk" "Rachel Getting Married" "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" "The Visitor" "W." "Wall-E" "Waltz With Bashir" "The Wrestler"
MAKE UP & HAIR — TOP 15 "Australia" "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" "Brideshead Revisited" "Changeling" "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" "The Dark Knight" "The Duchess" "Frost/Nixon" "Mamma Mia!" "Milk" "The Reader" "Revolutionary Road" "Slumdog Millionaire" "Tropic Thunder" "The Wrestler"
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS — TOP 15 "Australia" "Changeling" "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" "Cloverfield" "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" "The Dark Knight" "Hancock" "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" "Iron Man" "Quantum of Solace" "Slumdog Millionaire" "Tropic Thunder" "Wall-E" "Waltz With Bashir"
SOUND — TOP 15 "Australia" "Burn After Reading" "Changeling" "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" "The Dark Knight" "Frost/Nixon" "In Bruges" "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" "Iron Man" "Mamma Mia!" "Quantum of Solace" "The Reader" "Revolutionary Road" "Slumdog Millionaire" "Wall-E"
EDITING — TOP 15 "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" "Burn After Reading" "Changeling" "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" "The Dark Knight" "Doubt" "Frost/Nixon" "In Bruges" "Man on Wire" "Milk" "Quantum of Solace" "The Reader" "Revolutionary Road" "Slumdog Millionaire" "The Wrestler"
• My Envelope colleague Pete Hammond delivers his usual punchy insight into the state of the Oscars derby as academy voters receive their nomination ballots this week. Pete focuses on the various strategies at play as the widely released hit "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" goes up against the limited unspooling of pictures like "Revolutionary Road." For Pete, it is all about having your film seen by the people that matter -- the 5,810 Oscar voters. NOTES ON A SEASON
• Another of my Envelope colleagues, Scott Feinberg, has lined up one of those voters -- an Oscar winning screenwriter -- to offer his thoughts on the various pictures in the running at this point in the race. Using the oh-so-apt moniker "Deep Vote," he gave a thumbs up to "Happy-Go-Lucky" while dismissing "The Reader." And as for "The Wrestler" -- "I liked Mickey Rourke well enough, but the trouble is there is no story." FEINBERG FILES
• Sasha Stone of AwardsDaily.com surveys the field and says quite frankly, "Nobody knows anything. Not right now anyway. We’re dealing with a lot of opinions out there. What we do know is that there is only one movie at this moment that appeals across the board to the majority: 'Slumdog Millionaire'." Harking back to previous best picture winners, Sasha cites these examples to refute "two possible turn-offs — one, no major American stars. The last time a film like that won Best Pic was 'The Last Emperor' and even that one was a sweeping epic and had Peter O’Toole in it. Two, subtitles. That didn’t stop 'Schindler’s List' from getting nominated, and weren’t there subtitles in 'The English Patient'? Both 'The Last Emperor' and 'The English Patient' remind me of 'Slumdog's' chances in this race. All three films have an inevitability about them, partly because they have no viable challengers. No film came remotely close to beating 'The English Patient' and 'The Last Emperor'." AWARDS DAILY
• Dave Karger of EW wonders whether box office should affect the Oscars. As he notes, "Certainly poor box office performance helped kill movies like 'Memoirs of a Geisha' and 'The Kite Runner' in the past, while blockbusters like 'The Sixth Sense' and 'The Fugitive' capitalized on their financial success to earn Oscar nods." After analyzing the box office returns of the likeliest contenders, he concludes, "should it make a difference? Whether or not The Dark Knight ends up snagging the fifth slot may just provide the answer." ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
• Nathaniel Rogers of TheFilmExperience has grown weary of Hollywood studios dumping their Oscar hopefuls in December of every year. "Research shows that the problem is getting worse, " he sighs. "I took all the release dates from IMDB stretching back 50 years and the "December Glut" problem does indeed worsen each decade. " Check it out his graphic chart. FILM EXPERIENCE
• Being released so late in December may have hurt one top contender, according to Anne Thompson of Variety. "Why did 'Revolutionary Road' wait until the day after Christmas to open?" she asks. "By waiting so long, the movie may have lost the opportunity to be explained and supported by critics and press . . . . I'm missing that sense of growing momentum that it should have right now . . . . 'Rev Road' is shaping up as more admired than beloved. At the Academy screening this weekend — the year's last — not many voters showed up, although it did get applause. (Many folks are away and will watch it on DVD.) " THOMPSON ON HOLLYWOOD
• Dan Kois, one of those rascally Vultures over at New York magazine, has fun poking holes in the aging-in-reverse plot point central to "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." As per Dan: "David Fincher delivers the old-man baby the trailer promised, but completely botches it in portraying the old-baby man that Brad Pitt should've become at the end of the movie. Benjamin Button is born an old-man baby: a wizened, 80-year-old man, stuffed into a body the size and shape of a newborn infant's. His body grows taller and larger throughout his "childhood," until, by the time he's 18 or so, his body is the size of an adult's, even though he still looks, like, 60. So it stands to reason that, as Benjamin Button approaches the end of his life, he should become a child, and then a baby, stuffed into a body the size and shape of an old man's, right?" NEW YORK VULTURE
• Forget the best movies of 2008 for just a sec. Kris Tapley of InContention.com lists his top 10 worst flicks of the year. On top: "88 Minutes" ("It only felt like 88 weeks," Kris kvetches.) No. 2: "10,000 B.C." No. 3: "The Love Guru." Hey, where's "The Hottie and the Nottie," Kris? That Paris Hilton classic — certain to be a hottie Razzies contender — is nowhere in your rundown! It not only scored a lowly 7 at MetaCritic.com, but the site ranks it as the tenth worst film ever! Ranked at No.16 worst of all time — this year's "Meet the Spartans" (9 score), also skunked by you, Kris! For shame! IN CONTENTION
• Brad Trechak of TV Squad offers his unique spin on the USPS announcement of a new series of stamps commemorating the best of the so-called "Golden Age" of television. Among the 20 shows to be featured -- along with such timeless classics as "I Love Lucy" and "The Honeymooners" (the creation of perpetually Emmy-snubbed Jackie Gleason) -- is three-time Emmy champ "The Phil Silvers Show." As faithful readers of this column know, I was able to buy one of those Emmys at auction several weeks back. Look for it on display in the near future at the Hollywood Museum. TV SQUAD
Photos: Paramount, Paramount Vantage, Regent Releasing, Columbia Pictures
• Lou Lumenick of the New York Post wonders whether the box office success of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" will bump "The Dark Knight" from the final five best picture nominees. Says Lou: "With 'Button' now clearly a 'popular' movie as well as an arty one, will Oscar voters want to nominate two of them for best picture? Looking back over the last four years of best picture nominees, only one for each year grossed north of $100 million in North America." NEW YORK POST
• Kris Tapley of InContention.com pens a memo to the Academy voters making his case on five separate issues beginning with "Give Bill Condon and Larry Mark something to work with." By that, Kris means the voters should "embrace the critically acclaimed populist titles of the year and perhaps find the answers to not only reinvigorating your annual telecast, but settling any debate over the film-going passion of your ranks. Show the world you are willing to slap some dust off of your typically safe tastes and that you welcome the idea of evolution." To read the rest of his provocative suggestions INCONTENTION.COM
• My Envelope colleague Scott Feinberg delivers another one of his insightful interviews with award contenders in this podcast with Sir Ben Kingsley. Among the subjects covered in their half hour conversation are "the mixed emotions he felt after 'Gandhi' (he was so good at playing a moral character that, for years, people were reluctant to cast him as an immoral character)" and "the deeply personal things he brought to his most recent performance, opposite Penelope Cruz in the critically acclaimed film 'Elegy.'" To listen FEINBERG FILES
• L.A. Times theater critic Charles McNulty provides an interesting perspective on the stage-to-screen adaptations of "Doubt" and "Frost/Nixon." As per Charles, the plays "haven’t been radically altered, but changes in thematic emphasis, acting style and dramatic pacing might upset viewers silly enough to want to relive their theatrical experiences at the multiplex. The films will also have to contend with the particular snobbery of moviegoers all set to encounter modern drama at its finest." To read his full verdict L.A. TIMES
Just before Christmas I checked in with that savvy — and snarky — Oscarologist Michael Musto of the Village Voice to get his take on the derby. Last week he promised that this year's race will be gayer than ever (is that possible for the Gay Super Bowl? - READ MORE). But will that include a Sean Penn victory for "Milk"?
Now let's hear Michael's view on the best-actor matchup. It's a bit unfair to run this video more than a week after Michael and I dished. He was seeing "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" later that night, so he had to equivocate a bit on Brad Pitt's chances for a nomination.
What you may find surprising is whom Michael picks to win!
• While comparing the Golden Globe nominations with the Critics' Choice bids announced a few days ago, Pete Hammondsees a curious parallel between "Milk" getting skunked at the Golden Globes and what happened last year to "Into the Wild."
• Check out the pundit videos Pete and I did riffing with Elizabeth Snead immediately after the noms were announced. They're down on the right side of The Envelope's home page.
• Scott Feinberg does a fine job at Feinberg Files putting perspective on the Golden Globe nominations, but I disagree with him about "In Bruges" pulling off big surprises in the comedy/musical races. I predicted that it would.
• By the way, speaking of predix, here's how various pundits scored trying to out-guess the Globes. Just counting the same categories we all guessed in tandem, I scored 23, Scott nailed 20. Nathaniel Rogersscored 21 at TheFilmExperience. Guy Lodge beat us all at InContention.com (24). Congrats, Guy! For the complete list of nominees, CLICK HERE!
• Over at InContention.com Kris Tapley and Guy Lodge clash while sizing up Tom Cruise's nomination for "Tropic Thunder." Guy calls it "goofy," Kris calls it one of the best Globe calls.
• Sasha Stone likes the nominations of Brad Pitt, Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet at AwardsDaily.com.
• New York Times Carpetbagger David Carr believes in the Harvey Weinstein conspiracy to explain how "The Reader" got so many noms. No, no, David — not this time anyway. Believe it or not, voters really like the movie. I've heard that directly from many HFPA members. EW's Dave Kargerheard the same buzz.
• Over at Hollywood-Elsewhere.com, Jeff Wellswonders about such Harvey conspiracy thoughts, but acknowledges that "many critics and smartypants-types" were probably too quick to dismiss the kudos chances of "The Reader" earlier.
• Uh, oh! That Hollywood Reporter wag, Gold Rusher T.L. Stanley, is risking her neck with some bold (?) prophecies: "There are a number of foregone conclusions in the nods today, namely, 'Gomorra' in the best foreign language category, Heath Ledger as best supporting actor for 'The Dark Knight' and Penelope Cruz for best supporting actress in 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona.' "
• At Variety.com, Anne Thompson writes, "Athough the Globes saw fit to only recognize Sean Penn's performance in Gus Van Sant's very American and very political Milk (which won best film from the New York Film Critics Circle), that should not hurt its overall awards chances."
• Hang tough, Lou! New York Post's Lou Lumenickacknowledges that he "received some criticism on other blogs for supposedly revealing 'spoilers' in our year-end wrap-up" at the NYFCC voting, but, come on, other journos before Lou did the same for decades in Gotham's newspaper pages dating back to the group's launch in 1935. Plowing through those ancient reports on microfilm for many days and weeks at the New York Public Library was how I was able to document past scores and voter battles while compiling my book "Movie Awards." In recent years that tattle's lapsed a bit and I've had to resort to snooping via telephone calls to various members for such reports here at Gold Derby, but I'm happy that this ballot reportage is now back out in the open, as it should be. Huzzahs to Lou!
Pundits are constantly updating their Oscars predix at the Envelope's Buzzmeter, so remember to keep checking back often. (Bookmark THIS LINK for quick access in the future.)
Notice how close the battle is over best picture. While four of these seven seers pick "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," two of us naysayers back "Slumdog Millionaire" and one opts for "Milk." All four "Button" backers put "Slumdog Millionaire" in second place. I — a "Slumdog" supporter — list "Button" as the runner-up."
Views are split over best actor: three votes for Frank Langella ("Frost/Nixon"), two for Mickey Rourke ("The Wrestler"), one for Sean Penn ("Milk") and one for Leo DiCaprio ("Revolutionary Road").
Kate Winslet ("Revolutionary Road") zooms ahead of previous front-runner Meryl Streep ("Doubt") with four votes to one. Streep even falls behind Kristin Scott Thomas ("I've Loved You So Long"), who has two votes.
Following the first widely attended screening of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" this weekend in L.A., the initial reviews are certain to raise Oscarwatchers' curiosity about a top kudos contender.
Among the Oscar bloggers, Dave Karger of Entertainment Weekly says, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is "an Oscar movie with a capital O, with jaw-dropping production values, a soaring romance, and terrific performances, particularly from supporting-actress candidate Taraji P. Henson as Benjamin's de facto mother. Even if Brad Pitt doesn't make it into the tough Best Actor race (the likes of Clint Eastwood and Leonardo DiCaprio may squeeze him out), I still can see 'Button' racking up as many as 11 nominations, which could very well be the highest tally for any film this year. Once the film opens on Christmas day, I guarantee we'll all be talking about one thing: whether or not Benjamin Button made you sob."
Kris Tapley of In Contention, who admits, "I didn’t fall in love like so many in the crowd did," thinks the film will do even better at the Oscars: "I think there is no argument against Cate Blanchettbeing nominated for Best Actress, and again, I think she takes this award in a cake walk. There is no actress in that category standing up and demanding this award like her work is here. Nominations for Picture, Director, Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Art Direction, Cinematography, Film Editing, Makeup, Original Score and Visual Effects are virtually assured. That’s 10 you can take to the bank. Meanwhile, Jacqueline West’s costumes are certainly good enough (and varied enough) to demand a spot, while Taraji P. Henson really is the heart of the piece in many ways and could find herself in the running for Best Supporting Actress — no news there. And the sound design, from interesting voice manipulation to a riveting wartime sequence, could easily slip in. So if you’re keeping count, that’s 13. Brad Pitt does not blow the role of Benjamin Button out of the water and perhaps he underplays it a bit too much. But it is great to see him happy to get out from underneath his star persona, and with the right level of support, he could make it 14."
And Sasha Stone of Awards Daily says flat out "if I had to name the film that would probably have the best shot at winning Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Costumes, Art Direction it would be this one." As she explains, "The first and probably most important reason is that this is a film that works on every level. It is an authentic bit of writing, straight from the heart of Eric Roth." And, as she says, "Combine Roth’s emotional output with David Fincher’s exactitude and you have something nearly perfect. With so many limbs, emotions and ideas the film shouldn’t work at all, but somehow it does. Much credit is due to Brad Pitt, whose Benjamin Button is a soul-shattering creation. Cate Blanchett, who bursts forth like her own hurricane. Taraji P. Henson as Queenie is the heart of the film." For Sasha, "The film is a visual delight — though it’s oddly cold in its scenery. A warmer, cozier world wouldn’t have made it a Fincher movie. The truth is that it works with Fincher as the director. It is stranger than it would have been if, say, Spielberg had directed it. Nonetheless, with Spielberg it might have tipped too far into sentiment and been mush as a result, no offense. I did not feel a detachment to it at all and I fully expected to. I didn’t think that Fincher could pull off something overly sentimental. I thought it would be a few steps removed and all about the effects and the gimmick. It turns out, though, that this film is about the human experience."
Steve Zeitchik who pens the Risky Biz blog at the Hollywood Reporter says, "For about forty-five minutes the concept takes you by storm (and makes your head hurt, in a good way), with the narrative and visual inventiveness not seen in an American film in a long time (at least one not made by Charlie Kaufman, anyway). The movie (some spoilers below) droops a little after that, as Button begins to make his discoveries out in the world. But it rebounds powerfully in its final hour as the doomed love story (he's getting younger, she's getting older, and they can only be in love for a few years in the middle) finally takes flower and as Button reaches the end (that is, the beginning) of his life. It winds down on a note of melancholy that will break your heart (and make it, frankly, a slightly tougher sell than expected as a popcorn entertainment while winning it, undoubtedly, scores of awards supporters." However, he too notes, "Pitt's acting and character are, contrary to how you might expect material like this to be handled, actually a little understated."
And finally, after teasing us with someone else's thoughts on the film last week, Anne Thompson of Variety weighs in saying, "David Fincher and screenwriter Eric Roth ("Forrest Gump") have delivered an historic achievement, a masterful piece of cinema, and a moving treatise on death, loss, loneliness and love." She thought, "The actors are superb, especially Pitt and Cate Blanchett, who should earn Oscar noms. What's missing has partly to do with the limitations of the technology. Button reminds me of Peter Sellers as Chauncey Gardner in "Being There." He's oddly passive and restrained, zen-like as he floats through all the decades, watching, listening, learning. He narrates the tale via his diary, along with his dying love Blanchett. We see him engaging with people, but he never says much. We see him from the outside; we never get under his skin, and we never learn the fruits of his wisdom. He stays much the same."
For Todd McCarthy of Variety, "Much of the film's romantic and philosophical posture hinges on Benjamin and Daisy getting together at the right time, and they do so in an entirely satisfying way; by the time of consummation, with Brad Pitt now in full physical glory and Blanchett at her womanly peak, they — and the audience — are more than ready for it. But their passion is all the more pointedly ephemeral due to the consciousness of being headed in opposite physical directions." And McCarthy thought, "In all his physical manifestations, Benjamin is a reactor, not a perpetrator, and Pitt inhabits the role genially, gently and sympathetically. Blanchett's Daisy is the more volatile and moody one and, after bluntly revealing the selfish impetuousness of Daisy's youthful self, the thesp fully registers both the passion and insecurity of the mature woman." However, he concludes, " for what is designed as a rich tapestry, the picture maintains a slightly remote feel. No matter the power of the image of an old but young-looking Benjamin, slumped over a piano and depressed about his fading memory and life; it is possible that the picture might have been warmer and more emotionally accessible had it been shot on film."
• Today an academy member told me that he got a DVD screener of "The Visitor" that was shipped to the full general membership. Last week they all got "I've Loved You So Long." "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" arrived around Oct. 24, "Frozen River" in late September. Oh, yeah, and the "Burn After Reading" DVD that voters got a few weeks ago! I forgot to mention that one. But that's all that's arrived so far.
• The Indie Spirits are mounting a new attack on the Gotham Awards. They plan to announce their nominations on Dec. 2 — that's the same day that the Gothams will present awards to winners. And that's the same ploy the Spirits pulled last year while trying to upstage the rival trophy show. Remember, the two kudos bestowed to indie films on different coasts (Spirits in L.A., Gothams in Manhattan) used to be doled out by the East and West Coast branches of the same organization, the Independent Feature Project, but the Californians broke off from New York and three other IFP groups in 2006 and renamed their branch FIND (short for Film Independent). The fact that the New Yorkers dared to launch their own awards separate from the Spirits was one of the key issues that busted up the original organization.
• Have a good curious chuckle while Anne Thompson strenuously denies that she's publishing a review of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" while in fact doing so at Variety.com, even if it is from a non-journalist. Over the last few days I've heard top Oscar consultants denounce Thompson vehemently for pulling similar ploys throughout this derby season. To read Thompson's tattle (a rave), CLICK HERE. Now, in order to provide balance in the gossip department, you can read a less enthusiastic "review" ("I wasn’t as moved by this film as I wanted to be") at Pop Culture Nerd's blog, CLICK HERE.
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Dark Knight" assume the win, place and show positions in the Oscars' race for best picture, according to our latest batch of prognosticators: Brad Brevet (Rope of Silicon), Anthony Breznican (USA Today), Peter Howell (Toronto Star), Mark Olsen (The Envelope), Jeffrey Sneider (The Insneider, contributor to Variety), Kris Tapley (InContention.com) and Tom Tapp (TheDailyBeast.com).
Tied for first place in the best actor race with two votes each are Frank Langella ("Frost/Nixon"), Sean Penn ("Milk") and Mickey Rourke ("The Wrestler"). Meryl Streep ("Doubt") remains ahead in the actress' contest, but Kate Winslet ("Revolutionary Road") has gained so much momentum in recent days that she's in solid second place, bumping Anne Hathaway ("Rachel Getting Married").
Compare these predix to others we pooled recently from other Oscar seers HERE, HERE and HERE.
For our newest round of Oscars predix, we made things tougher on our prophets. Instead of asking them merely to give us five films they believe will be nominated in the top three races, we asked them to rank each entry 1 (most likely to win) to 5. The result: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Slumdog Millionaire" each got two votes for best pic; "The Dark Knight" reaped one. Leading the acting races with three votes each: Frank Langella ("Frost/Nixon") and Meryl Streep ("Doubt").
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