October 30, 2002

Time to fix those Golden Globes….

Thank you all for your e-mail about yesterday’s Oscar column and the new categories that I’ve added for the Golden Globes.  In truth, I had forgotten the specifics of their format.  But the conceit was meant to give me a little breathing room in the overall predictions.  It’s an interesting year… lots of possibility for surprises.  But as each week passes and I see more of the films, my ability to incorrectly guess at the future will improve. 

One issue that many e-mailers brought up was the absence of Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers from the Big List O’ Fun.  The reason is simple.  Sequels don’t get nominated.  And as much as I like Lord of the Rings… it ain’t The Godfather.  If there was a giant void… say, if Chicago turned out to be significantly worse than anything has suggested so far… then, maybe.  My fear is that Peter Jackson & Co. will get stiffed next year as well, since LOTR3 is supposed to be the best of the trio, but also the purest action ride of the group.  But that’s a year from now.  Right now, that’s my rationale. 

One other great point came up… Miramax is not doing an LA/NY release of City of God for Oscar consideration… at least, not that we know of.  As such, the film’s directors will not be eligible for Best Director consideration, only Best Foreign Language Picture.   Nor will the film be eligible for Best Picture, though the odds of that happening – even if it is one of the best three films of the year – are about zero.

WINONA:  The Winona Ryder trial continues and one observer suggested yesterday that it might go on for as long as two full weeks.  And as with most trials, the prosecution case is, so far, pretty convincing.  But as many surprises as there have been from the prosecution – alleged holes in items, alleged tissue paper and the alleged claim that she told security that she was preparing for a role – expect surprises from the defense as well.  For me, the most damning evidence is the testimony that senior execs at Saks had time to think about whether to go public for a significant amount of time before they called the police.  Something made them think that this was a good idea.  And no matter how heinous Ms. Ryder’s actions – or any other celebrity’s - that would have to count as a surprise.

GONE:  I kind of missed the opportunity to eulogize Richard Harris in this column earlier this week.  I guess that I felt I’d already mourned his loss for days.  I love the old boozy raconteur actors.  And Harris surely qualified.  I saw him on film and on stage in Camelot.  His Macarthur Park was kitschy even before there was kitsch.  And when he pulled it together, he was a beautiful sight to behold on camera.  Even in a small role like he had in Unforgiven… wow!  He will be missed.

Andre de Toth kicked off over the weekend.  He was 89, so he lived a full life.  He was once married to Veronica Lake, whish qualifies him as a lucky man in most books.  He hadn’t made a film in over 30 years.  But the idea of him being forgotten is quite sad.  He was one of the great genre filmmakers of his day and any other.  He brought a deft touch to films, like House of Wax, that would devolve into camp in the hands of future, less talented filmmakers.  Todd McCarthy tells the story better than I could, here.   I hope you’ll take some time to read it.  De Toth was already missed… let’s not allow him to be forgotten.

HUH?:   I saw an ad for the first of the new BMW ads/films, this one directed by John Woo.  And on the ad, it said that it had own Best Short at this year’s L.A. Film Festival.   And my head spun off its axis. 

While I can understand and appreciate any film festival appeasing a sponsor by showing their films in the festival – sometimes, you have to eat excrement – how could you consider allowing a short film whose budget had to be significantly higher than most of the full-length features being shown into competition?  And it’s worse.  The LA Film Festival is now operated by IFP/west.  It’s no longer the independent indie fest that it used to be, struggling to survive.  IFP is a powerful indie player.  And they gave an award to a film that not only could never be considered independent, but which is actually, literally an advertisement.  Blech!

CANNNNNDY CANE:  Joyride is on my television right this minute.  Damn, it’s a good movie!  Great genre filmmaking by John Dahl.  Steve Zahn in the right role is always great.  Just plain old gruesome fun!

READER OF THE DAY:  G.D. YOU HAVE A LOVELY DAUGHTER writes:  “I get so bummed whenever I click to your column or anyone else's and it's a friggin Oscar column. I'm sorry but the Academy awards has lost it's magic. Jack Nicholson said it himself, today they are a pale shadow of their former glory. Between the glut of other award shows, to everyone knowing that an expensive enough marketing push will win you the golden statue, while filmmakers who deserve them like Hitchcock and Scorscese don't win unless it's honorary, All this "Oscar race" talk is crap. Hollywood blew it. By glutting the airwaves with award shows to make money, there is no prestige anymore in their Superbowl of awards.

The only good thing about the Oscars is all the screener DVD's that float around town so you can watch movies still playing in the theatre at home (and that's only if you're in Los Angeles). I'd much rather read columns about movies. Movies that won't get a zillion dollars spent on P&A so the filmmakers can go around comparing the size of their gold statues. Movies that won't be seen by the academy but should be. I wish the oscars still had that old magic I really do. But until the industry lays off on the award shows, and the academy starts taking chances, instead of being influenced by a marketing campaign. That magic is not coming back.”

And SSSsssss writes: “My thoughts:  Let's say for argument sake that you predicted correctly each Oscar category. There are 40 nominations based on the categories you have included here, but only 10 of the 40 nominees are from movies that have been released at this point. Only 1 of your "Best Picture" predictions has been released, and none of your "Best Actors" predictions have been released.

I complain to my friends every year that the studios back end too many of their supposed "quality films." The last several months have fairly barren in terms of top notch films, but come December there will be more movies out there then even dedicated movies goers will have time to see.

Has anyone outside of Miramax executives and Marty seen "Gangs of New York"? From your Oscar Preview I'm guessing that the insider "buzz" is tepid.

I'm keeping an open mind, but I am somewhat dubious in terms of "Chicago." I hope it exceeds my expectations, but I have a feeling it will be a movie the Academy loves, but most critics and discerning moviegoers will think it is at best a good film.

Even though I haven't seen them yet, I'm rooting for "Far From Heaven," "Narc," and "Gangs of New York." I'm hoping "GONY" will surprise everyone as to how good it really is. I'm also hoping "Far From Heaven" is as good as the reviews I've heard from Toronto. Readers should visit the website of "Far From Heaven," it's very good. The music sounds like the music from "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Finally, saw the trailer for "Narc," and thought it was one of the best trailers I have seen in quite some time.”

And FIBS writes:  “since you quote sarandon's "let's repeal war in all its forms," i just had to write to tell you what a silly idea that is.  all war?  does that mean that all previous wars were insipid including the revolutionary and civil wars as well as  world war II?  a lot of those leftist speakers including sarandon, are shaped by their distaste for the viet nam war and thus feel that any war is evil. 

but then don't forget that sarandon was a co-signer of that anti-war ad that included the statement that people are entitled to choose their own governments.  sort of like the overwhelming victory that saddam hussein got a couple of weeks back when he "won" the iraqi (not "iranian" barbra!) election by a margin of something like 11 million to nada.

maybe when there's a threat of war we should all take richard gere's advice a few years back and just sit and meditate and do a collective "ohm."  that way we'll all be in a nice relaxed state when we're nuked.

besides, if war didn't exist, we would have missed out on some great movies!” 

E ME:  Your keyboard knows what to do…