In the Mood for Podcast: Episode 28

EPISODE 28: Masculine/Feminine

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It's Episode 28 of In the Mood for Podcast, a British-based film podcast hosted by Calum Reed of Ultimate Addict and Pete Sheppard of In the Mood for Blog. Awards dominate this week with discussion of the National Board of Review, LA film critics, and Boston film critics prizes, and predicting the Golden Globe and Screen Actors' Guild nominations. We talk about documentaries "The House I Live In" and "Knuckleball," before finally getting around to arthouse favourite "Tabu." And in straddling major extremes of masculinity, Martin McDonagh's male-dominated "Seven Pscyhopaths" faces off against our second Miley Cyrus film of the year, "So Undercover." The Miley vehicle brings giggles and shame to an otherwise level-headed episode, but we brought it on ourselves...

Discussed on the podcast: 

Opening Segment: Discussing the winners from the National Board of Review, LA film critics' association, and Boston Society of Film Critics'. [2:35 - 14:40]

*Preconception Corner*

Reviews of: 

• "Seven Psychopaths"
• "Tabu"
• "The House I Live In"
• "Knuckleball"
• "So Undercover"

[18:20 - 55:35]

Closing Segment: Predicting the Golden Globe nominations, and the Screen Actors' Guild nominations [55:40 - 1:12:10]

*Shag, Marry or Kill?*
*The Watson Factor*
*The Poupaud Range*

Intro Music: New theme music!
Outro Music: Sky Ferreira, "Everything Is Embarrassing"

In the Mood for Podcast: Episode 27

EPISODE 27: Mental Playlists

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It's Episode 27 of In the Mood for Podcast, a British-based film podcast hosted by Calum Reed of Ultimate Addict and Pete Sheppard of In the Mood for Blog. This week sees the old guard return, with Clint Eastwood back in front of the camera in "Trouble with the Curve," and austere Austrian mainstay Michael Haneke bringing his Palme d'Or winner "Amour" to Anglo eyes. Dickens' classic "Great Expectations" and gory Brit-comedy "Sightseers" get a dissection of their own, and after six months Cal has finally seen a 2012 Bollywood production, but is "normal" crime thriller "Talaash" the ideal candidate to ease him in? All this, plus our reaction to the NYFCC winners and a look ahead to the NBR...

Discussed on the podcast: 

Opening Segment: Discussing the winners of the New York Film Critics Circle's annual awards, and a brief look at the Golden Satellite nominations. [1:50 - 13:00]

*Preconception Corner*

Reviews of: 

• "Amour"
• "Great Expectations"
• "Sightseers"
• "Talaash"

[17:15 - 52:20]

Closing Segment: Our review of Clint Eastwood vehicle "Trouble with the Curve" and our predictions for the National Board of Review.  [52:30 - 1:14:25]

*Shag, Marry or Kill?*
*The Watson Factor*
*The Poupaud Range*

Intro Music: New theme music!
Outro Music: Army Navy, "Slight of Hand"

The National Board of Review Ensures "Zero Dark Thirty" Stays In The Hunt

It's my annual attempt at predicting something relatively unpredictable, the prizes bestowed by the National Board of Review. The 'freemasons' of the awards circuit, I'm not sure anyone quite knows who sits on this board or how it has gotten to be such a fixture in the season, nevertheless, it's always fun to look at what they choose each year.

[Updated with winners -- prediction score 13/24]

Picture: “Zero Dark Thirty"

Top 10: 
“Argo”
"Beasts of the Southern Wild”
"Django Unchained"
“Les Miserables”
“Lincoln”
”Looper"
”The Perks of Being a Wallflower"
"Promised Land"
“Silver Linings Playbook”
”Zero Dark Thirty”

Prediction score: 6/11

Prediction summary: You would think the assumed six safe bets for Best Picture nominations are among the 11 (10 + winner) championed by the board, those being “Argo,” “Lincoln,” “Life of Pi,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” and “Zero Dark Thirty.” After that, it could be a free-for-all; “Flight” and “Trouble with the Curve” fit that middle-of-the-road movie that this group often includes – the latter being basically a Clint Eastwood movie, despite him not officially directing it. “The Master” and “Beasts of the Southern Wild” seem to be on the decline right now, but I’m going to suggest that they come through based on their passionate pockets of fans. 

“Moonrise Kingdom” too, in that regard, although it’s resurrecting awards steam and should be a strong contender for a screenplay nomination with Oscar. You could replace “Skyfall” with “The Dark Knight Rises” or “The Avengers” or even “Magic Mike” in my predictions: it’s that smash hit entrant I figure makes it in like “Star Trek” and the final Harry Potter film did. 

Director: Kathryn Bigelow, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Leading Actor: Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Leading Actress: Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Supporting Actor: Leonardo Di Caprio, "Django Unchained"
Supporting Actress: Ann Dowd, "Compliance"

Prediction score: 1/5

Prediction summary: Bigelow seems like the perfect choice for Director critics prizes (more so than the film as Best Picture because of the severity of “Zero Dark Thirty”) although this could easily go to Ang Lee, Tom Hooper, or Steven Spielberg instead. I’m expecting Daniel Day-Lewis to sweep, and Hathaway and Jones to start ascending to frontrunner status. As for leading actress, this could go anywhere, so I’m picking Keira Knightley as a semi-outsider pick, based on the classic nature of the role and that they’ve tended to go for younger actresses of late. 

Original Screenplay: “Moonrise Kingdom”
Adapted Screenplay: “Lincoln”
Ensemble: “Les Miserables”
Breakthrough Actor: Tom Holland, “The Impossible”
Breakthrough Actress: Quvenzhane Wallis, “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
Animated Feature: “Frankenweenie”
Documentary Feature: “Searching For Sugar Man”
Foreign Film: “Amour"

Prediction score: 6/8

The Not-So-Silent Backlash & NBR Predictions

As the saying goes: ‘silence is golden’, but if many people have their way, the silent film that has so far won over several festival audiences and at least one major critics group, will not be crowned the best of 2011. Monday afternoon saw the announcement of the New York Film Critics Circle winners, as well as this year’s Indie Spirit nominations, both of which gave Michel Haznavicius’ “The Artist” a boost with Picture, Director, Leading Actor, and Cinematography notices. The aftermath of NYFCC’s awardage of the film with its two biggest prizes proved unexpectedly negative, the decision labelled safe, and the film denounced as a novelty by high-profile figures. “The Artist” isn’t terribly original because it’s an homage which lends plot devices from classic cinema, but it’s far more comfortable with what it is and tight in story-structure than most of the other frontrunners. It may not necessarily be a five-star film but it certainly trumps the likes of “The Descendants,” “The Help,” and “Midnight in Paris.”

It remains to be seen whether the film can build upon its New York win to mount a strong showing with the critics, which previously appeared unlikely. With its nose firmly put out-of-joint the National Board of Review votes for their ten best films today, and although “The Artist” seems within the mould of their admittedly old-fashioned preferences, I’m going to hold off on suggesting it can set the ball rolling for a sweep. This year feels like more of a scattered, spoil-sharing prospect after last year’s uniform endorsement of “The Social Network” – especially with voting bodies seemingly at war with one another. All things considered, “Moneyball” remains the best-reviewed film with realistic awards potential, so it makes sense for it to win a prize from a significant voting body (whatever your view on the NBR, their opinion carries weight).

The top ten is a minefield to predict, but you can be assured that they like political dramas, so this could be a handy get for the dwindling “The Ides of March,” and they always include Clint Eastwood’s films so expect “J. Edgar” to pop up here despite the disastrous reviews. From there, it gets tricky. Who knows if they’ll even remember those earlier acclaimed films “Beginners,” “Jane Eyre, “ and “Win Win”? Are “Melancholia,” “Martha Marcy May Marlene” and “Take Shelter” a bit too far outside of the box for this group? Your guess is as good as mine.

Picture: “Moneyball”

Alt: “The Artist”

Top Ten:

“The Artist”

“Beginners”

“The Descendants”

“Hugo”

“The Ides of March”

“J. Edgar”

“Midnight in Paris”

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”

“The Tree of Life”

“War Horse”

Director: Martin Scorsese, “Hugo”

Alt: Terrence Malick, “The Tree of Life”

Leading Actress: Michelle Williams, “My Week with Marilyn”

Alt: Elizabeth Olsen, “Martha Marcy May Marlene”

Leading Actor: Brad Pitt, “Moneyball”

Alt: George Clooney, “The Descendants”

Supporting Actress: Jessica Chastain, “The Help,” “Take Shelter,” “The Tree of Life”

Alt: Vanessa Redgrave, “Coriolanus”

Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”

Alt: Kenneth Branagh, “My Week with Marilyn”

Screenplay: “Moneyball”

Alt: “The Descendants”

Animated Feature: “Rango”

Alt: “Chico & Rita”

Foreign Film: “Certified Copy”

Alt: “A Separation”

Documentary: “Project Nim”

Alt: “The Interrupters”

National Board of Review 2010, Predictions

Every year I do this, and every year I do terribly. Apart from the odd Clint Eastwood mention, this is pretty much random guesswork.

My NBR Predictions:-

Best Picture

Prediction: "The King's Speech"

Alternate: "The Way Back"

Predicted Top Ten:

"127 Hours"

"Get Low"

"Hereafter"

"The Kids Are All Right"

"Secretariat"

"The Social Network"

"Toy Story 3"

"True Grit"

"The Way Back"

"Winter's Bone"

I don't think "Inception" will be as strong as some people seem to think, since it is rather difficult to keep track of. They're usually very conservative, which isn't exactly in line with "The Kids Are All Right", but the film has enough reinforcement of family values to ingratiate itself with voters. Part of the reasoning behind this list is prioritising films about old people and/or which contain sentiment. "Black Swan" seems a bit too out-there for this body's tastes.

 

Director

Prediction: Danny Boyle, "127 Hours"

Alternate: Clint Eastwood, "Hereafter"

I almost put Eastwood, but Boyle will have the more popular, rousing film.

 

Actress in a Leading Role

Prediction: Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"

Alternate: Anne Hathaway, "Love and Other Drugs"

They have generally swayed towards the young and pretty in recent years; Portman has the buzz, but Hathaway the bait.

 

Actor in a Leading Role

Prediction: Robert Duvall, "Get Low"

Alternate: Colin Firth, "The King's Speech"

And generally stately men in this category. I suspect this might be one of the few precursors Duvall picks up.

 

Actress in a Supporting Role

Prediction: Dianne Wiest, "Rabbit Hole"

Alternate: Miranda Richardson, "Made in Dagenham"

Their Supp Actress choices usually either wow me or dumbfound me. That Gong Li pick a few years ago was crazy-inspired.

Actor in a Supporting Role

Prediction: Geoffrey Rush, "The King's Speech"

Alternate: John Hawkes, "Winter's Bone"

They like Rush, and I'm convinced that Hawkes will pick up precursor notices.

 

Best Ensemble Performance

Prediction: "The Kids Are All Right"

Best Original Screenplay

Prediction: "The King's Speech"

Alternate: "Somewhere"

Best Adapted Screenplay

Prediction: "127 Hours"

Alternate: "The Social Network"

Best Animated Feature

Prediction: "Toy Story 3"

Best Foreign Language Film

Prediction: "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives"

Alternate: "Of Gods and Men"

Delayed NBR Reaction

A bit of a delay since I'm having a busy weekend indulging in food, drink, and.... other things. I scored five out of eleven with one acting winner. Not great.

Best Film
UP IN THE AIR

Top Ten Films
(In alphabetical order) AN EDUCATION, (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, THE HURT LOCKER, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, INVICTUS, THE MESSENGER, A SERIOUS MAN, STAR TREK, UP, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

I keep forgetting how much people liked 500 Days of Summer. Note to self: must say more about what's wrong with this film -- you've got to do a bit of slapping down occasionally. Up in the Air's victory isn't a surprise, but the inclusion of Star Trek and Where the Wild Things Are kind of is. I think some people are expecting fireworks when the new ten-wide Best Picture Oscar category is announced but I still think there's going to be a drone middle-of-the-road set of bait devoid of much interest, perhaps with the exception of Inglourious Basterds. Good news for An Education and The Messenger (each hoping to be included in that ten) but there's a long way to go yet. I don't think Precious was ever going to be the old-school NBR's cup of tea, and that's definitely gonna be a problem at Oscar when it comes to voting for the winner (the new system favours less "offensive" films), but it's still very strong.

Best Foreign Language Film
A PROPHET

Top Five Foreign Films
(In alphabetical order) THE MAID, REVANCHE, SONG OF SPARROWS, THREE MONKEYS, THE WHITE RIBBON

So psyched for A Prophet. Not sure if The White Ribbon can make the Foreign Language lineup at Oscar. It's a very cold, difficult film to like, and if 4 Months didn't make it a couple of years ago then it doesn't bode well for Haneke's film.

Best Documentary
THE COVE

Top Five Documentaries
(In alphabetical order) BURMA VJ: REPORTING FROM A CLOSED COUNTRY, CRUDE, FOOD, INC., GOOD HAIR, THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS

I think The Cove is going to sweeeeep!

Top Independent Films
(In alphabetical order) AMREEKA, DISTRICT 9, GOODBYE SOLO, HUMPDAY, IN THE LOOP, JULIA, ME AND ORSON WELLES, MOON, SUGAR, TWO LOVERS

I find it really disheartening that In the Loop and Julia, two excellent films, are consigned to an Independent championing and clearly not taken seriously enough for the actual top ten, when trash like An Education is clogging up space.

Best Actor
GEORGE CLOONEY, Up In The Air; MORGAN FREEMAN, Invictus

So boring.

Best Actress
CAREY MULLIGAN, An Education

Apart from Mo'Nique she probably had the most buzz of anyone this year and yet people aren't taking her as seriously now. It's unfair because nobody is ever going to live up to that astronomical level of expectation and she's actually really great in An Education and comfortably inside my top five Leading Actresses of the year for the moment.

Best Supporting Actor
WOODY HARRELSON, The Messenger

Probably undervalued but the Globes Lead thing is something he really doesn't need right now. Sure, it might help you get noticed more, but category confusion is bad enough for the people with high-profile films, never mind when you have a tiny little critics darling. Not everyone can have that Amy Adams in Junebug fairytale.

Best Supporting Actress
ANNA KENDRICK, Up In The Air

Destined to be nominated and lose the Oscar.

Best Ensemble Cast
IT'S COMPLICATED

A way to reward Meryl? Alec Baldwin still has a chance (especially since he's hosting) but I reckon It's Complicated is gonna have to be a smash to get him in. I'm thinking he may even get Globe, SAG, and still lose out.

Breakthrough Performance by an Actor
JEREMY RENNER, The Hurt Locker

Breakthrough Performance by an Actress
GABOUREY SIDIBE, Precious

I'd really like for Jeremy Renner to make the AMPAS shortlist but I've got a nagging feeling that he won't. Morgan Freeman has been looking a much weaker candidate in the last month but this has definitely helped his cause more than Jeremy's.

Spotlight Award for Best Directorial Debut
DUNCAN JONES, Moon; OREN MOVERMAN, The Messenger; MARC WEBB, (500) Days of Summer

Best Director
CLINT EASTWOOD, Invictus

Meh. Is Sam Rockwell still campaigning?

Best Adapted Screenplay
JASON REITMAN and SHELDON TURNER, Up In The Air

Best Original Screenplay
JOEL AND ETHAN COEN, A Serious Man

Best Animated Feature
UP

Special Filmmaking Achievement
WES ANDERSON, The Fantastic Mr. Fox

Doesn't this seem like a way to reward both? I liked Fantastic Mr. Fox so much more than Up.

William K. Everson Award For Film History
JEAN PICKER FIRSTENBERG

Freedom Of Expression
BURMA VJ: REPORTING FROM A CLOSED COUNTRY; INVICTUS; THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS

National Board of Review: Winners and Reaction

So the NBR have just announced and, as ever, they've come up with a list of mind-numbing pearlers. Here are the winners:-

Best Film: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Not at all surprising. The film with the biggest buzz at the moment.

Best Director: DAVID FINCHER, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Interesting. The NBR liked Button as we'll find out further down. I thought it might get shelved for some more conservative picks but apparently not.

Best Actor: CLINT EASTWOOD, Gran Torino

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. They like him too much.

Best Actress: ANNE HATHAWAY, Rachel Getting Married

This is a BIG boost. Majorly competitive now in this category. For a nomination, anyway.

Best Supporting Actor: JOSH BROLIN, Milk

Franco has trumped him in the early nominees lists so this is great for him.

Best Supporting Actress: PENELOPE CRUZ, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Not for Elegy? You sure? Lol. Pretty standard.

Best Foreign Language Film: MONGOL

Meh. Wasn't this nominated last year?

Best Documentary: MAN ON WIRE

Fine. Not a shock.

Best Animated Feature: WALL-E

Duh.

Best Ensemble Cast: DOUBT

Well this plus the Top Ten snub confirms what I thought. Acting noms but no BP.

Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: DEV PATEL, Slumdog Millionaire
Breakthrough Performance by an Actress: VIOLA DAVIS, Doubt

Making sure people remember these two, who each have supporting bids.

Best Directorial Debut: COURTNEY HUNT, Frozen River

Ditto.

Best Original Screenplay: NICK SCHENK, Gran Torino
Best Adapted Screenplay: SIMON BEAUFOY, Slumdog Millionaire and
ERIC ROTH, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Boy did they like these three films.

Spotlight Award: MELISSA LEO, Frozen River and
RICHARD JENKINS, The Visitor

Seems to exist purely as a way to say, "We liked these Oscar. Don't snub them!"

The BVLGARI Award for NBR Freedom of Expression: TRUMBO

Top Five Foreign Language Films:
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

ROMAN DE GUERRE

A SECRET

WALTZ WITH BASHIR

Top Five Documentary Films

AMERICAN TEEN

THE BETRAYAL (NERAKHOON)

DEAR ZACHARY

ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD

ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED

Top Ten Films:
BURN AFTER READING
CHANGELING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
DEFIANCE
FROST/NIXON
GRAN TORINO
MILK
WALL-E
THE WRESTLER

Blows for Australia, Doubt, The Reader, and Revolutionary Road. Boosts for Defiance (even though it seemed likely cause of their previous Zwick love), Wall-E, and The Wrestler, which I didn't think would be their cup of tea but was wrong as usual. Burn After Reading is a good film, and it's probably a testament to the Coen Bros' outstanding popularity amongst awards bodies last year that this film has been remembered here.

Prediction Score: 5/10 or 6/11 and none of the winning Actors. Oh dear.

Predictions {National Board of Review}

I am SO excited. The NBR announce their Top 10 and awards tomorrow. Their Best Picture nearly always gets in, so this is the first major test for all those Oscar hopefuls. Here's who I think will grab each prize, and I'll post the actual winners plus reaction tomorrow:

Best Picture: Into the Wild

Based on the fact their winner doesn't usually win at Oscar I'm not gonna go for Atonement. Otherwise I probably would have. I also think The Kite Runner is in with a shout. They gave it to Neverland and this looks equally as sappy.

Rest of Top Ten:

The Assassination of Jesse James

Atonement

I'm Not There

Juno

The Kite Runner

Michael Clayton

No Country For Old Men

Sweeney Todd

There Will Be Blood

Best Director: Sean Penn - Into the Wild

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood

Best Actress in a Leading Role: Ellen Page - Juno

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Hal Holbrook - Into the Wild

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There