Could be a contender.
Like many of you, I’m sure, I’ve been eagerly following the reports from the Venice and Telluride Film Festivals, and looking forward to the opening of Toronto next week. This is the time when we start to see the movies that are awards contenders and the ones you’ll hear about a lot over the next few months.
Keeping in mind the fact that I have not seen any of these movies (regretfully–I do wish I was in Venice or Telluride or on my way to Toronto), here are some early notes about what people are saying and predicting:
- Reviews for The Master have been generally very, very, very good–but just short of great. The feeling seems to be that the movie is gorgeous, with finer performances, but in the end doesn’t really quite go anywhere. The one thing everyone can agree on, though, is that Joaquin Phoenix gives a powerhouse of a performance that makes him a lock for a Best Actor nomination, if not the award itself. Supporting nominations may be on the way for Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams, and a Best Picture nod should be there as well. Paul Thomas Anderson is a likely Best Director candidate.
- So far everyone at Telluride has loved Argo, which not only takes place in the ’70s, but seems like a throwback to ’70s political thrillers. The feeling seems to be that not only will it score with critics, but it may with audiences as well. Definitely a Best Picture contender, maybe a Best Actor nomination (though unlikely win) for Ben Affleck–who shows again that he’s no directing fluke and who may be up for a Best Director nomination in a very crowded field. There could be a Best Supporting for Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston, or John Goodman.
- Marion Cotillard is in Telluride with Rust and Bone, which was a hit at Cannes. She could be well on her way to another Best Actress win; I haven’t heard anyone talking about any other big female performance.
- Hyde Park on the Hudson is being described as a lighter version of “The King’s Speech,” if you can imagine that–another slice of history that personalizes major historical figures. Doesn’t sound like anyone hates it but no one LOVES it. People do seem to admire Bill Murray’s take on Franklin Roosevelt, though. He could be up for a Best Actor nomination–possibly with another presidential performance, the yet-to-be-seen Daniel Day-Lewis version of Abraham Lincoln.
That’s it for the moment. We’ll be following these and many others as the awards season heats up!
