The Hush-Hush News Report 02.01.12: My Death Wish For Candy Land

Posted by Jeremy Wilson on 02.01.2012

News and thoughts on Matthew Vaughn directing the X-Men: First Class sequel, Joe Carnahan's taking on Death Wish, Ben Kingsley joining Ender's Game and Adam Sandler visiting Candy Land, plus an in-depth look at the Oscar nominations and more!





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Right to the news...



First Class Back For Sophomore Outing



It is being widely reported that 20th Century Fox has wrapped up deals to bring back the entire principal cast along with director Matthew Vaughn. It was widely expected that stars Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy and Jennifer Lawrence would return, since all were reported to have signed multi-picture contracts (as is standard with big Hollywood tent-pole franchises). The film's critical and box office success also was a good sign signaling Vaughn's return, with the director saying multiple times that he would like to come back for the sequel. Former "X-Men" director Bryan Singer, who acted as producer on "First Class" is also returning in the same capacity.

In addition to returns of the Singer, Vaughn and the cast, screenwriter Simon Kinberg has been hired to pen the script for the new film. Kinberg has experience penning large tent-pole franchise scripts...with mixed success. Kinberg's credits include "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "Sherlock Holmes," "Jumper" and previous work on the widely panned "X-Men: The Last Stand."

"X-Men: First Class" was one of the best reviewed of this past summer's blockbuster/tent-pole films and raked in over $353 million at the box office.

As of now, there is no word on a release date or even major storylines, but one would expect the film to be even bigger than its predecessor based on its success and the rising star of Michael Fassbender (Shame, Prometheus) and Jennifer Lawrence (the upcoming Hunger Games).

Great news as 411's Best Film of 2011 (stop snickering!) really was great and reinvigorated the entire franchise after two rather dismal outings (The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine). While it was widely expected that the cast would be back, it is nice to get confirmation of it since they are perhaps the most talented and best of any major tent-pole franchise (The Dark Knight Rises and its cast will likely finish off their involvement with this summer's outing). There is no word if January Jones will be back, but that might be one recasting fans wouldn't mind. One would imagine that Fox would want a sequel as soon as possible, but this cast is in serious demand (Lawrence is starring in The Hunger Games series which is expected to be four films) and the series has another installment coming out in 2013 with The Wolverine so it may not be until 2014 that we see the follow-up to First Class.


Taylor Lautner's Career Is Stalling



Long expected to follow up his appearances in the "Twilight" franchise with a starring turn in the big budget Hasbro adaptation of "Stretch Armstrong," Taylor Lautner has been forced to drop out of the long-gestating project due to scheduling conflicts. Lautner dropping out coincides with Hasbro dissolving its partnership with Universal Pictures, which initially was going to lead to big budget movies being made for a number of the toy company's products including "Stretch," "Ouija," "Candyland" (see below), "Monopoly," "Clue," "Magic: The Gathering" and the upcoming "Battleship." Even though the pair are releasing "Battleship" (starring Taylor Kitsch and Liam Neeson) this May, Hasbro has decided to take it's Stretch project to Relativity Media, where "Stretch" will be the first film coming out of the new partnership. The Stretch Armstrong character originated as a toy that came out in the 1970's, stood 13'' tall and always returned to its original form, no matter how far you stretched it (around four feet). Get it? There is currently no word on who will be replacing Taylor Lautner as star or other details on cast and crew. However, "Stretch" is being slated for an April 11th, 2014 release date. So make sure to mark your calendars.

If you've read recent columns, you'll know I've had some fun at Hasbro's expense. Part of it is because they either end up putting out terrible movies or seemingly come up with terrible ideas for movies. In some respects, I think of them as the white trash cousins to Marvel. Yes they've made tons of money on the backs of their Transformers franchise, but those films aren't exactly cinematic gold. Plus, that was the easiest of their products to transition to the big screen. I have no idea if Battleship is going to be any good or not (I have my doubts), but a Hasbro-Taylor Lautner movie about Stretch Armstrong could have easily catapulted to early frontrunner Razzie status. In a perverse way, I was sort of looking forward to it, because of how historically awful it could have been. Now, "The Man of a Thousand (CGI) Abs" is gone from the project and Hasbro has to start from scratch. What is more troubling than Lautner leaving the project is that even Universal – a studio that could use a hit film or three – seemed unsure or uncomfortable about committing resources to any of Hasbro's projects beyond Battleship. Enter Relativity Media, which is going through its own behind-the-scenes drama, but which still seems bullish on the Stretch Armstrong project. Which leads me to...


Adam Sandler Goes From Jack and Jill To Candy Land



2011 was not a good year for Adam Sandler and Happy Madison Productions. Luckily for them, it's not 2011 anymore. Since Hasbro has dissolved it's former union with Universal and is producing its own films now (already announcing the Stretch Armstrong project with Relativity Media), the game and toy company has taken its "Candy Land" property to Sony's Columbia Pictures, with the actor in final negotiations to star in the project and for Happy Madison to co-produce. "Candy Land," created in 1949, is a game targeted at young children that leads players through the Peppermint Forest, the Gum Drop Mountains and the Lollipop Woods. Characters in the game include Princess Frostine, Mr. Mint, Lord Licorice, Gramma Nut and King Candy.

Kevin Lima ("Enchanted") is expected to direct the film with Sandler and Robert Smigel taking scripting duties. Columbia Pictures president Doug Belgrad, in announcing the project, stated that "Candy Land is more than just a game. It is a brand that children, parents and grandparents know and love. The world of Candy Land offers an extraordinary canvas upon which to create a fantastical, live-action family adventure film with a larger than life part for Adam. We are thrilled to partner with Hasbro and Happy Madison on this project."

I will admit, I have played my fair share of Candy Land and have always fondly recalled its colorful, tasty characters and settings. While I doubt any proposed Candy Land movie is going to be any good, my greatest hesitation doesn't involve the game itself. It's Adam Sandler. I'm sorry, but the man gave up a long time ago. With the perceived failure of Funny People, I think he simply made the easiest decision he could. Check the career in idle and make projects people expect of him. Thus we got the disastrous slate of films for the last two years. I don't trust Adam Sandler and I shudder to imagine a colorful and delightfully Oz-like world with him in it. I am, of course, resigned to it happening, but it still makes my inner 5-year-old sad. Taylor Lautner in Stretch Armstrong, Adam Sandler in Candy Land and Michael Bay coming back to direct TWO MORE Transformers movies. It's like Hasbro is on a jihad to destroy summer blockbusters.


Joe Carnahan Has A Death Wish



Director Joe Carnahan, fresh off the success of his recently released wilderness and wolves thriller "The Grey," has been rewarded with being allowed to helm the new reboot/remake of "Death Wish." Carnahan has been hired to write and direct the new version of the 1974 vigilante cult classic which shot Charles Bronson to stardom and spawned what seemed like a million sequels (there were actually only four over the course of the next twenty years). The original centered on a liberal architect who seeks retribution after his wife is murdered and daughter is raped by a group of muggers. Sylvester Stallone had been previously linked to a rebooted version of the series in 2006, but nothing ever materialized.

Carnahan has alrady come out and tweeted about his concept for the rebooted series, which will be produced by MGM and Paramount. "Guys. I'm doing "Death Wish." But this version is a re-imagining of the book and set in present day Los Angeles. The L.A. of "Collateral"… It's on buses, cabs, metro trains. I want to show an unseen version of L.A. L.A. on foot. Prowling. Hunting. The vast emptiness of downtown… ["Drive" director Nicolas Winding Refn] did a phenomenal job shooting L.A. It took on a different dimension. That's the key."

Carnahan had also been linked with a passion project of his on Pablo Escobar called "Killing Pablo" which he had been expected to helm following "The Grey." On "Killing Pablo," Carnahan stated: "[Killing] Pablo is basically greenlit guys. That one isn't going anywhere. Promise… KP is happening. I'm not letting that one slip away." He also stated that he's writing a role in "Death Wish" specifically for Frank Grillo ("The Grey"), although we don't yet know what role that may be. As of now, there is no reported release date for the updated "Death Wish" or "Killing Pablo," although with the success of his latest film, it is expected Carnahan will get started on both projects sooner rather than later, since they've both been green-lit and announced.

I really liked The Grey, which is good for this story because I hated some of Carnahan's previous films like Smokin' Aces and The A-Team (which I've admittedly only seen about half of). Plus, was I the only one that instantly thought of Liam Neeson for this when I first heard it announced? With the way Neeson's career has been going, he's cornering the market on these kind of dark, menacing action thrillers that get released in January. Plus, he's starred in Carnahan's last two pictures. It seems Carnahan is the man of the moment with the unexpected strength (both critical and commercial) of The Grey and it seems he isn't going to stray to far from his comfort zone. I can't say I'm a huge fan of the Death Wish movies, but how about others? Do you want an updated Death Wish? Who do you want to see star in it?

Ben Kingsley Joins All-Star Cast For Ender's Game



Sir Ben Kingsley has joined the cast of the upcoming adaptation of "Ender's Game." The long-gestating and much anticipated science fiction classic was finally given the go-ahead last year and is about ready to head into full production and shooting next month in New Orleans. Kinglsey – who will play war hero Mazer Rackham – joins Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Hailee Steinfeld and Abigail Breslin and director Gavin Hood ("Tsotsi," "X-Men Origins: Wolverine") on the big budget epic. Also on-board is Brandon Soo Hoo ("G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra") to play Fly Solo.

"Ender's Game" tells the story of young Ender Wiggin who is sent to advanced military training in preparation for an anticipated alien invasion. It is a massively popular science fiction classic that has spawned numerous sequels and parallel stories from author Orson Scott Card. "Ender's Game" is schedule to hit theaters on March 15th, 2013.

This is happy news for the vast amount of Ender's Game fans out there, as this has truly been one of those "dream" projects stuck in pre-production and studio hell. Kingsley is a phenomenal actor (although perhaps not the most obvious candidate for Mazer Rackham) and re-teams with Asa Butterfield (they were both in Hugo). Although, doesn't it seem like Ford and Kingsley should switch roles? Maybe that's just me. Anyway, I like Ender's Game and can't wait to see what they do with it on the big screen since it is incredibly well suited for the cinematic treatment. I do have some issues with the material, but I'm always glad to see Hollywood take something of a risk and attempt to do science fiction right on the big screen. Expect a teaser trailer by Thanksgiving.


Beasts Of The Southern Wild Had A Very Good Week



Last week saw the world debut of one of the most buzzed about films at the Sundance Film Festival, the fantastical and slightly strange Bayou film,"Beasts of the Southern Wild,". It went from being the most buzzed about film of the festival to being awarded the Grand Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Feature (American competition). The film received a wildly enthusiastic response after its world premiere on Friday and all the major indie/boutique studios were in pursuit. Fox Searchlight acquired the rights to distribute the film for an undisclosed fee (but thought-to-be around $2 million).

The Hollywood Reporter described the film and its production this way:

"Developed at the Sundance Institute filmmaker labs and cast with non-professional actors, Beasts centers on Hushpuppy, a six-year-old girl who lives with her tough-love father at the edge of the water on the outside of protective levees in southernmost Louisiana. As he becomes sick and tries to prepare her for the end of the universe, mildly apocalyptic events cause the seas to rise, animals and trees to begin dying and giant, prehistoric creatures to thaw from the ice caps. As they struggle to survive with a handful of their neighbors who also refuse to leave their water-drenched home (called the Bathtub), Hushpuppy is forced to comprehend her place in the universe.

Zeitlin wrote the film with Lucy Alibar. Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey and Josh Penn produced the project.

The film, which is in the U.S. narrative competition, played to a rapturous response for its unique vision and strange beauty. A charming Q&A afterwards that included Quvenzhane Wallis, the young girl who plays Hushpuppy, added to the goodwill trailing the film."

It is expected Fox Searchlight will release the film later this year.

Beasts of the Southern Wild had quite the coming out party. I know I mentioned it last week, but I'm incredibly curious to see the film as it sounds like a breath of fresh air and confirmation that American independent cinema is alive and well. I know I also mentioned the description from Steve Pond of The Wrap who summed it up as "a movie, you could say, for people who think "Treme" doesn't have enough gumbo, "Take Shelter" could use more apocalypse, "Where the Wild Things Are" isn't wild enough and "When the Levees Broke" could have done with a few prehistoric creatures rampaging through the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina." How could that not be interesting. There is no hint of a release date, but one would imagine Fox Searchlight – a very strong studio and one that has released some of the strongest American films of the past few years – would want it involved come awards season.


Trailer Face-Off:

This week's trailer face-off showcases three major wide releases hitting theaters this week: Big Miracle, Chronicle and The Woman in Black. There are two other films hitting theaters in limited release (but both have been available through video-on-demand services beforehand), Kill List and The Innkeepers.

Are you planning on seeing any or all of these? Which looks better? Let me know in the comments.



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This Week In Awards

Sundance Film Festival List of Winners:

Grand Jury Prize, Documentary: "The House I Live In"
World Cinema Jury Prize, Dramatic: "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
World Cinema Jury Prize, Dramatic: "Violeta Went to Heaven"
World Cinema Jury Prize, Documentary: "The Law in These Parts"

Audience Award, Documentary: "The Invisible War"
Audience Award, Dramatic: "The Surrogate"
World Cinema Audience Award, Documentary: "Searching for Sugar Man"
World Cinema Audience Award, Dramatic: "Valley of Saints"

Best of NEXT Award: "Sleepwalk With Me"
Directing Award, Documentary: Lauren Greenfield, "The Queen of Versailles"
Directing Award, Dramatic: Ana DuVernay, "Middle of Nowhere"
World Cinema Directing Award, Documentary: Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi, "5 Broken Cameras"
World Cinema Directing Award, Dramatic: Mads Matthiesen, "Teddy Bear"

Waldo Salt Screengwriting Award: Derek Connolly, "Safety Not Guaranteed"
World Cinema Screenwriting Award: Marialy Rivas, Camila Gutierrez, Pedro Peirano and Sebastian Sepulveda, "Young & Wild"
Documentary Editing Award: "Detropia"
World Cinema Documentary Editing Award: "Indie Game: The Movie"
Excellence in Cinematography Award, Documentary: "Chasing Ice"
Excellence in Cinematography Award, Dramatic: "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
World Cinema Cinematography Award, Documentary: "Putin's Kiss"
World Cinema Cinematography Award, Dramatic: "My Brother the Devil"
World Cinema Special Jury Prize, Dramatic: "CAN"
World Cinema Special Jury Prize, Documentary: "Searching for Sugar Man"
Special Jury Prize, Documentary: "Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry" and "Love Free or Die"
Special Jury Prize, Dramatic: Andrea Sperling and Jonathan Schwartz, "Smashed" and "Nobody Walks"
Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Acting: "The Surrogate"

Shorts Audience Award: "The Debutante Hunters"


Directors Guild of America Awards:

Feature Film: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Documentary: James Marsh, "Project Nim"
Movies for Television and Mini-Series: Jon Kassar, "The Kennedys"
Dramatic Series: Patty Jenkins, "The Killing": pilot
Comedy Series: Robert B. Weide, "Curb Your Enthusiasm": "Palestinian Chicken"
Musical Variety: Glenn Weiss, "The 65th Annual Tony Awards"
Reality Programs: Neil P. DeGroot, "Biggest Loser": "Episode #1115"
Daytime Serials: William Ludel, "General Hospital": "Intervention"
Children's Programs: Amy Schatz, "A Child's Garden of Poetry"
Commercials: Noam Murro, "Handlebar Moustache," "Hot House," "Pinata," "Is It Real?"

Frank Capra Achievement Award: Katy Garretson
Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award: Dennis Mazzocco
Honorary Life Membership: Ed Sherin


Screen Actors Guild Awards:

MOVIES:

Actor: Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"

Actress: Viola Davis, "The Help"

Supporting actor: Christopher Plummer, "Beginners."

Supporting actress: Octavia Spencer, "The Help."

Cast: "The Help"

Stunt ensemble: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2."


TELEVISION:

Actor in a movie or miniseries: Paul Giamatti, "Too Big to Fail."

Actress in a movie or miniseries: Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce."

Actor in a drama series: Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"

Actress in a drama series: Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"

Actor in a comedy series: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock."

Actress in a comedy series: Betty White, "Hot in Cleveland."

Drama series cast: "Boardwalk Empire"

Comedy series cast: "Modern Family."

Stunt ensemble: "Game of Thrones."

Life Achievement: Mary Tyler Moore

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The Hush-Hush Editorial: The 84th Academy Awards Nominations –A Harder Look

Last week, I gave my initial impressions on the nominations for the Academy Awards. I was running on high emotions and little sleep. Well, I've had a week to digest these and the winners announced by the DGA and SAG. And I've calmed down a bit. However, that doesn't mean I think there aren't problems. In fact, I have some serious issues with some of these. My final predictions will be coming in a few weeks, but most of the big categories are seemingly wrapped up at this point. I also am planning on putting together my "from scratch" Oscar nominee choices. Look for those either next week or the week after. For now, here are more of my thoughts:



Best Picture
"The Artist" Thomas Langmann, Producer
"The Descendants" Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" Scott Rudin, Producer
"The Help" Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
"Hugo" Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
"Midnight in Paris" Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
"Moneyball" Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
"The Tree of Life" Nominees to be determined
"War Horse" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

I already gave my thoughts on Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close rallying to get a Best Picture nomination. To put it succinctly: it stinks. The movie stinks and it getting a Best Picture nomination over so many other more worthy pictures is a sad commentary on the Academy itself. There was a brief period – in the middle part of the last decade – where the Academy seemingly rode critical darlings that went against their historical tastes as an institution. The Departed, No Country For Old Men, and The Hurt Locker are all truly great films that break the typical Oscar Best Picture mold. Even the crowd-pleasing Slumdog Millionaire – with all of its Indian dancing, no-name cast members and honest-ish look at Indian society, was different from the Oscar norm. The nominees were diverse and there were many films and performances that could be described as dark, even dour.

The case could be made – and has by some – that the slate of Best Picture nominees last year was one of, if not the strongest and most well-rounded group of nominated films the Academy Awards have ever seen. That lofty group is certainly a tough act to follow, but it's especially disheartening to see the Academy pivot back so hard, starting last year by throwing it's full weight behind The King's Speech. The year after choosing arguably the smallest, least-seen Best Picture winner in history, The Hurt Locker (a film that took a hard look at the war in Iraq and on the effects and consequences of war), it went with the most crowd-pleasing, safe and standard choice the next year (the British biopic/period piece is and Academy and industry standard). It then followed that up by coming full circle, disposing of the dark, the dreary, the depressing – opting for a full slate of uplifting films, most of which go to great pains to get audiences smiling or crying as they leave the theater – no matter the contrivances to get there or flaws that emerge. It's pretty hard to imagine – even only a year later – seeing Black Swan, Winter's Bone, 127 Hours, The Kids Are All Right or even Oscar favorites' the Coen Brothers' True Grit nominated in this Oscar season. Instead the Academy defaulted to their natural tastes; we got to see this year more than any other what they as a group like. The new voting procedures ensured that, with films needing something approximating 250 first place votes (the voting body consists of just over 6,000 members from the different branches).

I like that they aren't limiting or pigeon-holing a "set" number of nominees. That is a good change, at least. Films that deserved more include: Drive, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Melancholia, Shame, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with the worst being the exclusion of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. A film that got a DGA nod for Fincher and Oscar nods in Editing, Cinematography, Actress and the Sound categories is a true puzzler.

Directing
"The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius
"The Descendants" Alexander Payne
"Hugo" Martin Scorsese
"Midnight in Paris" Woody Allen
"The Tree of Life" Terrence Malick

Winning the Directors Guild award pretty much locks up the Oscar for Michel Hazanavicius. A gutless bunch, that DGA. Hazanavicius has handled everything with nothing but class, so it's hard not to root for him. The problem, of course, is that I think the DGA are a bunch of cowards – more than any of the other "major" guilds. Yes, that sounds harsh, but it's admittedly a personal thing – this was a group who somehow felt Tom Hooper did a better directing job for taking the unheard-of risk in shooting a nice, uplifting period piece/biopic than David Fincher or Christopher Nolan did with their respective pictures. All the guilds ultimately boil down to popularity contests and the best PR teams (hint: The Weinsteins always win), but the DGA choices have seemingly become especially galling. It seems to me it didn't used to be like that, but (Actually, they've always seemingly been about that. For particularly vexing choices, see: 1968, 1876, 1979-1981, 1983, 1990, 1994, 2001, 2010...to name a few) the DGA has seemingly found it more important to try and predict the Oscar winner for Best Picture instead of taking any sort of risk or reward any clear directorial vision. I like The Artist slightly more than The King's Speech and Hazanavicius is the man of the moment, but The Artist was the film Hollywood decided on early in this process. I don't think it will age well, but that won't matter to Harvey Weinstein, Michel Hazanavicius and company since they'll always be known as Oscar winners for The Artist. And once again, David Fincher is left to wonder, what did he do to deserve getting shafted out of a win last year and a nomination (even the DGA nominated him this year) this year. I like Woody – and he'll most likely win Best Original Screenplay – but I'd have Fincher in there over him, especially for the likeable (but something of a trifle) Midnight in Paris.

Actor in a Leading Role
Demián Bichir in "A Better Life"
George Clooney in "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"
Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"

I'm very happy for Gary Oldman, as this is his FIRST Oscar nomination. Ever. In any category. It's a very understated performance, but one that has a ton of subtlety and nuance. It also is the lynchpin of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I haven't seen A Better Life but it is a film that has been championed by Los Angeles critics. Shocker, it's an L.A. film. After his SAG award, Dujardin has suddenly become something of a favorite to win, although I still think there is strong support for Clooney (who I think deserves it of this group). Obviously, numerous snubs have been mentioned: Michael Fassbender (Shame), Michael Shannon (Take Shelter), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50), Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar) and Ryan Gosling (Drive). DiCaprio was widely expected to get a nomination ( he received on from SAG), but the film is terrible and I'm not all that sad. Any of those previously mentioned are deserving, but Fassbender's exclusion is particularly galling. In the pit of my guy, somehow I knew the Academy would really struggle – especially in a year of uplifting, emotional nominees – with a performance that dark and depressing from a NC-17 film. This isn't the late '60's/early '70's and the Academy – the industry itself – has made its feelings on sex and nudity perfectly clear. A little T&A and sex from female actresses is acceptable (Halle Berry, Kate Winslet, Natalie Portman), but actually have a man bare it all the way Fassbender does and have a film explore what Shame attempts...and it's a pass. Gosling for Drive was always going to be a hard sell, but the lack of self-awareness and near-ignorance of Drive (arguably the second most discussed/debated/buzzed-about movie of the year) overall is stunning even for the Academy.

Actor in a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn"
Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte in "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"
Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

This category is a mess. Plummer has been ordained to win this for about 7-8 months, but the rest of the nominees are terrible. No offense to Max von Sydow, but he plays a mute older sidekick/guide in a terrible movie. Nick Nolte plays Nick Nolte very well, but I'm not sure I'd put him ahead of those snubbed. Everyone knows how I feel about Moneyball but even diehard fans of that movie would have a hard time arguing Hill deserved a nod over fellow funnyman Patton Oswalt (Young Adult). I know Moneyball is the easier movie of the two to like, but Oswalt is arguably the best part of a better, more interesting movie. Even having seen Big Fan, I'm still shocked Oswalt had that performance from Young Adult in him. And I'm sorry, but Kenneth Branagh – who I like and admire as much as everyone – just doesn't deserve a nomination for the total lightweight My Week with Marilyn. In addition to Oswalt, Ben Kingsley (Hugo), Alan Rickman (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) and Albert Brooks (Drive) all deserve nominations over those non-Plummer four. The previously mentioned tone-deafness from Hollywood concerning Drive reared its ugly head yet again in this category.

Actress in a Leading Role
Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis in "The Help"
Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"

Kirsten Dunst in Melancholia. Tilda Swinton for We Need To Talk About Kevin. Elisabeth Olsen for Martha Marcy May Marlene. The year of uplifting and emotional button-pushing films took its toll on these three; their dark and powerful performances in small independent fare becoming excluded for impersonations of Marilyn Monroe, Margaret Thatcher and...a weird little man. That is not meant to disrespect Michelle Williams, Meryl Streep and Glenn Close. Williams is one of the finest younger actresses in movies today and she does about as well as she can with sub-par material. Streep and Close are about as good as it gets (or has ever gotten). That doesn't mean, however, that they deserve to be nominated for EVERY PERFORMANCE THEY GIVE. No one is a bigger fan of Meryl Streep than me, but nobody can convince me that she deserves recognition for a fine performance/impersonation in a terrible movie. The Iron Lady is a terrible film and not even Streep can salvage it. Albert Nobbs is better, but it is still a weird performance that stays focused far too long on surface-level. Plus, being outshone by your less-heralded castmate (Janet McTeer) isn't a strong sign that your own performance is of a truly standout nature. Plus, a cross-dressing period piece...it fits the bill to a "T" but simply lacks a special quality.

Actress in a Supporting Role
Bérénice Bejo in "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain in "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer in "The Help"

I'm not as thrilled with Octavia Spencer's inevitable march to victory as others, but on the list of problems with this year's nominations, that is lower on the list for me. The Help is a mediocre movie with a great cast and fine performances (Viola Davis is very deserving of recognition, even though its more of a supporting turn – but that line has been so blurred over the years it ultimately doesn't much matter). I have no issue with Bejo, McTeer or McCarthy being nominated, although the latter two probably wouldn't be on my dream ballot. Jessica Chastain deserves to be nominated – for her performances other than The Help. Carey Mulligan (Shame, Drive) and Charlotte Gainsbourg (Melancholia) truly delivered standout performances (although the latter could be described as more of a lead-ish performance).

Animated Feature Film
"A Cat in Paris" Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
"Chico & Rita" Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
"Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson
"Puss in Boots" Chris Miller
"Rango" Gore Verbinski

No love for Pooh-bear makes me sad. I think it was too short and being geared for the pre-school crowd probably didn't help. I'm glad Tintin got left off. I don't care if Speilberg and Jackson were involved – it didn't deserve it. Neither did Cars 2. I will fully admit I haven't seen either A Cat in Paris or Chico & Rita but those who have say only good things (the latter was a possible nominee on many experts' predictions).

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From The Great Capt. Smooth (Guest):
Loud and Close(that's what I'll be calling it) turned me off in the previews, because it looked too preachy. Can't get into stuff like that.

It's somehow worse than the trailers let on. Instead of 2 minutes of annoying Thomas Horn, there's over two hours of him. Oh, there's also the most contrived, mawkish, sickly-sweet raping of a national tragedy I've seen in years. Does it stir emotions? Yes, it does. How can it not? 9/11 – even over a decade later – is a raw wound for many. But it also made me want to take a shower during and after seeing it. Shameful.

From Guest#5762 (Guest):
Am I the only one who only wants minimal spoilers on movies like DKR and Avengers?

Nope. I constantly go back and forth on spoilers and leaks. Part of me is curious, but another part of me is hesitant to go down that rabbit hole and risk ruining a picture before seeing it or building up ridiculous per-conceived notions and expectations. I also fully understand the curiosity factor and desire to click on articles to get the scoop and have a better understanding of the process and film. I try to strike some kind of balance when I write this column (for instance) and do my best to cater to as many people as possible. I think The Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers info got a bit out of hand, but sites – much like TV stations and studios – are simply giving consumers what they want. And people obviously want as much info about those big films as possible. But to sum up...yes, I'm a bit tired of the extensive spoilers (although the leaked footage/pics are almost worse in a way).

From Mario (Guest):
Loud and Close(that's what I'll be calling it) turned me off in the previews, because it looked too preachy. Can't get into stuff like that.

Posted By: The Great Capt. Smooth (Guest) on January 25, 2012 at 06:08

My thought exactly - I saw the first commercial and said no thanks...I do need to get to the movies more though...I haven't seen anything nominated this year...damn kids.

Ironically, I've seen everything. Partly, because I write about movies, but also because I like the awards season and I don't like talking about films, performances and races I haven't seen. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, however, is perhaps not the place to start. They're not all bad though; I'm thrilled to see Hugo get so many nominations and films like The Tree of Life, The Artist, The Descendants are wonderful movies. Even Midnight in Paris and War Horse are decent films, fine examples of the kind of movie the Academy obviously prefers. I wouldn't necessarily nominate those last two (or the others not mentioned) but there are a lot worse movies than those.

From Eddie G (Guest):
Terrence Malick is a total hack, his movies are long boring pieces of crap that only make sense to "film school" folk who are told they should like his stuff.

He's right up there with the other two biggest hacks in the world Julie Taymor and Grant Morrison.

And before I get attacked for "not understanding" I do understand and it's all mental masturbatory crap.

I'm not going to say you don't understand or accuse you of anything. I don't know you. However, I will say I completely disagree with you and I would say you are in the vast minority with that sentiment. Also, I do seem to remember the "Malick-Taymor-Morrison are hacks" complaint awhile ago. I'm guessing that was you as well. On Malick at least, we'll agree to disagree. And for the record, I don't like, admire or respect him because someone told me I should. I'm not a sheep. To be honest though, I don't really understand what "mental masturbatory crap" is or how we should classify it. If that means "thinking"...then I think that says more about you rather than anyone (director or "film school folk") you may be insulting.

From APrince66 (Guest):
I am totally going to see The Grey. Liam Neeson stranded in the snow with spikes attached to his fists duking it out with evil wolves....hell yes

It does look pretty sweet., doesn't it. Although, Taken looked really good too and I wasn't much of a fan of that film. Anyway, the release schedule is a bit soft at the moment and it feels like it could be a good time for The Grey to hit theaters.

From The Reaper (Guest):
Why i might ask do we need a Crow reboot?,the original was brilliant and remained true to the comic,my fear is they will want to steer away from the original and ruin the whole concept.

Like I said last week, you all obviously didn't wish hard enough! Seriously though, I agree with you. I really like the original version of The Crow and while I don't necessarily consider a masterpiece (I prefer Alex Proyas' Dark City) I see absolutely no need for a remake/reboot and I really struggle to see where the new version could be a vast improvement. Anything is possible...but odds say otherwise.

From P.R.D.C.T (Guest):
I think one of the biggest snubs that you left out was Take Shelter and specifically Michael Shannon not getting a nomination.
Loud and Close looks way to sappy and preachy so of course it was just what the oscars would nominate. Will probably win, which will just add another best picture winner that no one remembers or cares about in a couple years, while many of the non winners will be remembered. So same old oscars

Totally agree that Take Shelter was among the snubs this year. Shannon was always on the outside looking in, but he definitely should have been talked about more. Also, a good case could be made that Jessica Chastain's nomination for The Help was well behind her work in her other films (Take Shelter, The Tree of Life) and that the Academy screwed the pooch on that one.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is plenty sappy and preachy and we've gotten confirmation this year – with the Academy's new voting procedures – that is the kind of film they generally like. It has absolutely no chance of winning. Trust me, it's not going to win. But the simple fact that it was nominated is bad enough, evidence of a flawed system and of a group willing to promote and nominate third-rate uplifting/emotional crap over films of stark power and tough issues. I totally agree with you; more often than not, the films ignored by Oscar are often more admired and remembered as the years go by than those who get a token nomination or two (or even a win). We saw this in even more striking fashion than this year when The King's Speech beat out The Social Network and Inception. I really like The Artist (it's really hard not to!), but I genuinely believe 10 years from now it winning Best Picture (which it will) will be seen as a trifle and gimmick. It's the movie of the moment and the fact that it makes so many people happy is what is swaying voters/movie-goers. Down the line, it will be films like Hugo, Drive, The Tree of Life, Shame, Bridesmaids, A Separation and Mysteries of Lisbon that will define the year in film.

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Trailer of the Week: Game of Thrones Season 2 "Shadow" Tease




Funny Video of the Week: "The Kiss"




That's all for this week. Let me know what you think in the comments section. For now, this is Jeremy Wilson, off the record, on the QT...



...and definitely, "Hush Hush!"