Oscar Index: Actresses Gone Wild
The Leading 5:
1. Octavia Spencer, The Help
2. Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus
3. Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
4. Shailene Woodley, The Descendants
5. Sandra Bullock, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Outsiders: Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids; Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter; Jessica Chastain, The Help; Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs; Judi Dench, J. Edgar; Keira Knightley, A Dangerous Method; Mia Wasikowska, Albert Nobbs; Emily Watson, War Horse; Marion Cotillard, Midnight in Paris
Meh. I've got nothing. How about you?
The Leading 5:
1. Christopher Plummer, Beginners
2. Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
3. Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
4. Albert Brooks, Drive
5. Nick Nolte, Warrior
Outsiders: Jonah Hill, Moneyball; Jim Broadbent, The Iron Lady; Viggo Mortensen, A Dangerous Method; John C. Reilly, Carnage; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Moneyball; Armie Hammer, J. Edgar; Corey Stoll, Midnight in Paris
More meh. Branagh was a beneficiary of the Marilyn bump and may continue to climb as the months go on, but for now it's pretty slight. Plummer power!
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Comments
What happened to the summer buzz about Alan Rickman getting a Supporting nod for Harry Potter: 10 Years of Hard Labor and Good Work Should Get Us Something Ferchrissakes?
Right! Sorry, I gotta add that.
Drive = Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Score, Best Editing, Best Scorpion Jacket, Best Hammer, Best Face Smash
I think this oscar index exercise is not very helpful. Most of the films mentioned have not yet been released. So what's your basis for saying that this film or that performance is worthy of an oscar? Shouldn't it be based on artistic merits instead of hype and press releases? By doing this, you don't need a great movie or performance to win an oscar, you just need a well oiled PR machine.
Why is it that there are no mentions of Drive. Drive was amazing and perhaps the best film of the year so far. At least Gosling, the soundtrack, Refn, and Mulligan need nods. This is to little recognition of genius.
That's what I've been saying.
If I were an academy member, they'd get my vote, but I don't think it has that great of a chance as it stands. It's really a cult film at the moment, since the general public didn't want to see an art film, but the movie elite didn't want to see a genre piece. It's a brilliant movie, but it just doesn't have the politics and the momentum and the universal appeal necessary for the Oscars. Maybe an Independent Spirit Award. Maybe.
This was supposed to be a reply to the previous comment... damn you, Movieline comment system.
It just goes to show that prognosticators are late to the game with Bejo. The Artist showed at Cannes ... back in May? And then it showed at Toronto ONE FULL MONTH ago. And you're all just now catching on. Haha.
For your consideration for best actress: Tyler Perry.
Nuff said.
A guy can dream. I know it's gonna happen someday.
So what's your basis for saying that this film or that performance is worthy of an oscar? Shouldn't it be based on artistic merits instead of hype and press releases?
In a perfect world? Of course. But the Oscars have never been about recognizing artistic merit.
Furthermore, as stated many times before and reiterated in this week's edition, the Oscar Index is _not a critical barometer of awards-season films_. It is an attempt to distill the major stories, plots, developments, trends and rumors around the awards sphere down to one pulse -- one tale about the ups and downs of the year's race as a whole. I don't know how to make that any clearer.
Also, all but five of the movies here -- War Horse, J. Edgar, The Iron Lady, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Girl With the Dragon Tattoo -- have at least been seen and written about in festival settings, so it's not like we're flying totally blind here.
Precisely. Let 'Drive' be the evocative cinematic achievement it is, not the film that couldn't persuade Oscar to look kindly upon it. They exist on different planes -- which isn't to excuse Academy tradition, but it is what it is.
Please see above. I hear what you're saying, believe me, but this feature is "Oscar Index," not "Most Admired by Movieline Critics and Readers But Likely to Be Snubbed the Academy Index." That said, maybe the latter is an idea whose time has come!
What happened to all the Rachel Weisz love for The Whistleblower? Was August that long ago that her name doesn't even get mentioned?
I hear you, but again, please see above. These aren't my picks; it's taking the temperature of who's where. I'd love for Weisz to get nominated, and I've thrown it out there, but it isn't happening. 🙁
What about John Hawkes for Best Supporting Actor in Martha Marcy May Marlene? I thought he stole the film. With great performances in Me and You and Everyone We Know and Winter's Bone, surely he must be getting some recognition by now
I really feel the absence of Midnight in Paris here. Nothing. Really. The Academy loves Woody Allen not to mention former winners Kathy Bates and Marion Cotilard.
He's absolutely great, but there's not much buzz on him right now. But! I do think you'll see him attract a little more notice closer to the end of the year, especially as critics awards emerge. Those went a long way in nudging him into the discussion for Winter's Bone.
what abvout michelle Yeoh in The Lady