Oscars | the m0vie blog

$400,000 won’t buy you a good review from Variety, but it will kill a bad one…

Posted on March 2, 2010 by Darren

Far be it for us to gloat over the misfortune of a major industry publication, but this story of Oscar ‘payola’ caught my eye. Basically Variety has been accused of pulping a bad review for a film which provided the magazine with $400,000 worth of advertising revenue. The film is Iron Cross – don’t worry that you haven’t heard of the would-be Oscar contender. It’s only really claim to awards prestige is that it offered the last performance of Roy Schneider. However, that $400,000 has gone along way – a lot of film nerds now know all about the film, which wasn’t on the radar last week.

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: $400000, advertising, bribery, film, google cache, iron cross, Movies, Oscars, payola, review, scandal, variety | 4 Comments »

February in Review

Posted on February 28, 2010 by Darren

Wow, that month just flew…

Anyway, it was the month that we learnt that Christopher Nolan would return to Gotham, and take control of the Superman franchise. We had a few ideas on where David S. Goyer should take the big blue superhero.

It’s Oscar season! For the record, I have €10 bet with my brother. He has his money on Avatar and I have mine on The Hurt Locker. Only a week to go! Anyway, we pondered all the old-timer love on the acting nominations, the revamped Best Picture category and whether Paramount should have backed Star Trek instead of The Lovely Bones. Hindsight is twenty-twenty, eh? And are the Razzies, of all insititutions, out of touch?

We also wondered about the death of the tradition romantic comedy (although it seems to be clinging to life stubbornly) and whether 3D will become the de facto manner of film making for all films, not just blockbusters (think Frost/Nixon in 3D).

We vigorously mocked the rumoured plot details of Captain America: The First Avenger – while pondering if the world was ready for a black Captain America. The John Krasinski rumours would suggest not. And is Iron Man 2 the closest we’ll get to a Dark Knight sequel anytime soon?

Oh, and we got longlisted for the Irish Blog Awards. Thanks to all who nominated us.

Filed under: Months in Review | Tagged: february, irish blog awards, month in review, Oscars | Leave a comment »

Did Paramount Back the Wrong Horse in the Oscar Race?

Posted on February 25, 2010 by Darren

It’s fun to analyse the Oscars. It’s even more fun before any individual awards have been handed out. I’ve already given my thoughts on the Best Picture race and the acting nods, but I was just thinking specifically about Paramount’s Oscar campaign this year. Making the infamously misguided decision to champion The Lovely Bones at the expense of all others, they were left empty-handed and red-faced when the film imploded. In hindsight, it looks like they made the wrong choice in pushing forward their prospective Best Picture nominees. Maybe they would have been better-pushed to get behind Star Trek?

Saorse wasn't the only lost during The Lovely Bones...

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: 82nd academy awards, academy, best picture, best picture nominees, Oscars, paramount, paramount pictures, Shutter Island, star trek, the lovely bones | Leave a comment »

Non-Review Review: Invictus

Posted on February 22, 2010 by Darren

I have to admit being quite impressed with Invictus. One of the benefits of living in Europe, but also one of the burdens, is that we typically have a week or two to surf the reviews of any film about to open, as it has typically been previewed (and released) in America long before it arrives on our humble shores. On one hand, this allows us to make carefully considered film choices, but it also means that our optimism for an upcoming release can be bashed against the rocks of poor critical acclaim. Invictus didn’t secure a Best Picture nomination and it didn’t exactly blow the socks off reviewers. I know that a reviewer should go in to a darkened cinema leaving all expectations and preconceptions aside, but unfortunately this is the real world. Invictus isn’t a cinematic classic, nor the highpoint of anyone’s filmography, but it is a solidly constructed sports and politics epic with a superb leading performance and a skilled hand behind the camera.

Nelson Mandela - Nobel laureate, South African President, Springboks manager...

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: Clint Eastwood, film, invictus, matt damon, Morgan Freeman, Movie, nelson mandela, non-review review, Oscars, review, south africa, springboks | Leave a comment »

When Did The Oscars Become a Lifetime Achievement Award?

Posted on February 15, 2010 by Darren

There’s been a fair amount of hub-bub (it’s a word – I swear!) about these year’s presumptive Academy Award winners. I’ve been following the Oscar race since early last year, and I was as surprised as anyone when Sandra Bullock’s name came into the race, first as a nominee and then as the sure-bet winner, for her dramatic turn in The Blind Side. I was also, I must admit, a little chuffed when the ever-loveable Jeff Bridges moved to the head of his pack for is own turn in Crazy Heart. However, I’ve noticed a lot of people talking about these two nominees and one question seems to be coming more than others: do those favouring these performers believe that they deserve to win for these roles, or simple that they deserve to win for years as solid and respectable actors? Do these roles just offer us a chance to recognise their longterm contributions? And is that necessarily fair?

Don't worry, Colin, your time will come...

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: 82nd academy awards, acting oscars, best actor, best actress, best supporting actor, best supporting actress, charlie chaplin, christopher plummer, Honorary Oscars, jeff bridges, lifetime achievement award, limelight, Mickey Rourke, new blood, oscar nominees, Oscars, sandra bullock, sean penn | 2 Comments »

Reaction to the Best Picture Oscar Nominations…

Posted on February 9, 2010 by Darren

Well, it’s been a week since the nominations were announced. I think I’m as adjusted as I’ll ever be to this year’s crop of Oscar contenders. Am I happy? Relatively. Am I delighted? No. Am I as filled with disappointment and rage as I was last year? Not nearly. Does this mean we can judge the ten horse race a success? I’m not so sure. Let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the worse of this year’s nominations, snubs and just inexplicable nods. I’ll be taking a look at the acting nominations later in the week, because this post just ballooned. Rather fitting given the expansion of the category, no?

Let the speculating and analysis and moaning begin...

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: (500) Days of Summer, 82nd academy awards, academy, AMPAS, avatar, best director, best picture, best picture oscar, district 9, favourites, films, inglourious basterds, james cameron, kathryn bigalow, Movies, odds, Oscars, precious, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, slumdog millionaire, the blind side, the blindside, the hurt locker, the reader, up, up in the air, voting | 2 Comments »

Are the Razzies Out of Touch?

Posted on February 3, 2010 by Darren

People are probably still analysing and analysing the Oscar nominees announced yesterday. I’m still formulating my opinion on the bunch – generally it’s a safe selection, but a reasonable safe selection – I thought I’d take a look at the other great annual awards ceremony. No, not the Olympics. No, not the Golden Globes. No, not even the Winter Olympics. The Golden Raspberry Awards – or Razzies, as they are affectionately known – are announced at this time of year, typically stealing a tiny percentage of the Oscars’ thunder. This year they announced the day before and gave us an eclectic line-up. For those unfamiliar with the Razzies, the idea is celebrate the worst that exists in film. However, part of me wonders if the Razzies have escaped the scrutiny that has long been a part of analysing their bigger brother: are the Razzies out of touch with the common movie-goer?

They've even got a cool little statue thing going on!

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: 2010, all about steve, bad films, bad movies, G.I. Joe, gi joe, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, golden raspberries, Movies, old dogs, Oscars, razzies, the golden raspberries, the golden raspberry awards, the land of the lost, transformers 2, worst, worst movies | Leave a comment »

And The Oscar Nominees Are…

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Darren

The Oscar nominees have just been announced. In the next few hours, in-depth analysis from all manner of sources will take place and discussions will begin on whether the conversion of the Best Picture Oscar to a ten horse race has made the nomination phase anymore exciting. I don’t think it has – we’ve all been talking about the big five like it were any other year – Up In The Air, Inglourious Basterds, Avatar, The Hurt Locker and Precious – and that doesn’t really seem to have changed. However, there’s been a whole heap of discussion about the remaining places on the list. Though that doesn’t exactly ‘shake up the Oscar race’. Once we get a taste for how the Oscars choose the next five (and I suspect it will be on the same basis as the first five), picking ten will seem as simple as picking five did. But I digress. Nominees and preliminary analysis below. Note I’ll probably offer a more in-depth look at the race tomorrow.

It's that time of year again...

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: 82nd academy awards, avatar, best director, best picture, best picture oscar, best picture race, best screenplay, ceremony, films, Movies, oscar nominess 2010, oscare nominees, Oscars, oscars 2010, populist, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, the hurt locker, up in the air | 2 Comments »

Does Avatar Deserve the Best Picture Oscar?

Posted on January 26, 2010 by Darren

Last week, I posted about the inevitable post-Oscar analysis we would see if James Cameron took home the Oscar for Avatar. I bemoaned the possibility that this would be sold as the moment the Academy re-engaged with mainstream culture, observing that they would only give it to him because he was James Cameron, not because of the box office numbers or the fact the film had resonated with the public. Those who read this blog with any regularity will know that I’m not the biggest fan of the film, I have several huge problems with it, but I feel the need to clarify my position on Avatar. I don’t think that it doesn’t deserve to win – and yes, that’s a double negative. I wouldn’t feel robbed if James Cameron got another little gold statuette. I can even concede that Avatar might have earned it.

James Cameron is probably going to need a bigger Oscar cabinet...

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: avatar, best picture, best picture oscar, james cameron, Oscars, oscars 2010 | 4 Comments »

Could Avatar Flip The ‘Populist Oscar’ Debate?

Posted on January 22, 2010 by Darren

With the Golden Globe firmly in hand, James Cameron’s double victory at the Golden Globes cemented Avatar as a serious contender for the Best Picture Oscar. Not that there was ever really much doubt about the film receiving a nomination: the Academy loves Cameron. It still just seems a surprise in a race that has generally seen debate over Precious, Up in the Air and The Hurt Locker, with a fringe advocating Inglourious Basterds. Still, give the people what they want, right? An Oscar win for Avatar clearly indicates that the Academy is moving back to embrace popular tastes, right? I’m not so convinced.