Some corrections. A follow-up to my Oscar "preferences" note posted earlier -- I wanna elaborate.
----------- ** Everyone knows my feelings about "Brokeback" -- a good film, but so overrated as drama -- lacking any ability to emotionally engage an audience within its first 60 minutes. ** I have no illusions about the "Brokeback train" mowing down everyone Sunday night. But it would be thrilling to see "Capote" win. An upset is possible. I remember "Saving Private Ryan" winning every award in sight in 1999 for films released in 1998, knocking 'em down, left and right during the run-up to the Oscars. But it lost to a lesser film on awards night. ----------- ** The "buzz" out here in CA -- is the only film with a chance to upset "Brokeback" -- is "Crash," a film for which I've not yet commented. The reason for this "buzz" is the Screen Actors Guild, which makes up the largest number of Academy members who can vote for Best Picture, snubbed Brokeback this year when it gave its acting ensemble prizes to "Crash." ** "Crash" for me was a "Traffic" wannabe, but far less credible. It felt like a big circle with too many coincidences with sledgehammer, "what goes around, comes around" scenes and commentaries. It's a film meant for the 1970s, in that it feels a little too self conscious and pseudo-revelatory to take seriously today. Even "Brokeback" is a better picture than "Crash." ----------- ** Meanwhile, "Capote" director Bennett Miller isn't being given a chance. It's his first film as director. The Director's Guild has already anointed Ang Lee. But other first-timers have won (Robert Redford, Kevin Costner, Sam Mendes, etc.). "Capote" is a magnificent picture, switching from bustling NYC venues to the wide-open midwest. It gets inside the head of an urban writer chasing a subject (the bloody 1959 murder of a Kansas family) -- which is ultra-compelling for audiences. It's a bio-pic and mystery rolled into one. Even if it had been ignored by the Academy, "Capote" was my favorite film in 2005. ----------- ** Most of us old enough to remember Truman Capote -- the author of "Breakfast at Tiffanys" and "In Cold Blood" -- saw him as this strange and flamboyant celebrity with a voice so effeminate as to be near embarrassing. He was a strapped-in and soft-spoken, with elegant suits, a hat, a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other, forever knocking out smug observations about the world around him. A easy target for comics. I made fun of him. ** But Phillip Seymour Hoffman gets the audience past his "voice" and his "look" within the first five minutes. Dammit, this is a spectacular performance. We're in his corner right away. The film "Capote" only covers the period associated with his efforts to write "In Cold Blood." After it was published in 1965, Capote never wrote another book. It brought him his greatest success but also ruined him. He died in 1984, burnt out on alcohol and drugs. Bennett Miller's direction of "Capote" is solid and underrated. ----------- ** If Ang Lee wins Best Director as expected, it will be for his "body of work" vs. for his direction specific to "Brokeback." Sort of like what might happen if Paul Giamatti wins supporting actor for "Cinderella Man," after getting snubbed for his performance in last year's Best Picture-nominated "Sideways." But at least Giamatti scores every time in every film. He's that consistent. ** If Ang Lee gets his Oscar, it will remind me of the sorry story of Martin Scorcese, who's never won but also qualifies for an Oscar -- if the only test -- is "to have a body of work" worth rewarding. But Scorcese's last decent picture was "Casino" in 1995. He didn't deserve it for "Gangs of New York" and we saw what happened when people talked him up as a "sentimental favorite." He lost. ----------- ** Now people everywhere are saying "it's Ang Lee's turn." Fine. This is the black hole of the Oscars. It's why Elizabeth Taylor in "Butterfield 8" beat Shirley MacLaine in "The Apartment." It's why Grace Kelly in "The Country Girl" beat Judy Garland in "A Star is Born." It's why Al Pacino in "Scent of a Woman" beat Clint Eastwood's acting in "Unforgiven" or even Denzel Washington's in "Malcolm X." It's why "Forrest Gump" beat "The Shawshank Redemption," why "Shakespeare in Love" beat "Saving Private Ryan," etc., etc. ** For me, Ang Lee directed a fine film involving subject matter which resonates with the Academy. That's it. "Brokeback" is not, in my view, GREAT or even CLASSIC. Nor will it be regarded as much 50 years from now. ----------- ** But as a MoPo friend corrected me privately (and he is right), the political pundits will come out regardless of the outcome Sunday night. Win or lose, "analysts" will talk about "Brokeback" and what its victory (or defeat) will mean. So "Brokeback" now faces a "lose-lose" situation. If it wins, right wing zealots will say this proves Hollywood is loaded with left-wing wackos out of step with movie-going audiences. If it loses, the left wing zealots will say the religious right and of course George Bush's thugs won and the Academy isn't ready for a gay-themed picture. ** Well, the popularity of "Brokeback" proves America is ready for a gay-themed picture. But this isn't the one to reward. I think the Academy will feel good giving "Brokeback" Best Picture, even though I can't believe they truly believe it was the BEST film of 2005. It's a year whereby "best intentions" are being rewarded -- and again, Brokeback has 'em by the truck load -- along with a marker for being historic. ----------- ** In sum, while "Brokeback" may open doors for similar films, I know a better prodution w/a gay-theme will eventually be made -- and will deservedly win an Oscar without qualifiers. And when it happens, it will further diminish Brokeback's resilience in the same way politically correct films such as "Gandhi," "Dances with Wolves" and "Platoon" have been diminished today. (Better films that should've won during "preachy and political years" were "E.T.," "Goodfellas" and "Hannah and Her Sisters," respectively.) ** It's in this way that the Oscars are a reflection of what Hollywood is feeling during tense political times. But the films they reward during such years suffer greatly over time. -koose. ----Original Message Follows---- From: David Kusumoto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: David Kusumoto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: WILL WIN SHOULD WIN Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2006 16:56:05 -0800 Well, what follows are predictions based on MY preferences, having seen all films in the major categories. BEST PICTURE WILL WIN: BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN If my vote counted: CAPOTE BEST DIRECTOR WILL WIN: ANG LEE, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN If my vote counted: BENNETT MILLER, CAPOTE BEST ACTOR: WILL WIN: PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN, CAPOTE If my vote counted: PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN, CAPOTE BEST ACTRESS WILL WIN: REESE WITHERSPOON, WALK THE LINE If my vote counted: REESE WITHERSPOON, WALK THE LINE BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR WILL WIN: GEORGE CLOONEY, SYRIANA If my vote counted: Paul Giamatti, CINDERELLA MAN BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS WILL WIN: RACHEL WEISZ, THE CONSTANT GARDENER If my vote counted: MICHELLE WILLIAMS, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN -koose. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. 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