Gee, no pressure. Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers has seen 40 minutes of Avatar and believes that, of Oscar’s Best Picture Ten, Avatar will be the one to beat (thanks again to Jordan):
Travers does Oscar talk and fall preview stuff, but the money shot:
With the Academy Awards’ Best Picture category expanded from five films to 10, James Cameron’s Avatar, the Titanic director’s first film since, well, Titanic, seems like a lock for a nod. The less-than-impressive teaser trailer already has the movie-loving message boards worried, but Travers insists that after seeing 40 minutes of the “spectacular” 3D footage, it’s Cameron’s Best Picture category to lose. Also in the Oscar hunt are Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air, which might net George Clooney a Best Actor trophy, and the musical Nine, which stars Daniel Day Lewis and is partly based on Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2.
65 Responses for "Travers Says Best Picture is Cameron’s to Lose"
I think it depends on its box office. It needs to make A LOT.
What’s a lot? I don’t know, 300m by New Years? For reference, ROTK made 249m by Dec 31st.
I’ve seen the IMAX 3D presentation twice and it was quite impressive, stunning really.
… “after seeing 40 minutes” …
Yeah, that’s a large enough sample to make a meaningful declaration.
I agree with PD, what a riot
“after seeing 40 minutes” So when is he going to see the rest of it? Don’t see how someone can make a declaration without seeing the entier film.
Has he seen other films as yet? I hate when people just declare winners when they haven’t seen the rest of contenders.
What happened to Peter Travers? He use to be a pretty reliable film critic that was hard to please. It seems these days he is pleased easily. Again, this has nothing to do with the fact of whether Avatar is amazing or not. I am just merely commenting on Travers as a overall critic.
I bet a beer against it.
ADers are predicing a win for Nine based on its cast, Up in the Air, its trailer. Invictus, completely sight unseen.
I dont see the difference.
Peter Travers says a lot of things. Personally I don’t like backing a BP nominee until I’m absolutely certain it has a chance. Right now, the only realistic shot seems to be Up in the Air but it’s only September. And personally after seeing the video-game cut-scene that was the Avatar trailer, I will be surprised if it lives up to Cameron’s hype.
the director has never made a good movie.
Are you kidding me? Have you ever seen Terminator 1 or 2, or Aliens? Even Abyss and Titanic?
Either way, historically speaking a movie like this normally will not be honored with any big awards. I still highly doubt it, no matter how good it is.
Loyal has a point. That’s not much different than what we do and 40 minutes is enough to roughly predict how people will take a film how well it will do.
Actually James Cameron is one of the best action/sci-fi filmmakers of all-time. He is a master populist storyteller and makes thrill rides that Michael Bay wishes he was capable of. Even Titanic is great once the ship starts sinking (though it is rubbish beforehand). That’s why I want Avatar to be good even though it looks so stupid. The man can tell great stories when he puts his mind to it.
People are dumping on Travers because its Avatar. Had he seen 40 minutes of The Lovely Bones or Invictus instead, hell 15 minutes, and made the same proclamation, people would be locking the film into frontrunner status.
Some people here were predicting Up in the Air to win best picture after seeing the trailer here…I think 40 minutes is much longer than the trailer!
it is funny how people are actually saying he can’t make a descision based on 40 min he watched…every person in any film/Oscar review website descided if the movie is good just by the cut of a 2:30 min trailer. I think that the movie will prove to be a lot better than what many are currently expecting.
The 2nd screaming fanboy video in 2 days. His fanboyism is bordering on twlight levels now. The dialogue in the avatar day footage was ludicrous.
@ Ryan
My only issue with that is the 00s have been wacky historically speaking. A sword & sandal film, a musical, a fantasy film, a popcorn gangster film, and a film shot in India with an Indian cast have all won BP.
It’s not a stretch to see a sci-fi 3D film winning, if it meets the required criteria.
It’s blue people. Blue people can’t win an Oscar. pshhh
they’re not people! they’re Na’vi.
give them the respect they deserve.
Travers speaks a lot. And he speaks shit.
I love how the other day you people were hanging on every word this guy said because it was Marty Scorsese’s Shutter Island. Now the guy sees 40 minutes of Avatar and doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Personally my gut tells me sight unseen that Up In The Air is gonna be your winner but it is definitely not out of the realm of possibility that Avatar could win. If the movie IS as good as the 40 minute’s he’s seen then that will pretty muc lock Cameron into one of the 5 Director Slots. There may be 10 Best Picture slots but 5 of those movies are pretty muc going to be eliminated 5 seconds after they are announced. Oh and Paramount didn’t move Star Trek back to Christmas 08 so they are not moving Shutter Island back to 2009. Doesn’t matter how good it is.
Where does Travers “insist” Avatar is Best Picture king of the world? There’s no indication of Travers claiming Avatar is a frontrunner for BP in his two-sentence review:
Whoever wrote the intro for Travers’ Fall Preview is going a little overboard if he thinks that’s an Oscar endorsement.
It’s the same vague “wow, this looks cool” praise Travers gives to 22 of the 24 films on his list.
@ Loyal
I feel the only one that defies normal Academy standards is Slumdog. I still have no idea how that film, which is only merely good, won Best Picture. Gladiator and Chicago harkened back to an older Hollywood. With LOTR and Departed, they were rewarding overdue directors. Especially with Scorcese.
I still think a 3D science fiction film is out there for the older academy members, but I haven’t seen it yet so I will reserve my judgment. I do generally enjoy his movies though and am looking forward to this one.
I don’t know after watching the trailer, I am not really sold, it looks too cheesy to be one of the best pictures of this year, it looks like its going to be like a B or C film with a lot of special effects, and I think that might be the only great part of the movie, other than that, I really don’t see it as one of the best pictures of this year.
If there is any film I’m less interested in seeing, I can’t think of it – and I’m a science fiction fan. I prefer Cameron as a producer – he helped make one good movie (Solaris). Everything else he’s touched is utter crap.
The shady politics of Hollywood; these critics have been bribed to keep the buzz alive by making positive statements. Please!!
@richard crawford
I agree. I hate James Cameron’s films. He is beyond overrated. Which is exactly why I’ve resisted the hype for Avatar.
Zoe Saldana for best actress.
I’m skeptical that Avatar will win it all, but don’t bet against 9 AND Nine to make it to the top ten!
40 min might seem like a short time to tell, but really, the movie’s I’ve seen that I thought were amazing (Diving Bell, Dark Knight, No Country, Pan’s Labyrinth, for example), I could tell they were worth the money after about 10 minutes.
Maybe 40 min won’t be enough, but personally, I agree with him about 95% of the time.
Why is Travers getting crap because he saw 40 minutes of the film and then made that prediction???.
We make predictions based on movie trailers alone. People see the trailer to Up in the Air and immediately scream Best Picture.
I think Peter Travers would be surprised to find out that he “says” Avatar will win Best Picture. He’s misquoted by his own editor, unless Travers has whispered something in secret that he hasn’t published yet.
Does someone want to try to find an actual quote from Travers himself saying, “Best Picture is James Cameron’s to lose” ? Because that’s not what I see.
No way does a 3D film win Best Picture unless it’s so monumentally ground breaking like the Citizen Kane of the visual effects / blue screen era.
Avatar will be invited to the party but it won’t be the belle of the ball.
@ Ryan
http://www.rollingstone.com/videos/player/30053746
He says it about 1:25 in.
He also says the academy would want to award a big budget 200m film after the tiny Indian film won.
BRIBE
BRIBE
BRIBE
BRIBE is all I have to say. Corruption in Hollywood.
I can’t get that video to play, Loyal, but thanks.
“He also says the academy would want to award a big budget 200m film after the tiny Indian film won.”
oh, right. Because that’s what the Academy always does the year after a tiny Indian film wins. (?)
Maybe he means they always award a big budget 200m film after a smaller budget film wins.
Like Crash won after M$B…. (?)
Like The Departed after Crash… (?)
Like No Country did after The Departed… (?)
I’m having trouble thinking of a good example to match Travers’ magic formula. When has a 200m film ever won Best Picture?
Glad to see Travers has these imaginary precedents on which to base his guesses.
Who exactly does Travers imagine the Academy is rebelling against? He makes it sound like the Academy is really pissed off at the Academy for awarding BP to Slumdog.
Dave Karger in EW praises Up in the Air..Personally I am excited about that movie more than Avatar…
This is part of what he says.
“I’m just out of the press and industry screening of Up in the Air, and I have to say the movie lives up to all the hype. It’s equal parts comedy and drama with extremely timely themes and fantastic performances, especially from George Clooney and up-and-comer Anna Kendrick. …Particularly with this season’s 10 Best Picture slots, Up in the Air seems like a great bet for a nomination at this early date.”
I can’t believe the reaction from you people. Just the other day people were all over the a 2 minute trailer for “Up In The Air” and declaring it a lock, yet Travers can’t be excited about a 40 minute preview of Avatar without everyone ripping him to shreds?
I completely agree with Loyal. The best pic winnners in the 00s have not been typical and it is not impossible for a sci-fi movie to be nominated. I wasn’t impressed with the Avatar trailer, but if it ends up being a revolutionary movie with a best pic nomination then I’ll look forward to seeing all of you with a big foot in your mouth.
No one’s saying Avatar won’t be a BP nominee, Anna. In fact, it’s been on most people’s list of 10 all year long. I think lots of people are skeptical about it winning, though.
How many Academy members can be looking forward to hearing Cameron crow, “I’m King of the Universe!”
Why the hate Ryan?
My gosh, you guys. I can’t dance on top of the Avatar for Best Picture Mardi Gras float until after I see the dang movie — and about 20 other movies, ok?
How is saying that I think it’s been on everybody’s top 10 all year a sign of “hate”?
This sounds very legit to me. I don’t like Peter Travers much either. But, what if this is all true and Avatar becomes the first sci-fi to win Best Picture? Is that a crime?
Yeah, everyone is ass-over-elbow for Up in the Air, which makes it … a tad annoying. Trying not to pay attention, trying not to pay attention…
JR, worse than that – half of the Oscar-watching community makes predictions even before the trailers are out.
I can’t be the only one who’s not ass over elbow about any movie — until after I see for myself.
@ Ryan
Like anyone would hold Jim’s speech from 12 years ago against him.
And let’s be clear, Jim said “Im The King Of The World” when he won Best Director. That honor is going to his ex-wife on March 7th so no worries.
NYCoscarbuff
and even Citizen Kane lost Best Picture.
I’ll still stay at a distance until I see the film.
precious will be better
I was teasing, Loyal.
And let’s be clear, Jim said “Im The King Of The World”
I know, but since Avatar expands his kingdom to distant galaxies… oh, nevermind.
Of course I was joking — but on the other hand, has there ever been another Best Director’s acceptance speech that got such instantaneous flak? I’m not saying many voters still hold it against him, but I’m not conceding there aren’t any who do.
No, I was referring to if Avatar was to win BP, Jim probably wouldn’t repeat a phrase from his BD win. His BP speech was quite humble actually.
ah, I see now, Loyal.
me so stoopit.
It would be nice if Travers was right and AVATAR bounced back from trailer backlash and really delivered the goods.
Agree with Loyal`s comments, especially #12
Titanic is garbage. I have to question the taste of anyone who like that film.
I think we all know why Avatar recieved trailer backlash and it has nothing to do with the story.
Doubt it, also screw the Titanic haters.
It`s so cool that Titanic is still #1 at the boxoffice so haters can work overtime on getting their ulcers.
Speaking of boxoffice, I know it`s off topic, but, holy cow, Ice Age is on pace to making $700 mio overseas alone! Who saw this coming? Biggest boxoffice story of the year.
I love Titanic. Feel free to question my taste anytime.
Yeah, though we can’t say for sure it’s really a stretch to imagine Avatar winning BP. I don’t know if I made my thoughts clear on that.
It certainly has a mountain to climb Sasha, no one is denying that.
But if this “Dances With Wolves in Space” manages 300m and beyond and we see a sort of media pandemonium surrounding the 3D experience, I think all bets are off.
I’m curious how many of the commentators in this thread were able to see the 3D IMAX presentation firsthand.
can’t we all just get along??
“It certainly has a mountain to climb”
A mountain that is Precious-ly Up In the Air?
It’s funny whenever someone says The Academy votes this way or The Academy votes that way, it makes it seem like there’s one person pulling all the strings, which isn’t the case at all.
THAT SAID, I do believe with the increase to 10 nominees based pretty much on last year’s clusterfuck, sagging ratings, and a steady decline in the overall interest in the Oscars, a film like Precious is unlikely to win BP.
Has nothing to do with its quality or lackthereof (these things never do) but I think that’s how things are going to fall into place this season.
You`re onto something, Loyal. AMPAS has its trends that aren`t necessary compatible with trends among non-AMPAS demographics. Fore example, TDK was not their trend last year, although it was general public`s and even critic`s. But, perhaps this year, it`s a really huge movie time for them.
Bone Hard Fact – just as Titanic was an so-called historical film for people who don’t actually like history, Avatar will be a so-called science fiction film for people who don’t actually like science fiction. James Cameron is just about as classy as Boney M, in my humble opinion. Ra Ra Rasputin!
ahaha! Dan, thanks for the LOL.
Boney M!
I am seeing a “sneak preview” of some kind at Fantastic Fest in 2 weeks. While I highly doubt it will be the entire movie (although I wouldn’t put it past them. See There Will Be Blood, Pan’s Labryinth and Apocalypto) it very well could be the same 40 minutes Peter Travers saw. I’ll have an update after I see it.
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