So, Anne Thompson posted an early rave of Benjamin Button from an “industry spy.” Her commenters accused it of sounding like a studio plant. Thing is, I don’t think Thompson would post a studio plant review so it would be nice if this person would go on the record. At any rate, they say:
It’s magic realism propelled by extraordinary filmmaking technology but it’s not remotely what I’d call cold. It creates a world of oddities and wonderful, off-kilter characters but the whole piece is anchored by a decades long relationship that gets strained, frayed, breaks and rebuilds into something profound and moving.
The achievement is big and bold and ambitious and life-affirming, but the sentimentality is always toughened by the continual sense of loss and deep sadness at the transitory nature of the human condition. If it sounds like an art movie, it absolutely is, but it’s a four quadrant art film!
Meanwhile, one of her commenters caught a preview screening of the film and wrote quite a long review with a great many plot details revealed. He also attended a Q&A with Pitt et al. and reports on that event as well. It really sounds lovely, this movie, gotta say, even with PopCultureNerd’s lukewarm review. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that if you haven’t lived enough of a life to really get what it feels like to stare down the barrel of old age this film will not hit you on the levels intended. I realize this sounds disgustingly agist and perhaps condescending but give an old lady some credit. You learn things as you get older is all.
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I really hope Taraji Henson gets recognition for this role. As if being a female black actress is not hard enough, when it is time for the academy to award their token black actors, undeserving “actors” ( and the word “actor” is used loosely here) like Jennifer Hudson and Cuba gooding jr. end up winning.
What are you talking about? Jennifer Hudson was fantastic.
Sasha, your assessment sounds reasonable; some films just work better with the support of a certain kind of viewer experience. Napoleon Dynamite comes to mind; everyone who loves it says that it reminds them of someone they know, or of themselves; others say they just don’t see why it’s funny. The Passion of the Christ is another example; it played way better with Christians, go figure. So I could see Benjamin Button generating less enthusiasm among the whippersnapper contingent–which may include me, since I still think this movie looks silly. But I’ll give it the ol’ college try.
Now, if you try to tell me that the reason I hated The Hours is because I am a man, that’s a different argument, hoo nelly. Seriously, a friend said that to me. Steam came out of my ears I think.
PS, if BB plays better with old folks, isn’t that traditionally a good sign for its Oscar hopes?
I agree with blacktoin, jennifer hudson’s win was one of the worst oscar choices ever, if you watch dreamgirls you will see they shot around her the whole time, there were never any real scenes of acting, people liked her singing and mistook that for acting. Wait and see she will never get another nomination
“if you watch dreamgirls you will see they shot around her the whole time”
Silly me, I forgot to watch it! Thanks for the tip!
“Wait and see she will never get another nomination”
That PROVES it! Just like Marlee Matlin and Linda Hunt! Everyone mistook all that signing and cross-dressing for ACTING, and poof! Never another nomination! Worst winners EVAR.
Ow. My eyes hurt from rolling.
Haha, Gentle Benj.
I couldn’t be happier she won that year. Jennifer Hudson cleaned up that year for good reason, and it wasn’t because AMPAS thought she had many nominations to come.
In any case, back to BB…
Academy Award Winners Gwyneth Paltrow, Mira Sorvino, Helen Hunt, Jennifer Hudson, Mercedes Ruehl, Linda Hunt, Brenda Fricker, Marlee Matlin, Anna Paquin, Olympia Dukakis, Jennifer Connelly and Kim Basinger in the new film: “NEVER AGAIN”.
Hudson’s preformance was great…for theatre. Too much overacting.
She won the oscar because she was on American Idol and lost. It was just some sort of stupid American Idol marketing thing that somehow worked her way to an oscar that Rinko Kikuchi (Babel) should have had locked.
Sasha,
I agree with you that age can be a factor with certain films. Both Sideways and, obviously, No Country for Old Men come to mind. As I recall, very few of the posters here liked Sideways, and several did not care for No Country, either. The few of us on AD who have crossed that bridge generally related to both of those films.
I am really tired of so many people taking a collective dump on Jennifer Hudson’s win. She won – I personally think it was deserved – it happened two years ago. Get over it.
There have been far more questionable wins in the last 80 years that could be harped on far more.
Jennifer rocked. As to Henson, looking forward to it, as well as Swinton’s and Pitt’s performances. Blanchett bores me…don’t know why. I like her but let’s say I’m not a fan. But yeah, looking forward to Benjamin Button, and I’m a youngster.
Sideways is one of my favorite comedies of the past decade. I really love that film. Same with No Country.
My expectations for Benjam Button are through the roof though. I cannot wait.
Some of you guys never quit after what Jennifer has been through recently, you guys still want to bash her. Get a life and Get over it.
Thank you Linda, I agree with you. My feelings however, i.e. that Jennifer Hudson won, is because I agree with it and I fervently feel that her win for Dreamgirls – no matter what people think of the film – is deserved. I just wish that people would give it a rest and yes, get over it.
I have faith in David Fincher, but at the same time, the more I read about it, the more I get the sinking feeling that it’s going to be one of those movies that I won’t like but a lot of others will. But even if I don’t connect with it, I’m hoping it will be more like how I felt about Shawshank Redemption (good but don’t particularly get why it’s great) then Crash (absolutely hate it).
Unfortunately I think the film had way too much hype heading into the race and people started thinking Fincher had magically morphed into Frank Capra. Thus, the premature backlash at the premature hype.
Why do we keep allowing backtoin1960 to highjack so many posts with his “Jennifer Hudson is overrated” comments?
Sure, its fine to state your opinion once or twice, here or there, but stop saying the same thing with every opportunity you get! Its immature and annoying!
Why haven’t we all started ignoring these comments? And why haven’t they been addressed by Sasha or Ryan?
Anyway, back to the topic at hand, I am extremely excited for Benjamin Button. Maybe this will turn out to be the year of Fincher.
Daniel, I intervene when commenters become abusive to me, Ryan or the readers here. What they say about people is their business. Hudson deserved it as much as anyone else, though, that much I will say. And Cuba Gooding, Jr. deserved it too.
I think this will be sort of like Atonement. Everyone declared it the frontrunner, then all of a sudden the backlash started. Or has that already happened to Changeling?
Anyway, when does the NBR announce don’t they announce in early December?
Here’s hoping it’s three for three with Fincher and Pitt teaming up together. I doubt there will be much in the way of Oscar nom’s – if Zodiac couldn’t scrape up a nomination, then I doubt that Fincher’s oddest sounding plot could do much in nominations. Regardless of how good the acting/cinematography/direction/effects are. I’m still very confused as to how Atonement can get a Best Picture nom and Zodiac misses out completely.
Sasha, I realize this, but it becomes quite irksome when someone mentions the same actress several times in completely unrelated threads…
Oh well, I guess there’s nothing that can be done, then.
If Joel Gray can win an Oscar for Cabaret, Hudson certainly deserved her Oscar.
Backtoin1960 has some serious issues The Angelina/Aniston post is a prime example of that. So I would just ignore.
@ Daniel
Have my comments insulted or abused you? get over yourself. If you don’t agree with me, ignore the comments
Ok, I have to address some Jennifer Hudson issues. SHE DID NOT DESERVE TO WIN. The only thing I’ll say to Jennifer Hudson is ” and you and you and you and you, you’re overrated”. What did she do in that movie that warranted an oscar? since when do you win oscars for bossing around Jamie Foxx and Beyonce and butchering a Jennifer Holiday classic but yelling and screaming “you’re gonna love meeeeeeeeeeeeee”? seriously? what is the world coming to? and we have versatile veterans like Angela Bassett, Lawrence Fishbourne, Samuel L. Jackson, Kate Winslet without oscars while an American idol reject is practically given an oscar for free just to promote ratings.
Now back to the topic of the hand. For some reason, I do feel like B.B will get mixed reviews. However, it could be a novelty and go down in cinematic history. With that, It doesn’t look like the type of movie that earns noms for acting…maybe cinematography, screenplay etc but not acting. Brad might be nominated but I don’t Cate will. As I said before, I hope Henson gets recognised for the amazing work she has done over the years with limited opportunities. She might need to have passionate sex with a white man ( like Berry did) to get the attention of those horny academy voters or better, get booted off American idol.
@ Dan
I don’t have serious issues; people with serious issues are people like brad for cheating on his wife while still married. Angelina also has serious issues for making out with her brother and a married man, and a host of other vulgarities which I dare not say….oh and people like you, who some reason can’t stand other people’s points of view.
Imagine backto1960 singing that whole post. Then, on the last phrase, s/he throws back his/her arms and BELTS it, JHud style.
It happens all the years that some major awards are at least questionable. Jennifer Hudson, for example, is a good singer, but her acting didn´t impressed me…
But, of course, she was not as worse as Renee Zellweger in “Cold Mountain”…
OTHER people’s points of VIEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWAH!
I can’t wait. Something about just the existence of this movie thrills & moves me deeply!
Think Cate Blanchett is going to be amazing in this.
This is why Paramount did not want CCOBB to be a frontrunner. People (critics) go into the movie with expectations and then downgrade the movie if it does not live up to those expectations. Rather than just sitting back and taking in the movie.
@backto1960
I don’t want to ignore your comments since you do make some good points. It is just hard to find them amidst all the Hudson trashing.
@Gentle Benj, LOL!
I also heard almost exactly what Anne Thompson heard AND printed. Cate Blanchett and Taranji are the possible Oscar nods. Cate, I hear, has to carry the film really, without all the CGIs that are laid on Brad. The films like gangbusters evidently even though or because Brad is special-effect-ed to death.
And it was compared to “Forrest Gump”. I don’t get that. But that’s what I heard.
And FINALLY the “post” button is back in existence. It’s been missing for a week! At least on my computer. And I’d go to local libraries to check to see if it was there, and it was gone there too, those the comments and “Leave a reply” were intact there was no “Post this”.
Web sites! And this is why I don’t want one!All this tech stuff is just beyond me! Bring back typewriters!
@ Daniel
attention much? Go pick a fight with someone else because I won’t dignify your foolishness with any more responses. This site is open to everyone…including me. If you think my comments do not “make some good points” then ignore them…if you are having problems ignoring them ( as I can see already) then leave.
@ Stephen Holt
Finally we get some buzz on Henson. She’s such a talented lady; I hope she FINALLY gets an oscar nod.
hey Stephen
any buzz on Cadillac records? anywhere?
‘And it was compared to “Forrest Gump”.’
This is the face I’m making:
D:
And with all this talk about a possible shift in zeitgeist toward more optimistic cinema… ugghh, all we need is another NutraSweet Oscars. Call me a bitter husk of a man but I LOATHE Gump. Truly dismayed at the news of this comparison.
This has probably been said before, but, having seen only the promotional materials and not the film itself, the analogy I keep drawing is to Big Fish. *shrug*
Call me a bitter husk of a man but I LOATHE Gump.
I feel your bitterness, Benj. I am probably the only person (I know) who hated both Gump and Pulp Fiction and was pulling for Quiz Show or Shawshank that year.
Now this is where I really get in trouble with people: I thought Shawshank was pretty facile, too. I dug Pulp Fiction, but what I REALLY loved that year was Heavenly Creatures. Moidah!
Shawshank isn’t genius filmmaking or anything but it was a crowd pleaser like the fifth nominee (Four Weddings and a Funeral).
Heavenly Creatures was in a class by itself (and not deemed worthy of a best Pic nod).
“not deemed worthy of a best Pic nod”
I reject your reality and substitute my own! *sticks fingers in ears, hums*
LOL, how about this reality?
This year’s Best Picture nominees are
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (arthouse epic)
The Dark Knight (blockbuster)
Doubt (actor’s showcase)
Milk (political biopic)
Slumdog Millionaire (international out-of-nowhere crowdpleaser)
“Imagine backto1960 singing that whole post. Then, on the last phrase, s/he throws back his/her arms and BELTS it, JHud style”
- Gentle Benj
I happen to have been in the school choir a few years ago…sang teno and many a time, people called me good. I could probably belt that song, J Hud style or ( may I dare say) better, and more consistent than J Hud did.
If yelling at my co-stars, bossing them around and decently singing that Jennifer Holiday classic is all you need to get an oscar these days…sign me up. I said sign me the F*** up
“while an American idol reject is practically given an oscar for free just to promote ratings.”
When are ppl going to get through their thick skulls that the ppl doing the voting are for the most part not the same ppl running the telecast? Do you think that when Jack Nicholson,Merryl Streep, Martin Scorcese or Denzel Washington vote, they think of the ratings?
@ student of world
you fail to understand that the names you listed e.g streep, Washington, Scorsese etc are all ratings-magnet even though they are tremendously talented. Secondly, nowhere did I say that ALL OSCAR WINNERS WIN BECAUSE THE ACADEMY IS TRYING TO BOOST RATINGS. However, a lot of the questionable winners have been lucky due to their potential to draw in a large crowd.
Back back to the Hudson case. Can you tell me why Hudson would win an oscar over the exceptional performances of rinko kikuchi, and adriana Baraza in Babel? of course, these two actresses in Babel were 1) Not American 2) unknowns and 3) weren’t booted off from American idol. The academy knew that they would stand to benefit ( in press and in ratings) if they went with Hudson.
Also, the best supporting actress award is always given out the first. While was it pushed to the end of the show that specific year? and immediately after she won, was the dreamgirls performance; thus, Jennifer Lopez could introduce Hudson as “academy award winner”.
The signs are crystal clear but some people refuse to see it. I equally hope you will be able to get it through your thick skull that a large portion of the voting process is influenced by ratings and buzz.
@ backto1960
when you start telling a reader his or her skull is thick, I think it’s time somebody step in to suggest you have your own examined.
Your Jeniffer Hudson bashing has gone on for several days now, so maybe it’s time to move on to the next actress on your obsessive little “Needs to be Trashed!” list.
Fact is, nearly every other voting body for every significant awards organization gave Jennifer Hudson the win for Best Supporting Actress that year.
BAFTA
Golden Globes
Broadcast Film Critics
National Board of Review
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Screen Actors Guild Awards
and another dozen city critics association awards
Jennifer Hudson won Best Supporting Actress from each of those. Your bullheaded assertion that it was all about ratings and because she was the American would already be crude and insulting, even if your tone wasn’t so abrasive and rude.
You demand to know: “why Hudson would win an oscar over the exceptional performances of rinko kikuchi, and adriana Baraza in Babel?”
Because her role was pivotal in a way those others you mention were not? And because nobody watched their Babel screener long enough to get to the Kicuchi and Baraza parts?
Worthy actors have won Oscars over other exceptional performances every year. It’s not because the voters sat around thinking: “hmm, the academy knew that they would stand to benefit ( in press and in ratings) if they went with ___________.”
You talk like each individual voting member of the Academy gives a damn what the TV ratings are; as if they each get a cut of the L’Oreal ad bucks. AMPAS is not a beast with 12,000 legs and one giant ratings-hungry brain.
But of course, you’re right, and AMPAS, BAFTA, GG, BFCA, NBR, SAG, and NYFCC are all wrong.
Because we all know those New York Film Critics pander to TV audiences like whores.
In the wake of everything Jennifer Hudson has been through this year, your hateful hammering has gone way past a reasonable expression of opinion and descended deep into the distasteful zone. Give it a rest.
[For the record, I was pulling for Cate Blanchett in Notes from a Scandal that year, but I don't try to rationalize her loss to a conspiracy designed to boost ratings. However, Tilda Swinton beating Cate last year -- now that was a ratings conspiracy!]
Ahhh, the reference to JHud “bossing” her co-stars around has put it all into place for me!
On another topic, 1960 was getting all warm and foggy about Beyonce in some movie, Empire Records 2 or something, I can’t be bothered to look.
1960 is a devout Beyonce fanthing! The hatred for JHud springs from the fact that she got all the accolades for DreamGirls and Beyonce didn’t.
It’s still batshit insane, but at least I understand the source of it all, now.
Anyway, if it makes you feel better, 1960, I would have voted for Rinko Kikuchi, easy. And don’t give up hope for Beyonce! She can totally win a Daytime Emmy when she gets her talk show (the whole Sasha Fierce thing reveals her intention of moving in on Tyra’s territory, no?).
@ ryan adams
maybe you should read carefully before you point accusatory fingers at me. The comment of “thick skull” was a hint a sarcasm. If you read what Student of World wrote, you would have noticed that he called my skull “thick”. He called my skull “thick” for holding the opinion that certain oscar wins are not based on talent but on ratings and media buzz. That is why I replied and called his skull “thick”. I was using his own words to get back at him. My so-called “Jennifer Hudson” obsession keeps coming back because people keep bringing it up. I made a comment and I left it at that. People, however, feel the need to bring it up and then is why I equally feel the need to defend my position.You see, this is the trouble with impulsively accuse someone without any thought. You come off looking like an ass…and with due respect Ryan Adams, you are now looking like an ass. Better luck next time.
@ Gentle Benj
On the contrary, I am NOT A BEYONCE FAN. She is a decent singer and a hardworking performer…I am indifferent towards her. If you read my earlier posts, I was somewhat disturbed that the little buzz Cadillac records is getting is only for Beyonce ( whose screen time is only about 30 minutes). If you actually read what I wrote, you would have deduced that I was hoping for buzz on Brody and Wright…not Beyonce. Again, in one of my posts, I clearly stated that Beyonce does not deserve an oscar. Any attempts to award one to her will once again display the academy’s bad habit of neglecting talent for buzz . From all the information you know about Beyonce and tyra and all you talk about fierce and sasha, I am certain that you are the crazy Beyonce fan…not me. You sir, sold yourself
…and I thought this was a site where I could freely express opinions and meet diverse school of thoughts. Forgive me for making such bold assumptions. All I have met are comic book nerds, narrow-minded movie critics ( and I use the word movie critics loosely), Angelina Jolie worshipers, a huge Hugh Jackman fan club and people obsessed with Nicole Kidman and botox. Good grief! There should an oscar-nominated movie about what goes on here…how befitting.
@ backto1960
maybe you should read carefully yourself. Student of the world said this:
“When are ppl going to get through their thick skulls that the ppl doing the voting are for the most part not the same ppl running the telecast?”
That’s a generalized statement made even more generic by the use of “ppl”. You took the thick skull remark personally, and so you used it to directly attack another reader in explicit terms.
What you did was bristle and make it personal, and use the same words in a way that steps over the line. You might be too blinded by your passions and fury to see the line, but it’s there and this isn’t the first time you’ve crossed it.
So, in fact, you’ve highlighted exactly what’s abusive about so many of your comments. You attack with a degree of poisonous anger that’s way beyond what anyone wants to read in topic after topic. Instead of choosing your words carefully, you choose them for maximum irritation.
You’re making a lot of enemies here. It’s hard to believe you can’t realize that, so the alternative explanation is that you enjoy being an ass.
Two or three times this week you’ve told readers to leave the site because they don’t see things your way. That kind of attitude is unacceptable. You’re bringing down the level of discourse, and I’m just advising you to cool it, ok?
You’re free to write about any fuzzy-headed hatreds you harbor, but you can’t expect to get away with beating up on other readers. You’ve been doing it for weeks now and it’s beginning to bother people.
Even if nobody had complained I’d have said something, but the complaints are coming from well-liked friends of the site who are able to express themselves without all the hate you dish out, so I’m not going to let it slide any longer.
“You sir, sold yourself”
You bet! Penny-a-word, tuppence a bag!
@ backto1960
“My so-called “Jennifer Hudson” obsession keeps coming back because people keep bringing it up.”
That’s a lie. You’ve dragged Jennifer Hudson into a least 4 different topics over the past week, and each time was unprovoked.
Who brought her up in this topic? The very first comment at the top of this page is you ranting about her again.
@backto1960
I didn’t say that your comments “do not ‘make some good points.’” If you had read what I wrote you would’ve seen that I had said that your comments DO make some good points but that it is hard to find them admidst all the take of Jennifer Hudson (as well as all the other actresses you don’t like…I noticed that its always actresses with you, never actors).
Take some time to read before making snipy comments.
Thank you for defending me Ryan.
By the way…(1)I’m a she. and (2) I never even mentioned Jennifer Hudson’s win. (Although I think she deserved it. The award is Best PERFORMANCE by an actress and the singing was part of the performance although she did great in non-singing parts too.) I was just commenting on the fact that ppl think it’s a conspiracy when a well known person wins over an unknown. If Jennifer had lost ppl still would have tuned in. If the Dark Knight doesn’t get nominated, will the argument still hold?
@ ryan adams
Good grief. It is crystal clear that the “thick comment” skull was directed at me. Student of world first started by quoting what I said, which was that Hudson’s win was based on ratings and buzz. After quoting me, student of the world went on to say that “people” who hold this view ( me included since she quoted me saying that I hold this view) have “thick skulls”. I don’t even know why I have to even explain myself. It is crystal clear what she implied. CRYSTAL CLEAR.
I remember Daniel or whoever it was kept attacking my ideas. Thus, I told them that if they can’t accept my opinion, they are free to ignore it…and if they can’t ignore it, then they should leave. I didn’t flat out tell anybody to leave if they don’t agree me with. I said IGNORE ME…You should really check you facts before accusing someone Mr. Adams, it will do you some good.
You also mention how I dragged Jennifer Hudson to this post. Go back to the first response on this post and read it again. Jennifer Hudson was given as an example…together with Cuba Gooding Jr. For some reason, everyone decided to jump on my example on Hudson and forget that I also talked about CUba. Yay! for selective reading right? I guess
It’s quite shameful and utterly disgusting when a contributing writer decides to takes side and starts pointing accusatory fingers left and right. Maybe you should wash the nepotism away from your eyes and take a second look at what your “well-liked” friends wrote. If you weren’t so consumed with your blatant favoritism you would notice that in most cases people are attacking me for my opinions. I state my opinion and then get a horde of negative attacks for doing so. Most of the time, I am defending my stand…not picking a fight with someone.
But then again, your “well-liked” friends won’t have it.
@ backto1960
see you, above:
& you again, a couple of days ago:
Not to mention other of your charming efforts to make friends and influence people:
& your response to Sasha’s remarks about Botox:
& your tasteful reaction to Sasha’s admiration for Eastwood:
All that is barely tolerable, I guess, since we get the benefit of your vast insight about film:
But if you’re going to repeatedly ask that I read your junky comments more carefully, backto1960, then maybe you can examine mine with minimal evidence of reading comprehension.
I never said “well-liked friends” of mine. I said “well-liked friends of the site.” That’s ever only my single criteria for whose “side I take.” It’s as easy to recognize the many friends of the site as it is to spot those infrequent few who come around determined to be unfriendly. Which side do you think you’re choosing?
I’m such close friends with “student of the world” that I had no idea whether she was male or female until she told me today.
Even if there are dozens of people on the site who I’m proud to respect and admire, you can ask anybody how very little benefit comes from being “my friend.” Though trying to become my enemy is a good way to earn yourself a ton of grief.
You might be equally disappointed to learn that there’s no Grand Prize for Most Irritating Bore of the Year, so you can stop auditioning, ok?
Likewise, you can stop vying for Most Imperious Drama Queen of the Year, as well. (Because as soon as that prize gets funded, I can assure you I’m winning it.)
@ Ryan Adams
Wow! you went through all that effort to quote my moments? wow! I’m flattered. Unfortunately for you, none of them actually buttresses your point. None of those comments prove anything; once again you fail, miserably
“bitch shut the fuck up” – directed at Angelina jolie’s hypocritically mission to “save africa”. My opinion…
“all the lunatics on this site concerned with botox supplements” – quite true since there is no single post about kidman without a horde of botox comments
“Finding the James Dean comparisons to James Franco ridiculous” – once again an opinion. MY OPINION. I didn’t attack anyone
“I didn’t flat out tell anybody to leave if they don’t agree me with. I said IGNORE ME…You should really check you facts before accusing someone Mr. Adams, it will do you some good.”
- funny how you didn’t notice that I started with “ignore me”. I said if you don’t agree with me, “IGNORE ME”. That was what I started with. I didn’t start with leave the site…I only said you should leave if you lack the capability to ignore opinions you don’t agree with.
I could go on but we get the gist of it. Somehow you try to make yourself feel important and legitimate by going on back and forth with this. And you call me a dramaqueen? please!! My advice to you is stop taking yourself so seriously and get a girlfriend.
….and I’m done with this ish!!
“you went through all that effort to quote my moments?”
You’re kidding, right? It’s impossible to go an hour on the site lately without stepping into one of your “moments.” We all need boots. The point I was proving with those quotes is what a charmer you are.
“get a girlfriend” ?
Your perceptiveness continues to astonish me and all “my friends”
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