Over at Movie City News, David Poland put up a quickie chart for Best Picture. As of now, Dave Karger is still confident Silver Linings Playbook will take home Best Picture. Karger faith + Weinstein Co + sappy crowdpleaser has equaled Best Picture for two years running. Can it win a threepeat? We will have to wait and see. Kris Tapley says that he makes his predictions on “most likely to get a Best Picture nomination,” as opposed to “most likely to win.” Steve Pond figures he might as well predict Zero Dark Thirty to take the whole thing since he believes he has not yet seen anything that CAN win. Other outliers include Susan Wloszczyna, who has Les Miserables at number 1. Ellwood, Feinberg, Hammond, Poland all have Argo to win. And EW’s Anthony Breznican has Life of Pi to take the top prize. It feels as though we have a real race this year as opposed to something all locked in. That always makes for a more exciting Oscar season.
Currently over at Gold Derby, Argo is in the number one spot and Lincoln is third, with Les Miserables at number 3.
So I saw LINCOLN….
A) You guys know I hate politics B) I stink at history. So for like the first half of the movie I didn’t know what the hell was going on. I also thought I was getting that ARGO disease I had where I couldn’t pay attention and I was going to blame the walls in that theater but then I realized I was able to follow all of the characters except Lincoln. I think it was the flowery way he talks, not DDL’s voice choice. That didn’t bother me. Anyhoo, I caught on eventually and it was a good movie. But I pretty much knew going in it wasn’t going to be one of my favorites. I really don’t have anything to pick at except for the ending, which I thought was going to end when he walked away which would have been perfect. But then the weird thing with the kid, IDEK. So that’s the nitpick. Otherwise, I won’t go on a rampage if it wins I just won’t be rooting for it. I also think it will be interesting to see DDL win, which he deserves, but it’ll be in a movie that almost got completely stolen from him by Tommy Lee Jones. The man was practically co-lead. He didn’t even really “act” like a different person than he is in every other movie. He’s just that lovable.
Oh, the theater was as full as it ever gets, with oldies of course. During the previews they got whispery about LES MIS and were beside themselves when the trailer for PARENTAL GUIDANCE came on. Just sayin’. Anyhoo, they clapped at the end of LINCOLN which almost never happens.
Yes Paul that is xenophobia. You haven’t even seen Chastain or Watts but you figure they are ideal? Why? Cause they speak English?
What the hell is wrong with you?
I should hope The King’s Speech railing continues against Les Mis, for continuity’s sake.
Wrong, Craig; there are 5 nominees that in an ideal world should make the cut that come from english-language films:
Lawrence (THG)
Hathaway (TDKR)
Knightley
Chastain
Watts
In an ideal world.
E, don’t bother with Paul H. He as seen neither film and is just a xenophobe.
@PaulH. Huh. Did you not find Cotillard and Riva to be excellent in their respective films?
“Are we ready for another ‘French’ film winning Oscar BP?”
Fuck, no. It’s bad enough we may have 2 French actresses in best lead actress (Cotillard, Riva). Fuckety fuck, no, enough with the French.
Just for fun, my current top 10 for the year (in order)…
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Take This Waltz
Life of Pi
Argo
Skyfall
Looper
Flight
Cloud Atlas
The Hunger Games
The Master
oh god please don’t let it be Lincoln…bored the snot out of me. the acting was decet by Pace and DDL, but everyone else were atrocious. the pacing was painfully slow and the story, while very important and a good read, was a snoozefest. First, the king’s speech. Then The Artist. Now Lincoln…is the whole point to pick worse and worse choices?
I am glad that there is no clear frontrunner yet. It makes the race more fun and exciting. I saw Pi today and loved it. But Silver Linings is way overrated and in my opinion does not deserve a nomination.
^ That’s because there was a Black Friday Holiday Craft Fair at the Les Miserables Arena in Soho.
The very first screening of Les Miserables, with Tom Hooper and some stars in attendance, was at the LINCOLN center in NYC. Way to go to start the rivalry!
Unrelated: NY Times article on Zero Dark Thirty. It’s a good read, mild spoilers re: Chastain’s character. We get a runtime in the article as well
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/24/movies/zero-dark-thirty-by-kathryn-bigelow-focuses-on-facts.html?&pagewanted=all
I will be astonished if Lincoln doesn’t sweep.
Anecdotal…..at my viewing in Alabama the audience gave it a rousing applause. To begin with audiences here never applaud – and they applauded a film celebrating Yankees – these are people who still sing Dixie.
This is a film the Academy will want to associate themselves with…. as will many precursors.
Looks like we’re going to have a Lincoln-Les Miz title bout! Exciting!
In my opinion, Dave Krager is just a Weinstein Company stooge. I still can’t stomach the article in which he lauded to ‘Give The Reader and Kate Winslet a second-look.’ 🙁
Of course, you know TWC pushed that muck…
Dave Karger just tweeted about Jackman’s chances and commented on the quality of his singing. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks singing ability counts for something.
From Showbiz411:
“Cheers and a standing ovation this afternoon at the first screening of the film version of Les Miserables. Tom Hooper, Oscar winner for The King’s Speech, has made a thrilling, sensational epic of the legendary Broadway show. This now becomes the Titanic of this year’s awards season, the film to beat. Hugh Jackman is a triumph as Jean Valjean, Anne Hathaway sings the heck out of the film’s big numbers, and Samantha Barks just about steals the film.”
If Les Miz is good, it’ll roll over everything come Oscar time. It’s got the big stars, big production values, singing in an established musical, period piece, epic story and emotions, more Oscar bait than anything else out there–it’s all a matter of execution.
He also says Argo and Lincoln had better get their “Oscar [boxing] gloves out”
Good comments on twitter for Les Miz:
Clayton Davis @AwardsCircuit
Hugh Jackman delivers his career best work. Samantha Barks is the breakout star and Eddie “sings like an angel” Redmayne OMG!!! #LesMiz
Word is out, Les Miz is magnificent. Are we ready for another ‘French’ film winning Oscar BP?
The only thing that boggles my mind regarding Pi is how Breznican has it ranked 1 at this point. There are just too many other heavyweights in Lincoln, Les Mis, Argo and maybe even Zero Dark Thirty. Plus Weinstein’s SLP.
It’s not mind-boggling, PaulH. Lots of people like Life of Pi, thus it generates Oscar buzz. If you allow your mind to boggle every time a film you didn’t geek-gasm over garners acclaim, Paul, you’ll do yourself quite a mischief.
Who actually thought it’d be the next Avatar in box office terms anyway? No-one.
It’s easy to have a race when nothing is decided yet. Come December’s early award shows, this will probably be down to one film already.
And to be honest, i see only a few films with the right “stuff” to win.
Lincoln, Argo and The Impossible.
If you pressure me hard, I’d narrow it as a likely Lincoln sweep with a margin for The Impossible to surprise, the only film that, on paper, has the right stuff on all levels.
It’s just mind-boggling that Life of Pi is near the top of anything but the Razzie shortlist. It makes little sense and should fall off dramatically in its 2nd weekend. The next Avatar? Nope, the next Avatar comes out in 2015. As for SLP, Harvey’s having major trouble booking this in available art house theaters, per Deadline.
LOCKS.
1. Lincoln
2. Argo
3. Les Miserables
4. Life of Pi
5. Silver Linings Playbook
Likely.
6. Beasts of the southern wild
7. The Masters.
Probably, if they pick more than 7…
8. The Impossible (saw it, way better than you’re hearing and reading… right into the AMPAS alley)
9. Zero Dark Thirty
10. Django Unchained
Longshots.
11. Moonrise Kingdom
12. Amour
13. Flight
and unless surprise, nothing else, in the mix.
Here we go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Sn2ZgfVqM&feature=share&list=PLCD588792A973ADC5
Watch closely and you can see Bigelow driving a buggy, Hooper waiting to be “released”, Spielberg going great guns, unfortunate tumbles by TDKR, Cloud Atlas, etc.
I think Django Unchained has a better chance of making the Bp lineup over Zero Dark Thirty. And has there been any word on Zero Dark Thirty yet?
SLP feat. Jennifer Lawrence’s butt isn’t winning best picture. Tell Dave Karger to quit deluding himself.