FILM FORUM: Oscars Edition #6
Read Film Forum #1 | Film Forum #2 | Film Forum #3 | Film Forum #4 | Film Forum #5
Joel,
Thats a pretty chilling indictment of Wes Anderson’s work, Joel. And one I entirely agree with. He has made a career out of alluding to himself, thus the one occasion where he allowed satire (and dare I say wit) to creep into the Allusion it was markedly more successful than the other bollocks he’s put out. The AmEx commercial worked for all the reasons his more recent films don’t, and Jason Shwartzman was bearable in it. Which is no small feat on it’s own.
I watched Paris J’Taime last year and didn’t like it as much as I had truly wanted to, although the Cohen brother’s short was a nice bit of foreshadowing to the brilliance they were about to return to this year. I mention this because that disappointment was sort of the reason I stayed away from I’m Not There. It felt like a movie I should probably watch but for some reason I didn’t find myself at the box office. But with all the stellar reviews from mates I trust I’m going to have to watch it. And Cate Blanchett needs to redeem herself after the fiasco with the films with the hobbits. Vigo has come full circle with Eastern Promises, and I forgive him. I imagine I‘m Not There is Ms. Blanchett’s apology.
Speaking of his brother, the only opportunities I’ve had to hear his views outside of farcical Kevin Smith films was on Real Time with Bill Maher. And I was duly surprised by how thoughtful and informed he was. Not Edward Said, but a lot more than I would expect from someone who tolerated Jennifer Lopez for well longer than the sex would stay novel.
I don’t think there is any danger of Javier Bardem not winning for best supporting actor. His portrayal was measuredly epic, or epically measured or some such collection of words that have no business being lumped together but are needed to describe the immenseness of how brilliant he was when he said “call it”.
And while Hoffman and Wilkinson were class, I don’t think their performances were comparable to Bardem’s.
I don’t think there were ever such clear cut favorites in the best actor and best supporting actor categories. I will be gobsmacked if Day Lewis and Javier don’t win. Although you know they might call Halle Berry in and give her both awards to make up for shunning her magnificent turn in Catwoman. Good Christ how does that woman have an Oscar.
Sehban
Sehban Zaidi is a Chicago-based filmmaker
Leave a Reply