But first, a quick update on Oscar outlooks for films that have been released thus far, and updating some of my first predictions based on what has actually happened once the films have been released.
ALMOST FAMOUS still remains the critical darling, but has only mustered up around $20 million at the boxoffice, not a huge amount for a potential Oscar nominee, but I still think they will remember this film come Oscar time, particularly if some of the other critics awards coming out in a month or so honor this film. It still ranks personally for me as one of the best films of the year.
DR. T AND THE WOMEN has arrived, Robert Altman's newest, and while good, certainly not one of his best efforts, and the promise of a full frontal nude scene by Helen Hunt did not come to pass (we just see her BRIEFLY walking by naked from the bedroom to the bathroom) ... although Richard Gere is being universally praised as giving one of his best performances, I don't think we'll see this film up for any Oscars.
THE CONTENDER is continuing to garner rave reviews, since opening wide last weekend, I'll finally see it this weekend. I fully expect Joan Allen to be up for Best Actress based on advance buzz, and she may even have the award wrapped up. So far, we have a pretty good crop of Best Actress contenders, with Allen and Julia Roberts for ERIN BROCKOVICH.
Spike Lee's latest, BAMBOOZLED, not only drew controversy, but horrible reviews, so don't expect a Best Picture nod there.
And PAY IT FORWARD opens this weekend, and it's been getting so-so advanced reviews, so we'll see how its Oscar chances look in a couple of weeks. It's got two recent Oscar winners and a recent Oscar nominee in the cast, and has a promising storyline, so we'll see.
Anyway, since there's not a whole let of news this week, I'll continue on with some more of the sequences from motion picture history which I feel were the best. Hope you enjoy reliving them.
Nixon praying with Kissinger before resigning from office from NIXON (1995) --- Oliver Stone's NIXON was a powerful tragedy and an epic look at the life, rise, and fall of the 37th President of the United States. In these final sequences, we get an inside glimpse into the downfall of Nixon. Alexander Haig and Henry Kissinger arrive in Nixon's private office in the White House to alert him about the last real smoking gun tape which he would be unable to explain. Nixon realizes he must resign. After signing the memo that will end his Presidency in disgrace, in a very powerful and emotional scene, Nixon asks Kissinger "Do you believe in a Supreme Being?" "It's been a long time since I really prayed. Let's pray, Henry, let's pray a little." They both kneel down and Anthony Hopkins delivers an incredible performance as he first silently prays, and begins releasing his tormented soul, asking God why everyone hates him so much, asking his mother to forgive him, asking how a country can come apart like this, telling God all the good things he thought he did, etc. What's so incredibly powerful is imagining what this must have been like in those days in the White House when Nixon was about to become the first President to resign from office. There in the corridors of power in Washington, a broken man prays for forgiveness, and resigns the office in disgrace. It brings to a conclusion Stone's powerful Shakesperean-like tragedy of this complicated man.
