Hard to believe that in just one month's time, we'll be seeing the first of the precursor awards coming out for 2000 film achievements. Anyway, before we get there, it's a relatively slow week for Oscar news, so first, a recap of the most recent movies and looking at their Oscar chances, and finally, another installment in my series of the greatest motion picture sequences of all time, and I have some really good ones in store for this week.
I saw THE CONTENDER last weekend, and I agree, it's one of the year's best films. I thought it was a very realistic and brave political film, one that was finally willing to label its characters as Democrat and Republican, and it was such a truthful film about how contemporary politics and Washington is nowadays. Of course I'm biased somewhat because I am a liberal, and agree with a lot of the liberal politics in the film, and in how some Republicans behave. And I strongly agree that Joan Allen not only deserves the nomination for Best Actress, but maybe should even win the whole thing. I also thought Gary Oldman was very good in his performance, even though he's come out denouncing the film now as too liberal. Jeff Bridges was also strong as the President. I don't know if this film can get a Best Picture nod though, but it certainly deserves a Screenplay nod.
PAY IT FORWARD opened last weekend, I'll finally see it this weekend (I seem to be a week behind in my movie-going!) ... and I don't think I've ever seen critics so mad against a film, I mean, there are critics who feel personally affronted in some way by the film, saying it's too manipulative and too implausible. Just read some of these reviews, and how angry the critics are in their hate for the film. I can't wait to see it myself, and see what reaction I have. But it's safe to say that it's Oscar chances are completely gone now with this kind of reception, but I still want to see it, if only because of the actors involved ... the talent can't be totally wasted.
