By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
Dang SAG It!
I feel like I’ve been saying the same thing every day this week and for the last few… this season is a puzzle that will not be solved until The Academy membership votes and makes their 5 and or 6 – 10 choices in each category. Didn’t get BFCA… you can get SAG. Got SAG… might not get Globes. Got Globes and SAG… still unsure about Oscar.
The most obviously treacherous place is Best Actress, with 8 clear serious candidates. But both supporting categories offer a similar number of candidates floating out there, though the argument for one over another may not be as compelling or passionate in every case. This morning, Jonah Hill supporters got what they’ve wanted… and Albert Brooks supporters are wondering what SAG’s problem with Drive is. Well… neither feeling is necessarily supported by reality. Brooks may well have paid a price for Mr. Gosling’s unavailability. Or maybe that group just didn’t like Drive as much as something else. Or maybe they saw it as a movie with a Canadian star, a British female lead, and a great writer who acts. Perhaps if Albert wore make-up that made him look like a burn victim he could have been nominated. (I really like Armie Hammer… but really?)
Bridesmaids is the clarifying SAG nomination – in Ensemble – for me. I certainly can’t begrudge the ensemble nomination for the film. It’s a wide ranging crew of very funny women (and even a few men) and though Ms Wiig gets a lot of screen time, it’s really an ensemble piece. Moreover, it is loaded with TV talent that fits right in with the actors. Now… how do you compare Bridesmaids with the work with the ensemble of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, a movie that suffers in award season heavily from being such and ensemble piece? Comedy has an unfair bias against it in award season. So, yay for the comedy. But really?
Wait… can’t forget about SAG’s clear annual bias against foreign actors! They break their own unspoken rule at times. But when things are all relatively even, forget about them foreigners. War Horse is another big ensemble film that was late in being sprung… but is truly an ensemble… and a remarkable one. But also loaded with foreigners and foreigners who didn’t come to LA and do a lot of Q&A time. SAG isn’t star-f***ing like HFPA… but a nominating committee likes to get courted, at least a little.
God bless Bridesmaids… but it fit better in many ways. And as a result, has a SAG ensemble nomination. Unlike HFPA, this is not about SAG members wanting a good show. The votes are, I feel, in earnest. But if you think Bridesmaids is getting an Oscar Best Picture nomination because of this… you would be nuts. (Melissa McCarthy’s candidacy for a Supporting Actress nod, is now looking very strong.)
Anyway…
Today, it’s SAG. Tomorrow, it’s HFPA. Expect a whole different kind of shading there, though some will be tempted to just on the Bridesmaids BP bandwagon after it gets a Comedy/Musical nod from The Globes. Silly.
And what of Hugo, which seemed to be surging as of late? It’s fine.
And what of Michael Fassbender? Fine.
Etc, etc, etc…
You know what you NEED to get an Oscar nomination? Votes by Academy members. And this year, though I think we can narrow our notion of what the field is… but I don’t think there is a single category amongst the actors and Picture where you can really be sure we know who is in more than 60% of the slots at this point.
Or as 1957 Oscar winner Yul Brynner might say, “It’s a puzzlement.”
No Woodley?!?!?!?!
Not pleased.
Maybe all this schizophrenic voting from all these groups will finally put an END to “Awards Season” and allow films to come out throughout the year instead of in a political glut in the fall and winter. I hope so, but doubt it.
And I don’t think TINKER TAILOR… is as solid an ensemble as BRIDESMAIDS because the characters in the latter are literally (and figuratively) chess pieces for Oldman’s Smiley to move around. The exist as plot pieces and not characters.
Well, did FilmDistrict even mount a serious campaign for Drive before the critics awards in early Dec.? There is like one print ads and I have never even seen an internet ad for any oscar blogs, while flash ads by Fox Searching, TWC and Sony constantly crash my browser.
It’s funny because Drive feels exactly like a European film. I think you kind of have a point, the director is Scandinavia and the two main stars are Canadian and British. It is easy to blame the studio or Gosling for not taking part of an long and exhausting campaign. But if the movie itself were not made for the awards season, it’s a big risk spend two or three months of everyone’s time and a whole not of money to do something that may or may not pay off. I don’t think the scale of the studio allows for a serious campaign. With that said, I am so happy that Brooks and Drive doing fairly well with the critics.
TINKER TAILOR: I think Oldman, Firth, Cumberbatch, Strong and Hardy certainly have their little moments to shine, but it’s not like they’re gnawing on carcasses sweating and bleeding giving a Michael Shannon-level intense performance…
Then you got a great actor like Cirian Hinds there, and he does literally NOTHING the entire movie except hum a ditty to frighten Cumberbatch… Hurt’s always solid and Toby Jones blusters a little, but compared to a movie like MARGIN CALL, where like a half-dozen guys and Demi each get these AWESOME extended moments and monologues? TTSS is like a HEAT-type movie where everyone in a big cast has their little moments, but it’s a sprawling procedural deal first and foremost.
Oh, and NO THERON, but a bunch of TIRED OLD BAGS who get nominated EVERY SINGLE TIME? UGH, other than Michelle Williams and Berenenenenenenrenicce Bejo, this is like the No Hotness Awards.
“Tired old bags” who always get nominated? Swinton and Davis have both been nominated once each for Oscars thus far and Swinton is 51 and Davis is 46. I wonder how energetic–and good looking–most of the trolls on this site will be when they’re past 40. These are some of the most vibrant and attractive women on the planet. Sheeesh. Ageist twit.
“These are some of the most vibrant and attractive women on the planet. Sheeesh”
Oh, come on, don’t do that thing where WOMEN ROOT FOR WOMEN and have to go to the mat for old broads; I don’t get on the internet and champion Burt Young if some chick on a blog says he isn’t sexy.
Some of the REAL most beautiful women gave great performances this year: Theron, Woodley, Elizabeth Olsen, Kirsten Dunst, Chloe Grace Moretz. All snubbed, all because of these DINOSAURS from 30 years ago who get insta-nominated on name value alone by a voting body (SAG) that’s just a bunch of bitter hack actors with no vision or creativity, most of whom probably don’t even SEE the movies. How many SAG members have had a chance to see THE IRON LADY this early? That’s a knee-jerk vote for the name STREEP, instead of honoring the BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR, Charlize Theron.
I am thrilled to see that Swinton keeps getting recognized for her remarkable performance in Kevin. I expected her to be overlooked. I am psyched to see Young Adult though. Looks like Theron does award-worthy work in it. And she is hot.
Women over 40 aren’t “real” but a child is….
And he wonders why he skeeves out so many.
Oh, come on, I’m not gonna DIGNIFY that garbage. Plus my #1 pick is Charlize Theron, who is super sexy AND is my age almost exactly. Charlize is the greatest thing EVER in Young Adult, and wasn’t nominated, but a fat woman taking a dump in a PIE was.
I’m talking about acting, and how SAG has prejudices, and probably doesn’t even see the movies, and doesn’t know the new faces or names, because who in SAG goes to the screenings? Broke-ass extras and unemployed bitter older actors who have lots of free time. Their choices are an EMBARRASSMENT.
I posted the other day what happened to the love for the lead actor in “A Better Life” on the BYOB blog and no one commented on it, so I just thought everyone ignorned me or thought I was stupid. Glad to see he got a SAG award nomination and I hope this keeps him in the running for Best Actor.
I am mostly just glad that Nick Nolte was nominated in Best Supporting Actor for WARRIOR.
I’m guessing not too many have seen A Better Life jbrittain.
daniella: don’t let him intimidate you with his ridiculous nonsense — root for whomever you like, go to the mat for whoever you want, as often as you want. it’s your blog as much as his
(yay bridesmaids)
“root for whomever you like, go to the mat for whoever you want…”
Exactly. Like Shailene Woodley.
Lex constantly confuses good performances with fuckability. But mostly, Daniella, he just trolls for reactions here. He’s one of those people who are thrilled just to see their names written anywhere…even down here in a movie blog forum.
LexG – did you give up on K-Stew or Evan Rachel Wood ?
hard to tell who’s a member of what acting group – how many international actors part of this sag ?
Interesting.
Its cool seeing Chris ODowd from the IT Crowd up for a SAG award. Go Roy.
Its also interesting seeing Matthew Lillard nominated for an acting award.
Sure, both are for ensemble work, but not names id expect to see on end of year acting awards.
And I noticed Adrien Brody listed in the Midnight in Paris ensemble but not the guy who played Hemmingway. Wasnt Brody in the movie for two minutes?
Sanj, not at all, not ever. Thanks for the reminder: Evan Rachel Wood was snubbed, big time. WAY better than Octavia Spencer, for one. Kristen wasn’t really nominatable in anything this year, though.
Janet McTeer, I haven’t seen NOBBS yet, but she kicked total ass in the little-seen “Cat Run.”
If SAG is so America-centric, they still went for Bechir, Bejo, McTeer and Dujardin.
Anghus: I asked the same thing about Corey Stoll in Ray Pride’s nomination announcement thread:
“I don’t get why some of the films and shows in the ensemble categories seem to list everyone (including twin kids who barely have speaking roles) while others leave out major contributors (e.g., why isn’t Corey Stoll listed among the MIDNIGHT IN PARIS ensemble, when his role is probably larger than Adrien Brody’s, which IS listed, and much larger than Carla Bruni’s glorified cameo?).”
Perhaps the studio or prod. co. determines who makes the cut? At any rate, it’s rather ridiculous that Bruni is included from MIP but not Stoll, Lea Seydoux, Kurt Fuller, Mimi Kennedy, Tom Hiddleston and Alison Pill, all of whom have roles equal to or larger than Bruni’s.
LexG – McTeer was so awesome in Cat Run… she kicked a lot of ass but they also made her human.. i want DP to see this movie and give a review.
when you end up acting – do you automatically get into these dozen acting groups – do they give you a card or something .. seems nice cause then these millionaire actors always end up getting free stuff from companies ..
Evan rachel Wood was absolutely snubbed for her incredible MILDRED PIERCE performance. Then again, I knew that would happen when I saw the show. As mentioned in another thread- people like Kate Winslet are automatic and it forces out other, well deserving actors.
Happily surprised by Patrick J. Adams’ nod in the TV category for SUITS, one of my favorite shows this year. But no one from JUSTIFIED?
i hated mildred pierce but the acting was okay.
Kate Winslet can do good acting in tv movies and real
movies … she could have probably been in the help or
another big movie ..every 2 years she up for a movie award… and yet no dp/30 ….
People need to quit it with the fucking Drive award talk. It’s a COMPLETELY mediocre movie with a couple of cool songs on the soundtrack. Cannot even believe it’s in the conversation.
I know this isn’t the place for this, really, and I know that her casting was obvious awards-bait, but Jessica Lange on AHS has made me happier than almost anyone else in my life or on film, this year. It’s a joy to watch her vamp.
I was wondering about that Corey Stoll omission from Midnight in PAris as well.
“Its cool seeing Chris ODowd from the IT Crowd up for a SAG award. Go Roy.”
His character was the sane, centering presence in “Bridesmaids”, and his scenes with Wiig were almost another movie unto itself (that I usually enjoyed more).
That’s YUL BRYNNER (spelling)!
Can’t thinking that, back in the day, LexG would have salivated over this one.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118047500?refCatId=13
DP, do you want a DP/30 with Demián Bichir?
I’ll get him for you.
Do you have him in your basement or something, Question?
MarkVH-
Although I liked DRIVE alot more than you did, you bring up an interesting point either inadvertently or on purpose. I have favorite movies of 2011 and then I have ones that when I’m doing my year end “best of” list, ones that I think deserve award consideration. While I’ll likely include DRIVE in either instance, I doubt I’d include other faves from the year like ATTACK THE BLOCK, COLD WEATHER (which is on The Movie Channel this month and should be seen) or RED STATE.
Not that anyone truly cares what I think, I just think it’s fun. But also- I still believe the awards lists when compiled do guide voters into deciding what to nominate and have win. If I really love a film that might be on the cusp, I might be more inclined to give it a higher slot to help the cause.
Hallick,
i love Chris ODowd. IT Crowd is my favorite thing ever. In my next life i want to come back as Matt Berry.
O’Dowd and Berry both have all-time-best comedy moments in the funeral episode of the second season of The IT Crowd. And Matt Berry pulled off the most difficult trick in television by joining a show that was perfect without a new regular and making himself indispensable in less than a minute on the scene.
Not quite. But let me know.
Jesus Lex, how dumb do you think we are? Meryl Streep, Tilda Swinton, and Viola Davis aren’t the post-40, female equivalents of Burt Young. They’re the equivalents, looks wise, of the middle aged Paul Newman, George Clooney, Sidney Poiter. Trouble with our society is that men over 40 are seen as more-distinguished looking, and women over 40–make that 32–are seen as “tired old bags.” Plus, if Burt Young gave a better performance than Ryan Gosling, he should be nominated over Ryan Gosling.