Unofficial Academy Awards Discussion Board

Okay, I watched House of Rothschild, and, while it's light-years from being an importnat film, I pretty well enjoyed it in a silly-old-movie way. Arliss is less hammy than in his two 1930-nominated films (I guess by '34 everyone had started to realize stage-to-screen required a little toning down),...

Okay, even if I ignored all the many rumors out there about Cruise...even if everything else that's happened (jumping on the couch, proposing at the Eiffel Tower) didn't have such a ring of falsity about it... A couple that's just got together and is hopelessly in love wants to be just themselves i...

Sorry it took me so long to get to this, Sonic. I rarely mention audience reaction because 1) I can never be sure how to interpret it (I heard many people leaving throughout the last half-hour of the SAG screening of The Pianist; we all know how unindicative that was) and 2) I most often go to Frid...

It's hard to really discuss where A History of Violence goes wrong without committing spoilers, so, be warned: I will spoil something. I wouldn't say the film falls apart in the last half-hour. It continues to hold interest, and more or less resolves itself. And the final scene I think is quite fin...

Damien, what a nice offer. I'm actually a few blocks north of where you imagined (75th, between West End and Riverside), but I'm happy to take you up on your offer. Let me know when/how would be easiest to arrange this. Magilla, you've reinforced my doubts about In Old Arizona. I literally had it i...

What a stretch for hard-to-find nominees. Robinson Crusoe hits DVD, Merrily We Live on TCM...and now, tomorrow at 4PM, Fox Movie Channel has House of Rothschild, a 1934 best picture nominee with George Arliss. To top it off, my local Tower now has on sale In Old Arizona -- the only acting winner I'...

Ronnie Earle has indicted more Democrats than Republicans, so this "partisan prosecutor" thing is a tough sell for all but the happily gullible. And, of course, it has no effect in the trial itself, which will be decided on evidence. Yes, Sonic, DeLay's damage has been extensive -- but th...

Poland is indeed out on a limb by himself in disliking this one (and, characteristically, acting as if anyone who disagrees with him must be deluded). The reviews to date are truly stellar. I'd actually felt the filmmakers must have thought they had the goods with this one, or they wouldn't have op...

From Variety. Seems like a winner. And Clifton Collins as Perry Smith might get the nomination alot of us felt Robert Blake deserved in 1967. Capote A Sony Pictures Classics release of a United Artists, Sony Pictures Classics presentation of an A-Line Pictures, Cooper's Town Prods., Infinity Media ...

Condolences, Sabin. You know these things pass eventually, but, as we also know, they suck ireddeemably while they're going on. Anyway, for a review: How do I deal with a movie that I liked in many ways, but found had a gaping hole at the core? This is my dilemma with Junebug. Start with the stuff ...

Sonic, you couldn't be more completely right about Wedding Crashers. The homo-erotic element is so clear it barely merits the label subtext -- it's impossible to believe the filmmakers were unaware of it. As for the movie itself...it certainly doesn't hold up to a moment's scrutiny. There are chara...

Well, this has turned into an interesting thread, but I guess Tom keeps supplying material. His turn on Access Hollywood was almost as gripping as the Bolton cloture vote. The idea that Cruise needs no publicity is a crock. He obviously remains a huge overseas star, but, ever since the split from N...

I had the same feeling, Pamela-Marie, when I saw him tonight on Access Hollywood. He was being belligerently opinionated, which is not like him (his most noticeable general trait is a desperate need to be approved of by all). And he seems ready to become a full-out proseltyzer for Scientology, whic...

Crash is the sort of movie many of us would LIKE to like -- it's a grown-up drama with a mainstream feel, and it certainly aspires to seriousness. And I think it starts off well (disagree with Sabin here). The first, say, 45 minutes have some strong scenes (Ludacris and Tate; Phillippe with Keith D...