The First Hopefuls List

[Mister Tee]

re: I don't know, Original BJ. Zwick consistently surprises me with how well he does, truth be told. I mean, Blood Diamond out nominated some best picture nominees that year, stole two acting nods from other films (how the hell did Dicaprio get nodded for Zwick's film and not The Departed?). Zwick's television work is often first rate, so I don't get how he's so awful with film, but I sorta expect him to get nominated sooner or later.

Let's not forget that Edward Zwick is an Oscar winner for producing Shakespeare in Love and a nominee for producing Traffic.

True, though I think in terms of quality, Zwick's work as a producer of films (those two terrific picture you cite) and television (especially the absolutely lovely Once & Again) far outranks his feature directorial efforts, and so their award successes seem as understandable as the snubs for his white elephant directorial efforts.

Compare him to Irwin Winkler, who's produced, among other things, Raging Bull, but has never achieved anything remotely in that ballpark as a director.

[Hustler]

No, it's not prejudice. Anyone who had taken a few minutes to read the play (and it can probably be tossed off in under an hour) would understand what I'm talking about. It has nothing to do with acting abilities. Hoffman is every bit as wrong for the male role in Doubt as Jackie Earle Haley would be. They both have a certain persona, and bring a certain baggage to their performance that will do this film no favors.

Hard to answer. I haven´t seen the film so far. Anyway, I find Hoffman a remarkable actor, so versatil. His last performance (at least, the last I´ve seen) in Lumet´s film was so convincing!

[Hustler]

So, my early predictions are for Milk, Van Sant, Penn, Streep, Ledger and maybe Burstyn. She's a bit of a long shot, but her fellow actors love her, nominating her for an Emmy every time she appears on TV.

Fabulous lineup. I'd sub out Burstyn for Viola Davis, though.

Burstyn´s nomination would appears to be as the compensation for Oscar´s snub in 2000. (I still can´t understand how is possible that she lost)

[The Original BJ]

re: I don't know, Original BJ. Zwick consistently surprises me with how well he does, truth be told. I mean, Blood Diamond out nominated some best picture nominees that year, stole two acting nods from other films (how the hell did Dicaprio get nodded for Zwick's film and not The Departed?). Zwick's television work is often first rate, so I don't get how he's so awful with film, but I sorta expect him to get nominated sooner or later.

Let's not forget that Edward Zwick is an Oscar winner for producing Shakespeare in Love and a nominee for producing Traffic.

True, though I think in terms of quality, Zwick's work as a producer of films (those two terrific picture you cite) and television (especially the absolutely lovely Once & Again) far outranks his feature directorial efforts, and so their award successes seem as understandable as the snubs for his white elephant directorial efforts.

[criddic3]

re: I don't know, Original BJ. Zwick consistently surprises me with how well he does, truth be told. I mean, Blood Diamond out nominated some best picture nominees that year, stole two acting nods from other films (how the hell did Dicaprio get nodded for Zwick's film and not The Departed?). Zwick's television work is often first rate, so I don't get how he's so awful with film, but I sorta expect him to get nominated sooner or later.

Let's not forget that Edward Zwick is an Oscar winner for producing Shakespeare in Love and a nominee for producing Traffic.

[Sabin]

With the exception of 'Little Miss Sunshine', I'm amazed at what an effortlessly charming presence Kinnear has proven and in something like 'Auto-Focus' he is amazing as a portrait of moral ambiguity and justification.

Not a big P.S. Hoffman fan but he really outdid himself last year with scen thievery and subtle graciousness in 'Charlie Wilson's War' and 'The Savages' respctively.

[The Original BJ]

nowadays a priest as a good guy is about as likely as a Bill Condon movie starring Roberto Benigni.

:laugh:

What fun discussions THAT movie would provoke around here...

[HarryGoldfarb]

nowadays a priest as a good guy is about as likely as a Bill Condon movie starring Roberto Benigni.

:laugh:

[flipp525]

So, my early predictions are for Milk, Van Sant, Penn, Streep, Ledger and maybe Burstyn. She's a bit of a long shot, but her fellow actors love her, nominating her for an Emmy every time she appears on TV.

Fabulous lineup. I'd sub out Burstyn for Viola Davis, though.



Edited By flipp525 on 1216860668

[Damien]

If I was casting, it would have been Sissy Spacek and Greg Kinnear, but who am I?

Greg Kinnear -- who is a really terrific actor -- occurred to me, too, but I thought people might not have thought I was being serious if I mentioned him.

I agree Kinnear is a solid actor, but doesn't he carry a little of that loser-or-sleazebag vibe about him as well? It'd be interesting to see him give it a try, but after the Bob Crane movie -- even just after Talk Soup -- I have a somewhat negative association with him, which could work to the same detriment we're talking about with Hoffman.

I think Kinnear can still turn on the charm in a way that Hoffman simply can't. Hoffman even made Truman Capote charm-less. I will say that Hoffman did give one wonderful performance -- in The Talented Mr. Ripley, although there he was essentially playing himself.

[Mister Tee]

If I was casting, it would have been Sissy Spacek and Greg Kinnear, but who am I?

Greg Kinnear -- who is a really terrific actor -- occurred to me, too, but I thought people might not have thought I was being serious if I mentioned him.

I agree Kinnear is a solid actor, but doesn't he carry a little of that loser-or-sleazebag vibe about him as well? It'd be interesting to see him give it a try, but after the Bob Crane movie -- even just after Talk Soup -- I have a somewhat negative association with him, which could work to the same detriment we're talking about with Hoffman.

[Damien]

If I was casting, it would have been Sissy Spacek and Greg Kinnear, but who am I?

Greg Kinnear -- who is a really terrific actor -- occurred to me, too, but I thought people might not have thought I was being serious if I mentioned him.

[Movielover]

I was at opening night of Doubt (and I actually was directly behind Philip Seymour Hoffman when they were scanning our tickets). After leaving the theatre with three friends, all speechless from the weight of the play, I said then and there that Meryl would play Sister Aloysius.

I agree with some on this board who feel PSH is the wrong Father Flynn - you just know he did it.

If I was casting, it would have been Sissy Spacek and Greg Kinnear, but who am I? I also know that it is not a four-person piece anymore, which may be a huge mistake. I don't know if we do or don't see the child in the film, but the fact that the child was absent just made the stage version more effective. Viola Davis may be good for the mother, but they really should have hired Adriane Lenox. Who goes to a movie and buys a ticket because Viola Davis is in it? They should have just honored Ms. Lenox by asking to join the cast - I swear when she had her six or so minutes on that stage you could hear a pin drop. Her response to the situation was completely unexpected and brilliantly played.

[Big Magilla]

Matt Damon would have been a far better choice.

Funny, he was the one I thought of, too. In fact I had his name in my post before I edited it.

[OscarGuy]

Would you guys mind creating a Doubt discussion thread? I know nothing about the thread and find myself having to stop reading suddenly b/c you're giving away plot details with little regard for those of us who haven't seen it.