Sunday, October 14, 2007

NYFF: The Actors

From the NY Film Festival

The festival wraps up tonight with the closing feature Persepolis (my short review) which Sony Pictures Classic will push in both the Foreign Film and the Animated Oscar races. (Don't be surprised if it shortlists in both) but today let's talk flesh and blood actors rather than cartoons. There were lots of famous and talented faces working their magic at the festival. Who were best in show and which ones have any prayer at Oscar recognition? I'll take them in the order I saw the films, men first.

PART 1: The Men (click for the full article @ Awards Daily)
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Ethan Hawke and more...
PART 2: The Women ~the previous post right here

and UPDATED OSCAR PREDICTIONS All Categories
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27 comments:

Glenn Dunks said...

And now George Clooney from the looks of that Michael Clayton grade.

Emma said...

I've got high hopes foe Ethan.

RC said...

i do hope that persopolis gets consideration for the nod.

it still disappooints me a little that waking life didn't receive a nod this direction. obviously it's a very unique film, but i wish that there could be some films to break the it's-animation-so-it's-for-kids barrier.

adam k. said...

Just how wowed were you by Michael Clayton?

Is Tilda looking at her first nod? It seems that she might be.

And Waking Life should've WON.

Alex F. said...

So, no one much cares about the actor race? Seems like the actress category gets all the love.

adam k. said...

Yup, that's pretty much how it goes.

NATHANIEL R said...

well i do have new predictions up

BEST ACTOR
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Anonymous said...

No love for Lars and the Real Girl!

Alex F. said...

Thanks for the update.

What happened with Javier Bardem for No Country for Old Men? I thought that role was supposed to be a good one?

Alex F. said...

I don't think I can add much of value about the Actor race since I've only seen Elah and Michael Clayton.

Tommy Lee Jones should be a lock but will it make a huge difference if Elah didn't do well? Variety officially labeled it a flop after this weekend since it did less than $600 per theater and less than $7m overall.

I guess you could ask the same of Clooney and MC since it didn't do spectacular either this weekend and with all the other Oscar hopefuls aimed at adult audiences, I'm afraid it may get swept under.

I did enjoy MC(but only for Tilda Swinton), but truthfully, I still think Clooney was better in Syriana.

And Denzel? IDK. Granted, I haven't seen it, but from what I know of it, it looks like a typical Denzel role. Or should I withold comment on him 'til I see AG?

Anonymous said...

Max Von Sydow is a lock for a nomination and I think he (or Barden, or Finney)is going to win.
Let's not forget that in recent years the academy honored great actors who have built a solid carreer. These are the cases of Jack Palance, James Coburn, Morgan Freeman and Alan Arkin. We also have the nomination for Alan Alda in "The Aviator",John Voight in "Ali", and Christoper Walken in "Catch Me if You Can". So, Max Von Sydow has his sit.

Alex F. said...

Oh nevermind, I see you put Bardem in the supporting actor categoy...

The Jaded Armchair Reviewer said...

I wonder what "wow" means. I've read from other reviews saying "David Lynch would be more coherent."

Anonymous said...

sam riley (control)
daniel day-lewis (there will be blood)
james mcavoy (atonment)
johnny depp (sweeney todd)
ryan gosling (lars)

Anonymous said...

supporting:
paul dano (there will be blood)
philip seymour hoffman (charlie wilson's war)
javier bardem (no country)
philip bosco (the savages)
casey affleck (jesse james)

Glenn Dunks said...

"sam riley (control)"

if only...

I do wonder about Tommy Lee Jones. The movie is an out right flop, but with that and No Country and their love for him in general can they ignore him?

adam k. said...

I didn't realize Elah had flopped. Yay! Does this mean Paul Haggis won't get nominated. I can dream...

adam k. said...

Hmmm, James McAvoy could very well end up the only non-winner in the lead category. If that happens, could he pull an Adrien Brody?

I still keep thinking this could be Depp's year... even if he doesn't deserve it...

NATHANIEL R said...

I don't see any reason why they would hold Daniel Day-Lewis's previous win against him. If THERE WILL BE BLOOD is the masterpiece people are saying, I actually think he'll win. A way to say thank you again for GANGS (for which he probably lost by a slim margin) and thank you to the new film too.

Barry said...

What about Casey Affleck for Gone Baby Gone in your predictions?

Anonymous said...

James McAvoy in Atonement is good but not great imho. He could get a nom but a win is unlikely, not with DDL, Depp and others in the running.

Alex F. said...

Interesting you mentioned Brody. I think I remember hearing somewhere that DDL hates campaigning and that one of the likely reasons Brody won, was because he was out campaigning his ass off for the Oscar and DDL didn't much bother.

Anonymous said...

And Denzel? IDK. Granted, I haven't seen it, but from what I know of it, it looks like a typical Denzel role. Or should I withold comment on him 'til I see AG?
___________________________________
If George Clooney gets nominated for a typical George Clooney role ( I've seen Michael Clayton), then Denzel definitely can.

I'm defintely more interested in the actors race, because the actress race just seems dull.

Anonymous said...

Nat, don't doubt the power of Viggo. I think his performance in Eastern Promises is incredible, and I think buzz for him is high. Remember that last year Ryan Gosling pulled off an Oscar nomination for an outstanding performance, despite the "indieness" of the film Half-Nelson.

adam k. said...

I am so curious to see how Sweeney Todd turns out. This seems like it could so easily be the role that gives Depp that long overdue win... or it could just bomb. In which case, yes, the oscar is probably Daniel's.

McAvoy will probably suffer from the "male actor in romance movies" thing I mentioned earlier. And Tommy Lee Jones has won previously on his only other nomination, so he's probably out.

Anonymous said...

Um, Tommy Lee Jones has two nominations.

adam k. said...

Oh, oops. Well, he has none since his win, so it's almost the same diff.