Saturday, February 27, 2010

Best Limited Roles, Line Readings, Poster and More...

Normally I finish off the FiLM BiTCH Awards before Oscar arrives. I'll announce my gold, silver and bronze for the Oscar-like categories for the 2009 film year on Tuesday. But I've still got all these extra categories hanging over me like a dark cloud. Not that I don't love the rain they bring. My other significantly less cinematic life absorbed way too much of my time this season. Boo. So it's a race to the finish line, now. And then a few days in recuperative coma.

A few favorite Limited Roles and Line Readings...
(suggest away for fill ins -- my memory is shot!)

And with only 8 days until Oscar hits...
another theme to follow Precious day.

It's EYE CANDY WEEKEND!

Posters, Trailers and Taglines
(yes, I added a trailer citation for the first time)


As always I love to hear both feedback and your own personal favorites in any of these categories. What's most important in an ad campaign for you: instantly iconic imagery, accurate representation of what's being sold, clever riffs on the theme or just plain old beauty? Maybe you require all of the above. You're so demanding!


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58 comments:

Andrew R. said...

I prefer the shattered pieces poster for Precious. Antichrist's poster is creepy as hell.

For Best Actor in a Cameo, where is Bill Murray in Zombieland?

For Trailer, I liked Serious Man and Precious.

brandz said...

my favorite limited roles would have to be the Sy Ableman character in A Serious Man and Jane Lynch as Julia Child's sister in Julie & Julia.

Peter Chan said...

Some suggestions for your empty slots:

Even though I hated the movie, Bruno's hilarious line "That's such a Samantha thing to say." had me and my circle of friends repeating it non-stop.

Hmm... would you call Sally Hawkins in 'An Education' a cameo?

LOVED your 'A Single Man' trailer citation. The trailer for 'Nine' was kinda badass as well.

Travis said...

For limited roles, I'd have to add George Wyner as Rabbi Nachtner in "A Serious Man", Jessie Cave as Lavender Brown in "Harry Potter 6" (probably too big of a role, but still... SO funny), and Jacky Ido as Marcel in "Inglourious Basterds"

Guy Lodge said...

I love Sally Hawkins's tiny performance in An Education, actually -- the weary knowing she projects into that one enquiry bespeaks a whole life and marriage. I'd have been impressed even if I didn't know what a terrific actress she is.

Anonymous said...

I don't know if animated movies would work in the "Line Reading" category, moreso this particular animated character, but Dug from Up: "I have just met you, and I love you." Really, Dug could fill your whole category for me.

J.D. said...

Some L/C suggestions:
Adriana Barraza, Drag Me to Hell (too big?)
Lola Dueñas, Broken Embraces
Sally Hawkins, An Education
Jon Kortajarena, A Single Man
Melanie Lynskey, Away We Go

Agreed on the Nine teaser. Good GOD I was addicted to that, lol.

Also: "I was hiding under your porch because I love you." AWWWWW x 1000.

Ryan T. said...

Poster wise, your choices are pretty damn close to what my list would've been. Though I'd swap out the particular versions of the posters you have for Precious and Moon with another one (the shattered one and the white circle one respectively). I'd also probably add the poster for 500 Days of Summer, even as a semifinalist, and definitely the teaser poster for Up with just the house/balloons/clouds. Perfection, that poster.

How long was Jane Lynch in Julie & Julia? Don't remember. Might be too big for the limited role, but come on. And of course I agree with some here who say Sally Hawkins.

I'll have to think a bit more about the other categories though!

Ryan Ray said...

I am so glad you used that fluorescent beige line in Precious. Such a warm spot in an otherwise bleak tale.

Anonymous said...

Rossy de Palma, "Broken Embraces"
Bill Murray, "Zombieland"
J.K. Simmons, "Up In The Air"

Marsha Mason said...

Not a fan of the movie, but I loved the line reading of the lady who knew exactly what she was going to do after she got fired in Up In The Air. (And then she did it!)

Robert said...

Agreed that everything Dug says is great. My vote goes for "I was hiding beneath your porch because I love you"

Also was there a better reading this year than Paul Schnieder's "I failed John Keats." Just heartbreaking man.

Oh and how does one not highlight Capaldi in In the Loop, but what line to choose? For me it was "It's just vowels... subsidized foreign vowels!"

Fernando Moss said...

FYC Best Actress in a Cameo/Limited Role:

Rossy de Palma (Los Abrazos Rotos)
Julie Dreyfuss (Inglourious Basterds)
Lola Dueñas (Los Abrazos Rotos)
Melanie Lynskey (Away We Go)

-----

FYC Best Actor in a Cameo/Limited Role:

Mike Myers (Inglorious Basterds)
JK Simmons (Up in the Air)

Benji said...

Emma Thompson in "An Education"! She was great!

Christine said...

for line reading:
"What are those fucking iguanas doing on my coffee table?"

I have very little patient for Nicolas Cage normally, but that whole scene was fabulous.

Derreck said...

yeah, i'd add the trailer for Nine which i watched incessantly and the one for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. i love the feeling of chaos and danger it invokes.

and i agree with Andrew R. about the shattered pieces poster for Precious. Plus, the Antichrist scissors poster makes my genitals hurt. Is that a good thing?

FYC in Best Actor in a Cameo:
Patrick Wilson's ass in Watchmen. It had a lot of presence and i remembered it long after the movie was over.

John T said...

For me, in limited/cameo, there is little beating Steve Eastin in Up in the Air-that scene stuck out for me like none other this year.

Jon Kortajarena in A Single Man also sticks out like a sore thumb.

Notas Sobre Creación Cultural e Imaginarios Sociales said...

I loved the trailer for "Where the Wild Things Are".
The one for "A Single Man" is terrific but it was nothing else than an Almodóvar ripoff in my eyes.

Derreck said...

and with posters, i must say, i loved the one for 'The Time Traveler's Wife'. The background gives it a fantastical/magical feeling, while the positioning of the two actors (Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana) was genius. Not only are they lying down in an intimate position, but it gives alot of focus to Rachel's title character AND is a nod to how they are living their lives.

Rachel's is normal while Eric's is non-linear/in another direction.

http://chasness.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/time_travelers_wife.jpg

Plus, Rachel just looks gorgeous.

So, i guess that is my criteria for a good poster. pretty and says a lot about the movie.

Clarence said...

Are you going to do the breakdown of why the nominees got nominated this year?

Barry, Milwaukee said...

You got it right with the Single Man trailer. Best of the year. FYC: Broken Embraces, The White Ribbon, Where the Wild Things Are, and Antichrist.

Limited roles FYC: Tina Fey in The Invention of Lying, Heather Graham in The Hangover, Kenneth Welsh in Adoration, Ginnifer Goodwin in A Single Man, and Robert Duvall in The Road.

Hofverberg said...

Where's Broken Embraces in trailer, that one with Penélope Cruz head only?

Hofverberg said...

PS. I meant poster DS.

adam k. said...

OMG "florescent beige" has to WIN!!!

I remember liking the timing of Cruz's line a lot better in the trailer than in the actual film. Not sure if it was the editing or her performance that killed it for me in that scene. But whoever cut together that trailer had excellent comedic timing.

And btw... that was DAVID MORSE??? It says a lot about how deserving he is that I didn't recognize him AT ALL. Wow. The things a mustache and some vocal variety can do. I'm not upset at all that he got in over Ralph Fiennes and Guy Pierce (who I DID recognize).

But you did, unfortunately, miss out on Bill Murray in Zombieland. Absolute classic cameo performance. Deserves to be here. You should catch that one on video.

I hope Steve Buscemi and JK Simmons find their way in...

Robert said...

Agreed on the Single Man trailer. I hope you do revisit it at some point as I really loved it. I think it's odd how it got swept up in Award season because of Colin Firth (though very deserved) because it's much more of an art film than most movie that make it to the Oscars.

Lately I've been hypothetically asking myself how I (and others) would react to a film, any film, if the ONLY thing that changed was the language and release date. If A Single Man were an Italian film from the 70's, I think we'd be looking at it as one of film history's best. Feel the same way about Two Lovers.

Michael said...

Limited Role Male has to include Richard Sammel otherwise known as the Nazi beat to death with a baseball bat. I can't think of anyone else who made such a big impression with so little time.

Also, Aziz Anzari was pretty awesome as randy in Funny People. As was the kid who played Carrey Mulligan's high school aged suitor in An Education.

On the ladies side I enjoyed Amy Morton as Cloooney's older sister in Up in the Air and Kristin Wiig in Adventureland.

adam k. said...

Also, thanks for the trailer citation. I remember personally lobbying you for that one. I hope it becomes a regular entry. Some years there's enough for a whole slate of nominees (2002 springs immediately to mind).

I really liked A Single Man. Yes, it lingers self-consciously on physical beauty, and seems a bit full of itself, but so what? It's also sad and moving and sexy. It all reflects the mood of the main character, so I think it works. It's not a masterpiece by any means (the ending, particularly, felt rather contrived), but the visuals and music are beautiful, the themes resonant, and the performances uniformly strong (when Julianne Moore ends up creating the LEAST memorable major character in your movie, you're in good shape - yes, I actually thought Hoult was THAT good).

I don't get the visceral negative reactions from so many gay critics and people I know. It almost feels like everyone's taking offense at the film portraying gays as such mopey, beauty-and-youth-obsessed creatures... as if it is to gayness what The Blind Side and Crash are to race.

But guess what? Many of us gays ARE that way. Tom Ford would know. I had no problem with it, and completely identified. And I don't think I'm particularly shallow myself.

Whatevs.

Michael said...

As for line reading, I have to see it again but surely one of Matt Damon's countless priceless line deliveries in The Informant! should be included.

Maybe: "That seems like a lot of thinking for a bear."

Lucas S. said...

For Actress: Amy Landecker in A Serious Man is my personal favorite limited/cameo role. And maybe Vanessa Haywood for District 9. Maybe that's too big of a role.

For Actor: Dennis Menochet in Inglourious Basterds, Steve Kang in A Serious Man, and Sam Elliot in Up in the Air.

Lucas S. said...

Oh, and mybe it doesn't count since it's animation, but Owen Wilson small bit in Fantastic Mr. Fox when he talks about whackbat is priceless.

Robert said...

@adam k. - I don't mean to hijack these comments with talk of A Single Man but who isn't a mopey, beauty-and-youth-obsessed creature? We straight men are no different. And I say that as a straight man... who's currently planning a grand & glamorous Oscar party.

J.D. said...

I like the way Derrick thinks!

Robert said...

And to throw my hat in the ring for someone from A Serious Man for limited role (man I'm feeling commenty today). I think Simon Helberg who played the first Rabbi made the biggest impression on me. Though the kid who kept calling everyone a f*cuker was pretty hilarious because when you're that age, you're so angry and you can't stop using that word.

Iggy said...

Best Cameo:
- Guy Pearce for his body of work in The Hurt Locker and The Road.

Best Trailer
- Nine teaser trailer.
- The White Ribbon, I don't know if it was a trailer or a clip. The one with the small kid asking his sister about death.
- Broken Embraces teaser trailer, as haunting as the movie.

Best Individual Line Reading
- Dramatic:
Papa! The Road

- Comic:
Cruz in Nine (the one you have listed).
Lola Dueñas lines in the dubbing scene in Broken Embraces

Diva of the Year
- Traditional one: Sophia Loren for her stellar appearance (and just that) /cameo in Nine just for the fun of it.
- Breakthrough Diva: Mo'nique for her I'll do the campaign I want thing.
- Because I'm worth it: to Lars von Trier.

I wish I could remember single lines better. Funny, I thought I had some from Up in the Air, which is probably highly quotable, but I can't remember any. I was also thinking about Christoph Waltz's lines in IB, but he has so many, I can't choose.

Unknown said...

Even if you didn't love the movie, surely you'll agree that Jim Broadbent's

"It was a beautiful piece of magic, wondrous to behold."

is one of the best line readings of the year.

Anonymous said...

Line Readings:

"Roses are red, violets are blue... F*ck you wh*re"


And definitely Jane Lynch for Julie & Julia and especially CATHERINE KEENER in WTWTA in Limited Actress!!!

Dan said...

Actress in a Limited Role has to be Melanie Lynskey in Away We Go (or Up in the Air or The Informant!). She's asked to be the emotional center of all three films and does it splendidly. She made me want to cry in each of those films.

Dean said...

For limited role I would suggest the mother and girlfriend of the deceased soldier in The Messenger that the main characters visit first. That scene was devastating.

Individual line reading for me would go to Monique:
"wh-wh-who was gonna love me?"

Burning Reels said...

These have all been pretty much mentioned already but i'd second:

Robert Duvall in The Road (and Crazy Heart just for the boat scene)

Sally Hawkins for An Education

Steve Buscemi in The Messenger

Various Up in the Air job cut victims and also the lady who lives next door to Bingham and is now in a relationship and 'grown up'

Catherine Keener in Where the Wild Things Are

Glendon said...

My favourite line reading is Nicolas Cage in Bad Lieutenant:

"“You’re the f***in’ reason this country’s going down the drain!", especially hilarious if you know who he's saying it to.

Travis said...

I second the "Roses are red, violets are blue... F*ck you wh*re" line! One of the funniest of the very funny "500 Days of Summer".

Anonymous said...

While we're speaking of (500) Days of Summer quotes, I much prefer Zooey's gentle, nonchalant explanation of why her relationships always end badly. "What always happens? Life."

Bryan said...

Best line readings:

"who was gonna love me?"; basically anything from her last monologue- Mo'Nique

"attendez la creme"- Christoph Waltz

"you're not a woman"- Emma Thompson

the series of lines spoken by the fired woman who ends up carrying out her devastating plan in Up in the Air

can Julianne Moore's laugh count as a line reading?

adam k. said...

I second the request for Julianne Moore's laugh.

sss said...

i loved the poster for Brothers! It was really powerful i thought.

Anonymous said...

For trailer it's gotta be Where the Wild Things Are and Precious.!

Jack said...

So glad you picked Morse for one of your Limited Role spots. Ever since we saw The Hurt Locker me and my brother keep quoting his line to each other.

"Eight-HUNDRED and seventy three. You're a wild man, you know that?"

Alex said...

L/C FYC:
Catherine Keener (Where the Wild Things Are)
JK Simmons (Up in the Air)

Barry, Milwaukee said...

I thought I was the only one who loved Julianne Moore's laugh!!!

Deivith Coast said...

I think you´re all forgetting the "that´s a Bingo!" line of Inglorious basterds. Julianne Moore´s laugh is a great option, but it´s better the GREAT individual line reading she tells about her natural hair color, to me, the best line in the year.

Agree, Dooug needs a cathegory, the same as Lola Dueñas in Broken Embraces.Dueñas, de Palma, Angela Molina and Carmen Machi for cameo!!!

Jane Lynch is a very good option, and please please please Julie Dreyfus!! And I think Fergie has to be in this cathegory, she really does a GREAT performance, and she express so much while singing, she needs to be there. Wiig in Adventureland would be a good choice too.

And I think every person in A single man must be nominated (please don´t forget Kortajarena in "hot" cathegory, and he would be great in cameo). I really loved that film, and its beauty is haunting and really justified in the plot. And I´ve been thinking a lot but finally, I think the end is gorgeous(SPOILER: he decides not to commit suicide, because he really finds beauty in things and people and reasons to love life, but he says something like: things are as they must be. And what must be is that he can´t live without Jim, he can decide to keep on living, but something inside him is wrong without Jim, his heart aches too much to keep on living. It doesn´t matter how much he wants to live, without Jim he can´t. It´s wonderful, poetic, beautiful, sad, moving, and a great reading of Isherwood´s novel, to me, better than the book).

But, for sure, you must remember your love to Almodovar and the female cameo cathegory wouldn´t be
that difficult. I have forgotten lots of people I wanted to suggest, I ´ll tell you if I remember.

By the way, LOVING your poster selection, I miss 500 days of Summer (lots of great line readings there too, the one of Bruno about Samantha is also gorgeous).

And this year we could fill a whole cathegory with great trailers: Nine (the best), A Single Man (2nd), A Serious Man, Up in the Air, Where the wild things are... I ´ve seen so many times those four trailers...

Anonymous said...

Jane Lynch in Julie and Julia
Mike Meyers in Inglorious Basterds

trang pak said...

I totally have to second the love for Catherine Keener in WTWTA; I could have watched a whole movie of just her and Max. Beautiful work. (I also thought that Lauren Ambrose did some stellar voice work as KW in that film.)

In the male category, I would definitely nominate Denis Menochet as "Perrier LaPaditte" in Basterds; he made the perfect scene partner for Waltz and had the good instinct to let him dominate the scene. (But then again, who didn't let Waltz dominate in that movie?)

Rebecca said...

One of my favorite line readings was in 'Duplicity', when some makeup girl keeps trying to powder Paul Giammatti's face, and he says 'Stop it! I'm gorgeous.'

Agustin said...

The Lovely Bones and Precios trailers gave me the chills...
the Where the Wild Things Are, Nine and A single man trailers are addictive.
for line reading anna kendrick saying, I don’t want to say anything that’s…anti-feminist. I mean, I really appreciate everything your generation did for me. (...)

limited roles..
carmen machi and lola dueñas in abrazos rotos
jane lynch in julie & julia

Anonymous said...

For one liners- I love Anna Kendrick's voice/inlfation/whatever when she says, "I need to grow up? You're a twelve year old!"

Lucky said...

I agree with "I was hiding in your porch because I love you" and "Roses are red, violets are blue, f*ck you whore" for line reading.

And my suggiestions are Marion Cotillard in Nine, telling Day Lewis "Don't ask me to forgive you in private because I can't", although the line is longer.

Also Lauren Ambrose in Where the Wild Things Are, near the end when she says "Don't go. I'll eat you up I love you so" to Max. Heartbreaking.

Anonymous said...

For Best Actress in a Limited Role- how about Rose McGowan in Fifty Dead Men Walking?

Derreck said...

i agree 100% with Lucky's suggestions of MC in Nine and LA in Where The Wild Things Are. Especially with MC's readings of

"Thank you for reminding me that i'm not special"

"You think that to forgive yourself in public is to forgive yourself in private, (now paraphrasing) but don't ever think that i can ever forgive you in private because i can't."

It's the one time that i didn't hate the cuts to 'reality' in the middle of the song...like in 'Unusual Way'.