Friday, September 25, 2009

Some People You Might Know (And Some You Might Not) Are Receiving Awards!

Glenn here from Stale Popcorn here. Nathaniel is still sick (I know what he's got, I had it a couple of months back and it lasted weeks!) and when the going gets sick the sick get to bed. Or something. Let's move on.

I like to consider myself a fairly good follower of awards season, but there are organisations that I admit I have to plead ignorance over. The Gotham Independent Film Awards is one such example. I don't think, in the eight years (or so) that I've been following the Oscars, that I have ever actually figured out who these people are. And yet year after year they seem to throw up such a wonderful, varied and oft left-of-centre list of nominees for their annual awards. Misunderstood or just-not-loved-enough titles like Margot at the Wedding, Marie Antoinette, Frozen River, Me & You & Everyone We Know and others have had the Gotham's spotlight shined on them, so I'm all for them in this world where every organisation is seemingly in sync with every other one.

This year they have tipped their hat to several major players in the 2009/10 Oscar game with career tributes. The biggies - the ones that the more casual film observer will care about - are director Kathryn Bigelow and actors Stanley Tucci and Natalie Portman. While it may seem strange for someone as young as Portman to be receiving anything resembling a "career achievement" tribute, a quick scan of her filmography shows a nicely eclectic roster and one that puts many actresses of her generation to shame.


"What? ME?! Yeah, I'm down with that!"

While it has yet to be seen whether her performance in Jim Sheridan's Brothers will find itself of Oscar's radar, there's no doubt that Bigelow and Tucci will be putting on their finest threads more than a few times in the coming months. Bigelow, riding high on the success (critically, if not at the box office) of The Hurt Locker, is prime for the career achievement spin. Her resume may not be as long and strewn with award winners as some others, but it's very impressive. Say what you will, but movies like Near Dark, Strange Days, Point Break and Wild Palms are all fantastic pieces of work.


"Yeah, I'm amazing. You know it."

Tucci will surely pique the interest of Oscar voters with his turns in Julie & Julia as well as Pete Jackson's upcoming piece of awards bait, The Lovely Bones. I thought he should've been nominated for The Devil Wears Prada, but I think that's just me. Is anybody else disappointed that his directorial career never really went anywhere after the fantastic Big Night? I'm surely not alone on that thought.


"Finally, Meryl Streep hasn't upstaged me!"

Two other names on the press release from the Independent Film Project are Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. You probably don't know their names (I sure didn't!) but consider this incredible list of films that they have produced or executive produced as the co-chairmen of Working Title Films: Atonement, Bridget Jones' Diary, Dead Man Walking, Elizabeth, Fargo, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Gettin' Square, Pride & Prejudice, Shaun of the Dead, Tales of the City (TV), thirteen and United 93. Plus they also have the big Coen Bros' contender this year in A Serious Man, and that's just scratching the surface.

And, hello! Drop Dead Fred! How could anybody forget that work of art?


Congratulations to all involved. It won't be the last time you hear from them though, that's for sure!

9 comments:

Beau said...

Tucci and Clarkson in 'Blind Date' is going to be beautiful.

pomme said...

is Nathalie portman going to have a Career Achievement Award?

Michael Parsons said...

I loved 'Drop Dead Fred', and yes Tucci should have been up for 'Devil'

Do you think Natalie is also in the race with "Love and Other Impossible Pursuits"?

Rajesh said...

Nice post on Oscar Awards.
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Andrea said...

There is no way Natalie Portman deserves an award. Love the person and she's a very appealing actress, but by no means extraordinary or too versatile. Plus what has she been doing for the past five years?

NATHANIEL R said...

You know. I'm going to have to eat humble pie for not believing in The Hurt Locker's Oscar chances at first.

and you know what? I love being wrong when the film is that good!

Chuck W said...

Drop Dead Fred might have been one of my favorite movies when I was six years old. I thought it was riotously hilarious, and probably watched it seven or eight times.

Um, my tastes have matured somewhat since then...

Agustin said...

Nat, El secreto de Sus Ojos has now been officialy submitted by Argentina for the Oscars.
Your predicitions are now closer!

DJ said...

Not sure if I like Portman's win. Her filmography may be somewhat impressive, but it doesn't mean she was impressive in those movies. :/