When I first heard about Body of Lies about a year ago, I thought, Ridley Scott directing a political thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe, with a script by William Monahan, who just won an Academy Award for The Departed? This could be a big Oscar contender for next year. Well, after its poor reviews and paltry $12.9 million opening weekend, that’s obviously not happening. Which has started me thinking: When are we going to see some real Best Picture contenders? By this time last year, Michael Clayton had already hit theaters, and in the two years before that, there were three pre-holiday-season releases that made the big dance each time.
So, could this year end up like 2002, when all five eventual Best Picture nominees (Chicago, Gangs of New York, The Pianist, The Hours, and Lord of the Rings: Two Towers) came out in December? It certainly could happen: Frost/Nixon, Doubt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Revolutionary Road, and Gran Torino are all scheduled as December releases. But for those of us who would like to see good movies hit theaters in all months of the year, let’s hope that at least one November entry (like Milk, Australia, or Slumdog Millionaire) ends up a major Oscar player too.
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I think we’ve already seen one – The Dark Knight – and another has just been released. Rachel Getting Married? No, it’s Happy-Go-Lucky. And I’m only betting on two December films pulling a nod. Movies that push the release date back too far punish themselves. Dreamgirls is a great example, and I personally think There Will Be Blood released at a different time would have taken the prize last year.
I can’t wait for Revolutionary Road, I’m reading the book right now and if the movie’s even half as good, it’ll be a shoo-in for some Oscar Love. And Australia’s got to be good, if the trailers are any indication.
It would be such a travesty if THE DARK KNIGHT is not nominated. If this superhero flick isn’t worthy of a nod, none will ever be.
So far no film that has come out has been able to top The Dark Knight both critically and commercially. It would be a shame if the Academy does not recognize this film with a Best Picture nomination (atleast!). I would also make an argument for the fantastic WALL*E but seeing that this film will ultimately be relagated to the Animated Feature ghetto I will save myself some time to talk about some prospects that may come out in October.
THE ROAD is a film that might just have what it takes to make it to the big dance.
The Road perhaps?
In Bruges was released in January or February, I can’t remember, but it was by far the best movie I’ve seen this year. I can only hope it’s not overlooked by the Academy because it’s from so long ago…
The dark Knight is probably a definite nomination for most catagories but I think that Curious Case of Benjamin Button will be the best of the year. Revolutionary Road looks like it doesn’t have enough plot or quality for a 2 and 1/2 hour film which it is. Frost/Nixon just doesn’t have the right feeling for this year. Doubt has a great chance looking at the source material and the acting talent. Australia might be good enough to make the cut if it can outshine the not so great Moulin Rouge. Milk should finish up the list because it looks like the type of film that has been absent so far this year. My back up would have to be Quantum of Solace because Casino Royale was the most awesome bond film and this one could be even better despite the short running time (1 hr. and 46 min.).
I was disappointed with the response that fell on BODY OF LIES. I loved the film and I think it’s the best one I’ve seen all year. I think Ridley Scott and everybody involved should be congradulated for making a great film. So what if it doesn’t win Oscars, Oscars bear no credibility, in my opinion.
so does that mean wall-e has zero chance?
I agree about In Bruges but it probably just too dark and does not have enough of a studio push to get a Best Pic nom. Best Original Screenplay maybe, and it certainly would deserve that. Rachel Getting Married is a possibility. I think Hathaway is a lock for a Best Actress nod. The Road is one that I have my money on. Great, great book. If it got even a 10th of what made the book a masterpiece on screen it would be a lock. Australia is a big question mark: After seeing the new trailer I get a Out of Africa vibe, and it’s been a good long while since we have had a film like that. It would be great if Quantum made the pick. If it’s that good, it really would be representing everyone’s love of the Bond series as a whole.
There has been nothing at all this year Oscar-worthy, except Wall-E, which will take animated picture. Superhero movies do not deserve to be named picture of the year. I will be keeping my eye on The Road, Doubt, The Soloist, Revolutionary Road, and, at the top, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The trailers for that last entry look absolutely glorious.
Ah, I agree with In Bruges. Excellent acting, terrific script, beautiful cinematography.
I loved The Dark Knight. Just not sure if it’s Oscar-worthy. Entertaining, yes.
The Dark Knight is so far/by far the best picture of the year and in my opinion, the best movie in the last 5 years at least. It has all the plot ans story of the “oscar bait” crap that comes out late fall and early winter, but is loads more entertaining. And I believe there are many more nominations it desereves. Who would argue that Heath Ledger has been the best supporting actor this year and his Joker ranks up there with Darth Vadar and Hannibal Lector. Anyway, best picture, The Dark Knight!
The Dark Knight, obviously. Wall*E was also great. I hear W. is surprisingly good. And I agree that the Road will be a movie to watch for. I’m definitely hoping for good things from Benjamin Button.
Duncan,
The “the not so great Moulin Rouge”? Bite your tongue. 2001 was a banner year this decade – it produced some of the most original (Memento), daring (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Anniversary Party), and spectacular spectacular films (Moulin Rouge!). The fact that Baz Luhrmann and Ewan McGregor were overlooked and that it lost to the standar A Beautiful Mind, and the fact people out there still call it not-so-great, is one of the biggest travesties in modern-day Hollywood.
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it’s a shame that in your report, you did not mention IRON MAN nor the DARK KNIGHT as potential Oscar nominees, this will be shortly followed by an EW article that comes out every oscar season about how Popular fare never gets nominated and why. EW, i think you may be part of the problem. No Best Picture nominees, really? really?
I propose THE HUNGER… I hope this film gets a proper limited release and the push it deserves. Please leave superficial contenders such as Dark Knight out of this.
In Bruges, hands down, one of the best films this year!
Big dramas. It’s always big dramas with you people. Some smaller movies, foreign movies, and even–gasp!–comedies have made an impression on audiences this year. What about The Counterfeiters, Snow Angels, and American Teen? You want big? I give you big: how’s about The Dark Knight, Tropic Thunder, and Wall-E? Too much? OK, well, we all know their respective studios will be pushing: The Duchess, Blindness, W., Burn After Reading, The Secret Life of Bees, Changeling, Rachel Getting Married, and Synecdoche, New York. Maybe if the mainstream media (like you, EW) would widen its focus on what constitutes a Best Picture nominee, a greater variety of films would be considered, a more interesting bunch would be nominated, and–another gasp!–more people would watch the dying-a-slow-death Oscar telecast. Just a thought.
Australia needs to be nominated for two reasons. 1. Nicole Kidman 2. Baz Luhrman. The last time they were together we got a great movie by the name of Moulin Rouge!
I want WALL-E and The Dark Knight nominated for best picture. Benjamin Button, Revolutionary Road, and Milk (I’d actually prefer Synechdoche, New York) can have the other spots.
Year of THE DARK KNIGHT!!
It would be great if WALL-E was nominated, but the academy is biased against animated movies.
Look Martin, I’m not trying to hurt fans of Moulin Rouge. It’s just that I saw it and I believe that the reason it got nominations was the long starvation period from musicals. The film felt just simply goofy and I felt that there have been better musicals that haven’t been nominated for best picture since then (Like Sweeney Todd and Dreamgirls). Also, this year has brought one of the best films ever from the director of Memento, and Australia might end up being good so we shall see.
I have high hopes for ‘Milk.’ Nothing else coming out looks that good.
I’d love to see the Dark Knight get a best picture nod, but since a superhero flick has never even come close to getting that type of consideration, I just don’t see it happening. I would LOVE to be wrong. My best stab at predicting the Best Picture nominees: Revolutionary Road, Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, Gran Torino, and Milk.
Yeah, The Dark Knight will get something, if not for just a Best Supporting Actor for Ledger. What about “The Duchess”? Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes were amazing and the costumes are more than extravagent.
Other than that, looks like we’re still waiting for the race to begin.
i think the academy will nominate Dark Knight just to shut everyone up. and then theyll say hey, we do nominate great movies even if its a blockbuster superhero movie. i got my hopes up for Milk, The Road, Soloist, and whatever Clint Eastwoods Gran Torino is about. sure its better then the Changeling. i cant see Australia being nominated. i feel like its trying to hard.
I think The Dark Knight deserves a nod. It was such a huge critical and commercial success. I honestly did not even love the movie myself, but I did enjoy it and I think it deserves to be recognized. As far as these other films that haven’t even come out yet, its too early to start making serious predictions. They could all have a “Body of Lies” fate for all we know. Most of the best pics are either the big blockbusters like “Knight” or the small indies like a “Rachel Getting Married.” I want to puke sometimes when studios obviously make movies for Oscar-bait. Where is the heart and soul in that kind of art? What’s even more gagging is when they dumb the movies down from the books/real-life stories, like they did with “A Beautiful Mind,” to sap the public out of money and to sap the Academy out of votes. It is a crime that “Fellowship of the Ring” lost to “A Beautiful Mind.” I was disgusted when I heard they cut some of the Nash’s homosexual scenes, no doubt to dumb it down.
WALL*E isn’t just the best film I’ve seen all year (and I’ve seen a lot); it’s one of the best films I’ve seen in my entire life. If there were no category for Best Animated Feature, I have no doubt it would be in the running for the big award. Sadly, it looks like it’ll just get the consolation prize.