Oscar's new focus

Let's go ahead and say the studios did it for money reasons because, well, they most likely did. Please, Paramount, don't give us that pseudo-correct excuse that it would be in poor taste to release a drama about a homeless schizophrenic ("The Soloist") because of the current economic collapse.

Really, no one's buying that for a minute.

The result, though, of several Oscar-bait movies being held, pushed, rescheduled or otherwise knocked out of fourth quarter could be a tighter, more focused awards season.

And let's go ahead and say huzzah for that.

Now, Viggo Mortensen, Daniel Craig, Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. may not feel that way, with their Oscar chances potentially melting away for "The Road," "Defiance" and "The Soloist." (Word has yet to come about qualifying runs.)

But there could be a silver lining here for Downey, as THR's Steven Zeitchik points out today. The absence of several Important Films from this frame could mean a new lease on awards life for such standout performances as Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor" and crowd-pleasers such as "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man."

Downey's still alive! We liked him for best actor for "The Soloist" -- that prediction pile is now being reshuffled -- but we also could see him contending for trophies for "Iron Man" or "Tropic Thunder." He's so in the game, people.

More to come on the Evolving Race.

'Soloist' moves, Oscar puzzles

Paramount just ruined our day, not to mention our Too Early for Accurate Oscar Prediction list, by moving "The Soloist" out of the Thanksgiving period and into first quarter '09.

Intense and harrowing, certainly, but it's an uplifting story. Fourth quarter, emotionally-wrenching ("I want my son back!") Oscar season begs for one of those. And so do we. Hello? End of the world as we know it? How about a little triumph over adversity in our entertainment offerings?

Plus, we'd already boldly -- boldly! -- included Robert Downey Jr. among our five best actor candidates (along with Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, Frank Langella and Mickey Rourke). That means we have an open slot now. Hmmm, should we go with a dark horse like Richard Jenkins from the superb drama, "The Visitor," or take the obvious route and add Leo to the contenders for his Kate Winslet re-teaming in "Revolutionary Road?"

Still chewing on that.

It's been a week of release-date shuffles, including the bleak tour-de-force "The Road," based on a Cormac McCarthy story that could've landed previous Oscar nominee Viggo Mortenson another nod, and another Paramount feature, the Holocaust-period "Defiance," which now looks like it'll have a qualifying run but not a wide opening in late December.

In other trophy news...

A record 67 countries have submitted pictures for the best foreign film race. Among those already making noise are "Waltz with Bashir," from Israel, "The Class" from France and Italy's "Gomorra," not only for its fierce portrayal of the modern Naples-based mob but for its death-threat back story.

More on the films in contention here.

Letterman the inquisitor

Fascinating and telling that it continues to be entertainment figures, not news reporters, asking the probing questions in the run-up to this presidential election. That Campbell Brown learned her lesson, and it's not been lost on the coffee klatch at "The View."

John McCain's mea culpa to David Letterman last night did not disappoint on a number of levels. Letterman didn't skimp on the issues -- William Ayers vs. Gordon Liddy, Sarah Palin's readiness, and the importance of keeping one's scheduled appointments.

"Can you stay?" was the first thing he said to McCain.

The show, by the way, was Letterman's highest rated in three years, with 6.5 million people watching.

Also in political bits, McCain's campaign has confirmed what Lorne Michaels has been teasing about for days.

Palin will pop by the rejuvenated, on-a-ratings-roll "Saturday Night Live" this weekend. Host is Josh Brolin, who plays a mean and potentially award-nominated W. in "W." No word if she'll bring her flute or if she'll be going toe to toe (pump to pump, if you will) with Emmy gatherer and Palin not-so-evil twin Tina Fey.

'Crash' and burn

It took a while, quite a long while, to find a review of "Crash," the TV version of the triple Oscar-winning feature film, that didn't eviscerate it. And even then, it's kind of faint praise, and from an East Coast source. What do they know about L.A. anyway?

The New York Times says "Crash" has "a noirish appeal, and ambitions to tell a big story." If you're so inclined, there's more here.

THR's Ray Richmond, no fan of the original material, calls the series, the first original scripted show on cable movie channel Starz, "chaotic and boorish," among other slags:

"Even more stupefyingly one-dimensional than the film, this series blasts out a collection of crude, disturbing images without a true unifying theme."

The L.A. Times says the show's biggest star, Dennis Hopper, is playing Lear with Tourette's, and Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle says tonight's premiere episode "begins and ends without raising your pulse or making you think."

Is it too late to reschedule your Friday night plans?

Trivia du jour: In which categories did "Crash," the 2005 feature, win its Oscars?

Answers after the jump.

 

'Rock' the vote

You'll get a sticker!

Declare Yourself, the nonprofit group founded by Emmy-winning TV icon Norman Lear, comes out with its latest PSA nudging the teen-agers to vote. It's yet another faithful homage to "Schoolhouse Rock," the multiple Daytime Emmy winning series that taught us the preamble of the Constitution (but we can only sing it) and why three is a magic number.

The clever minds behind the animated PSA include Scott Jacobson, a four-time Emmy Award-winning comedy writer, "The Daily Show" writer Rich Blomquist, Emmy-nominated composer Jared Faber, and producer Samantha Scharff, of Robert Smigel’s "TV Funhouse" fame.

Check out a previous (completely, hilariously phallic) video here, and don't say we didn't warn you that some people have body parts on the brain today.

Kanye, Soderbergh show some skin

Negative campaigning, economic armageddon, sinking network ratings! Things are tough all over, so it's no wonder (at least to us) why some people's minds are drifting to the carnal.

Or in Kanye's case, it's not exhibitionism, it's art!

Word's streaming out today about a listening party that Grammy hoarder and airport rumbler Kanye West had this week for his latest effort, "808s & Heartbreak," with "styling" by Italian artist Vanessa Beecroft.

Kanye's more contemplative these days, he says, and less label conscious. Maybe that explains the three dozen naked chicks in stilettos that adorned the Hollywood soiree, possibly the only thing that could distract a music industry crowd from a) the soundtrack of the night and b) the bar.

Some did take a listen, though, and came up with a preliminary critique. Still reeling from his mother's sudden death, Kanye has created a subdued record, telling the assembled crowd "it's time to deliver ideas in the most naked form possible." He raps a little, but he sings a lot. He sings! Well, with a major assist from AutoTune.

Read more about the gathering here, and curse the fact that you weren't invited. We mean, if that kind of thing appeals to you.

Also on the take-it-all-off front, Oscar winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh has cast 20-year-old porn star Sasha Grey (pictured) in an upcoming low-budget flick about a high-priced call girl. It's part of Soderbergh's deal with Mark Cuban's company and their toe-in-the-water day-and-date release experiment that has yet to gain much traction.

Grey is inching into mainstream film, after churning out a boatload of XXX flicks in her short career. "The Girlfriend Experience" is shooting now in New York.

Sounds a whole lot more intriguing than "Bubble," right?

 

Driving Dakota

Is she, or is she not, a diva? It's the kind of easy criticism, bordering on sexist, that often tars female performers, especially in the music and movie industries.

We mentioned earlier this week that the director of Dakota Fanning's latest ensemble flick, "Winged Creatures," attributed some bad behavior and slice-and-dice-worthy acting to the young thespian. Is it true?

Here's what Rowan Woods reportedly said. Not so complimentary of the 14-year-old star.

What he says now, via Defamer, is that she's an "incredible actor" and a "wonderful person" who takes the movie's most challenging scene and "hits it out of the park."

His earlier not-safe-for-Dakota comments had been made at a gathering of Australian directors. (Who let that reporter in?) His follow-up came as a result of the attention around the (unguarded?) off-the-cuff remarks.

Discuss among yourselves, if you so choose.

Meanwhile, the Palm Springs International Film Festival has decided to give Fanning its Rising Star Award for "her depth and range as a performer." She has not only the Friday-opening "Secret Life of Bees" but also "Push" still to come this year.

And on daytime TV today, Fanning drove Ellen DeGeneres around the Warner Bros. backlot in producer Jerry Weintraub's tricked out golf cart -- never too early to prep for her license! -- and eloquently described her role in "Bees," generally charming the pants off everyone.

You can't fake that kind of adorable!

Lukewarm review for 'Frost/Nixon'

Tough to say who the audience will be for "Frost/Nixon." Politicos and history buffs who followed the landmark TV event? Cinephiles who want to see how successfully an intimate stage play can be translated to a feature film? Michael Sheen fans? (They're out there).

Fact is, the drama's already been earmarked on a whole raft of early Oscar lists (but not ours, though we picked Frank Langella as a best actor candidate).

We don't feel the need to backtrack on that prediction just yet, even after reading the first "Frost/Nixon" review, courtesy of InContention, which, if you'll recall, carries the tagline, "No one needs films awards coverage this deep."

Sure we do.

The film's just been screened in London, and critic Guy Lodge comes away feeling fairly unmoved by it. He doesn't think Ron Howard was the right director for the material, says the movie isn't any more revelatory than the original TV interviews themselves, and calls it "an oddly bloodless viewing experience."

He describes the movie's "sluggish first hour where, with the crucial interviews yet to begin, the historical context is painted in broad, CliffsNotes fashion, with a gallery of reconstructed talking-head interviews and distracting lookalike cameos (There’s Diane Sawyer! There’s Swifty Lazar!) in place of significant internal character development."

That ought to put butts in seats, huh?

We just hope this isn't the beginning of a cavalcade of disappointing Oscar Caliber films that are ready to flood the market.

Speaking of which, we were left similarly disconnected with Clint Eastwood's "Changeling." But for those fans of Oscar winner Angelina Jolie, she'll be on the "Today Show" tomorrow to talk up the period drama, for which she could snag a Golden Guy nomination.

First official appearance since the World's Most Perfect Twins! It's a must see.

Penelope Cruz: Global movie goddess

Some performances this year from art house movies -- translation: the ones made for the equivalent of the craft services budgets of the blockbusters, with boxoffice grosses to match -- truly stood out.

There's Richard Jenkins as the doleful professor who finds his groove in "The Visitor." (A few prognosticators have picked him as an Oscar candidate, and we might still do the same in one of our many dozen planned Oscar list do-overs).

And there's Penelope Cruz, whose tempestuous homicidal beauty gave "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" a jolt of unpredictability and excitement. Not that Oscar winning co-star Javier Bardem wasn't magnetic, sexy and soulful. He was. And Woody Allen muse Scarlett Johansson stood her ground with this force-of-nature couple. But it was Cruz who made the movie electric and memorable. Will she be remembered come awards time? We'll do our small part.

Cruz, who's been nominated for an Oscar before (for Pedro Almodovar's "Volver"), has picked up at least one early honor, with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival just naming her outstanding performer of the year for her work in the Spain-set romantic dramedy and the Ben Kingsley-starring "Elegy."

In making the announcement, SBIFF's head honcho called Cruz an "international movie goddess."

Too bad that's not inscribed on the award.

More here.

Oscar bait 'Gomorra' baits the mob

Writing about the Mafia -- not Nicholas Pileggi glammed-up style but hard-core Old World stuff -- can be seriously hazardous to one's health. Just ask Roberto Saviano, the 29-year-old best-selling author of "Gomorra," which spawned a feature film that's Italy's official Oscar submission for February's Academy Awards.

Saviano, who's been in hiding for two years since his expose sold 1.2 million copies, now has a new threat hanging over his head -- that Naples-based organized crime groups want him (and his 24/7 bodyguards) dead by Christmas. Read the Reuters report here.

"Gomorra," the Matteo Garrone-directed semi-fictional drama with five storylines weaving into the modern-day Camorra crime families, won the Grand Prize at Cannes. Read a Q&A with Garrone here. The movie's also snagged near-universal huzzahs from critics, including the New York Times' A.O. Scott, who called it "the best movie I've seen at this year's festival, as well as a furious and brilliant engagement with the times in which we live." Salon called it "a multileveled social melodrama and an Antonioni-style nihilistic contemplation."

Apparently, it's the anti-"Sopranos."

Makes us even more anxious for the screening that's coming early next week, and for the safety of the muckraking Saviano as the movie edges toward release. Check back for our post-screening impressions.