In Contention » Oscar Talk

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. As we move into November, AFI Fest is heating up, campaigns are in full swing (talent being pitched left and right) and pretty soon I’ll be eating turkey and watching “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” Crazy. We had a slightly shorter window this week, but let’s see what’s on the docket today… • Opening wide this weekend is DreamWorks Animation’s “Megamind,” which drew two completely different reactions from Anne and myself. We discuss. • Anne caught up with Peter Weir’s “The Way Back” this week, and she counts it as “extraordinary filmmaking.” Finally we can have a back and forth on the film. • The Hollywood Reporter launched it’s new glossy weekly mag this week (all 150 pages of it). Gracing the cover were a handful of actresses in the Oscar race this season. That leads us to a brief discussion of the leading and supporting actress categories and which of those ladies will be in the hunt at the end of the day. • Anne screened “The King’s Speech” to her “Sneak Previews” class this week and got the best response she’s ever seen out of that program. We talk further on the film that has to be seen as the frontrunner at this stage. • And finally, reader questions. We only get to a few this week because Anne had to rush off, but we address the Academy voting process, steam-building vis a vis Robert Duvall in “Get Low” and the best of the leading actor field we’ve seen so far. Have a listen to the new podcast below. If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 39

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. You can feel the season rumbling to life with Halloween just around the corner.  It’s been a lively enough week as contenders began to hit the circuit and more films were unveiled for eager press.  Let’s see what’s on the docket today… • Anne and I both took in a screening of Edward Zwick’s “Love & Other Drugs” this week. We fall on pretty much the same side of the conversation. • Sean Penn was shuffled over to a supporting actor campaign this week, which leads us to a discussion of the contenders in that field and in lead. • Jennifer Lawrence was in town this week to promote her work in “Winter’s Bone,” as was the “127 Hours” crew. We discuss the circuit as it begins to rev its engines. • Halloween is coming up, so a discussion of favorite horror films is clearly in order. • And once again, reader questions. This week we address issues concerning “127 Hours,” “Black Swan,” Jacki Weaver’s Oscar chances and the Academy’s penchant for recognizing young actresses more than young actors. Have a listen to the new podcast below (with John Carpenter’s piano and synthesizer leading the way). If the file cuts off for you at any time, try the back-up download link at the bottom of this post. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here. Back-up download: Oscar Talk Episode 38

Welcome to Oscar Talk. In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds. After a week with four on the mic, it’s back to just Anne and myself as we mull over something of a slow news week. But there’s always some grist for the mill here and there, catch-up screenings, parties, etc., so let’s see what’s on the docket today… • Quickly at the top, Anne is reminded of films that have kind of come and gone and rank a bit low on the totem pole, therefore will have trouble getting back into the conversation (which leads us to a reader question about same). • Speaking of which, Michael Douglas’s lead actor campaign for “Solitary Man” and supporting campaign for “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” have each received their fair share of ink this week. But the opportunism is what sticks out more than anything. We discuss. • The animated feature race looks to boast just three nominations this year. Two seem sealed up, but what of the third. We talk the possibilities, as well as a recent “How to Train Your Dragon” DVD release party. • Speaking of animation (kind of), there is buzz afoot that Disney is launching a serious Best Picture campaign behind “Alice in Wonderland.” It made the dough so it deserves the effort, but we both think it’s a bit futile. • Having caught up with Doug Liman’s “Fair Game” earlier this week, I’m able to join Anne in conversation on the film’s awards prospects. For my money, Sean Penn is best in show, but the film doesn’t feel like a contender so much as a solid effort that deserves good business. • And we close with this week’s batch of reader questions, addressing topics ranging from lone director potential to the future of “the 10.” Have a listen to the new podcast below (with Jónsi’s “Sticks & Stones” from “How to Train Your Dragon” leading the way). If the file cuts off for you at any time, remember you can click the download link to save it directly or play from the source. And as always, remember to subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here.