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So now it's even more certain that Inglourious Basterds will wedge its way onto the list of ten Best Picture nominees because all the December releases are falling short...is that it? That's more or less how In Contention's Kris Tapley expressed it over the Thanksgiving holiday in his podcast chat with Anne Thompson.

I'm sensing that Quentin Tarantino may have called his agent, Mike Simpson at William Morris, sometime last week to kibbutz.

Tarantino: "You're hearing what I'm hearing, right? Nobody's seen Avatar but all the other December releases are, like, good or pretty good or whatever but nothing's really going through the roof so they're...they're, whatever, likely Best Picture contenders but at the same time they're soft so...like, we're in! "

Simpson: "I've never had a moment's doubt but now I know we're good. Cat's in the bag..."

Tarantino: "Done deal!"

Simpson: "Congrats, Quentin. Really, man."

Tarantino: "We've been strong all along because...you know, Basterds fans are adamant or enthused whereas Nine or Invictus seem to be....well, you know, people like them...I mean, I loved Nine and Harvey knows this, but we've got the truly passionate following. And now that Brothers has been seen and Lovely Bones is...well, I guess it's pretty much dead."

Simpson: "You saw it?

Tarantino: "No, but the word hasn't been...you know..."

Simpson: "Yeah, I know."

Tarantino: "Except for one guy, Kris Tapley...he called it 'dangerously close to a masterpiece' or some shit. He's probably alone given what I'm hearing but even if Bones experiences a turnaround, we're still good. The people that like us really like us, so we're good no matter what. What I really want, as you know, is Best Original Screenplay...wait, are we Adapted or Original? I've forgotten. But that's what matters along with Best Picture. Anyway..."

Simpson: "We're good so we're good."

Tarantino: "Woo-hooo!!!"

Another Wrong Lennon<< previous | next >>Invictus Fusilli

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 30, 2009 at 6:43 AM

comment #1

kneelbeforezod says ...

If A Beautiful Mind, Chicago - hell, you don't need me to list all the previous lacklustre nominees/winners - can be nominated, then something with as many beautifully written scenes as Basterds certainly can.

It's also in a different league entirely to that execrable Pelham remake, which I believe received a lot of love round here...

Posted by kneelbeforezod at November 30, 2009 7:46 AM

comment #2

The Winchester says ...

Remember a few months ago when Tarantino did his list for the top films of the past 17 years? If he gives Anything Else such grand status, do you really think he'd be negative at all about ANY movie, let alone Lovely bones, produced by geek favorite Jackson?

Posted by The Winchester at November 30, 2009 8:13 AM

comment #3

Jeffrey Wells says ...

Yes, it did -- hands down one of the most enjoyable and excitingly whipped-up mainstream popcorn movies of the year.

Posted by Jeffrey Wells at November 30, 2009 8:14 AM

comment #4

The Winchester says ...

Sorry, directed, not produced. Editing blunder.

Posted by The Winchester at November 30, 2009 8:15 AM

comment #5

markj says ...

Inglourious Basterds is superior to all of the Best Picture winners this decade. Chicago? Beautiful Mind? Crash? Return of the King? A really poor bunch. No Country For Old Men is the only really deserving winner of the past 10 years, and even then I thought There Will Be Blood and Jesse James were more worthy winners that year. The Oscars really have lost their way recently.

Posted by markj at November 30, 2009 8:18 AM

comment #6

Eloi Manning says ...

Many of the Oscar winners this decade have been just so unmemorable that it's hard to get excited about them at all.

In terms of this decade's worthy winners (not compared to the other films nominated that year, but just whether they "feel" like a Best Picture):

Gladiator
The Departed
No Country for Old Men

That's about it really. I suppose you can add Return of the King since the trilogy as a whole was obviously a huge pop culture event. But Crash? Million Dollar Baby? Chicago? Fuck me, they're mediocre.

Inglourious Basterds would be an excellent choice. Vibrant, entertaining, great writing/acting/photography - it fits the bill.

Posted by Eloi Manning at November 30, 2009 8:37 AM

comment #7

Mr. Peel says ...

So.....Tarantino loved NINE?

Posted by Mr. Peel at November 30, 2009 8:52 AM

comment #8

Mr. F. says ...

Wells: you forgot the part where Tarantino and Simpson wring their hands over "that guy named D.Z. who doesn't think IB will make the cut." Remember: as D.Z. goes, so goes the Academy...

Posted by Mr. F. at November 30, 2009 9:04 AM

comment #9

Mark says ...

i unfortunately rented P123 this weekend. Maybe the most tensionless hostage-crisis movie ever made.

I initially thought Slumdog was overrated with a weak lead, but it's since grown on me. Now, IMO it's become underrated in cinephile circles, and a deserving best picture. Executed much better than The Departed, e.g., which may be very rewatchable on cable, but is still just a hot mess with great dialogue.

Posted by Mark at November 30, 2009 9:26 AM

comment #10

kneelbeforezod says ...

That is just the word for The Departed: rewatchable. I think it's so effing rewatchable in fact, that I'm perfectly fine with its Best Picture status, despite its flaws.

Posted by kneelbeforezod at November 30, 2009 9:42 AM

comment #11

THE MovieBob says ...

Prior years? No, it'd never make the cut - though it'd catch an Original Screenplay nod.

Out of ten, though? Yeah, I think it's going in there, if for no other reason that it's EXACTLY the type of movie the new ten-nominee system was designed to let in: A popular, well-reviewed, widely-seen crossover success that critics liked, hardcore film-geeks (read: web buzzmasters) ate up and audiences actually liked (can we just call them "Dark Knight Nominees" from now on?)

It really would be spectacular if it won, though...

Posted by THE MovieBob at November 30, 2009 10:03 AM

comment #12

DeeZee says ...

Jeff: Unless the members of AMPAS think nominating IB will somehow make up for TDK, I still don't see it happening. Look at their line-up last from the last awards thing, after all. And believe me, the torture porn isn't their bag. If it were, then the Kill Bills would have been nominated a long time ago.

mark: "Inglourious Basterds is superior to all of the Best Picture winners this decade."

If you mean by superior in stupidity, then I'll agree with you there.

Mr. F: Well, as I said earlier, a lot of people thought Bashir was a lock for Best Animated Film, too, so...

Posted by DeeZee at November 30, 2009 10:16 AM

comment #13

Mark says ...

Armageddon is very re-watchable on cable. Not sure that voters are regretting keeping it from best picture over 10 years ago. Any movie that doesn't take itself too serious and contains good and/or cheesy lines and set pieces does well on cable, where you could come in and leave at your leisure.

A movie like Crash, however, which most people accepted upon initial theater viewing, is completely destroyed on cable. If Precious wins this year, its rep will similarly be eroded, due to viewers coming in late to an overwrought moment that has not been earned in their mind.

Posted by Mark at November 30, 2009 10:30 AM

comment #14

Colin says ...

Slumdog Millionaire couldn't hold The Departed's jockstrap.

-It's poorly written, relies far too much on coincidence

-The disneyfied ending really makes the torment, and violence in the beginning feel exploitive.

-The dance number was way too much(biased on that because I HATE musicals)

Posted by Colin at November 30, 2009 11:18 AM

comment #15

TulseLuper says ...

Slumdog Millionaire > Inglourious Basterds

I've always liked Slumdog, Mark. I know the screenplay is pretty empty but IMHO Danny Boyle really elevated the material towards something extraordinary. He's a fantastic director; don't care what anyone says. It's an undeserving BP winner insofar as there were better films that weren't nominated, but in that group of five, it was the best by far. It does exactly what it says on the tin, unlike Inglourious, which has some incredible moments but is marred by Tarantino's self-indulgence.

Posted by TulseLuper at November 30, 2009 11:19 AM

comment #16

CameronIsHMFIC says ...

That`s some funny sh*t, Jeff! And Bastereds certianly deserve to clean up Picture, Director and Acting and better win Ensamble SAG too.

However, Bones is experiencing a turnaround as the latest reviews from Levy, Polland and some other people are all positives and raves. Prepare to jump on the bandwaggon! Though, "dangeriously close to masterpiece" means "isn`t a masterpiece". Close or not, it falls short of. Not that one needs a masterpeice for Best Picture win,mind you.

Posted by CameronIsHMFIC at November 30, 2009 11:47 AM

comment #17

Gordon27 says ...

Jeff - 'Basterds' was already basically a lock, but this is certainly good news for 'A Serious Man'.

But, on a serious note, when you're trying to write like Tarantino talks, you need to throw in a lot more "the thing is"es and "okay?"s peppered liberally throughout the dialogue.

Ex:
"You're hearing what I'm hearing, right? The thing is, nobody's seen Avatar, okay?, but all the other December releases are, like, good or pretty good or whatever but the thing is, nothing's really going through the roof so they're...they're, whatever, likely Best Picture contenders but at the same time they're soft, okay?, so...like, we're in!

(the "like" was spot-on).

Posted by Gordon27 at November 30, 2009 1:12 PM

comment #18

The Hoyk says ...

FWIW, the word you want to use for chatting is "kibitz." A "kibbutz" is a large Israeli farm where young Jews go for character building and spiritual retreat.

Posted by The Hoyk at November 30, 2009 2:34 PM

comment #19

DeeZee says ...

Gordon: It was such a lock that only a few critics genuinely think it'll be nominated.

Posted by DeeZee at November 30, 2009 6:13 PM

comment #20

Gordon27 says ...

DZ, if you had any faith in your opinion, you'd have accepted the wager I proposed, but you know you're wrong, so just shut up already. Even Jeff now acknowledges that it's going to happen. Critics love to ignore the obvious and then declare how surprising Oscar season is.

Posted by Gordon27 at November 30, 2009 11:55 PM

comment #21

DeeZee says ...

Jeff says the probability is higher, not that it's certain.

Posted by DeeZee at December 1, 2009 12:59 AM

comment #22

Gordon27 says ...

He actually uses the word "certain". (I'm not sure how something can be "more certain" -- seems like one of those words which is or isn't, like "pregnant".) And he says "done deal". You're really stretching now, you should stick back to relatively safer territory, like saying Tarantino had nothing to do with the script for 'From Dusk Till Dawn'.

Posted by Gordon27 at December 1, 2009 1:26 AM

comment #23

DeeZee says ...

He said done deal as a joke.

Posted by DeeZee at December 1, 2009 2:34 AM

comment #24

K. Bowen says ...

Basterds is beautifully written. In Pulp Fiction days, Tarantino wrote the majority of dialogue through that one very distinct style. Basterds has so many different styles for so many diffreent characters. It's brilliant.

Posted by K. Bowen at December 1, 2009 5:10 AM

comment #25

Gordon27 says ...

"He said done deal as a joke. "

Yes, it's almost as hilarious as the previous joke he made a month or two back, the one that "even more certain" is in reference to: "I just filled out my projected Top Ten Best Picture list [with Basterds on it]", which is a month or so after he said (paraphrased) Yeah, it's gonna happen, and I'm okay with that.

Posted by Gordon27 at December 2, 2009 12:12 AM

comment #26