Day: January 6, 2024

Herewith the second Oscar Poker podcast of ’24. National Society of Film Critics Calls. The N.Y. Times vs. Taylor Swift. I’m a Cannibal, You’re a Cannibal. Random Golden Globe Predictions. What is life without a little suspense?

Again, the link.

It should be understood that the 108–minute version of Ken Russell’s The Devils (‘71), which is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel, was dissed by Russell and star Oliver Reed before their deaths. The franker British version, which runs 111 minutes, is the one to settle into. The Criterion Channel makes no mention of this, although it does offer a doc about the film’s censoring, titled “Hell on Earth: The Desecration and Resurrection of The Devils.”

With the exception of having handed their Best Supporting Actress trophy to The Holdovers‘ Da’Vine Joy Randolph and having honored Ferrari‘s Penelope Cruz with first-runner-up status, the National Society of Film Critics has voted in a somewhat curious, Planet Neptune sort of way….like the Branch Davidian Spirit Awards.

Celine Song‘s Past Lives has taken the Best Picture prize (51 points)…Scott Feinberg may or may not be rejoicing, but he’s certainly feeling comfortable right now…he and his woke sewing circle friends / Runners-up: THE ZONE OF INTEREST (49 points), OPPENHEIMER (44 points)

Best Director: Jonathan Glazer, THE ZONE OF INTEREST (65 points), Todd Haynes, MAY DECEMBER (42 points), Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER (41 points)

Lily Gladstone didn’t win for Best Actress…fine. But neither did HE’s favorite contender, Poor Things Emma Stone (booo). Instead Anatomy of a Fall“s Sandra Huller has taken the prize. HE is down with this. Huller is a grade-A actress.

Best Screenplay: Samy Burch, MAY DECEMBER (53 points) / Runners-up: Celine Song, PAST LIVES (50 points); David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS (36 points)

Best Supporting Actor: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER (51 points) / Runners-up: Robert Downey, Jr., OPPENHEIMER, and Ryan Gosling, BARBIE (31 points, tie)

Best Actor: Andrew Scott, ALL OF US STRANGERS (52 points) / Runners-up: Jeffrey Wright, AMERICAN FICTION (39 points), Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER (29 points)

Best Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (55 points); Łukasz Żal, THE ZONE OF INTEREST (45 points), Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER (44 points).

Best Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS (58 points), Penélope Cruz, FERRARI (32 points), Rachel McAdams, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET. (23 points)

Best Actress: Sandra Hüller, ANATOMY OF A FALL and THE ZONE OF INTEREST (61 points); Emma Stone, POOR THINGS (56 points); Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (44 points)

From a 1.4.24 N.Y. Times guest essay by Anna Marks, titled “Look What We Made Taylor Swift Do“:

“Whether she is conscious of it or not, Taylor Swift signals to queer people — in the language we use to communicate with one another — that she has some affinity for queer identity. There are some queer people who would say that through this sort of signaling, she has already come out, at least to us.

“But what about coming out in a language the rest of the public will understand?

“The difference between any person coming out and a celebrity doing so is the difference between a toy mallet and a sledgehammer. It’s reasonable for celebrities to be reticent; by coming out, they potentially invite death threats, a dogged tabloid press that will track their lovers instead of their beards, the excavation of their past lives, a torrent of public criticism and the implosion of their careers.

“In a culture of compulsory heterosexuality, to stop lying — by omission or otherwise — is to risk everything.

“American culture still expects that stars are cis and straight until they confess themselves guilty. So when our culture imagines a celebrity’s coming out, it expects an Ellen-style announcement that will submerge the past life in phoenix fire and rebirth the celebrity in a new image. In an ideal culture, wearing a bracelet that says ‘PROUD’, waving a pride flag onstage, placing a rainbow in album artwork or suggestively answering fan questions on Instagram would be enough. But our current reality expects a supernova.”

Question #1: When was the last time that a famous person was all-but-outed on the N.Y. Times editorial page?

Question #2: Even if Mark’s piece is unsubstantiated conjecture, and I have no way of knowing either way, her Times essay sets a new standard for invasive journalism. Can anyone imagine a gay activist calling out a closeted male celebrity in the same way? Shouldn’t closeted people (if indeed they are closeted) be left the hell alone?

Question #3: If you were Travis Kelce, how would you be feeling right now? What would be going through your head? Would you be shrugging it off with a chuckle? Or would you be saying to yourself “WHAT THE LIVING FUCK?”

If you can overlook the phlegmy voice, soft diction and under-powered delivery, President Joe Biden‘s Valley Forge speech was a keeper. He had waited and hemmed and hawed for months on end, but then he finally stood up and hoisted Donald Trump on his own spear. It was about damn time.

The smartest way to figure out the winners of Sunday night’s Golden Globe awards (CBS, 1.7, 8 pm eastern / 5 pm Pacific) is to consider the primary mission.

Mission #1 is to give Paul Giamatti a Golden Globe award for his Holdovers performance. That’s the priority, the main thing…nothing else matters.

Two years ago the old Hollywood Foreign Press Association had been condemned and ostracized for being racist or insufficiently woke or generally bad news. Now that it’s Penske-owned and operated (i.e., the “Golden Penskes”) the impetus, obviously, will be to lean diverse whenever feasible to make up for alleged past sins.

The other presumption is that many if not most of the winners will align with the preferences of the dumbest, shallowest and least edge-minded voters.

Best Motion Pic / Drama / Anatomy of a Fall, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, The Zone of Interest.

HE pick: Maestro (easily the most dynamic and transporting film among the nominated six.). Safest default choice: Oppenheimer. Likeliest woke winner: Killers of the Flower Moon.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy / Air, American Fiction, Barbie, The Holdovers, May December, Poor Things

HE pick: Poor Things. Safest default choice: The Holdovers. Likeliest woke winner: Barbie.

Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama, Actor / Bradley Cooper, Maestro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon (not a chance!), Colman Domingo, Rustin (not happening!), Barry Keoghan, Saltburn (get outta town!), Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer (alien from Tralfamadore!), Andrew Scott, All of Us Strangers.

HE pick: Cooper for Maestro. Safest choice: Murphy for Oppenheimer. Likeliest winner: toss-up between Murphy and Cooper.

Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama: Actress: Annette Bening, Nyad; Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon; Sandra Heller, Anatomy of a Fall; Greta Lee, Past Lives; (no way) Carey Mulligan, Maestro (yes!); Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla (not a chance)

HE pick: Mulligan in Maestro. Safest choice: Mulligan. Surprise winner: Bening in Nyad.

Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: Actor: Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario, Timothée Chalamet, Wonka, Matt Damon, Air, Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers, Joaquin Phoenix, Beau is Afraid, Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction.

Should & will win: Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers.

Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: Actress / Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple, Jennifer Lawrence, No Hard Feelings, Natalie Portman, May December, Alma Pöysti, Fallen Leaves, Margot Robbie, Barbie, Emma Stone, Poor Things.

HE pick, obivous winner, hands down: Emma Stone, Poor Things

Best Director / Bradley Cooper, Maestro; Greta Gerwig, Barbie; Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things; Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer; Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon (no!), Celine Song, Past Lives .

HE picks: Cooper, Lanthimos. Likeliest winners: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer or Greta Gerwig, Barbie.

Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture: Actor / Willem Dafoe, Poor Things; Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon (no!), Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer; Ryan Gosling, Barbie; Charles Melton, May December (no!), Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things.

HE pick: Nobody…I feel nothing. Likeliest winner: Downey in Oppenheimer.

Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture: Actress / Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer; Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple; Jodie Foster, Nyad; Julianne Moore, May December; Rosamund Pike, Saltburn; Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers (yes!!)

Should win, will win: Randolph in The Holdovers.

I feel too fagged and shagged to predict any of the other categories.