UPDATE: well, the surprises were exactly where there were expected to be! To sum up what will be talked about: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close eventually making the cut for BP, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo not getting the expected last minute love, audience darlings Shame and Drive shut out (huge snub for Fassbender), a few out of the blue nominations (Max von Sydow? Margin Call? Really?), no Spielberg (War Horse was on the downfall anyways + no love for Tintin!), only 2 Best Song nominees, and Rooney Mara and Gary Oldman benefitting from their Dark Horse status. Here is the complete and official nominee list. See you in a month!

It’s that time of the year again… On Tuesday morning, 5.30 a.m. P.T., the Road to the Oscars will continue for a few as the nominations will represent a victory in itself, instantly conferring a different status. In one of the most interesting races ever, there’s still a lot of uncertainty at this point, even concerning the nominations. It’ll be very revealing to see who makes the cut in the Best Picture category (5 to 10 movies). The Best Director field, for example, is the hardest to predict and will be surprising in any case. And anyway, it’s the Academy Awards! There WILL be big shocks come nominations morning, twists & turns that had never happened in the race before, and that can be very interestingly analyzed. At least two names in each category are not locked at all… Only time will tell! And the tendencies will finally be clearer.

So… behold my annual Academy Awards Nominations Predictions List ! Listed are the « main » categories and their predicted nominees, as well as names that can be considered as dark horses and/or deserve to be considered for a nomination too, in my opinion. Bold indicates locks, MDH is for « Main Dark Horse ».

I am so PUMPED right now, in the very heart of this cinematic season! The road to the Oscars is absolutely fascinating this year, with the ups and downs of every buzz – roller coaster style. Almost nauseating. Pleasantly nauseating.
This week only,  it got extremely busy, as nominations and/or winners were announced for a long list of « precursors »: the Annie Awards, the Producers Guild of America (Television), the Houston Film Critics, the Boston Society of Film Critics, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Online, the American Film Institute, the European Film Awards, the British Independent Film Awards, the National Board of Review, and the Washington Film Critics Association.

There’s so many movies and big things coming up. And so many things to discuss. The super overrated (and frontrunner) The Artist, the disgustingly well-received The Help (unpleasantly nauseating), my the love and excitement for the one and only Meryl Streep + the great competition in the Best Actress category, Brad Pitt‘s and George Clooney‘s chances, DiCaprio & Eastwood‘s surprisingly-not-so-well-received J. Edgar, Jessica Chastain‘s & Michael Fassenbender‘s amazing year, Scorsese‘s family movie Hugo currently blooming, The Descendants and War Horse still having to prove strong, … and SO much more. Stay tuned.

And no, MeNab.com is not dead. But NathanaelBez.com is alive, so that explains it.

I know I haven’t posted in a while, and there will be a « proper » post soon… but this just made me pee in my pants. Behold the brand new, full UK trailer for the long-awaited The Iron Lady, with soon-to-be-Oscar-nominated-for-the-17th-time Meryl Streep, aka The Queen Of Them All… :

Have a look at this great mashup video by Leandro Copperfield, mixing Quentin Tarantino‘s and the Coen Brothers‘ work into something that (surprisingly?) fits together… Two three of the greatest directors on this planet! Add some conservative Clint Eastwood, and you’ve got my directing triumvirate. Oh yeah!

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We’ve finally come to it: my ANNUAL POST for the OPENING SEASON! I’m talking about movies, of course. Here are listed (in no particular order) all the motion pictures that will play a role until the closing moment of the season, which will occur at the Oscars, on February 26th, 2012. There will be ups & downs, surprises, and more and more detailed buzz, but for now they’re all here, without exception. Included is also the current status of each movie’s buzz, as well as the categories it will potentially be in competition for…

Many things are to be noted this year; for example, it definitely is the return of big names, such as George Clooney (for directing, but also acting – in two different movies), Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, Woody Allen, Brad Pitt, or even the awaited Leonardo DiCaprio in the role that could finally earn him his first Oscar. But I find it also interesting how several actors are part of several movies that will all end up being Oscar-nominated: it is the case for George Clooney (The Ides Of March  +  The Descendants), Ryan Gosling (Drive + The Ides Of March), Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Ides Of March + Moneyball), Brad Pitt (The Tree Of Life + Moneyball), Judi Dench (J. Edgar + My Week With Marylin), Jessica Chastain (The Tree Of Life + The Help + Coriolanus), Viola Davis (The Help + Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close), John C. Reilly (Carnage + We Need To Talk About Kevin), Michael Fassbender (Shame + A Dangerous Method), Tom Hardy (Warrior + Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), Carey Mulligan (Drive + Shame).

It will sure be an interesting year… and I can’t wait to follow this very closely!

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THE IDES OF MARCH - dir. George Clooney, with George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood.
Why? George Clooney, simple as that. Awards hopes? Movie, Actors (George Clooney, Ryan Gosling - split with their other movies), Supporting Actors (Philip Seymour Hoffman & Paul Giamatti), Director, and Original Screenplay. TRAILER
J. EDGAR  - dir. Clint Eastwood, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Judi Dench, Naomi Watts, Ed Westwick.
Why? American history piece + Clint Eastwood + Leonardo DiCaprio. Awards hopes? Movie, Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio - could this be finally his?), Director, Supporting Actor (Armie Hammer), Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), Original Screenplay. TRAILER

THE ARTIST  - dir. Michel Hazanavicius, with Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo.
Why? Huge buzz + Cannes + French touch + silent movie + Hollywood 20′s Era. Awards hopes? Movie, Actor (Jean Dujardin - top 4 contender!), Director, Original Screenplay, Supporting Actress (Berenice Bejo). TRAILER

 
 
WAR HORSE  - dir. Steven Spielberg, with Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Neils Arestrup.
Why? The most famous director on Earth + adaptation of a Tony Award-winning play. Awards hopes? Movie (the one to beat), Director (the one to beat), Adapted Screenplay, possibly Actor (Jeremy Irvine), and Supporting Actor (Neils Arestrup). TRAILER

MONEYBALL  - dir. Bennet Miller, with Brad Pitt, Robin Wright, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Why? Great early reviews from the beloved director of Capote + great work from Brad Pitt. Awards hopes? Movie, Director, Adapted Screenplay, possibly Actor (Brad Pitt), and Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill). TRAILER

 
A DANGEROUS METHOD - dir. David Cronenberg, with Viggo Mortensen, Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender, Vincent Cassel.
Why? Carl Jung & Sigmund Freud story. Awards hopes? Actress (Keira Knightley), Supporting Actor (Viggo Mortensen). TRAILER

 
 
THE TREE OF LIFE - dir. Terrence Malick, with Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain.
Why? Long-awaited movie + Cannes Film Festival. Awards hopes? Movie, Director, Supporting Actor (Brad Pitt), Supporting Actress (Jessica Chastain). TRAILER

 
THE DESCENDANTS  - dir. Alexander Payne, with George Clooney, Robert Foster, Shaileen Woodley.
Why? Might be Payne’s best work + George Clooney. Awards hopes? Movie, Actor (George Clooney - top 3), Director, Adapted Screenplay, possibly Supporting Actor (Robert Forster) and Supporting Actress (Shaileen Woodley). TRAILER

MY WEEK WITH MARYLIN - dir. Simon Curtis, with Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Emma Watson, Dominic Cooper, Judi Dench.
Why? Michelle Williams as Marylin Monroe. Awards hopes? Director, Actress (Michelle Williams), Supporting Actor (Kenneth Branagh), possibly Movie. TRAILER

 
 
THE HELP  - dir. Tate Taylor, with Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Bryce Dallas Howard.
Why? Adaptation of a successful book + huge box office numbers with good reviews = The Blind Side syndrome. Awards hopes? Movie, Actress (Viola Davis - top 3), Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer  - top 2), possibly Director, and Adapted Screenplay. TRAILER

EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE - dir. Stephen Daldry, with Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, James Gandolfini, Thomas Horn.
Why? Post 9/11 movie on the anniversary year + star-studded cast & nominated director. Awards hopes? Movie, Director, Supporting Actress (Sandra Bullock), Adapted Screenplay, possibly Actor (Thomas Horn).

 
MELANCHOLIA - dir. Lars Von Trier, with Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, John Hurt.
Why? Lars Von Trier + Cannes – scandal. Awards hopes? Possibly Actress (Kirsten Dunst), but the scandal killed its chances. TRAILER

 
 
CARNAGE - dir. Roman Polanski, with Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Christoph Waltz.
Why? Star-studded cast + adaptation of the acclaimed play by Yasmina Reza. Awards hopes? Movie, Actress (Jodie Foster, possibly Kate Winslet), possibly Actor (Christoph Waltz), Supporting Actor (John C. Reilly), Adapted Screenplay, and Director. TRAILER

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN - dir. Lynne Ramsey, with Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller.
Why? A psychotic Tilda Swinton + Cannes + huge buzz. Awards hopes? Actress (Tilda Swinton), possibly Supporting Actor (John C. Reilly), and Director. TRAILER

 
MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE - dir. Sean Durkin, with Elizabeth Olsen, John Hawkes.
Why? Newcomer of the year Elizabeth Olsen = the unknown Olsen sister. Awards hopes? Actress (Elizabeth Olsen), Supporting Actor (John Hawkes), possibly Best Movie. TRAILER

 
CORIOLANUS - dir. Ralph Fiennes, with Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler, Brian Cox, Jessica Chastain, Vanessa Redgrave.
Why? From the screenwriter of Gladiator + adaptation of a Shakespeare play. Awards hopes? Supporting Actress (Vanessa Redgrave - the one to beat at the moment), possibly Actor (Ralph Fiennes), Supporting Actor (Gerard Butler), and Best Movie. TRAILER

LIKE CRAZY - dir. Drake Doremus, with Felicity Jones, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence.
Why? Best Picture & Actress at Sundance + indie movie of the year. Awards hopes? Actress (Felicity Jones), Original Screenplay, possibly Supporting Actor (Anton Yelchin). TRAILER

 
TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY  - dir. Tomas Alfredson, with Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt.
Why? Long overdue recognition for Gary Oldman. Awards hopes? Movie, Actor (Gary Oldman - top 2 contenders), Director, Adapted Screenplay, possibly Supporting Actor (Tom Hardy). TRAILER

 
SHAME  - dir. Steve McQueen, with Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan.
Why? Good Venice buzz, especially for the acting – might be too dark for awards. Awards hopes? Actor (Michael Fassbender), Supporting Actress (Carey Mulligan), possibly Director.

 
 
THE IRON LADY  - dir. Phyllila Lloyd, with Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent.
Why? Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher. Simple as that. Awards hopes? Actress (Meryl Streep - please let her have it!), Supporting Actor (Jim Broadbent), possibly Movie, and Original Screenplay. TRAILER

 
 
WE BOUGHT A ZOO  - dir. Cameron Crowe, with Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson.
Why? Family movie with A-List stars + good buzz. Awards hopes? Probably none… but possibly Movie, Actor (Matt Damon), Director, Adapted Screenplay, Supporting Actress (Scarlett Johansson). TRAILER

 
HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART II  - dir. David Yates, with Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint.
Why? End of an Era, à la Lord Of The Rings. Awards hopes? Possibly Movie. TRAILER

 
 
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS  - dir. Woody Allen, with Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Kathy Bates, Marion Cotillard.
Why? Woody Allen‘s most commercially successful movie + great reviews. Awards hopes? Movie, Original Screenplay, possibly Director, and Supporting Actress (Marion Cotillard). TRAILER

 
WARRIOR  - dir. Gavin O’Connor, with Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Joel Edgerton.
Why? Great reviews for boxing/martial arts movie (Oscars love that). Awards hopes? Actor (Tom Hardy), possibly Supporting Actor (Nick Nolte). TRAILER

 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN  - dir. Steven Spielberg, with Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis, Gad Elmaleh.
Why? Huge Hollywood production for a famous character + Steven Spielberg (again). Awards hopes? Special Effects and Technicals. TRAILER

 
 
DRIVE  - dir. Nicolas Winding Refn, with Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Bryan Cranston.
Why? Long-lasting early buzz + Cannes. Awards hopes? Movie, Actor (Ryan Gosling), Director, Supporting Actor (Albert Brooks), possibly Supporting Actress (Carey Mulligan) and Adapted Screenplay. TRAILER

 
ALBERT NOBBS  - dir. Rodrigo Garcia, with Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Brendan Gleeson.
Why? 19th C. drama + adaptation of a play + Glenn Close pretending to be a man = the role of her career. Awards hopes? Actress (the one to beat), possibly Supporting Actress (Mia Wasikowska).

 
BEGINNERS - dir. Mike Mills, with Ewan McGregor, Melanie Laurent, Christopher Plummer.
Why? Very early release, but Plummer still has it. Awards hopes? Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer - the one to beat). TRAILER

 
 
BRIDESMAIDS - dir. Paul Feig, with Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy.
Why? Huge audience & critic success for the comedy of the year. Awards hopes? Original Screenplay, possibly Supporting Actress (Melissa McCarthy). TRAILER

 
RAMPART - dir. Oren Moverman, with Woody Harrelson, Steve Buscemi, Robin Wright, Ben Foster, Sigourney Weaver, Cynthia Nixon, Anne Heche, Ice Cube.
Why? For now, huge buzz for Woody Harrelson, with no trailer or footage. Awards hopes? Actor (Woody Harrelson).

 
WIN WIN - dir. Thomas McCarthy, with Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Margo Martindale.
Why? Awards darling Paul Giamatti, well-written « indie » type comedy. Awards hopes? Original Screenplay, possibly Actor (Paul Giamatti). TRAILER

 
 
50/50 - dir. Jonathan Levine, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston.
Why? Comedy/drama inspired by a true story, with heavy topic. Awards hopes? Possibly Actor (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). TRAILER
 
 

J’ai failli en faire un article en mai dernier… et celui-ci aurait été sérieusement d’actualité aujourd’hui. Après son succès au Festival de Cannes cette année et la victoire presque surprenante de Jean Dujardin, il avait été décidé qu’une campagne de promotion serait lancée (surtout avec son achat par la Weinstein Company pour la distribution US), avec comme but un peu fou: les Oscars. Et pari déjà gagné! Techniquement, nous ne sommes qu’aux aubes de la saison des Oscars, mais The Artist dispose certainement déjà du buzz le plus dingue dans de nombreuses catégories, notamment Meilleur Film et Meilleur Acteur! On irait même jusqu’à un doublé de nominés français Jean Dujardin-Bérenice Béjo… et ce sont des nominations déjà acquises d’avance, selon beaucoup de critiques. LA FOLIE! Préparez-vous à beaucoup d’images de Jean Dujardin en anglais, et à Alexandra Lamy sur un tapis rouge à Hollywood. L’ « Effet Marion Cotillard » !

I had hesitated to make a quick post out of this back in May… and it would have fit today’s situation very well. After its success at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year and Jean Dujardin‘s pretty surprising win (Best Actor), it was decided that this French silent film (acquired by the Weinstein Company in the US) would get a bigger campaign, with a crazy objective: The Oscars. Mission already accomplished! This is only the dawn of the Oscar season, but the buzz for The Artist is already huge in several categories, including Best Picture and Leading Actor! We might even get a double French acting nomination, Jean Dujardin-Bérénice Béjo… and these are locked nominations, according to many critics. CRAZINESS! Prepare yourself for a lot of French talking in the next couple of months. The « Marion Cotillard Effect » !

A quick « random thought » post, just to tell you about a crazy phenomenon… that you’re probably already aware of. Behold the always interesting All-Time Worldwide Box Office grosses chart.

The everlasting champion Titanic saw its $1,8B-record (since 1997) surprisingly crushed by Avatar and its crazy $2,7B in 2009. Who would have thought… And that’s when things started to be shaken up. Before that, the chart was pretty « old-fashioned »: a few big movies (more and more franchises) with big numbers from time to time, but breaking into the the All-Time Top 10 was always a huge accomplishment, felt like it was for good! Wrong.

Now if you look closely… The rarely-alterated chart seems to have grown younger lately. 6 of the 10 biggest worldwide grosses are associated with movies that were released within the last three years. 3 YEARS! The common denominator? They’ve all been released in 3D. And since 3D movie tickets are more expensive than « regular » movies, the whole phenomenon is pretty simple and logical. Now, is it a good thing? That’s another debatable story, about which I have a very clear opinion. It’s only the beginning!

Sounded like some pretty… disturbing facts to me.

P.S.: … Transformers?? Really?!!?