And the Oscar Should Have Gone to...

[Deleted]

Thanks to the wonders of the HDTV movie channel, they showed the movie Central Station. It brought back memories of the Cate vs. Gwyneth Oscar battle of 1998 and remembing clearly that the actress who was gypped out of the Oscar that year was Fernanda Montenegro who was brilliant in her leading role.

If you haven't seen Central Station, I highly recommend you buy it or rent it. It's a beautiful film.

Jessica Lange should have won the Best Actress Oscar in 1983 for Frances. Shirley MacLaine won for Terms of Endearment instead, and the Academy gave a make-up Oscar to Lange for best supporting actress in Tootsie. While MacLaine was good -- maybe even great, in Terms of Endearment --- it doesn't come close to Jessica Lange's mindblowing performance as Frances Fisher.

First of all, Meryl Streep won the Oscar that year for Sophie's Choice. Shirley MacLaine won the following year.

Also, Lange played Francis Farmer. I'm sure Frances Fisher of Titanic fame would be thrilled if Jessica Lange played her in a film but it wasn't meant to be.

[kafka]

nedsdag said:

First of all, Meryl Streep won the Oscar that year for Sophie's Choice. Shirley MacLaine won the following year.

Also, Lange played Francis Farmer. I'm sure Frances Fisher of Titanic fame would be thrilled if Jessica Lange played her in a film but it wasn't meant to be.

Thanks for the corrections. "Frances Fisher"... heh. I'm such a dolt with names. And apparently, dates as well! ;D I don't know why, but I thought Sophie's Choice came out in 1981. I can completely understand Jessica Lange losing to Meryl Streep because... well, it's Meryl Streep and Sophie's Choice was amazing.

I'm just such a huge fan of "Frances." Someone brought up her name in a celebrity thread today, and it brought back so many memories of the film and how deeply Lange's performance impacted me.

[plush]

barrie said:

I agree with all of you about the movie Troy. Eric Bana was the best thing in that movie and Brad Pitt ruined it me.

As for people that should have been nominated well I know this may offend people but I just watched a foreign film called Downfall. Bruno Ganz gives the most realistic performance of Hitler I have ever seen. You think that you are watching Hitler and this is how he would have been. The fact that it is in German just adds to his role.

Bruno Ganz was absolutely fantastic in that movie. Hitler was a monster by any means, but he gave his character some sort of human features when seen through the eyes of someone who worked closely with him. I didn't feel bad for any of the characters (ok, I did like the doctor but I don't remember him being a Nazi), but at least they were far more developed that in that one-demensional negative light they're always portrayed. I thought the movie was excellent.


Since we're in the foreign movie land I'd like to nominate the actor who made me cry last in a movie theatre. Javier Bardem for The Sea Inside. I know the movie won the Oscar as best foreign film but he should have gotten a nom for his touching, brilliant performance. He was nominated for a GG though. On a side note, he'll be Florentino Ariza in Love in The Times of Cholera. Woot. I remember Florentino being quite ugly and Javier is hot hot hot.

As for Troy, Peter O'Toole was the best thing about that mess. Eric Bana was average in Troy but he was robbed for Munich, I agree on that.

[tamaradixon]

Just reviving this thread at this special time of year.

Anyone else surprised by the Clint Eastwood/Gran Torino oversight?

[Trixie]

Jan 28, 2009 23:39:09 GMT -4 @tamaradixon said:

Just reviving this thread at this special time of year.

Anyone else surprised by the Clint Eastwood/Gran Torino oversight?

Beyond surprised -- I'd color myself "shocked!"

He was superb, as were his neighbors and the priest.

[Deleted]

Yeah, I was shocked too. I thought it was a very good little movie and was expecting to see it nom'd for something. Was it eligible?

[canuckcutie]

I think it was released earlier enough in limited release to qualify but the thinking was that they should have released it wider sooner and maybe the box office success would have helped on the awards front. The Academy loves Clint so I was surprised it got overlooked.

[Ella]

I have seen both Milk and Grand Torino and I thought Clint was better then Sean Penn. I'm not even a Eastwood fan, but he made me cry in GT.

[Deleted]

Wow, there's some serious meltdown going on over at awardsdaily (among other places) about Penn's win over Rourke. One of the arguments given as to why Rourke should have won: he'll never have a chance again. Nice, Rourke supporters. ;-)
Somehow I was never able to see Rourke as Oscar winner, despite his various wins over the season. Penn always seemed like such a sure bet to me...

[Karen]

Feb 23, 2009 9:23:54 GMT -4 @solly79 said:

Wow, there's some serious meltdown going on over at awardsdaily (among other places) about Penn's win over Rourke. One of the arguments given as to why Rourke should have won: he'll never have a chance again. Nice, Rourke supporters. ;-)

But he likes his dogs! Think of what a great speech he would have given!

I never knew Rourke was some kind of tragically derailed talent. I can't remember seeing him in anything before The Wrestler, though I knew he'd been in that Kim Basinger film. But now movie buffs and fellow actors are praising him everywhere; as long as he keeps his personal problems (whatever they were) in check, this comeback should lead to plenty of good offers in the future.