2008 SoundSpec Awards

Duffy leads with 6 noms.

Blind Spot: Man on Wire (2008)

Marsh's little documentary is a fantastic movie.

2008 CinSpec Awards

Winners indicated (*). I still need to see films like Everlasting Moments, Chop Shop, Encounters at the End of the World, Still Walking, My Winnipeg, Choke, W., Turn the River, Silent Light, Medicine for Melancholy, Brideshead Revisited, Redbelt, Miracle at St. Anna, Stop-Loss, Flash of Genius, Towelhead, The Beautiful Person, and Cadillac Records.

Review: Somers Town (2008)

Tomo and Marek.

Directed by Shane Meadows
Produced by Barnaby Spurrier
Written by Paul Fraser (screenplay); Mother Vision (idea)

Starring Thomas Turgoose, Piotr Jagiello, Ireneusz Czop, Perry Benson, Elisa Lasowski and Kate Dickie

Blind Spot: Waltz with Bashir (2008)

Directed by Ari Folman
Produced by Ari Folman, Serge Lalou, Gerhard Meixner, Yael Nahlieli, and Roman Paul
Written by Ari Folman
Starring Ari Folman, Ori Sivan, Ronny Dayag, and Ron Ben-Yishai

Review: I Love Sarah Jane (2008)

Sarah (Mia Wasikowska) and Jimbo (Brad Ashby).

Directed by Spencer Susser
Produced by Angie Fielder
Written by David Micôd and Spencer Susser

Starring Brad Ashby, Mia Wasikowska, Vladimir Matovic, Beau South, Peter Yacoub, and Richard Mueck

Oscar Campaign Bust #6: Casino Royale & Quantum of Solace

007 has received no Oscar love since For Your Eyes Only (1981).

Skyfall is finally opening in the U.S. this week. Since it is getting some Oscar buzz, I thought it would be interesting to look back at the last two campaign efforts in the Bond franchise.

Oscar Campaign Bust #4: I've Loved You So Long

I haven't done one of these since April, so I thought I'd finally post a fourth entry. You can see the previous ones here, here, and here.

In 2008, this French film starring Oscar nominee Kristin Scott Thomas was released to rave reviews. As a woman returning to society from a lengthy prison stint for murder, Scott Thomas gave a devastating, heartfelt performance, backed by a strong performance from Elsa Zylberstein as her sister. Both actresses received some awards recognition, and Scott Thomas even received BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Cesar nominations. The film also had Sony Picture Classics backing it, which only improved its awards campaign. Despite these credentials, it did not receive much Oscar consideration, because The Class - by rule - was the only film that France could submit for Best Foreign Language Film. So, the film's best shot was Best Actress, and it came up just short. 

Did it deserve to be nominated? Yes, if not for Best Foreign Language Film, then at the very least for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.