Two supporting acting victories in a short time span working with the same director. Who does this Austrian think he is? But like the great Dianne with 1986's Hannah and Her Sisters and 1994's Bullets Over Broadway -- Christoph Waltz may well Weist!
The scowling outhouse, henhouse, doghouse -- I did not kill my wife! I don't caredness of it all that is Tommy Lee Jones may not be getting an Oscar for emphatically repeating the same phrase, dramatically removing his wig, and Bob Newharting it with his surprising wife. Going toe to toe with Daniel Day Lewis is certainly an accomplishment. And let's not forget that Tommy Lee's been doing some doozies lately: the under-sung Valley of Elah -- boring as it was -- had a great T.J. performance -- and let's not forget the zero recognition for his work in No Country. Lincoln's a hell of a feather to stick in that cap. And he took the SAG -- so let's not rule him out.
But what might is that he wasn't necessarily the stand out supporting actor performance. David Strathairn -- still Oscar-less -- was remarkable as Seward. No, he doesn't get the big moments of screaming down "Pushing Daisies" in the Capitol. That's not where he's allowed to wander. But the work is solid and it's interesting he wasn't equally recognized. Because frankly, D-Day's casting a big shadow over the entire Civil War era. When all is said and done, Daniel may have turned the Spielberg-Kushner masterpiece into a Sophie's Choice. A "Yeah, HE was really good in it" -ed-ness that may shadow the rest of the film. Moreso than he did with There Will Be Blood. All I'm saying is take if from the perspective of Lewis' first two Oscars and Tommy Lee ain't no Brenda Fricker (also a victor) nor is he a Paul Dano (not even nominated). So, Tommy Lee Jones ain't a guarantee.
This ain't no Jim Broadbent free for all, either. This is an absolute usurper who's taken the other half of the awards and a distant third place in "did Harvey just pull that off." And that man is Golden Globe and BAFTA winner Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained.
What's amazing is a Waltz win may mean Quentin takes script. Meaning -- you weren't even close, Wes Anderson; I'm actually not sure what you're going to have to do to win an Oscar. And if Boal's out -- does that mean all Zero Dark sympathy is heading Chastain's way -- or that there just isn't any?
I hate to say I think it's the latter. I think we may be watching Quentin Tarantino's second original screenplay Oscar. And you know what, it's about time we gave him another trophy. Every time out of the gate this guy is going for it. He is one of the few American directors who has remained an international artistic presence for the last twenty years. He was a "celebrity" before the Coen Brothers were -- and he delivers as consistently. Inglorious Basterds deserved a lot more than a Waltz win. Could be that Django is going to take two.
My question is what happens to a Zero Dark that doesn't have either a script or an actress Oscar. Is it walking away with a couple for sound -- maximum of editing. Does that mean it's going to become a Black Hawk Down. I don't know if you all remember Ridley Scott's masterpiece about another bin Laden event -- but BHD is some serious shit. The problem is -- I wonder how much people are talking about it or watching it since it really got pushed to the side at Awardsville. Will Zero Dark become a Seabiscuit? A Master and Commander? A Munich?
There have been some stellar movies made about the Middle East. Argo is simply not one of them. Argo is a a stellar movie that "takes place" in the Middle East. But it is not a film in line with The Deer Hunter, Coming Home, Apocalypse Now, Platoon -- the non-Rambo's of Nam and their current descendants -- Stop Loss, Hurt Locker, or even Jarhead. And it sure as shit doesn't hold a candle to Zero Dark.
Crazily, this is precisely the reason ZDT has the time of it's life if it takes script and actress tomorrow. It should have had picture but got shot straight between the eyes upon release -- by politicians and controversy -- and by the nominations. Affleck was anointed the darling. Good night, Miss Bigelow... and has everyone met Miss Lawrence? It was a double jump. "Your whole show's out and there's a new film that might win a lot of shit -- you're lucky Boal didn't base that script on anything published."
Yeah, that's right -- the guy just used journalistic skill to collect the information he wove into the original -- ORIGINAL -- screenplay for Zero Dark Thirty -- a goddamn epic achievement. And yet there is also something to the epic worlds Quentin Tarantino creates time and again. The truth is I could barely watch the violence -- I looked up -- and there was Jamie Foxx buck naked, handing from his ankles. Good Morning, New York. Sure. But this guy truly went both John Ford and Sam Peckinpah on us. What -- yet another -- sweeping epic... about something entirely different -- using great movie stars -- in insane situations -- to really make a statement. You simply have to hand it to Q.
Odds are Supporting Actor is way before Original Screenplay. Odds are Supporting Actor is nigh on the first award of the night. If it's Christoph Waltz... the cresting wave could well be... Tarantino, Russell, Russell, Lawrence, Lewis, Hathaway, Argo. Could damn well be Tarantino, Lawrence, Lewis, Hathaway, Spielberg, Argo.
I'm just worried about the way that's rolling off the tongue in these last moments. Does it not feel like the flow is...
Silver Linings on the RISE
Lincoln on the DECLINE -- with the exception of the D-Day Lock.
Zero Dark on the DECLINE
Waltz on the rise
Quentin giving somewhat surprising acceptance speeches
Isn't that what we're kind of watching happen? Why would that be a "surprise" tomorrow?
Might not be my final prediction... not just yet.
But the Waltz Weist is an actual "tipping point." Gladwell sequels at the ready.
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