The Compass

Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Entertainment

The 80th annual Academy Awards are approaching steadfastly. The list of potential nominees has started to grow with the final voting deadline being Feb. 19, 2008. The pictures need to be out in public long enough to make an impact on the audience as well as the academy.
Last year's knockout winner, "The Departed" won for best director, Martin Scorsese and for best motion picture of the year. A year before the actual awards, many doubted "The Departed" movie's potential for Academy Award status. Many claimed it to be too "violent and commercial gangster" (Oscarfrenzy.com).
So how will this year turn out? Will the academy fall under the war frenzy of Charlie Wilson or will they continue their gangster streak and go for the epic of Frank Lucas? It's fair to say that the choice for best picture won't be easy. The fall and winter films of 2007 promise to be enlightening. The contenders beat last year's by a nose, but who will the final race?
"Michael Clayton," I'm guessing, will not. The film portrays George Clooney as a middle-aged, somewhat jaded lawyer who has to cover-up the misdeeds of corporate authority. His work ultimately becomes a chase for survival in this educated thriller. The dark undertone of the screenplay works in favor of the film. Clooney's character represents a crisis of conscience, in which audience members want to relate. Writer/director Tony Gilroy, who created the Bourne franchise, knocked this one out of the park. Unfortunately it didn't land anywhere near the award ceremony. The film pushes hard on human compassion, but lacks unmistakable Oscar scenes we often look for in films.
Another lost hopeful would be "Rendition". The movie starring Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal came out Oct. 19 and I can still feel the buzz. Witherspoon is an American wife whose Egyptian-born husband has disappeared when trying to return home from South Africa. Gyllenhaal plays a CIA agent who witnesses the interrogation of the lost husband. It looks good enough, so why is it not a winner? Too simple. The movie delves right into real issues that are unfortunately true in our day and age. The power issues are dealt with subtlety and boredom in this film. It's all hype and no deliver.
A possible contender for the 2008 Oscar's is "American Gangster". The story is based on real life events and features two Oscar winners, Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. The story focuses on a drug lord, Frank Lucas, who supplies the streets with heroin via the caskets of Veitnam War soldiers. The cop (Crowe) and the criminal (Washington) are put within each others lives, causing a cat and mouse chase. Only one can end up on top, but since it's a true story, we already know the ending. "American Gangster" is a possibility because of it's grasp on the twisted American dream; make money, get power. Crowe nearly outshines the prince of the street, both actors may get nominations for their roles.
It wouldn't be an awards ceremony, in Hollywood, in the 21st century without the mention of war. This year the Hollywood elitists are pressing forward on their stance on the war through film.
Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts will be featured in the upcoming "Charlie Wilson's War" due out in December. Oscar winners Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Phillip Seymour Hoffman are all in the movie. The story is based on the book by George Crile. It details the life of Charlie Wilson (Hanks), a Texas Congressman who teams up with CIA operative (Hoffman) in order to fund Afghanistan in their fight against the Soviets. The movie is based on actual events that occurred in the 1980's. I watched the trailer and got chills from the soundtrack alone. I expect this movie to be a strong contender in writing, acting and perhaps directing. What makes it a winner is it's potential affect on audience and it's humor.
"Lions For Lambs" is an anti-war film directed by and starring Robert Redford. The film also features a non-crazy Tom Cruise as a Senator/ President elect and Meryl Streep as a digging reporter. The story revolves around the three characters simultaneously while keeping the main focus on two young soldiers in Afghanistan. The movie trailer is somewhat haunting and leaves the viewer wanting to know more. It works in the same way "Babel" and "Crash" worked in the past. The stories are choppy but they make sense as a whole. It has a chance because the academy can appreciate intellectually daring films as opposed to gangster thrillers. After "The Departed" the academy might be feeling political anyway. "Lions For Lambs" comes out Nov. 9, 2007. And if you need a reason to see it: Robert Redford.
So who are the big contenders? All the buzz is around a few films due for release this winter.
"Atonement" is a tragic love story based on the book by Ian McEwan. It stars Keira Knightley and James McAvoy. It's a winner for many reasons. It has love, heartbreak, lies, tragedy and chipper British accents. It will also be released in select cities and theatres, and we all know the big winners are ones we've never heard of or seen. It will be released Dec. 7, 2007.
"Reservation Road" is also based on a book and features Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Connelly and Mark Ruffalo. It's also a movie that intertwines a group of strangers and features a child kidnapping. The plot apparently thickens intensely, fueling the already sad and confused audience. I have a feeling Ruffalo will land a supporting actor nomination for this role, especially since he's following his wonderful performance in "Zodiac".
The biggest hopeful to steal the show would have to be, "My Blueberry Nights" starring Norah Jones. Yes…Norah Jones. The movie follows Jones in a cross-country journey encountering extreme characters such as Jude Law, David Straithairn, Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz. It's a winner because it falls right into the category of Oscar cliches. It has a foreign director, a shifting and somewhat artsy plot along with a wide range of characters. "Nights" is due for release Nov. 15, 2007.
Who knows what will happen this year as far as the Oscars go. Maybe "Balls of Fury" will take the cake…don't hold your breathe.

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