OK, not so bold since it seems pretty likely that he will win tomorrow, but I wanted to jump on the bandwagon. It seems like Boricua actor Benicio del Toro is set to take the Best Actor prize at the Cannes film festival closing ceremonies tomorrow. Reaction to the film has been mixed (or so I'm told...I refuse to read anything about it), as monsieur Craig Kennedy over at Living in Cinema has reported, still I have a feeling he will take it. 
Look at the variables: an Oscar winner, who is incredibly well-respected in the industry, and who consistently turns in good work in a biopic about one of the most famous and controversial figures of the 20th century. But the overriding, most complex variable may be this: he's a sexy bitch.
While Cannes juries tend to throw out some curve balls, my gut feeling is that they will go with del Toro this year. We'll see!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Bold Cannes Prediction
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16 comments:
Aww, a plug. You rule.
I'm behind you on Del Toro.
as for actress...Angelina is a tempting choice. Maybe the woman from Lorna's Silence? Who else?
As for picture...looks like a crap shoot to me. I'm never any good at these things (please note Sultans of Bling) but Cannes seems especially unpredictable and there doesn't seem to be a clear favorite this year.
Journos and buyers had mostly left, but there was a French movie that played today that seemed to stir everyone up: Entre Le Murs.
Still it's tempting to go with Che (despite the mixed reaction) or Waltz with Bashir. Synechdoce? Christmas Tale? None of the above?
In the interest of putting up or shutting up, I'm going to go with Che. Wishful thinking perhaps. I want that movie to be awesome regardless of what the jaded journos says.
Well, you know I'm a big fan of yours, Craig :-)
I'd be ecstatic to see "Che" win as well and I'm not totally counting it out, but if I were to predict a US film to take the big prize, the Charlie Kaufman picture would get my vote--mainly because the Cannes jury is so unpredictable and they *really* do tend to spread the wealth. At this point, though, I fully expect the Palm to go to a non-U.S. film.
Angelina just received what could be considered her best reviews in ages (the reception to her performance in "A Mighty Heart," which I personally admire quite a lot, having been a mixed-bag), but I wouldn't be surprised if some obscure female took the lead actress award.
This is why I feel strongly about del Toro's chances -- he would be the one *big* name to be rewarded.
And if I were feeling a bit frisky, I would also call Soderbergh for director...but I'm being overly cautions at this point.
And by "overly cautions" I meant "overly cautious." As David Brent would say, I was a *leetle* bit drunk.
It's hard to fault your logic Dorothy. He has to be favorite, with maybe the also ever brilliant PSH as his only close challenger. As for the big one I doubt Che will make it. I think it might be one of Three Monkeys, Gomorra, or Synecdoche, NY. But who can ever truly second guess the jury?
sartre, you bring up two serious possibilities aside from Synecdoche. In some ways, Cannes can be very political in its choices but also geographically-conscious. Turkey hasn't taken the Palm D'Or in more than 20 years, while Italy took the top prize in 2001. Then there's the subject matter -- in this hypothetical showdown we have a mafia film vs. a personal drama (I know I'm being simplistic, but bare with me). For my money, personal dramas will win over genre films time and time again. "Three Monkeys" is at the top of my list to take the prize right now.
We can't stop here. This is bat country!
I LOVE Benicio del Toro. I haven't even read the other comments, I just want to say that I hope he does well tomorrow.
hahaha K, that quote made me laugh out loud...literally, not one of those fake inner chuckles that I just SAY is a LOL.
Glad to hear you say that about AMH Dorothy, even with the hair and the darkened skin and accent, I thought AJ was terrific. Methinks she gets knocked down a peg or two because of her formerly somewhat controversial personal life and she's fawking beyootiful.
Sartre, yeah, you make two more good picks. There are a bunch and I refuse to pick one.
Great point about the geographically-conscious jury. How about co-winners Three Monkeys and Synecdoche, NY? I really hope the latter is a winner. It may need the boost to seal the prospect of a US distributor. And, based on the script and film reviews I think we may have something special here.
Sometimes those unknown foreign actresses turn out to be pretty damn good once we discover their performances. But I'd be happy to see AJ win based on her under-rated talent.
OH GOD I AM LAUGHING SO HARD. THIS IS TOO FUNNY.
"But the overriding, most complex variable may be this: he's a sexy bitch."
D, I love you. I adore you. I WOULD NEVER OFFEND YOU.
But he ain't to me. I like my men to shower.
And I don't think he can act either.
Sorry...
M, you're too funny! "I like my men to shower" lol.
True enough, Benny does seem a bit scruffy...but for some reason, he has this weird animal magnetism that is hard to ignore. I think it's the intensity in the eyes. And the husky voice.
I'm sure he cleans up well, too ;)
Now, about his acting skills -- M, ah! You're killing me, first Blanchett and now del Toro? :P Hey, it's bound to happen -- let's blame it on the law of averages -- we will disagree on things from time to time :) See, I think del Toro is a formidable actor when given the right role. I'd love to see him in something light -- the brooding can get to be too much even for me.
La Streep did a wonderful thing with her career early on (and I'm not sure whether it was a conscious choice or a natural progression of her invaluable talent): while she did not stop taking the dead serious roles, she started sprinkling her work with some broad comedies; now she effortlessly moves between the genres and we, the audience, are the luckier for it.
That's why I'm looking forward to DDL in "Nine," it's time for him to just have fun in some light entertainment. Hey, maybe if DDL doesn't do "Nine," they should ask Benny :)
I'm glad to see the love for AJ in AMH, Craig and sartre. I will confess, I was initially *very* troubled by her casting. I had serious, serious issues with the skin darkening (Why do they even deny this, by the way? It's fairly obvious in the film).
But I took a few steps back and listened to Marianne Pearl, and while I was still uneasy about the prospect, I rented the film and was blown away by AJ's performance.
I think K and I went back and forth about it earlier this year, and I can see some of the criticism thrown her way, but I felt a genuine connection with and understanding of what the team was trying to do. The cast overall was magnificent (some amazing supporting performances in that film), and it was sad to see Jolie overlooked at the Oscars, but understandable in a way. I still wonder what a Thandie Newton could have done with the role -- but that's just a "what if" that we'll never experience.
It looks like "The Changeling" might...bad pun alert...change all that, though. Oh, how I crack my self up :)
Well...
You know we're bloggers, D. So we do talk to a lot of people that we know. Some of those people live in LA and they either have industry connections or know people that do.
So we do hear things, right? But I'm certainly not going to cast aspersions on some gentleman's hygiene (or lack thereof) when he's never done anything to me & I don't even know if it's true.
All sorts of things come to light when you have this job. Right, D?
But I have never seen him in ANYTHING where he impressed me: THE USUAL SUSPECTS, TRAFFIC or 21 GRAMS. I honestly avoid him whenever I can. The fact that he's an Oscar winner is unfathomable to me.
That is true about Meryl. She did come to a point where she began to mix it up. But I bet you know that the majority of her theatre based work (before she did film) was comedic/musical. She was just going back to her roots.
I don't know. You have to be highly skilled to do comedy. DDL, I'm sure, will be fantastic in NINE. But Benny (OMG...BENNY sounds like some little Chihuahua or terrier that you take for a walk on Sunday mornings!!!) ain't no DDL.
You may be right. You come out with these brilliant ideas right out of left field. Like casting Ms. Watts as DUSTY SPRINGFIELD instead of Nicole. I'm telling you, girl. You should work for Harvey Weinstein. Even if it's only part time. Hey, I bet Harvey needs a lawyer.
All I know is I ain't going to see Che. Someone will have to chase me down with a rolling pin before I'll acquiesce to that...
Whoops...
Spoke too soon...
I was just over at CRAIG KENNEDY'S LIVING IN CINEMA .
Benny just won Best Actor at Cannes for Che. Well, glory be....
Ah, M. Working for Harvey would actually be a dream come true for me...so he's a tyrant, but still, he has spear-headed about 80% of my favorite films from the past two decades, so lots of respect to him.
And yay for Benny!
Can Harvey afford such a brilliant lawyer?
sartre, I think Harvey can afford just about ANYONE he wants.
If he wants them badly enough...
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