Love and Mercy an early Oscar contender

[Ray Lawlor]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/oscar-contenders-2015-films-are-803978

[sea of tunes]

Nice.

Buzz building for Paul Dano for Best Actor:

http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/2015/06/oscarwatch-2016-paul-dano-takes-early-lead-in-what-will-be-crowded-race-for-best-actor/

[petsoundsnola]

This is great news, hopefully the number of theaters will continue to expand.  I understand that it started at 480 theaters on June 5th and is now up to 792 theaters, having earned about $7.2 million to date.

[Wirestone]

Real question -- will "One Kind of Love" qualify for a best original song nomination?

[CenturyDeprived]

Real question -- will "One Kind of Love" qualify for a best original song nomination?

Other real question: Can Jake Abel (Mike Love) get a supporting actor nom? If he did, would Mike himself try to crash the Oscars? 

[HeyJude]

Real question -- will "One Kind of Love" qualify for a best original song nomination?

There was a discussion on another board about that, and it seemed like its nomination may or may not be plausible. This blurb I found mentions the following:

An original song consists of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the motion picture. There must be a clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition (not necessarily visually presented) of both lyric and melody, used in the body of the motion picture or as the first music cue in the end credits.

The question becomes, what constitutes “written specifically for” the movie? All reports indicate Brian’s song was. However, do they just go on the writer’s word? The song was released on Brian’s album prior to the mainstream release of the film (and early screenings didn’t include the song; not sure if it was ever exhibited *with* the song prior to the album’s release.)

The song was *not* used as the first musical cue in the end credits (L&M was). Was the song playing in the background on the radio behind Cusack and Banks enough for a “substantive” rendition? It’s odd inclusion kind of makes me wonder if that is precisely why they stuck that song there. 

[Vernon Surfer]

Given the crap that was nominated this year (except the Glenn Campbell one) and this absolute crud that won it, I would think that Brian'song should be nominated.

[Shady]

This is amazing!!!

[bgas]

December. Star Wars. OScars

[Emdeeh]

Films like Star Wars tend to win the technical, music score, costume, and art direction-type Oscars, but not the major ones (acting, best picture).

L&M ought to be nominated in some of those same categories -- the sixties-era staging is superb and then there are those sound collages.....

Paul Dano is brilliant in L&M.

[guitarfool2002]

Dano was terrific. He's won me over as a fan, I'll be going to the theater to see him in future roles and going back to previous ones after seeing him act in this film. What struck me even more on the second viewing was his non-verbal acting, particularly a few scenes where his facial expressions said more than 10 pages of dialogue could have done. That is the art of dramatic acting, in my opinion.

That scene where Brian and Hal are taking a smoke break outside the studio, after Hal tells him "you're touched, kid..." among other praise, watch Dano's face. It says it all. It reminded me of another favorite scene of mine (of all time), Paul Newman in The Verdict when he finally connects with the missing nurse over a pay phone, the nurse named Caitlyn who would become the case's key witness...Newman's face as he hears the nurse's voice on the other line and realizes he's just found his one in a million last shot at winning both the case and his own personal redemption...THAT is the art of acting. Dano in several scenes hit me the same way. Oscar worthy, as was Cusack.

[Rocky Raccoon]

Dano was terrific. He's won me over as a fan, I'll be going to the theater to see him in future roles and going back to previous ones after seeing him act in this film. What struck me even more on the second viewing was his non-verbal acting, particularly a few scenes where his facial expressions said more than 10 pages of dialogue could have done. That is the art of dramatic acting, in my opinion.

If you haven't seen Little Miss Sunshine, he is excellent in that.  One of my favorite comedies.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I saw it last night and thought the movie was great. I suppose it could pick up a few nominations but I'd be surprised if it was up for major ones. Perhaps Dano will be up -- though I see the performance more as supporting.

[Rocky Raccoon]

It's too early to tell.  Most of the big Oscar movies are unleashed in the winter.  But there's always at least one indie movie from earlier in the year that's able to slip through the cracks.  I would say Paul Dano is a leading actor but it's possible Cusack and Dano might submit themselves in separate categories so they don't have to compete with each other which is a common practice.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I agree. It is too early to tell.

However, I am not sure this is the kind of movie the Academy tends to go for. I don't say this to knock L&M. If anything, that only bolsters my favourable opinion of it. But I will make the comparison to I'm Not There which, in my view, is still the best movie to be released in the last ten years and it received one nomination in total and it was favourite Cate Blanchett in a role where she played not just the opposite gender but also pulled off a stunning impression of 1966-era Bob Dylan. That being said, INT is somewhat more impenetrable than L&M so maybe that will work in the latter's favour.

[Kurosawa]

I saw it yesterday and loved it. It's too bad Dano and Cusack couldn't be jointly nominated for Best Actor.

[CenturyDeprived]

Dano was terrific. He's won me over as a fan, I'll be going to the theater to see him in future roles and going back to previous ones after seeing him act in this film. What struck me even more on the second viewing was his non-verbal acting, particularly a few scenes where his facial expressions said more than 10 pages of dialogue could have done. That is the art of dramatic acting, in my opinion.

That scene where Brian and Hal are taking a smoke break outside the studio, after Hal tells him "you're touched, kid..." among other praise, watch Dano's face. It says it all. It reminded me of another favorite scene of mine (of all time), Paul Newman in The Verdict when he finally connects with the missing nurse over a pay phone, the nurse named Caitlyn who would become the case's key witness...Newman's face as he hears the nurse's voice on the other line and realizes he's just found his one in a million last shot at winning both the case and his own personal redemption...THAT is the art of acting. Dano in several scenes hit me the same way. Oscar worthy, as was Cusack.

Dano rules. I have been a big fan since There Will Be Blood, a must-see masterpiece directed by noted BB fan PT Anderson.

[HeyJude]

I saw it yesterday and loved it. It's too bad Dano and Cusack couldn't be jointly nominated for Best Actor.

I'm not sure it's impossible for that to happen, but the issue would be that the two would cannibalize each other's votes to some degree, so it would be better for everyone to give one the Best Actor nomination, and the other a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Most seem to agree Dano should get the lead nod, both in terms of deserving it and having the best shot to win.

[CenturyDeprived]

Real question -- will "One Kind of Love" qualify for a best original song nomination?

Other real question: Can Jake Abel (Mike Love) get a supporting actor nom? If he did, would Mike himself try to crash the Oscars?  

Since Autotune thinks this is an unfair dig at Mike, I pose the same question that if Giamatti got a nom for playing Landy, what would happen? I could maybe, just maybe see Evan Landy trying to crash or possibly peek into an Oscar party out of curiosity, if nothing else. If the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree, those Landys like to be near the spotlight, whatever way they can. Maybe that's an unfair dig at Evan too?

I happen to find the notion interesting of what it must be like for real-life people who are portrayed onscreen (in not necessarily praiseworthy ways, due to the simple fact of a given film showing accuratel history which has not been rewritten or whitewashed), and how they (poorly) deal with it, especially if the film becomes very successful and critically praised. Well, actually, we already have two examples of what those people do: Mike writes an article which just happens to contain the controversial "probably" verbage, and Evan Landy writes an article defending his dad (and coincidentally omitting all references to the will-change). Both men were venting, doing "protests" of their own (however clunkily), in any way(s) they could. You know, even Mike not yet having gone to a movie theater on a day off from touring to see the film is, in its own way, making a statement.

To speculate on what could possibly logically happen next I do not see as being a "dig"; I simply see it as wondering what the next logical step would be for people who have issues with their onscreen portrayals, and have already started their attempt to "protest" and closely monitor/follow the goings-on. In fact, I think that Mike will be watching how L&M plays out in Oscar land *very* closely... and do I think if he could secure a seat in the balcony of at The Oscars (maybe Stamos can hook it up?), that he'd possibly attend.  I don't think he'd raise a ruckus, but just silently chill out and observe.

[Paul J B]

If Slum Dog Millionaire could take best picture then anything is possible. That movie was boring, ugly, and contrived as all get out. IMO of course.