Ansen Forecasts the Oscars

 

Email To A Friend

Please fill in the following information and we'll email this link.

Separate multiple addresses with commas

SPONSORED BY
 

Live Action Animation
This is a better crop, and a tough race to call. I was knocked out by the visual brilliance of the National Film Board of Canada entry, "Madame Tutli-Putli," which sounds cute but is in fact a nightmarish railroad journey taken by a frightened woman in a cloche hat: I hope it wins, but it may be too dark and enigmatic in the end. Many are predicting "I Met the Walrus"--which illustrates (in abstract Saul Steinberg-like images) an interview between a teenage journalist and John Lennon, but I think it's too slight (and literal minded) to win. The ironic French entry, "Even Pigeons Go to Heaven" is a long shot. "My Love," an impressionistic Russian tale of tortured first love, is impressive but overlong. By default, I'm guessing the winner is the visually lively eco-fable "Peter and the Wolf," a wordless drama set to Prokofiev's music.  But go Tutli-Putli!

Original Song
Three songs from "Enchanted" cancel each other out, and "Once"'s "Falling Shortly" takes home the gold--in the true Spirit Award spirit of the night.

© 2008

Label

Newsweek Top Stories
NEWSWEEK's 20/10
NEWSWEEK's 20/10

Our decade-in-review project recalls the highs and lows of the last 10 years.

Obama's Promises
Obama's Promises

Is the new president fulfilling his campaign pledges? Or falling short?

The Decade in 7 Minutes
The Decade in 7 Minutes

Video: A fast-paced review of the best and worst moments. Don't blink.

Accidental Celebrities
Accidental Celebrities

From Levi Johnston to Elian Gonzalez, these people never expected to be in the spotlight.

Discuss

Sponsored by

Member Comments

  • Posted By: sumpingrey @ 02/28/2008 2:12:43 PM

    ansen, fill-in-the-blanks like u are what has become the malaise of film critiques/ reviews these days. i love the way you write - viggo mortensen's award was the nomination - after having written that george clowney deserved it if he hadnt won before. have you seen the two performances you are comparing, and the one specially that you are dismissing? you are comparing a great actor with a great hairstyle. you and people like you have completely ignored mortensen's efforts because he doesnt schmooze other good-haired, hollywood-bred, producing-own-films types like clowney and Mr Rebecca Miller, doesnt date pubescent starlets, doesnt have paparazzi hounding his motor bike accidents.
    if good hair, white teeth and green date are your criteria for judging best actors, i aint surprised by the verdict you pull here.
    Where's Corliss? Get this hack off the rolls.

  • Posted By: portyankee @ 02/26/2008 9:53:11 PM

    It's Andrzej Wajda, not Andrej. Did Mr. Ansen type this webpage himself?

  • Posted By: robinc913 @ 02/22/2008 1:17:22 PM

    The song from "Once" is actually called "Falling Slowly." Just thought I'd mention that.

Reply

Report Abuse

Enter comments if any for reporting abuse