October 2020 – This Had Oscar Buzz

117 – Melancholia

This episode, we’re bringing you one of our most requested films starring one of our most requested performers. In 2011, Kirsten Dunst triumphantly returned from a short break to work with a director notorious for lauded and tumultuous collaborations with actresses, Lars Von Trier. With Melancholia, the actress stars as a woman afflicted with severe depression as the end of the world looms, landing Dunst the best reviews of her career. But after the film’s rapturous premiere, Von Trier’s glib comments regarding Hitler and Nazism immediately tainted the film and perhaps his star’s awards potential, as well.

Dunst would win Best Actress at Cannes along with some critics prizes, but Von Trier’s banishment from the establishment kept the film from more mainstream consideration. This week, we look back at Kirsten Dunst’s underrated work, including her collabborations with Sofia Coppola and her versatile comedy trifecta in 1999-2000. We also discuss Lars Von Trier’s fraught history with actresses from Björk to Nicole Kidman.

Topics also include how 2011 was a great year for Best Actress despite an underwhelming set of nominees, the history of small distributor Magnolia Pictures, and the gender dynamics of “Actress Gets Consumption” movies.

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116 – 54

1998 was a brief moment in time of Studio 54 nostalgia, thanks in part to this week’s film. Starring Mike Myers chasing prestige in a dramatic role as clubowner Steve Rubell, 54 took an inside look at the notorious, celeb-packed New York City nightclub from the eyes of a fictional bartender played by Ryan Phillippe. But no amount of modern day stars could transcend the film’s poor reviews and box office, leaving Myers’ awards hopes forgotten before the season ultimately started.

One of the many films retooled by Harvey Scissorhands, the film suffered extensive reshoots and resulted in a final film that removed its queer content and failed to capture what made this disco such a cultural flashpoint. This episode, we discuss the differences between the theatrical version and the director’s cut, along with the 1998 Best Supporting Actor race that resulted in a surprise win for James Coburn and the period’s other cases for comic actors going dramatic.

Topics also include rapping grandma Ellen Albertini Dow, the impact of Phillippe’s onscreen butt flashings, and Behind the Music.

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115 – The Death and Life of John F. Donovan

For his first English language film The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, Cannes darling Xavier Dolan assembled a stunning prestige cast that promised a major leveling up from the filmmaker. And then disaster struck. Filming began shortly after his critically reviled It’s Only the End of the World debuted and at Cannes and Dolan’s response cemented his bratty reputation. And then years of post-production and a reported four hour cut resulted in a very quiet premiere at TIFF 2018, with an even quieter release on VOD over a year later. Starring Kit Harington as a young hearthrob and Jacob Tremblay as a gay preteen who wrote fanletters, the film is also a story of mothers and sons and fame with Natalie Portman, Susan Sarandon, and Thandie Newton rounding out the cast.

In this episode, we unpack everything that makes Dolan a fascinating filmmaker, from his extensive career at a young age to openly sparring with his critics to his creative peak with 2014′s Mommy. We also discuss Jessica Chastain’s highly touted role cut from the film, Mads Mikkelsen’s memed reaction to Dolan’s Cannes win, and the film’s sometimes cringey use of popular music.

Topics also include Dolan’s video for Adele’s “Hello”, actresses we would like to see work with Dolan, and Magical Scarved Homosexual Strangers.

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114 – Nuts

One of the most notorious snubs of Oscar history is the directors’ branch not nominating Barbra Streisand, even though The Prince of Tides received a Best Picture nomination and the Golden Globes awarded her Best Director for Yentl. This week’s episode looks at the one and only Streisand in a film between those two achievements: 1987′s Nuts. Starring the icon as a sex worker charged with the murder of one of her clients, the film is a dull adaptation of a stage play that is nevertheless watchable due to Streisand’s indefatiguable screen presence.

This week, we go deep on Barbra lore, from the misogynist perception she was given as “difficult” in comparison to her male peers to appearing on the Rosie O’Donnell Show to the old-timey mall she has in her basement. We also discuss the incredible 1987 Best Actress lineup and posit the Oscar futures if Cher hadn’t won.

Topics also include Leslie Nielsen in tiny underwear, preventative Lea Michele damage homeowner’s insurance, and Barbra singing with Judy Garland.

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