168 – Never Let Me Go (with Tara Ariano)

This episode, Extra Hot Great co-host Tara Ariano returns to us to talk about another much-requested film, 2010′s Never Let Me Go. An adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s incredibly lauded science fiction novel, the film stars a post-nomination Carey Mulligan opposite Keira Knightley and breakthrough Andrew Garfield as clones raised for the sole purpose of harvesting their organs for the regular people of society. The film was the sophomore feature of Mark Romanek and adapted by Alex Garland, and met a cold to mixed reaction on the festival circuit before quickly exiting theatres and the awards race.

The film still has its ardent fans (including a few of us on mic), but also fell victim to Fox Searchlight’s shifting awards possibilities in its muscular slate of films that year. We look back at Romanek’s reception in comparison to another music video director’s sci-fi-adjacent Oscar film, certain fall festivals going in and out of favor as perceived Oscar launch pads, Rachel Portman’s original score, and Mulligan’s roles between nominations.

Topics also include Andrea Riseborough facial blindness, “Gay or Just Nice to Me”, and Bad Art Friend.

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Tara: @taraariano

007 – Lions For Lambs

In 2007, the movies went hard on the War in Iraq. But what happened when that righteous roar, bolstered by some of the biggest names in Oscar and cinema history, gave the weakest bleat in the barnyard?

This week we are looking at Lions for Lambs, one of several politically motivated films of its year and the one that thudded the loudest. With Robert Redford directing and starring alongside Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise, our immediately assembled Oscar expectations were dismantled even faster once its empty talking head preachiness hit movie screens. Topic also include: a pre-Social Network Andrew Garfield, the thwarted hopes of resurrecting a flailing United Artists, and the joy of a perfect Kevin Dunn line reading.

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@Had_Oscar_Buzz
Joe: @joereid
Chris: @chrisvfeil