379 – Amsterdam

2022’s Amsterdam was a high profile box office dud from disgraced director David O. Russell with timely themes, a big budget, and a ton of stars. The film tells a (partly true) story about fascist maneuverings in America, with Christian Bale, John David Washington, and Margot as a friendship trio who sets out to thwart them after being reunited post-WWII. Though the film earned some fans like critic Richard Brody, it received a somewhat indifferent release by 20th Century Studios and was quickly out of theatres.

This episode, we talk about the film’s scattered look at timely themes and it’s very quiet release. We also discuss Robbie’s high wire performance in Babylon in the same year, Taylor Swift’s brief (and much memed) role, and Robert De Niro joins our Six Timers Club.

Topics also include Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Emmanuel Lubezki’s light resume after winning 3 Oscars, and Drunk History.

096 – Nurse Betty (with Rob Scheer)

Renée Zellweger’s three year run with Oscar in the early 2000s makes for oft-discussed trajectory, perhaps so much so that we don’t always remember her near nomination the year before it all began. This week, film publicist Rob Scheer joins us to look back at her Golden Globe winning performance in Nurse Betty, a dark comedy about a woman so traumatized by witnessing her husband’s murder that she breaks from reality and persues the fictional soap opera doctor she adores.

This episode, we discuss director Neil LaBute and his abrasive playwrighting style in addition to Nurse Betty‘s reception at the Cannes Film Festival. We also take a big picture look at the 2000 Oscar race including the Globes and National Board of Review. And we revisit a favorite “what if” Oscar scenario and imagine how following Oscar years would play out if Zellweger had instead gotten her Oscar for Chicago.

Topics also include frantic Oscar telecast control rooms, Björk as potential (or not) sixth place Best Actress contender, and thanking John Carrabino.

Follow Us on Twitter!
@Had_Oscar_Buzz
Joe: @joereid
Chris: @chrisvfeil
Rob: @clooneydisciple