Leonardo DiCaprio – This Had Oscar Buzz

224 – The Man in the Iron Mask

As Titanic continued its months-long reign at the box office, its closest challenger (before Lost in Space would dethrone it, that is) at the multiplex starred none other than one of its star-crossed lovers. Yes, Leonardo DiCaprio owned the box office in the weeks ahead of Titanic’s Best Picture win, pulling double double duty as evil King Louis XIV and his dungeon-cast identical twin in The Man in the Iron Mask. The directorial debut of Braveheart’s Oscar-nominated screenwriter Randall Wallace, the film adapted Alexandre Dumas’ novel and assembled an awards friendly ensemble for its musketeers: Jeremy Irons, Gerard Depardieu, John Malkovich, and (the somehow still un-nominated) Gabriel Byrne.

Poor reviews plagued the film on release, but DiCaprio’s appeal turned the film into a box office success. This episode, we talk about DiCaprio’s no-show Oscar attendance after being snubbed for Titanic and his career in the immediate years that followed. We also discuss Wallace’s dubious filmography, Titanic’s other box office challengers, and DiCaprio in a Baby Bjorn.

Topics also include Bryan Adams, COVID Pinocchio movies, and this year’s AARP Movies for Grownups nominees.

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199 – Shutter Island

This episode, we return to the work of director Martin Scorsese, with one of his very few films to receive zero Oscar nominations, 2010′s Shutter Island. The film was Scorsese’s highly anticipate follow-up to The Departed after finally securing his overdue Oscar win, and reunited him with that film’s star Leonardo DiCaprio. Adapted from Dennis Lehane’s novel about a WWII veteran investigating a woman’s disappearance from an island-bound mental institution, the film allowed Scorsese to indulge in Hitchcock and Asian horror genre tropes alike. However, Paramount’s financial woes couldn’t afford the awards campaign cost for such a behemoth in late 2009, and the film was pushed to February 2010.

Once released, critics were somewhat divided on the film and its somewhat cliche final twist, and another DiCaprio vehicle would earn higher praise and awards success that year: Christopher Nolan’s Inception. This episode, we discuss our own divided opinions over which 2010 DiCaprio performance we prefer and which overall DiCaprio performance we consider a favorite. We also talk Patricia Clarkson’s post-Oscar nomination career, the National Board of Review’s top ten of 2010, and the other few Scorsese films with no Oscar love.

Topics also include what films Paramount gave the 2009 Oscar push, the Ben Kingsley’s M4Gs nomination, and hype for next week’s massive 200th episode!

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054 – J. Edgar

We’re taking a trip back this week to some of the darkest days in the “Get Leo an Oscar” saga: Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar. The film starred Leonardo DiCaprio and detailed the many political exploits of J. Edgar Hoover and his efforts to stomp out communism. The actor would get close to a nomination (after showing up for the precursor triple crown of Globes, SAG, and Critics’ Choice) but this prestigious biopic was not meant to be for Leo and his eventual Oscar.

What didn’t help the film’s case were many unfortunate elements aside its anemic box office: a wishy-washy take on Hoover’s tyranny, DiCaprio sobbing in a muumuu, and most notoriously, its laughable old age makeup. This episode, we discuss Eastwood’s overly expeditious tendencies, screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, and the film as a turning point for supporting costar Armie Hammer.

And to spread some goodwill, this week we also discuss favorite performances from J. Edgar’s most cast-aside ensemble member: the one and only Naomi Watts.

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