nicole kidman – Page 2 – This Had Oscar Buzz

147 – Boy Erased (Focus Features – Part Five)

Our Focus Features miniseries comes to a close with 2018′s Boy Erased. Based on the memoir by Garrard Conley, the film stars Lucas Hedges as a young man from a religious family who is subjected to conversion therapy when his parents (played by Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe) discover that he is gay. Though sensitively approached by director/star Joel Edgerton, the film is ultimately is too reserved and stumbles to get inside the head of its protagonist, resulting in a milquetoast response from awards voters and audiences.

This episode, we discuss Hedges’ busy fall of 2018, his soft coming out of sorts, and the Ben Beautiful Boy Erased is Back blur of movies in that season. We also look at Crowe’s quiet end to being considered an Oscar darling and Kidman’s dual THOB fall 2018 with Destroyer. And we get into the film’s ups (a strong cast of bit players!) and downs (that perfume ad scene!) in telling a queer story, and of course “Bloom.”

Topics also include 2018′s Original Song race, sprained ankles at TIFF, and our Top 10 favorite Focus Features films.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

Mailbag Fishing In The Yemen

Happy New Year, listeners! To close out 2020, we’ve compiled all of your questions for this special mailbag episode! We kick things off by surveying the state of the current, pandemic-delayed Oscar race including First Cow’s win with New York critics. the New York Times’ 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century list, and how the sparse release calendar might affect the potential This Had Oscar Buzz Class of 2020. With Oscar history, we look back at Elia Kazan’s lifetime achievement award, the upcoming Academy museum, and the ripple effects of certain Best Actress races. We also discuss such THOB staples as Flora Plum and TIFF, decide which of the Four Realms we would be, and fancast our future blockbuster heist film starring actresses of a certain age titled Who Doesn’t Like Money?. Thank you listeners for all of your brilliant questions for the episode and all of your support in the past year!!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

118 – Far And Away

Plunge and scrub, listeners! We’re going back to the early 90s to look at Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and director Ron Howard for Far and Away. The film was both an intended inch toward Oscar’s embrace for Howard and a big budget romance for the recently wed stars, attempting David Lean-level grandeur with an Irish immigrant story. But middling reviews and tepid box office left this film in the dust with Oscar – and it would be nearly a decade before Howard would reap the benefit of his rising narrative.

The episode, we dive into the film’s upsetting depiction of the Oklahoma Land Rush, its place among 90s Irish cultural obsession, and its infamous bowl scene. We also discuss Kidman’s 90s evolution towards being taken seriously as an actress, the prospects for Howard’s upcoming Hillbilly Elegy, and Cruise’s current reign as death-wish movie star in the Mission: Impossible series.

But before we get into the MTV Movie Awards and Kidman yelling about her spoons, we have some news: we’re taking submissions for an end of the year Listeners’ Choice showdown! And don’t forget: you can now follow us on Spotify!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

097 – The Others

We are taking the rare This Had Oscar Buzz stroll through the horror genre this week and also discussing the rare case of a performer possibly splitting their own vote. The Academy rules state that one performer cannot be nominated for two performances in the same category, and one case against that rule was Nicole Kidman’s 2001. Eventually nominated for the more broadly rewarded Moulin Rouge!, Kidman also gave a much heralded performance that year in this week’s film The Others.

This episode, we look back at the precursor run for Kidman in 2001 that was likely closer than we remember between her two performances – and her divorce with Tom Cruise. We also discuss musty mansion movies, Fionnula Flanagan as a deserving supporting actress contender, and 2001 as an underrated movie year.

We also encourage listeners to donate to the Emergency Release Fund, supporting bail funds for trans people jailed while protesting systemic racism and police brutality in New York City. Donate at emergencyreleasefund.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

046 – The Human Stain (2003 – Part Three)

This week we bring you the Stefon of the 2003 Oscar race: Anthony Hopkins inadvertently saying racial slurs, Nicole Kidman with curly hair, a cringeworthy adaptation of Philip Roth, holdover from the Monica Lewinsky scandal, cast members from The Real World London. It was only inevitable that we would eventually discuss The Human Stain, but for our month-long 2003 miniseries it was perfect timing.

Once thought to be Miramax’s other big 2003 player starring Kidman, the film is a poorly timed and poorly observed look at political correctness in America that critics rightfully dismissed. It would then quickly die in theatres and in the Oscar race, with Miramax succeeding to some degree with the rest of their lineup of films. This week, we discuss the film as emblematic of Miramax and Harvey Weinstein’s shuffle tactics with Oscar prospects, the film’s offensive handling of race and sexual mores, and one performance in the film we think rises above its many problems. As always, it all comes back to The Hours.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

028 – The Paperboy

An episode that asks that oft-repeated eternal question: will the Academy ever be ready for a movie where Nicole Kidman pees on Zac Efron? In 2012, Lee Daniels followed up his Precious Oscar success with a film that scandalized Cannes and answered that question with a resounding “no”. McConaissance be damned!

The Paperboy may be a pulpy southern crime saga that shows Daniels at his most excessive, but it got shockingly close to Oscar thanks to Kidman’s audacious (and divisive) performance. But while negative reviews and the film’s definitive griminess kept it out of Oscar history, it still gave us Efron dancing in his tighty whities in the rain.

Also in this episode, we look at some highs and lows of the this era of the McConassaince, 2012′s odd Supporting Actress year, and an underrated performance from Macy Gray.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS