2017 Oscar Nominations (Reaction and Analysis)

Changing things up a little, The Academy this morning revealed their nominations for the 89th Annual Academy Awards, not at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills in front of media and publicists, but using a live stream on their website and digital platforms, along with satellite feed. I actually detested this approach as the "big event" feel of the announcement was completely lost in favor of impersonally finding a video online, entirely diminishing the spectacle and pageantry surrounding the nominations. They tried something new and it failed. And I hope they never do it again, especially if the primary motive was letting everyone know that the now digitally hip and connected Oscars have maybe moved into this century. But we'll look no further than the actual nominations to determine that, as the duties were handled bright and early by my favorite Academy Award Winning Best Actress, Brie Larson, Jennifer Hudson, Emmanuel Lubezki, Jason Reitman, Ken Watanabe and AMPAS President, Cheryl Boone Isaacs. Many were elated, some were disappointed, and a few less than usual were left wondering what on Earth the Academy was thinking. So, that's a plus.  Let's see how it all played out, running down some of the shocks, snubs and surprises from the morning's announcement. The full list of nominees can be viewed here.

-The big story is obviously La La Land tying Titanic and All About Eve's all-time Oscar record of most nominations with 14. This isn't entirely a surprise given the steam it's picked up and at this point it would be a shock if it doesn't win on February 26th. Universally beloved, it just doesn't have anything working against it other than the potential backlash of it being TOO successful, which is ridiculous.

-Most of the nominations shook out exactly how most thought they would across the board, as many of the acting nominees seemed locked in months ago. There weren't tons of options from the get-go and it was pretty clear who was and wasn't getting a nod, with very few exceptions.

-Didn't think Arrival would get in for Best Picture knowing the Academy's historic bias against sci-fi. But I should have known better. With anywhere from five to nine slots (and lately it's been nine) available, what else would make it? I still say they should go back to the traditional five, which would make each nominee mean more.
   
-I was right that Amy Adams wouldn't get in for Arrival. It was just too crowded a category, and if any actress could afford to be left out, it's her. 

-The highly respected Annette Bening's absence for 20th Century Women (which did earn a screenplay nod) might be the closest thing we have to a snub here. Depending on your perspective, either Ruth Negga (Loving) or Meryl Streep took her spot. I'd prefer to point the finger the latter.

-These Streep nominations for whatever she happens to appear in that particular year has now officially crossed the threshold into a running joke with Florence Foster Jenkins. I'm sure she's fine in it, but give it a break already. Even she must be laughing at this now.

-The thought that Emma Stone could very well win Best Actress is undeniably thrilling, especially for anyone who suspected such a feat was possible since Easy A. 

-Mel Gibson is back. No one ever questioned the talent but the Academy finally forgave and forgot, welcoming him back into their good graces with Hacksaw Ridge after nearly a decade in Hollywood purgatory. Nods for Picture, Director and Actor (Andrew Garfield) indicate they feel he served his sentence. Now we'll see what he does with his second chance.

-The Best Actor field turned out exactly as expected, with maybe Viggo Mortensen for Captain Fantastic the only question mark going in. And even that was kind of a given. Casey Affleck is basically a lock to take this. 

-Did anyone really think Deadpool would be nominated for anything substantial knowing voters' tastes? Sorry, but that was real long shot.

-Count me among those who don't feel O.J.: Made in America should be eligible as a documentary. It's great, but an 8-hour episodic series for TV. And it's probably winning.

-Thought Hidden Figures may have peaked a little too late in the race to get in for Best Picture, but it did, with Octavia Spencer also earning a Supporting nod. She'll be competing against her former The Help co-star, Viola Davis, the likely winner in this category for Fences.

-Was really hoping for that surprise Kevin Costner supporting nomination but it just didn't materialize. Too bad. That would have been something if it did.

-Speaking of comebacks, did anyone think we'd again be talking about Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel in relation to the Oscars this year? Lion slowly built momentum and overperformed considerably this morning with a nomination haul of 6 (including a Supporting nod for Nicole Kidman and Adapted Screenplay). Not bad for a movie few have heard of and even fewer have probably seen.    

-After last year's #OscarsSoWhite controversy, 2017 boasts a record six nominations for black actors, which will no doubt raise the question as to how much of an effect that had, if any. The Academy wasn't racist so much as not afforded the opportunity to nominate minorities based on a problem much larger and more systemic within the studio system. Whether that's changed at all remains to be seen, but we can agree that one year doesn't make a difference either way. This year or last. And simply counting nominations won't be indicative of that change.

The Beaver

Director: Jodie Foster
Starring: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence 
Running Time: 91 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

Attribute its lack of commercial success to its controversial star or the fact its story centers around a man who communicates with his beaver hand puppet, but you couldn't pay audiences to turn out for Jodie Foster's high-concept dramedy The Beaver when it was released in May. With a studio seemingly ashamed to have it on their release slate and understandably unsure how to market it, the film came and went in the blink of an eye with some reviewers openly expressing their disgust in even having to discuss it. And that's the biggest shame because there is actually a lot to talk about and if it didn't star who it stars and it wasn't about what it's about, Mel Gibson wouldn't just be receiving high praise for his performance, we might have been be talking about his Oscar chances. He's that good. While the film isn't as effective on the whole as his work in it, there are very few problems and it's equally funny and dramatic, with Foster somehow keeping tight control of tone under some challenging circumstances. The only drawback is once you take away its central gimmick, you're left with another suburban family drama, but at least it's a smart one that doesn't pull any punches and takes an original approach that's both oddly moving and believable. In other words, it's much better than you'd expect.

Walter Black (Gibson) is the manically depressed CEO of nearly bankrupt toy company Jerry Co. whose wife Meredith (Foster) has just kicked him out of the house, much to the delight of their eldest son Porter (Anton Yelchin) who compulsively writes post-it notes describing all his similarities to his father. After moving into a motel and twice unsuccessfully attempting to kill himself, Walter uses a beaver hand puppet he found in the trash to communicate, creating what seems to be an alternate personality with a fake British accent and a wickedly sarcastic sense of humor. Coming up with the lie of this being a form of treatment from his psychiatrist, Walter uses the Beaver to become the outgoing, confident person he couldn't, leading to enormous success at work and a second chance with Meredith and young son Henry (Riley Thomas Stewart). But it's clear he's not healthy and as the Beaver starts to become more of a harmful crutch, the harsh reality sets in that he has to get rid of this puppet and get some actual help, or risk losing his family again. Meanwhile, as Porter becomes increasingly mortified by his father's behavior and struggles with a complicated relationship at school, it's clear Walter isn't the only one in the house with issues.

Foster's film is unusual for how it puts the audience in an awkward position. On one hand, we we want this guy to get better, but on the other, it's so entertaining and funny watching Walter talk through The Beaver it's tough to root for a full recovery knowing it could possibly result in the the puppet's extinction. Gibson is sensational not just in his mastery of ventriloquism and puppetry, but how he can seemingly flip the emotional switch at will between the somber, dull, depressed Walter and his happy-go-lucky beaver persona. The word "crazy" is thrown around a lot in the film, but what's interesting is how we're presented with the possibility that such a description is unfair, even when we realize the extent of Walter's problems were far worse than initially suspected. He seems almost acutely aware of his actions, even coming up with a reasonable lie that this is all part of a treatment recommended by his psychiatrist. The brilliance in Gibson's performance and the script is how it briefly creates this world where we really want to believe Walter's form of coping is okay since some of the early results at work and at home falsely indicate that it is. He makes us want to get on board and support the barrier Walter puts between himself and everyone else, but only when his mask is taken away (briefly, in an electrifying restaurant scene opposite Foster) does it becomes completely clear how incapable the character is of functioning in everyday life without the aid of this puppet. When it starts becoming a crutch things aren't so funny anymore. But the movie wisely doesn't judge him. And since so little time is spent on the background of Walter Black or exploring why exactly Meredith kicked out it becomes impossible for us to either, which is probably for the best since Gibson carries with him enough personal baggage and preconceived notions that an excessive backstory would only serve as a hindrance.

The teen sub-plot has been cited by many as the weak link when it's actually one of the film's stronger aspects. It could have easily come off as a throwaway but doesn't and much of that has to do with how the actors playing them refuse to let their high school-age characters fit into a box, making them both more and less than they appear. You expect Anton's Yelchin's Porter to be some kind of a geek or misfit which isn't necessarily any more true than Jennifer Lawrence's Norah is the hot, popular cheerleader and both bring more to their roles than what's on the page, especially Lawrence. After her gritty turn in last year's Winter's Bone made her an Oscar nominee, seeing her as a regular teen takes some getting used to, but she still displays a mix of toughness and vulnerability that proves why she was one. All these characters are pretending to be someone they're not. Walter pretending he's a beaver. Meredith pretending he's getting better. Porter and Norah pretending they're okay when they really have no clue what they are. The idea that everyone uses a mask of some sort in their life is a fascinating one, but Walter's mental illness has literally taken control of his. It's clear Foster did actual research for this (whereas Gibson has probably lived it) and when things go from funny to dark the transition is seamless, making some interesting directorial choices as to when it's appropriate to show close-ups of the beaver or Gibson. All those creative decisions matter and quite a few of them are so subtle they're hard to catch on an initial viewing, even if it's tough to imagine watching this repeatedly. And anyone who's ever wondered who would win a fight between Mel Gibson and a beaver hand puppet will finally get their answer.

As much that goes right, something does seem to be holding the film back. Whether it's the relatively brief running time or the inescapable feeling we're watching another take on a familiar genre, this time with a hand puppet as a stand-in, it isn't the kind of movie you can't wait to watch again and recommend to all your friends. Toy beaver puppets won't be flying off the shelves this holiday season but that's fine. With or without Gibson as the lead this kind of material is a tough sell, and with a lot of obstacles in its path it came out as good as possible, deserving of a better chance at finding an audience. It's okay to hate the person but praise the performance and it seems the studio was unwilling to take a gamble that audiences would be willing to separate the two, or felt guilty capitalizing on its star's issues. That's understandable, but they can't change the results on screen, reminding us Gibson was an actor first, and still remains a very good one when he wants to be. If anything, those who really hate the guy and refuse to see anything he's in will get the biggest kick out of watching this, given the nature of the story. The Beaver is a thoughtful, funny examination of mental illness that's sometimes gimmicky, but at least Foster skillfully uses that gimmick to deliver something of substance.

Edge of Darkness

Director: Martin Campbell
Starring: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Bojana Novakovic, Jay O. Sanders
Running Time: 117 min.
Rating: R

★★ 1/2 (out of ★★★★)

Edge of Darkness, the embattled Mel Gibson's first starring vehicle in over six years, isn't the "revenge thriller" you may have assumed from its ads and trailers. This is both good and bad. Good in the sense that the story isn't just an excuse for senseless violence and is for the most part intelligently crafted. Bad in that the whole thing is dragged down in scenes of senseless expository dialogue that disappointingly take us exactly where we think it will. While better than expected, it's fatal flaw is in giving us the same old conspiracy story we've seen hundreds of times before when there were so many better options available.

This is one of those workmanlike movies you happen to catch on cable late at night and enjoy watching while it's on, then it ends and you realize you've essentially seen nothing and wasted your time. But for a movie that's too talky to be considered a thriller of any kind, it sure does have some impressive death scenes, including one shocker that caused me to literally jump in my seat. And it's difficult to go too hard on a movie that features Gibson screaming "Fasten your f*ckin' seatbelt!" at a crooked lawyer and informing us "Everything's illegal in Massachusetts." No matter how you may feel about Gibson as a person or celebrity, when the cameras start rolling, he unquestionably delivers. As a showcase for him the film's a success, but he would have benefited more if the story wasn't so ordinary.

The most frustrating aspect is how promising it starts. Boston police detective Thomas Craven (Gibson) picks up his visiting daughter, Emma (Bojana Novakovic) at the airport and upon returning home she's gunned down at his front doorstep with authorities logically suspecting he was the intended target. Soon it becomes clear that Emma was caught in the middle of one of those far-reaching corporate cover-ups by the security firm where she worked. Out of spite, I'm almost tempted to reveal exactly what that cover-up is since the script tips its hand way, way too early, but that's not even worth it since it would just be greeted with a big "THAT'S IT?" It's so run-of-the mill and predictable nearly anything would have been more satisfying. The worst part of it is the opening death scene is so well-handled and sets up a scenario that could have gone in a million different intriguing directions, yet writer William Monahan chose the safest route.

On the bright side, when the film unwisely commits to taking that road it does so intelligently and doesn't repeat the mistake of the similarly themed Death Sentence a few years. Unlike Kevin Bacon's character in that torture porn fiasco, Craven doesn't just take to the streets and start murdering two minutes after his daughter's killed, as trailers have hinted. He grieves while throwing himself full force into the case as someone in his situation more likely would. It's just too bad we know the details and outcome of this investigation before it even starts and it still does nothing to get us to care about what's happened to his daughter. Gibson, now entering his mid-fifties, is still believable as a bad-ass out for revenge and puts on a credible Boston accent, but he's undermined by too many scenes spent sulking around and mumbling at the bad guys.

The film would have been far better off crafting a huge mystery around Emma and what happened, not pulling the trigger on the reveal until the final act. Besides building suspense, this also would have helped in getting us to care about her. Instead we're given loads of information I felt like I knew already sandwiched in-between a couple of crazy Final Destination-style death scenes. They're entertaining, but given the more serious nature of the plot you'd be right in questioning whether that's appropriate for the type of cerebral, 70's style thriller this is trying to be. It can't have it both ways since the plot isn't compelling enough to drive the dialogue-heavy scenes and the action clashes with the tone. 2004's government conspiracy thriller Spartan is the rare film to pull that tricky mix off but Martin Campbell is no David Mamet and this script isn't nearly as layered.

There are some good performances that elevate the material slightly, namely from Danny Huston as the evil CEO of Northmoor, Jack Bennett. How do we know he's evil? He's played by Danny Huston. At least they picked the right actor. Professional heavy Ray Winstone plays a mysterious informant named Jedburgh, a role that originally went to Robert DeNiro before he walked off the set due to "creative differences" (a hilarious fact considering he's cashed checks for Meet The Fockers and Righteous Kill). It's Winstone's gain as he crafts an intriguing character out of basically nothing and gives us hope there could be more to the film than what lies on the surface. But there isn't and some of his talky scenes with Gibson are unbearable in length.

I did respect that after having sat through a story this pedestrian they at least bothered to give us a exciting ending that made sense. And that opening scene really is something else. As unpopular as this sounds, Gibson deserved better than this as an actor as his performance goes beyond what the script dictates he can bring. He has to do some heavy-lifting emotionally for a story that doesn't amount to much, though it's worth appreciating what the film was going for. Based on an acclaimed six-part 1985 British mini-series of the same name, it does feel like a project of that length was jammed into two hours worth of time, possibly with the more interesting aspects left out. Supposedly, the original had more of a sci-fi/mystical slant, which would have actually been welcome here. Anything other than the standard government conspiracy would have been welcome. A near-miss, Edge of Darkness is an interesting exception to Roger Ebert's famous rule, not working because of what it's about rather than how.