Muriel’s Best Director by a Whisker

51 Responses to “Muriel’s Best Director by a Whisker”

1. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 8:29 am

   Yay, PTA!!! The Coens would have been acceptable, too, but they won 6 Oscars between them so I’m happy that Muriel chose the underdog.

   Great photo.

2. Nicholas Plowman - Feb 26 '08, 8:38 am

   Agreed Alison, I have always liked PTA’s vision and work, always…It was a close call too.

   Welcome back Craig! How was Portland?

3. Craig Kennedy - Feb 26 '08, 9:08 am

   Thanks Nick, Portland was great. it’s nice to get out of LA once in a while.

   I’m also glad to see PTA here. I’m awarded out with No Country. It’s still my favorite movie of the year, but there’s no reason to be greedy.

4. sartre - Feb 26 '08, 9:13 am

   What a brilliant choice. And the runner-ups were spot on too. Yay for including Andrew Dominik who has inexplicably been ignored by awards bodies.

   I’d propose to Muriel if I wasn’t already married and the biological differences and prejudices of others weren’t so problematic.

5. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 9:27 am

   And David Fincher and Todd Haynes are perfect runner-ups. One of them should have replaced Gilroy and Reitman. Sorry, I reserve one spot for Lumet.

   So, the score for picking the top 5 directors:

   Muriel = 5
   AMPAS = 3

   Muriel is squashing AMPAS like it’s a bug under her feet.

6. sartre - Feb 26 '08, 9:33 am

   The selection of Gilroy and Reitman was a joke. Funny how you can’t even trust directors as a group to know what constitutes outstanding peer work.

7. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 9:39 am

   Well, they both had good connections. Clooney = Oscar nomination for Gilroy. Ivan Reitman = Oscar nomination for Jason Reitman.

8. Daniel - Feb 26 '08, 9:45 am

   Agreed, sartre. Reitman’s inclusion was among the worst in all categories. As much as I grew to not like Juno, I would give credit to anyone else but him for the parts that I did like. Alison, can you explain connections for the rest of the categories/nominees, too? :-)

9. Craig Kennedy - Feb 26 '08, 9:46 am

   I’m sure those decisions are lousy with politics.

   Makes me wonder who that Kevin O’Connell guy pissed off to get 20 nominations, but never win.

10. Craig Kennedy - Feb 26 '08, 9:48 am

    For those of you keeping score at home, here’s how I voted:

    Joel & Ethan Coen
    Paul Thomas Anderson
    David Fincher
    Todd Haynes
    Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Syndromes and a Century)

11. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 10:46 am

    Great choices, Craig. I approve. I might have included Schnabel, but I can’t complain about any of those. And you know all about me and my Diving Bell obsession. :-)

    I’m afraid I can’t explain the connections for the rest of the categories/nominees, Daniel. :-)

    For the most part, I was ecstatic about the choices of Oscar nominees and winners. I was thrilled that La Vie en Rose won make-up, and it was so touching to see Marion cry when her make-up team took the big award – and, aside from her fabulous performance, I knew that when the film won for make-up, Marion was going to win Lead Actress. But I think it would have been a real lark if Norbit had won. There was some connection there that got that nominated, though I don’t know what it is. Still, it would have been hilarious if they could have put “Academy Award Winner Norbit” on the DVD cover.

12. joel - Feb 26 '08, 10:47 am

    Way to go Muriel. I can’t deny your excellent taste, once again. I’m happy with that top four and although I’d reorder #5-10 slightly move Polley up, the Grindhouse pair down, I can’t argue with it.

    Muriel continues to pummel Oscar into submission, even in a rare year where Oscar made numerous great selections in both nominations and awards. Kudos to Muriel.

13. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 10:54 am

    Muriel was also very international in her choices, which is very impressive. She has broad, global vision. And she was open-minded enough to include Brad Bird and not siphon him off into the animation ghetto. Good directing is good directing, as Muriel wisely discerns.

    Poor Tim Burton is snubbed everywhere. I don’t see him on the list – he didn’t even make it to one-vote-wonder status?

14. Nicholas Plowman - Feb 26 '08, 11:16 am

    “Clooney = Oscar nomination for Gilroy. Ivan Reitman = Oscar nomination for Jason Reitman.”

    Never thought about that, but it is so true.

    Good picks Craig – I like ;)

    sartre, I wish Andrew Dominik had gotten more recognition over the awards season too, but it doesn’t make too much difference, he made a classic that will be remembered in 20 years or whatever, how many directors could say that about their efforts last year? Not that many.

15. Sam Juliano - Feb 26 '08, 11:22 am

    Muriel’s choices were certainly scholarly, but I would have replaced Fincher with either Florien Henckel Von Donnarsmarck or Joe Wright, who both appeared later down on the list. Still, how can one argue with PT Anderson, the Coens, or Andrew Dominick, the latter one a certaintly one day in the future to be acknowledged for the truly masterful work it is. Christian Mongiu, John Carney, Julien Schabel and Tim Burton all deserve recognition among the best for 4 MONTHS, ONCE, DIVING BELL and SWEENEY TODD.
    Craig: very interesting choice there with Weerasethakul.

16. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 11:24 am

    At least Schnabel came in at #6 for Diving Bell. He just missed runner-up status.

17. Craig Kennedy - Feb 26 '08, 11:49 am

    More than anything Sam, Weerasethakul was sort of a wild card shout out with the fifth pick. I could’ve gone a bunch of different ways, but why not try and call attention to something worthy of attention?

    Alison, at least Schnabel got some Indie Spirit cred. That was pretty cool.

    Also, for the record…when Tilda Swinton won for best supporting…did anyone think to themselves “hmmm…I wonder if this means Clayton is going to win..?” I totally thought that. Glad I was wrong.

18. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 12:06 pm

    Yes, Craig, I did think that. I was also afraid that the Clooney-upset predictors would be right. Phew! Glad those scenarios didn’t happen.

19. Craig Kennedy - Feb 26 '08, 12:10 pm

    Yes, I would not have been a happy camper.

20. Sam Juliano - Feb 26 '08, 12:39 pm

    Craig you did more than draw attention to the SYNDROMES director—it was an INSPIRED artistic and aesthetic choice.
    I didn’t think the Swinton win was going to lead to anything else to be honest; I saw it myself as the voters wanting to give a semi-major award to the film and nothing else. I personally never bought the CLAYTON surge at all (although I guess none of us will ever know the numbers) but few disputed that NO COUNTRY would prevail in the main categories.
    Speaking of which, why is it do you think that there has NEVER been a leak or a slip from the people at Price Waterhouse, who do the tabulating? You would think that somewhere down the line that someone would betray the trust so to speak. Ah well……LOL
    Alison, you must be commended for your undying love for Mr. Schnabel and his inspiring film all year long. My second viewing of the was the charm, as my first view had me forced to sit it the very back row of the tunnel-like Angelika multiplex theatre, and the emotionally thrust of the film didn’t impact on me the way it did in the subsequent view. I generally like to sit in the third or fourth row from the screen all the time, a habit that turns off my friends (by not my family.) I bet most of you are similar to me, no?

21. Craig Kennedy - Feb 26 '08, 12:44 pm

    It turns out Sam, even up to the very last minute I was looking for an excuse that No Country was going to lose, even though I made it my official prediction. Me and Oscar have such a long and tragic history together it still seems bizarre that my favorite movie of the year would be so recognized.

    I wondered about leaks too. Nothing seems foolproof anymore it’s a bit of a shock they always manage to keep the secret.

22. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 1:02 pm

    Hey, Sam, that’s where I saw Diving Bell, too. At the Angelika. :-)

    Unlike you, however, I prefer to sit further back, say in the middle. Not the very back, though.

23. sartre - Feb 26 '08, 1:11 pm

    So Craig, to modify Jon Stewart’s punchline ‘you and Oscar had make-up sex’. I’m glad it was good for you. But do you now trust the relationship enough to commit?

24. Sam Juliano - Feb 26 '08, 1:16 pm

    Alison, do you live in Manhattan? If so, you have an ocean of opportunities, which I myself take advantage of when I can. You are teh first I have encountered on LIC who is from this area.

25. Craig Kennedy - Feb 26 '08, 1:16 pm

    We’re still on our honeymoon Sartre. It would be indiscreet to talk about it.

    I’m with Alison on the sitting somewhat farther back. At Arclight I sit what amounts to 4 rows back because there’s a horizontal aisle after the first 3 rows and I like the legroom and easy in-out access just in case. Arclight spaces their first row further back from the screen than most theaters so it’s not as close as it sounds.

26. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 1:24 pm

    Sam: yes, I do live in Manhattan, in the East Village.

27. sartre - Feb 26 '08, 1:27 pm

    Uptown girl.

28. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 1:30 pm

    Nope, downtown girl, sartre. I’m in the cool neighborhood.

29. sartre - Feb 26 '08, 1:31 pm

    Anywhere in Manhattan is uptown to me :-)

30. Sam Juliano - Feb 26 '08, 4:28 pm

    That’s great Alison! Village East Cinemas, Anthology Film Archives, Landmark, with the Angelika and Film Forum nearby!

31. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 4:32 pm

    Exactly. I love this neighborhood.

32. Alexander - Feb 26 '08, 6:01 pm

    Uh-oh, this may mean Muriel is feeling more oily and misanthropic than air gun-centric and philosophically interested in the quirks of fate.

33. Craig Kennedy - Feb 26 '08, 8:02 pm

    I won’t be shocked if There Will Be Blood takes the Muriel for Best Picture. Just a feeling and it sounds like you share it Alexander.

34. Alexander - Feb 26 '08, 9:18 pm

    I do indeed, Craig.

35. Craig Kennedy - Feb 26 '08, 9:42 pm

    The crazy thing is, if TWBB had somehow won Sunday night, I truly would’ve had mixed emotions. As much as I loved TWBB, I really was rooting for the Coens deep down, in part because of my love for NCfOM, but also because of my history with them.

36. Ryan Adams - Feb 26 '08, 10:02 pm

    I hate to think what backlash we’d have to endure had TWBB won Best Picture or Best Director.

    Juno and TWBB are both lucky to have lost BP because now they can be loved and appreciated without having to defend themselves against bashers for the next 500 years. (Or 50, depending on global warming.)

37. Craig Kennedy - Feb 26 '08, 10:10 pm

    I agree. TWBB might have stood up to the criticism, but I think little Juno would’ve been crushed as LMS would have been last year.

    Juno got a nomination, a win for Cody and a kajilion dollars. Fans should be thrilled.

38. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 10:22 pm

    TWBB might have stood up to the criticism in general. Of course, over at Awards Daily, it would have been a different story. Mario Barroto would have been ragging on Sasha until the end of eternity and she would have had to send someone out to break his legs.

    As it is, there are already enough detractors of No Country, who claim that it’s overrated. This year there was no English Patient.

39. Ryan Adams - Feb 26 '08, 10:39 pm

    “…would have had to send someone out to break his legs.”

    Already did. Barely slowed Borretta down. He’d be ragging on somebody over something if he had to furiously blink one eye to do it.

    (I enjoy seeing how many different ways we can misspell his name.)

40. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 10:42 pm

    Who’s that? Mario Baretta?

    I appreciate his devotion to TWBB and respect that he sees the genius of it, but he gives those of us who love the movie a bad name.

41. Ryan Adams - Feb 26 '08, 10:54 pm

    Mario’s always strutting in like a banty rooster and looking to pick a fight, instead of trying to find common ground with those who might be allies. Reminds me of somebody who lives in a big white house.

42. Alison Flynn - Feb 26 '08, 10:56 pm

    Great analogy. :-)

43. Ryan Adams - Feb 26 '08, 10:58 pm

    thnx
    lol @ “Baretta”
    all he needs is a parrot,
    and, someday, a murder charge.

44. Pierre de Plume - Feb 27 '08, 1:34 am

    “I’d propose to Muriel if I wasn’t already married and the biological differences and prejudices of others weren’t so problematic.”

    Well, if it doesn’t work out with Lars, maybe Bianca will be available.

    Sam, unless I had a funny dream or something, I don’t think Florian von you-know-who was eligible for best director this year. Hasn’t the Academy fixed the quirky rules about foreign films being eligible for stuff two years in a row? And yes, it’s amazing that the Oscar results haven’t been leaked. But I think that’s because only two people know the results. None of the tabulators sees all the ballots or totals — just the two accountants — so their heads would be on the chopping block if word got out. It’s set up so even no one at the Academy knows.

45. Sam Juliano - Feb 27 '08, 4:53 am

    Pierre: That reminds me (the accountants) and the follow up ‘chopping block remark’ of the brilliant centerpiece scene in the 1932 THE MUMMY when Karloff is entombed alive and all those who witness it are speared to death, and then those who witnessed the spearing are then in turn subjected to the same gruesome end. Is that the idea? Silence all until you are left with just about nobody?

46. Nicholas Plowman - Feb 27 '08, 6:55 am

    “Juno got a nomination, a win for Cody and a kajilion dollars. Fans should be thrilled.”
    And thrilled we are.

47. joel - Feb 27 '08, 7:57 am

    “It’s set up so even no one at the Academy knows.”

    Pierre, you mean other than the secret cabal of Academy voters that sit in a smoke-filled room and dole out the actual awards each year, right?

    We all know that the only way that Kevin O’Connell could have been blacklisted.

48. Alison Flynn - Feb 27 '08, 9:34 am

    The real question is just who is that secret cabal of Academy voters? Anyone think Jack Nicholson is part of that secret cabal? How about Tom Hanks?

49. Alexander - Feb 27 '08, 9:36 am

    Nicholson probably performs the Skull & Bones-like rites of the secret cabal of Academy voters in the bowels of the Kodak Theatre. Wearing his demonic shades, of course.

50. Pierre de Plume - Feb 27 '08, 9:37 am

    Joel, my belief is that, these days, the world works in subtler ways — a comment here or there, a look, a roll of the eyes. You know, consensus building. That way people can “tell the truth” when they’re backed into a corner.

51. Alison Flynn - Feb 27 '08, 9:48 am

    LOL, Alexander. Of course he’s wearing his shades.

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