It is probably a good idea to have some individual threads, as we campaign for our favorite movies to take the big prize. I am confident that Million Dollar Baby has sewn it up, and here is why. Oscar fever heated up with the Golden Globe awards, and at the time, it certainly looked like it was finally Marty's year. A funny thing happened on the way to Marty's year, as the legendary Clint Eastwood, hot off an awards filled year last year with the excellent Mystic River, took home the coveted Best Director award, and his leading lady, Hilary Swank, proved to be a powerhouse, as she walked away with a Best Actress award, and even though Best Picture went to The Aviator, and made this a very interesting race, this dynamic duo showed that they meant business.



The Golden Globes proved to only be the beginning, as the movie went into wide release, and floored audiences and critics alike, with the emotional punch of a heavyweight contender. Momemtum quickly picked up, as the DGA awards were coming up, and as we all know, the DGA's Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film has traditionally served as a near-perfect barometer for the Academy Award for Best Director. Only six times since the DGA Award's inception in 1949 has the winner not gone on to receive the Academy Award for Best Director.

The result:







The Best Director Oscar was now Eastwood's to lose, as the guild showed him their support for his latest masterpiece. The
following week, another big test would quickly be upon our heroes, as the SAG awards would prove to be a giant step toward Oscar glory.



As expected, the screen actors showed their unquestioned support for Hilary Swank for Best Actress.



Hilary offered these comments upon recieving the honor from her colleagues.

HILARY SWANK: I am amazed, lucky, thankful, speechless and quite frankly stunned to be a working actor. I thank my fellow SAG members for this incredible honor, this award means so much to me. And I also want to acknowledge my fellow nominees who inspire me to be a better actor.

You know, I also can't believe I'm a working actor, working with the legendary Clint Eastwood, and the always amazing Morgan Freeman. I think one of the rarest qualities, and most important qualities is the - being able to believe in someone else. And Clint, your unwavering belief in me, I am just so thankful for that. I am thankful to you for reminding me to trust my instincts, and allowing me to trust my instincts.

And I am in such awe - it's hard enough to be an actor, and how you directed this picture, while giving the performance of a lifetime, producing and composing, I bow down to you, you are a talent beyond compare. And if I'm half the person you are, and half the talent you are, when I'm 74, I will know I have accomplished something great. [applause]

I want to thank Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi for sending me this beautiful script, Al Ruddy, and let's see - the wrapping up sign is coming, but you don't understand, we work so hard, please give me a moment to talk... Let's see, Phyllis Huffman, our casting director, oh let's see, my trainers, Grant Roberts and Hector Rocca, and Tonya Makomis [sp] - Clint's telling me to wrap it up. [laughter] And my mom. You know what? My mom for believing in me from the very beginning. So anyway, [applause] I thank you for this great honor and I want to also thank my husband for just putting up with me. Thank you. [applause]

Another member of this powerhouse team emerged in a big way, as veteran actor Morgan Freeman walked away with the award for Best Supporting Actor.



Freeman offered these comments during his acceptance speech.

MORGAN FREEMAN: [singing] "Who was the long tall stranger there, Maverick is his name. Ridin' the trail to who knows where, luck is his companion, gambling is his game." [applause]

I want to thank anybody who I ever met. [laughter] I want to thank Clint Eastwood and his entire family. I want to thank Hillary Swank, Al Ruddy coming to us with this wonderful script. And I want to thank you all so much. [applause]

That Morgan Freeman's a class act, all the way.



The powerhouse trio is primed to dominate the Oscars, as they are , without question , the movie to beat. They are favored to win the Best Picture award, the Best Director award, the Best Actress award, and the Best Supporting Actor award, and have moved into the position of Oscar darlings in very convincing fashion. After Eastwood directed two great award winning actors last year, while coming up just shy of Best Director and Best Picture for Mystic River, his vindication is well at hand. It will taste sweet, I'm sure.

It is probably a good idea to have some individual threads, as we campaign for our favorite movies to take the big prize.

Not sure which other movies, I want to see threads on - Ray, Sideways, Aviator, etc.

MDB is the main one that seems to stand out in front. So for now enjoy your promotion on MDB.

Well, it's up to those guys if the want to have a thread to post stuff in. Nobody is really rooting for Ray, so I don't think we'll see anybody caring.

Now wouldn't it be something if "RAY" came out of nowhere and upset MDB for BEST PICTURE??? =D> It's the one's you don't expect that end up coming out of nowhere and surprising..

Yes, that would be something. I'd hurl my television out the window.

Little did the children know that their teacher was such a violent and emotional person, inclined to throw stuff over awards given to the filthy rich...

Wow.... today I have been reading article after article that's just getting my riled up.

After reading the article about the new Oscar ceremony changes in the LA Times, I also came across the first big article I have yet seen about the MDB controversy. I won't say what it is as that would give the movie away, but MAAAAAAAAAN I never thought a mere article or another person's opinion (who I have never heard of) could get me so on edge.
Declaring the movie anti-Catholic and this other religious bulshit really got my blood pumping; it's so astonishing how naiive some people are. It down-right disgusts me. And it's not like I can just ignore it.... I keep thinking how some people actually think like this.

After olosing a bit of faith in MDB for Best Picture, I'm fully and permanently back on the train.....

This movie really hits me stronger with every waking day after I had seen the movie. My appreciation and respect for nto only the story but the acting grows with each passing day and I feel I am waaaay overdue for a second viewing.

you know what I think is an actual possibility (low chance, but possible) and what would seriously make my day....
MDB winning Best Adapted Screenplay, besting the front-runner 'Sideways'
That would be something. It may actually happen though because you could tell the Academy isn't as enthusiastic about Sideways as all those other critics groups were and plus, Mystic River was thought to have nabbed that award last year.... they may award it for both movies (they they are different people).

I'm rooting for (realistically)....

Million dollar Baby for:

Best Picture (I say Aviator still has the edge, but it could seriously surprise)
Best Director (I think there is a bigger chance of this than a Best Pic win, but still a little less than 50/50)
Best Actress (I'm still predicting Annette Benning, but Swank's momentum is just unstoppable, I dunno what to think now)
Best Adapted Screenplay (discussed above)
I think it has a chance to nab Film Editing as well... but it might go to another movie as a consolation prize.

I don't think there is any possible way it will take all of these, but I'm predicting at least 2, and hoping for 3 awards to be taken home by Million Dollar Baby (and at least 1 for Eastwood himself)

I really don't know if it has the edge with Picture and Director, but it has a great shot. It also has a great shot at Actress and Supporting Actor, although it probably wont get both. My bets on Morgan winning and Swank not. No matter what it wins, though, it deserves everything it gets.

You really don't think Freeman's got a great shot at Best Sup. Actor?

I have already had a second and third viewing. Not only does it retain it's emotional power, but there was a new experience I had, as I examined the 3 lead characters much more. The first time watching, I just followed along, and took it in as it came, but the second time watching, I really studied everything about them , leading up to the third act, and I can totally understand why the academy nominated the three of them. It's the relationships between the characters, and the personalities of the characters, that are so fascinating in this movie, and that's why the punch is so effective.

By the way, Mav, did you like the movie more than Mystic River?

I loved Mystic River. I give it my highest recommendation, and I just lent it out to my best friend's dad, and he absolutely loved it. While Mystic River was an exceptional film, Million Dollar Baby is in a different class. It's the most powerful movie I've ever seen. It surpasses Mystic River , though both are great films.

Well, first off, Freeman is a lock to win in my book.
Second, I actually did forget to mention him, even though he was the one I had most confidence in!

As we move closer to Oscar night, our heroes continue to position themselves toward their goal of Oscar glory! The LA Times has made no secret about which film they are endorsing, as the well oiled Hollywood political machine is now firing on all cylinders.

In a bit of a #-o moment for Sideways supporters (and probably Aviator supporters), Jay Leno had both Clint Eastwood and Thomas Hayden Church on the Tonight Show together, and it wasn't hard to see that Leno was really hyping M$B. When he introduced who was on the show, he only mentioned Clint, and then raved about the film and it's nominations. When they came back from a station break, he once again mentioned Clint would be on the show, and then mentioned Church. It was a bit unfair to put Sideways in a position of looking much less important compared to M$B , and Thomas Hayden Church , in a moment that I couldn't help but respect, even though I'm sure it was cringe inducing for Alexander Payne to see, GUSHED about M$B, saying how he was a massive fan of it, and he told everybody they should go see it. He never once said anything like that about his own film. He also said that he will be losing the Oscar to the great Morgan Freeman. Not to Alan Alda, or Clive Owen, or Jamie Foxx, but to Morgan Freeman. Freeman will be on the show on Friday.

Esteemed critic, Joel Seigel , had these comments, which happens to be the reason I believe support for Eastwood will be exceptionally strong.

First impressions:
I was sure Johnny Depp wouldn't get a nomination. He's in Oscar's toughest category this year. He was, Paul Giametti wasn't. What does a guy have to do to get an Oscar nomination. In Sideways he had to drink REAL wine!!!!! Actors nominate actors which is why I was pretty certain Clint Eastwood WOULD get nominated. Every actor in the Academy wants to work with him. Director Clint Eastwood is famous for one or two takes, wrap by 4, go play golf.

-Joel Siegel

With the political machine in full force, the bandwagon jumpers will soon follow. M$B is steamrolling it's way to a very big night at the 77th Annual Academy Awards!!!

I've seen all the Best Picture nominees except Million Dollar Baby...

Right now, If I were to choose what movie SHOULD win, I would say Sideways...

What movie WILL win, I would say the Aviator..

But that can All change when I see MDB tonight.

Film critic, Richard Roeper, was just interviewed on the Today Show. He didn't predict a best picture, but he did say Hilary Swank is going to win, and although he said Jamie foxx will "probably" win, he mentioned Clint Eastwood as having a chance to upset him. He said that he's very popular within the academy , and could be rewarded because he's at the end of his acting career. He mentioned that the Giamatti snub makes no sense, since Sideways was nominated for screenplay, picture, director, supporting actor and supporting actress.

Eastwood has publicly said he wants to stay behind the camera, but couldn't resist doing this character. It reminds me of how Gene Hackman , 13 years ago, was saying that he was unsure about doing Unforgiven, because he was seriously thinking about retiring. He never showed any signs of quitting in all that time since, but he did win his second Oscar.

Eastwood Baffled by Attacks


SPOILER ALERT: Clint Eastwood has expressed bafflement over the partisan controversy that has developed over his Oscar-nominated Million Dollar Baby. Interviewed by New York Times media critic Frank Rich for his column in Sunday's edition, Eastwood indicated that he had not suspected that a scene in the film in which a paralyzed character is removed from life-support would be characterized as an endorsement of euthanasia by such conservative commentators as Rush Limbaugh, Michael Medved and Debbie Schlussel. "What do you have to give these people to make them happy?" Eastwood, a former Republican mayor of Carmel, CA, remarked, noting that he had not considered "the political side of this" while making the film. "You used to be able to disagree with people and still be friends. Now you hear these talk shows, and everyone who believes differently from you is a moron and an idiot -- both on the right and the left." He pointed out that the film presents a heroine who is "willing to pull herself up by the bootstraps, to work hard and persevere no matter what" to realize her dream. "That all sounds like Americana to me, like something out of Wendell Willkie," he told Rich. "And the villains in the movie include people who are participating in welfare fraud." Eastwood denied that efforts to give away the plot device in the film will wind up harming it, and Rich himself wrote: "My own experience is that knowing the ultimate direction of Million Dollar Baby ... only deepened my second viewing of it."

This has really magnified since the internet.



That's exactly how I felt when watching it the second and third time, which is why I believe it's a timeless classic!

Yes, friends, powerful film critic, Roger Ebert, has made his predictions for the Oscars, and it's looking good for our heroes from his perspective.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbc ... /502130302

No matter what BKB says, there is no way anybody could possibly come away from this masterpiece thinking it's "boring".

BKB needs to see the movie, and see why he's wrong. :razz:

Million Dollar Baby is defo my BP film.

A new interview with Clint Eastwood by Time magazine is up, and pretty interesting. In it, he mentions Alexander Payne, Flags of our Fathers , and being "Hobbitized" last year.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/artic ... d=rss_arts

That is some great praise for Alexander Payne. Sounds like Clint would be voting Sideways if not for Million.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u ... 0220020653

Million Dollar Baby is now firmly in the lead. For it to lose now would be an upset.

And Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, Upsets *DO* occur and I think were gonna see one this year, a big upset this year that will have critics and moviegoers jaws dropped for days to come over it.. :wink:

I still think it's an extremely close match between Baby and Aviator in BOTH director and picture categories.

I wouldn't call either an upset. An upset would be any of the other 3 nominees winning.
I think these two are in a dead heat with Baby ahead only because everyone seems to be predicting so. Not based on any facts or much of anything.