The Oscar fallout continues this week with Best Screenplay and Foreign Film also-rans, and a Best Actor Winner.
Capote
A well-deserved Oscar for character actor supreme Philip Seymour Hoffman and arguably a career best (until, of course, MI:III in which I'm sure he'll reinvent the art form). Still, I can't mention Hoffman without pointing out his incredible performance as another notorious journalist, Lester Bangs, in Almost Famous. You know what? Buy 'em both.
Also, I can't forget the supporting performances of Catherine Keener, the always reliable Chris Cooper, and Clifton Collins, Jr. who might have gotten a nod had he not been playing against the actual Best Actor Winner.
Extras include director's commentary (oh, yeah, he was good, too) with Hoffman on one track and the cinematographer, Adam Kimmel on the other, plus a Capote doc and a couple of behind-the-scenes featurettes.
The Squid and the Whale
One of last year's best tells the story of a divorce-in-progress between Laura Linney's neglected wife and Jeff Daniel's overbearing husband. The kids (Jesse Eisenberg & Owen Klein) take sides. Fantastic performances all around, including Daniels who appears to be channeling latter day Bill Murray for his character's intellectual narcissism. Writer/director Noah Baumbach's script, while reminiscent of Life Aquatic co-conspirator Wes Anderson's style takes on a whole new flavor with Baumbach's sure, almost gritty direction.
Extras include director's commentary and a conversation between Baumbach and a film critic who I'm going to assume liked the film, but you never know.
Paradise Now
Of all the politically charged films to come out last year, this is likely the most timely and controversial, but that's bound to happen when the main characters are potential suicide bombers. Co-writer/director Hany Abu-Assad's film won much critical acclaim and I wager nabbed the second most votes for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars. Even there, controversy surrounded the film as a dispute arose over the country of origin. Of course, I don't know that I want the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences to be the deciding vote on wheter or not Palestine gets recognized as a nation.
Chicken Little
I take it back. Clearly this is the most controversial and timely political film of last year. Little's crusade to warn the world of alien invaders is an obvious metaphor for the war in Iraq. If you can't see that, I can't help you.
Extras include not one, not two, but three alternate openings and a Barenaked Ladies video. As a longtime Ladies fan, I'm really conflicted about this.
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