2008 Woodie Awards
Itching for an Oscar:
2007 Movie Highlights
Andrew Burford
Issue date: 1/24/08 Section: Arts & Features
With the announcement of the nominations for the 2008 Academy Awards just days away, there finally comes an appropriate time to get past the dismay of the Writer's Strike and look forward to an actually worthwhile awards-viewing experience: Oscar Night. After reducing the Golden Globes to an unfortunately pathetic news conference, audiences across the country can hopefully rest assured that for Oscar Night, the show will go on… one way or another. Yet for the night to truly be satisfying, a quality awards show must come with quality films to accept the reward. Hence, we're left with the question: Did 2007 have any great movies? Will anyone actually care about any movies come Oscar Night?
Fortunately enough, the answer is most certainly, "yes." Beginning with the release of Michael Clayton last October, America gladly witnessed an influx of Hollywood magic. Starring George Clooney and set in present day New York, the film (shockingly) follows Michael Clayton, a former criminal prosecutor, as he faces the biggest case of his career. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, who also wrote all three films in the Bourne trilogy, Michael Clayton was nominated for four Golden Globes and appears to be a frontrunner in both the Best Picture and Best Actor categories.
Soon after came the release No Country for Old Men in November. Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, whom are also responsible for such classics as Fargo and Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, the film carries with it the frightening plot of a manhunt in which Llewelyn Moss, played by Josh Brolin, is forced to run from the maniacal Anton Chigurh, played by Javier Bardem, after coming across a substantial amount of money that Anton feels compelled to retrieve. Faithfully based on Cormac McCarthy's 2005 novel of the same name, No Country for Old Men is one of the favorites for the Best Picture category as well as for Best Director and Best Supporting Actor categories.
As November left us with the depressing realization that yet another Colgate winter would soon enough overstay its welcome, December thankfully brought with it three movies that all have significant shots at scoring on Oscar Night.
Fortunately enough, the answer is most certainly, "yes." Beginning with the release of Michael Clayton last October, America gladly witnessed an influx of Hollywood magic. Starring George Clooney and set in present day New York, the film (shockingly) follows Michael Clayton, a former criminal prosecutor, as he faces the biggest case of his career. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, who also wrote all three films in the Bourne trilogy, Michael Clayton was nominated for four Golden Globes and appears to be a frontrunner in both the Best Picture and Best Actor categories.
Soon after came the release No Country for Old Men in November. Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, whom are also responsible for such classics as Fargo and Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, the film carries with it the frightening plot of a manhunt in which Llewelyn Moss, played by Josh Brolin, is forced to run from the maniacal Anton Chigurh, played by Javier Bardem, after coming across a substantial amount of money that Anton feels compelled to retrieve. Faithfully based on Cormac McCarthy's 2005 novel of the same name, No Country for Old Men is one of the favorites for the Best Picture category as well as for Best Director and Best Supporting Actor categories.
As November left us with the depressing realization that yet another Colgate winter would soon enough overstay its welcome, December thankfully brought with it three movies that all have significant shots at scoring on Oscar Night.
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