Podcast: Sundance Debrief and DGA Reactions
Monday, January 27, 2014 at 5:30PM 
On this week's special cross-country podcast recorded live from Utah, Nathaniel welcomes back Katey Rich in New York, Nick Davis in Chicago, and special guest Guy Lodge, also in Chicago en route to London. Guy and Nathaniel share their Sundance favorites, the chief crossover being Richard Linklater's Boyhood.
Other Topics include: The Producers Guild of America and Directors Guild winners and what that might mean for 12 Years a Slave and Gravity come Oscar night, categories where we'd enjoy ties on Oscar night, and favorite "overheard" bits in movie theater lines regarding Dallas Buyers Club and Philomena.
You can listen to the podcast right here at the bottom of the post or download the conversation on iTunes. Continue the conversation in the comments!
Which tie would you love to see this year?
Reader Comments (26)
Can we talk about this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pgmFAOgm5E
Yes YAS YAAAASSS
If I could have a tie, I think I'd pick American Hustle and Her in Original Screenplay because I have a feeling that they'll use that category to reward the former and I want the latter to pick up [i] something [/i]. (Her winning for Production Design or Score would be nice, but I have no faith in the Academy to recognize it there.)
Lupita/Lawrence was a nice choice as well.
I'm so glad you guys noted how un-typical the top 3 contenders are as frontrunners. Too often films get labeled 'pandering' or 'Oscar bait' and it drives me nuts. I think the three films are all unique to their directors whose Academy prowess was either a recent development or is just happening now.
Nathaniel, I had The Act of Killing in my Top 5 but I completely understand you avoiding it. There is a scene we see of man remembering his crimes and it is so harrowing to see his reactions.
My tie:
Chiwetel and Leo
One for their understated, silent film star-esque turn and the other for a cross between Jimmy Cagney, Malcolm McDowell as Jimmy Cagney, and Jerry Lewis
Plus, they are my Top 2 with one who may never be nominated for a lead again and the other might not give a performance as worthy as this one.
re: The Square
Watching it at TIFF, with an audience that seemed largely Egyptian, was a remarkably galvanizing experience. Still one of my favourites of the year.
re: The Act of Killing
I'm with Nathaniel. I'm avoiding it.
Tie: Before Midnight and Twelve Years a Slave for screenplay.
How can I compliment Guy without insulting Joe? I'll just speak my truth. Guy elevates the level of discourse quite effortlessly.
The Academy voters band together and write-in Stoker and Only God Forgives for Best Original Score, planning the votes out perfectly so that either a tie happens or no one wins the award.
I'm with Katy on "Happy" and Id love Barkhad Abdi to win
The Act of Killing was my favorite movie experience last year. By "favorite" I mean "most emotionally intense". With all the movie's strengths, and there are so many of them, the one thing that stood out the most was the amazing arc one of its subjects goes through. If it was fiction, I wouldn't believe it. The fact we can actually witness it happening is just astounding. I believe it to be one of the rarest documentations of human nature and its complexities ever committed to film. When do we get to see a human being actually go through change? That is what eventually makes this so special and unique. Through the magic of editing we can experience that progression along with the individual in question. It is not a pleasant ride, for sure, but it informed me more about who we are as human beings than any other piece of filmmaking released last year. It's a shame people will avoid it for fear of how it ill make them feel. How is that different from the argument that "12 Years a Slave" is too brutal to make one interested in watching it?
CMG took the words right out of my keyboard.
I also wouldn't mind a Nyong'o-Hawkins tie.
Guy needs to be a mainstay in these podcasts, and NOT at the expense of Joe, who always makes me choke out of laughter. Could listen to you guys for hours.
BUT, shame on all of you for not one of you mentioning a tie in Best Actress. Really? It's our favorite category, people! I myself can't decide between Adams, Blanchett, and Streep, who I think are all tremendous.
I want to second Nick's tie between Abdi and Cooper, but Cooper is clearly lead, and Abdi is arguably lead. I buy Abdi in supporting, not Cooper though. But judging on the merits of the performances alone and not category fraud, I am torn between Cooper, Abdi, and Fassbender. TIE!
This was a delight as always. And my what impeccable taste Guy Lodge has… love to hear he’s a member of one of my favorite critic groups. As for this tie question… if we could include un-nominated picks, it’d be easy…
BEST ACTRESS: Cate Blanchett, BLUE JASMINE & Adèle Exarchopoulos, BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
But… if we’re only going by the actual Oscar nominees…
I’d say Best Original Screenplay Russell/Singer for AMERICAN HUSTLE & Spike Jonze for HER.
this was awesome although not the same without joe...
regardless of the DGA prize, i still think SLAVE is taking Best Picture, Supp. Actress and Screenplay. It's the Godfather/ Cabaret split all over again
You guys, that was so much fun! The word for it was phino-minal.
It's kind of wishful thinking, but can Sally benefit of the whole Lupita vs. Jennifer situation?
If Guy can't be a regular, I want Nick Davis to speak with a British accent in the next podcast.
Despite the fact that I know what Guy Lodge looks like, I always imagine seeing Christopher Eccleston when I hear him. I agree that he is a welcome addition. I did miss Joe!
Will I be judged if I say that I liked Margot Robbie's Long Island wife number in The Wolf of Wall Street better than JLaw's in American Hustle ??? I know the latter's role is much showier but I keep having the same problem with her: I can't buy in the older roles, like playing a mother and wife to Christian Bale (when she's only 23 and is playing a teenager in a major franchise).
"Will I be judged if I say that I liked Margot Robbie's Long Island wife number in The Wolf of Wall Street better than JLaw's in American Hustle ??? "
I liked her a lot but I understand why Lawrence's character, and not just the performer, is getting singled out. She is playing the underestimated, young woman (I want to say dumb blonde but I also want to put Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny into this trope) that is as old as film itself, especially since the dawn of screwball comedies. It's a popular, showy kind of role but I also thought Robbie's role had similar elements- like in that scene where she throws water on DiCaprio again. It was suddenly the most R-rated episode of The Honeymooners.
Interloper! Interloper!
@Peggy Sue: I studied Guy's South African-English tones all weekend and am happy to pull a Lady Edith Greensley and appear occasionally as him.
I would definitely be on board with a Lupita/Sally tie. I honestly think Sally gave the best performance (as she did back in 2008...), but I am so impressed by Lupita and want her to have bigger and better opportunities (though an Oscar may not help).
Nathaniel, I don't think The Act of Killing is *that* traumatic a sit. The 12 Years a Slave comparison is a good one in terms of people's reluctance to see it, although The Act of Killing has a much different tone (it actually feels as though it could be satire at times, though it obviously isn't).
I'm surprised, but I wouldn't mind a tie for Ejiofor and DiCaprio (I'd still vote for Ejiofor). I'm not a DiCaprio fan. I thought his last great performance was in "Catch Me If You Can." But a re-viewing of the quaalude scene in "Wolf" convinces me it will be one of the few scenes this year that will be considered classic (along with the "hanging" scene in "12 Years" and the end of "Captain Phillips"). Comedy, especially physical comedy, should sometimes be rewarded.
I have "The Act of Killing" queued up. All the praise here and elsewhere tells me it must be more thoughtful and thought-provoking than it looks. The premise really turns me off. Obviously any satire in the film has some basis in racial and cultural difference. I should just turn it on one evening and not psych myself out with preconceptions.
Aw, I love having special guests like Guy Lodge on here. It's always fun to shake it up a bit, like when Katey and Nathaniel did a duo a few weeks ago.
Surprised the reaction for Behind The Candelabra, a film I thought was excellent and such a lovely high note for Soderbergh to go out on, had a mixed reaction among these tasteful people on here. The quality of that film begins and ends with its fantastic duo-lead actors, Soderbergh's astute direction, the bizarre-hilarious-sad story and the impeccable design element. I thought it was great AND it gets bonus points for Rob Lowe doing that performance.
Nick Elizabeth Davis. Unless I heard you incorrectly, you mentioned you actually liked Paul Haggis' Crash. This simply cannot be and thus I'm afraid we must break up now~
Chiwetel and Bruce for the tie!!
Stop picking on June Squibb!
I LOVE this unedited podcast. Your half-conversation at the beginning is so charming and relaxed. Always love listening to these!