Could Hugh Dancy be an Oscar candidate ?

The Brit ( also in King Arthur, Blachawk Down ) turns on his thespian skills to go deep inside his character in his new indie film Adam, about a young man with Asberger's Syndrome, a sort of affliction somehwat like austism, that leaves the person without any social interaction skills and occasional clumsiness.

Adam is attracted and falls for a teacher ( Rose Byrne ) who lives in his building and also shares the same attraction for astronomy as well.

I don't know about an Oscar nomination but I wouldn't bet against some critics awards at the end of the year.

Another great year for Meryl ?

Saying that she nabs the Julia Child persona is a understatement. Some are already claiming the Oscar is her's to lose. What category though ? Lead or Support ? She certainly got the voice down ( the hardest part ) but she also has another movie that is a romantic comedy that is directed by Nancy Meyers ( Something's Gotta Give )co-starring Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin coming out on 12-25, that also looks like a nomination possibility ( maybe Comedy or Musical lead Actress Golden Globe )

Many thought in the mid 90's she was in her peak, yet she keeps delivering the goods with every subsequent film.

Within The Whirlwind ( and Emily Watson )

I must admit that I do not get swayed or have my anticipation for a movie jilted by seeing the trailer for a flick. With that thinking, I must say I was highly impressed with what I saw from the trailer for Within The Whirlwind. Emily Watson looks like a force to be reckoned with and performance seems to be on the level of tour-de-force standards.

Movie is a true story of a woman ( Eugenia Guinzburg ) who was wrongly sent to the Gulag under Stalin's regime for nearly 20 years fighting off depression and suicidal thoughts, seeing friends tortured and killed. Herself, fighting off rape attempts and months of being locked in isolated confinement. It's a story of overcoming. Where she took her depression and thoughts of killing herself and transferred those feelings into writing. She lived throughout her lock up and when she was released, she wrote about that experience.

As of now, and I am very surprised, as many have spread the word on her impressive showing in the bootlegged trailer that was leaked over the internet, that the movie has not picked up a distibutor as of yet. It would be a shame and a sham if this performance by Watson ( her first leading role in over a decade ) to either be sent straight to DVD or go to cable. That would be an insult. I was nothing less than rivited by the performance in that trailer, and as I said earlier that hardly happens.

Crossing my fingers for a distributor to come in and save the film, because this is a career best for her, and if the film does get a release in theatre's in 09, I would be very surprised if she doesn't earn her third Oscar nomination.

Coming soon...

Preview's of Steven Soderbergh's and Matt Damon's The Informant ! and Lars Von Trier's twisted tale Antichrist, which caused much stir at the Cannes Film Festival. Some loved it and some loathed it. One of those movies that will garner much discussion and debate for those that see it.

Taking Woodstock Preview/Synopsis

Taking Woodstock Aug 28

Directed by Oscar winner Ang Lee ( Brokeback Mountian, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ) Staring Demetri Martin, Emile Hirsch, Imelda Staunton, Eugene Levy, Liev Schreiber, Paul Dano, Kelli Garner, Dan Fogler, Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Written by James Schamus ( Crouching Tiger ) Cinematography by Eric Gautier ( Into The Wild ) Editng by by Oscar nominee Tim Squyres ( Crouching Tiger ) Music by multi Oscar nominee Danny Elfman ( Good Will Hunting, Milk )

Film is taken and adapted from the Elliot Tiber book on how he basically was responsible for assembling the largest concert setting of all time in upstate New York in August of 1969 that ended up being the ground breaking Woodstock concert festival.

Rated R For graphic nudity, some sexual content, drug use and language. 110 min.

Oscar chances ? Possible for Adapted Screenplay.

Inglourious Basterds Preview/Synopsis

Inglourious Basterds Aug 14

Directed by Quentin Tarantino ( Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown ) Starring Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Mike Meyers, Til Schweiger, Eli Roth, BJ Novack, Julie Dreyfuss. Written by Tarantino ( Resevoir Dogs, Kill Bill ) Cinematography by multi Oscar nominee and winner Robert Richardson ( The Aviator, Casino ) Editing by Oscar nominee Sally Menke ( Pulp Fiction, Mulholland Falls )

Story is set in Nazi occupied France during the second world war, and is about a group of Jewish-American GI's known as " The Basterds ", that are a special group of soldiers for a specific mission and manner, and that is to spread fear throughout the region occupied by murdering the Nazi's Third reich, by not only killing them, but also collecting their scalps as well, this mission led by American Lt. Aldo Raine. ( Pitt )

Rated R For strong graphic violence, language and brief sexuality. 152 min.

Oscar chances ? Possibles for Original Screenplay, Editing and Cinematography. Many that have seen the film say Waltz is a scene stealer, so Supporting Actor could also be in the cards.

The Time Traver's Wife Preview/Synopsis

The Time Traveler's Wife Aug 14

Directed by Robert Schwentke ( Flight Plan ) Starring Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana, Ron Livingston, Brooklyn Proulex, Arliss Howard, Stephen Tobolowski. Written by Oscar winner Bruce Joel Rubin ( Ghost ) Cinematography by Florian Ballhaus, son of Oscar nomiee Michael Ballhaus, Editing by Oscar winner Thom Noble ( Witness, Thelma and Louise ) Original music by Mychael Dana ( The Sweet Hereafter )

TTW, is adapted from the Audrey Niffenegger novel, where the story follows the life of a professional Chicago librarian ( Bana ) who has an extremely rare gene, where he can time travel involuntarily, and the problems this has on his marriage and how those eccentricities of those time travel incidents and how they directly effect his wife Clare ( Adams ) mostly.

Rated PG-13 For thematic elements, brief disturbing images, nudity and sexuality. 107min.

Oscar chances ? Early word is it's McAdams career best role. Possibles for screenplay and editing.