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Source:
TheCinemaSource.com
Posted on: Wed, Nov 07, 2007 11:12:10
The Kite Runner is rumored to be absolutely great, although with no stars and other Middle East-related films floundering, it could have a tough go. And my personal favorite Into the Wild still has a real shot, thanks to rave reviews and Sean Penn. The box office has been solid, but it's not a breakout film. Yet. It needs the upcoming critic groups' awards to survive.
Probably Not: Gone Baby Gone makes a fine comeback for Ben Affleck, but the semi-sorta-respectable box office just isn't strong enough. Michael Clayton has good performances but it doesn't seem "big" enough. 3:10 to Yuma was a surprise September hit, but Crowe also appears in the far-splashier Gangster, and No Country is the Western that people are talking about. Eastern Promises winning big would be a dream of mine but it's only made about half the box office of A History of Violence, which was left out of the Best Picture race two years ago.
Wild Cards: I'm Not There and The Savages both look like they'll only get acting recognition. Lions for Lambs is a big question mark - it could be a total flop. And then there's The Diving Bell & The Butterfly: if there was ever a title that sounds like the critics will love it but no one else will care, it's that one. But who knows?
And finally...Already Dead: Reservation Road, In the Valley of Elah, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, and Rendition were all killed by their box office receipts (and, except for Elah, bad reviews).
Oscar Spiel is a new column that will run weekly through the Oscar season. |
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