The Power of the Dog (2021)

[Avabelle]

Thought we needed a thread since this appears to be the awards frontrunner. Did anyone watch this? I’ve just finished it and I was a bit meh on it.  

[chediavolo]

Didn’t like it either. Not into movies about a secretly gay grooming pedophile scumbag, which I did not know this was when I started it. 

[AngieBee1]

20 minutes ago, chediavolo said:

Not into movies about a secretly gay grooming pedophile scumbag, which I did not know this was when I started it. 

Are you referring to Bronco Henry or Phil? Because I didn't view Phil's interest in Peter as sexual -though I feel the film purposely telegraphed it to be seen that way so that the ending will be more startling. I took it as that Phil was trying to make Peter closer to him as just another way to cause Peter's mother pain. 

[chediavolo]

1 minute ago, AngieBee1 said:

Are you referring to Bronco Henry or Phil? Because I didn't view Phil's interest in Peter as sexual -though I feel the film purposely telegraphed it to be seen that way so that the ending will be more startling. I took it as that Phil was trying to make Peter closer to him as just another way to cause Peter's mother pain. 

 

1 minute ago, AngieBee1 said:

Are you referring to Bronco Henry or Phil? Because I didn't view Phil's interest in Peter as sexual -though I feel the film purposely telegraphed it to be seen that way so that the ending will be more startling. I took it as that Phil was trying to make Peter closer to him as just another way to cause Peter's mother pain. 

To me it looked like he was grooming him to have sex with him and actually I thought they did when they were out camping and that was one of the reasons why he was killed. 

[AngieBee1]

This is why movies are great because every has their own take on how the scenes have played out.

To me Peter killed Phil because he saw the pain his mother was going through thanks to his psychological torture. He returns from boarding school to a woman who once ran her own business who has now taken to the bed and secretly drinking / drunk all the time. From the very moment Phil laid eyes on Peter he had a perception of him that he was weak and Peter played that to his advantage. As Peter says somewhere in the film, "What kind of man would I be if I didn't protect my mother." He knew the only way she would have peace was if Phil was out of the picture.

[Avabelle]

Why did Phil want to mentally torture her? That bit I didn’t fully understand. Was it because he was jealous his brother got married? He seemed to have such a creepy obsession with bullying her.

[AngieBee1]

17 minutes ago, Avabelle said:

Why did Phil want to mentally torture her? That bit I didn’t fully understand. Was it because he was jealous his brother got married? He seemed to have such a creepy obsession with bullying her.

He viewed her as an interloper who was interfering with his life with his brother. Also, for a lot of people loneliness is bearable when someone is on the same boat. Phil didn't have a partner and it was likely fine for him to live with his memories of Bronco Henry because his brother was also single. But when his brother found someone that left him the odd man out.

[Simon Boccanegra]

I found this riveting from beginning to end, all four of the central performances outstanding. I suppose I should see the other Jane Campion movies I haven't seen. It's quite a return for her.  

From the very moment Phil laid eyes on Peter he had a perception of him that he was weak and Peter played that to his advantage.

It's interesting that the point at which Phil starts regarding Peter differently is that scene in which he walks past all the mocking cowboys and he seems to be able to tune them out, although he obviously hears them. He walks back the way he came, unruffled. There's a self-possession Phil finds admirable. Later, he's surprised at the clinical detachment with which Peter breaks the rabbit's neck.

But whatever fond feeling there might ultimately be on Phil's part, there's always an element of continuing to twist the knife in his despised sister-in-law by "taking away" her son, and Peter is aware of this. Phil fatally underestimates Peter's main loyalty.

It's a good movie year when this and the West Side Story remake (high-level artistry put to very different ends) are front-runners, and there are other awards-season releases in the very-good-to-great range as well.

[tv echo]

W Best Performances: Benedict Cumberbatch Never Thought He’d Be a Leading Man
Interview by Lynn Hirschberg    01.11.22
https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/benedict-cumberbatch-power-of-the-dog-louis-wain-interview-2022

Quote

In Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, you play Phil Burbank, a rancher who has very intense feelings about his brother. But in real life, you are an only child. Did that inform your performance at all?
It's very weird, not having had a brother, to manifest that, but at the same time, the dynamic of their relationship is so specifically about two diametrically opposed human beings who are lumped together, and it's an odd-couple friendship relationship. The filial part of it was something that had to be filled in. Jane was brilliant. She had us do crazy exercises of proximity, like waltzing together so that we could hold each other, smell each other, be very close to each other's bodies as we would've done in a very visceral way as brothers for all of our lives. And these are two men who slept in the same room, until [Phil’s brother] George finds love and goes next door to the parents' bedroom with Rose. It's very Freudian. You'd want Jesse [Plemons] as a brother. Phil's a mean bitch to him; he's just vile.

What’s your favorite part of the film?
One of my favorite moments in the whole film is when George (Jesse Plemons) and Rose (Kirsten Dunst) are waltzing at a picnic spot that Rose chooses after their wedding. He breaks away to hide his emotions, because he's overwhelmed by the idea that he doesn't have to be alone anymore. Just saying it makes me well up; it's just so touching. It's part of the tragedy—Phil's looking for love, he's looking for companionship and understanding, and he doesn't get it anywhere, so he ends up hating everything. He's not allowed the love that he experienced early in his life. Societally, he can't fully express himself, and therefore he takes it out on the world. He's just twisted into a kind of pretzel of hate and fear and bitterness by that, so it's a shame.
*  *  *
What’s the big takeaway from The Power of the Dog?
I think the big takeaway from this film is to understand that strength comes in very unexpected forms. We have to try and break down this very narrow definition of [strength] as the bully of the classroom having the keys to the kingdom, because that bully suffered something in order to be wanting to punch down, or be a misogynist, or belittle people, or point out flaws instead of encouraging people. It's impossible to just flick a switch, and I know it sounds a bit sappy, but we would live in a better place if we could question that behavior by understanding it and looking for it in dialogue with our children and educators and culture at large. Phil's set of circumstances are very particular to him, obviously, and looking under the bonnet of him doesn't solve toxic masculinity. He lacks love. I think that is a general truth of anyone who behaves in a way that needs brutality to control the situation—they've lacked love at some point in their life, for sure. That's when the insecurity comes out, and that's where the fear comes out, and that's where the need to dominate comes from.

Benedict Cumberbatch’s Mother Inspired Him to Pursue Acting [VIDEO]
by Lynn Hirschberg    01.11.22
https://www.wmagazine.com/video/benedict-cumberbatch-w-magazine

Edited January 12, 2022 by tv echo

[benteen]

NStrong acting and great cinematography doesn't make up for a non-existent storyline.  I realized an hour in that nothing was going to happen and I should have stopped watching there.  It's better than Nomadland but that is literally not saying much.  Not worth taking away two hours of your life to watch.

Cumberbatch is terrific I will say and wouldn't mind seeing him win although it's a shame it will be for such a forgettable film.  I like Jesse Plemmons but all his character does is mope around pointlessly for two hours.  Kirsten Dunst fares better but there's not much else to her character or story here.

The Academy is setting up to honor yet another forgettable Best Picture winner.

 

 

 

[Hanahope]

I wouldn't say it has no story.  there is very clearly a story, but you have to pay attention.  yes, it is a bit slow at times, but the information provided in the slower scenes is necessary to flesh out the story and the characters.

Excellent acting by both Benedict and Kodi.  

[Simon Boccanegra]

It was nice to see Keith Carradine as the governor. It occurred to me that as a young actor, he made his film debut in a small part in another haunting, atmospheric Western, McCabe & Mrs. Miller. Fifty years later, he closes the loop.

[Avaleigh]

13 hours ago, Simon Boccanegra said:

I found this riveting from beginning to end, all four of the central performances outstanding. I suppose I should see the other Jane Campion movies I haven't seen. It's quite a return for her.

I love Jane Campion as a director. The Piano and Portrait of a Lady in particular but I also really liked Holy Smoke. I wanted to like this but for me a lot of the story was a drag. 

I did like the twist though that Peter was playing a long game with Phil. Both actors were very good in their roles here so I understand why they'd win if they do. I'm kind of hoping another movie wins for best picture though.

[StatisticalOutlier]

I think there should be a special award for Benedict Cumberbatch's walk.

 

[NotMySekrit2Tell]

On the governor: At the time the scene in PotD was taking place, 1925, the governor of Wyoming was actually a woman. Nellie Tayloe Ross overwhelmingly won a special election in 1924 when her husband died in office. She became the U.S.'s first female governor of any state. Later in life, she was appointed to a federal post by FDR. 

That's trivia you can probably stump people with, because if you ask "What state was the first to elect a female governor?" I don't think many people will guess Wyoming.

I know PotD is based on a book, but I'm surprised Jane Campion didn't take the opportunity to cast the role with a woman.

Edited January 13, 2022 by NotMySekrit2Tell

[tv echo]

The Power of the Dog got 3 SAG Awards nominations (all for individual acting performances)...

SAG Awards 2022: See the full list of nominees
By Lisa Respers France    January 12, 2022
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/12/entertainment/sag-award-nominations-2022/index.html 

Quote

The ceremony will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS from The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California on at 8 p.m. EST / 5 p.m. PST on February 27.
*  *  *
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem, "Being the Ricardos"
Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Power of the Dog"
Andrew Garfield, "Tick, Tick... Boom"
Will Smith, "King Richard"
Denzel Washington, "The Tragedy of Macbeth"
*  *  *
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Ben Affleck, "The Tender Bar"
Bradley Cooper, "Licorice Pizza"
Troy Kotsur, "CODA"
Jared Leto, "House of Gucci"
Kodi Smit-McPhee, "The Power of the Dog"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Caitríona Balfe, "Belfast"
Cate Blanchett, "Nightmare Alley"
Ariana DeBose, "West Side Story"
Kirsten Dunst, "The Power of the Dog"
Ruth Negga, "Passing"

 

Edited January 13, 2022 by tv echo

[Hanahope]

14 hours ago, NotMySekrit2Tell said:

On the governor: At the time the scene in PotD was taking place, 1925, the governor of Wyoming was actually a woman. Nellie Tayloe Ross overwhelmingly won a special election in 1924 when her husband died in office. She became the U.S.'s first female governor of any state. Later in life, she was appointed to a federal post by FDR. 

That's trivia you can probably stump people with, because if you ask "What state was the first to elect a female governor?" I don't think many people will guess Wyoming.

I know PotD is based on a book, but I'm surprised Jane Campion didn't take the opportunity to cast the role with a woman.

I thought the story was based in Montana 

[kittykat]

Yes the movie was set in Montana although the filming location was obviously New Zealand.  Looked like the area where they filmed the Rohan scenes in LOTR.

I know this film is hit or miss with everyone but I personally loved the way the story unfolded.  Jane Campion is a masterful show don't tell filmmaker.  I liked how the movie seamlessly blends multiple genres and created a psychological western thriller.

I think one of my favorite scenes is the way Phil effortlessly tortures Rose with the banjo while she's trying to practice the piano.  So many damn layers and you were just all oooh damn bastard.

On 1/12/2022 at 9:54 AM, Hanahope said:

I wouldn't say it has no story.  there is very clearly a story, but you have to pay attention.  yes, it is a bit slow at times, but the information provided in the slower scenes is necessary to flesh out the story and the characters.

Excellent acting by both Benedict and Kodi.  

Absolutely agree.  Even the opening where it's shown the brothers share a room shows the close bond and dependence Phil has on George.  My only complaint is that Plemons essentially disappears after the second half but then there was great development with Phil and Peter.  

Benedict Cumberbatch is probably a lock for an Oscar nom but I don't know if he will beat Will Smith or Andrew Garfield. I hope Kodi gets one as well he does seem to be getting lots of notice across the board.

[tv echo]

 

[SlovakPrincess]

Holy shit, well that ending certainly surprised me!   Honestly, I have been pretty meh on some of Jane Campion's movies in the past (and also the series Top of the Lake), but this one was a slow burn that really paid off for me.  

I agree with the read on Phil others have had, that he hated Rose because his brother's marriage made Phil even lonelier.  Also, note how Phil stops calling George "fatso"  -- George's marriage gives him more confidence and a higher social status than Phil (even though the dinner with the Governor went poorly, and Rose looked like a deer in headlights the whole time, George is more accepted into "polite" society with a wife).   Phil also believes Rose is a gold digger, beneath the Burbank family, and less intelligent than himself ... though Phil prefers working all day on the ranch and rarely bathes, his family has money and points out that Phil studied the classics at one point.   

That scene where George tears up at the idea he won't be so lonely anymore ... oof, Jesse Plemons really got me verklempt on that one.  A huge part of the story is loneliness.  Phil's loneliness (without Bronco, knowing society won't let him openly love who he loves) is part of why he's so hateful.  George only seems to realize how painfully lonely he's been when he experiences happiness.  Rose loves George but clearly feels isolated and insecure once she moves to the ranch.    But Peter ... he loves his mother, but otherwise he seems mostly happy being a loner, and some people are just like that ... one more thing Phil didn't understand about Peter ...     

[Simon Boccanegra]

1 hour ago, SlovakPrincess said:

But Peter ... he loves his mother, but otherwise he seems mostly happy being a loner, and some people are just like that ... one more thing Phil didn't understand about Peter ...     

He does mention a friend at school whom he doesn't want to bring with him to the ranch, with the Phil of it all ("I don't want him to meet a certain person"). I was thinking a boyfriend, although it doesn't have to be. 

It's a tribute to Cumberbatch as well as the material that Phil seems a tragic villain. He's brilliant and even gifted, but he uses his gifts to hurt people rather than to bring pleasure or to build connections. The banjo/piano scene makes that point without words. 

[SlovakPrincess]

Yes, it’s left ambiguous whether Peter is gay and if his college friend is more than a friend.  He could fear the friend will be taunted by Phil or he could not want the friend to see Peter being taunted — or he could simply think Phil is generally embarrassing.  
I think it’s just a friend that Peter bonds with as a fellow intellect and passionate student.  But Peter mentions the new friend to his mom in an offhand manner — he’s happy to have a friend, but loneliness doesn’t seem to gnaw at him like it does with the other characters.  Peter will hold out for an actual connection based on shared interests, whereas Phil tries to force a possessive closeness with the brother he has little in common with.

One of the saddest little touches in the movie is when Phil makes the tiny desk and chair for George — like, he wants  to connect but the obvious way (being pleasant to his brother’s wife and being happy for his brother) is utterly lost on him.  

Another thing that struck me — Rose is fully accepting of Peter just as he is.  She may worry that others will be cruel to him, but she never asks him to behave differently or hide parts of himself.  This may further explain Peter’s fierce devotion.

Edited January 15, 2022 by SlovakPrincess

[KaveDweller]

I thought the acting in this was great, but hated the movie itself. It dragged and was super depressing. Everyone was just so miserable the whole time.

[tv echo]

The Power of the Dog got 1 USC Scripter Awards nomination...

USC Scripter Awards Film And TV Nominations Set; Barry Jenkins To Receive Literary Achievement Award
By Patrick Hipes    January 19, 2022 
https://deadline.com/2022/01/2022-usc-scripter-awards-nominations-1234914995/ 

Quote

Nominations were revealed Wednesday for the 34th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award, which honors the year’s best film and episodic TV adaptations along with he works on which they are based. Winners will be unveiled at a planned in-person ceremony February 26 at USC’s Edward L. Doheny Jr. Memorial Library.
*  *  *
FILM

Dune
Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve, based on the novel by Frank Herbert
Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures and Ace

The Lost Daughter
Maggie Gyllenhaal, based on the novel by Elena Ferrante
Netflix and Europa Editions

Passing
Rebecca Hall, based on the novel by Nella Larsen
Netflix and Serpent’s Tail

The Power of the Dog
Screenwriter Jane Campion and author Thomas Savage
Netflix and Back Bay Books

The Tragedy of Macbeth
Screenwriter Joel Coen and playwright William Shakespeare
Apple Original Films/A24 and Penguin

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by tv echo

[snickers]

On 1/11/2022 at 4:56 PM, chediavolo said:

To me it looked like he was grooming him to have sex with him and actually I thought they did when they were out camping and that was one of the reasons why he was killed. 

I thought it was pretty clear in the opening lines of the movie what Peter's intention was.....

 

Kid is smart...and maybe a psychopath....he played the long game

 

I thought the second half of the movie was much better than the first.....I didn't love this movie, but I thought it was decent.  I get the awards, but I'm still rooting for Will Smith for best lead, thought if Benedict C. gets it for this I won't complain.....but I wasn't that impressed with Kirsten D/Jesse P. *shrugs*

[tv echo]

The Power of the Dog got a DGA Awards nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film...

DGA Awards Movie Nominations: Spielberg, Campion, Villeneuve, Branagh, Anderson Vie For Top Director Prize
By Patrick Hipes   January 27, 2022
https://deadline.com/2022/01/directors-guild-awards-movie-nominees-2022-list-dga-nominations-1234921295/

Quote

Winners will be announced March 12 during a planned in-person ceremony at the Beverly Hilton.
*  *  *
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THEATRICAL FEATURE FILM

Paul Thomas Anderson
Licorice Pizza
(Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)
...
Kenneth Branagh
Belfast
(Focus Features)

Jane Campion
The Power of the Dog
(Netflix)

Steven Spielberg
West Side Story
(20th Century Studios)
...
Denis Villeneuve
Dune
(Warner Bros. Pictures)

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

BAFTA nominations were announced this morning - The Power of the Dog got 8 nominations, plus Kodi Smit-McPhee was nominated for the EE Rising Star Award...

2022 EE British Academy Film Awards: Nominations
February 3, 2022
https://www.bafta.org/film/awards/2022-nominations-winners 

Quote

BEST FILM

BELFAST Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik, Tamar Thomas

DON'T LOOK UP Adam McKay, Kevin Messick

DUNE Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Denis Villeneuve

LICORICE PIZZA Sara Murphy, Paul Thomas Anderson, Adam Somner

THE POWER OF THE DOG Jane Campion, Iain Canning, Roger Frappier, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman
*  *  *
DIRECTOR

AFTER LOVE Aleem Khan

DRIVE MY CAR Ryûsuke Hamaguchi

HAPPENING Audrey Diwan

LICORICE PIZZA Paul Thomas Anderson

THE POWER OF THE DOG Jane Campion

TITANE Julia Ducournau
*  *  *
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

CODA Siân Heder

DRIVE MY CAR Ryûsuke Hamaguchi

DUNE Denis Villeneuve

THE LOST DAUGHTER Maggie Gyllenhaal

THE POWER OF THE DOG Jane Campion
*  *  *
LEADING ACTOR

ADEEL AKHTAR Ali & Ava

MAHERSHALA ALI Swan Song

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH The Power of the Dog

LEONARDO DICAPRIO Don’t Look Up

STEPHEN GRAHAM Boiling Point

WILL SMITH King Richard
*  *  *
SUPPORTING ACTOR

MIKE FAIST West Side Story

CIARÁN HINDS Belfast

TROY KOTSUR CODA

WOODY NORMAN C’mon C’mon

JESSE PLEMONS The Power of the Dog

KODI SMIT-MCPHEE The Power of the Dog

ORIGINAL SCORE

BEING THE RICARDOS Daniel Pemberton

DON'T LOOK UP Nicholas Britell

DUNE Hans Zimmer

THE FRENCH DISPATCH Alexandre Desplat

THE POWER OF THE DOG Jonny Greenwood
*  *  *
CINEMATOGRAPHY

DUNE Greig Fraser

NIGHTMARE ALLEY Dan Laustsen

NO TIME TO DIE Linus Sandgren

THE POWER OF THE DOG Ari Wegner

THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH Bruno Delbonnel
*  *  *
EE RISING STAR AWARD

ARIANA DEBOSE

HARRIS DICKINSON

LASHANA LYNCH

MILLICENT SIMMONDS

KODI SMIT-MCPHEE

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Oscar nominations were announced yesterday (Feb. 8) - The Power of the Dog got 12 noms...

Oscars: Full List of Nominations
BY KIMBERLY NORDYKE, HILARY LEWIS     FEBRUARY 8, 2022
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oscar-nominations-2022-nominees-list-1235088770/ 

Quote

The Power of the Dog leads the nominees for the 94th annual Academy Awards, which were unveiled Tuesday morning.

The film landed a total of 12 noms, including best picture, best director for Jane Campion, and acting noms for star Benedict Cumberbatch and supporting players Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
*  *  *
A host has not yet been named for the Academy Awards ceremony, which will take place on Sunday, March 27. The broadcast will air live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ABC.
*  *  *
BEST PICTURE
Belfast (Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik and Tamar Thomas, Producers)
CODA (Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi and Patrick Wachsberger, Producers)
Don’t Look Up (Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, Producers)
Drive My Car (Teruhisa Yamamoto, Producer)
Dune (Mary Parent, Denis Villeneuve and Cale Boyter, Producers)
King Richard (Tim White, Trevor White and Will Smith, Producers)
Licorice Pizza (Sara Murphy, Adam Somner and Paul Thomas Anderson, Producers)
Nightmare Alley (Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale and Bradley Cooper, Producers)
The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Roger Frappier, Producers)
West Side Story (Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers)

BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza)
Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)
Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car)
Steven Spielberg (West Side Story)
*  *  *
BEST ACTOR
Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos)
Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog)
Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick … Boom!)
Will Smith (King Richard)
Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter)
Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)
Judi Dench (Belfast)
Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog)
Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Ciarán Hinds (Belfast)
Troy Kotsur (CODA)
Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog)
J.K. Simmons (Being the Ricardos)
Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog)
*  *  *
BEST SOUND
Belfast (Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather and Niv Adiri)
Dune (Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett)
No Time to Die (Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey and Mark Taylor)
The Power of the Dog (Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie and Tara Webb)
West Side Story (Tod A. Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Don’t Look Up (Nicholas Britell)
Dune (Hans Zimmer)
Encanto (Germaine Franco)
Parallel Mothers (Alberto Iglesias)
The Power of the Dog (Jonny Greenwood)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
CODA (screenplay by Siân Heder)
Drive My Car (screenplay by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe)
Dune (screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth)
The Lost Daughter (written by Maggie Gyllenhaal)
The Power of the Dog (written by Jane Campion)
*  *  *
BEST FILM EDITING
Don’t Look Up (Hank Corwin)
Dune (Joe Walker)
King Richard (Pamela Martin)
The Power of the Dog (Peter Sciberras)
Tick, Tick … Boom! (Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum)
*  *  *
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Dune (Greig Fraser)
Nightmare Alley (Dan Laustsen)
The Power of the Dog (Ari Wegner)
The Tragedy of Macbeth (Bruno Delbonnel)
West Side Story (Janusz Kaminski)
*  *  *
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Dune (production design: Patrice Vermette; set decoration: Zsuzsanna Sipos)
Nightmare Alley (production design: Tamara Deverell; set decoration: Shane Vieau)
The Power of the Dog (production design: Grant Major; set decoration: Amber Richards)
The Tragedy of Macbeth (production design: Stefan Dechant; set decoration: Nancy Haigh)
West Side Story (production design: Adam Stockhausen; set decoration: Rena DeAngelo)

 

Edited February 9, 2022 by tv echo

[Pickles Aplenty]

I saw this last night, and I didn't know what to think of it at first.  I thought all the performances were great, especially BC and KD.  I don't think I will ever watch it again, but I'm glad I watched it at least once.  And I absolutely loathe The Piano, so at the very least it showed me that I don't hate ALL Jane Campion movies, like I assumed I would.  That's the only other only film of hers I've seen.

If it wins Best Picture I won't be surprised, but I won't be excited, either.  It's one of those movies.

[Simon Boccanegra]

17 hours ago, Pickles Aplenty said:

And I absolutely loathe The Piano, so at the very least it showed me that I don't hate ALL Jane Campion movies, like I assumed I would.  That's the only other only film of hers I've seen.

Bright Star (about tubercular poet John Keats's romance with Fanny Brawne) is the one I loathed. The movie itself seemed tubercular. It reminded me of a line I read from a critic on a different movie a long time ago: it exists at such a low energy level that it seems to be up to you to project a light onto the screen.  

The word that comes to mind for Campion is "insistent." There isn't a lot of variety or contrast. She settles on a particular tone and pursues it with a bulldog's tenacity for the whole movie. The Power of the Dog is a successful example (for me).

[Simon Boccanegra]

A good conversation between two of our new, very deserving Oscar nominees.

 

[SlovakPrincess]

6 hours ago, Simon Boccanegra said:

Bright Star (about tubercular poet John Keats's romance with Fanny Brawne) is the one I loathed. The movie itself seemed tubercular. It reminded me of a line I read from a critic on a different movie a long time ago: it exists at such a low energy level that it seems to be up to you to project a light onto the screen.  

The word that comes to mind for Campion is "insistent." There isn't a lot of variety or contrast. She settles on a particular tone and pursues it with a bulldog's tenacity for the whole movie. The Power of the Dog is a successful example (for me).

Holy Smoke! was the real low point for me - even Kate Winslet couldn't save that crap fest.  I've never gotten all the way through The Piano.  

Power of the Dog is the first Campion project I've ever loved, and a really pleasant surprise.  So glad it's getting some Oscar love, and I was worried Kirsten Dunst might get overlooked but she got a nomination, too, so yay!

[kittykat]

Seeing Kirsten and Jesse celebrate each other's nominations on social media is all kinds of adorbs.

The Radiohead fan in me would like to see Jonny Greenwood win for score but I think Zimmer has that one wrapped.  

[Brn2bwild]

On 2/10/2022 at 6:36 AM, SlovakPrincess said:

Holy Smoke! was the real low point for me - even Kate Winslet couldn't save that crap fest.  I've never gotten all the way through The Piano.  

Power of the Dog is the first Campion project I've ever loved, and a really pleasant surprise.  So glad it's getting some Oscar love, and I was worried Kirsten Dunst might get overlooked but she got a nomination, too, so yay!

I'm surprised this is Kirsten Dunst's first Oscar nomination.

[Pickles Aplenty]

6 hours ago, Brn2bwild said:

I'm surprised this is Kirsten Dunst's first Oscar nomination.

I think she should have been nominated for Interview With the Vampire back in '94.

I'm not even kidding.

[Brn2bwild]

2 hours ago, Pickles Aplenty said:

I think she should have been nominated for Interview With the Vampire back in '94.

I'm not even kidding.

Or Little Women... the Virgin Suicides... Marie Antoinette... Melancholia...

She's been great in so many things.  So glad to see she's getting recognition for her role here.

[jenh526]

Friend of mine was looking for a movie on Netflix called “The Big Yellow Dog”. I said, um... sure you don’t mean “The Power of the Dog”? He so (inadvertently) funny sometimes. 

I watched it, thought it was quite grim through most of it. But now that I’ve seen the ending I think I need to watch it again. Probably won’t though.

[jenh526]

On 2/11/2022 at 8:28 PM, Brn2bwild said:

Or Little Women... the Virgin Suicides... Marie Antoinette... Melancholia...

She's been great in so many things.  So glad to see she's getting recognition for her role here.

Agree on Melancholia, a movie which probably very few people saw due to being foreign and a Lars von Trier movie to boot. Fantastic movie though and she was great in it. Just not really one to see if you’re in the mood for light fare.

[Hava]

This may be a shallow observation, but the movie really reminded me of There Will Be Blood with its vast landscape setting and the ominous music set against a ponderous story. 

[SallyAlbright]

Absolutely loved it, found it tense and riveting rather than boring. All four of the main actors were fantastic, I wish Cumberbatch would win but think Will Smith will get the "overdue" Oscar this year. Phil was so horrible yet tragic and I kept having twinges of sympathy for him even while he said and did terrible things.

Kirsten Dunst is underrated generally and was lovely in this. Kodi Smit-McPhee was excellent and I will watch literally anything Landry Jesse Plemons does. He didn't even have that many scenes, and yet made me nearly cry when he said how nice it was not to be lonely anymore. 

[SlovakPrincess]

On 2/15/2022 at 2:51 AM, Hava said:

This may be a shallow observation, but the movie really reminded me of There Will Be Blood with its vast landscape setting and the ominous music set against a ponderous story. 

Not shallow at all!  I can see the similarity -- gorgeous sprawling landscapes, slow burning scenes, psychological intensity, an ominous feeling throughout.

This worked for me a lot better than There Will Be Blood, though.  I love Daniel Day Lewis, but he just made me so ... tired watching him in that movie.   

[Simon Boccanegra]

On 2/15/2022 at 2:51 AM, Hava said:

This may be a shallow observation, but the movie really reminded me of There Will Be Blood with its vast landscape setting and the ominous music set against a ponderous story. 

Jonny Greenwood scored both films, so there's that too.

[tv echo]

On 1/20/2022 at 10:24 AM, tv echo said:

The Power of the Dog got 1 USC Scripter Awards nomination...

USC Scripter Awards Film And TV Nominations Set; Barry Jenkins To Receive Literary Achievement Award
By Patrick Hipes    January 19, 2022 
https://deadline.com/2022/01/2022-usc-scripter-awards-nominations-1234914995/ 

UPDATE: The Power of the Dog did not win the USC Scripter Award...
https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/the-lost-daughter-dopesick-usc-scripter-award-winners-1235190475/ 

[tv echo]

On 1/13/2022 at 10:03 AM, tv echo said:

The Power of the Dog got 3 SAG Awards nominations (all for individual acting performances)...

SAG Awards 2022: See the full list of nominees
By Lisa Respers France    January 12, 2022
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/12/entertainment/sag-award-nominations-2022/index.html 

 

UPDATE: The Power of the Dog did not win any SAG Awards.

[AimingforYoko]

Sam Elliott is not a fan. 

[Simon Boccanegra]

It sounds as though he's angry at the film because of things its admirers claim on its behalf, which is a trap I try to avoid. I've seen or read a few Campion interviews, and she hasn't claimed to be eviscerating a myth or anything so pretentious. As for the part of its being shot in New Zealand instead of Montana...I cannot bring myself to care. Stanley Kubrick shot a Vietnam film entirely in England, much of it on soundstages, and a lot of people call it a masterpiece. (I personally think it's his second-worst film of the 11 that really count, but not because he failed to shoot on location.) 

It does seem to me that whenever anything that's even remotely classifiable as a "Western" (wide-open spaces, guys in Stetsons, horses, livestock) gets made, and it doesn't hew to a classic template, there are a lot of people who feel strongly against it. It happened with McCabe & Mrs. Miller and it happened with Brokeback Mountain as well. And nothing against Sam Elliott, whose acting I've always liked, but more people are still seeing and talking about those movies than about some of the genre cowboy stuff he's done. I say that as someone who actually enjoyed The Desperate Trail.  

Edited March 1, 2022 by Simon Boccanegra

[StatisticalOutlier]

6 hours ago, Simon Boccanegra said:

As for the part of its being shot in New Zealand instead of Montana...I cannot bring myself to care.

I was unaware it was a documentary.

A story I read about the podcast quoted him as saying, "There’s all these allusions to homosexuality throughout the fucking movie.”  Uh, yeah Sam.  It's called the plot.  Or story.  Or maybe theme.  I've never been able to get those straight.  But it's an integral part of the movie.

I just hope he doesn't see The Harder They Fall, the recent western with the Black cast.  It had an all-white town in it that the Black characters went to, and it was literally white.  The buildings, the boardwalks, the dirt street.  How dare they?!?

I guess he considers himself an expert because they filmed the masterpiece The Lifeguard on an actual beach.  That is how you make art.

 

[Browncoat]

I loved this movie.  I mean really truly loved it.  I almost always do like a good revenge movie, though, and this was a masterpiece in revenge.  It wasn't fast-paced, and action-packed, but it didn't need to be.  In fact, if it were, it wouldn't be nearly as powerful at the end.  The payoff was so very much worth the tension-filled (to me) build-up. 

Cumberbatch did such a fantastic job with Phil that I never fully trusted his motives with Peter.  What was he doing?  Grooming Peter?  Setting Peter up?  Was the rope really meant to be just a gift, or was it meant to be something more sinister?  And Peter -- good on him for understanding that the way to help his mother was to rid her of her tormentor.  Phil just never let up on her.  I suspect Peter had thought of several options for getting rid of Phil, but anthrax in the open wound worked best.  Lots of anthrax around, Phil never wore gloves, completely untraceable back to Peter. 

I thought it was terribly interesting that Phil and George continued to share their childhood (?) bedroom, despite having that entire giant house to themselves.  And that they shared a room and bed in the hotel.  Phil might have been a big man on the ranch, but he was also a very lonely, needy individual.  Magnificent bastard, indeed. 

And no, there is no universe in which New Zealand looks like Montana, but it was still a gorgeous movie, shot beautifully under trying circumstances.  As I understand it, COVID prevented shooting anywhere else. 

I would watch it again.  I feel like I paid attention and caught a lot of little things, but I probably missed a lot more.

[StatisticalOutlier]

46 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

And no, there is no universe in which New Zealand looks like Montana,

Over the last several years, I've spent a total of 30 days in Montana, which has to be a lot more than the vast majority of moviegoers.  And I never thought, "This doesn't look anything like Montana." 

Or maybe I just didn't bother to notice, having gotten used to every cowboy ever hanging out in that relatively small patch of land in Monument Valley (which, if I may digress, is the ONE place I've ever been to that looked exactly, exactly, like it was supposed to).

[Browncoat]

2 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Over the last several years, I've spent a total of 30 days in Montana, which has to be a lot more than the vast majority of moviegoers.  And I never thought, "This doesn't look anything like Montana." 

Or maybe I just didn't bother to notice, having gotten used to every cowboy ever hanging out in that relatively small patch of land in Monument Valley (which, if I may digress, is the ONE place I've ever been to that looked exactly, exactly, like it was supposed to).

I didn't really mean the not looking like Montana as a criticism, just a little nitpick.  If I hadn't driven all over Montana, I would have no idea what the state looked like, and probably wouldn't have noticed one way or the other.  It didn't bother me, per se, in terms of how much I love the movie.  I just noticed, is all.