At the Movies With Ann Hornaday

Washington Post film critic Ann Hornaday will be online Friday, Feb. 22 at 12:30 p.m. ET to discuss what's worth seeing in theaters. She'll also offer her thoughts about this year's Academy Award nominees and maybe even make a prediction or two regarding this Sunday's Oscars.

Submit questions before or during the discussion.

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Ann Hornaday: Happy Friday, chatters!

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West Hollywood, Calif.: I'm confused...I just read the Post's critics picks for the Academy Awards this Sunday, and cannot believe their answers. Where on earth did they come up with the answers they gave? I assume they have not been following the awards and marketing of the films nominated this year (Golden Globes, DGA, WGA, BAFTA, SAG, etc.).

How could they ignore "No Country For Old Men"? Especially since it's favored to win not only the majority of awards, but the top prize! Or Diablo Cody, who has won every writing award she could possibly win prior to accepting her Academy Award Sunday? Or the Coen brothers who done the same? Is this responsible journalism?

They could at least acknowledge that most of their choices are extreme long shots at best.

Perhaps the Post should change the tag line from 'who our critics predict' to 'who our critics wish' will take home an Academy Award this weekend.

Ann Hornaday: I see why you're confused. Our assignment was to share what we wanted to win, not what we predicted would win, and that distinction wasn't made clear, especially on the front page of the section. So: apologies, and good catch!

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi, Ann:

I strongly feel that "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" should have received a nomination for Best Foreign Fim. I also think it should have received a nomination for Best Picture, but I can understand it not being selected because it was not widely available for viewing.

How come "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" didn't get a Foreign Film nomination? Wasn't "Letters From Iwo Jima" nominated for Best Foreign Film even though the director was American?

I really enjoy your reviews! I think it is very difficult to critique movies because of the diversity and expectations of movie goers. I haven't regretted watching any movie you selected as a critic's pick. Thanks!

Lawrence H. Welch

Ann Hornaday: Thank you for those kind words! You are certainly not alone in feeling the extraordinary Romanian film "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" was scandalously overlooked in the foreign language film category. I wrote about the outcry in the Post on Jan. 19, and the committee chairman -- who was mortified by the exclusion -- will definitely be proposing a tweak to the rules once this Sunday's ceremony is over.

As for "Diving Bell," the foreign language films are selected by their respective countries, and France decided to put up "Perspeolis" instead of both that film and "La Vie en Rose," which is about as French a movie as you can imagine. Still, I applaud their bold choice, because "Persepolis" is wonderful.

All part of the wild and wooly world of Academy noms and snubs! Wouldn't be Oscar season without 'em!

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Freising, Germany: Geez, I've never imagined William Hurt as the president of the United States. Usually I imagine him on the run like in "Against All Odds" or in "Until the End of the World," and even as a long-haired bumb turned assassin in "Love You to Death". How is he in his presidential debut?

Ann Hornaday: I haven't seen "Vantage Point" yet, but by all accounts -- including the Post's own John Anderson's -- the movie is pretty lame. I haven't seen much about his particular performance, but off the bat I'd say he'd make pretty convincing presidential timber!

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washingtonpost.com: Here is the foreign film article Ann referred to: Oscar Omissions Provoke Outcry, in Any Language (Jan. 19, 2008)

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Arlington, Va.: I just gave "Michael Clayton" another watch this week, in preparation for this weekend's Oscars. And I have to say, while it was still a good movie, this doesn't jump out at me as Oscar material. With two notable exceptions: Tom Wilkinson as Best Supporting Actor, for giving what I felt was a fabulous send-up of Peter Finch's Howard Beale from "Network" (though Wilkinson will most likely lose to Javier Bardem); and James Newton Howard's excellent score. To me, it sounded like a mix between "Heat" and "Traffic," and perfectly captured the feel of the film. Other than that, I don't see much Oscar buzz in "Michael Clayton" -- and frankly, I could say the same about "No Country for Old Men," despite its likelihood of sweeping most of the major categories on Sunday.

Ann Hornaday: I know what you mean. I really, really liked "Michael Clayton," but to me it's a solid A, not an A-plus. Just a terrific movie that doesn't overreach but gets the job done with style and class. And I do agree with you about "No Country," which I personally feel is way overrated, but that's what makes a horse race!

I also agree about Tom Wilkinson's operatic, swinging for the bleachers performance, although I'm rooting for Hal Holbrook. If you haven't caught up with "Into the Wild" yet, do so: it's great, and he's a heartbreaker in it.

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University Park, Md.: We just went to see "There Will be Blood" and cannot fathom why the MPAA picked it as one of the year's 5 best. We've seen 4/5 ("No Country for Old Men" still left to see) and think that the overlooked "Charlie Wilson's War" was far superior to "TWBB." While we occasionally think the Academy overlooked something, we don't often think they included something they oughtn't to have, but this selection simply stumps us. Members of our town's book group felt the same. We read Mark Harris's piece on "Red vs. Blue Hollywood" but it didn't explain why "TWBB" was one of the best of the year. Can you provide some insight to help us understand?

Ann Hornaday: Well, these things are subjective, but. ... I'm a big "There Will Be Blood" fan. I just thought it was a story we haven't seen before, told with sweep and scope and stunning visual bravura. I have reservations about that third act (the 1920s stuff at the end), but even that had a kind of ambition and boldness that is all too rare these days. ... But it's almost pointless to try to 'convince' people of something they just don't feel -- either you go there or you don't. (Like me and "No Country.")

"Charlie Wilson's War" was indeed superb and it would have been nice to see more kudos for it on the nominations list.

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Bethesda, Md.: I don't know if I have too much time on my hands or if my imagination is bigger than I give it credit, but I had a fabulous idea of decorating my office with "Big Lebowski" quotes. Like a sign that reads, "Phone's ringin', Dude" over the main reception desk. Or a sign in the kitchen reading, "Enjoyin' my coffee." Or maybe changing my voice mail greeting to say, "The Dude is not in!"

Ann Hornaday: Okaaay....

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Fairfax, Va.: When is "The Counterfeiters" opening in D.C.?

Ann Hornaday: We have that scheduled as opening March 14 in Washington. All dates subject to change, natch!

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MPAA Ratings: I finally saw the documentary "This Movie is Not Yet Rated" -- how much of what they portrayed was real about the inadequacy and secrecy surrounding the MPAA? Or was the moviemaker's take more like Michael Moore (show only what you want others to see)?

Ann Hornaday: From my admittedly distant knowledge of the MPAA ratings board, I think the filmmaker did an excellent job of documenting the limitations of the system.

I was glad when they began listing the content issues along with the letter ratings, because as we all know, every family is different in terms of what material their children -- and even the adults -- are ready for.

Anyway, for years I'd been hearing what an insular group the ratings board is, and I think Kirby Dick demonstrated that with great authority.

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Washington, D.C.: I was extremely underwhealmled by "Be Kind Rewind." It seemed like such a great idea with a strong cast, but the best parts, the remakes of old movies, are relegated to just short clips and play second fiddle to a forced, cheesy story about an old guy trying to save his home and business. What has happened to Michel Gondry with his last two very disappointing movies?

Ann Hornaday: I kinda loved "Be Kind Rewind." I know it's flawed, contrived, childlike to the point of childishness...But I found its brio infectious, and I do love Gondry's visual sensibility. ... But I was not as fond as "The Science of Sleep," so I agree these past two have not been his strongest.

Still, I'm glad to see him risking the occasional failure for the sake of doing something completely different. He gets points for that in my book.

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Arnold, Md.: Hi, Ann. I live in Arnold, Md/, a few miles north of Annapolis. My teenage daughters wanted to see "How She Move," about line dancers in a Canadian HS. Can you believe, we sruck out three times trying to do this?

First, maybe a month ago we went to Muvico 24 at Arundel Mills. We had checked the Post and the local Annapolis paper, each of which reported there was an 11:40 Sat. showing. However, it turned out this was only on Sunday and we could not wait for the next showing, which I think was around 2:30. The ticket-seller said, this happens all the time. Sigh.

A couple weeks later, we tried to see this at Annapolis Mall. Both the Post and the Annapolis Capitol and the Bow Tie email weekly notification said it was being shown in the early afternoon. But once again, when we got there it turned out it was not to be screened until evening.

Then, last Monday, President's Day, we went down to Union Station for an 11:40 screening. The Post and Phoenix Theatres' web site confirmed this time. We even called the theater around 10 a.m., but they were still giving showtimes for Sat. and Sun., rather than Monday. You guessed it -- the movie was not being shown at all that day!

So, obviously, we are not meant to see that movie. But what more can we do? All in all, I figure we drove around 150 miles and wasted several hours trying to track this down. Of course we can eventually get it from Netflix, but this struck us as a movie better seen on a big screen. It seemed to us Union Station at least should have offered us a voucher for a future film, but nothing doing.

Any suggestions you might have would be welcome.

Ann Hornaday: Wow. That is a true horror story, and I'm so sorry you had to go through all that. I've also been misled by showtimes on various theater and news outlet Web sites, so I feel your pain.

I can't think of anything you can do that you didn't do -- you played by the rules and got the shaft.

Chatters? Any similar stories, or tips? We might have a Hornaday rant in the making!

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Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day: This is a British movie starring Americans Amy Adams and Frances McDormand opening in the U.S. on March 7. I already checked with E Street Cinema and Cinema Arts in Fairfax City, and they plan to show it.

Do you know what the reviews are?

The novel was written in the 1930s and is about a governess who loses her job and is accidentally sent by an employment agency to be a personal assistant to an American film star.

The woman who wrote the novel retired to raise a family and never published anything else. She died a few years ago at the age of 94.

Ann Hornaday: I am SO excited to see this movie, which I get to review. I haven't seen it yet, but based on the source material (which I very much want to read, sounds like of Wodehouse-esque), and the two actresses, my hopes are high.

Stay tuned. Fingers crossed!

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Washington, D.C.: Bigger lock on Sunday: Javier Bardem, Daniel Day-Lewis, or "Falling Slowly?"

Ann Hornaday: DDL is the lock of the century. Bardem not so much -- I'm holding out hope for ol' Hal Holbrook (I mean, come on, who doesn't want to see that speech???). I think of all the categories NCFOM is nominated in, that's actually the most upset-able.

And I'm right there with you on "Falling Slowly," and I'll be out of my seat whooping with joy.

On your mark....

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Vantage Point: Isn't this a remake or a reworking of an earlier film? The premise, the little of it that I can gather, sounds very familiar.

Ann Hornaday: Well, the ur-text is the 1950 Japanese film "Roshomon," in which the story of an event was re-told from multiple perspectives. It was directed by Akira Kurosawa who, to quote John Anderson's great review today, "made it chic for filmmakers to create multiple-perspective movies and, since they aren't Kurosawa, drive us crazy."

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Isn't it usually true...: that when a movie opening is delayed, that's a bad sign? I'm thinking of "The Other Boleyn Girl?" It was supposed to have opened last fall, then Christmas, and now the very end of this month.

It's the story of Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry VIII, and her sister. Her older sister was the mistress of Henry and got pregnant; she was thrust aside as a result.

Anne held out for marriage but still ended up being executed.

Any idea of the reviews?

Ann Hornaday: You're right, that is a bad sign -- of which today's "Vantage Point," which was reportedly held back for a year, is another example.

I'm seeing it next week, to review next Friday. Stay tuned.

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For the average moviegoer...: what's the most reliable Web site for finding out the release date of a new movie?

Ann Hornaday: Well, I've always found www.imbd.com very reliable. boxofficemojo.com also contains release schedules and lots of juicy info.

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Arlington, Va.: Ann:

I missed a documentary called "King Corn" and was hoping it would come back. I also heard a story about a documentary I think is called "Uncounted" or "Undercounted" about the voting machines mess, and have not seen that anywhere. I am also waiting for "The Band's Visit." Do you know anything about when/where any of these films will be playing?

BTW -- saw all of the Best Picture nominees. My favorite film of 2007 was "Hairspray."

Ann Hornaday: Well, as a Baltimorean, thanks for the shout-out for "Hairspray," hon!

So: "King Corn" is an outstanding film by two first-timers, and definitely worth catching up with on DVD. Unfortunately, according to my research, that won't be out until the end of April. But absolutely worth waiting for, an important story and creatively told.

As for the voting mess, a few documentaries have come out in the past few years about that. "Unprecedented," about the 2000 presidential election, is out on DVD ( produced by documentary muckraker extraordinaire Robert Greenwald). And HBO did an outstanding film called "Hacking Democracy," about voting machine scandals in Florida and Ohio.

Both terrific and urgently important, both guaranteed to increase your blood pressure.

And: "The Band's Visit" opens next Friday -- and I get to review! (Sorry, haven't seen it yet, so no clues.)

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McLean, Va.: Speaking of Amy Adams, she gets my personal award as Best Actress for "Enchanted." Her performance was so pitch-perfect and (as odd as it seems for such a character) natural. I simply cannot imagine any other actress who could have pulled off such a brilliant and winning turn.

Ann Hornaday: You're right. My brilliant editor, Leslie Yazel, made that point in last Sunday's Oscar package in the Post's Style & Arts section. I agree with you, she is phenomenal, and undeservedly snubbed because "Enchanted" happened to be a comedy. I have a feeling she'll have her day at the Oscars soon.

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Washington, D.C.: Have you seen "The Band's Visit"? It's about an Egyptian band whose members get lost in the desert of Israel and their interactions with the Israelis of a sleepy desert town.

I thought it was great and am disappointed that it could not be considered for an Oscar because there's a lot of dialogue in English. The problem is that how else are they going to communicate? The movie lost its nomination because it was too true-to-life.

Ann Hornaday: No, I haven't seen it yet, but I did address that irony in the Jan. 19 piece about the foreign language Oscars -- with culture becoming more globalized and polyglot, these distinctions feel increasingly false and arbitrary. I understand that the Academy needs hard and fast rules to keep things organized, but it feels way behind the times vis-a-vis this category.

Look for "The Band's Visit" next Friday, when it opens in DC.

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Arlington, Va.: Release dates:

I also like the aptly named comingsoon.net

Ann Hornaday: Thank you for that!

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Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day: The novel is absolutely delightful. I got it through Persephone Press, which is a terrific British small publisher, and has lots of unexpected treats in its catalog that are hard to find elsewhere. I'm so excited to see this movie!

Ann Hornaday: Oh goody! I just finished a novel last night and need another one, so I'll order it today! Thank you!

Okay, if we get a question about cooking this can be a chat about my three favorite obsessions....

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Bethesda, Md.: I'm curious as to how Oscar shorts and animated films are nominated. I saw the Oscar-nominated shorts and short animated features at the E Street Cinema and, while none was awful, none struck me as especially good, either. The lone exception was the beautiful, haunting Danish film, "In the Night," about three 20-something women dying of cancer. And the "Peter and the Wolf" animated film did have amazing animation, if that is the sole criterion. But even those did not make me sit up and say, "Wow -- that's a really great movie!" which is what I expect of at least some Oscar-nominated films. Am I just being naive? Thanks.

Ann Hornaday: I haven't had a chance to catch up with the shorts yet -- and kudos to E Street for bringing them in. DC filmgoers can also catch them this weekend at free screenings at the National Archives, which has a gorgeous theater.

So you get to be the last word on this one, for now...

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Harrisburg, Pa: Speaking of DDL, what do you think is his best scene in the movie? Most say the "I drink your milkshake!" speech, but I'm partial to the comeuppance he gives the guy from Standard Oil in the restaurant, after his son returns from San Francisco.

Ann Hornaday: You know what, that's where I feel the overacting begins to kick in .... I think I'd have to say those first 20 minutes, where he expresses so much about Plainview with no words, just the occasional grunt. Loved it.

And: The conversion scene in the church ("I abandoned my boy") gets me every time. I had the unmitigated pleasure of seeing DDL in a little play in London years and years ago, way before he was famous, and that church scene is the first time I've seen the same vein pop out in his forehead that I remember from that National Theater performance.

Transfixing.

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Re Michael Clayton: I thought Tilda Swinton was a great villainess. Understated. Thought the film, although not a great one for the ages, thoroughly entertaining (and I get bored easily). I doubt the film will garner any awards, however.

Ann Hornaday: I thought she was amazing; introduced so much ambivalence into that character, just in her gestures (like when she's getting dressed for the big meeting)... I'm a huge Tilda fan, and would love to see her recognized for that performance. It could have been so one-dimensional, but she created something new and fully realized out of it.

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Arlington, Va.: Thanks for the info on "Band's Visit" and "King Corn"!

Not a question about cooking, really, but my husband and I love to go to the movies, and we always sneak our own snacks (lately some dark chocolate and a caffeine free Diet Coke). What do you eat at the movies? Or are you too busy taking notes?

Ann Hornaday: If the popcorn is fresh, and I haven't had dinner, I'll opt for that (no butter); if it's late and I have to drive home a long way, I'll get dark chocolate (thank goodness more theaters are carrying it now). ... Always water ... And that's about it. But I really try never to see a movie on an empty stomach: As we know, a hungry critic is a cranky critic!

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University Park, Md.: Ann, how do you all decide which reviewer sees which movies?

Ann Hornaday: That is the purview of our Solomonic film editor, a.k.a. The Decider, who can always be counted on to keep us interested and rut-free -- and who makes sure each of us does his or her fair share of schlepping out to see some godawful piece of, uhm, work. (Mine is Larry the Cable guy this weekend. Thanks, Decider!)

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi, Ann:

I saw "The Violin" last weekend and was really impressed. The elegance of the story, the starkness of the photography and sadness at the end was so efficently put together. I saw that the film was compared to "The Battle of Algiers," which I have not personally seen but heard about. I think that although it is sometimes helpful to use movies as a reference point, it isn't really fair. Films may "borrow" aspects and themes, but they should really be judged on their own merits.

Ann Hornaday: I'm glad you liked "The Violin," which I have yet to catch up with. It sounds wonderful (and I need to bring a hankie).

And thanks for that note about comparing to other movies. Something to keep in mind!

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Wodehouse!?: You referenced Wodehouse? He's in the air these days. As a longtime Wodehouse fan I'm always pleased to hear him invoked. My respect for you, which was already high, is if possible even higher. So, how do feel about Preston Sturges?

Ann Hornaday: Love, love, love Sturges -- who (with apologies to the previous poster) happens to be referenced in "Be Kind Rewind."

My favorite Sturges line is "With a little sex!" from "Sullivan's Travels" -- a line no one remembers, thereby getting me into all sorts of misunderstandings....

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Ann Hornaday: Well, we've done it again, chatters. Start eating your Wheaties for Oscar night -- and may the best man drink the other's milkshake!

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