Dig Them Threads -- and That Sound: 2015 Hollmann Awards, Day Two

It's Day Two of the Hollmann Awards! Yesterday, we saw Mad Max: Fury Road go home with two awards, with Best Picture nominees Tangerine and Spotlight also making their mommas proud. Today: Best Director, Best Actor, and more...starting with Best Ensemble.

(By the way -- if anyone knows the names of the casting director/sound department/makeup department of the Korean films The Beauty Inside/Northern Limit Line/The Throne, do drop me a line so that I may give the credit where it's due)

BEST ENSEMBLE

5. Straight Outta Compton

Victoria Thomas/Cindy Tolan
A great mix of knowns, unknowns, and familiar faces, anchored by the lead trio -- O'Shea Jackson, Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell. In choosing between acting ability or biographical resemblance, the filmmakers score a coup with an ensemble that can be both. And bless Paul Giamatti, who fits right in.

4. Tangerine

Sean Baker/Chris Bergoch
First of all, the chemistry between Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor is perfection, the kind of comic sparring that made iconic films out of It Happened One Night, or anything with Abbott and Costello. But they're joined by a game supporting cast, starting with Mickey O'Hagan as Kiki's "real fish" rival, all the way down to Clu Gulager's cameo as a taxi passenger.

3. The Beauty Inside

Give it props for casting 123 different people and pulling off the conceit that they are, indeed, all one person. Everyone has electric chemistry with Han Hyo-ju, one of the most natural actresses you've ever seen in a fantasy-romance. And a special shout-out to Shin Dong-mi, hilarious as Han's boss.

2. Brooklyn

Fiona Weir
The mark of a great ensemble: you can easily imagine each of these characters living lives outside the movie. Whether it's the girls of the boarding house, Jessica Paré's department store floor manager, or the Irish gossip back home.

1. Spotlight

Kerry Barden/Paul Schnee
A generous ensemble -- like true journalists, the A-List actor -- Ruffalo, McAdams, Keaton -- cede entire scenes over to the character actors making up the witnesses, victims, priests, cops, officials. But it is all about the newsmen (and women) at the center, working as a team...a true ensemble.

Best Costume Design and more, after the jump....

SAG Award Wackiness!

Everybody's calling this morning nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Awards weird. I'm one of them. But let's be clear -- what we really mean is that few of the pre-ordained "front-runners" were included. The nominating committee, the members of which change every year, voted with their hearts, and it took everyone by surprise. For me, the system worked -- even if there are nominations that drive me absolutely crazy.

I'll get to the movies in a bit, but re: television: no Grace and Frankie and no Empire make me very skeptical of this year's committee. That's all I'm gonna say.

Ok. So.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

I told y'all Mirren was in. Told. Y'all. In fact, I successfully called four of the nominees, missing out on McAdams. Indeed, McAdams placement gave me hope for the rest of her cast, which made the next set of nominees a shocker.

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Jacob Tremblay, Room

Not a Spotlight to be found, and the nods for Bale and Shannon left me shocked SHOCKED.

ACTOR
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Johnny Depp, Black Mass
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Here's the thing. Kristopher Tapley pointed out that, except for The Revenant, all these films screened for SAG before November. And Leo doesn't always get nominated at the SAG Awards. So the fact that they went out of their way to nominate him tells me this really could be his year, though part of me is still holding out for a Fassbender surprise.

ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Helen Mirren, Woman in Gold
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Sarah Silverman, I Smile Back

Sarah Silverman! Good for you, girl! Work that nod into something more! But everyone needs to calm down with the Mirren love. I gave you The Last Station. I put up with Hitchcock. I predicted Trumbo because why not? But I will not stand for Woman in Gold.

ENSEMBLE
Beasts of No Nation
The Big Short
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton
Trumbo

Ooh, they loved Trumbo, didn't they? I was surprised with how much I liked it, though it isn't a movie I think about often. Very very very happy about Spotlight and Straight Outta Compton. But boy does this lineup remind me of 2007 -- remember that? No Country for Old Men won against 3:10 to Yuma, American Gangster, Hairspray and Into the Wild.

***KEEP EVERYTHING BELOW THIS MESSAGE AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH POST - DELETE MESSAGE BEFORE POSTING**
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Casting Coup Week: Becket

When I began my second Retro Awards, instead of gradually navigating through the films of 1964 before reaching nominees and winners, I immediately started with Becket. You all must have heard the tale in some way or another, or at least of Becket himself. His shrine is where the pilgrims are headed in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. T.S. Eliot dramatized the murder in his verse-play Murder in the Cathedral. And then there's the subject of today's Casting Coup.

This is the film adaptation of Jean Anouilh's popular stage play about the rise and death of Thomas a Becket, a Saxon who is bosom buddies with the Norman king of England, Henry II. Tired of the independent governing of the church, Henry makes Becket the Archbishop of Canterbury -- and, thus, Head of the Catholic Church of England -- in an attempt to curtail the church's insolence. Becket is instead humbled by the title, and becomes as devout and faithful as an Archbishop should be. This makes him an enemy of his former friend, and eventually leads to his murder. It's okay, though, because then he's declared a saint.

Anouilh's play -- and the screenplay by Edward Anhalt -- are well-known to be historically inaccurate. But as Anouilh said when he heard this criticism, "Yes, but it's still a good story." Indeed it is! It's one those old-school costume dramas that is still surprisingly sexy, funny and exciting. The men toss off some pretty great one-liners, then suddenly tug at your heart and dig into your brain. It's the old question of church vs. state, and the film presents a pretty complicated view of it. And how can I be expected to choose between Richard Burton, in one of two fantastic '64 performances, and Peter O'Toole?

Academy voters couldn't either, I guess. Both men, who also hold the record for most acting nominations without a win, were nominated in the Lead category, and lost to Rex Harrison for My Fair Lady. Indeed, Becket lost eleven of its twelve Oscar bids; only Edward Anhalt took home the gold, in the Adapted Screenplay category. And really, this was no mean feat: Anhalt was nominated against juggernauts My Fair Lady and Mary Poppins, the two films that bested Becket every turn. In addition to the two for Best Actor, awards for Sound, Art Direction (Color), Cinematography (Color), Costume Design (Color), Director and Picture all went to My Fair Lady; those for Editing and Substantially Original Score went to Mary Poppins. John Gielgud's brief turn as King Louis VII lost Supporting Actor to Topkapi's leading player, Peter Ustinov. The fact that Anhalt managed a win at all -- I would call it a miracle.

Much as I loved the original, I couldn't find a place for it in my own Retros, so blown away was I by revisiting My Fair Lady and Mary Poppins and discovering Dear Heart, The Naked Kiss and The World of Henry Orient. But I did know that I wanted it to be my first entry for Casting Coup Week.

Here is the beginning of my post.

CARDINAL ZAMBELLI

Who is He:  A holy man who advises the Pope regarding Becket.

Originally played by:

Gino Cervi (The Little World of Don Camillo, Indiscretion of an American Wife)

My Choice:

Pippo Delbono (I Am Love, Cavalli)

POPE ALEXANDER II

Who is He: The Holy Pontiff. He instructs Becket to return to England and make a stand for the Church.

Originally played by:

Paolo Stoppa (Rocco and His Brothers, The Leopard)

My Choice:

Paolo Bonacelli (Midnight Express, The American)

THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY

Who is He: The leader of the Catholic Church in England, an aging man who frequently clashes with the king and Becket until he passes.

Originally played by:

Felix Aylmer (Hamlet, Saint Joan)

My Choice: BAFTA Award/Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Venus)

Leslie Phillips (The Jackal, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider)

ELEANOR OF AQUITANE

Who is She: Wife of Henry II, who loves her husband as much as he loves her. That is to say, not that well. She is incensed by his affection for Becket.

Originally played by:

Pamela Brown (Richard III, Cleopatra)

My Choice:

Lucy Punch (Hot Fuzz, Bad Teacher)

EMPRESS MATILDA

Who is She: The King's mother, who finds her son's friendship with Becket ridiculous. She figures Becket to be a deceitful plotter, wanting Henry to finally give the command to execute the man.

Originally played by:

Martita Hunt (The Brides of Dracula, The Unsinkable Molly Brown)

My Choice:

Gemma Jones (Bridget Jones's Diary, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger)

GWENDOLEN

Who is She: A Saxon woman, beloved by Becket, coveted by Henry. Her decision to kill herself rather than be taken by the king makes her another victim of Henry's selfishness and entitlement.

Originally played by:

Sian Phillips (Goodbye Mr. Chips, Clash of the Titans)

My Choice: SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (An Education)

Rosamund Pike (Die Another Day, The Big Year)
Beauty and confidence, both of which I think are requirements for this role.

BROTHER JOHN

Who is He: At first, a rebellious novice who tries to assassinate Becket. Later, he is humbled by how seriously Becket takes his new role. He becomes the man's protege and supporter.

Originally played by:

David Weston (Witchcraft, The Masque of the Red Death)

My Choice:

Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Love Actually, Bright Star)
Could bring an innocence, certainly, but he's grown as an actor, too. Perhaps a touch of post-teenage surliness has added an extra layer to his performances. Anyway, I like him, so the more Sangster the better.

THE BISHOP OF LONDON
Who is He: A staunch opponent of Henry and Becket, a holy man who believes in the independence and sovereignty of the Church. Henry actually approaches him to help against Becket!

Originally played by: BAFTA Award Nominee for Best British Actor (Svengali, Room at the Top)

Donald Wolfit (I Accuse!, Lawrence of Arabia)

My Choice:

Simon McBurney (The Duchess, Jane Eyre)
After impressing me with roles ranging from The Last King of Scotland to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, there is no better player for the opposition, in my mind, than McBurney. One of the great unsung character actors of our generation.

KING LOUIS VII
Who is He: King of France who grants sanctuary to Becket. Later becomes irritated when Becket refuses to compromise in any fashion with Henry. "Do you wish to be more than a saint?" he asks.

Originally played by: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Arthur), BAFTA Award Winner for Best British Actor (Julius Caesar) and Best Supporting Actor (Murder on the Orient Express), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (Shine)

John Gielgud (Gandhi, Appointment with Death)

My Choice:

Fabrice Luchini (Moliere, The Women on the Sixth Floor)
Delightful in Potiche, Luchini was, for me, a cinematic blindspot that has since left me wanting more. What fun he would be in this steal-stealing role!

KING HENRY II
Who is He: King of England, a Norman ruler who has befriended a Saxon servant, Becket. Henry is more attached to Becket than any women he has ever met (if you catch my drift), and in his spoiled, childish way, thinks he can control the church by putting Becket in charge. He's in for a grim surprise when it turns out Becket actually takes his position seriously. Henry's anger and jealousy leads to him ordering, in a roundabout way, the murder of Becket.

Originally played by: Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Ratatouille), Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (Lawrence of Arabia, Becket, The Lion in Winter, Goodbye Mr. Chips, The Ruling Class, The Stunt Man, My Favorite Year, Venus), BAFTA Award Winner for Best British Actor (Lawrence of Arabia), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor - Drama and Musical/Comedy (Becket, The Lion in Winter, Goodbye Mr. Chips), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (Venus)

Peter O'Toole (Man of La Mancha, Club Paradise)

My Choice: BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (Atonement) and Best Supporting Actor (The Last King of Scotland), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor - Drama (Atonement)

James McAvoy (The Last Station, X-Men: First Class)
He has the youthful vigor necessary for this man-child. When a film demands presence, he delivers. Besides, it would be wonderful to see him teaming up once more with my Becket.

THOMAS A BECKET
Who is He: A Saxon servant who befriends his Norman ruler, King Henry II. Made the Archbishop of Canterbury by Henry, in an attempt to manipulate the Church, Becket surprises everyone by taking his vows seriously. He opposes his old friend and seeks to maintain the "honor of God". Becket is tried, he escapes, he returns, he is murdered. And then he is declared a saint.

Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Robe, Becket, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Anne of the Thousand Days, Equus) and Best Supporting Actor (My Cousin Rachel), BAFTA Award Winner for Best British Actor (The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor - Drama (Equus)

Richard Burton (The Night of the Iguana, Doctor Faustus)

My Choice: Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor (Shame), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor - Drama (Shame), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (Inglourious Basterds)

Michael Fassbender (Hunger, Jane Eyre)
A great talent at both comedy and broodery, Fassbender would magnificently chart Becket's growth from a drunken arranger of rendezvous to a devout leader of the Church. We already know he and McAvoy make superb screen partners, so pairing them up again is a no-brainer.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Best Actor - Michael Fassbender

Best Supporting Actor - James McAvoy, Fabrice Luchini, Simon McBurney, Thomas Brodie-Sangster

Best Supporting Actress - Rosamund Pike

Casting Coup Month: The Sound of Music

NOMINATIONS

Best Picture (WON)

Best Director - Robert Wise (WON)

Best Actress - Julie Andrews

Best Supporting Actress - Peggy Wood

Best Cinematography, Color - Ted D. McCord

Best Music, Score of Music, Treatment or Adaptation - Irwin Kostal (WON)

Best Editing - William Reynolds (WON)

Best Costume Design, Color - Dorothy Jeakins

Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color - Boris Leven, Walter M. Scott, Ruby R. Levitt

Best Sound - James Corcoran, Fred Hynes (WON)

I'm always surprised when certain films hold up over time, especially one that has become so much apart of the pop culture, like The Sound of Music. One is often tempted to convince oneself that its sunny, optimistic self has probably become insufferable. If the adults don't kill it, you know one of the kids will. Probably the toddler, or one of the sons; they usually suck all the energy out of a room. One of the songs will suddenly be boring. The feel-good feeling will get oppressive. One just knows something awful is going to happen.

The Sound of Music loves it when one is wrong. And when it comes to The Sound of Music, one is wrong all the time. When you're weakest scene is the beautiful love song in the "FINALLY" moment between Fraulein Maria and Captain Von Trapp, you're doing a damn fine job. Every performance hits it right, from Julie Andrews' impish, intelligent, yet naive Maria to Eleanor Parker's surprisingly sympathetic Baroness to Christopher Plummer's stern, romantic Captain to Richard Haydn's career-topping Uncle Max. It's the kind of movie that my mother loves, my grandmother saw in theaters, and my friends throw a party for. Yeah, that happened: a group of us got together to watch The Sound of Music. And we were not afraid to cry together.

I hope you're all on the same page with me. Who can deny the thrill of the chase scene, the warmth of Captain Von Trapp singing, the adrenaline rush of the concert? Hopefully, very few. But if this is one of those perfect movies, why recast it? Why even float the idea of a remake?

BECAUSE WE CAN!

MOTHER ABBESS

Who is She: The head of the abbey where Maria begins as a nun. She gets Maria the appointment as governess for the Von Trapp family. She is also the one to whom Maria flees when the Baroness questions her about her feelings for Georg.

Songs: Preludium, Maria, Morning Hymn, Climb Every Mountain, Wedding Processional, Finale Ultimo

Originally played by: Academy Award/Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (The Sound of Music)

Peggy Wood (A Star is Born, The Story of Ruth)

My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Gaslight, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Manchurian Candidate), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Death on the Nile), Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actress (The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Manchurian Candidate)

Angela Lansbury (Nanny McPhee, Mr. Popper's Penguins)

Hey, here's the voice of an angel! Ms. Lansbury has the wisdom of age, and she can still make with the songs. Climb every mountain? I could for you, Mrs. Fletcher. I could for you.

BARONESS ELSA SCHRAEDER

Who is She: The Captain's fiancee. She becomes jealous of Maria's talent and repartee with the children. She convinces Maria to leave, but she isn't a bad sort; she loves that man, but knows she can never be the wife and mother the Von Trapps need.

Songs: How Can Love Survive?, No Way to Stop It

Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress (Caged, Detective Story, Interrupted Melody)

Eleanor Parker (Scaramouche, The Man with the Golden Arm)

My Choice:

Rachael Stirling (The Young Victoria, Centurion)
Oh, I don't know if she can sing. I didn't even know the Baroness sang until I checked out the tracklist for the Broadway show. But acting-wise, Rachael Stirling's a fabulous choice, beautiful and classy, and capable of bringing the British "cool".

UNCLE MAX DETWEILER

Who is He: A close friend of the Captain's. As the talent scout for the Salzburg Music Festival, he continually works to persuade the Von Trapps to enter. Max doesn't necessarily agree with the rising Nazi movement, but he's a man who goes with the flow.

Songs: How Can Love Survive?, Opening Act II, No Way to Stop It

Originally played by:

Richard Haydn (And Then There Were None, Young Frankenstein)

My Choice: Academy Award/BAFTA Award/Golden Globe/SAG Award Winner for Best Actor [in a Drama] (Shine), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Elizabeth), SAG Award for Best Ensemble (Elizabeth), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The King's Speech)

Geoffrey Rush (Quills, The Warrior's Way)
Well, who cares if Rush can sing? Surely he can play a loyal friend with a sense of humor. Surely he just got an Oscar nomination for that.

CAPTAIN GEORG VON TRAPP

Who is He: Widowed navy captain, he runs his household like he ran a ship: strict and efficient. He is the complete antithesis to Maria, and of course they don't get on! But when music returns to the household, he softens towards Maria and his children. The Captain is a strongly patriotic Austrian, and as such opposes the Nazi regime.

Songs: The Sound of Music - Reprise, No Way to Stop It, Something Good, The Lonely Goatherd, Edelweiss, So Long Farewell - Reprise

Originally played by: Academy Award/Golden Globe/Indie Spirit/SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Last Station), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (A Beautiful Mind)

Christopher Plummer (Beginners, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)

My Choice: SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (Inglourious Basterds)

Michael Fassbender (Hunger, Fish Tank)
As it turns out, he can sing! Historically, he's age-appropriate. Aesthetically, he's dashing. Frankly, he's a great actor.

MARIA

Who is She: A novice nun who arrives at the Von Trapp manor as the new governess. She shows remarkable resilience in the face of the challenges thrown her way by the children's antics and the Captain's strictness. But she brings back the music in their lives and allows the children to get dirty and wear curtains and OOOOH SHE'S SO AWESOME!

Songs: The Sound of Music, I Have Confidence, Do-Re-Mi, My Favorite Things, The Sound of Music - Reprise, Something Good, Sixteen Going on Seventeen - Reprise, The Lonely Goatherd, Edelweiss, So Long Farewell - Reprise

Originally played by: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress [in a Musical/Comedy] (Mary Poppins), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best British Actress (The Sound of Music, The Americanization of Emily), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy (The Sound of Music, Victor/Victoria)

Julie Andrews (Star!, The Princess Diaries)

My Choice: SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (Milk)

Alison Pill (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Midnight in Paris)
Again, a more age-appropriate casting decision. Pill is an engaging actress, and while I don't see her as a regular leading lady, I believe every actor has one leading role in them. I think Maria Rainer is that role for Allison Pill, who has a beautiful voice and an energy that I find irresistible.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Best Actor: Michael Fassbender

Best Actress: Alison Pill

Best Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush

Best Supporting Actress: Angela Lansbury, Rachael Stirling