Monday, March 10, 2008

5 Buzzed About Films Destined to Bomb

Every Oscar predictor knows that early buzz can be the curse for a film. Here are some upcoming projects that are raising a few eyebrows for me...

FILMS THAT COULD GO EITHER WAY:
Revolutionary Road, Milk, The Reader, Burn After Reading, Defiance

5. Changeling-Yes, it's Clint. Yes, the premise is decent. But in actuality, can we say this really sounds like an Oscar worthy film? There's something about it that seems VERY unappealing. I dunno...maybe I just need a trailer.

4. Synecdoche, New York-This is that feeling I get soon after I post my year-in-advance predix. I love Charlie Kaufman more than anyone, and this is an amazing cast and story, but the reviews for the script have been very mixed. It's all so troublesome. I think I'll be leaving this out of my second round predix.

3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button-Sure to be an audience favorite, and will probably receive Globe attention and favorable reviews. However, I see Dreamgirls/Into the Wild/Cold Mountain/Walk the Line written all over this.

2. The Argentine-It's been in production hell for years now, and if it actually gets released, I can see it crashing and burning. Very unfortunate for Steven Soderbergh, who has spent oh-so-much time on the project. I want to predict it, but truthfully, I just don't think it will succeed.

1. Valkyrie-It's not being majorly predicted, but I'm surprised it's being predicted at all. Hell, I'm surprised it was even made. Just look at this production still:
Now, unless, I'm totally off, I think it's safe to call Valkyrie the Oscar vehicle most likely to bomb this year.

But that's just me. What do you all think?

6 comments:

The Awards Prognosticator said...

I agree with you on Valkyrie's flop potential, but I think Defiance is more likely to fall short of expectations than the other four you mention, simply because Zwick had never gotten his formula just right for serious Oscar consideration. Hopefully I'm wrong.

Check out The Oscar Nazi for year-round predicitions and analysis.

RC said...

good calls. it is hard to tell...i've been feeling that feeling about Australia floppin'.

Kind of feel like that projects been going on for awhile.

Michael Parsons said...

"Valkyrie" will flop. I am also thinking "Defiance" will as well. Something like "The Reader" also sounds troubling to me.

Anonymous said...

I don't even see why people are even predicting "Valkyrie" as an Oscar contender. It looks more like a Razzie contender to me.

Also, I have a feeling "Australia" will bomb. When is the last time Nicole Kidman has actually made a decent movie???

Anonymous said...

I agree with. The Bomb flots will be "valrykie", "Australia" and "The Duchess"-If the film is like the awful ttrailer by an overracted Keira Knightley...

I think Ed Zwick has a chance especially in technical aspects...

Anonymous said...

I don't think Valkyrie considers itself an "Oscar contender" like Atonement or The English Patient considered themselves "Oscar contenders". The film is from the same writer (Christopher McQuarrie) and director (Bryan Singer) of The Usual Suspects, which certainly was not an Oscar contender when it was first released.