Matt vs. the Academy

As I venture further and further into this project, I am consistently blown away by the enormous quality of film-making that I am experiencing. 1950 is certainly no exception. Another year filled with spectacular cinema, including a number of fine classics. The nominees for Best Picture of 1950 are: All About Eve Born Yesterday Father of the Bride King Solomon's Mines Sunset Boulevard It's an entirely unfair consequence of comparing films of different genres, but if they are each of similar artistic and creative quality, the drama will more often than not emerge as superior to the comedy ... or the action or the science fiction or the western or the adventure ... and the list goes on. I suppose it is the drama's greater potential for emotional stimulation. Other genres thrill and amuse and generally entertain, but at the end of the day, powerful subject matter tends to more effectively stick in the audience's minds. Like I said, entirely unfair. (It even occurs within s...

Last week marked one year since Kat and I left our home in Sydney to try our luck in the Big Apple. The opportunities for an actor in New York are certainly greater than back home and these past twelve months have definitely brought some great opportunities my way. But this week, in an ironic twist of fate, my biggest opportunity yet came knocking ... via my Australian agent. It appears the Australian casting director of The Hobbit wanted to see me for a role. The wonders of the modern age allowed me to record my own audition here in New York and send it back to them online. Now we wait... And considering the accolades received by The Lord of the Rings trilogy, it's a fairly safe bet to assume that The Hobbit will also garner a Best Picture nomination in the year of its release. If so, and if I manage to score a role in it, then this project will have come full self-referential circle. This morning, I rounded out the 1950 Best Picture nominees with a viewing of... Born Yesterday D...

You really haven't lived until you've witnessed first-hand the Christopher Walken mid-sentence pause. He is currently starring on Broadway in Martin McDonagh's new play A Behanding in Spokane , which I saw during the week. I lost count of how many times he surprised me by adding more words to a sentence that I had thought was conclusively over. His relaxed, dry delivery is so intensely entertaining that he hardly needs to speak for the audience to erupt with glee. Add Sam Rockwell to that equation and you've got yourself a very fine show, I assure you. Granted, the story is a little weird but with actors like that, they could be reading the nutritional information on the back of a cereal box and I'd be enthralled. This evening, I watched nominee number four from the Best Picture shortlist of 1950... Father of the Bride Director : Vincente Minelli Screenplay : Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett (based on the novel by Edward Streeter) Starring : Spencer Tracy, Joan B...

Am I wrong to assume that, when I order a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sundae from Dunkin' Donuts, the server will know what ingredients to use without having to ask me? I mean, I didn't come up with it. It's on the menu. Is there not some kind of training that you are given when you are hired? Training that shows you how to make each menu item? ... It might also help if you gave me a spoon. Rant aside, don't forget to be counted in the vote for Matt vs. the Academy's next year of review. The poll can be found over there on the right hand side of the page. Today, I took a look at another nominee from 1950's Best Picture race... King Solomon's Mines Director : Compton Bennett & Andew Marton Screenplay : Helen Deutsch (based on the novel by H. Rider Haggard) Starring : Deborah Kerr, Stewart Granger, Richard Carlson Academy Awards : 3 nominations 2 wins, including Best Color Cinematography H. Rider Haggard's literary creation Allan Quatermain (Granger) ...

There is a discussion among two characters in the film I have reviewed below about "blowing one's own horn" and I trust you will forgive me as I do just that. Yesterday, just under a year after arriving in the country, I am proud to say I officially became a member of the Screen Actors Guild, the distinguished union representing actors working in film and television. Quite a milestone, I assure you. Even though I have been a member of the Australian performers' union for almost 20 years, joining SAG still feels like an accomplishment. Of course, in Australia, there is only one union covering actors in all areas of their careers. Americans like to do things bigger, so there are at least three unions that an actor can join here - SAG for film & TV, Equity for theatre and AFTRA for TV & radio. One down, two to go... Today, I watched another classic Best Picture nominee from 1950... All About Eve Director : Joseph L. Mankiewicz Screenplay : Joseph L. Mankiewicz...

Last week, I accompanied Kat and her parents, who are in town visiting, to take in a Broadway show. We chose A Little Night Music , starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury. One of them was making her Broadway debut. The other decidedly was not. Five-time Tony Award winner Lansbury (whose screen debut , incidentally, has already featured in this project) was an absolute delight to watch. Although all her stage time was in a wheelchair, she was spirited and sprightly, bounding out of the chair for her curtain call. Not bad for an 84-year-old. I can only hope I am as prolific at her age. You can now vote for the next year of review for Matt vs. the Academy by selecting one of the options in the poll on the right. Meanwhile, we begin taking a look at the Academy's contenders for Best Picture in 1950, starting with... Sunset Boulevard Director : Billy Wilder Screenplay : Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder & D.M. Marshman, Jr. Starring : William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich vo...