Moon: The Mishandling of a Awards Season Contender

[Romulus]

Very, VERY interesting article I received via Idioteque... about how Sam Rockwell won't get any nominations this season because Sony didn't send out screeners to anyone:

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/new...nder-neilm.php

Haven’t heard much talk about Moon this awards season? Mad that it’s not showing up on the lists of your favorite critics?

Blame Sony Pictures Classics, the distributor that has had its knee on the testicular area of this film since it picked it up following the Sundance Film Festival in January. As you’ve been told in the past, much of Awards Season is marketing. Sometimes the Oscar goes to the studio that spends the money to get its film in the most hands. Of course, you still have to have a good film — but as has been proven in the past, sometimes a film that is simply good can be elevated to great and even Oscar-worthy by some tricky 11th hour goodie packages in the mailboxes of critics and Academy members. I remember 2006 — a simpler time — when I received not one, but three different shipments from Fox Searchlight regarding Little Miss Sunshine. First a screener, then a nicely assembled script, and finally a little yellow bus of my own. In the hands of a less ethical man, this would have been grounds to place the film atop ones best of the year list. But as you know, I’m clearly not like that.

Swag and scripts aside, the basic entry fee into the awards season market is a screener for critics. Many critics around the country don’t make it to Sundance or Toronto or Cannes, and a great deal of them live in fly-over states and don’t see the limited releases that play only to crowds in NYC or LA. So screeners are their only hope. This year, I was able to consider films such as Crazy Heart and The Burning Plain, two films that hadn’t opened in Austin before the year-end, thanks to screeners. I was also given a second look at Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Hurt Locker, two films that landed near the top of my top ten list, and took home praise from the Austin Film Critics Association, my group and the reason for my screener collection. To send screeners out to critics is to have confidence in a movie, and is standard practice. No matter the size of the film, or even its initial critical reaction, sending screeners gives the film a chance.

In the case of Moon – the Duncan Jones directed sci-fi film at the center of a “Twitter storm” according to THR — I was able to see it at Sundance, where it earned an early spot on my end of the year list — an honorable mention. It’s a solid movie, and one of the more interesting, original works of science fiction we’ve seen in a while. Certainly deserving of the attention and a place in the conversation.

According to Jones (via Twitter), it was denied its place by Sony, who did not see a reason to spend the money for screeners. “We have more than asked,” Jones explained to his followers. “We’ve knocked heads. they have chosen the films they are backing & we are not in their plans.” Upon pressing for a reason, Jones was told it costs too much for our little film as they would need to be water-marked copies as our DVD isn’t out yet in the US.”



Today, the THR report was published as if there were a storm a-brewin’. But sadly, that is not exactly the case. There is a petition — which has been supported by a number of industry names, including Neil Gaiman and Jon Favreau — but that has yielded no results. Moon was nominated for 7 British Independent Film Awards, but has received no attention from American critics — and likely, won’t receive much from the Academy. An online petition to get Sam Rockwell nominated for Best Actor isn’t going to cut it — because it won’t reach the right audience. A few loud voices standing in a field does not a formidable Oscar campaign make.

Would Moon have had a better chance if a few hundred screeners been bought? That is the eternal question. In their minds, Sony Pictures Classics was making the safe bet. The economy isn’t strong, the film only made $5 million at the box office, and the risk of piracy is a real concern. It is safer to keep hold it back until it releases on DVD on January 12th. It was the safe — and perhaps wrong bet.

In the end, I feel for director Duncan Jones and his team. I don’t feel for the fans. We will hold this film in a special place in our collections for years to come, and don’t need any award to tell us that it’s a quality work. But for Jones, awards and acclaim mean money in the bank. More DVDs sold, more avenues to future projects. He’s the one who is being hurt by all of this. He is the one left standing with his film, this labor of love, that could’ve been a contender.

Had it been for a few screeners.

I've seen practically every film that's gotten recognition in the Awards season so far, except Crazy Heart and A Single Man. I feel that Sam Rockwell easily gave one of the best 5 performance of the year. I've personally really liked the films that Sony Pictures Classics has released, but I feel like they really dropped the ball on this one.

With the Academy Awards coming up, you can pencil in the following four for getting a Best Actor nomination: George Clooney for Up in the Air, Colin Firth for A Single Man, Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart, and Morgan Freeman for Invictus. That's only four out of five, and the last spot seems like it's going to go to either Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker or Ben Foster for The Messenger. A personal note: I hope Ben Foster gets it.

So if those four are a lock, and I'm rooting for Ben Foster to take the last spot, why does Sam Rockwell not getting any mention bother me so much? Well to be honest, as much as I loved Morgan Freeman in Invictus, I don't think he should be included. I haven't seen A Single Man (will Saturday) or Crazy Heart yet, so I can't respectfully comment on their performances. Clooney was great in Up in the Air, and I have no problem with him earning a spot. At the very least, I know that Clooney, Foster, and Rockwell should all have spots. However, thanks to Sony, a great performance is going to go unnoticed.

[iam1bearcat]

I find it so puzzling that Sony picks up the film to release it and the come awards season just lets it sit on the side line like an embarrassing drunk family member that no one wants to admit is there own.

Only, Moon is (it seems) far from being a drunk embarrassment and I hope it gets the real recognition is deserves in blu/DVD sales from great word of mouth. hell, that's how I first heard about it and I blind bought it today. Maybe that'll teach Sony to back what they buy.

[Sussudio]

Yep, a real shame. I briefly met Rockwell and Duncan Jones at their NYC Premiere and they are great guys....Rockwell's performance was one of the best of the year and deserves not only the nomination but the win (imo). A real disappointment such a small movie will be overlooked in many, if not all, areas.

[toef]

I was disappointed in the movie. I think Rockwell deserved a nomination, but otherwise I'm not really bothered by it not getting nominations for anything else.

Unless there was a "Wait, they made this movie for how much?" category, in which case I'd nominated Moon and District 9.

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by Sussudio

Yep, a real shame. I briefly met Rockwell and Duncan Jones at their NYC Premiere and they are great guys....Rockwell's performance was one of the best of the year and deserves not only the nomination but the win (imo). A real disappointment such a small movie will be overlooked in many, if not all, areas.

+1 brother! I dont know if he was the best Clooney was awesome in Up in the Air and Freeman great in Invictus but Rockwell damn sure deserves a nom! I wouldnt have a problem with any of them winning it.

[tiger roach]

That is kind of a drag, but no one ever said the Academy Awards were fair.

I may be able to work up more of a mad about it after I finally see the movie, which should be tonight.

[MarkJ801]

Why are they so worried about piracy when the film was leaked onto the internet months ago? To be honest, that's how I saw it. It ended up being one of my favorites of the year, and I have pre-ordered it. Sam Rockwell definitely deserves a best actor nomination, and I think Moon should get a best film nomination...

[Sussudio]

Originally Posted by Elvis

+1 brother! I dont know if he was the best Clooney was awesome in Up in the Air and Freeman great in Invictus but Rockwell damn sure deserves a nom! I wouldnt have a problem with any of them winning it.

I always love Clooney's performances, but I felt his acting in Michael Clayton was superior to Up in the Air (and wished he had won for that, but of course he was going up against Daniel Day Lewis ). Sam Rockwell hasn't had the leading role in many movies (if any?), and for not only having the leading role in Moon but also carrying the movie as basically the only actor in it--and for doing what I thought was a stellar job--I think his deserving of an Oscar far outshines Clooney or Freeman.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Sussudio

I always love Clooney's performances, but I felt his acting in Michael Clayton was superior to Up in the Air (and wished he had won for that, but of course he was going up against Daniel Day Lewis ). Sam Rockwell hasn't had the leading role in many movies (if any?), and for not only having the leading role in Moon but also carrying the movie as basically the only actor in it--and for doing what I thought was a stellar job--I think his deserving of an Oscar far outshines Clooney or Freeman.

Yes. I love Clooney and I loved Up in the Air. But I dont think that role was much of a stretch for Clooney. He's great and so is the movie, but I cant see that role asking a great deal from him.

Moon arrived today from Netflix...I'll know what all the fuss is about in a few hours.

[silversnake]

This movie definitely flew under the radar until I read a thread about it here and my friend reviewed it. My favorite movie in a long time.

Rockwell was outstanding and the movie quality is amazing for the budget they had.

[vegeta88]

It is really too bad that this film has been an underdog since it was so well done. The preview sold me right away and I went to my local independent theater to see it. awesome acting and a well made film. I just bought it for the full price, that is how much I liked it. Pretty awful that Sony isn't willing to push for the awards.

[OrlandoEastwood]

Well, maybe they shouldn't have made an Russian R5 copy if they were worried about piracy.

[broganreynik]

Rockwell really deserves a nomination for this movie. He's been good in everything I've seen him in, but this one was just great. It's a shame Sony is dropping the ball.

[tiger roach]

Well after watching it last night, I have to agree that Rockwell's performance was over-the-top good.

[tbizzle]

It's a shame to hear this kind of stuff. I haven't seen Moon yet, but Rockwell is one of my favorites and this movie looked great. Can't wait for it to clear in my Netflix queue

[Jeremy1983]

I just watched Moon last night. It's a good movie, and Sam Rockwell definitely deserves a nomination.