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Usenet Posted 19 years ago
Screenwriting

Cinderella Man deserves more Oscar nominations

I hate Russell Crowe, nasty little bully boy. And although Renee Zellweger does a mean British accent for a yank, I never rated her as much as others. Hence, I'd been putting this film off and didn't even read many reviews of it when it came out.
But I have to recommend to you CINDERELLA MAN.
I'd been putting it off for ages. Watched it finally on DVD last night. What a brilliant surprise.
I can't believe that Crowe, the film or the director aren't up for Oscars this year. Paul Giamatti is nominated for best supporting actor and deserves to win, although I guess either Clooney for Syriana or Dillon for Crash will get it.
Equally amazing is that Cliff Hollingsworth and Akiva Goldsman aren't up for original screenplay. They were nominated for a Globe, and they're up for a BAFTA here in the UK.
WATCH CINDERELLA MAN.
Raging Bull is the better boxing film without doubt. Surely the best boxing film ever.
But Cinderella Man is definitely second. Then I would put either Kirk Douglas in the Champion, or The Harder they Fall. And then Rocky. And then the likes of Million Dollar Baby, Ali, etc etc.
I really recommend Cinderella Man to you all. You'll be watching the fighting through your fingers.
I knew nothing about this particular boxer, whether he makes it or not, and I enjoyed the film all the more for it. Therefore I URGE YOU do not look up the film on IMDB, or read too many reviews, or find out about the life of the real boxer, or anything. (Assuming you don't know much about it already).
The last half hour I was so tense, I had no idea whether he was going to live or not, whether he would win or not... that is why the film is so good, as the fighting keeps you guessing. If I'd checked him out on Wikipedia first I would have found the film would have been completely spoilt, so I urge you not to spoil it for yourselves. Rent it out, and watch it. Knocks seven shades of *** off Rocky and Million Dollar Baby. "Raging Bull" is still king, though..

I seriously recommend it to all of you, even if you're not particularly boxing fans.
I guess it got few Oscar nods because it came out so long ago (although this didn't harm Crash), or because of Russell Crowe's violent off- screen antics in hotels (although this didn't harm Crowe getting a Globe nomination).
The only reason I can therefore think is that the Academy got all Boxinged out with Million Dollar Baby last year. Perhaps had Million Dollar Baby never existed, Cinderella Man would be picking up the best picture Oscar this year!
It certainly has been seriously overlooked by the Academy.
  
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