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[0:05] Robert Bannon: Are you ready? It's the round table with me, Robert Bannon. Well, it's the round table, and we've been talking about awards and award shows all month, week, year. It feels like decades long. It's been the award show season that has lasted 15 years. And it is time for the big monster, the big kahuna, the big Sunday event, not the Super Bowl, it's the Super Bowl for nerdy people like us. And that is called Oscar Sunday. The Academy Awards is going on on March 10th at 7 o'clock, an hour earlier on ABC, an hour earlier on Daylight Savings Time. So make sure you don't show up late. And Adrienne Garzillo is here. And Mike Melfa, who is a movie expert, who has run more movies than Metro Goldwyn themselves.

And I literally spoke to in an email, his old boss, Nelson Page, which is a story I have not told Mike this week. And this doesn't matter to any of you because you don't know the story and you don't know Nelson. But Mike does, and we're gonna talk about movies. Mike and Adrienne, welcome to the round table.

[1:14] Adrienne Garzillo: Hello, hello. Thank you for having us.

[1:17] Robert Bannon: Well, you all love movies. You see more movies than I do. And I'm sure you Mike, you have strong opinions about this Sunday.

[1:25] Mike Melfa: I do have strong. I have strong opinions on most subjects to be.

[1:48] Robert Bannon: Oh, Pedro Pascal is probably stuck in West Hollywood. So when we are going through the show, before we get started on the awards themselves, you can watch the show on ABC. It's also available on the app and it will be on the ABC website so you can watch it for free, even if you have cable. And Adrienne enjoys the red carpet, which I don't really care about. Mike, do you care about the red carpet?

[2:13] Mike Melfa: Not really my focus of the evening.

[2:17] Robert Bannon: Yes. And it will be hosted by two people on ABC that will never be invited inside because I'm sure they will never be nominated. That's Vanessa Hudgens and Julianne Hough. What are your thoughts about that?

[2:31] Adrienne Garzillo: What are you talking about? Vanessa is a film star.

[2:39] Robert Bannon: Oh Adrienne? Do you boom?

[2:43] Adrienne Garzillo: That yes, and Julianne Hough made an appearance in a film called um the rock and roll movie.

[2:50] Mike Melfa: No no burlesque.

[2:52] Adrienne Garzillo: Oh no, she was in Rock of Ages, the movie.

[2:54] Robert Bannon: Ages Footloose.

[2:55] Adrienne Garzillo: Yeah, she's been in a couple. Footloose, burlesque, and Rock of Ages, all cinematic masterpieces.

[3:01] Mike Melfa: But it was was the lesser Footloose, mind you.

[3:05] Robert Bannon: Right, not the Kevin Bacon Footloose. I like the Rock of Ages. I thought that was a good campy kind of movie. I didn't mind it that much.

[3:17] Mike Melfa: Well, there you have it. And Jimmy Kimmel is back for his fourth. He ties Whoopi Goldberg for his fourth appearance on the show and he ties the late Jack Clugman also for times. What do we think about Jimmy Kimmel, Mike?

[3:32] Mike Melfa: I laughed. I heard there was a like a prop bet going on how many mentions of Matt Damon will be, you know, thrown in over the course of the evening by Jimmy, which I thought was very funny.

[3:48] Robert Bannon: Right. I you know, that's gonna be, I'm sure he has some joke that'll be great in regards to Matt Damon. And I'm excited. I think this is gonna be a pretty star-studded event. I'm excited about that.

[4:03] Mike Melfa: Well, his wife is producing it, and she did an interview with the Hollywood Reporter today about you know they have truncated a lot of the stuff for 10-minute monologue that is really good. They're trying to cut out a lot of the fluff, and they're trying to make the show be focused on the presenters and the winners so that we really get a joyful fun time and it's not as intending. She said that a lot of award shows when they go for a viral moment, they don't work. Like it should be organic and let people speak and let the movies speak for themselves. And I think that's gonna be a good approach.

[4:36] Adrienne Garzillo: I agree. Definitely. I mean I think the whole 10-minute you know joke after joke gets really tiresome after a while, unless it's Ricky Gervais telling them because then they keep everybody on their toes. But you know, Jimmy Kimmel is not Ricky Gervais, it's a complete different type of humor. And he usually has his moments where something with Guillermo, obviously now, something probably with Matt Damon, and those are fine. Like if you do one or two of those, that's good. And also you've got a lot of songs, so those will be big productions. So I think that I agree. Let it speak for itself. And I enjoy Jimmy Kimmel. I think he'll do another good job.

[5:15] Robert Bannon: Well, last year we watched the Oscars at Adrienne's house. This year we'll watch the Oscars at Adrienne's house. And last year, Adrienne's mother, Ellen, was complaining and yelling at the television screen that she was upset that there were no stars. Where are the stars at the show? Where's Shirley MacLaine? Where is Jack Palance? And we had to say, Ellen, she's dead. But anyway, but besides that, she wanted stars. So the Oscars heard Alan's voice. And the Oscars have reunions. They announced reunion pairing presenters like Michelle Pfeiffer and Al Pacino.

[5:53] Adrienne Garzillo: We're doing a Scarface reunion.

[5:55] Robert Bannon: Yep. That's the theme because the Emmys started it, and I think the Emmys did a really great job. And then SAG did it, so I guess they figured we'll with the Oscars, we'll do that.

[6:07] Mike Melfa: All right, that's okay. Cool.

[6:08] Robert Bannon: And Brendan Fraser and K Pauly Shore.

[6:13] Mike Melfa: No, not Pauly Shore. He's on the red carpet with Vanessa Hudgens.

[6:21] Robert Bannon: Pauly Shore. No. Now you have my Pauly Shore in my head, damn it. Brendan Fraser and the guy who won the Oscar for the year there and everywhere. Encino Man, um Kihe Kwan.

[6:35] Mike Melfa: Yes.

[6:36] Robert Bannon: Mike, thoughts about that?

[6:38] Mike Melfa: I think that's a better choice than Pauly Shore because everyone's been calling for Encino part two in my lifetime. No, I don't know why the Oscars would even put that in the press release that they're reuniting Encino Man co-stars, but that's funny.

[6:58] Robert Bannon: And finally, Catherine O'Hara and Michael Keaton will reunite a Beetlejuice moment.

[7:04] Mike Melfa: Can I can I just go back to the Brendan Fraser? Who I I love Brendan Fraser? Couldn't they get Joe Pesci from With Honors? That would have been a better pairing.

[7:13] Robert Bannon: Well, I guess they both won Oscars.

[7:16] Mike Melfa: Gotcha. Didn't Joe Pesci win an Oscar?

[7:19] Robert Bannon: Yeah, but that was a while ago.

[7:21] Mike Melfa: Okay.

[7:26] Robert Bannon: Well, also presenting Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michelle Rodriguez, Nicolas Cage, Jessica Lange, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong'o, Sam Rockwell, Zendaya, Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, The Rock, Regina King, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate McKinnon, Rita Moreno, John Mulaney, Octavia Spencer, and Rami Youssef.

[7:49] Mike Melfa: Yes, I saw that, Robert. That's exciting.

[7:51] Robert Bannon: Yeah, Rami went to acting school a year before me, and he was in the class before me.

[7:57] Mike Melfa: Nice.

[7:57] Robert Bannon: He's at the Oscars, and I'm with you guys in my dad's house.

[8:02] Mike Melfa: That sounds like that's a downgrade.

[8:04] Robert Bannon: No, I would rather this anytime. I don't want to be presenting with Bad Bunny anyway. So do you look for old school? Do you miss Mike Old School present? Like, are we in a di are we just old? Like, are you waiting for Jack Nicholson to come out?

[8:20] Mike Melfa: News for you. What I miss more from like the modern version of the Oscars more than anything else, are like the opening numbers. I think back my favorite Oscar years were always the big Billy Crystal opening number, sing song and dance. I think back to watching when Neil Patrick Harris hosted the Emmys, the Tonys a while back. I think back to that opening number that he had, and that to me reminded me of the old Oscar presentations. It wasn't just about telling a couple of jokes, it was like a big whole production number. And I think that's what's missing from these shows. I think you have almost the better part of a year to think of something to put something together. And they've kind of just stopped and decided we're gonna write a couple of little 45 second jokes and you know, and that'll be enough. And they wonder why the ratings sometimes plummet from you know year to year and decade to decade.

[9:27] Robert Bannon: The last time they did that, where they had like a big opening number, they did the troll song, Justin Timberlake's song. Can't stop the music. And that was great, and that set the tone, I think, for the whole night. And I think you need something like that.

[9:41] Adrienne Garzillo: I agree. I love and I agree with you, Mike. The Billy Crystal ones were fantastic, and that's all you needed. Boom, done. He did a little shtick, and then on to the presenters. I do miss that. I would love for him to come back one more time and just do it one more time. I think it would be fun, but he's he's up there too. He's old.

[9:56] Mike Melfa: And the beauty of doing that is that you can then save some of the better little one-liner jokes for in between, you know, presentation. You know, you're gonna announce the next two presenters, now you have one good little joke right before they come out, and then you move on to the next, you know, the next well, I'm looking forward to it. It'll be fun. I'm sure Adrienne's mom will be yelling about these stars as well. And but there's some there's some there.

[10:21] Robert Bannon: Annette Bening is that is gonna be there. She loves Annette Bening, so she can't so well if Annette's there, Warren will be there, so I should hear nothing from her.

[10:29] Mike Melfa: Okay.

[10:30] Robert Bannon: Mike just watched that movie. Maybe he'll bring Shirley too. Who knows?

[10:34] Mike Melfa: That Shirley Chloe's there.

[10:36] Robert Bannon: Shirley's thrilled. Could be there.

[10:40] Mike Melfa: Yes. Well, you said about songs, what what we're talking about about it. There is a bunch of performances this year. Becky G, whoever that is, is performing The Fire Inside from the movie Flaming Hot, which was directed by Eva Longoria.

[11:00] Mike Melfa: Yes. Do you know this movie, Mike?

[11:02] Mike Melfa: A Cheeto's movie.

[11:04] Robert Bannon: And Becky G is uh she's uh she's like a little mini pop star.

[11:08] Mike Melfa: Yeah, very big, you know, with the uh Latinas.

[11:13] Robert Bannon: Yes, and that's gonna be fun. I don't know, I don't I don't know her all that well, but um she had a small part in the remake of the uh Power Rangers movie, probably a half dozen or so.

[11:28] Mike Melfa: Okay, it was one of the color of the Power Rangers, I don't know which one.

[11:35] Robert Bannon: The pink one, the red one.

[11:37] Mike Melfa: Pink.

[11:38] Robert Bannon: I think she was one of the other ones. Isn't the only girl pink or yellow?

[11:42] Mike Melfa: Yeah, but this is the new this was the new remake. They had, I think, two girls. The girl from uh Naomi can't think of her last name right now, um, from Aladdin was the pink.

[11:57] Robert Bannon: Oh her last her last name is escaping me.

[12:01] Mike Melfa: See why we have Mike here? Because who the hell knows that? And then and then also um Jon Batiste, which Adrienne and me have talked about we we enjoyed this and I like the documentary.

[12:13] Adrienne Garzillo: The documentary is beautiful.

[12:14] Mike Melfa: He's performing It Never Went Away from American Symphony, which was really a beautiful movie, and the song is beautiful as well. And that was snubbed. That was one of those surprise non-nominees, although there were a bunch this year. I thought that the documentary should have been nominated. I loved it. It was really touching about him and his wife and her battle with cancer and him his rise to fame and all of that stuff. And then Joe Scott George and the Osage Singers will perform.

[12:42] Robert Bannon: I don't know how to say it.

[12:44] Mike Melfa: Osage.

[12:46] Robert Bannon: Thank you.

[12:47] Mike Melfa: So Sage.

[12:48] Robert Bannon: And the Wahazahazi I'm canceled already. A song, a song for my people from Killers of the Flower Moon.

[12:56] Mike Melfa: A movie that Adrienne and Mike both saw.

[13:00] Adrienne Garzillo: Yep.

[13:05] Mike Melfa: Because it's a real song. It feels like two movies.

[13:09] Robert Bannon: It's us.

[13:10] Mike Melfa: It's us. And it's well done. It's just typical Corsesian his later years.

[13:18] Mike Melfa: He likes to just drag his films out a little bit too long. This one, the Irishman, you know, even though it goes back a few years, even Casino was probably a good 15-20 minutes too long. This one was probably a good 40 minutes too long.

[13:38] Robert Bannon: Oh, I was gonna say an hour, but yeah. The amount of detail though that he really puts into the story with the families, the family dynamic, especially with the Osage County. I found that very interesting. But I was like, is it over yet? Just because but the performances were phenomenal. That you can't discount that. It really was fantastic.

[13:59] Mike Melfa: Well, it's a topic that you don't really I mean, I I don't think I ever learned one ounce of that information in all of my years of schooling.

[14:09] Robert Bannon: Me either, yeah.

[14:10] Mike Melfa: I was surprised.

[14:12] Adrienne Garzillo: Interesting topic. Um, so that part of the film is very well done in the fact that it tells you a story that you aren't aware of. Um, or most people I should say are not aware of. Um, so in that sense I found it very interesting. But yeah, yeah, that it was a film that you checked your watch a couple of times towards the end, saying like, okay, when is this gonna wrap up? And then so yes, and then the Barbie Mania comes to the Oscar stage where I've talked a lot of crap about this song. So I'm gonna be nicer. I'm trying to be nice. But Billie Eilish and her brother Phineas Eilish, no Phineas O'Connell, they are gonna do what was I made for for the a thousandth and sixth time this award season.

Probably just as boring as all the other versions. And I know Mike likes her and loves her and loves the song, and she's a brilliant artist. She's just bores me. And Mike invite me. And then Ryan Gosling is finally going to sing the damn Ken song that Adrian has been asking for. Woo!

[15:18] Adrienne Garzillo: Here is my caveat. I don't just want Ryan. I want all of the Kens. It should be the whole number. It should be all of the Kens, all of the main Kens who are all main actors, even Alan should be, which is Michael Sit played by Michael Sarah, should all be in this production. Not just Ryan. It wasn't just about Ryan. So I hope they have at least a couple of them in there. But I'm excited for it. I think I was shocked. I didn't think Ryan Gosling was gonna do it. So I'm excited. I think that will be a highlight of the evening.

[15:51] Mike Melfa: Will a highlight be your girlfriend Billie Eilish doing this what was I made for from the Barbie movie? Well, that number is not exactly what you would call like a toe tapper, you know. So will it be a highlight in all likelihood? No, it won't. Because it's a very somber, a very introspective song. And I think when you think about the fact that she wrote that song specifically for the film, and yet also was able to tailor it to kind of fit her own position in her own career. I think it's a really, really well written song. Yeah, I mean, if you put that next to I am, you know, can't, you know, there's no comparison. Like one number is gonna have everybody, you know, clapping and you know, getting out of their seats, and the other is you're gonna sit there and you're gonna quietly listen to her, you know, perform.

So it's apples and all, it's a brilliant, it's a beautiful I teased about the song being boring, but it's a beautifully written song, and it is gonna probably win. But we'll get to that award. We'll fight about it.

[17:02] Robert Bannon: So to start with this, and we'll try to move semi-quickly before the couples of people out here listening, couples of uh fall asleep. But if we go with original screenplay, can you tell I'm gonna tell you what they are, and then you guys can give your opinion because I don't really um original screenplays Anatomy of a Fall, which I did watch, which is a movie, The Holdovers, which is a beautiful movie, Maestro, May December, which is a weird movie, and Past Lives. So, Mike, what is your, this is an interesting category about story writing. What do you, what is your gut tell you?

[17:38] Mike Melfa: You saw them all. Two of my favorite films of the year are among the nominees. I loved Past Lives. And it's not again, it's not like a big knock them out, you know, drag 'em out film. It's a very understated, a very dialogue heavy piece. That's why I think it's, it's the screenplay is so important for that film. Anatomy of a Fall is also um one of my favorites for the year. And it's a film that kind of came out of left field. I hadn't even heard about it until all of a sudden I saw an advertisement and I was like, oh, interesting. Um, I think Anatomy of a Fall is probably gonna win because I don't think it's really up for any other awards that it could viably win for, and I think they're gonna want to reward it with this.

[18:30] Adrienne Garzillo: I agree. Eh? So uh I agree with Mike about Past Lives. I thought it was a beautifully written movie, and I like that it was understated because it reminded me again of the here we talk about our ages, the older independent films from back in the day. Uh and yes, there were some subtitles, but it was beautifully done, and the acting was just great. Um Anatomy of a Fall is a great film. Really it surprised me too. But um, I really like The Holdovers. I really, that's my, I just don't, I for, I love Paul Giamatti, but just the story of it all, the arc of it all. I would like that to win. And I think because this may be their, not their only shot because I think they may win in one another category, but I don't know. It's a tough one, but I I'm picking The Holdovers.

[19:25] Mike Melfa: Okay. I think the potential drawback for The Holdovers, although I really like The Holdovers as well, um, is that it didn't get nominated, Alexander Payne didn't get nominated for best director. And normally the film, you know, that wins for best screenplay is normally at, you know, one of the best director nominations too. So I think that kind it has that kind of going again with it. Good point.

[19:53] Robert Bannon: The C that's what they're the movie experts here. And then we have adapted screenplay, which means it came from something else, American Fiction, which okay. I'll keep, I'm gonna keep my opinion to myself. Barbie, Oppenheimer, Poor Things, and The Zone of Interest. Hey, ladies.

[20:11] Adrienne Garzillo: Oh, why thank you. So I am going out on a limb here, and I completely agree with Mike where usually it is the screenplay and then the director. However, there was a bit of, you know, I didn't realize that Alexander Payne was omitted. I completely forgot about that because I think there was a bigger snub, personally, which was Greta Garwig. So I'm going for Barbie for adapted screenplay. Now there was a little controversy about this because it's not really adapted because it's a toy, so it should have been under original screenplay. I don't know why it's under adapted. It's baffled me, but I'm going for Barbie.

[21:00] Mike Melfa: I think although I don't necessarily think it's the strongest, it seems to have us going for the marathon thing. And I think American Fiction is a solid film, but I think it's based, I think to me is more the acting in the film than it is the screenplay. Um, but for some reason or another, it just seems to be getting a lot of buzz as a potential winner in this category. To be honest, I think this is a weak category in general. Um, because of the films that are nominated, you know, I don't think the screenplay is the standout in any of those five films.

[21:52] Adrienne Garzillo: But that's, I think that's fair. I think American uh Fiction, when Mike saw it as like the mystery movie that's being run at the AMC, like he saw it without knowing it was gonna run, and he told me about it, and he told me, oh, it's Jeffrey Wright, and it's Sterling K. Brown, and it's Tracy Ellis Ross, and it's uh, you know uh Leslie Ugham's array. I was like, oh I can't wait to see this movie. And then when I saw the movie, it was a good movie. It wasn't as great as I wanted it to be. It's a solid film, but it's not overwhelmingly.

[22:33] Mike Melfa: Yeah, well, visual effects is uh the award of the evening. No, no one said that The Creator, Godzilla Minus One, Guardians of the Galaxy Three, Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1, and Napoleon.

[22:56] Mike Melfa: I I've gotta go with my man Godzilla here. Um, I just think I think Oppenheimer is gonna win a lot of awards, and it's probably, it might technically be the favorite to win for visual effects. Um, but I think Godzilla, which was probably made on a fraction of the budget, um, still delivers some of that old school, you know, Godzilla versus Mothra, you know, crazy visual effects. Um, and it was a very cute film, way way better than I expected it to be when I saw it.

[23:35] Adrienne Garzillo: See? Mike sees everything.

[23:36] Mike Melfa: Adrian.

[23:40] Adrienne Garzillo: So the reason why Oppenheimer is not nominated was because he did not use any computerized effects. So that was why uh Oppenheimer was not nominated. John Wick was not nominated, and I thought John Wick, uh granted it was chapter four, I thought that had some very visually stunning uh effects, but it did not get nominated, so that's fine. Uh I'm with Mike though. I think Godzilla Minus One, because I just saw um the new preview for the new Godzilla versus something else or whatever it is, oh Kong or whatever, looks amazing, and I'm not big on these movies, but that's something you want to go to the theater to watch. And I think God, I think Godzilla takes the Oscar. Godzilla Minus Two coming out soon.

[24:25] Robert Bannon: So uh we don't have to go through sound, but do you think there's a movie that has amazing sound? Did you Dolby surround your whole life out there in the movie theater, eh?

[24:36] Adrienne Garzillo: Um, I, I now hear me out. I don't think it's going to go to Oppenheimer, I think it's gonna go to The Zone of Interest. Did you see Zone of Interest, A?

[24:48] Robert Bannon: I did.

[24:49] Adrienne Garzillo: Okay. And it was very for me personally, just cause you know, I, I have a, it was very difficult to kind of get through. Like it was hard. Interest it was an interesting film. But it was, it was uneasy. I felt uneasy. That's why I think for sound, I think this may for some, for that reason I think why not? Because Oppenheimer's gonna win so many others. It's like, you know.

[25:22] Mike Melfa: Yeah, I personally am not a fan of Zone of Interest. I, uh of the films that are nominated for Best Picture, it's by far my least favorite film. Um, so I don't want it to win anything, but that's just my bias. Um, I think Oppenheimer probably wins this just because of the grand spectacle of it all. Um, but um I also saw it in IMAX, you know, so when I saw it, the sound was incredible. Um, there may be an inherent uh, you know, bias in that regard.

[25:58] Adrienne Garzillo: Well, there you go. Do you have any feelings about live action short film?

[26:05] Mike Melfa: I haven't really seen any of the um any of the nominee. I haven't seen really any of the the live action or the animated short film and Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. That's the only one that I've seen. Because that one was on Netflix. Um, so out of default, because I thought that was very cute, I would probably pick that one, but that's more out of uh complete ignorance of the other nominations.

[26:34] Adrienne Garzillo: I literally did Enie Meeny Miny Moe, and it came down to red, white, and blue, which concerns me just a tad for that one. Um, but well no, I was like invincible. I was like, oh, the Mark Wahlberg movie. I was like, oh no, this is a live action short film.

[26:50] Mike Melfa: Yeah, different.

[26:51] Adrienne Garzillo: Different.

[26:51] Robert Bannon: Well, let's go then. Let's keep it to let's get hot and pop it in here. Let's get exciting. Let's get out of these. That's why people don't like the Oscars, because they think that the Oscars is movies and it's gonna be fun. But there's like five fun awards, and then there's 13 really boring ones.

[27:07] Mike Melfa: Well, I said going back to what A was mentioning before, I think they should create a new award for best stunt work in a film.

[27:16] Adrienne Garzillo: I agree 100%, yes.

[27:18] Mike Melfa: Little clip of like you know, five of the best action sequences in a film. Imagine having the Tom Cruise, you know, bike off the off the mountain, you know, shot, followed by, you know, John Wick getting kicked down, you know, 14 flights of stairs. Um, I think that would be a more entertaining watch than you know, best and Jason Momoa blowing up things from Fast and Furious. Like that's, I think I think that I agree 100%, Mike. That's a really great idea. You should write that in.

[27:48] Adrienne Garzillo: Um, but I think they need that. Like even SAG included that. Didn't they include that a new award for that? I think that that because you gotta, that's you gotta pull more people in. Not us old Fogies.

[28:02] Robert Bannon: Right, the old bogeys. So what do you think's gonna win? Is your guess is for original song, Mike? Are you are you saying Billie Eilish?

[28:09] Mike Melfa: Yeah, I think Billy pulls away with it 100%.

[28:12] Robert Bannon: Hey, are you are you wanting are you secretly hoping the Ken song wins?

[28:16] Mike Melfa: I want I do.

[28:17] Robert Bannon: Just because Billy's, I mean, listen, she's great. You've talked about this. I I think she's extremely talented. It's a very moving song, especially as someone who grew up with Barbie and can relate to her speaking in that way. Um I was hoping we were gonna get Jack Black doing Peaches, but that he didn't get nominated. Uh, but you know, that's why I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna be the the the other person and say I'm gonna vote for I'm just kidding. And do you have feelings, Mike, about original score? Is there something about the score to Poor Things that moves your heart and soul?

[28:43] Mike Melfa: The score to Poor Things is really interesting. Odd. Um, but I kind of liked how odd it was. Um but um I I don't necessarily think it'll win. Um I think again, I think I think all of the marginal awards are gonna wind up getting steamrolled into the the the snowball that is Oppenheimer.

[29:13] Robert Bannon: I agree a hundred percent. Oppenheimer, and the score was beautiful. I I think it's good. It's probably the most traditional score of any of the films that are nominated. I'm just shocked that, and I love John Williams, but Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, really? We couldn't have come up with something a little bit better. Come on.

[29:35] Mike Melfa: Well, there you go. I like Dial. It's a good soap brand. It's cheap. And one of my favorite strippers.

[29:49] Robert Bannon: Makeup and hairstyle. You have gold uh gold in my ear, my Maestro. So you could look like Lewander Bernstein, gay and wart and all. Uh Oppenheimer, Poor Things, or Society of the Snow.

[30:03] Adrienne Garzillo: Uh, I'm going with Poor Things. Let me tell you something. I knew I was gonna like this movie. I knew as soon as I saw the commercial for it, and I'm like, this is my type of movie. Because I like quirky and interesting, and I love Mark Ruffalo. And I know this may be a little controversial. It's weird. It's odd is the perfect, like it's odd. It is just odd. And some people will not will be like, this is just a stupid movie. I think it's so well done. And it's so different. And I really enjoy it. And I do have to say, Emma Stone, she gives it a phenomenal performance. She really, really does. I I I was I was highly impressed. But I thought everybody was great. And I love Mark Ruffalo. He's he's weird. He's a weirdo in it. I love it though.

[30:48] Mike Melfa: Yeah, I think makeup, um I I didn't see Golda. I did see uh Helen Mirren in the Golda, you know, makeup set. Um at first glance when I looked at the category, I thought that the only one that really had heavy makeup was Maestro, you know, with Bradley Cooper with the age, you know, the aging makeup. Um, and considering I don't think that's gonna get any other wins, I thought they might throw that a bone and and give it the win here so that it could at least walk away with you know with one win at the end of the night.

[31:25] Adrienne Garzillo: Yeah, that makes sense. He's he's going to the awards with the Hadib lady, and they're announcing their relationship publicly.

[31:35] Robert Bannon: Oh, he's not bringing his mom. He always brings his mom.

[31:39] Mike Melfa: No, he also is well, moving on. Film editing, we're not who cares. We're gonna edit my comments about Bradley Cooper out of this.

[31:50] Adrienne Garzillo: And documentary short film. We haven't seen any of these, have we?

[31:56] Mike Melfa: No, I saw a story about the ABCs of book burning that was interesting on TV, like a little bit of a background of it. Um so uh if if gun to my head, I would probably pick that one.

[32:10] Robert Bannon: That's what I picked too.

[32:12] Mike Melfa: All right, it's very timely. And in documentary feature film, uh you have Bobby Wine, the people's president, the eternal memory, four daughters, to kill a tiger, and 20 days in Maripool.

[32:25] Robert Bannon: I wish it was to kill a tiger king. See now, if it was Tiger King, then I would have seen it, folks. But it's not. And my little movie got didn't get nominated. I like the John Baptiste documentary. I like some of the musical documentaries that came out that we thought were getting nominated, but instead we got them.

[32:46] Mike Melfa: I I picked 20 days, but I think to kill a tiger might win.

[32:50] Robert Bannon: Yeah, I think it's between the two those two.

[32:53] Mike Melfa: Yeah.

[32:55] Robert Bannon: It's a shame that that didn't get a nomination because I would have definitely been been all over that.

[32:55] Adrienne Garzillo: Me too. All right, costume design. Is this is this an Oppenheimer thing? Is it a Barbie thing? What is it?

[33:08] Mike Melfa: I think I think I think cop costume and set design, I think um are are both in in my opinion, hands down, Poor Things.

[33:23] Robert Bannon: Oh, Mike created a an entire landscape you know I think Barbie also did the same thing to an extent yes in terms of set design um with the whole artificial you know create the Barbie dream house look I mean costumes alone at least for costume design a production design I th that could be a toss up between Poor Things and Barbie but costume design I think hands down go for me goes to Barbie.

[33:23] Mike Melfa: Yeah I the o my only argument against that is that a lot of the costumes were technically not created for the film they were recreations of already designed outfits and dresses and pieces that were brought out over the last 50 years you know or however many years it was since the first Barbie was introduced I don't remember I've seen the movie but I don't remember that detail but like a lot of like straight out of the old Barbie boxes you know um the opening scene of the you know the the you know 2001 Space Odyssey that was her in the initial you know uh the initial black and white striped you know batik um so they they didn't create every look that is in the film whereas Poor Things was all original material from from the jump.

[34:49] Robert Bannon: See? I think Mike people were gonna fight for best picture they're not gonna fight over best picture we're fighting over costume design right here on the round table.

[35:02] Mike Melfa: But wait, wait, Mike, you're gonna you're gonna you're gonna laugh. I didn't realize until you just said that opening in Barbie was from 2001 a Space Odyssey.

[35:11] Robert Bannon: Now I haven't seen that movie.

[35:14] Mike Melfa: I think I saw it like once.

[35:16] Robert Bannon: Okay.

[35:17] Mike Melfa: So I knew it was something, but I couldn't remember what it was.

[35:21] Robert Bannon: Now that you said that it makes so much more sense it is even funnier. But I disagree I'm going for Barbie for costume design.

[35:27] Mike Melfa: And what about cinematography?

[35:30] Adrienne Garzillo: Oh my favorite award.

[35:33] Mike Melfa: Why I have I have for whatever reason since I was young a teenager I loved cinematographers because I think they are part of telling the story from what you see. Just like the editors too which I don't is there an edit I I don't know if there's an editing award anymore. I thought I thought there used to be I I just love a good cinematographer but I think that's going to Oppenheimer.

[35:57] Robert Bannon: I couldn't agree more. And I think editing it which is another category is also probably going to go to Oppenheimer. Because I think there it is film editing yes Oppenheimer go hand in hand most years.

[36:11] Mike Melfa: Yeah and I think this year won't be different. So do you what do you think about international for they don't call it forum film anymore. The international feature film what is your thoughts about it Mike I'm I'm actually disappointed that Anatomy of a Fall wasn't um uh apparently it wasn't even um uh they didn't even apply for international feature film they only applied for best picture because I think if Anatomy of a Fall was in that category I think that wins hands down in in my book um I as I indicated earlier I'm not a fan I wasn't a fan of Zone of Interest I thought it was a little too artsy um in my opinion I think it tried a little too hard um so I'd probably go with Society of the Snow um but I think Zone of Interest will probably win um that's my choice I I chose Zone of Interest it is artsy it is that is a good another good term it is it is in in a weird way it is an artsier type of it's a weird movie though it is weird if you think about it monotone sounds and the the red screen for two and a half minutes was you know before it dissolves into the next scene like it there was a lot of interesting choices made in that film and not a lot of them were choices that I particularly cared for.

[36:20] Robert Bannon: That's good that's what we like here we want you guys to fight like um Mike Tyson and that other idiot that's on TikTok Jake Paul Paul Jake Jake Paul whatever Jake Paul and Logan Paul and yeah Mike who do you think wins Mike Tyson I think Mike Tyson wins at at first contact whichever which at whatever point in that first round that he makes contact I think that's when he wins yep I think I'm looking forward to that more than the Oscars I want to see Mike Tyson beat his face it'll definitely be shorter than the Oscars.

[36:20] Adrienne Garzillo: So animated film speaking of cartoon characters like Mike Tyson animated film Adrian the Boy and the Heron and then Elemental is a Disney, which is Adrian's um happy place, and then Nomona, which sounds like uh a some cut version of the flu, and then Robot Dream, and then Spider-Man across the Spider-Verse.

[38:47] Mike Melfa: What is your thoughts, Adrian?

[38:49] Adrienne Garzillo: Uh Elemental, while it's a very cute film, uh, it's not winning. Uh the I think the toss-up, I think it will be a toss-up. I think it's gonna go to The Boy and the Heron, but Spider-Man across the Spider-Verse, which was fantastic, could steal it. But I think it's gonna go to The Boy and the Heron.

[39:05] Mike Melfa: I agree. I think it's a toss-up, but I think Spider-Man might win. Because I think like Golden Globes, Boy and the Heron went one, but Golden Globes is usually a little bit snootier than the Oscars. They're a little bit more, you know, we're wear fancy pants and we speak foreign languages, and uh Oscar's a little bit more down and dirty, and I think uh they may go for the American, you know, Spider-Man over the the entry.

[39:37] Robert Bannon: So then Disney will win, because that's Disney.

[39:41] Adrienne Garzillo: Yes. Well, Wish was not nominated, you know why? Because Ariana DeBose is not a nice person. And we we've we've said that here on this show, and I have that's the there you have it.

[39:55] Mike Melfa: So I want to talk about director because that tries to sing. Remember that?

[40:00] Robert Bannon: Yes, she's an actress that tries to sing, which she was so offended by.

[40:16] Mike Melfa: On three, on three, Mike. One, two, three.

[40:20] Robert Bannon: Nolan.

[40:21] Mike Melfa: Nolan.

[40:22] Robert Bannon: Done. If he doesn't, I will riot.

[40:26] Mike Melfa: There's there's a few categories this year that are basically as as solid of a lock as you can get.

[40:32] Robert Bannon: Oh, yes. I mean, there's there's no doubt about that. Well, Pauly Shore is not in it, so that's take that.

[40:42] Mike Melfa: So let's talk about the actress in a supporting role.

[40:47] Robert Bannon: Well, uh Emily Blunt and Oppenheimer, Daniel Brooks in The Color Purple, America Ferrara and Barbie, Jodie Foster in Nyad, and Divine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers.

[40:56] Mike Melfa: It's such a good category. When I read this category, it makes me smile because I really love all of their work. I think they're all fantastic. Mike just watched Nyad last night. He thought he wasn't gonna like it because he's a prejudice against swimmers, and he's prejudiced against women, and he's prejudiced against shower, and he's prejudiced against sharks, and he's prejudiced against the Net Benning, and all of those things, regardless, he still liked the movie because it's a good movie.

[41:34] Mike Melfa: It's a great movie. I was pleasantly surprised too. I was like, oh, this is gonna be a snoozer. And I'm like, this was really good. I was unit was unexpected, and I thought they both were great.

[41:45] Adrienne Garzillo: And it's true. This is one of the tougher categories because every performance was phenomenal. I I think.

[41:51] Mike Melfa: I think the problem with Nyad is that they didn't market it very well.

[41:55] Adrienne Garzillo: Yeah.

[41:57] Mike Melfa: After seeing the trailer for it, I had very little interest in watching the movie. And then as soon as a couple of people I know saw it and told me, oh, it's really very good, uh, that's when I actually finally got around to watching it and and and really enjoyed it.

[42:11] Adrienne Garzillo: And Jodie Foster is great in it. Um, it's not a huge role for her, but that's why it's supporting.

[42:17] Mike Melfa: Um, in this one, my heart goes to Danielle Brooks in Purple. But I again when I say there's a couple of locks, I think Divine Joy Randolph is a lock to win this year for Holdovers. Total lock.

[42:32] Adrienne Garzillo: I agree a hundred percent. And I have to say, the only speech I only saw a snippet of, because I believe she also won the BAFTA. Um, she's similar to when Jared Leto like swept he won every single award. She's doing the same thing, and I think it's, it's I agree, Danielle Brooks, I know, but I think it's gonna go to Divine. I think the only fence in that category is gonna be how well her top stays on if it's on stage to give her accepted speech. That's why we watched the red carpet to see what she's gonna wear.

[43:04] Robert Bannon: I know hopefully she'll keep those babies in there. They didn't call it the Golden Globes for nothing, you know.

[43:11] Mike Melfa: Well, you know, in this category, I really when me and Mike saw Danielle Brooks in The Color Purple a year before the movie came out. I was like, she's gonna win an Oscar. And then I still had hope that she was gonna win an Oscar, and then I saw The Holdovers, and she is so charming, and your heart breaks for her, and you are in love with her character, and it's all it's a great um, a great category for sure.

[43:36] Mike Melfa: Supporting actor, Sterling K. Brown in American Fiction, playing the fun gay brother who plays a very stereotypical gay uh drugs and sex and w really what it's like in most no, I'm kidding. It's not not like not like that, it's not like that, but he's so funny and and good and and heartbreaking as well. Robert De Niro in the everlasting gobstopper of a movie called The Killers of the Flower Moon, Robert Downey Jr. in Oppenheimer, Brian Gosling in Barbie, Mark Ruffalo in this in in sh poor thing. I was gonna say strange things, poor thing. My brother and me used to watch listen to everyone Scott and Todd W PLJ and they used to do phone taps and it was cassette tape and one of their phone taps was a guy saying poor thing, poor thing in my brother and then he would say what are you saying and he said the camera broke, poor things. So every time I hear poor thing, I think of Scott, so poor thing and in this movie as well.

[44:40] Adrienne Garzillo: So who is this a lock? Are we all like Downey Jr. is gonna win?

[44:44] Mike Melfa: Yes, I think it goes to RDJ. Without a doubt I can't wait for a speech I think he's gonna get emotional. I think he may finally get a little more emotional for this one because it's a big one for him. And I think for someone such as him he has come a very long way and when you talk about a comeback he is the comeback kid. He could have died. He went to jail he served his time he's been clean he's done some amazing things and I don't care what you say he's great as Iron Man. Uh but he's done so many other great films in between all the Marvel stuff that people forget about that. The Judge I think is one of them I think that's a great movie with him and Robert Duvall and I think it's his time. And he was phenomenal in Oppenheimer I was shocked. I was like, oh my gosh. Like his performance was exceptional.

[45:33] Adrienne Garzillo: Yeah, it's it's a very understated performance, which is not what you're used to with Robert Downey Jr., you know, so I think in that sense it was an unusual role for him. Um, and you know, his look in it, obviously, the way he was aged towards the end of the film. Um, he didn't look the way he normally looks. And I think, you know, this is one of those that they they're giving it to him for his career body of work, not necessarily just for this film, although his performance in this film was very good. But this it's a really strong, it's a really strong category this year. There's a lot of worthy nominees. Um, but I I'd be surprised if he doesn't walk away with it.

[46:17] Mike Melfa: Can I just say when I I don't know if it was on Entertainment Tonight or whatnot, but Sterling K. Brown, I think it was Entertainment Tonight, or maybe even Kelly Clarkson, and he's like, listen, I know I'm not going to win. That's fine. He's like, I'm just happy to be there. And I loved him on This Is Us. Uh he's him him and his wife, they're the most two adorable couple. I do really like both of them. But he's just excited to be there and just to be nominated, and I think that's awesome. And says a lot about him as a like his character. Like, it's not like, oh, I'm the new guy and you know, this is a cool new movie. He's like, oh no, I'm going to lose. But he's in a category with Mark Ruffalo, Robert with Robert De Niro, not alone. Like, I just think it I but it's it's a stacked category too.

[47:01] Adrienne Garzillo: Well, you said Robert Downey Jr. is a strange role for him. The only I I like a strange role too, especially if it's like a club role that's multi-grained. That's strange. You can't always find that. And you don't need bread. I don't need a lot of bread. Spoiler. I do eat a whole wheat wrap. That's not considered a role. I do want to let people know that spoiler alert, Iron Man dies in the movies about the Marvel.

[47:26] Mike Melfa: Only one of them. He only dies in I mean, what are you well? How many years do we have to? I didn't even see the damn movie, and I know he dies. And lastly, I just want to say that I haven't said this ever before, and you're gonna get mad at me, everyone. Get mad. It's okay. I don't really enjoy many people in this category as actors. They bore me. Robert De Niro is a legend. Okay. He does Robert De Niro. And Mark Ruffalo is a wonderful actor who's boring to me, but he's great. And Ryan Gosling is, you know, lucky in his career.

[48:09] Adrienne Garzillo: You're not watching the right films from these actors.

[48:13] Mike Melfa: Drive, The Ides of March.

[48:15] Adrienne Garzillo: In films, you're gonna miss some of their best performances.

[48:15] Mike Melfa: The March. Deep water and in a dark water, excuse me, and um in uh Begin Again.

[48:28] Adrienne Garzillo: Oh, Begin Again's a great movie.

[48:31] Mike Melfa: Incredible. Ryan Gosling, Drive, La La Land. Very he was very good in La La Land.

[48:40] Adrienne Garzillo: He's not boring, and now he's gonna be the fall guy with Emily Blunt.

[48:44] Mike Melfa: What about Crazy Stupid Love?

[48:48] Adrienne Garzillo: It was great. Oh my god, that was such a great movie. Best plot twist that wasn't that didn't involve M. Night Shyamalan uh in recent history.

[48:59] Mike Melfa: Yeah.

[49:04] Adrienne Garzillo: The best. And I've said this numerous times this season, and you all can get mad at me, and you can come for me, Mike. I don't give a shit. And Adrian, you can come for me, I don't give a shit either. I don't enjoy the Robert Downey Jr. He's a very good actor. I don't want to be his friend. I don't want to go to lunch with him. I think he's he's he's obnoxious and he's so self-centered, and I know that's part of his attitude, but he is not my cupboard. But I'm very happy he deserves to win.

[49:34] Mike Melfa: Would you interview him? If you ever had the opportunity.

[49:39] Adrienne Garzillo: Like on a red carpet?

[49:40] Mike Melfa: Yeah. What do you mean you do? Pass up Robert Downey Jr.?

[49:43] Adrienne Garzillo: No, no, no. But like if listen, the the the the gods of gods, if they came down and said, hey, Robert Downey wants to come on The Roundtable, would you say yes?

[49:52] Mike Melfa: Can I trade him for someone else?

[49:53] Adrienne Garzillo: Oh, Robert.

[49:55] Mike Melfa: Really?

[49:56] Adrienne Garzillo: Blasphemy.

[49:57] Mike Melfa: Yes. No, thank you.

[50:02] Adrienne Garzillo: Never seen Weird Science.

[50:04] Mike Melfa: Or that.

[50:04] Adrienne Garzillo: Well, you didn't like him in Weird Science?

[50:08] Mike Melfa: No, that's good.

[50:09] Adrienne Garzillo: He's sweet and young.

[50:11] Mike Melfa: Tropic Thunder?

[50:14] Adrienne Garzillo: No.

[50:14] Mike Melfa: Robert uh Rodney Dangerfield back to school.

[50:17] Adrienne Garzillo: See, that Robert Downey Jr. I like.

[50:21] Mike Melfa: Lesson Zero. Maybe I like drug addict Robert Downey Jr. I don't know. Maybe I prefer that one.

[50:27] Adrienne Garzillo: Okay. Alright.

[50:29] Mike Melfa: Oh, and hold on, hold on, because I love Mark Ruffalo.

[50:32] Adrienne Garzillo: I do too.

[50:33] Mike Melfa: And we met Mark Ruffalo and he was lovely. I like him in the movie with Reese Witherspoon. He's cute in a romantic comedy. But he also has done a lot of TV movies too. Like on HBO Max or whatever the heck it's called now.

[50:46] Adrienne Garzillo: I told you you were gonna fight me about Robert Downey Jr.

[50:49] Mike Melfa: I know people like Robert Downey Jr. I know he's woo-hoo, Robert Downey Jr.

[50:55] Adrienne Garzillo: It's okay. We listen we still love you, Robert.

[50:59] Mike Melfa: I'll reserve my comments on Barry Manilow for another night.

[51:03] Adrienne Garzillo: See, but see, that's okay because you're allowed to make comments about Barry Manilow, and I really understand that Barry Manilow is not for everyone, and neither is the Robert Downey Jr.

[51:15] Mike Melfa: I kid. I secretly like Barry Manilow, but I secretly like I like Weird Science.

[51:22] Adrienne Garzillo: It's a good movie. I loved Back to School. The Pickup Artist with Molly Ringwald.

[51:28] Mike Melfa: I don't think Tropic Thunder ages well for him, but that doesn't matter. It was very funny when it came out.

[51:34] Adrienne Garzillo: Yes. Play in the other dude.

[51:37] Mike Melfa: Oh no, and oh, Soapdish? Come on, Robert.

[51:39] Adrienne Garzillo: Soapdish.

[51:42] Mike Melfa: Hi, Robert Downey Jr. is great. I like him.

[51:44] Adrienne Garzillo: Soapdish. Oh, Ally McBeal. Him and Jennifer Holiday both were on Ally McBeal together.

[51:54] Mike Melfa: That that's good.

[51:58] Adrienne Garzillo: Actor in a leading well, actress in a leading role. Is Annette Bening for Niad, Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon, Sandra Huller for Anatomy of a Fall, Carrie Mulligan for Maestro, and Emma Stone for Poor Things.

[52:12] Mike Melfa: Uh, I don't know. Hey, tell me.

[52:16] Adrienne Garzillo: So I'm torn. I'm very torn in this category. And I do think this is really gonna be a I think it's a toss up between two. It is a 50 50 shot between Lily and Emma. It could go to either one of them. For me personally, just because I have a tie to it, I would love to see Lily Gladstone win. And not just because of her indigenous life and and how she was raised, but what I really thought was really sweet was she was voted to win an Oscar in high school. And I just think that would be so awesome and so cool. Uh, but Emma Stone was so good. I mean, I know she's won before, uh, which sh but she's just so good. It's it's gonna be tough. I I it's between the two of them. I I really can't choose because I think it's a 50-50 shot.

[53:04] Mike Melfa: Yeah, I I couldn't have said it better. I think it's definitely between the two of them. I think if the subject matter wasn't what it was, you know, in in Killers of the Flower Moon, and telling a story about a people that are often overlooked. Um, I think this would have been Emma's year, but I think it may lean towards Lily Gladstone. But Sandra Huller is incredible in Anatomy of a Fall, but that you know, but I don't think she has a shot in a snowball shot.

[53:39] Adrienne Garzillo: Mike, her performance, I mean when you like when you talk and Robert, as you talk about like the art and acting, I mean, she was fantastic. It just, you know. And I got news for you. Her son in the film, I thought he was uh a not often mentioned snub because I thought he was such a pivotal part in that film that he was worthy of uh an actor in a leading supporting role um nomination over, you know, in all honesty I think the the weakest of the five performances this year is probably De Niro, because I think De Niro was kind of just playing his normal grumpy, I'm gonna on a little bit and be threatening, you know, De Niro. Um, I I would have picked that kid, wh uh whatever his name is over De Niro in that category just to give the kid a little bit of a boost.

He was uh fantastic in the film. It was a bit overlooked this film, I think. A little a little too overlooked because the acting that it was was really spectacular. Of any kind of any time you're mixing, you know, subtitles and you know, half English, half subtitles, you're you're gonna lose a good percentage of the mainstream crowd.

[54:52] Mike Melfa: Well Mike was the one who talked bad about Robert De Niro.

[54:55] Adrienne Garzillo: I didn't say that about Robert De Niro.

[54:57] Mike Melfa: Just I said about Robert Downey Jr.

[55:00] Adrienne Garzillo: Mike and Adrian have a problem with everyone named Robert, including me, and that's it. Period.

[55:06] Mike Melfa: Robert De Niro, Robert Downey Jr., Robert Dannen, uh, Robert Kennedy, R Bobby Kennedy, um Robert Pattinson?

[55:06] Adrienne Garzillo: Robert Pattinson.

[55:20] Mike Melfa: I don't what who else is named Robert?

[55:23] Adrienne Garzillo: Robert Logia?

[55:25] Mike Melfa: Everyone.

[55:27] Adrienne Garzillo: So did you not say that you did you found Robert D uh Robert De Niro boring?

[55:34] Mike Melfa: You did say that. Not in his whole career. I just said that who said his whole career. I didn't say his whole career. Robert De Robert De Niro is a legend. But his his performance in this movie was much more meet the fuckers, Robert De Niro, than it was Taxi Driver Robert De Niro. This was a bowl performance. This was not a a you know, Godfather 2 performance.

[56:00] Adrienne Garzillo: I agree, Mike. A didn't say that you said he was boring. She said I said he was boring. And I did not. I said of late. Okay. Just wanted to clear that up because you see you went down the list and you're like, you you find most of them. I thought their performances, I think, are boring.

[56:18] Robert Bannon: And Robert De Niro, ever since you started doing movies, you know, like him and Al Pacino will do a Dr. Pepper commercial with Justin Garini for $50 and a freaking Big Mac. And that's the reality of where their career is at. Al Pacino has to pay for those kids he had with the Vegas vacation mom and his hair pieces. And Robert De Niro has to pay for I don't know what he's doing. He has a baby too. I'm not giving any more comments about this. I've already gotten myself in enough trouble. We have to be asked back to Tribeca. Oh, we I love Tribeca. We love Tribeca. Robert De Niro is a legend. But you know Madonna is a legend, but sometimes people stay too long at the fair. You know, sometimes you gotta kind of not leave forever, but your days of your best work are maybe over.

Uh just as a side note, um, Al Pacino. I haven't watched it yet, but I really want to now. In the second season of the Sylvester Stallone family, whatever, he's on it. Al Pacino is on a reality show. I told you he will show up anywhere for $50 in a Big Mac. Well, you know why? Because he's just getting warmed up. And he's amazing, he's a legend. They all are legends, and now for damn it, best actor in a leading role. It's full of future legends, and that's our transition, folks. And you have Bradley Cooper in Maestro, you have Coleman Domingo in Rustin, you have Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers, you have Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer, and Jeffrey Wright in American Fiction. Now, for the record haters, I think this group of people, Bradley Cooper aside, is all very good actors.

I don't think Bradley Cooper's a bad actor. I just don't like him as a human being either. But you are in so much trouble. I don't care. What is gonna happen? I don't need to see Bradley Cooper in some bad Broadway musical that he wants to do. Him crying, oh I'm I knew Leonard Burns, but I didn't really know him, but I felt his spirit was around me. Shut the hell up. Nobody cares. You're not gonna win your Oscar. I don't care how much PR interviews you do, I don't care how many supermodels you pretend to date, you're not gonna win. I'm sorry you worked in the movie for a hundred years. It's a little it's a little pretentious. I movie is a little pretentious too. Thank you, Mike. I agree. I did watch it.

It was long, and don't get me wrong, I think his portrayal is wonderful. But when you I I guess, and I also thought it was gonna be a broader story. It really wasn't. It was very compact, if that makes any sense, and the look of it and everything, and yes, he was very, very good, but I've seen him do better. So well, I think he I think this film in general kind of stole a few nominations away from um worthy actors and actors. I agree. I think Carrie Mulligan getting a nominee for best actress should have been you know, should have been probably Margot Robbie and Barbie. Yep. His performance as actor probably should have been Leonardo DiCaprio for Killers of a Flower Moon, regardless of you know my feelings about the film being a little too long his performance was was very um and you know I I don't think he was necessarily worthy of a nomination I agree I think it's a it's a two two horse race here Killian Murphy and uh Paul Giamatti and I think again I think Oppenheimer pulls it out I think Killian Murphy you know was the centerpiece of that film and I think he'll probably walk away with I love Paul and I mean also he is due I mean it it's I I thought maybe SAG would give it to him like we'll give you the SAG because the Oscar's gonna go to Killian just as as some form of recognition uh but I and I've been a fan of Killian from the first time that I saw him with 28 Days and I was like who is this weird person?

Like he just had this very interesting look about him and and I do like actors that have a different look to them like Daniel Day Lewis and and whatnot um and I just think he really just did a phenomenal job with this and and uh but I would you know I I'd be happy if Paul won too but I think it's gonna go to Killian um I voted for Paul in the SAG awards because I didn't watch Oppenheimer I tried to watch it's not my movie which is why my me picking you know picking on Robert Downey Jr. and Robert De Niro and all these amazing actors is because I'm I'm a weirdo about what I have the patience to sit through. So I don't count. But I just like to give my hot take for um clickbait reasons.

[1:01:22] Mike Melfa: But Robert, you're you're the type of person who has to take a pea break, you know, watching a TikTok video.

[1:01:28] Robert Bannon: Yeah. And and a lot of these movies I watched them all except Oppenheimer. I watched all of them that are nominated. But I watched them like it takes me like eight days to watch one movie. They're in like 15 minutes birds. I did not watch Killers of the Flower Moon because that would have taken the whole month of March. But I um I think that Coleman Domingo, it I never I don't know, I didn't know that whole story about Rustin. I found the movie to be very interesting. He's such an interesting character and an interesting actor and does a lot of broadband. He's coming back to Broadway. And Jeffrey Wright is an amazing actor as well, but they're never going to compete with the the Cillian Murphy uh and the and the Paul Giamatti this year.

[1:02:16] Mike Melfa: Yeah.

[1:02:16] Robert Bannon: And I think Oppenheimer, I think he I think he wins. Silly Murphy wins this this one. Coleman will win the red carpet because he has brought the looks all season. The gentlemen, I have to say, have really killed it with their with their tuxedos and their looks, and I I cannot wait to see what he will be wearing. And he that story was a great story too. I I didn't know about that, but Jeffrey Wright's been a favorite of mine for a long time. I love Jeffrey Wright. Coleman Domingo's on the rise, you know. He's got between his film projects and his television projects, you know. I mean, you know, obviously Rustin, but also Euphoria, and you know, he was in the the Walking Dead, you know, prequel, sequel, whatever, whatever it was.

Um, he's he's got he's got that movie. I just saw a first trailer for um Sing Sing, which is the story about the you know uh falsely incarcerated, you know. He's he's gonna be doing big things these next few years. If you follow him, it's King of Bingo is his Instagram name. He's not always like he is an interesting bird, and he supports theater and Broadway, especially theater of color and and and black Broadway in particular. He's always he he funds parties for the after parties, he does a lot of work behind the scenes.

[1:03:32] Robert Bannon: Best picture, which I mean yeah. Uh American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, Barbie, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, Poor Things and the Zone of Interest. You know, I miss the years of a like a not predictable win. They're they're very predictable, they've been very predictable. I think it's fun when it's a surprise. I think it's fun when you don't know who's gonna win. But with the way that award shows have become so mainstream, you kind of see the trend and you know what's gonna happen. Does that disappoint you, Mike?

[1:04:04] Mike Melfa: Oh a little bit. I mean, it's it's the categories that are still toss-ups are probably gonna be the most eventful part of the award series, and then waiting to see what people's uh speeches are, you know, because there's a couple of interesting people that you want to hear what they're going to what they're gonna say once they you know have the uh the pulpit, you know, if you will. Um but um but yeah, I mean, there's not really gonna be a lot. There's not gonna be a ton of drama when it comes to a lot of these awards. I think most of them are gonna go as predictable as as it comes, and there's gonna be a handful that are potentially toss-ups. Um this is not gonna be one of them.

[1:04:49] Robert Bannon: This is a hundred percent gonna be Oppenheimer. I would I would bet my 401k against it.

[1:04:55] Mike Melfa: Oh Mike, wow.

[1:04:56] Robert Bannon: No, I agree with Mike. It's and I missed it too. I liked when you kind of had that oh you know who is gonna win you know it's it's such a stacked category and even though some of these are stacked you know but that's why I kind of like when you would watch the different award shows and this person would win that and that you know and it wasn't so maybe one or two awards you were like oh they're definitely gonna get it but several of the others you're like oh it could go to anybody it's not like that anymore and I do miss that I think that's that's kind of the fun I mean listen when um there were two awards that I thought were great when um oh my goodness oh my gosh uh Adrian um Brody when he won for The Pianist that was like such a shock can't kiss people like that anymore when you go up on stage but um unless I thought that was such a great moment for him and an amazing uh you know but you don't have those surprises anymore and then and the last time they had a major surprise like that was the whole Moonlight uh La La Land uh fiasco where that was a toss up legitimately uh even who they presented the award to was a toss up.

[1:04:59] Mike Melfa: Yeah see but it was those old people like my mom I'll bring the old people uh and wasn't it Warren Beatty that screwed it up wasn't he the presenter?

[1:04:59] Robert Bannon: Uh was it Warren Beatty? Warren Beatty from um not Bugsy um Warren Beatty and who is the woman oh my gosh from I can't think of the movie uh what's Selma and Louise no no no it was the two of them they were the couple in the movie why can't I think of the movie Louise Bugsy no uh it was they were yes, Faye Dunaway.

[1:06:35] Mike Melfa: Oh, you can't have Faye Dunaway give awards anymore.

[1:06:38] Robert Bannon: But wait, what was the movie? You know what I'm talking about?

[1:06:40] Mike Melfa: Bonnie and Clyde.

[1:06:41] Robert Bannon: Clyde, yeah. Um, I didn't even real I didn't even remember that part of it that it was the two of them. Um when you said who was it? My immediate thought went to Steve Harvey, but that was the the pageant show.

[1:06:54] Mike Melfa: That was the and I kept thinking of Elizabeth Taylor saying Gladiator.

[1:06:59] Robert Bannon: So I was I was we were all lost. You know, one day we'll all be old, and one day we won't know the difference between La La Land and I don't even remember what the hell other movie we were talking about.

[1:07:12] Mike Melfa: Oh, the Moonlight movie.

[1:07:14] Robert Bannon: For me, hey, I'm already off.

[1:07:18] Robert Bannon: Well, Adrian, Mike and myself will be together on Sunday. We will watch the we should just record it live and and edit it down and have live reaction. Um, but we'll be together. We will recap the show um and have it up next week, and we'll talk about Able Talk About Fashion. I will talk about how I don't like Robert Downey Jr. and Mike will talk about how he was right about who won all the awards, and then we don't have an awards show again until the Tony Awards, which is coming up in June, which will have a big old gigantic Broadway podcast partage.

[1:07:54] Mike Melfa: Mike, you want to know how why emailed Nelson Page?

[1:07:57] Robert Bannon: Did it have something to do with the um Barrymore?

[1:08:01] Mike Melfa: The Barrymore is Nelson runs the Barrymore, which is the Fort Lee Film Museum and and movie theater, and they have a 300 seat theater, and we were talking about the Broadway Lecture series, which is infamous amongst Mike Malfa and Adrian because we had Miss Holiday, Jennifer Holiday at the Broadway Lecture Series, and Mike drove her to her hotel and brought her to the CVS.

[1:08:21] Robert Bannon: And that was Mike's livery job in his lifetime.

[1:08:25] Mike Melfa: And he he walked Jennifer Holiday. He brought she went to the CBS, but he didn't go in because we wanted to know what she bought, but he didn't he didn't go in the store.

[1:08:33] Robert Bannon: He gave her privacy.

[1:08:35] Mike Melfa: Adrian was the one who received the phone call when she was upset, which is fascinating.

[1:08:43] Robert Bannon: And if you want to hear stories like that, maybe come to one of my live shows. You can go to RobertBannon.com. If you want to yell at Adrian, you can go to AMC Disney on Instagram. If you want to, Mike, do you want people to yell at you? Do you want your information out there? Are you just Mike, the masked singer?

[1:09:00] Mike Melfa: Knock yourself out. I have people yelling at me on a daily basis.

[1:09:05] Robert Bannon: So what's a few more?

[1:09:06] Mike Melfa: Melfman one on uh go to Instagram.

[1:09:08] Robert Bannon: Mike, you can buy Mike. That's his last name. It's Mike Melfa, his address, his social security number, and everything will be listed below so that you can for a file formal complaint. And you know where to yell at me. Go to Robert Bannon. And we will be back here on the round table every single freaking day with me pretending to like Robert Downey Jr. and the guests of this show, even when I don't.

[1:09:31] Mike Melfa: That's right.

[1:09:35] Robert Bannon: The best is yet to come. Thank you all for being here. Thank you. Enjoy the Oscars Sunday, seven o'clock. Set your clocks ahead and and do whatever you have to do and get a little crude and a little moment and a Nashi thing. And I'm not dressing up, I'll be in sweatpants. But that's besides the point. Mike, will you be in sweatpants?

[1:09:50] Mike Melfa: No.

[1:09:55] Robert Bannon: Mike's not wearing pants.

[1:09:56] Mike Melfa: And Adrian will be in a full beaded Bob Mackey gown from Philene's basement.

[1:10:02] Robert Bannon: I may just have a Barbie sweatshirt.

[1:10:01] Mike Melfa: Nice.

[1:10:06] Robert Bannon: And no pants either.

[1:10:08] Mike Melfa: No pants either.

[1:10:08] Robert Bannon: We'll go for it. Why not? There's a pamphlets party that's Sunday in Jersey. So don't wear pants and watch the Oscars and we'll talk about it all next week thanks everybody we'll see the best is yet to come bye.