It's been more than a decade since Damon won an Oscar for writing and was nominated for Best Actor. Since then he has become a bonafide action star as well as the "sexiest man alive". 2009 could be the year that finally brings back to the Academy's favor.
He has 3 films that will be released this year. In December he will star in Clint Eastwood's Untitled Mandela project with Morgan Freeman. He's playing South African Rugby player Francois Pienaar in a story about Mandela's campaign for South Africa to host the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Eastwood plus playing a real person means he will probably get nominated.
However I'm more intrigued by his reunion with Steven Soderbergh in The Informant. Playing another real life character, this time a corporate whistle blower, in what is possibly a taut thriller. Reminiscent of "The Insider" with echoes of its director's own "Erin Brockovich", this movie not only sounds interesting but could have for Damon the kind of role that the Academy just gobbles up.
His third film in 2009 is his reunion with Bourne director Paul Greengrass in Green Zone, based on the book " Imperial Life in the Emerald City". Although movies about the Iraq War have not fared well, if anyone can deliver one that audiences would want to see it's Greengrass.
3 movies, possibly 2 nominations = second Oscar. We'll have to wait and see.
No comments:
Post a Comment