The film Roger Ebert chose as best of 1995.
It looked as though the relative up and comer Nicholas Cage was going to begin a career as a very solid actor but it seemed that he would wind up making a lot of shlock (some good action movies here and there but...)
The 1996 Academy award Nominations were:
Braveheart(WINNER)
Apollo 13 - Brian Grazer, producer
Babe
Il Postino: The Postman
Sense and Sensibility
I would have had Leaving Las Vegas over any of these.
Why do I bring this up? Coda won the best picture with only three nominations for best film, best-supporting actor, best-adapted screenplay.
I never understood 1995 because Leaving Las Vegas was nominated for:
Best Actor (won)
Best Actress (arguably should have won)
Best Director
Best Adapted Screenplay.
These are four of what are considered to be the "major awards." I never really understood how you could say the film had some of the best acting in both lead roles, the best writing and the best directing (which stands in for pulling all the technical elements together) and then say it's not one of the best films.
Don't get me wrong - I get that the academy voters for the best film include ALL academy voters so a Coda can simply be more liked by more people than a technical achievement based film but Leaving Las Vegas was always a bit perplexing in this regard in that it didn't muster at least a nomination.
And I agree with Gene - how Crumb was overlooked while Braveheart won best picture is a joke.
Siskel and Roger on the best films of 1995
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKcagHDRPwU
Looking Back At 'Leaving Las Vegas'
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Topic - Looking Back At 'Leaving Las Vegas' - RGA 06:33:37 03/29/22 (8)
- RE: Looking Back At 'Leaving Las Vegas' - pictureguy 15:27:05 04/04/22 (1)
- RE: Looking Back At 'Leaving Las Vegas' - RGA 07:20:26 04/06/22 (0)
- Mel Gibson excels at revenge movies and does them very well. - geoffkait 10:44:35 04/03/22 (3)
- Agree on the revenge bit--but why shoot it twice?? - Des 19:25:28 04/03/22 (2)
- Never saw it, but I did see Patriot. Nt - geoffkait 15:14:46 04/04/22 (1)
- RE: Never saw it, but I did see Patriot. Nt - Des 22:21:31 04/05/22 (0)
- A study in the downward spiral of alcohol - violinist3 10:35:24 04/03/22 (0)
- An ugly film about lowlifes. Cage indeed made far better films, - tinear 08:46:19 04/03/22 (0)