If we do our math correctly and read between the lines, then yes.
A recap: Chef hit theaters in May. Chef won an award at the Tribeca Film Festival. Jon Favreau and Roy Choi made lots of appearances together. Chef became a critical and mass-audience darling. Favreau and Choi hosted more El Jefe pop-ups together. Chef prolonged its theatrical release at the end of August, allowing film guild members to see it for free. (Blogs called it the “earliest push for awards season” yet.) Favreau and Choi promised to make a true brick-and-mortor El Jefe restaurant a reality.
Now, Favreau is back at it (after a semi-quiet respite from the press) talking about the joys of making Chef once again, this time for the Los Angeles Times. (In a section called “The Envelope” — get it?) So wait, haven’t we already kind of heard this story before? From Favreau’s article:
Most important, I felt renewed. The experience of the chef in the story soldiering through a midlife crisis of sorts by dedicating himself to that which inspires, forgoing the comfort of pattern and safety, was mirrored by my own journey. The film was my food truck, where I controlled the menu and the script was the sandwich. And, like cooking, the real joy came from making something I was proud of and then watching others enjoy.
Right, we have heard that story before. Why are we hearing it agin?
Uh, do you know hear the red carpets being rolled out?
Awards season is just around the corner, including award nominations times. The Golden Globes nominations are on December 11, 2014; the ceremony on January 11, 2015. The Academy Awards nominations are on January 15, 2015; the ceremony is on February 22, 2015. Ohhhhh.
Back in August we thought that Chef had the best chance at a cinematography or screenplay nod for the Oscars; now that the nominations are just around the corner, others are throwing in their bets for Best Original Screenplay, too. Awards Circuit had predicted Chef as a contender for Best Original Screenplay, but now thinks there are other stronger contenders (Boyhood, Birdman, etc.). It also thought Chef might be one of the only true films to fit that weird “Best Comedy” category for an Oscar. Hey, even the Hollywood Reporter brought in Favreau to talk about the screenplay “to kick off awards season.”
So, could it happen for Favreau finally? Could Favreau (and Choi) get that award push going once again? We’ll be watching come nominations time.
[Los Angeles Times, Awards Circuit, Hollywood Reporter]
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com
