HARVEY WEINSTEIN - WEINSTEIN SAYS PUBLIC ENEMIES IS THE FILM TO BEAT

WEINSTEIN SAYS PUBLIC ENEMIES IS THE FILM TO BEAT

Producer Harvey Weinstein, generally regarded in the movie business as a genius when it comes to flogging his own films in the race for Oscar nominations, has already identified the movie to beat in 2009. It's Public Enemies , according to Weinstein. And the actor to beat is Johnny Depp. And the director is Michael Mann. In a review posted in TheDailyBeast.com, where he is a regular contributor, Weinstein, who was not involved in the production of Public Enemies , writes that with its release on Wednesday, "the Oscar race is officially on." Of Depp's performance, Weinstein comments that it displays his range as an actor. "It's the leading man as a character actor; it's the character actor as the leading man. It's the awareness, the silences ... but it's also the flinty, self-aware John Dillinger who knows what good public relations is." As for the director, he writes, "This is Michael Mann at the height of his height." Finally Weinstein urges moviegoers "Bring your wits, your intelligence and your curiosity to the table and you'll be rewarded with a feast."

02/07/2009