The 3rd Annual Academy Award Movie Challenge (1/22 - 2/22)

[chris_sc77]

So i watched Fargo last night for this challenge for the umpteenth time. I couldn't believe my eyes when I find out this film wasn't even nominated for Best Original Score. That is just inconceivable.

[thecrazydude]

I'm in!

[Jeffy Pop]

I've been averaging one movie a day. Hopefully I can keep that up. Prior to the challenge, I had been watching a lot of TV on DVD, so this gives me a good excuse to focus on movies.

Quick question: Does anyone know what lifetime achievement awards are being given out for 2009? I think in previous years, if, for example, an actor was being given a lifetime award, we could count any film that she/he appeared in. Does that still apply this year?

(I guess that was two questions....)

[LickTheABCs]

I'm halfway to my goal of 4!!!

[QuirkyMovieGirl]

Originally Posted by Jeffy Pop

I've been averaging one movie a day. Hopefully I can keep that up. Prior to the challenge, I had been watching a lot of TV on DVD, so this gives me a good excuse to focus on movies.

Quick question: Does anyone know what lifetime achievement awards are being given out for 2009? I think in previous years, if, for example, an actor was being given a lifetime award, we could count any film that she/he appeared in. Does that still apply this year?

(I guess that was two questions....)

According to Oscar.com Jerry Lewis will be getting the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award this year. That's the only lifetime achievement I could find. I can't answer your second question as I've never participated before, other than to say it sounds like fair game to me.

[frenchy]

I'm feeling burnt out already.

[Giles]

Originally Posted by frenchy

I'm feeling burnt out already.

me too

watched one film last night but then felt compelled to watch the TV that my DVR has been recording for the last week or so.

[The Monkees]

Yeah if Jerry Lewis is getting a Lifetime award then ANY movie he is in will count.

[Darth Maher]

Man, I'm doing terrible. I watched about half of "Mary Poppins" earlier in the week... that's it!

I'm so ashamed.

[WallyOPD]

I've watched 1, so I'm satisfied that I at least participated. If I get to 5 by the end of the challenge I'll be surprised.

[Trevor]

I'm a bit behind schedule, but I'm trying to work my way chronologically thru every Best Picture winner this challenge. My DVD-R is broken, so I'm having to watch regular TV as well to keep my DVR from maxing out, so I may end up not finishing until March.

But I'm loving the "old movies" so far. At least 50 of the 82 films will be first time viewings for me, so that's a plus.

My grandfather was a coal miner who immigrated from Wales, so How Green Was My Valley really resonated with me. Great film.

[Super J]

nevermind

[The Monkees]

Yeah I think I'm at 7 or 8 and haven't watched one in days!

[popcorn]

By the end of the night I should be up to 25 (thank you, short films!) but I think taking a couple of days off (Super Bowl and Monday night shows) help.

[Giles]

Trevor - you haven't numbered your list.

[Trevor]

^ Yeah, I know. I have notes jotted down somewhere of things I watched, and will get it all formatted and numbered before the end.

[Darth Maher]

Originally Posted by Trevor

I'm a bit behind schedule, but I'm trying to work my way chronologically thru every Best Picture winner this challenge.

But I'm loving the "old movies" so far. At least 50 of the 82 films will be first time viewings for me, so that's a plus.

This is the way I always envision my participation in this challenge to be. Deeply immersed in classic, Oscar winning glory. Discovering the classics that I have never seen. But then I end up with next to nothing on my list.

We watched Enchanted last night (my daughter's selection). Half way through, I realized that I can count it! I was ecstatic!

[MinLShaw]

Originally Posted by Darth Maher

I am determined, however, to make this year the year I finally see Casablanca and Gone with the Wind.

I saw Gone with the Wind a few years back and two nights ago I finally saw Casablanca! Woo hoo!

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by Darth Maher

This is the way I always envision my participation in this challenge to be. Deeply immersed in classic, Oscar winning glory. Discovering the classics that I have never seen.

I've always had this stupid "save the best for last" philosophy, and have hundreds of DVDs that I can't wait to watch, but they stay sealed on my shelves while I watch stupid crap instead.

Then a year or so ago my OCD compelled me to purchase every best picture winner. I've been holding off on viewing them for this challenge.

It really has been a wonderful experience so far. I have been waiting years to see some of these classics, like Casablanca, and have truly enjoyed each film so far, even "weak winners" like The Greatest Show on Earth. And some of them are likely going to make my all-time top ten list, like Sunrise or How Green Was My Valley.

[Giles]

Originally Posted by darkhawk

1. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
3. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
4. Face/Off
5. Killing Joe (Live Short 1999)
6. To the Shores Of Iwo Jima (Documentary Short 1945)
7. Cars
8. One Man Band (Animated Short)
9. December 7th (Documentary Short)
10. The Matrix
11. Wall-E
12. Presto (Animated Short)
13. Kung Fu Panda
14. The Little Matchgirl (Animated Short)
15. The Triplets of Belleville
16. Finding Nemo
17. Twist of Faith (Documentary)
18. Batman Begins
19. The Dark Knight
20. Enchanted
21. Madagascar
22. The Sound of Music
23. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
24. Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban
25. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
26. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
27. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
28. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
29. The Chronicles of Naria: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrob
30. The Chronicles of Naria: Prince Caspian
31. Man on Wire (Documentary)
32. Flags of Our Father
33. Letters From Iwo Jimo
34. December 7th (Documentary Short)

um 9 and 34 appear to be the same short (?)

[Giles]

I listened back to back Sound of Music/Mary Poppins - I was in a Julie Andrews kind of mood, anyway, as for the former - wow, what a snoozer, way too much dead space. Mary Poppins though, was chock full of comments not only from Julie and Dick, but from others as well - very worth it IMO.

what I'll do for a challenge, my DVR wasn't able to record Kenneth Branagh's 'Hamlet' in HiDef this morning, so I woke up at 3:59am and watched all four hours of it - oh, I'm gonna crash at some point this afternoon (I'm sooo not a morning person).

[Trevor]

Nemein took care of the stickying and unstickying for us. Thanks!

[Darth Maher]

Is this the thread that is supposed to be stickyed though?

I thought the LISTS thread was the one we wanted since there are rarely any new posts.

[Trevor]

Doh! That's my bad I think. I might have sent him the wrong link to sticky.

Edit to add: I PMed him again with the list thread link.

[Giles]

Originally Posted by bluetoast

02/06/09

Gotta love E Street Cinema, with their showings of all the Live Action and Animated Shorts:

03. On the Line (Auf der Strecke) - similar to The Kite Runner and Atonement in that the main character was a coward

Nominee Best Live Action Short 2009

04. Manon On the Asphalt - a piece of crap

Nominee Best Live Action Short 2009

05. New Boy - good stuff

Nominee Best Live Action Short 2009

06. The Pig (Grisen) - good stuff

Nominee Best Live Action Short 2009

07. Toyland (Spielzeugland) - not bad

Nominee Best Live Action Short 2009


08.Lavatory - Lovestory - good

Nominee Best Animated Short 2009

09.Oktapodi - very very very simplistic

Nominee Best Animated Short 2009

10. La Maison En Petits Cubes - took a while to get good, but was good

Nominee Best Animated Short 2009


11. This Way Up - piece of crap

Nominee Best Animated Short 2009


12. Presto - good

Nominee Best Animated Short 2009


Also, for the animated shorts segment, they showed some "Highly Commended" shorts, including a 24 minute short from the U.K. which was absolute horror and one of the worst pieces of shit I'd ever seen in a theater in quite a long time, which was Varmints. John and Karen was awesome, Gopher Broke was a piece of shit, that appeared to be a failed job application for Dreamworks, Skhizein was interesting, and Hot Dog was also very good, but at first appeared to be a glorified storyboard sequence.


[/spoiler]

of the live action shorts, I liked 'The Pig' the most, even though I think the award will go to 'Toyland'

as for the animated shorts - I think it's 'Presto' even though 'Lavatory - Lovestory' was very enjoyable.

I agree I thought Varmints was just wierd. Of the other animated shorts, I really liked Skhizein - it was just soooo out there. Have you ever seen a Bill Plympton animated short? all his animated shorts look like 'Hot Dog'. I kind of agree, 'Gopher Broke' was suckey, even though it WAS nominated for an oscar - go figure.