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79th Annual Academy Award Discussion! Nominee's inside!

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79th Annual Academy Award Discussion! Nominee's inside!

Old 01-28-07, 09:46 PM
  #151  
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I think you can still may a legitimate argument for 4 films for best picture, which is pretty unusal at this point. The acting categories seem all but locked up, however. And I'm going to wait on the DGAs to see how they play out for Director. But back to best picture:

The Departed
Pro: A Scorsese flick with a big name cast, it was well loved and easily the highest grossing movie of the bunch. If Scorsese does win director, it should help The Departed's cause.
Cons: Largely ignored in the awards season thus far despite being what most considered the favorite going in. It lost the GG to Babel (and the GGs love Scorsese), lost the SAG ensemble to LMS (admittedly not a best picture award), hasn't won any other major awards (except GG for Scorsese, but I can't read much from that since I already stated that the GGs love Scorsese), and didn't get that many Oscar noms. I get the feeling people aren't that hot fot his movie. Still, if it doesn't win, who will?

Little Miss Sunshine
Pro: Won the SAG ensemble award, and after crash did last year I think alot of people are reading a lot into that.
Con: Comedys and independents traditionally don't do well in this categorey and the SAG ensemble probably doesn't mean as much as some people think it will (remember Traffic, Gosford Park, and Sideways all also won the award this decade with no best picture award). Lack of other Oscar nominations doesn't help, although its not the kind of movie to get many either.

Babel
Pro: Won the GG, which the best picture winner has won 5 of 7 times this decade. Most Oscar nominations of the contenders.
Con: No other major wins of note.

Letters from Iwo Jima
Pro: Eastwood directed it, and the Academy does love Eastwood. Critically loved
Con: Has anyone seen it? A foreign language film has never won best picture, but then again most of time they aren't American movies. The guilds ignored this movie (generally a really bad sign), but I'm not sure if anyone in the guilds even saw it (did they send out screeners. Pretty much a darkhorse that's hard to get a read on.
Old 01-28-07, 10:30 PM
  #152  
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Having won the SAG award and PGA, Little Miss Sunshine has a shot at winning the Oscar for Best Picture on Oscar night. Even with only 4 nods, it's a great refreshing film and even if it does not win for BP at the Oscars, it's clearly one of the best films of 2006 and will go down as a classic piece of American cinema, IMO.
Old 01-28-07, 10:41 PM
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Don't get me wrong, I loved Little Miss Sunshine (My #5 film fo the year). But if it takes Best Picture, I'm going to fucking flip.
Old 01-28-07, 10:47 PM
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Originally Posted by hardercore
Fuck the SAG. Once all the buzz dies down how fucking embarassed is everyone going to be when they look back to the year when Arkin, Breslin, Collette, Carrell, Kinnear, and Dano beat an ensemble on Screen Legends (Nicholson, Sheen, Baldwin, Winstone), and younger actors who finally showed their worth (DiCaprio, Damon, Wahlberg) that all gave terrific performances. Fuck the SAG. This is an embarassment. I'm not just pulling the all-star cast card here, the performances in The Departed were far better, all-star cast or not.
You have a quite a boner there for The Departed, I thought it was a solid film, but it is totally overrated and how could anyone who loves films and movies not be rooting for a film like Little Miss Sunshine to win Best Picture on Oscar night. It is the little engine that could on an $8 million dollar budget, and I really think it was the best film of 2006 because everything in the film works to perfection. Everything. It has all the makings of what a Best Picture winner should be despite not fitting the traditional mold of serious drama/film. It has drama, but it's such a film I am rooting for because I don't think it was ever a film made to be considered Oscar bait, they just made a film with lots of substance and plenty of heart and it's an enjoyable film that will make you root for it.
Old 01-28-07, 10:49 PM
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Originally Posted by hardercore
Don't get me wrong, I loved Little Miss Sunshine (My #5 film fo the year). But if it takes Best Picture, I'm going to fucking flip.
Oh come on, I'd be happy for either film.
Old 01-29-07, 07:52 AM
  #156  
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This could be one of the easiest guessed Oscars in a while for me. Acting is all locked up. I think only Best Picture will be the "hmmm..." category this year.

As much as I loved the Departed it seems wrong for Scorsese to win Best Director when he should've won for Raging Bull.
Old 01-29-07, 10:42 PM
  #157  
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Originally Posted by dvd_luver
Having won the SAG award and PGA, Little Miss Sunshine has a shot at winning the Oscar for Best Picture on Oscar night.
The SAG ensemble award was merely a ploy to get gullible Oscar audiences believing that last year's *rash SAG ensemble win wasn't really indicative of the then impending Brokeback Mountain loss. In the spirit of true Hollywood manipulation Little Miss Sunshine will, of course, lose Best Picture to The Departed, which will also garner Best Director. It's payback time for Scorsese.

Faux award shows are so easy to predict (eyes rolling).
Old 02-19-07, 06:17 AM
  #158  
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Last night, the ACE (American Cinema Editors) had a tie by choosing both Best Picture contenders, Babel and The Departed, as their winners for best edited drama. Dreamgirls defeated Little Miss Sunshine for best edited comedy/musical.

I think this still helps The Departed, as it now has victories at the DGA, WGA, and ACE.

Also announced, Children of Men won the American Society of Cinematographers Outstanding Achievement Awards, which inches it closer to taking the Oscar. It's been the favorite for some time now.
Old 02-19-07, 06:34 AM
  #159  
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Originally Posted by dvd_luver
How could anyone who loves films and movies not be rooting for a film like Little Miss Sunshine to win Best Picture on Oscar night. It is the little engine that could on an $8 million dollar budget, and I really think it was the best film of 2006 because everything in the film works to perfection. Everything. It has all the makings of what a Best Picture winner should be despite not fitting the traditional mold of serious drama/film. It has drama, but it's such a film I am rooting for because I don't think it was ever a film made to be considered Oscar bait, they just made a film with lots of substance and plenty of heart and it's an enjoyable film that will make you root for it.
You're reasoning is exactly why it should not win. The Academy needs to grow some balls and not take the safe, happy, heart-warming film for a change. Let's see another year where the Best Picture is in the vein of Silence Of The Lambs. That's what a win for The Departed would be.
Old 02-19-07, 08:34 AM
  #160  
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How about choosing a film with some guts? Some grittyness? Some suspense? I'd rather see that than a standard, run-of-the-mill family dramady. The "quirky" family movies are getting stale. How often do you get a film that features DiCaprio, Damon, Nicholson, with the former 2 at the top of their game? Add in Wahlberg's terrific and well-deserved nominated performance. Then you have Sheen and Baldwin providing solid supporting roles. And all of this gets wrapped together beatufilly by editor Film
Thelma Schoonmaker, who could very well be winning another Oscar. This is a film where you actually have to pay attention to the story.

LMS offers the suspense of, "will they make it to the beauty pageant in time?" Who cares?

The Departed has all the momentum right now with DGA and WGA victories. The co-victory at the ACE last night adds even more. LMS will win its runner-up Screenplay award and that's it. The party's over.

Last edited by Mr. Cinema; 02-19-07 at 08:36 AM.
Old 02-19-07, 08:52 AM
  #161  
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I really enjoyed the Departed, but why is it that Departed fans love to ridicule LMS for being 'just another family/road trip movie'? It's not like there is a shortage of excellent mob/cop movies out there. I don't think LMS should win, but I find some of the arguments against it pretty silly.
Old 02-19-07, 09:51 AM
  #162  
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Originally Posted by Mr. Cinema
How about choosing a film with some guts? Some grittyness? Some suspense? I'd rather see that than a standard, run-of-the-mill family dramady. The "quirky" family movies are getting stale. How often do you get a film that features DiCaprio, Damon, Nicholson, with the former 2 at the top of their game? Add in Wahlberg's terrific and well-deserved nominated performance. Then you have Sheen and Baldwin providing solid supporting roles. And all of this gets wrapped together beatufilly by editor Film
Thelma Schoonmaker, who well be winning another Oscar. This is a film where you actually have to pay attention to the story.

LMS offers the suspense of, "will they make it to the beauty pageant in time?" Who cares?
Have you even seen Little Miss Sunshine? "Run-of-the-mill" and "standard" it's not. I've heard plenty of criticism about the film, but I've yet to hear anyone call it "run-of-the-mill." And a shame you think the "quirky family" genre is getting stale--The Squid and the Whale was one of the best films of '05, IMO.

BUT, there's no way Abigail Breslin deserves a nod over Half-Nelson's Shareeka Epps. I watched Sunshine and Nelson back-to-back and while Breslin is fantastic, Epps more than held her own against Ryan Gosling.

And I know it's a long shot as Whitaker seems to be a lock for Best Actor, but I really hope the Academy is giving Gosling's performance serious consideration.

I really enjoyed the Departed, but why is it that Departed fans love to ridicule LMS for being 'just another family/road trip movie'? It's not like there is a shortage of excellent mob/cop movies out there. I don't think LMS should win, but I find some of the arguments against it pretty silly.
Old 02-19-07, 10:23 AM
  #163  
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Thought LMS was pretty average. What makes it even worse is it took the place of Children of Men and/or United 93. That is truly pathetic.

I was able to watch Half Nelson last week and thought Gosling was amazing. Epps was very strong as well. I too would have chosen her for the "kid" nomination. However, neither was as good as Emily Blunt in "The Devil Wears Prada".
Old 02-19-07, 11:04 AM
  #164  
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Originally Posted by Mr. Cinema
Thought LMS was pretty average. What makes it even worse is it took the place of Children of Men and/or United 93. That is truly pathetic.
imo, LMS belongs there more than The Queen.

I still see why neither of those weren't nominated (both are more experiences than movies) but they were quality.
Old 02-19-07, 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Mr. Cinema
What makes it even worse is it took the place of...United 93. That is truly pathetic.
I wouldn't call it "pathetic" but I do agree with you that United 93 is a far more deserving film than LMS (and The Queen for that matter). A shame it was overlooked.
Old 02-19-07, 02:55 PM
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Best Pic Lineup should have been:

The Departed
Letters From Iwo Jima
Children Of Men
United 93
The Queen or Pan's Labyrinth

I did not enjoy Children Of Men all that much the first time I saw it. The second time I liked it more, and the third (and most recent) time I've seen it, I picked up on some of the layers in the film and think it really deserves to be up there amonsgt the best films of 06 contending for Oscar.

The only film that I wouldn't really mind beating The Departed though is United 93. It's a damn shame it likely wasn't even watched enough to get nominated (Academy members finding it too hard to pop their screeners in).

Last edited by hardercore; 02-19-07 at 02:58 PM.
Old 02-19-07, 03:03 PM
  #167  
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Originally Posted by hardercore
The only film that I wouldn't really mind beating The Departed though is United 93. It's a damn shame it likely wasn't even watched enough to get nominated (Academy members finding it too hard to pop their screeners in).
That's what burns me up. Children of Men and United 93 get punished because not enough even bothered to watch them. 2 things could be blamed. 1 is the awards keep happening sooner than later. The other is the studios don't seem to realize this. Universal should have released Children of Men much sooner than 12/25 to get the word out. Had the Oscars happened in March like they used to, we may have seen a Pic nomination. United 93 just flat out got screwed over.
Old 02-22-07, 05:02 PM
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Can anybody tell me why Eddie Murphy deserves to win for Supporting Actor? His performance was adequate at best - he sang, he acted, he had his cheesy grin on. A switch for Murphy was the drugs, but still...I don't see what was so Oscar-worthy about it.

Maybe someone can explain it.

Not for nothing, but I didn't think Mark Wahlberg lit the world on fire with his role in The Departed, either. He was a good smart-ass, but the award is for acting

I didn't see the other nominees films...
Old 02-22-07, 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Buttmunker
Not for nothing, but I didn't think Mark Wahlberg lit the world on fire with his role in The Departed, either. He was a good smart-ass, but the award is for acting
Total agreement. That character wasn't that much of a stretch for him and IMO there were more deserving nominess in that film, including Damon and Baldwin.

Of all the nominees in all the categories, this one probably made the least sense to me.
Old 02-22-07, 08:15 PM
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Originally Posted by hardercore
You're reasoning is exactly why it should not win. The Academy needs to grow some balls and not take the safe, happy, heart-warming film for a change. Let's see another year where the Best Picture is in the vein of Silence Of The Lambs. That's what a win for The Departed would be.
Um, whatever. Crash won last year, and that wasn't a happy, safe movie. Little Miss Sunshine isn't an all out happy, safe movie either, it has a darkside as well if you look beyond the beauty peagent and some of the comedy in the film.

Can anybody tell me why Eddie Murphy deserves to win for Supporting Actor? His performance was adequate at best - he sang, he acted, he had his cheesy grin on. A switch for Murphy was the drugs, but still...I don't see what was so Oscar-worthy about it.

Maybe someone can explain it.
Having seen the film, my impression is that he did not have a big enough part in the movie to begin with. Some of the scenes with him don't last very long, but when he was in the film he was just outstanding and brought that character to life. I think he deserves to win!

I really enjoyed the Departed, but why is it that Departed fans love to ridicule LMS for being 'just another family/road trip movie'? It's not like there is a shortage of excellent mob/cop movies out there. I don't think LMS should win, but I find some of the arguments against it pretty silly
Yeah, I don't get that. The Departed is a remake to begin with!

The Departed has all the momentum right now with DGA and WGA victories. The co-victory at the ACE last night adds even more. LMS will win its runner-up Screenplay award and that's it. The party's over.
I hope either Little Miss Sunshine or The Departed wins Best Picture. I think LMS and TD race will be tight, so it will go to either one. The party's over if the Academy voters pull a Babel on us. I am rooting for either Little Miss Sunshine or The Departed to win BP.

Not for nothing, but I didn't think Mark Wahlberg lit the world on fire with his role in The Departed, either. He was a good smart-ass, but the award is for acting
I think the performance is good, but a bit overated. Oscar worthy? probably not.

Little Miss Sunshine will, of course, lose Best Picture to The Departed
I think it will be pretty close, both well recieved and reviewed films of 2006. History favors The Departed, but Little Miss Sunshine has a strong chance at proving otherwise. It will be close, unless they voted in Babel.
Old 02-24-07, 04:41 PM
  #171  
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one more day till zero hour. i am in a pool at school and 2nd guessing my Best Pic and Best Foreign, but feel pretty good on the others. whenever i am in a pool i always feel so much more invested in the event (SB, NCAA, etc). makes it more fun too.

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