Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Maybe so, but Leo probably isn't going to make the cut of final nominees, and Hathaway will be a first-timer (so will Leo if she does make it). Don't forget the "overdue" factor, which is one of the primary reasons for winning an Oscar. And Winslet may be the most overdue actress alive. She will be the winner by default this year, with her only real competition coming from Streep in Doubt, who is overdue in her own way.

In fact, my theory is (and has been for over a month now) that if Winslet manages to get nominated in both categories, which is looking very likely, voters may be torn between which category to throw her a vote. And with no clear consensus frontrunner in either race, this could actually lead to her receiving enough votes in both categories to win a history-making 2 acting Oscars in one night.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

I've only seen Revolutionary Road -- in which movie does she give the stronger performance?

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

I would agree with the sentiment, but am not as kind to Dark Knight as the author here is. Heath Ledger would definitely deserve Best Supporting Actor. Outstanding performance... but that's about all I would say is superb about Dark Knight. Cool visuals, but who cares?

Slumdog Millionnaire is great, but I'm still carrying a torch for Synecdoche, New York which I think is one of the great films of the decade.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Since I refuse to go to your blog, post it here. I'm curious to see why. (Other than of course, my own reasons to why it shouldn't..)

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Chris Nolan’s fantastic film is #7 on my Top 20 list, and the 5th American film on the list. Therefore, it is technically the 5th of the 5 films I feel should be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar.

However, this is a flawed masterpiece, as all great masterpieces are (save the first two Godfather films, of course, and maybe Casablanca). While going to places no superhero film has or, I dare say, will ever go, the film’s screenplay sports plot holes the size of cantaloupes. For example, the cheap introduction of sonar technology so as to find the Joker’s whereabouts towards the film’s climax or the fact that the final HOUR of the film the viewers’ are meant to believe the Joker has planned out to a T, are two points so ludicrous one must wonder how they made the final draft. Also, some lines read thicker than molasses (”the night is darkest before the dawn”). It would not be fair to see David S. Goyer and the Nolan brothers gets nominated for a Best Screenplay Oscar. Certainly not.

Now listen, before you stop reading and disown this blog forever, just hear me out. I love this film, and disagreed with people voicing this very opinion months ago. However, re-watching it on a smaller screen only magnifies the problems. There’s no IMAX to get in the way. Furthermore, the acting is not across-the-board phenomenal, although it’s damn close. Maggie Gyllenhaal nearly ruins the movie due to her heavy-handed performance, adding just a TAD too much spunk to the Rachel character (I never thought I would have preferred Katie Holmes in an acting role-NEVER). For an actress of Gyllenhaal’s caliber, this was a huge disappointment.

And now let’s talk about Heath Ledger’s overrated acting-just kidding, he was legendary and needs to get the Oscar for sure.

The biggest reason The Dark Knight should not win Best Picture is because there are only two American films that should be considered for it: Slumdog Millionare and Wall-E. Since my first viewing of either of the two, I was convinced they would sit atop my list for the year to come, and despite a surprisingly strong year of movies (see my “In defense of…the 2008 film season article” for further proof) no film came close to breaching the #1 and #2 spots for Best Picture.

I want to see what the good people out there have to say. So please respond with your thoughts and let’s get a little debate going. What do you think? Do you agree?

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Case closed. That settles it.

You called it a masterpiece. In my opinion there are no masterpieces this year.

The Dark Knight should win Best Picture because there is no movie that is head and shoulders better than it. All the great movies are pretty much equally great. I don't think there's any movie this year that's as good as No Country For Old Men or There Will Be Blood. Ah, the good ol' days.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

More blog pimping :lol:

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

:rock:

Gotta have a discussion about it somewhere. DVDTalk users have the most movie knowledge that I can find online. Thought it would be a good place to talk if we think TDK deserves it or not.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

A nomination? Sure. Win? No. At the very least Slumdog beats it, and maybe the Wrestler. But it could very well come down to a match between Milk and TDK based on the Academy retroactively apologizing for not awarding Brokeback (even though the film wasn't that great) as well as political relevancy, or based on box office success. I mean, Titanic won solely because it made all that money, and a lot of people will tune in to see TDK win at least a statue for Ledger.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

I think Milk has a shot, though I have to admit i haven't seen it yet, in large part because the Hollywood community is outraged at the passing of prop 8 and feels the movie is particularly timely.

Brokeback was a good film and far more deserving than the craptacular Crash... Munich would also have been a good pick from the five.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Jesus, that's not saying much. A snuff film deserves an Oscar more than Crash.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Can't argue with that.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

5 Oscar Nominations That Should Happen, But Won’t

Every year the Oscars take place, and every year some of the best (usually more than just some) are ignored by the Academy. Blame it on bureaucracy. Here are 5 people who deserve Oscar consideration but will be doomed to their television sets come the big night.

5. Australia - Hugh Jackman, Best Actor
4. The Fall - Colin Watkinson, Best Cinematography
3. Valkyrie - John Ottman, Best Editing
2. Wall-E - Andrew Stanton, Best Director
1. Snow Angels - Kate Beckinsale, Best Actress

What are the nominations you feel should happen but won't?

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

The Fall's cinematography is the only one of those that's spot-on. Stanton maybe, though they won't treat an animation director the same as a live-action director, nor should they. The rest are just hilarious.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

even though The Fall makes my 2008 top list, wasn't it technically from 2005? i don't know if it would even be tossed around for Oscar consideration this year solely based on that. bummer though!

Oscar nominations that i feel should happen but won't:

Revolutionary Road - Michael Shannon, Best Supporting Actor
The Wrestler - Evan Rachel Wood, Best Supporting Actress
Snow Angels - Sam Rockwell, Best Actor (a little flawed here and there, yet profound nonetheless)
Funny Games - Micheal Pitt, Best Supporting Actor (wishful thinking!)

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

:up:

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Re: "The Fall". No. And this is actually discussed quite a bit on a few other threads. Festival release dates mean nothing. It's when the film was actually released in the theaters. And "The Fall" was released in the Spring of '08, so it qualifies.

Re: Sam Rockwell. He had a great year IMO. Not only "Snow Angels" (which is also an older film finally released in the theaters in '08), but "Choke" too. Which I think is his greatest performance ever.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

I disagree with 3 of those, though The Fall deserves something for it's gorgeous visuals. Kate Beckinsale - not for Snow Angels - would have had a better shot had they done more to push Nothing But The Truth.

Wall-E was the most highly praised movie (critically) that I just didn't care for, and unlike most, it had more to do with how heavily cliche and formulatic it was and not with the preachiness.

Hugh Jackman was nothing special in Australia, haven't seen Valkyrie so I guess I can't comment there.

For me, I think the votes a pretty well spot-on. Wouldn't mind Gary Oldman getting a supporting nom for Dark Knight, Rosario Dawson a supporting nom for Seven Pounds (mostly because I've always liked her). Otherwise, I missed a lot of movies this year that I still need to check out.

:rolleyes: Yes, giving personality to rendered characters is so so much easier than directing a highly paid actor.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Picture
1. Slumdog Millionaire (NBR, WAFCA, AWFJ, NYFCO, BFCA, GG, SDFCS, PFCS, DFWFCA, FFCC, DFCA, OFCC, KCFCC, BSFC**, SAG*, PGA*, ASC*, CAS*, DGA*, ADG*, ACE*, AFCA**, SEFCA***, AAFC***, COFC***, CFCA*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
2. The Dark Knight (AFCA, UFCA, AAFC, AFI**, LAFCA***, PGA*, ASC*, CAS*, DGA*, ADG*, ACE*, NBR*, BFCA*, CFCA*, OFCS*)
3. Milk (NYFCC, SEFCA, SFFCC, AFI**, SAG*, PGA*, DGA*, ADG*, ACE*, DFWFCA***, NBR*, BFCA*, CFCA*, LFCC*, VFCC*)
4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (SLGFC, HFCA, AFI**, SAG*, PGA*, ASC*, DGA*, ADG*, ACE*, NBR*, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
5. Wall-E (LAFCA, CFCA, COFC, AFI**, BSFC**, ADG*, ACE*, NBR*, BFCA*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)

Director
1. Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire” (LAFCA, CFCA, BFCA, GG, WAFCA, AWFJ, NYFCO, SLGFC, SEFCA, SDFCS, PFCS, HFCA, DFWFCA, FFCC, AAFC, DFCA, OFCC, COFC, DGA*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
2. Gus Van Sant, “Milk” (SFFCC, BSFC**, NSFC***, SEFCA***, DGA*, BFCA*, CFCA*, LFCC*, VFCC*)
3. David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (NBR, DGA*, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
4. Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight” (AFCA, LAFCA***, UFCA***, DGA*, BFCA*, CFCA*, OFCS*)
5. Mike Leigh, “Happy-Go-Lucky” (NYFCC, NSFC)

Actor
1. Sean Penn, “Milk” (LAFCA, NYFCC, NSFC, BFCA, AWFJ, NYFCO, SLGFC, SEFCA, PFCS, AFCA, HFCA, DFWFCA, BSFC**, SAG*, SFFCC**, COFC***, GG*, CFCA*, ISA*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
2. Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler” (CFCA, GG, WAFCA, WFCC, SDFCS, FFCC, UFCA, TFCA, DFCA, OFCC, KCFCC, COFC, BSFC**, LAFCA***, NSFC***, SAG*, SFFCC**, SEFCA***, BFCA*, ISA*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
3. Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon” (LVFCS, AAFC, SAG*, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
4. Clint Eastwood, “Gran Torino” (NBR, BFCA*, CFCA*)
5. Richard Jenkins, “The Visitor” (SAG*, BFCA*, CFCA*, ISA*, OFCS*)

Actress
1. Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky” (LAFCA, NYFCC, BSFC, NSFC, GG, NYFCO, SFFCC, OFCC, AWFJ**, CFCA*, VFCC*)
2. Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married” (NBR, CFCA, SEFCA, AFCA, HFCA, DFWFCA, BFCA**, SAG*, UFCA***, COFC***, GG*, ISA*, LFCC*)
3. Melissa Leo, “Frozen River” (WFCC, FFCC, UFCA, COFC, LAFCA***, NSFC***, SAG*, BFCA*, CFCA*, ISA*)
4. Kate Winslet, “Revolutionary Road” (GG, SLGFC, DFCA, SAG*, AWFJ**, LVFCS**, LFCC*, VFCC*)
5. Meryl Streep, “Doubt” (WAFCA, PFCS, KCFCC, BFCA**, SAG*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*, VFCC*)

Supporting Actor
1. Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight” (LAFCA, BSFC, CFCA, BFCA, GG, WAFCA, AWFJ, SLGFC, SEFCA, SFFCC, SDFCS, PFCS, AFCA, HFCA, DFWFCA, LVFCS, FFCC, UFCA, TFCA, AAFC, DFCA, OFCC, KCFCC, COFC, NSFC***, SAG*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
2. Josh Brolin, “Milk” (NBR, NYFCC, NYFCO, SAG*, BFCA*, CFCA*, VFCC*)
3. Eddie Marsan, “Happy-Go-Lucky” (NSFC, LAFCA***, COFC***, OFCS*)
4. Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt” (SAG*, COFC***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
5. Robert Downey, Jr., “Tropic Thunder” (SAG*, SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, OFCS*)

Supporting Actress
1. Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (NBR, NYFCC, BSFC, NYFCO, SEFCA, KCFCC, LAFCA**, SAG*, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, ISA*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
2. Viola Davis, “Doubt” (SLGFC, HFCA, DFWFCA, AAFC, LAFCA***, NSFC***, SAG*, SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
3. Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler” (SFFCC, SDFCS, PFCS, LVFCS, FFCC, DFCA, OFCC, COFC, BFCA*, GG*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
4. Kate Winslet, “The Reader” (CFCA, BFCA, GG, SAG*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
5. Rosemarie Dewitt, “Rachel Getting Married” (WAFCA, UFCA, TFCA, ISA*, CFCA*, VFCC*)

Screenplay, Adapted
1. Simon Beaufoy, “Slumdog Millionaire” (CFCA, BFCA, GG, WAFCA, SEFCA, SDFCS, PFCS, HFCA, FFCC, OFCC, KCFCC, COFC, WGA*, NBR**, USC*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
2. Peter Morgan, “Frost/Nixon” (AWFJ, SLGFC, SFFCC, LVFCS, WGA*, COFC***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
3. Eric Roth, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (NBR**, WGA*, SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, USC*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
4. Johnathan Nolan & Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight” (AFCA, WGA*, CFCA*, OFCS*)
5. John Patrick Shanley, “Doubt” (WGA*, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*)

Screenplay, Original
1. Dustin Lance Black, “Milk” (BSFC, SEFCA, SFFCC, DFWFCA, WGA*, BFCA*, CFCA*, OFCS*)
2. Jenny Lumet, “Rachel Gettng Married” (NYFCC, WAFCA, WFCC, UFCA, TFCA, CFCA*)
3. Robert D. Siegel, “The Wrestler” (OFCC, KCFCC, WGA*, SEFCA***, UFCA***, OFCS*)
4. Andrew Stanton, “Wall-E” (CFCA, AWFJ, COFC, OFCS*)
5. Mike Leigh, “Happy-Go-Lucky” (LAFCA, NSFC)

Animated
1. Wall-E (NBR, NYFCC, BSFC, BFCA, WAFCA, NYFCO, CFCA, GG, SLGFC, SEFCA, SDFCS, PFCS, AFCA, HFCA, DFWFCA, LVFCS, FFCC, UFCA, TFCA, OFCC, KCFCC, COFC, AA*, PGA*, OFCS*)
2. Kung-Fu Panda (AA*, PGA*, SEFCA***, UFCA***, COFC***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, OFCS*)
3. Waltz With Bashir (LAFCA, AA*, BFCA*, CFCA*, OFCS*)

Documentary
1. Man On Wire (NBR, LAFCA, NYFCC, BSFC, CFCA, NSFC, BFCA, WAFCA, NYFCO, SLGFC, SEFCA, SDFCS, PFCS, AFCA, HFCA, DFWFCA, LVFCS, FFCC, UFCA, TFCA, OFCC, KCFCC, COFC, PGA*, AWFJ**, ISA*, OFCS*)
2. Trouble The Water (NSFC***, PGA*, AWFJ**)
3. Standard Operating Procedure (PGA*, BFCA*, CFCA*)
4. My Winnipeg (SFFCC, OFCS*)
5. I.O.U.S.A (BFCA*, CFCA*, OFCS*)

Foreign Film
1. Sweden, “Let The Right One In” (BSFC, CFCA, WAFCA, SEFCA, SFFCC, SDFCS, PFCS, AFCA, FFCC, UFCA, TFCA, OFCC, KCFCC, COFC***, BFCA*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
2. Israel, “Waltz With Bashir” (BFCA, GG, UFCA***, BAFTA*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
3. France, “I’ve Loved You So Long” (WFCC, SEFCA, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, BAFTA*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
4. Belgium, “Tell No One” (AWFJ, DFWFCA, VFCC*)
5. Italy, “Gomorrah” (BFCA*, GG*, BAFTA*, ISA*, LFCC*)

Music (Score)
1. A. R. Rahman, “Slumdog Millionaire” (LAFCA, NYFCO, BFCA, GG, SDFCS, COFC***, CFCA*)
2. Alexandre Desplat, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (PFCS, COFC, LAFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*)
3. Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard, “The Dark Knight” (AFCA, BFCA*, CFCA*)
4. Thomas Newman, “Wall-E” (CFCA)
5. James Newton Howard, “Defiance” (LVFCS, GG*)

Music (Song)
1. The Wrestler, “The Wrestler” (BFCA, GG, PFCS)
2. Wall-E, “Down to Earth” (HFCA, BFCA*, GG*)
3. Quantum of Solace, “Another Way To Die” (LVFCS, BFCA*)
4. Bolt, “I Thought I Lost You” (BFCA*, GG*)
5. Gran Torino, “Gran Torino” (GG*)
5. Cadillac Recoards, “Once In A Lifetime” (GG*)

Editing
1. Slumdog Millionaire (BSFC, SDFCS, PFCS, ACE*)
2. Frost/Nixon (LVFCS, ACE*)
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (AWFJ, ACE*)

Sound Mixing
1. The Dark Knight (CAS*)
1. Iron Man (CAS*)
1. Quantum of Solace (CAS*)
1. Slumdog Millionaire (CAS*)
1. Wall-E (CAS*)

Visual Effects
1. The Dark Knight (SLGFC, PFCS)
2. Iron Man (LVFCS)

Cinematography
1. Anthony Dod Mantle, “Slumdog Millionaire” (NYFCC, NSFC, NYFCO, SDFCS, ASC*, LAFCA***, COFC***, CFCA*)
2. Wally Pfister, “The Dark Knight” (CFCA, SFFCC, DFWFCA, FFCC, COFC, ASC*)
3. Claudio Miranda, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (PFCS, HFCA, LVFCS, ASC*, CFCA*)
4. Christopher Doyle, “Paranoid Park” (BSFC)
5. Colin Watkinson, “The Fall” (AFCA, CFCA*)

Art Direction
1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (ADG*, WAFCA, SDFCS, LVFCS)
2. The Dark Knight (ADG*, PFCS, LAFCA***)
3. Synecdoche, New York (LAFCA)

Costume Design
1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (LVFCS)
2. The Duchess (PFCS)

-----

How It’s Shaping Up:

Nine Nominations
The Dark Knight - Picture, Director, S. Actor, Screenplay, Score, Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Visual Effects, Art Direction

Eight Nominations
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Picture, Director, Screenplay, Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design

Seven Nominations
Slumdog Millionaire - Picture, Director, Screenplay, Score, Editing, Sound Mixing, Cinematography

Six Nominations
Wall-E - Picture, Screenplay, Animated, Score, Sound Mixing, Song

Five Nominations
Milk - Picture, Director, Actor, S. Actor, Screenplay

Four Nominations
Doubt - Actress, S. Actor, S. Actress, Screenplay
Happy-Go-Lucky - Director, Actress, S. Actor, Screenplay
The Wrestler - Actor, S. Actress, Screenplay, Song

Three Nominations
Frost/Nixon - Actor, Screenplay, Editing

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Which...is what...the animators did, chieftain. Sure, Stanton gave them detailed notes of what he wanted, and probably even did some of the animation himself, but it's not the same at all.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

ACE (Editing) Nominees announced. It's the same group of 5 we've seen for the other big guild nominations: Button, The Dark Knight, Milk, Slumdog, Frost/Nixon. Something has to come in and take out one of these films for Best Picture. I think the film that could get replaced is Frost/Nixon. I know it's getting plenty of nominations from critics, etc, but is it generating any buzz at all? I'm hoping something like The Wrestler, Doubt, or even Gran Torino can sneak in and knock it out. I haven't seen F/N, but I would like at least 1 surprise on Nomination Day.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

In Bruges - Ralph Fiennes, Supporting Actor

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Now that's more like it. My list would have

In Bruges- Ralph Fiennes, Supporting Actor

The Fall- Colin Watkinson, Cinematography (frankly he should have had this in the bag rather than be an underdog)

Let the Right One In- Hoyte van Hoytema, Best Cinematography

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, Best Documentary (why didn't the Academy put this on their short list? Best of the year, IMO, or at least a photo finish behind Man on Wire)

Hellboy II: The Golden Army- Pretty much all technical awards (it's a Del Toro movie; until Ben Button came along no one came close to this)

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

‘Gomorrah’ snubbed as Foreign Oscar Shortlist Announced

Variety announces The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has whittled down its foreign-language contenders to nine semi-finalists. The five nominees will be announced, along with other categories, on Jan. 22.

Austria, “Revanche” (Gotz Spielmann, director)
Canada, “The Necessities of Life” (Benoit Pilon, director)
France, “The Class” (Laurent Cantet, director)
Germany, “The Baader Meinhof Complex” (Uli Edel, director)
Israel, “Waltz with Bashir” (Ari Folman, director)
Japan, “Departures” (Yojiro Takita, director)
Mexico, “Tear This Heart Out” (Roberto Sneider, director)
Sweden, “Everlasting Moments” (Jan Troell, director)
Turkey, “3 Monkeys” (Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director)

No Gomorrah? Really? It’s one of the highest-rated foreign films of the year, and aside from Let The Right One In, my favorite.

What do you think of the shortlist?