It's not that The Reader was a bad movie. It's a good film, but not a great film. The same goes for Button. Good film, but not a great film. Both films felt I'd seen them, been there before. I feel that this year has the lowest best picture yield I've ever seen. I can think of three films right off the top of my head I would replace Slumdog, Reader, and Button with. Are they bad movies, no. But their not great ones. Out of the five the only one I think is deserving of best picture is Milk. And whats bad is that if they were to pick Milk for best picture, it would be for all the wrong reasons and not that it's a great film. Plus is it just me, or wouldn't be just like the Academy to give The Reader best picture because Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella died this last year to honor them.

I don't find that so implausible considering that she wasn't exactly playing with a full deck, as evidenced by her complete lack of tact or understanding in the courtroom.

In any case I feel the film is a total failure, At no point did I feel any sort of chemistry between the two leads, or did I feel I actually knew anything about them, other than the surface details. It's a dramatically dead experience, that failed to connect with me, at any level.

How many couples or family members have been nominated within the same Oscar awards?

For example, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are both nominated for Oscars this year.

Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams were both nominated for Brokeback Mountain. In fact they already had their daughter before the nominations were announced.

The only time the two main characters connected was when it was Fiennes/Winslet and not younger Michael/Winslet

Yeah! Angelina got a nom for her wonderful performance in Changeling. But she was more impressive in A Mighty Heart, and she wasn't even nominated.

Jolie was already a lock, along with Hathaway, Winslet, and Streep. Jolie received nominations from all the major precursors: BAFTA, SAG, GG, Critics Choice, and a Satellite win. Hawkins was snubbed for SAG and BAFTA noms. Hawkins, Leo, and Kristin Scott Thomas were fighting for the 5th spot. So if anyone stole Hawkins' spot, it was Melissa Leo.

You can't compare because they're in different categories. It's like comparing a Best Costume Oscar winner with a Best Actress Oscar winner.

cool!

I don't think The Fall was even seen by many AMPAS members. So you can't say it was snubbed.

I give Slumdog 10/10 - I hope it wins Best Picture.

Changeling is a 9/10 - Could have used more character development, but the actors still added depth to their performances.

Is that a real poster?

It's a comic book cover.

Man, what an honor. "How do we sum up two incredible, legendary careers?" "How about a meaningless statue for a piece of shit exploitative film?"
"Johnson! Put yourself in for a promotion!"

The Wrestler instead of The Reader.

10,000 B.C. was even better than The Reader. Why couldn't they just nominate it for director and actress? There should have been room for The Wrestler or The Dark Knight instead of The REader...

Oh boy.

^yeah that's over the top, don't cha think???

Yeah Toddly, you need to stop.

Way over the top...I'm not a huge fan of The Reader either but I'd still rank it 3.5/5 - whereas 10,000BC barely warranted 1 star in my opinion.

A bad movie is a bad movie - it doesn't matter what kind of genre it is. If you get an overcooked steak at a fancy restaurant (The Reader) or an overcooked steak at a diner (10,000 B.C.), both eateries still suck. I wouldn't say that a bad fancy restaurant is still better than a bad diner? They have found a connection by equally sucking.


I would give The Reader 1 out of 4 stars and I would give 10,000 B.C. 1 and a half stars out of 4, because at least 10,000 B.C. is somewhat unintentionally laughable. There is nothing funny about The Reader of how bad it is. Bad movies can have good scenes of course, but it doesn't make it a good movie. Both movies had some good scenes - The Reader had some exciting court scenes, and 10,000 B.C. had some exciting wooly mammoth scenes...

Furthermore, you couldn't pay me to watch The Reader again. It's painful to think about watching that again. I wouldn't watch it again if someone offered me $50 (For $60, I would). Eventhough 10,000 B.C. sucked, I have no problem with the idea of watching it again.

Over-the-top or not, I don't know how else to explain my hatred to The Reader...

And just because the critics think that The Reader is a good movie, it doesn't make it one. If that were so, then The Dark Knight and The Wrestler would be in that Best Picture list. So there is no common sense to why The Reader is nominated for Best Picture...I personally don't remember being as upset with the Best Picture nominations as this year. I can understand people getting pissed off for a movie like Crash to win Best Picture, but at least Crash didn't prevent some better movie from getting nominated.

you lost me after steak...

Like a lot of people, you're confusing "good" with "like" and "bad" with "hate". One often has little to do with the other.

So, The Reader is last year's Michael Clayton? Except Michael Clayton was pretty good.

Michael Clayton was fucking awesome.