The 2009 Academy Award Nominations!

[MrWally]

I don't know if many of you follow the Oscars very closely, but I'm really interested in film and, personally, I was eagerly awaiting for the final list of nominees to be posted.

 

To those interested: http://www.oscar.com/nominees/?pn=nominees

 

My random first thoughts:

 

All in all I am VERY pleased with the decisions. My only real qualm is that The Wrestler wasn't nominated for Best Picture. While I don't believe that it was the best film of the year, I definitely think it's at least worthy of the recognition. However, I was quite excited to see Rourke on the list for Best Actor, as well as Heath Ledger on for Supporting Actor.

 

Both The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Wall-E got quite a few nominations (13 and 6, respectively), which is incredible. I didn't expect that Brad Pitt would get the nomination for Best Actor (I thought he was spectacular, but I didn't think the academy would agree).

 

I'm a bit upset that The Dark Knight was nominated for Film Editing. A few people in the industry that I've talked to have all agreed that the editing was a bit confusing a points, and hindered the storytelling. It wasn't bad, necessarily, but it wasn't necessarily great, either. I don't expect it to win the Award.

 

Benjamin Button better win Best Makeup.

 

Doubt better not win Best Adapted Screenplay. That film is just Oscar Bait. While I haven't seen it (yet, I do want to see it eventually), it's said that the film is virtually a direct stage-to-screen translation. That's nothing special.

 

Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler? I've never seen her in another film (that I can recall), so I don't know about her past experience. She was good, its just odd thinking of a stripper who's nude (or nearly nude) for nearly half of her screen-time as getting a nomination for Supporting Actress. Props to her.

 

Films I still need to see: Doubt, Slumdog Millionaire, Milk.

[Rogue Nine]

I don't care about anything else, but WALL-E damn well better win Best Animated Picture, Best Music and Best Original Song. If it doesn't sweep those then there is no justice in this world.

[Jeff]

I don't care about anything else, but WALL-E damn well better win Best Animated Picture, Best Music and Best Original Song. If it doesn't sweep those then there is no justice in this world.

Exactly what I was thinking. I can't see anything else winning best animated picture, as for the others, I definitely think it should win, but can't claim to have heard the other nominations' scores.

 

I'd also love to see Heath Ledger win best supporting actor.

[Da_man]

Heath Ledger as Supporting Actor, and Wall-E for best animated Picture. That's all I care about. I haven't seen any of the recent movies, which saddens me. I gotta go see Benjamin Button.

[EnderWiggin]

I don't care about anything else, but WALL-E damn well better win Best Animated Picture, Best Music and Best Original Song. If it doesn't sweep those then there is no justice in this world.

 

Damn straight.

 

_EW_

[Commander Obi-Wan]

Hmm....

 

I'm surprised by some of the nominees, but I'm glad to see that Benjamin Button was nominated for quite a few awards. I hope Brad Pitt when best actor, though I'm sure Mickey Rourke will probably win. Still haven't seen The Wrestler, still want to.

 

Though, I fail to see why Cate Blanchette wasn't nominated for Best Actress in Benjamin Button. I thought she was great in it.

 

Benjamin Button definitely deserves Best Picture in my books and I hope In Bruges wins Best Original Screenplay. Glad to see it was nominated for an Oscar. That film is underrated.

 

Heath Ledger definitely deserves to get Best Supporting Actor, though it was nice to see Robert Downey Jr. get nominated as well for his role in Tropic Thunder. He was spectacular in that movie.

[Darth Groovy]

The Academy Awards suck.

 

Reasons:

 

1. Every year somebody has to win...even if all the movies suck that year...

2. Summer blockbusters are always shunned from them. Always.

3. The award usually goes to some independent depressing artsy fartsy foreign film that came out about a month before Oscar season. The Academy loves films like this.

[Pho3nix]

I'm a bit upset that The Dark Knight was nominated for Film Editing. A few people in the industry that I've talked to have all agreed that the editing was a bit confusing a points, and hindered the storytelling. It wasn't bad, necessarily, but it wasn't necessarily great, either. I don't expect it to win the Award.

I think the reason for the nomination was the complexity of the story, I do agree with you on the confusing part though.

[Pie™]

The Academy Awards suck.

 

Reasons:

 

1. Every year somebody has to win...even if all the movies suck that year...

2. Summer blockbusters are always shunned from them. Always.

3. The award usually goes to some independent depressing artsy fartsy foreign film that came out about a month before Oscar season. The Academy loves films like this.

 

It sounds like you need to expand your movie-horizon.

 

 

I think Slumdog Millionaire is going to win the best picture award, and even though I liked The Wrestler more, I still think it would be well-deserved. I haven't seen Benjamin Button yet, but I'll make sure to catch it when it's released here.

As for best actor, I really hope it goes to Mickey Rourke, even though Frank Langella was excellent in Frost/Nixon.

[Rogue15]

The Academy Awards suck.

 

Reasons:

 

1. Every year somebody has to win...even if all the movies suck that year...

2. Summer blockbusters are always shunned from them. Always.

3. The award usually goes to some independent depressing artsy fartsy foreign film that came out about a month before Oscar season. The Academy loves films like this.

 

this.

[IG-64]

I have to agree with Groovy that the Academy Awards do indeed suck. The Oscars are pretty much worthless, and I won't be watching the ceremony, or caring who wins. I have my reasons.

 

 

Oh, and look, here they are:

 

80th: At Worlds End gets 2 nominations: best makeup (lost to La Vie en Rose), and best visual effects (lost to the Golden Compass).

 

78th: Revenge of the Sith gets one nomination (for makeup). Crash wins best picture (I hated that movie).

 

77th: The Passion of the Christ wins neither of its 2 nominations, loses best makeup to Lemony Snicket's a Series of Unfortunate Events.

 

76th: this one gets a slide because Return of the King actually won 11 Oscars including best picture (except Johnny Depp lost best actor in Curse of the Black Pearl to Sean Penn in Mystic River).

 

75th: Chicago wins best picture, art direction, costume design, film editing, and sound mixing over the Pianist and the Two Towers. The Two towers wins sound editing, visual effects, and nothing else; it is not nominated for directing, supporting actor, screenplay, cinematography, costume design, achievement in makeup, original score, or original song. Michael Moore wins something.

 

74th: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is not nominated for adapted screenplay. The Fellowship of the Ring loses most of its nominations (but it got the nominations it should have). The Fellowship of the Ring and Harry Potter lose costume design to Moulin Rouge.

 

73rd: Cast Away doesn't win anything. The Grinch wins something.

 

72nd: The Matrix is not nominated for original screenplay. Toy Story 2 loses original song to Tarzan, is not nominated for anything else (animated feature award didn't exist).

 

70th: The Lost World: Jurassic Park gets one nomination, for visual effects.

 

Other stuff: Beauty and the Beast is the only animated feature to ever be nominated for best picture. John Williams has lost 40 of 45 nominations. Alfred Hitchcock never won best director. Kirk Douglas and Cary Grant never won best actor.

[Pie™]

78th: Revenge of the Sith gets one nomination (for makeup). Crash wins best picture (I hated that movie).

 

70th: The Lost World: Jurassic Park gets one nomination, for visual effects.

 

Defending these movies as Oscar nominees negates you from having any opinions about movies whatsoever. Sorry.

[IG-64]

Defending these movies as Oscar nominees negates you from having any opinions about movies whatsoever. Sorry.

Ah yes, the old, "one opinion negates all of your opinions" trick. Yes, maybe Revenge of the Sith is stretching it, but what was wrong with The Lost World?

 

Plus, I'm doing basically the same thing with them, but I have more firepower.

[Pho3nix]

I have to agree with Groovy that the Academy Awards do indeed suck. The Oscars are pretty much worthless, and I won't be watching the ceremony, or caring who wins. I have my reasons.

Ten points to Gryffindor!

 

And The Lost World is rigorously underrated. I love both Jurassic Park and it's sequel, the third one sucks though.

[Jeff]

Definitely agree with most of what you said IG. The blockbuster-type moves are rarely given consideration over these independent films that are released right around Oscar season. I think the only point I disagree with you on is Toy Story 2 not winning best original song; Phil Collins rocks \m/

[MrWally]

@IG

 

I respect all your opinions. You are entitled to them. Here are mine:

 

First off, I should probably note that I've been raised treating film as art. My father is a photographer and videographer. He's made a living telling stories artistically through film. My eldest brother is a composer who specializes in film-styled soundtracks. My next brother is a screenwriter/director living in Hollywood. That's pretty self-explanatory. I plan on at least taking a shot at acting and screenwriting. Film has pretty much developed who I am, and I take it kind of seriously

 

Okay, you mention LOTR quite a bit. You'll probably use what I'm about to say as fuel for your own argument, but honestly, everyone accepts that Fellowship and Two Towers not receiving as many Oscars was because the Academy was holding out for ROTK. The awards given then were symbols of the entire series' achievement.

 

I've never seen Crash. Didn't really care for At World's End. It was fun and I'd see it again, but it was just entertainment for me, not art.

 

77th: Additionally, I really liked The Passion, but its makeup wasn't really that complex. Just look at pictures of Jim Carrey in Series of Unfortunate Events. The film may have sucked, but his makeup was astounding.

 

75th: Chicago was a fantastic film, technically speaking especially. I really liked the Pianist, but I can see why it lost.

 

74th: That's because it didn't have a very good script, by Hollywood's standards. Also, you're forgetting to look at what did get nominated: Shrek, Fellowship of the Ring, and A Beautiful Mind.

 

73rd: Again, missing details. Castaway is one of my favorite movies, but it's not like it lost to crap. Gladiator was its competition for Actor and sound mixing. Tough call for actor, sound mixing, I can see their decision. Also, the Grinch won makeup. It had NO competition for that year.

 

72nd: Matrix I'll give you. Kind of. I liked the story, but the dialogue is pretty low quality compared to most winners. Also, it's not like it could have beat Sixth Sense, American Beauty, etc.

 

70th: Agree with Pie.

 

 

As for the miscellaneous stuff: John Williams probably was gypped out of a lot of awards, but you have to admit that not EVERYTHING he produces is Oscar-quality. Certainly not 45 things. 5 Oscars is a pretty impressive.

 

Cary Grant received an Honorary Oscar, so don't make it sound like he never got any recognition. It's a shame he never got best actor, but still.

 

As for Hitchcock, he got a lifetime achievement award. THAT'S a big deal. I'd take that over an Oscar any day. Should he have won a few? Probably. But it's not like he went completely disregarded like you made it sound.

[IG-64]

Oh no, what have I gotten myself into.

There's a lot I want to say about each of the examples, but I don't like debates, and I don't want to turn this into one.

I disagree with some of the stuff you said, but for the most part you're right. It's still not gonna change my opinion. Yeah I left out some stuff to get my point across, but the point I was trying to get across is that I've been disappointed just about every year with the Academy's decisions. What I've realized is that the Academy is a group of people with their own opinions, and I believe that they do the things that Groovy listed. Yes a lot of the things I talked about got recognition after the fact, but I guess I just don't like that they do it like that. I don't like separating art from entertainment, as I think they're one in the same. I don't like that something can not get an award because something else was released the same year that's good technically. I also usually don't like the movies that win best picture compared to what could have won. So I guess I'm not going to watch the Academy Awards because I don't care anymore.

 

This is all my opinion. But then all of it is opinion anyway, so that's all that can really be said. I'm not going to debate any further, so I'll have to give you the last word.

[MrWally]

Nah, I'll let you have the last word, haha. You pretty much summed it all up.

 

It really does come down to the fact that it's all opinions. Personally I'm a fan of the Academy Awards because I love film, and I like what the Oscars symbolize. Also, It's nice seeing filmmakers getting rewarded for their art, whether I agree if they're the best or not.

 

And, just trying to explain the whole "lifetime honorary achievement award" thing. Look at Darren Aronofsky. Brilliant, brilliant director. But when you look at his works individually, he's just "better than average." Not "great." But look. He's never put out a bad film. They've all gotten incredible reviews, and critics and fans alike appreciate his work. I don't see him ever getting an Oscar for the type of films that he makes now, but I could easily see him getting a lifetime achievement award in the future.

[TiE23]

The only good movie I saw was Gran Torino the other day, and holy **** I really liked that movie. It's a dramatic, moving, scary, funny, bad ass, sad, violent, mean, and awesome movie... I recommend... I can't stop thinking of it personally.

[Q]

The Academy Awards suck.

 

Reasons:

 

1. Every year somebody has to win...even if all the movies suck that year...

2. Summer blockbusters are always shunned from them. Always.

3. The award usually goes to some independent depressing artsy fartsy foreign film that came out about a month before Oscar season. The Academy loves films like this.

Me 3.

 

There's just no way that I can take the Academy Awards seriously.

[TiE23]

Wally and IG are both totally wrong. Paul Blart: Mall Cop wins at everything, forever. End of discussion!

 

 

Edit: Oh, and a little note: I've seen Doubt twice in play format. Way more interesting that way. It was amazing that I've seen it once, but really weird that I saw it twice.

[Darth Groovy]

Wally and IG are both totally wrong. Paul Blart: Mall Cop wins at everything, forever. End of discussion!

 

 

Well ****, now I HAVE to go see this movie. I WAS going to go see Gran Torino, but now I have to see Mall Cop.

 

We have this discussion at work regularly. Who will play the part of Darth Groovy in GameStop the movie. It HAS to be Kevin James or there is no green light for such a thing.

 

Kevin James in my alter ego. He makes me laugh. He was great on The King Of Queens. He was even greater in Hitch. He was even great in I Now Pronounce you Chuck and Larry, even though that film sucked.

 

Thanks TiE.

 

Also, Glad to see IG posting examples of why the Academy Awards are BS. I think it was great when George C. Scott snubbed the Oscars by having an Indian Women accept his award for Best Actor for Patton and later snubbed the awards.

Scott returned his Oscar for Patton, stating in a letter to the Academy that he didn't feel himself to be in competition with other actors. However, also regarding this second rejection of the Academy Award, Scott famously said elsewhere, "The whole thing is a goddamn meat parade. I don't want any part of it."[

RIP buddeh, you said it better than I ever could!

[Pie™]

Just to throw in my 2 cents, I agree with Wally. I guess it all boils down to what you want from a movie, but I too look at great movies as an artform, not for the entertainment value. I know that sounds very snobby, but I don't see anything wrong with preferring to watch pop-corn flicks either. Special effects awards are for the blockbusters, Best Picture is for works of art. That doesn't mean that I think the Oscar awards are in any way infallible (look at Titanic), but I still don't think big-budget summer-flicks usually deserve any awards.

[Sabretooth]

I agree with Pie on several points (being a fan of artsy-fartsy foreign films myself) in that The Wrestler deserved a Best Picture nomination (Darren Aronofsky as Best Director too, he's awesome >.> ) and that summer blockbusters generally do not deserve awards because they're usually flashy commercial crap with sub-average depth and passable performances.

 

Anyways, my selections:

 

Lead Actor: Mickey Rourke, amazing performance. Sean Penn was also great in Milk, but Rourke wins hands down.

 

Supporting Role: Heath Ledger, nuff said.

 

Animated: WALL-E. Seriously, it doesn't have competition.

 

Art Direction: Dunno, but I'd be shocked if TDK got it.

 

Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire, the visuals were beeyutifull.

 

Directing: Slumdog Millionaire, yay for Danny Boyle

 

Film Editing: Kinda iffy here. Slumdog Millionaire was great, but so was The Dark Knight.

 

Music: Slumdog Millionaire

 

Song: Not sure, I liked all three tracks

 

Sound Editing: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL-E

 

Visual Effects: I haven't seen Benjamin Button, but both TDK and Iron Man left me unimpressed in this department

[IG-64]

Visual Effects: I haven't seen Benjamin Button, but both TDK and Iron Man left me unimpressed in this department

The he only thing that really impressed me (haven't seen Benjamin Button either) was the effects in Wall-E; like the shaders, the atmospherics, and especially the camera effects. It makes me wonder if it wasn't eligible; and if so, then why not? It doesn't say anything in the rules about animated films. I'm guessing it has to be some sort of modification of film? Attack of the Clones was nominated for visual effects, and a lot of the visual effects in that were completely or almost completely animated.

That doesn't mean that I think the Oscar awards are in any way infallible (look at Titanic)

I was going to mention Titanic as well, but I didn't think anyone would agree with me.