[refraining from commentary in hopes of being the first to post the Thread!!!]
B. Picture: The Incredibles was robbed. F-911 was robbed. Passion was robbed.
I did make the call though - Eternal Sunshine is going to be the big “overlooked” movie this year. Though I can’t see a single nom for Kinsey, either (oops, there’s a B. Sup. Actress nom for it).
The Aviator has 11 nominations… look as if this will be Scorcese’s year. (Finally!)
I haven’t seen a single nominated film or performance in any category. I don’t believe that’s ever happened before.
Oh wait, I see Spider-Man 2 has some FX nominations and I did see that.
Right now I’ll just focus on what was nominated. I’ll need to really review the year before I’m ready to complain about films that were overlooked.
The only nomination the Ray deserves is Best Actor for Jamie Foxx. That was such an unimaginative by-the-numbers bio-pic. If it weren’t for his performance it would have had nothing going for it. Best Picture? Best Director? Please. At least it wasn’t nominated for Best Screenplay.
I think Foxx will miss out on an award because some will vote for him for Collateral and others for Ray, and the split will ultimately hurt him.
Don Cheadle would be my Best Actor pick, or maybe Clint Eastwood. Johnny and Leo gave fine performances, I’ve got no complaints but they just didn’t effect me very much.
I’m glad to see that Hotel Rwanda got so much recognition- I didn’t think many people saw it (and am worried this may ultimately hurt it’s chances in all catagories).
Supporting Actor: Me wants Clive Owen, I’d be happy with Thomas Hayden Church.
Actress: I’m now kicking myself for not seeing Maria Full of Grace or Being Julia. Imelda Staunton was excellent. I loved Kate Winslet but just don’t think the role was all that demanding (considering what she’s capable of). Hilary Swank’s beautiful performance somehow came just short of wowing me (likewise Eastwood in the same film).
Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett or Sophie Okonedo
Direction: I’d give The Aviator a direction award but withhold Best Picture. It was an extremely well crafted film but I wasn’t very effected by it.
Best Picture: Of the films nominated I’d go with Million Dollar Baby but I’m not thrilled by the choices. All very good films but nothing spectacular.
Before Sunset was an adapted screenplay? Adapted from what? Just because it’s a sequel it can’t be an original screenplay? How is that in the adapted screenplay category?
Story of the Weeping Camel was a documentary??? This played so much like a scripted story. In fact there were several “plot points” that the “documentary” crew would have had to have had advance notice of in order to be there to film. I’m very surprised (and a bit skeptical) to see this nominated as a documentary.
Clint Eastwood for Best Actor??! Where did that come from!? And again the Academy shows no love for Jim Carrey. You know, after the ultimate high of last year, I really feel no particular attachment or love for any of the films or performances nominated this time. Hell, I’ve only seen 2 of the BP noms (The Aviator & Finding Neverland). The only film that really grabbed me this year was Phantom of the Opera and I knew there was no chance in hell of that being nominated (though I am pleased it got something at least).
Jamie Foxx was a supporting actor in Collateral? Whodathunkit?
Gibson didn’t campaign for a nom for Passion. And we all know the noms are about the advertising.
Moore wanted F-911 in the Best Pic category not Best Doc category. No way will the Academy give a best pic nod to a doc, at least not one as controversial as this one.
I’m not sure, but I don’t know if an animated movie can be eligible for both Best Animated Feature and Best Picture.
I would have liked Jim Carrey to be nominated. That way it would be surreal because two cast members from “In Living Color” would be nominated. Who would have thought that could happen in a million years circa 1991?
Hard for me to comment on much since the only nominated film I’ve seen is Finding Neverland (good, but not best picture material IMO). But it seems to me it was a bad year for actresses. I’ve only even heard of 2 of those films!!
I’d like to see Scorsese win (I do plan on seeing The Aviator soon), and I think Johnny Depp will win, even tho this performance wasn’t as good as his P of C turn.
Exactly my thought. Just because Tom Cruise was in it, Jamie gets second billing, even though the story was about Foxx’s character. Dumb.
As for Eternal Sunshine, does anyone think the Academy is just tired of nominating Kaufman’s movies? Friggin’ travesty. These awards are a joke nowadays.
It might win for screenplay. Has a shot, anyway.
Best nominations[ul]
[li]Screenplay for Before Sunrise (yeah, the category’s a bit dodgy, but I’m glad it’s in)[/li][li]2 for Motorcycle Diaries and Very Long Engagement in deserving categories[/li][li]James Newton Howard’s score for The Village (the music was as good as the movie was bad; sometimes, it’s a lot harder to nominate a sucky movie in a category it deserves than to nominate a mediocre movie–Ray, Neverland–in a ton of them)[/li][li]Clint for Best Actor. They had plenty of people they could’ve gone with (and I’m sorry to see Giammati miss the cut) with the rationale that he’ll get a Director nod. But he was as good here as he’s ever been (and the only real competition for Foxx at this point).[/li][li]2 for Eternal Sunshine, still the best movie of the year. Sorry it didn’t get more, but it has a good shot in both of these. Here’s hoping…[/ul][/li]
Worst nominations[list]
[li]Jamie Foxx for Collateral. Personally, I think he’s even better here than in Ray, but in no conceivable way is this a supporting role. Uh-uh. And all this does is prevent a more deserving, real supporting role from getting in (like the fantastic Peter Sarsgaard, snubbed for the second year in a row)[/li][li]Alan Alda. Nice guy, not a bad performance, but nowhere near the top 5. Even Alec Baldwin was better in The Aviator[/li][li]Ray & Neverland love. I say 2’s the limit for each. But 11 combined, for such pedestrian (though well-intentioned) enterprises? Ick.[/li]Glad to see some major nods for Hotel Rwanda, but also sorry to see not one craft/technial mention for Sky Captain (Polar Express & I, Robot instead?). And though I’m a big Mike Leigh fan, I found Vera Drake exceptionally overrated, so mixed feelings there.
Still, I think this will be a genuinely up-for-grabs year, with a few front-runners, but a lot of the categories have fairly open fields. So this year will be less predictable than usual, which always makes for some fun.
See you in February!
IIRC, Michael Moore did not submit F911 for the best documentary category, because he was hoping that it could be shown on television before the election, and that would have invalidated it.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was robbed for Best Picture–that’s what you get for coming out so early in the year.
How many times has an actor/actress been nominated in both categories? I know it happened to Sigourney Weaver once in the eighties.
As a former Wings viewer, I never thought I would ever see Thomas Hayden Church nominated for an Academy Award. Lowell? Really? I haven’t seen Sideways so I really have no right to comment, but I’m still surprised.
bienville, Maria Full of Grace is out on DVD, so you’ve got a chance to see it before the end of February. And Ray is coming out on the 1st, for anyone who hasn’t seen it.
The Incredibles had better win Best Animated.
That’s all I’ve got for now.
Again, the “No Balls At All” list is released.
I was really hoping that “Eternal Sunshine” would get it over something. Such a good/creative/different/entertaining movie, with a real interesting lesson attached.
It’s just so much more creative and interesting and original than “Aviator”, though I understand the politics involved.
“Sideways” isn’t even in the same universe.
I have a hard time believing that “Finding Neverland” was as good as “Sunshine”.
2 biopics. . .both good, but totally by the book (as someone else said). I just can’t call them “best picture”. Not that I ever expect the Academy to have any balls but “Goodfellas” or “Raging Bull” should have got it a long time ago. If that had happened, “Eternal” might have got the nod.
Can’t comment on the Clint picture yet, but I plan on seeing it this weekend.
Performers nominated twice, winning the Lead Oscar:
Al Pacino (Scent of a Woman/Glengarry Glen Ross)
Holly Hunter (The Piano/The Firm)
Performers nominated twice, winning the Supporting Oscar:
Fay Bainter (White Banners/Jezebel)
Teresa Wright (The Pride of the Yankees/Mrs. Miniver)
Barry Fitzgerald (Going My Way/Going My Way)
Jessica Lange (Frances/Tootsie)
Performers nominated twice, losing both:
Sigourney Weaver (Gorillas in the Mist/Working Girl)
Emma Thompson ((The Remains of the Day/In the Name of the Father)
Julianne Moore (Far from Heaven/The Hours)
Kinsey was robbed.
Thanks, ArchiveGuy.