# If We Picked the Oscars **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 23, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807 "2008-02-23T01:05:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/1 "2008-02-23T01:05:51Z")
The rules are simple: If you had a ballot for the Academy Awards, who would you vote for? Please note that you are _not eligible_ to vote in the following categories unless you’ve actually seen **ALL** the films (this is true for the real Oscars, too): Foreign Language Film Documentary Feature Documentary Short Animated Short Live Action Short Otherwise, whether you’ve seen some, all, or none, go ahead and put down who you’d vote for. [Here](http://www.oscar.com/nominees/) are the list of nominees. No write-ins allowed. My votes: PICTURE: _There Will Be Blood_ ACTOR: Daniel Day-Lewis, _There Will Be Blood_ ACTRESS: Julie Christie, _Away From Her_ SUPPORTING ACTOR: Javier Bardem, _No Country for Old Men_ SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Tilda Swinton, _Michael Clayton_ DIRECTOR: Joel & Ethan Coen, _No Country for Old Men_ ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: _The Savages_ ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: _There Will Be Blood_ CINEMATOGRAPHY: _The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford_ ART DIRECTION: _There Will Be Blood_ EDITING: _Into the Wild_ COSTUME DESIGN: _La Vie en Rose_ ORIGINAL SCORE: _Michael Clayton_ ORIGINAL SONG: “Falling Slowly”, _Once_ SOUND MIXING: _No Country for Old Men_ SOUND EDITING: _There Will Be Blood_ VISUAL EFFECTS: _Transformers_ MAKE UP: _La Vie en Rose_ ANIMATED FEATURE: _Persepolis_ ANIMATED SHORT: _Peter and the Wolf_\* FINAL TALLY: 5: _There Will Be Blood_ 3: _No Country for Old Men_ 2: _La Vie en Rose, Michael Clayton_ 1: _The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Away From Her, Into the Wild, Once, Persepolis, The Savages, Transformers_ So, how would you vote? \*Yes, I’ve seen all 5 of these ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/2 "2008-02-23T01:28:03Z")
Personal choices and not what I think will win? Alright! Mine’s very similar to yours, with just a few changes. PICTURE: **There Will Be Blood** ACTOR: Daniel Day-Lewis, **There Will Be Blood** ACTRESS: Laura Linney, **The Savages** SUPPORTING ACTOR: Javier Bardem, **No Country for Old Men** SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Tilda Swinton, **Michael Clayton** DIRECTOR: Joel & Ethan Coen, **No Country for Old Men** ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: **The Savages** - Tamara Jenkins ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: **There Will Be Blood** - Paul Thomas Anderson CINEMATOGRAPHY: **The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford** - Roger Deakins ART DIRECTION: **There Will Be Blood** - Art Direction: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson EDITING: **No Country For Old Men** - “Roderick Jaynes” (Ethan Coen and Joel Coen) COSTUME DESIGN: **Across The Universe** - Albert Wolsky ORIGINAL SCORE: **3:10 To Yuma** - Marco Beltrami ORIGINAL SONG: “Falling Slowly” - **Once** SOUND MIXING: **No Country for Old Men** SOUND EDITING: **There Will Be Blood** VISUAL EFFECTS: **Transformers** MAKE UP: **La Vie en Rose** ANIMATED FEATURE: **Persepolis** ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/3 "2008-02-23T01:30:34Z")
PICTURE: No Country for Old Men ACTOR: George Clooney, Michael Clayton ACTRESS: Ellen Page, Juno SUPPORTING ACTOR: Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone DIRECTOR: Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Lars and the Real Girl ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: No Country for Old Men CINEMATOGRAPHY: There Will Be Blood ART DIRECTION: Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street EDITING: Into the Wild COSTUME DESIGN: Elizabeth: The Golden Age ORIGINAL SCORE: Michael Clayton ORIGINAL SONG: – SOUND MIXING: Ratatouille SOUND EDITING: No Country for Old Men VISUAL EFFECTS: Transformers MAKE UP: La Vie en Rose ANIMATED FEATURE: Persepolis ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/4 "2008-02-23T01:33:13Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] No write-ins allowed. [/QUOTE] Now that’s just mean. You knew I would write in Greenwood and then post, but then re-read your OP and notice that, and have to edit it out, didn’t you? Didn’t you? Bitch. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/5 "2008-02-23T01:39:47Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] SOUND EDITING: _There Will Be Blood_ [/QUOTE] I’m pretty much boycotting any such tallies because _Hot Fuzz_ didn’t get a nomination for sound editing. Personally, I can’t think of another movie with such astonishing sound editing, so the fact that it was overlooked entirely just emphasizes what we already know, that the Oscars are pretty much worthless as a real index of a movie’s quality. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/6 "2008-02-23T01:40:28Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] ORIGINAL SCORE: _Michael Clayton_ [/QUOTE] I was glad to see that. So many people have been bitching about Michael Clayton’s nominations but every one of them was deserved, even the score. I’m not really one to notice music in a film (unless it’s by Jonny Greenwood) so I didn’t remember the music, but when I saw Michael Clayton again after the nominations I paid particular attention to the music and it was very very good. Everything about that movie is good. I don’t really think it will win any Oscars (except possibly Tilda), but I’m glad it was recognized with nominations. I only chose **3:10 to Yuma** on my ballot because I wanted to see it win _something_. Otherwise I would have chosen Clayton too. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/7 "2008-02-23T01:45:15Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] I’m pretty much boycotting any such tallies because _Hot Fuzz_ didn’t get a nomination for sound editing. Personally, I can’t think of another movie with such astonishing sound editing, so the fact that it was overlooked entirely just emphasizes what we already know, that the Oscars are pretty much worthless as a real index of a movie’s quality. [/QUOTE] :rolleyes: not at Hot Fuzz, but the last sentence. How do you know it was even submitted for consideration? Or that it didn’t come in 6th on the nomination balloting? And “we” don’t know any such thing. In a year when the two actual best movies actually got the most nominations, THIS year, more than most, the Oscars are pretty much definitely an index of a movie’s quality. GAH, I hate those kinds of blanket statements. Edit to add, also the Sound Editors themselves choose the nominations, not the Academy at large, so their choices were informed opinions. Your opinion is not. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/8 "2008-02-23T01:49:45Z")
[QUOTE=Equipoise] THIS year, more than most, the Oscars are pretty much definitely an index of a movie’s quality. [/QUOTE] Not without \*Into the Wild \* on the list. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/9 "2008-02-23T01:55:18Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Not without \*Into the Wild \* on the list. 🙂 [/QUOTE] There again, it might have come in 6th on the nomination list. In fact I’ll bet it did. It’s well-loved in Hollywood. The fact that it missed a nomination was a real surprise after all the precursors. I’ll bet the same thing happened with Sean Penn. I don’t think it was a snub as much as a It Just Barely Missed. I would rather have seen ITW there instead of Juno, and Penn instead of Reitman, but what can you do? I was mainly talking about No Country and TWBB both getting 8 nominations, not Juno’s bizarre inclusion. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/10 "2008-02-23T01:57:15Z")
I’m OK with _Juno_. It’s _Atonement_ that doesn’t belong, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/11 "2008-02-23T01:57:44Z")
[QUOTE=Equipoise] :rolleyes: not at Hot Fuzz, but the last sentence. How do you know it was even submitted for consideration? Or that it didn’t come in 6th on the nomination balloting? And “we” don’t know any such thing. In a year when the two actual best movies actually got the most nominations, THIS year, more than most, the Oscars are pretty much definitely an index of a movie’s quality. GAH, I hate those kinds of blanket statements. [/QUOTE] I work peripherally with Sound Mixers and Editors (including–full disclosure–the _TWBB_ nominee) and directly with audio elements, so I will be the first to admit that, as much as I may know about film–decades of watching, working in the industry, academic degrees, etc.–there are a couple of disciplines where I am going to defer to people who actually know the field inside and out. First and foremost would be the Sound branch (because of the sheer level of sophistication and nuance involved). Remember, it’s not actors who pick the final slate, but people who’ve been working with aural material for their entire professional lives. Yes, there will always be dubious nominees, and it often does seem that “Better=Louder” is an operating rule to some of them (though I find this is more often true for the eventual winners, who are picked by the entire Academy). And I’m not going to question the possibility that it can be as insular and political a group as any other. But overall, I find other branches are often much more suspect and prejudicial in their tastes and choices, so a missing film here or there–especially in a field that actually includes the remarkable work of _NC4OM_ & _TWBB_–is not going to get me in too big a tizzy. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/12 "2008-02-23T02:02:18Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Not without \*Into the Wild \* on the list. 🙂 [/QUOTE] I actually don’t think that one deserved to be nominated for anything (especially musical score). Maybe Best Actor, but I didn’t even think the lead was that special. I also didn’t see what was so great about Ellen Page’s performance - or _Juno_ in general, really; it seemed like a slightly above-average chick flick. But then, I identified most with Jason Bateman’s character in that, so maybe there’s something wrong with me. I’d vote for _No Country_ for Best Picture, and Javier for Best Supporting Actor, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a _There Will Be Blood_ sweep. It would be interesting to see the Coens get an Oscar for Best Director, though - maybe the Academy will throw them a bone while still not giving them Best Picture, but it seems unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/13 "2008-02-23T02:05:23Z")
[QUOTE=Equipoise] I was glad to see that. So many people have been bitching about Michael Clayton’s nominations but every one of them was deserved, even the score. I’m not really one to notice music in a film (unless it’s by Jonny Greenwood) so I didn’t remember the music, but when I saw Michael Clayton again after the nominations I paid particular attention to the music and it was very very good. Everything about that movie is good. I don’t really think it will win any Oscars (except possibly Tilda), but I’m glad it was recognized with nominations. I only chose **3:10 to Yuma** on my ballot because I wanted to see it win _something_. Otherwise I would have chosen Clayton too. [/QUOTE] This is James Newton Howard’s 7th nomination, and he wasn’t even on the ballot for his terrific work on _Unbreakable, Lady in the Water_ or _Peter Pan_. Some of his work is more anthemic, but some, like _Clayton_ (or _The Fugitive_) is surprisingly subtle, and repeated viewings do indeed bring out the invisible quality of his work. With Greenwood out of the running, this is good a year as any to give it to him… ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/14 "2008-02-23T02:41:19Z")
Sorry; I guess that counts as thread shitting, so I apologize for the negative hijack. It just seems like this year’s Oscar list is no different from previous years’: full of more oversights than substance. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/15 "2008-02-23T02:51:18Z")
Well, I’d argue they got more right than usual, so nitpicking the woulda-shouldas is overshadowed, for me, by the prospect of some well-deserving candidates actually being not only in the running, but even as favorites. And I never look at the Oscars as BEST but as REALLY GOOD. If someone Really Good wins, I’m not going to complain that my “Best” didn’t correspond with theirs. So, since you’re a guy never lacking of opinions–who would you vote for (knowing that you don’t have to vote in every category if a slate is particularly objectionable to you)? ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-picked-the-oscars/438807/16 "2008-02-23T06:38:39Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] It just seems like this year’s Oscar list is no different from previous years’: full of more oversights than substance. [/QUOTE] You haven’t even seen the frontrunners! I know you haven’t seen There Will Be Blood, No Country For Old Men or even Atonement, so how would you know what’s lacking in substance? God, you haven’t even seen some of the oversights. I know you haven’t seen The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead, Lars and the Real Girl, Persepolis, The Savages, Margot At The Wedding, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, Juno, Away From Her, Control, Charlie Wilson’s War, Lust, Caution, or The Kite Runner. Maybe you saw Ratatouille, Gone Baby Gone, Eastern Promises and Into The Wild, I don’t know. The only ones I know you’ve seen are Michael Clayton, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, La Vie En Rose and Sweeney Todd. And yet you have an opinion that this year’s Oscars have no substance. Give me a break.