# Too early for Oscar speculation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2002, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-for-oscar-speculation/140687 "2002-12-05T14:05:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-for-oscar-speculation/140687/1 "2002-12-05T14:05:50Z")
I know a couple of possible contenders have not been released yet, but I’m starting to think about the Oscars™ and what might be nominated for Best Picture. Here’s my short list: Gangs of New York LOTR: TTT Minority Report Moonlight Mile Far from Heaven Signs Punch Drunk Love Swept Away (just kidding!) Any thoughts? P.S. Does anybody think “Bowling for Columbine” has a ghost of a chance at getting nominated for Best Documentary? How about “The Kid Stays in the Picture”? ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-for-oscar-speculation/140687/2 "2002-12-05T15:06:13Z")
Have you seen Gangs of New York? Ditto LOTR2? ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-for-oscar-speculation/140687/3 "2002-12-05T15:09:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by h.sapiens \* > **Signs** Oh, I don’t know about this one. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-for-oscar-speculation/140687/4 "2002-12-05T15:12:09Z")
I definitely agree with **Minority Report**. It should be a candidate for Best Picture, and for Tom Cruise as Best Actor, and for Best Adapted Screenplay. However, a couple of strikes against it: It was released in the summer The Academy has a poor history of honoring sci fi movies I’m sure it will have some nominations in the Visual and Special Effects categories, though. When is this one coming out on DVD? Surely in time for Academy voters to look at it again… ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-for-oscar-speculation/140687/5 "2002-12-05T15:45:32Z")
**stolichnaya** , no, I haven’t seen either of those. I’m not really talking about what I think deserves to be nominated, just speculating on which movies are likely to attract votes. The amount of talk alone makes me think these might make it (although a lot of the speculation on Gangs of New York is not great, considering how often it’s release was delayed). ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-for-oscar-speculation/140687/6 "2002-12-05T16:36:00Z")
I just get cranky when I hear about studios pushing films for oscar consideration _before they’re even released_. Saw an interesting interview w/ Peter Jackson on Charlie Rose the other night, he claims that he won’t be partaking in any oscar schmoozing this time around. I wish it really was 500 people deciding what movies they liked instead of a parade of pushing. I’ve only seen a few that I think are worth it: Minority Report My Big Fat Greek Wedding Bowling for Columbine (Documentary) Still gotta see: Punch Drunk Love Far From Heaven Auto Focus Y Tu Mama Tambien among others ---
**Author:** ![deathawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@deathawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deathawk)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-for-oscar-speculation/140687/7 "2002-12-05T17:35:18Z")
Pacino in _Insomnia_ got a lot of buzz at the time & I still see the performance referenced in reviews when best actor is discussed. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-for-oscar-speculation/140687/8 "2002-12-05T18:13:21Z")
I haven’t seen _8 Mile_, but I’ve seen from oddly glowing reviews (especially from _Entertainment Weekly_). Is _8 Mile_ actually an Oscar-caliber film?