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Author Topic: Announcing the 81st Oscar Nominations Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 01-24-2009 04:02 PM                    And Chris Nolan didn't do an absolutely fantastic job directing (and helping to write and produce) Dark Knight? The Oscars ratings are important if the goal is to introduce the movie watching world to new talent (and clearly it is because they re-release the movies at Oscar time). But guess what... no one will be watching, because no one cares about the movies being showcased. Isn't "Best Supporting Actor" one of the first categories presented? Well, after they give the award to Ledger my prediction is that everyone will turn the Oscars off and pop in their DVD of The Dark Knight.  |  IP: Logged Claude S. Ayakawa Film God Posts: 2738 From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 01-24-2009 04:23 PM                        There was a time when the Oscar announcement was something I used to look forward to but not anymore because I have not seen any of the movies with the exception of the Batman film because I seldom see movies in theatres anymore. I do intend to watch the telecast however because by that time, I might have seen more of the nominated films on Blue-Ray and DVD at home. -Claude  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-24-2009 05:44 PM                        I haven't sat through an Oscar-cast in at least 20 years. If I watch it at all, it's on tape or DVD-R so I can fast forward thru the songs, production numbers, acceptance speeches for categories I don't care about (which is most of them) and of course commercials. I can usually get through the whole show in about 45 minutes.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-24-2009 05:52 PM                     quote: Mark Ogden The Oscars are members of the Motion Picture Academy deciding amongst themselves what is the best they saw in a given year, TV ratings be dammed. Thank God, too, or else a lot of fine films and performances would go unrecognized because of their lack of mainstream appeal. AMPAS has little credibility in that regard anymore. And that is reflected in the often strange nomination choices in certain key categories like Best Picture. The Oscars are tainted by Hollywood industry politics and general favoritism. And all the ad campaigns run in trades like Variety just reduce the credibility even further. I generally have liked the movies of David Fincher, but I don't think The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is worth all those nominations, particularly the one in the Best Picture category. But it was easy to predict this movie would gain a lot of nominations anyway for the people involved with the project. Brad Pitt and David Fincher are major industry veterans who've put in enough time to win some acknowledgment. It's no secret the Academy often gifts out Oscars more as career achievement awards than something from a specific movie. The last two Best Picture winners, No Country For Old Men and The Departed are good movies, but they're far from the best work of the Coen Brothers and Martin Scorsese. Scorsese should have won an Oscar for Raging Bull, but it was Robert Redford's turn to have his career honored in 1980. The choices made in who gets honored in a movie awards system, be it the Golden Globes, the Academy Awards, etc. is all very subjective. The conclusions made can be disputed. Unfortunately, the Academy is not consistent in its choices. In the end, I believe the choices made by various critics circles as well as the Golden Tomato Awards from Rotten Tomatoes carry a much greater level of credibility. They may not have the pageantry of the Oscars, but their judgments make more sense.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-24-2009 08:21 PM                        Maybe there ought to be a Rotten Tomatoes TV show. Nobody would watch it though, because everyone would know the results before it aired.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-24-2009 08:48 PM                     I think such a show would still be interesting. The Golden Tomatoes has numerous separate categories to honor the best in major studio releases, independent releases, animation, etc. Unlike the Oscars, the Golden Tomatoes awards also has its "moldy" category to point out the worst films of the year. That can be a laugh riot.  |  IP: Logged Julie Lucero Film Handler Posts: 37 From: Valencia, California, USA Registered: Sep 2008 posted 01-25-2009 08:51 PM                     I was surprised there weren't more nominations for Baz Luhrmann's AUSTRALIA. quote: Tyler Potts Is Robert Downey Jr.'s nomination for best supporting actor in Tropic Thunder just meant to be something to get attention? No, it's meant to remind us that the Academy voters know a good performance when they see one!  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 01-25-2009 09:03 PM                    ...and on rare occasions, and especially if the role itself sparks controversy - no matter how trivial, they will recognize it.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 01-25-2009 11:09 PM                     Why is it that these marathon shows will only show a 20-30 second clip of a 2 hour movie that is nominated, but then force us to sit through the EVERY NOMINATED SONG IN ITS ENTIRETY? If they are going to show us 1/200th of the nominated movie, why can't we see 1/200th of the nominated songs performed? I mean, that's only fair...and would greatly improve the show.  |  IP: Logged Mark Strube Master Film Handler Posts: 322 From: Milwaukee, WI, United States Registered: Feb 2007 posted 01-26-2009 12:27 AM                        And then to top it off, they have a strict time limit on the speeches before they get shuttled off the stage by music. The whole reason this ridiculous ceremony exists is to present these awards, yet they can't even allow the winners to talk for more than a minute or so. Regarding the nominees, I liked Dark Knight a lot, however I feel it's hugely overrated, just like Heath Ledger's performance. By the end of the movie I felt like I had sat through a 3 hour lecture on the deeper meaning of good and evil. WE GET IT! That said - I would've rather seen Dark Knight nominated than Ben Button. That one surprised me. I would've genuinely liked to have seen Nolan nominated for best director also. Having the director nominations exactly the same as the picture nominations is redundant and silly.  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 01-26-2009 02:18 AM                        I have seen almost all of the top films nominated for Oscars this year, as well as some of the contenders. The only films with nominations in the top categories I haven't seen are Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Frozen River, Rachel Getting Married, and Kung Fu Panda. I honestly think the Academy mostly got it right. Best Actor An argument could be made that Leonardo DeCaprio got snubbed, but I don't think any of the 5 nominated actors are any less worthy. Supporting Actor I wasn't impressed by Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road and I think Robert Downey Jr's nomination for Tropic Thunder borders on ridiculous. But there isn't a performance that immediately jumps to mind as having been snubbed - maybe Ralph Fiennes in The Duchess (which I haven't seen) or The Reader. Best Actress I haven't seen two of the performances, but Angelina, Meryl, and Kate were all very deserving. Although it's not getting much buzz, I actually think Angelina Jolie's performance in Changeling was the best of the year. Kate Winslet could have been nominated for Revolutionary Road as well, but I think The Reader was better. The only other roll that comes to mind as a serious contender is Vera Farmiga in The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas. Supporting Actress I haven't seen Vicky Cristina, but of the other 4, Marissa Tomei was the best by far. Again, no one stands out has having been snubbed. Best Picture Ok, I'll agree that The Dark Knight was certainly worthy of a nomination. In fact, I think it could have won. But none of the 5 nominated films stand out to me as unworthy of a nomination. If I was going to pick the one to toss for Dark Knight it would have been Benjamin Button. Director I think Christopher Nolan not getting nominated was a bigger snub than The Dark Knight not getting nominated for Best Picture. Among the nominated films/directors, I think there very well could be a split between Director and Picture this year. I do think Slumdog will win Best Picture, but director could go to David Fincher. Animated Feature This one isn't even a contest. You could have put any two films in there with Wall*E and it still would be a landslide. Screen Play - Adapted and Original These categories almost seem to be Best Picture consolation prizes. I think Doubt will win Adapted and Original could well go to In Bruges. When it comes to choosing who to nominate, I tend to think they should pick the smaller pictures when it's basically a tie. The Dark Knight received plenty of recognition in the form of mega box office success, but films like The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire, and The Wrestler may not even be seen if not for the Oscar recognition. At the end of the day, I do think this year is a prime example of why Sean Penn is so vocal about not liking awards shows. There are so many strong films in a number of the categories that it's difficult to impossible to say which is really best over the others.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-26-2009 09:22 AM                        I think they should only give the Animated Feature award every three years. That way it would be a real contest. The only time in recent memory it's even been interesting is the year the original Shrek won.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 01-26-2009 09:40 AM                     The real problem is there is too many awards shows happening.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-26-2009 10:27 AM                     I agree. The various awards shows do a lot to telegraph what will happen during the Oscars show. There are some exceptions, but generally the Screen Actors Guild and Director's Guild run pretty consistent with the Oscar results since so many SAG and DGA members are also AMPAS members too. By the time the Oscars telecast airs there is an anti-climactic feel about it. You know what's going to happen. Moving the awards show up a few weeks earlier doesn't seem to change any of that.  |  IP: Logged Joe Tommassello Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 547 From: Coatesville, PA, USA Registered: Jan 2008 posted 02-06-2009 04:55 PM                  quote: Scorsese should have won an Oscar for Raging Bull, but it was Robert Redford's turn to have his career honored in 1980. I think many here would agree this happened to Scorsese twice. He should have won for Goodfellas too but it wasn't nearly as politically-correct as Dances With Wolves.  |  IP: Logged

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