The Academy Award nominees were announced at the crack of dawn, but it wasn't worth me waking up that early to see. He's a rundown of the top categories, in case you didn't both either - and fuck all the technical awards and Best Song...who needs another Randy Newman song?They expanded the Best Film filed to 10, because there wasn't enough trouble picking a decent film or two out of the pack.
• Avatar
Best Visual Effects? Best Sound Design? Sure. Best Picture? More like best looking. Plenty of hype, not enough substance. Blue cat-monkeys should not win in a just world.
• Up In The Air
One of my favorites, but the lack of the Hollywood happy ending could turn off voters. This film could either steal a bunch of awards or get none.
• Inglourious Basterds
One of Tarantino's better films, especially after the mess that was Death Proof, but his infant-terrible genre-busting style in the eyes of older Hollywood may effect his chances, even though he's brilliant at it.
• The Hurt Locker
I enjoyed it when I saw it but don't know that it really supported the hype around it. I never felt too much tension, but maybe that's because The Kingdom, Three Kings, Generation Kill, Jarhead all did the Gulf War / Middle East already.
• Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Fuck this movie. The name alone makes me want to push Precious down a flight of stairs. Plus I don't want to see a depressing movie about a double teen mother who is molested and abused. It's supposed to be uplifting because she chooses not to lay down in traffic since her life is shit? Typical woe-is-me Oscar fare made for the sympathy vote. Pass.
• Invictus
I thought Clint Eastwood said he done making films...guess not. Hooray for the Bad News Bears of rugby!
• Up
Disney made a pretty adult movie, but by allowing it to be entered in this category they lose a near sure-thing win in the Best Animated Film group. And while they do a great job making more out of the film that what they give you in the preview, it's hardly the best film this year.
• District 9
Another favorite film of the year, which was far more effective in it's humans vs. aliens message (read: not clunky or tired) like that other one. Science fiction that goes outside it's genre and add more is a real treat, but this is one of those outliers that is only here because of the expanded range.
• An Education
A movie about a bright eyed young, girl who ends up in a questionable affiar with a sketchy older man? I lived it better when it was called Dirty Little Schoolgirl Stories 2.
• The Hangover
And this is what happens when you get nearly a dozen films to pick from come Oscar time. It was funny and a good 120 minutes of cursing and schadenfreude, but in what world is this raunchy comedy amongst the year's best?
Film Drunk said, "Do we really need a Best Picture and a Best Director award? It’s kind of like having a cleanest pipes and a best plumber award. Making a best picture is kind of the director’s job." That's true...and at least the noms match.• Avatar - James Cameron
Will Cameron succeed where Robert Zemeckis fails year after year with his motion capture? Should he? Credit him with quite a feat to create the film, but is credit due there or for the SFX department? And let's not forget the Sam Worthington and Michelle Rodriguez, who he was unable to direct them into acting well.
• The Hurt Locker - Kathryn Bigelow
She made the terrific Near Dark in the late 80's, as well as Strange Days and Point Break. Plus Cameron is her ex, so that would be awesome if she won. And she is fine for being nearly 60!
• Inglourious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino
Q is one of my favorites and he's never had the Academy give him love beyond the well deserved Screenplay statue (w/ Roger Avery) for Pulp Fiction. Sadly, I don't know if this will get it for him. He tends to get director's accolades with the hipper festival judges.
• Up In The Air - Jason Reitman
Thank You For Smoking was a good debut, but then he did Juno, so he should be punished for at least another three or four films. And everything he does gets a nom, which I think is more about his ability to pick unique material. And it doesn't hurt that dad is producer / director Ivan Reitman.
• Precious - Lee Daniels
Still going to go with "fuck you" on this one.
If I only saw two of the movies with the Best Actors in them, should I comment. Of course.
• Jeff Bridges - (Crazy Heart)
He's The Dude, Starman, Flynn from Tron, he fought Iron Man, he helped battle The Fisher King...the guy is awesome. I don't know if I'll see this film but I'm sure he was good.
• George Clooney - (Up In The Air)
Always enjoyable to watch on screen, but should he get an award for basically playing himself?
• Morgan Freeman - (Invictus)
I don't know why he gets nominations...it's not that he's bad, it's just he pretty much plays the same guy every time. Never mind these roles - it only a change of costume that sets these performances apart. You likeable old black man.
• Colin Firth - (A Single Man)
I confuse him with those other limeys, like Colm Meaney. They all do a bunch of Mechant Ivory movies and then appear in crappy romantic comedies as the safe, straight boyfriend who the heroine ends up leaving for their true love.
• Jeremy Renner - (The Hurt Locker)
He's like Bradley Cooper, with less swarm and more psycho. Sure, he could win.
What if instead of having the ballots and voting they did a swimsuit competition and made it more like a pageant? I'm not saying that would help determine the Best Actress, but it would make it more lively.• Gabourey Sidibe - (Precious)
Must I repeat myself?
• Sandra Bullock - (The Blind Side)
How'd this get in here? This isn't the Golden Globes, where the television and film are mixed together with comedies and dramas. If you ask Scarlett, her best role was The Proposal.
• Meryl Streep - (Julie And Julia)
A year without Meryl getting a nom is like a camera without film...useless.
• Helen Mirren - (The Last Station)
She's no Kathryn Bigelow, but if you want a taste of a little silver, that's not a bad way to go. Wait, this is a category for acting? She's good too.
• Carey Mulligan - (An Education)
I think that Mulligan is an awful name for a young girl to have. You already lost.
WWTDD said, "Waltz is even more of a lock for this than Ledger was last year. Harrelson better OD immediately." That usually wins the Best Supporting Actor.
• Matt Damon - (Invictus)
He should have won for his part in Team America World Police. And he'll never get a ole as good as that again.
• Woody Harrelson - (The Messenger)
I don't even know what this is about. Is it something religious? I did see his turn in Zombieland. That was an interesting movie, but he's not gonna win anything for that.
• Christopher Plummer - (The Last Station)
Maybe he ought to get it because he's still alive and he's never won one before. Strange that a guy playing the lead would be a supporting actor, but I never claimed to know what the criteria was.
• Stanley Tucci - (The Lovely Bones)Pervs and murderers don't win, unless they're cool like Hannibal Lecter. That he ain't...
• Christoph Waltz - (Inglourious Basterds)
Um...hell yes! What a brilliant turn of villainy. This is his award to lose. But don't.
The Best Supporting Actress is often referred to as the award for the best actress who is not as pretty as the leading actress. This year does have a decent crop of talent, though.
• Mo’nique - (Precious)
Mo'fuck this film, seriously.
• Anna Kendrick - (Up In The Air)
I guess she's her because there was no category for uptight annoying bitch. But if they can expand the Best Picture to 10, who knows...
• Vera Farmiga - (Up In The Air)
It must have been tough to decide to put her in for this for for Orphan. Creepy midget serial killers do tend to overshadow.
• Julianne Moore - (A Single Man)
Freckles already won once, and I don't think that she's nude in this either. A solid actress, but if you don't got full frontal (Short Cuts) or topless (Boogie Nights), I kinda feel like you're limiting yourself.
• Maggie Gyllenhaal - (Crazy Heart)
If you look like Tippy the Turtle, you can't win.
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