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News & ArtsTuesday, February 2, 2010
Film The Best Picture Special Olympics
Posted by David Schmader on Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 10:06 AM
Remember how this is the year the Academy ups the number of Best Picture nominees from five to ten?
Boy does it look weird.
Find a full list of this year's Oscar nominees (Mo'Nique! Gabourey Sibide! Colin Firth! Up! Streep!) here.
1
Yeah, I was thinking they should have maybe gone with 7 or 8 instead of 10. They seemed like they were stretching a bit. At least 2-3 of the nominees don't belong, in my opinion (District 9 and Up were both relatively solid movies but nowhere near "best picture." I didn't see The Blind Side, so I can't really judge but if I had to guess, I'd say it's a stretch too...).
At this point, they should call this category "Movies that didn't Totally Suck This Year."
At this point, they should call this category "Movies that didn't Totally Suck This Year."
2
Avatar does not deserve to be on this list. Let it stay in the Best Special Effects category where it belongs.
3
Ten is about five too many. But it's good for the industry, so who am I to bitch? There will still be only one winner.
7
Avatar was crap, but it'll probably win. It deserves the technical awards, but not director or picture, and it's a very strong contender for both of those.
8
I'm sorry "A Single Man" wasn't nominated. Not that I liked the movie so much, but then there would be at least two instances of Best Picture Nominees whose titles can be combined to still aptly decribe one of them. Sadly, "Up a Single Man" is unavailable, leaving me only with "A Serious Man Up in the Air."
Another game is to think of earlier movie titles that would make clever substitutes for this year's crop. So far all I have is to change "A Single Man" to "Without You I'm Nothing."
I seem to have "A Single Man" on the brain this morning.
Another game is to think of earlier movie titles that would make clever substitutes for this year's crop. So far all I have is to change "A Single Man" to "Without You I'm Nothing."
I seem to have "A Single Man" on the brain this morning.
10
@6: "My Pet Black Person" is exactly how I've felt about that movie since seeing the trailer for it for the first time. I haven't found too many other people though who see it as being as racist as we do, though. I don't get it. Either I'm totally bonkers or everyone else is just as racist as the makers of that movie.
My sister argued with me that because it was based on a true story it can't be racist. Ugh. The poor, illiterate, sad black boy needs the wisdom and spirit of the rich white lady to become a real person. How can that ever be NOT racist?
My sister argued with me that because it was based on a true story it can't be racist. Ugh. The poor, illiterate, sad black boy needs the wisdom and spirit of the rich white lady to become a real person. How can that ever be NOT racist?
11
The big list is dumb.
There will be some serious vote canceling going on, and the Best Picture winner will probably be one that doesn't have a similar genre movie to siphon votes. This will be more an education in gerrymandering than an indication of the best movie.
There will be some serious vote canceling going on, and the Best Picture winner will probably be one that doesn't have a similar genre movie to siphon votes. This will be more an education in gerrymandering than an indication of the best movie.
12
Animated Feature looks to be the strongest category this year:
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
Up.
I haven't seen The Secret of Kells and can't comment on it, but the other contenders would be shoo-ins in any other year. My guess is the winner will be either Up or Fantastic Mr. Fox.
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
Up.
I haven't seen The Secret of Kells and can't comment on it, but the other contenders would be shoo-ins in any other year. My guess is the winner will be either Up or Fantastic Mr. Fox.
15
Well, Fnarf, in order for that statement to have any validity, you'll first need to explain how anything about the industry is actually good for humanity. It's fluff, entertainment, movies. Maybe I'm the only one, but I don't expect them to change the world.
17
Avatar will soon be joining Chicago, Gladiator, and many others in the "wtf were they thinking" category of best picture winners. Personally, I'd like to see Inglourious Basterds win, though I also loved Up and District 9. And I can't believe The Blind Side got nominated for anything. Granted, I haven't actually seen it, but that movie looks like complete shit.
18
It's easy to spot which are the 'real' nominations by matching them against the five director nods.
I think Bullock will win actress with the Erin Brockovich effect, and Bridges will win with the 'don't you have one of these yet? damn...' effect.
And I hope Bigelow wins best director.
I think Bullock will win actress with the Erin Brockovich effect, and Bridges will win with the 'don't you have one of these yet? damn...' effect.
And I hope Bigelow wins best director.
19
16: It's about doubling the number of films that can hype "Best Picture Nominee!" on posters and DVDs covers.
21
Terrible as it is, Blind Side will win Best Picture
The only time the Oscars does not choose the corniest and most patronizing and all around dumb movie is when there isn't an obvious one to select. BS stands alone this time capturing its audience of voters. All of the rest of the nominated movies will divide their potential voters, are too depressing, and/or require too much thinking.
The only time the Oscars does not choose the corniest and most patronizing and all around dumb movie is when there isn't an obvious one to select. BS stands alone this time capturing its audience of voters. All of the rest of the nominated movies will divide their potential voters, are too depressing, and/or require too much thinking.
22
@21, so Avatar is going to win...gotcha. :-(
Actually, I'm currently praying for Sandy to win. And, I hope she wins a Razzie for All About Steve. Actually, that's not so much a hope as a shoe-in, really...
Actually, I'm currently praying for Sandy to win. And, I hope she wins a Razzie for All About Steve. Actually, that's not so much a hope as a shoe-in, really...
23
ten is indeed five too many. "the blind side"? really? ditto for the entertaining but not a best picture nom "bastards".
didn't we all learn after the grammy's this week that these award shows just blow. they mean sooooooo little to anybody who loves movies.
lastly, is it me or does jeff bridges now speak with some kind of southern drawl? lame.
didn't we all learn after the grammy's this week that these award shows just blow. they mean sooooooo little to anybody who loves movies.
lastly, is it me or does jeff bridges now speak with some kind of southern drawl? lame.
24
If they were going rto add 5 pictures, it's too bad they didn't do like the Globes and have a Drama and Comedy category. "The Hangover" was way better than "Avaturd" and comedies generally don't get the respect they deserve. Any actor can tell you good comedy is more difficult than good drama.
25
My only question is: why isn't Avatar on the list for Best Animated film? Sure, there were a few live scenes, but 90% of the movie is computer animated.
26
Public relations ploy. Ratings for the Oscarcast have been scraping bottom. The Academy felt that by including some blockbusters (popular choices) in the best picture category, it would do more to attract the we win! we win! crowd.
Frankly, if I see five worthy nominees in a year, it's a great year for film. And it's a damn shame that Academy voters are so partial. They'll give it to somebody out of sentiment (I thought that was what the Thalberg award was for) or because someone didn't win in a previous year who should have won. Judy Dench was Queen Victoria, but the Academy gives her an award the following year for a 2-minute performance playing QE I. Heath Ledger was dynamite - sheer dynamite - in Brokeback Mountain, but the Academy gives him an Oscar for a Batman film a year later - not to say Heath wasn't great in the Batman film.
I've lost faith, really, in the whole process, and I understand a good chuck of the voters don't even see all of the films or give their ballot to their spouses to fill out.
Frankly, if I see five worthy nominees in a year, it's a great year for film. And it's a damn shame that Academy voters are so partial. They'll give it to somebody out of sentiment (I thought that was what the Thalberg award was for) or because someone didn't win in a previous year who should have won. Judy Dench was Queen Victoria, but the Academy gives her an award the following year for a 2-minute performance playing QE I. Heath Ledger was dynamite - sheer dynamite - in Brokeback Mountain, but the Academy gives him an Oscar for a Batman film a year later - not to say Heath wasn't great in the Batman film.
I've lost faith, really, in the whole process, and I understand a good chuck of the voters don't even see all of the films or give their ballot to their spouses to fill out.
27
Also, in the past (and still) a film only needs to open in Los Angeles before December 31 to qualify for best picture. Sometimes a film will open in LA, but there isn't wide release until later. So, a lot of people in the middle of the country can't see the films nominated until after they are nominated or until after they win an Oscar. Some theater owners used to intentionally hold up leasing films until after a film had won because winning means more box office. People are a tad more sophisticated now, and a nomination usually is enough to draw people in.
A Clockwork Orange and Doctor Zhivago come to mind. Most of the people in the country hadn't even heard of these films until Oscar time. It's hard to root for a film one hasn't seen.
A Clockwork Orange and Doctor Zhivago come to mind. Most of the people in the country hadn't even heard of these films until Oscar time. It's hard to root for a film one hasn't seen.
28
@15, they don't entertain me. There hasn't been a movie in years that interested me in the slightest. If everyone associated with the movies in Hollywood died this afternoon, the average entertainment value of the product would go up. Unless they nailed some TV people by mistake; TV is where 100% of the moving-image value-added takes place today.
29
The Academy used to nominate 10 films for Best Picture back in the 30s--the last year to have that big a field was 1943 according to the Oscars website. I imagine that due to the sagging ratings they wanted to include some films that might have more widespread & marketable appeal. The Blind Side certainly fills that slot.
30
god, i feel alone saying this but "up in the air" sucked. a lot.
i love clooney and that babe female lead but i hated that movie.
i love clooney and that babe female lead but i hated that movie.
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