Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

Slumdog with 10. And Clint Eastwood... 0 for anything I enjoyed Slumdog, though.. waiting for the full list.. I hate the way news outlets are doing this.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, Peneope Cruz, Viola Davis, Marisa Tomei, Raji P Henson

Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin, Robert Downey Jr, Philip Seymour Hodffman, Heath Ledger, Michael Shannon

Best Actress: Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Angelina Jolie (The Changeling), Melissa Leo (Frozen River), Meryl Streep (Doubt), Kate Winslet (The Reader)

Best Actor: Richard Jenkins, Frank Langella, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, Mickey Rourke

Best Director: David Fincher, Ron Howard, Gus Van Sant, Stephen Daldry, Danny Boyle

Best Picture: Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

Benjamin Buttons leads all comers with 13 Noms..

I guess someone liked it far more then I did.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

1. Best Picture: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,""Frost/Nixon,""Milk,""The Reader,""Slumdog Millionaire."

2. Actor: Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"; Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"; Sean Penn, "Milk"; Brad Pitt, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"; Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler."

3. Actress: Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"; Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"; Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"; Meryl Streep, "Doubt"; Kate Winslet, "The Reader."

4. Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin, "Milk"; Robert Downey Jr., "Tropic Thunder"; Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt"; Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"; Michael Shannon, "Revolutionary Road."

5. Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, "Doubt"; Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"; Viola Davis, "Doubt"; Taraji P. Henson, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"; Marisa Tomei, "The Wrestler."

6. Director: David Fincher, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"; Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon"; Gus Van Sant, "Milk"; Stephen Daldry, "The Reader"; Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire."

7. Foreign Film: "The Baader Meinhof Complex," Germany; "The Class," France; "Departures," Japan; "Revanche," Austria; "Waltz With Bashir," Israel.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"; John Patrick Shanley, "Doubt"; Peter Morgan, "Frost/Nixon"; David Hare, "The Reader"; Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire."

9. Original Screenplay: Courtney Hunt, "Frozen River"; Mike Leigh, "Happy-Go-Lucky"; Martin McDonagh, "In Bruges"; Dustin Lance Black, "Milk"; Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter, "WALL-E."

10. Animated Feature Film: "Bolt"; "Kung Fu Panda"; "WALL-E."

11. Art Direction: "Changeling,""The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,""The Dark Knight,""The Duchess,""Revolutionary Road."

12. Cinematography: "Changeling,""The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,""The Dark Knight,""The Reader,""Slumdog Millionaire."

13. Sound Mixing: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,""The Dark Knight,""Slumdog Millionaire,""WALL-E,""Wanted."

14. Sound Editing: "The Dark Knight,""Iron Man,""Slumdog Millionaire,""WALL-E,""Wanted."

15. Original Score: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Alexandre Desplat; "Defiance," James Newton Howard; "Milk," Danny Elfman; "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman; "WALL-E," Thomas Newman.

16. Original Song: "Down to Earth" from "WALL-E," Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman; "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Gulzar; "O Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam.

17. Costume: "Australia,""The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,""The Duchess,""Milk,""Revolutionary Road."

18. Documentary Feature: "The Betrayal (Nerakhoon),""Encounters at the End of the World,""The Garden,""Man on Wire,""Trouble the Water."

19. Documentary (short subject): "The Conscience of Nhem En,""The Final Inch,""Smile Pinki,""The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306."

20. Film Editing: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,""The Dark Knight,""Frost/Nixon,""Milk,""Slumdog Millionaire."

21. Makeup: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,""The Dark Knight,""Hellboy II: The Golden Army."

22. Animated Short Film: "La Maison en Petits Cubes,""Lavatory - Lovestory,""Oktapodi,""Presto,""This Way Up."

23. Live Action Short Film: "Auf der Strecke (On the Line),""Manon on the Asphalt,""New Boy,""The Pig,""Spielzeugland (Toyland)."

24. Visual Effects: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,""The Dark Knight,""Iron Man."

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

I'm just surprised Slumdog had two in the song category, I honestly figured it wasn't in contention there, that Springsteen (The Wrestler) and Eastwood (Gran Torino) would have almost locks there.. that is the category that really surprises me.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

No Let the Right One In for foreign film?

I have no desire to see Benjamin Button. First Fincher film I can say that for. Personally, Wall-E or The Wrestler would have been much more exciting BP noms. As for The Dark Knight, I didn't think as highly of it as most people, so I don't mind it's absence from the category.

I've been wanting to see a few of these films, but most of them haven't been playing around here as of yet, which is unusual. I was excited to see Doubt, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

Nice to see Michael Shannon getting a nomination, though I think he should've been nominated and won for Bug. Haven't seen RR yet.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

Man, no TDK, could almost have seen that coming... but no Gran Torino or Wrestler in best song? I guess having your song play in the credits isn't the way to go.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

Personally, I prefer it this way...and I don't know if that' why these songs weren't nominated. I watched the globes last week and saw Springsteen win. Then this past weekend, I saw "The Wrestler" and when the song didn't play until the credits, my first thoughts were "What a rip-off". That's not a song from the movie any more than a song played during the trailer is.

It will be nice to see Peter Gabriel win an Oscar this year. I thought his song was the best of the year anyway.....and the two Slumdog songs will split the remaining votes.

Re: Oscars 2009 Discussion

It wasn't eligible. I can't remember the reason. I hate the way the Academy handles foreign language films.

The BP noms were pretty easy to pick this year. 4 of the 5 were locks, and the 5th spot went to The Reader which has a lot of buzz lately.

I'm surprised Woody Allen didn't get a screenplay nom. He's been nominated 14 times for screenplay and this was one of his best films of the decade.

Also surprised to see Sally Hawkins missing from the Best Actress category for Happy-Go-Lucky.

Other than Springsteen getting snubbed, there's not a lot of other surprises really. This seems to be one of the most predictable years in a long time.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

I've never been so pleased to be wrong.

When I reviewed The Visitor on Blu-ray last fall, I said that Richard Jenkins' performance was the equal of any that had been nominated for or won a best actor Oscar in the last eight years. I also said it would be overshadowed, come Oscar time, by newer films and flashier performances.

I got the first part right.

Re: 2009 Oscar Nominations Discussion

I love that Downey got nominated for Tropic Thunder as I was concerned he wouldn't be recognized because it was a comedy. Great performance.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

So glad Button received the most noms. Best film of the year for me personally. It connected with me more than any of the others I saw. Kind of disappointed that TDK didn't get a best picture nom as I thought it deserved it. I was really happy to see Downey Jr get a nom for Tropic Thunder. If it wasn't for Heath, he'd be that dark horse everyone would be pulling for on Oscar night.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

The lack of nominations probably does it a favor in the long run. If it had gotten more nominations or even won major awards I think it would have become like Gladiator - a movie more notorious for being overrated and "stealing" awards than for just being an entertaining movie.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

I cannot understand how TDK doesn't get nominated for Best Picture. I am not saying it should win. But, it was a great film.

I read an article with Frank Langella. He is dying to win the award. But, it will probably go to Rourke. Although, the Oscars may be different than the Globes...Springsteen wasn't even nominated for a song that won at the Globes.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

Disappointed the TDK didn't get a BP or Directing nom. It didn't surprise me, but I think it deserved it.

Glad to see In Bruges get an Original Screenplay. It's a great film that I wish had gotten an acting nom.

No Dark Knight score nom? WTF.

Didn't like seeing Forest Gump 2 with so many noms. The more I think about the movie, the more I dislike it. I love Fincher's work but not this one.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

Couple of Surprises for me:
I Can't believe that Revolutionary Road only got one nomination even after Kate Winslets sweep at the Globes (With the Reader winning Supporting Actress and now she is getting Nominated for the same role as Lead Actress. Am I the first to say WTF? I'm COnfused.

Also I'm am in agreement with the Baffling of only three noms for the best song Category with two noms going for Slumdog and No nods going for Bruce, Clint or even an oscar favorite (which means total bore in music terms) John Williams. I gotta hand it to them...maybe they are turning a new leaf with nominating the energetic (albeit sort of reminiscent of the closing bell at wall street) Music from Slumdog.

ANyway...just my two cents and now to the Auto Mechanic!

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

I'm kind of the reverse. I thought, "WTF?" when the Globes put her Reader performance in the supporting category. It's clearly a lead performance.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

I wish TDK had gotten a BP nod as well, just to quiet down its fans (and Ledger's) which are becoming really really tireseome. Good grief.

Seriously, a Director nod was deserved I think. But not BP IMO.

Pleasantly surprised to see Jenkins from the Visitor as well. I've heard zip about the movie early summer, didn't know anyone still cared beside Michael.

The Class (not seen it yet, but HUGE buzz in France) finally shows up on the Foreign Flicks noms (it was missing from the GG)

--
H

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

I think Nolan deserved a nod more than the film. But who cares.

It is very likely going to be Slumdog's year (and that will include Boyle), and that is fine by me.

Thrilled to see RDJ get that nod. It's a masterful performance that only someone very special could pull off.

Also thrilled to see In Bruges get the nom it MOST deserved, though I would have liked an acting nod or two as well.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

I'd read that there was an Oscar campaign being mounted in conjunction with the release of the film on DVD and Blu-ray, but I'll bet it was a quiet one. I'm sure it didn't hurt that Jenkins has had a long and steady career in which he's worked with many Academy members. By all accounts, he's respected and well-liked, but since this was his first ever lead role, it must have seemed like they were discovering a new talent.

The other nominations I'm happy to see are Melissa Leo, who was haunting in Frozen River, and Marisa Tomei, who, for me, was the true standout in The Wrestler.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

I don't think I've been this mad at the Academy since SPR/SIL fiasco.

Surprises:
Richard Jenkins for The Visitor.
Robert Downey Jr. for Tropic Thunder.
No The Dark Knight for Best Picture/Director/Adapted Screenplay.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

The biggest surprise for me this year is that the directing and picture categories actually match.

Not surprised about TDK though. :-)

Biggest disappointment for me the lack of recognition for Gran Torino.

Oh well, can't win them all.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

I'm happy to see Slumdog Millionaire get so many nominations, the only other Best Picture nominee I've seen so far was Benjamin Button, which I didn't like. In Bruges and Iron Man were my favourites last year and I'm glad they haven't been forgotten. And I'm happy to see Mickey Rourke get his nom, best actor of the year.

The Dark Knight got the one nomination it deserved IMO Best Supporting actor, though it would have made my day to see it get a Best Picture nom in place of dreary Benjamin Button.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

Doesn't surprise me either. This is why I will NEVER agree with "The Academy" as a movie like The Reader is nominated for Best Picture over The Dark Knight and its' director gets a nom as well. Ugh.

re: Official 2009 Oscar Discussion

What I'd like to know is how many people who think TDK deserved a Best Picture nomination actually watched more than 10 films last year?

:-)