*** Official 2008 Oscars Nominations List and Forum Discussion Thread (2 Viewers)

[Adam_S]

The more time elapses from having seen No Country for Old Men, the more I like the ending. I think the film will grow on my the way Fargo grew on me and Blood Simple grew on me, I wasn't crazy about either of those films the first time around either.

 

[Robert Crawford]

However, a lot of people don't even know what they saw in the ending as to what does it mean?

 

[Adam_S]

my dissatisfaction with the ending was notwhether or not Llewyllen's wife was killed, that seemed absolutely clear since the first screening that she had been killed (both because he checked his feet, and ultimately because Chigurh has to kill if the subject doesn't choose, offering them the supposed choice of call it is the only way he can prevent himself from killing a subject). Nor was it that he got away--evil can't be eliminated, so Chigurh wasn't going to get comeuppance if the hero had already died (because only the hero can inhume the story's ultimate incarnation of evil). No it was mostly a huge amount of frustration at Llywellyn dying off screen, and the relevance of Tommy Lee Jones' dream to the overall scheme of the film. Both of those things seem less of an issue in retrospect and I really want to see the film again.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Looking at Adam's list, I think it's rather clear why this years awards aren't getting that much attention from the public. AWAY FROM HER and I'M NOT THERE, two possible winners in big categories, have probably made $5 million at the box office in this country. I watched AFH last night and was pretty disappointed. I thought Gordon Pinsent was the heart and soul of the film and had a very difficult role. Christie was good but to me the role was simple. I didn't care for I'm NOT THERE either and feel Cate would get a nomination even if she just smiled at the camera. I personally thought her performance was good but not great.

I guess THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES has finally found its crowd on DVD because I went to 2 Movie Gallery stores, 3 Blockbusters and around 5 Redbox places and all of them have the movie rented out so I probably won't be able to see it until after the show.

I've still got a few films to watch but as of today I'd vote GONE BABY GONE as Best Picture and Sean Penn as Best Director. Of course, neither are really nominated.

 

[Adam_S]

I agree that Gordon Pinssett was much better than Christie, thought I thought Christie was incredible as well. ever since I've seen the film it's boggled my mind that both actors weren't equally pushed by Lionsgate, both are deserving of a nomination.

 

[Patrick Sun]

My guesses as to who will and who should win:

Best Picture
Will Win: No Country for Old Men
Should Win: No Country for Old Men

Best Director
Will win: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Should win: Julian Schnable, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Best Actor
Will win: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Should win: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Best Actress
Will win: Julie Christie, Away From Her
Should win: Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose

Best Supporting Actor
Will win: Javier Barden, No Country for Old Men
Should win: Javier Barden, No Country for Old Men

Best Supporting Actress
Will win: Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
Should win: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone

Best Foreign Film
Will win: Counterfeiters (Austria)
Should win: Counterfeiters (Austria)

Best Original Screenplay
Will win: Diablo Cody, Juno
Should win: Brad Bird, Ratatouille

Best Adapted Screenplay
Will win: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Should win: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Best Animated Feature Film
Will win: Ratatouille
Should win: Ratatouille

Best Art Direction
Will win: Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Should win: Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Best Cinematography
Will win: There Will Be Blood
Should win: There Will Be Blood

Best Makeup
Will win: La Vie en Rose
Should win: La Vie en Rose

Best Costume Design
Will win: Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Should win: Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Best Original Score
Will win: Atonement
Should win: Atonement

Best Original Song
Will win: Falling Slowly - Once
Should win: Falling Slowly - Once

Best Animated Short Film
Will win: I met the Walrus
Should win: I met the Walrus

Best Live Action Short
Will win: Tanghi Argentini
Should win: Tanghi Argentini

Best Film Editing
Will win: No Country for Old Men
Should win: No Country for Old Men

Best Sound Editing
Will win: Transformers
Should win: Transformers

Best Sound Mixing
Will win: Transformers
Should win: Transformers

Best Visual Effects
Will win: Transformers
Should win: Transformers

Best Documentary Short Subject
Will win: Freeheld
Should win: Freeheld

Best Documentary Feature
Will win: No End in Sight
Should win: No End in Sight

 

[Nathan V]

Predictions:

No Country
Coens
Day-Lewis
Christie
Javier
Amy Ryan

Art Dir: Sweeney
Cinem: Blood
Costume: Atonement
Anim: Rat
Ed: No Country
Makeup: La Vie
Score: Atonement
Song: Once
Sound E: No Country
Sound M: No Country
FX: Transformers
Adapted: No Country
Original: Juno
Doc: No End in Sight

I would prefer Blood in more major categories, namely PTA for director and screenplay, but I'm not gonna complain about No Country winning, which is heads and tails above many other BP winners.

I haven't voiced my thoughts on the nominations:

I say switch out Reitman for Wright in director; nominate TAOJJBTCRF for direction, score, and editing; of course, TWBB for score; Washington for Gangster; Diving Bell over Clayton for BP; replace Gilroy with Penn in both writing and direction; nominate Into the Wild for BP, BD, Actor, cinematography, score, and writing.

And call me crazy, but I think American Gangster should be up for (but not win) Director, Actor, Cinematography, and most importantly, writing and editing. The film's pleasures are not derivative but subtly different in ways that make the film, in the end, very different from outwardly similar genre efforts.

I very much like Bourne's 2 noms, TWBB and NCFOM leading, the editing and cinematography noms, Diving Bell's presence, the 2 TAOJJBTCRF noms, Cotillard up for actress, and Saoirse. A good batch of nominations. The fact that movies like TWBB and NCFOM are actually dominating the race is pretty amazing, and cause for celebration. Let's hope votes don't split and let the award go to a much lesser film.

Regards,
Nathan

 

[Michael Elliott]

What happened to all of the hype for Jolie in A MIGHTY HEART? It seemed like she was the favorite all year until the noms were announced. I've had the movie sitting here to watch for a while but put it on hold for now.

My girlfriend and I went out shopping today and I stopped at the same stores again and there's still no sign of JESSE JAMES.

As for tonight's show, I'm curious if NO COUNTRY and THERE WILL will split votes opening the gates for a possible upset. I'm not sure how much support JUNO would have but it seems to be a popular selection right now.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Pretty funny E-cards about the Oscars:

SOME E-CARDS OSCAR SPECTACULAR - FilmDrunk.com

 

[Holadem]

Given the strong showing of French cinema this year among the nominees, the results of the Cesars (French Oscar equiv. last Friday) may be of some relevance tonight:

'Vie en Rose' wins big at Cesars, 'Grain' earns best pic

Académie des César

--
H

 

[Patrick_S]

Best Picture
No Country for Old Men

Best Director
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Best Actress
Julie Christie, Away From Her

Best Supporting Actor
Javier Barden, No Country for Old Men

Best Supporting Actress
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton

Best Foreign Film
Counterfeiters

Best Original Screenplay
Diablo Cody, Juno

Best Adapted Screenplay
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Best Animated Feature Film
Ratatouille

Best Art Direction
Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Best Cinematography
There Will Be Blood

Best Makeup
La Vie en Rose

Best Costume Design
Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Best Original Score
Atonement

Best Original Song
Falling Slowly - Once

Best Animated Short Film
I met the Walrus

Best Live Action Short
Tanghi Argentini

Best Film Editing
No Country for Old Men

Best Sound Editing
Transformers

Best Sound Mixing
Transformers

Best Visual Effects
Transformers

Best Documentary Short Subject
Freeheld

Best Documentary Feature
No End in Sight

 

[Ray H]

I'll post my predictions here:

Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood"

Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men"

Actress
Marion Cotillard in "La Vie en Rose"
Alt: Julie Christie in "Away from Her"

Supporting Actress
Tilda Swinton in "Michael Clayton"
Alt: Ruby Dee in "American Gangster"

Animated Film
"Ratatouille"

Art Direction
"There Will Be Blood"
Alt: "Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

Cinematography
"There Will Be Blood"
Alt: "No Country for Old Men"

Costume Design
"Atonement"
Alt: "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"

Director
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"
Alt: Julian Schnabel, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"

Best Socumentary Feature
"No End in Sight"

Documentary Short
"Freeheld" - Don't know anything about this category, but I thought I'd take a guess

Film Editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum"
Alt: "No Country for Old Men"

Foreign Language Film
"The Counterfeiters" Austria

Makeup
"La Vie en Rose"

Original Score
"Atonement", Dario Marianelli
Alt: "Ratatouille", Michael Giacchino

Original Song
"Falling Slowly" from "Once" Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

Best Picture
"No Country for Old Men"
Alt: "Juno"

Animated Short
"Madame Tutli-Putli"
Alt: "I Met the Walrus"

Live Action Short
"At Night"
Alt: "Tanghi Argentini"

Sound Editing
"Ratatouille"
Alt: "Transformers"

Sound Mixing
"Transformers"
Alt: "No Country for Old Men"

Visual Effects
"Transformers"

Adapted Screenplay
"No Country for Old Men", Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Alt: "There Will Be Blood", Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson
OR
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly", Screenplay by Ronald Harwood

Original screenplay
"Juno", Written by Diablo Cody
Alt: "Michael Clayton", Written by Tony Gilroy

 

[Patrick Sun]

On my Oscar pick sheet, already 0/1. This could be a long night, pick-wise...

 

[Ray H]

The golden Compass for vfx?! I don't think anyone was expecting that.

 

[Chris Will]

That was the worst rendition of Sweeney Todd music I've ever heard.

 

[Adam_S]

caught the live action shorts this afternoon:

Tangi arghentini - 9 of 10
Lovely little comedy that is perfectly honed, short and very charming and funny, with a great ending perfectly in tone with the film.

At Night - 9 of 10
A probable winner, three young women are in a cancer ward, one is a bed confined and dying, the other is facing an operation, and the other is all alone, guilt ridden at abandoning her family a few years before. Incredible acting across the board, the script is a little over the top. Very sad and elicits genuine emotion. Very well handled. Everything is hospital clinical blue and the hue of the photography, while completely appropriate, was the only drawback.

The Substitute - 4 of 10
crap. A stupid gent pretends to be a substitute teacher but just mocks and humiliates the class students. ugh.

The Tonto Woman - 9 of 10
a probable winner. A classic style western based on an elmore leonard story. Brilliantly shot, with a very good script. A white hat cattle rustler comes across a lone woman living on an isolated homestead. she was abducted shortly after being married and sold into slavery and branded with a face tatoo. Her husband searched for her for eleven years, but has essentially abandoned her on her own homestead in shame. Excellent film, very well handled.

The Mozart of Pickpockets - 9 of 10
a probable winner. Two shiftless (and not very skilled) pickpockets pick up a deaf mute boy who is good at being tiny and rifling through purses. great script. shot on DV or a lesser format compared to the other films, so it's the worst looking of the lot.

 

[Ray H]

Think i'm 3 for 6 so far.

 

[Patrick Sun]

It's ugly, now 5/9 for me.

 

[Ray H]

i'm 4 for 9. guess i;m not winning that contest I entered

 

[Patrick Sun]

Michael Bay and his robots get no love from the Academy tonight, they wuz shut out!