Thursday, December 29, 2005

Freeze That Oscar Buzz

Today is the day. Six Thousand or so nomination ballots are mailed out to the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (also known as AMPAS) today! So freeze that Oscar buzz. Reports have it that the majority of Oscar ballots are returned very quickly. So whatever is in the air right now. That's what the majority of ballots are going for. If something crazy happens late next week like, say Reese Witherspoon committing mass murder?! --it probably won't prevent her from landing that nom. They have three weeks to return the ballots but most will be returned in the first week.

Addendum: ...and for those of you wondering why I am always so down on an Animated Film Category. Consider this:

"Three hundred eleven feature films will compete for the Academy Award® for Best Picture of 2005, it has been announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences."

So. Let's see for Best Picture there are 311 choices --which means that the best picture nominees are snatched from the tippy top 98th percentile of the field and above. For animated film there are 10 eligible films which means 30% of all animated films can be nominated. This is why you will always get embarrasing nominations. It's like the TONY Awards when 5 original musicals premiere and 80% of them get a nomination. Blah.

9 comments:

Javier Aldabalde said...

Can I tell you how thrilled I am that you gave "The New World" such a positive rating? I wasn't hoping you'd like it as much. This is really great! (I'm hoping for a B+ rating... that would be so yay!!)

NATHANIEL R said...

frankly, i don't understand the negativity surrounding it. Maybe if you're grading it only in comparison to other Malick pieces?

but it's hypnotic and moving. so what gives?

Javier Aldabalde said...

hehe... even with 311 films they still manage to make embarrassing choices so... imagine.

Kevyn Knox said...

311 choices (each year approx 260-300 - this was the highest year) - and still, films such as Chocolat, Babe, Apollo 13, Beauty and the Beast and Prince of Tides are nominated AND A Beautiful Mind and Braveheart WIN !!!

And how many actors/actresses are their to choose from and we still get Marisa Tomei and Cuba Gooding winning Oscars ?!!

Just a little tyrade, sorry.

NATHANIEL R said...

but the point remains... if they manage bad nominees with 300 to choose from, think how impossible it is to come up with 3 deserving when there's only 10 choices?!

they should scrap the category.

re: New World. Kilcher is amazing. Not Oscar nomination wise but in terms of a discovery. Very great movie face. I hope Hollywood doesn't blow it (it's not like they're so great at using ethnic actors beyond occassional opportunities for African American actors)

Glenn Dunks said...

I'm confused by Kevyn's comments

"and still, films such as Chocolat, Babe, Apollo 13, Beauty and the Beast and Prince of Tides are nominated AND A Beautiful Mind and Braveheart WIN !!!"

are Chocolate, Babe, A13, B&tB and Prince of Tides bad NOMINEES, or great nominees and just ABM and Braveheard bad WINNERS?

And, also, Marisa Tomei winning is really one of the most normal things to happen. With 4 series nominees to choose from, they went with the comedic choice. Of course, Judy David shoulda won, but it's not like Marisa wasn't at least funny.

The thing with the animated category is that, yes, they make some bad nominees - but each year a deserving winner gets the prize (er, except for Shrek... but I've tried to erase that from my mind). And without that category Miyazaki's Spirited Away wouldn't be able to trumpet itself as an Academy Award winner. Same for Finding Nemo (which I loved, but I know you didn't) and The Incredibles.

Anonymous said...

Hmm... said it before and will say it again. I really like "Chocolat"! OK, it wouldn't make my Top 5 for that year, nor even my Top 10, and the Best Picture nomination is a curiosity. But the amount of hatred that the film gets levelled at it goes beyond the mere film itself. People hate the machine that got it nominated, and they take it out on the movie.

Also, for 1992, I'd have voted for Joan Plowright, then Judy Davis, then Miranda Richardson, then Vanessa Redgrave, then Marisa Tomei. Though really it shoulda been Alfre Woodard for "Passion Fish" that year.

OK, I'm done.

Rob

Glenn Dunks said...

Well, I think everyone agrees the film shouldn't have been nominated, but I too find it an alright movie. Nothing great mind you, but still decent.

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