Best Picture
“Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
“The Blind Side” Nominees to be determined
“District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
“An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
“The Hurt Locker” Nominees to be determined
“Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
“A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
“Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer
“Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers
Best Director“Avatar” James Cameron
“The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow
“Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels
“Up in the Air” Jason Reitman
Actress
Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”
Actor
Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”
Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Supporting Actor
Matt Damon in “Invictus”
Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”
Adapted Screenplay
“District 9” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
“An Education” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
“In the Loop” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
“Up in the Air” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner
Original Screenplay
“The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boal
“Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
“The Messenger” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
“A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
“Up” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy
Animated Feature
“Coraline” Henry Selick
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson
“The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements
“The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore
“Up” Pete Docter
Foreign Film
“Ajami” Israel
“El Secreto de Sus Ojos” Argentina
“The Milk of Sorrow” Peru
“Un Prophète” France
“The White Ribbon” Germany
Art Direction
“Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
“Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
“Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
“The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray
Cinematography“Avatar” Mauro Fiore
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
“The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
“Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
“The White Ribbon” Christian Berger
Costume Design
“Bright Star” Janet Patterson
“Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
“Nine” Colleen Atwood
“The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell
Editing“Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
“District 9” Julian Clarke
“The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
“Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz
Make Up“Il Divo” Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
“Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
“The Young Victoria” Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore
Visual Effects
“Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
“District 9” Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
“Star Trek” Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton
Original Score
“Avatar” James Horner
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” Alexandre Desplat
“The Hurt Locker” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
“Sherlock Holmes” Hans Zimmer
“Up” Michael Giacchino
Original Song
“Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
“Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
“The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett
Sound Editing
“Avatar” Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
“The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson
“Inglourious Basterds” Wylie Stateman
“Star Trek” Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
“Up” Michael Silvers and Tom Myers
Short Film Animated
“French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
“Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
“The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
“Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
“A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park
Short Film Live Action“The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
“Instead of Abracadabra” Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
“Kavi” Gregg Helvey
“Miracle Fish” Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
“The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson
Short Film Documentary“China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
“The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner” Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
“The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
“Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
“Rabbit à la Berlin” Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra
Documentary Feature“Burma VJ” Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
“The Cove” Nominees to be determined
“Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
“The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
“Which Way Home” Rebecca Cammisa
Posts
190 comments:
You called it Nathaniel! The Blind Side... Best Picture Nominee!!
What a boring set of predictable nominees across the board.
I woke up for this?
(500) Days of Summer was snubbed for Best Original Screenplay...
A SERIOUS MAN!!! MINNESOTA RULES!!!!
Your boobs clearly have ESPN, seeing as how you called Gyllenhaal and The Blind Side.
Ugh I agree Ben. Though "The Secret of Kells" was surprising. Sad about no "Ponyo" though...and no (500) Days of Summer for best screenplay!!! :(
Yeah, that was really boring. I wonder if Blind Side is stupid enough to kill off the ten-wide field.
That was unrewarding as hell!!! Did they actually put any thought?? Oh, they did! For The Blind Side!!! :(
What are the rest?
Hey, it sucks, but they're thinking for themselves at least. No "Cinema Italiano"!!!
http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/82/nominees.html
there
Seriously about your boobs having ESPN, Nathaniel. If they published books about predicting the Oscars (do they? Oscar Prognosticating for Dummies?) you'd be referenced for years to come for calling Maggie Gyllenhaal.
It is going to be a weird morning in the Sarsgaard house. I bet if you told them a few months ago that someone would be awoken to hear about their supporting Oscar nod, they wouldn't have thought it would be her...
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER IS NOW A OSCAR NOMINEE!!!!!!!!
When they announced "The Blind Side" my hopes were dashed for my beloved "A Serious Man"... and then I jumped for joy when Anne announced it.
It wasn't an outright horrible film, but the inclusion of "The Blind Side" makes my skin crawl. There is no need for that film to be recognized beyond Sandra Bullock's performance.
Maggie Gyllenhaal Tomei'd herself right to a nomination just like I said she would. Yay! I rock!
District 9 didn't get a make-up nominations. That's kinda bull-ass
The audience was ONLY applauding The Blind Side and Sandra Bullock. WTF?!
And Harvey screwed Cotillard's chances for a nomination when campaigning her for lead. Instead his favourite Cruz got in. Boring.
Take it All got a song nod! You must really be happy, Nat! No Cinema Italiano!
Yay for Georg von Trapp! I mean, Christopher Plummer!
i still don't understand how maggie gyllenhaal was nominated when there was no indication whatsoever of her in any of the precursors.
THE BLIND SIDE a best pic nominee? blech.
so meryl's the sole nominee for her film and sandy's in a best pic nominee; i'm getting a bad feeling
District 9 has done really well so yay for that. Matt Damon was a slight surprise in supporting actor, I really hoped Mackie would show up here.
oh and does Randy Newman really need 2 nominations for a disney movie !
Secret of Kells??????
At least Bright Star got a costume nod this time....
The Blind Side for Best Picture = eww.
nathaniel...
How. Do. You. Do. It?!?
you got BOTH "The Blind Side" andddddd Gyllenhaal?!?
wow!
Actress, Actor and Supporting Actor were really boring. Nice surprises: the omission of Invictus in picture, In the Loop's script nod and Maggie Gyllenhaal, who has been snubbed before. Julianne Moore didn't get her 5th.
I'm really sad (500) Days of Summer didn't get the screenplay nod, it was all I was hoping for, and I really think it deserved it.
Well, they say the trick is not minding.
They did go crazy for "The Hurt Locker". Nine nominations for such a small film. Including best original score (I couldn't remember it had any score). I think it's going to win.
Wow. They turned down "Cinema Italiano" and most aspects of Nine. Fine. You were right, I was wrong, Nathaniel. At least Beyonce gets to sing for Marion Cotillard this year if they once again try to bring in audiences with a popular singer doing all the nominees.
In other news: What is The Secret of Kells? I mean, it's clearly the foreign/artsy token nod in the category, but what is it? I think I saw one still on the Oscar website and can't even find a decent plot description or release information. What is it and where is Ponyo?
Damn, you're right Lucky, I forgot about Julianne--I would have subbed her out for Cruz any day. I wonder if the other girls, besides Marion, will show up now? What am I saying, of course they will.
Bleck. Helen Mirren? Really? Did anybody see The Last Station? Is anyone even going to make the effort to go see The Last Station? I still haven't even gathered the energy to bother looking up the plot synopsis. Boooring. Poor Abbie Cornish. I'd be pretty pissed if I were her.
And Jason Reitman better thank his lucky stars for Diablo Cody and Ellen Page because without them all these Up in the Air nominations would never have happened.
Bitterness aside, I'm so glad Invictus barely got nominated for anything and I'm SO happy for District 9 and In the Loop.
I don't get all The Blind Side hate, it's no more manipulative and racially exploitative than Precious and opposed to the string of constant horrors that Precious is, at least its uplifting to watch MILD SPOILER ALERT: (I don't really find Precious's ending to be "happy"). That said, The Blind Side as one of the top 10 films of the year is kind of laughable, but no more laughable than a couple other nominees.
Anyways super happy about the A Serious Man nomination, as it was my favorite movie of the year. Bummed about the lack of Ponyo, although I had heard good things about Secret of Kells. Also, Dr. Parnassus showed up way more than I thought it would so good for them (the movie was kind of wack, but the technical aspects were on point).
Considering THE HURT LOCKER got in for Original Score and nobody saw it coming, I'd say I don't understand why they couldn't have gone with Mackie as well... That would have made it the clear frontrunner. Which it is, nontheless.
Cruz's fantastic run continues.
Gylenhaal nominated on account of
Jeff Bridge's momentum.
The Blind Side being nominated ofr best picture makes Bullock THE Oscar winner.
Surprising fifth choice for Foreign Film and Animated Film.
Glad for District 9 for sneaking in Adapted Screenplay, as In The Loop.
In Original Screenplay, I get the nom for The Messenger, but... At the expense of (500) Days?
There you have it, Weinstein was not that powerful this year 'cos he didn't get Nine his BP nom. But he sure worked his magic for the Basterds which sneaked in for Sound Mixing and Editing.
The Make-Up guys are so unpredictable. IL DIVO? Ok.
Glad for the Original Song category. The music from Nine was the correct one (Take it All) but I don't think anyone say the music from Paris 36 coming. 5 nominees, and everyone will lose to The Weary Kind.
UP is the second animated film which has become a BP nominee.
Harry Potter doesn't get nominated for Art Direction but gets in for Cinematography. Hurray!
Parnassus gets in for Costume Design and Art Direction.
And we can say that after UP IN THE AIR being snubbed in Editing, their race is over.
It's Avatar vs. The Hurt Locker for the win although I could see Basterds coming in from nowhere...
Avatar got "just" 9? Benjamin Button got 13, Titanic WON 11, it just seems weird that Avatar didn't show up more. But I guess they nominated it everywhere they could.
And glad to find that they didn't Wrestlered The Weary Kind
The Blind Side = The anti-Precious.
The first time I even saw a trailer for that movie I was horrified and disgusted. I shielded my eyes from the screen. When will Hollywood stop making these movies about black people who can only be rescued by well-meaning white people with blonde hair? What a shitty and tired racial allegory!
That's actually one of the great aspects of a movie like Bring It On; you expect the turn where they offer to sponsor the Clovers and Kirsten Dunst shows up with the check, but then the movie takes an alternate route so the african-americans of the film don't have to route their dreams through the philanthropy of rich whites.
With the Blind Side getting a BEST PICTURE nomination, does this mean that Sandra is going to win the oscar? That's the way its looking, people.
stupid
Oh boo, no Marvin Hamlisch for 'The Informant!'
@Lucky: Considering "Avatar" got no nods for acting, writing, and costume, it completely makes sense (all well deserved oversights, mind you).
Where the Wild Things Are got zero nominations. Not totally surprised but disappointed.
I love Penelope Cruz but I kind of wanted Marion Cotillard to be nomination ed instead.
I also wish there had been some surprises in the ACTOR/ACTRESS/SUPPORTING ACTOR categories. I love an upset.
At least Avatar didn't get costume and song nominations.
Team Bigelow!
From All About Steve to an Oscar in less than a year- god, I hope not.
Ha, I seem to be one of the people who knew what The Secret of Kells was before the noms. Not that I've seen it or anything! I just know of it because it's Irish (or part Irish, at least) and it played at our film festival last year, where it won Best Irish Feature. I think it won the audience award at Edinburgh as well. It looks cute enough, but I haven't a bog what it's about aside from the Book of Kells..
i am beyond bored at the acting nominations. it's just all the same stuff it was months ago, Maggie Gyllenhaal notwithstanding (and for one of her laziest performances)
@Timothy Marshall You're not seriously comparing 'The Blind Side' to 'Bring it On'? I mean, 'The Blind Side' wasn't my favorite movie, but it is no way comparable. It's a true story based on actual reality. Is it annoying that it happens, sure, but there's no denying that it happens.
JULIANNE MOORE WILL BE BACK WITH A VENGEANCE NEXT YEAR WITH THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL !
SHE'LL WINSLET UP HER WAY TO THE KODACK EFFORTLESSLY BITCHEZ
jorge -- you're totally right about UP IN THE AIR and that's a really weird snub too since it has such slick pretty editing ;)
What was with the audience cheering for every Blind Side nomination? Was it all members of the press, or were there studio people there too?
One way to look at it.
AVATAR: 9 nominations
THE BLIND SIDE: 2 nominations
DISTRICT 9: 4 nominations
AN EDUCATION: 3 nominations
THE HURT LOCKER: 9 nominations
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS: 8 nominations
PRECIOUS: 6 nominations
A SERIOUS MAN: 2 nominations
UP: 5 nominations
UP IN THE AIR: 6 nominations
Had to compile these myself. In this age of information, you'd think AMPAS or its accounting firm could put up a damn .PDF file of facts and figures within a few minutes of the announcement.
There've been worse Best Picture nominees than The Blind Side, but at least I could either love them or hate them. This choice is just so...blase. Toast.
So we're really gonna bookend the aughts with Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock huh?
Maybe since The Blind Side was nominated for Best Picture, Streep will win since this year is the year that the Actress goes to the one whose movie wasn't nominated for Best Picture. Then again patterns don't really mean anything and there are 10 nominees now and one could argue that if it were 5, The Blind Side wouldn't have been nominated.
I have not seen Crazy Heart but if there was a movie Maggie Gylenhaal was to be nominated was "Happy Endings". She was amazing in that film.
Poor Wild Things. Not even Karen O for Best Song? And A Single Man only got 1 nod? An no art direction? Nine and Bright Star out of cinematogrpahy? Hurt Locker for Score?
Based on the nominations, I think The Hurt Locker got more love than Avatar. I still think Avatar's winning, though.
Mulligan, Sidibe and Bullock have an "advantage" so to speak over Streep by having Best Picture showcases. Although only Sidibe's movie was in the top 5. While I want Streep to win her first Oscar since 1982, I think Bullock will get the Witherspoon/Roberts treatment here.
Back to Five! Back to Five! Back to Five!
So, we have to live with "The Blind Side" as a Best Picture nominee for eternity, but also get films like "District 9," "A Serious Man," and "Up" in as the trade-off.
You know...I'll take it. Hell, we got "Green Mile" with 5.
I love the nominations!
(500) Days of Summer losing its "Original Screenplay" nomination is great news! Since I am highly disconnected with this overrated men-chick flick.
District 9 rules!. If it gets Best Director nomination, then it would look like a frontrunner with adapted screenplay and editing nominations! Haha~
And I really love the song from "Paris 36", so surprising it gets in without anyone noticing. "Cinema Italiano" is simply not a good song to enjoy.
Also, unlike all of you, I am pleased to see "The Blind Side" nominated for BP, because it means Meryl Streep is going to lose and it is a good sign simply for the mediocre film "Julie & Julia". It would be good if the film had been "Devil Wears Prada" or "Doubt".
To people asking what The Secret of Kells is, do a bloody google search. It's not hard. That movie was nominated for best film at the Annies so it's not really outta nowhere.
I should've seen that Paris 36 nomination coming since it's French and a musical, but I thought that movie was one of the very very worst of 2009 (and i mean actual worst, not just i-don't-like-it-because-it's-getting-nominated) and is horrible in every way. I don't know what song it is exactly, but I'm sure it's blah. Totally stoked for "Take It All" though over "Cinema Italiano". I bet Kate Hudson is annoyed she won't be able to get anymore publicity outta that movie. I soooo hope Cotillard performs.
The Hurt Locker for Original Score is a big surprise. Did ANYBODY see that coming? And at the expense of The Informant! is disappointing. Loving the Desplat nod for Fantastic Mr Fox though!
Funny that Nine got Art Direction (decorated stages!) and not Cinematography. The Academy has continued its bizarre affair with Dion Beebe.
Disappointed for (500) Days of Summer in Original Screenplay.
People immediately jumping up and down calling The Blind Side the worst BP nominee ever clearly only have the bare minimum of Oscar history knowledge of about 2 years. But where are all these people saying they'll give up on the Oscars if it was nominated? I'D LIKE THEM TO TAKE THEMSELVES UP ON THEIR OWN OFFER.
I think Gyllenhaal nomination = We are sorry for ingnoring you in Happy Endings, Secretary and Sherrybaby...
Excuse me for taking a departure for a moment into the more esoteric categories but...
HALLELUJAH! PERU MADE IT INTO THE OSCARS IN THE FOREIGN FILM CATEGORY!!
(Ahem, told ya, Nathaniel. I see you went for the Netherlands instead. Nyah. ;) )
@ E Dot, I understand your point, but
1. I've read that the veracity of certain parts of The Blind Side is in doubt. After all, it is BASED on a true story. They even changed plenty of Julie and Julia before it hit the screen.
2. It's less about the facts than about the implications involved in the filmmaking process. What message does it send to black people that you need a white person, not to mention that you need Sandra Bullock, Miss Congeniality. And she gets an oscar nomination for it because of the air of nobility and philanthropy surrounding it; that only confirms to me what people's thinking is when they see this movie. It's racial awareness gone all wrong. It's like someone saying, "I love black people. They're such great athletes and jazz musicians."
I'll be the last person to scream "Uncle Tom's Cabin" as a detraction, but I am extremely wary of the Blind Side and the climate in which it exists.
Bobby... in the eternal scheme of cinema it makes SO much more sense for Meryl to have a 3rd Oscar than for Sandra to have 1.
PPO-10 ... point.
Caden... at this point the love for Blind Side is a big question mark. It definitely has nothing to do with the movies. People are going nutso for other reasons entirely. What those are, i'll leave it up to social theorists...
but it aint the movie.
Glenn - The Blind Side is pretty damn awful though. Not the worst nominee ever for Best Picture but the worst in recent memory for sure. Also, they'd have to nominate something like When in Rome to get me to stop watching.
Nathaniel,
So does Streep still look like she will win at the end of the day?
Wait...I thought this was a joke. Geez...that's like a terrible lineup for Best Animated Short. Where's The Cat Piano?
Matt Damon and Penelope Cruz spoiled both Supporting races by not making them exclusively first time nominees
It would have probably been Laurent and McKay
Well, it certainly makes more sense for the Academy to recognize something like "The Blind Side" (by most accounts, an average film with huge popular appeal and a mega-watt star) than it did to nominate a POS like "Chocolat" (a sub-par effort that succeeded in awards love on Miramax muscle alone). "TBS" is hardly the worse they could do -- though it makes the case for the standard 5-pic lineup.
@Glenn, The Blind Side isn't the worst BP nominee ever, but is it too much to ask that an awards ceremony only recognize films of quality? Or do we have to just live with the fact that these cause films (in this case, the cause is Sandra Bullock) show up every year regardless of whether they are any good or not? Last year, I was convinced that Slumdog Millionaire didn't win because it was a great movie, but because in everyone's mind, Bollywood was the big hip cause.
The worst best picture nominee ever is AVATAR.
(Don't worry, I jest.)
The worst best picture winner ever is Crash, IMO. (But I hate Titanic too).
oh and I have to admit I was wrong..
I have been predicting since day 1 Streep would end up getting snubbed..
But hey, it now looks she won't win after all
Precious could surprise and get best pic after the surprising editing nomination, i think... what do you all think?
I think Streep still walks away with Oscar. The Blind side movie gets in for maybe box office and Bullock's performance is mediocre. Streep still has the upper-hand.
Thumbs up:
1. Nathaniel for picking "Maggie Gyllenhaal"
2. AMPAS for recognizing the visual delights of Terry Gilliam's "Doctor Parnassus" with two nominations.
3. Peru's Claudia Llosa for achieving her country's first-ever Foreign Film nomination, (and the second-ever for a Latina) at the age of 34
THUMBS DOWN:
1. Snubbing "50 Days of Summer"
2. Choosing Cruz over Marion Cotillard as "Nine"'s single nominee.
3. The continued snub of Asian films in general
I agree that the nominees were a bit boring this year, but they usually are. Complaining about the Oscar nominations being predictable and safe is fruitless. Although, I am happy for Christopher Plummer.
On a somewhat related topic, has anyone else noticed that whenever Anne Hathaway does some sort of "serious actress" daytime gig she tends to wear some hideous variation on a pantsuit? I kept imagining Brad behind the curtains at the nominations with about 8,000 pantsuits for her to choose from.
It's unfair to single The Blind Side out as the odd one in the bunch. I know it was not "destined" to be nominated for Best Picture, but that doesn't take away any of the reasons why it WAS nominated. The movie wasn't terrible, but it wasn't among the best of the year. But that's the way it is. This is Sandra's phenomenal year, and this came along with all of that momentum. Streep's win is getting shaky.
Streep is to the Oscars what Federer is to Grand Slam
@marek: Love the comparison!
And with this 16th nomination, Streep breaks the tie with Hepburn for most nominations by an actress in a leading role :D
People, The Blind Side is god-awful but it's not the only awful BP nominee this decade alone.
It sits alongside other "marvelous" (pun intended) BP nominees like Seabiscuit or Chocolat.
Agustin,
The Messenger marks Harrelson's second nomination.
Hey, people wanted the Oscars to be relevant again and to nominate movies people had actually seen. Hello The Blind Side!
Check out this windbag's stupid column on how the Oscars are "fragmenting American culture".
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/02/01/opinion.medved/index.html?hpt=C2
He seems to imply that the Oscars are only good when they don't nominate depressing "art-house fare like Crash and Million Dollar Baby".
CRASH AND MILLION DOLLAR BABY ARE NOT ART HOUSE FARE, MORON. How you ever got a job writing about movies for the NYP and CNN is beyond my understanding.
(My point above being that he seems to think the Oscars should take a cue from the Grammys and be some form of film populism. It's basically the exact opposite of what a film enthusiast would think.)
((He also says "insuring" where he means "ensuring", so he's obviously a total moron))
Re Nathaniel:
Among the nominees, I would prefer Carey Mulligan to win if only comparing the performances, but hey it is Oscar and it is all buzz-related.
At this moment, Sandra Bullock would be the likely winner. I simply don't like the feeling of an actor/actress rewarded not for the particular film, but for the career. This could be said for both Bullock and Meryl. However "Julie & Julia" would be an inferior one in my opinion. They honor her only because she is Meryl.
Bobby, You are off base. Streep's performance is sooo far superior to Bullocks. The film J&J is alos far superior to the awful BS. As far as the winner, it is a neck and neck race at this point. Bullock has momentum but Streep has 27 years of momentum and the overdue factor which is HUGE...Don't count out Streep for the win.
I can handle The Blind Side as a best picture nominee, but that David Wasco was snubbed again just breaks my heart.
If he can get a nomination for a period film that is nominated in 8 categories and is one of best picture front-runners I just think he never will.
The Blind Side is the movies what the Bumpit is to hairstyles:
It's fun, some people like it, but is it "Best Hairstyle of the Year?" F- no.
As much as maggie gyllenhaal was weird in Crazy Heart.I think her nomination is valid.She has been delivering great performances for quite a while now I mean Sherrybaby,Secretary..so she was due for a nomination and like many people say...previous snubs always make for an overdue nomination/win.
I bet she got up this morning and said WTF!!
Happy for Penélope, getting the only acting nomination for Nine. As I predicted (it feels so nice to be right), Cotillard (and Laurent) couldn't overcome the category confusion. If Cruz could make it to the final five, I'm sure Cotillard could've also made it at the expense of Cruz, probably.
People immediately jumping up and down calling The Blind Side the worst BP nominee ever clearly only have the bare minimum of Oscar history knowledge of about 2 years. But where are all these people saying they'll give up on the Oscars if it was nominated? I'D LIKE THEM TO TAKE THEMSELVES UP ON THEIR OWN OFFER.
Ha, I do have an Oscar history knowledge of exactly 2 years :), and though I've never called The Blind Side the worst BP nominee ever, even with my little knowledge, I can tell it won't be a good choice when seen from a distance in the future.
I'm also one of those who said that would give up Oscars if Bullock was nominated. I didn't say that about the movie, but all the same.
I stand by what I said. I could quit smoking which any former smoker knows it's much harder. So, bye bye Oscars. I love movies far more than Oscars.
John D,
oops
I forgot about Larry Flint
'The Hurt Locker', 'Inglourious Basterds', 'Up', 'A Serious Man' and 'An Education' for BP? What a great field!
What's that you say about there being ten nominees? Don't be silly, they haven't done that since the forties! What's that? 'The Blind Side' as a BP nominee? Now I know you're winding me up! You just had a bad dream...
I'll be over here, in my happy corner of denial. Come join me! The sun shines and there are daisies and rainbows all the day through...
Can´t understand the "blinde side" thing, best picture... really? Big Stars transforme nice movies to best movies?
Happy about Helen Mirren and An Education, sorry for Cotillard - is the blind side so much better than nine?
Where is (500) Days of Zooey & Joseph?
The Blind Side doesn't hold a candle to Doctor Dolittle for worst BP nominee...and that was when there were only five!
Wow, it's so weird that Peter Jackson is an Oscar Nominee this year after all.
Happy for Penelope even though I'm sad that Marion missed out. Also, anyone notice that her first nomination was a performance entirely in Spanish, her second was about half in English and half in Spanish. Now her third is entirely in English with a couple of Italian words. Will she get a fourth nod in like French next?
Well, I for one think the 10 nominee field worked out quite nicely. 9 good-to-great films nominated and 1 not-so-great one, which isn't really bad by any standards. It's a star vehicle that lots of people like. I actually don't mind that at all. I'll take that over Frost/Nixon, a movie not loved by audiences, critics, or even Academy voters, but was just there as filler.
It's kind of stunning that people aren't talking about the obvious: all 10 of these nominees are movies that people seem to really love. Taste aside, that's definately a good thing. How many years have we seen so many filler nominees that are just taking up space because of there status as perceived "Oscar films"?
Given 10 nominees, they totally past over prestige pictures that might have been nominated any other year: Invictus, Nine, The Lovely Bones. Now you have to be working more than with just well-respected source material. This is awesome!
- Adam
I'm going to go ahead and be the token glass-half-full person. I think that the half-empties bemoan the fact that this year's "surprises" were not very exciting--Blind Side best pic, Maggie G., &c.
But at the same time, I continue to be excited by some of the more expected nominations for this year. Despite its obviousness (knocking on all available wood) I will be very very happy to see Mo'nique accept her Supporting Actress prize. On that same note, I'm equally excited that Precious has recieved so much attention and ended up with a bunch of noms.
Inglourious Basterds is also one of my favorite movies in recent memory, so I'm excited to see it with a bunch of noms as well. The same goes for Christoph Waltz's expected (see previous parenthetical wood knocking reference) win.
As for Sandra Bullock, I didn't see Blind Side, and I'm personally pulling for Meryl, and I agree with timothy marshall about the movie's apparent white guilt celebration. But at the same time, I love Sandra Bullock. I love that she finally has an oscar nomination, though I disagree with the film. I won't be gnashing my teeth that hard if she wins.
So though I experienced a little "anticipation interruptus" I'm still excited for a lot of the nominations, and a few of the expected wins.
Happy to see A Serious Man with the Best Picture nomination - but the rest was so predictable wish i would've slept longer
I agree with Adam's post just before my previous one.
i try to be color blind - something martin luther king, jr called upon us to do. sandra bullock's character was reaching out to a young man in great need. as a result, they both grew as human beings. remember: it's in giving that we receive. i hope she wins - it was a great performance in a terrific movie. meryl can win for "August: Osage County" when she is handed that role in the near future.
I really loved A Single Man and it pisses me off it couldn't have squeaked into a Top 10 let alone this Top 10. I'm okay with no Julianne Moore, but no art direction? Either the film was too pretty to be taken seriously so give it art direction or it wasn't and give it a movie nom. Also though Where the Wild Things Are deserved something. Didn't like (500), but it was pretty smart and I had assumed screenplay would be in play. I love Sandra Bullock...just not as an actress.
I am STOKED about the Hurt Locker best original score nod. I actually just saw the film saturday night finally, at a dollar theater an hour away, and I've been thinking for the past few days how much I loved the score, and how I'd probably nominate it but no one else would. This is a great surprise.
It's the kind of subtle, ambient score that people think of as just sound design or something, but it serves the film incredibly well, and is even fun to listen to on its own. I bought a few tracks on iTunes to use for working out.
Secret of Kells looks super cute from the website. I wanna see it!
And if it had to be Invictus or The Blind Side, I'll take The Blind Side. At least they opted for the crappy schmaltz that people SAW and apparently enjoyed, versus the crappy schmaltz no one cared about.
It's actually fairly enjoyable to watch while Sandra's onscreen.
How weird that District 9 made best pic but missed in makeup AND both sound categories. I guess Star Trek's winning makeup now?
And ditto that Basterds GOT both sound categories but missed in art direction and costumes. It was oh so close to leading the noms...
Part of me wants Meryl to lose again so they'll keep feeling bad and nominating her year after year after year. And really, Sandra is the kind of star, like Reese and Julia, where everyone loves her so much that all she has to do is get in the conversation in order to end up winning. There is no halfway.
Buzz = nomination = win
I really think that's how it's gonna work.
But I could be wrong.
@ Jimmy, you don't think The Blind Side sort of insults our intelligence a little bit? People's understanding of complexities in racial relations can go a little further than "hollywood-star-saves-black-kid". I understand that it's well-meant, but it sends the wrong message by being too oblique, naive, and serialized. It's essentially a semi-palatable, heavy-handed mix up of sports, dramedy, and loud classical music. Looking at the trailer alone, it's obvious that the entire movie is about assimilating Michael Oher into the wonderful world of whites. Just notice how the drama is presented by Sandra Bullock confronting a bunch of black people: "You threaten my son, you threaten me." Translation: "You're black so you're a bad influence on my son. I am white and can help him be a better black person."
This being my perspective on the movie, do you sort of understand my resentment now at the mainstream appreciation of it?
That and, c'mon... I mean this movie just looks like a pile of shit.
This might be the year where I definitely turn away from the oscars and awards for good. I was this close when Crash won, and this might be the final straw. SaBu and the Blind Side? It insults our intelligence...
You guys are forgetting that Transformers has a nomination for sound. That loud fucking giant-blender-in-my-face of a movie is an Academy Award nominated movie. In the meantime, Where The Wild Things Are is crestfallen in a corner with ZERO nominations.
Tim Marshall, I think your translation is a bit extreme. You seem to be reading a lot into that particular line. If you're gonna assume racial overtones, I think a more apt translation would be:
"You threaten my black son, that means you threaten my rich white self too, which means the DA's gonna be smackin' a charge on you so fast it'll make your head spin, you worthless ghetto coke head."
(she discusses elsewhere in the scene how the DA is a member of her prayer group)
I dunno, I guess I don't resent The Blind Side all that much. I think Sandra is legitimately good in it, though nowhere near the level of Tilda Swinton, Abbie Cornish, or (for that matter) Meryl Streep.
As for the film itself, I think it's pap, but essentially harmless... certainly no worse than Crash. I chose to view it as a comedy, which made it seem far less offensive, and more entertaining to boot. So there you go.
I mean, the film at least had the good sense to question its own motives toward the end, even if the resolution was way too easy (while at the same time dramatically cumbersome).
So much for the Academy's supposed hard on for all things Clint Eastwood. It's been two years now that he's gone without significant nominations for his Oscar-baity films.
You'd think more pundits would've hesitated to put Invictus in their final predictions, considering what happened last year (a few tech nods for Changeling, I believe, and none for Gran Torino). But people were afraid to drop it because "it's a Clint Eastwood movie!", even though it made little to no impression on the guilds, critics and audiences.
If he's coming out with a movie next fall, let this be a lesson for us to reconsider his status as a given with the Academy.
This is very interesting information here. I wish I had found this first before I signed up for the other one. This is much better!
Why Cruz instead of Cotillard for Nine? She was far more deserving...
And Julianne Moore, so subtle in A Single Man, is once again snubbed. No words. Tom Ford's debut deserved more, the score and sets are simply beautiful.
Happy for A Serious Man.
If Sandra Bullock wins over Meryl Streep I will not watch anymore this ridiculous farce.
LOVE the Invictus snub, but THE BLIND SIDE?
You just reminded me of a Single Man's score! They didn't nominate that!
In regards of the Blind Side argument I do think that the fact that people are saying it's racist might be racist itself. Why do we focus on the skin color of the kid? Why do we think the film's saying only white people can save black people? It's not. It's only telling the story of a white woman who helped a black kid. And it's based on a true story after all. So why call it racist?
Now, is it dumb and insulting our intelligence? that's a different matter...
Oh, and WHERE WERE THE WILD THINGS?
my darling julianne is missing :(
With the nomintion of The Blind Side I say goodbye to this years Oscars. Not that they care, but I need for myself to take a stand. Rewarding mediocrity is the worst they can do right now for the film industry
Jimmy -
Please don't suggest that Meryl doesn't have to win this year because she will win an Oscar for a movie in development that she hasn't even been cast in. What a moronic statement.
How did Secret of Kells happen? Are there actual rules about seeing the candidates for the animated category?
After watching Crazy Heart, I said to my friend that Maggie's gonna be nominated tomorrow, and I'm so happy for her! For all the talk about Jeff Bridges (I think his character would have been better if it is fleshed out better by the writer), it is Gylleenhaal who touched me and stayed with me the most. Nat, I don't agree it is the laziest, because she still conveys the conflicted emotions so well. Yes, it is probably Sherrybaby redux, but yeah, she should've knocked out Cruz instead of Moore.
My biggest disappointment is the omission of Julianne Moore for A Single Man, although I feared she would be snubbed. I love the performance: beautiful, complex, and haunting. I think she's worthier of a nomination than Cruz, Kendrick, or Gyllenhal.
'Single Man' deserved recognition for its original score as well, and maybe even best picture if they were going to include the damn Blind Side. I find its inclusion in the best picture category wildly depressing, and proof of why having 10 nominees was a terrible idea.
I cannot be upset with this list as I just keep telling myself that if it was not expanded to ten films then some of my disappointments would not have made it.
It does have to be said that The Blind Side was by far Sandra Bullocks best movie this year! By FAR!
The noms were pretty much what was expected.... I felt THe Blind Side, SaBu, and Gyllenhal were poor choices.. Would rather have seen Star Trek, Abbie Cornish and Marion Cotilliard or Laurent take their places.
My guesses this early for wins this early on are:
Avatar
Bigelow
Bridges
Streep
Waltz
M'onique
I would like to quote from the previous two film experience podcasts.
"The Blind Side is not going to get nominated [for best picture]. It's just not..."
-Joe Reid.
Famous last words.
I liked "The Blind Side" and am happy over its BP nod. Hope Sandy ends up taking home the Oscar.
Really sad about Julianne Moore, though I haven't seen Maggie Gyllenhaal to know what she does or doesn't do in the film (the film isn't coming to my area any time soon). Hope she's worth it. She should have been nominated for "Sherrybaby" anyways.
For all of this expansion talk, they still didn't find room for a comedy, and the perfect one to go with would have been "The Hangover." They just picked more of what they usually would honor with five, only threw in some genre pictures and an animated film.
No "(500) Days of Summer" in original screenplay? I was really hoping that could break in. Poor snub there.
"Precious" got in for editing over "Up in the Air"? That's ridiculous. The editing and direction are what killed "Precious", and neither should have been nominated.
Love that "Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker" tied for total nominations. David is sticking it out with Goliath to the very end. It's one of the few suspenseful races of the year, so cheers to that.
"The Secret of Kells?" Hmmm. No "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" or "Ponyo"? That's a big snub.
Love all the "District 9" love, but no makeup nomination? And "Il Divo"? Really?
I'm kind of bored with these nominations too, but that's what I get for following these since NBR in December. Still lots of deserving nominees here, so congratulations to them all the same! Better luck next go round, Julie!
Precious for Editing: unexpected & fantastic.
I did pretty good with predictions! I only predicted the major 8 categories, and I only made five errors. I didn't think 'The Blind Side' would be up for Best Picture, I didn't think 'The Messenger' could sneak into Original Screenplay, and I betted against the acting nods of Penelope Cruz, Matt Damon, and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Supporting actor is by far the most boring category,no peter capaldi - in the loop,alfred molina - an education,sam shepard - brothers or paul schneider - bright star and for who tucci,damon and plummer,the acedmy has unjustly ignored just some of my favourtie male supporting performances.
while an initial scan of the list made me barf a bit, i suppose there is still something to be grateful for. my three favorite of the year all made the cut. A Serious Man! A Prophet! AJAMI!!!
as for the rest... better to just ignore it.
re BEST ACTRESS
When considering the Bullock vs Streep battle consider the last decad the younger actress always wins except for the 2006 Helen Mirren - The Queen juggernaut
2000 - Burstyn v Roberts - Roberts wins
2001 - Spacek v Berry - Berry wins
2002 - Kidman v Moore - Kidman wins
2003 - Theron v Keaton - Theron wins
2004 - Swank v Bening - Swank wins
2005 - Huffman v Witherspoon - Witherspoon - wins
2007 - Christie v Cotillard - Cotillard wins
2008 - Streep v Winslet - Winslet wins
So folks Bullocks your winner until Streep gives another knockout drama performance.
No 500 Days of Summer nominations. FAIL.
@K- Very good point. We don't know yet if the whole "the actress who's in a nominated movie will win" thing holds up with 10 best pictures contenders.
@Timothy M- You so perfectly summed up my feelings regarding The Blind Side, that all I will add is this: A puppy is run over by a truck every time someone compares The Blind Side to the vastly superior Precious. Why is a supposedly liberal voting body nominating this stuff?
In my opinion, the biggest snubs are:
-Cotillard
-Mackie
-(500) Days of Summer screenplay
-Where the Wild Things Are costumes... or anything, really
-Up in the Air editing
I still don't see Sandra winning. The backlash has already begun, and when people mention that she has 3 months of momentum, they're forgetting Meryl's DECADES of momentum.
Both Anthony Mackie and Alfred Molina were snubbed? And Stanley Tucci gets in for one of his worst performances? FAIL. Those two would have benefitted from a first nod more. FAIL.
These are mostly boring.Blind side-horrendous.Oh, Academy, u make it so hard for me to love you.
mrripley-I think Bullock wins now too.Damn.On a less related note, it would be great to think Moore was the runner-up in 2002, but the truth is, if Kidman had lost, it would have been Zellweger.Unfortunately.
I don't see a Bullock backlash,i have a feeling people are thinking Meryl is too overexposed at award shows and is now taken for granted,this will be Bullocks one chance.
I could say so many things, but I just need to say that Meryl Streep will win over Sandra Bullock, and that's a good thing.
I have three arguments, coming only from my own on-and-off observation of the oscars since 1996, to justify this belief:
1) There are actors who are popular or have been around long, but are just not your typical oscar winner. Golden Globe loves to gives those awards, and everybody believes the Oscars will follow, but they are shy to honour those non-typicals oscar winners.
Consequently, Susan Sarandon won over Sharon Stone, Sean Penn won over Bill Murray, and Sean Penn won over Mickey Rourke.
2) There have been several ocassions when everybody expected the Drama Globe winner to win Ocsar, and the comedy Globe winner won:
Jack Nicholson over Peter Fonda, Helen Hunt over Judi Dench, Marion Cotillard over Julie Christie
3) Very few actors have more than two oscars, but Jack Nicholson has three, Katharine Hepburn had four... why the hell shouldn't Meryl Streep get a third?
3 1/2) If they nominate Streep like every two years, but she never wins again... won't she get tired of it? Would they want that?
So long for now...
Love this blog
I've just finished watching Nine
How is Cruz nominated and not Cotillard!!!!
She's probably what saved this movie from tragic consequences...
It's hated by a whole bunch of people, but without her it would have been much worse
i think streep will / should win this year. i actually think she should have won last year for "Doubt". I'm an old Catholic - so I know exactly what nuns were back back in the 60's - she was perfect. And, I think she should have won for "The Hours" a few years back. However, I would like to see Sandra win - she was great & this is probably her one big chance. Just like I wanted Cher to win in 1987 - when Streep really should have won for "Ironweed." That was Cher's one & only chance & everyone loves her & they loved Loretta "Snap out of it" Castorini. so streep will prob win this year - don't worry. She will probably win a 4th for "August:Osage County" - we all know she will get that plumb role. no reason to be hatin' me. The oscars don't mean much anymore - they're just a big marketing & fashion show. I'm still pissed that Ian McCellum lost & Ellen Burstyn lost & Brokeback Mountain lost because Oprah was campaigning for "Crash" on her show.....and Julie Christie lost because Marion Cotilliard had a much better marketing campaign. Christie never even staged a campaign. it's all true. Go Sandra!
Sandra Bullock is winning that Oscar. A best picture nomination for The Blind freaking Side? Come on, read the writing on the wall already. Many people love that film, whether you guys want to admit it or not. That's all the momentum she needs to win, and Meryl and her comedy slot won't be considered that much beyond let's give her the Oscar already to shut up the fanboys. No one's seen Mirren and she won a few years ago. Carey and Gabourey, thanks for playing. Bullock has the press, the current box office, the Globes/SAG wins, the first nod, the BP contender, and on and on and on.
* 9/10 for BP missing A Serious Man (I had Invictus)
* 20/20 in Acting Categories ^^
* Wanting to kill someone over the (500) snub
* Funnily enough, the snub I'm the most shocked about is District 9 for Make Up
Harvey's boneheaded placement screwed Marion out of a nomination. If Penelope Cruz could have made her way in for "Nine," then Marion Cotillard sure as hell could have too with the right placement. Maggie Gyllenhaal's nomination is a weak coattails nod. Cotillard and one of either Moore, Laurent, or Morton should be in her place.
Hey, in a podcast LONG ago you guys were talking about some of the best string of Oscar winners (i.e. Hoffman to Penn) and I was thinking today that, if Bigelow wins, Scorsese-Coens-Boyle-Bigelow is a pretty great string too. Regardless of what you thought of some of those films (I know I was more fond of Slumdog than you), you have to admit that's a pretty amazing string of interesting, not necessarily Oscar-y directors.
Some of you guys make me laugh. Like it's the first time AMPAS put a piece of shit up for Best Picture.
Yeah, the first time...this decade.
Sort of amused at the nomination for Secret Of The Kells. I liked Ponyo, Panique Au Village and Up a lot better, but Secret Of Kells has such wonderful animation that I actully rate it higher than Coraline and 9. (And also higher than MvA and Ice Age 3 - haven't seen the other eligible films yet)
If I remember correctly, the nominees for animated feature are based on an average vote, so it is less important how many people saw them.
oscar season makes me so crazy. People always betray all their own reasoning to justify whatever they're feeling at the moment.
i haven't heard ONE convincing argument in favor of why Sandra Bullock should win... and yet everyone wants her too so they just make up reasons why the other people shouldn't win.
let's face it: it's the least impressive performance of the five nominees.
that should be enough to disqualify someone from winning but if you're a movie queen and people love you lots because you have a great personality, all bets are off.
maybe Streep and Bullock will cancel each other out and Sidibe will be the winner...
Why did Blind Side beat Invictus? Because they had 2 sci-fi, 2 un-AMPAS war films, an animation, a comedy, and several of the type of dramas they don't normally have. They needed a sports film...and for some reason they picked Blind Side over Invictus. Don't know why.
Though I can't complain too much about Bullock's nomination. I can live with a nomination, but if she wins I'll be pissed. Go Streep! (But if Mulligan can pull off a suprise win, that's even better. Or Sibide.)
Also, 7 of the 10 nominees have some sort of race/religion issue. (The 3 that don't: the Up films and Hurt Locker.)
Also, Supporting Actress was not so hot. Cruz and Gyleenhaal? Where's Laurent and Moore?
Where's Ponyo in Animated and Where the Wild Things Are in something?
OK Nathaniel, just to be positive:
HOW FABULOUS is the best director lineup this year? Really flawless group. My only caviat is that it would've been nice to see Campion in there, but that was never gonna happen, and there's nobody in the lineup who I'm annoyed to see nominated over her. A war film woman (who will win), a one-of-a-kind epic blockbuster visionary, Quentin Tarantino, a 32-year-old, and a crazy/cool actor-loving black gay man. Does it get better than this?
I really don't understand how neither Reitman nor Daniels were even in your semifinalist pool, since they both directed A- films, but you have to admit that they're more than worthy.
Best Best Director lineup of the decade? And no matter who wins, her or she will be one of the most worthy winners in a while.
personally, i'd take the blind side over invictus any day. I just dont understand how anybody could like that movie. ugh
I don't know why I find the announcements disillusioning each year. Even though there's always nominations I really like, they seem to be surrounded by so much garbage, even they lose their lustre.
My mistake is that I keep thinking of the awards as artistic, rewarding artists for their excellent work.
But it's not. It's like electing the prom king and queen. It's some weird version of popularity, fashion, and bullying. (And I include some "critical" successes among the forced-upon-you candidates).
Nathaniel,
So it looks like Bullock for the win from you expertise???
Claude M! You're getting my hopes up with a Sidibe win!
@Nathaniel: When the press make it into a two-woman showdown, do you think there are ever any frustrated rebels who vote for someone completely different? For example, how many Academy voters do you think got tired of the Winslet-Streep showdown and voted for Hathaway in defiance (regardless of what you think of the performances)?
I'm trying to figure out if Sidibe or Mulligan might get enough side-votes for a surprise... why must the races always be narrowed down to two contenders?
@ AndrewR
I totally agree with your sentiment about Supporting Actress but can we all agree that the term "not so hot" and the name "Penelope Cruz" should never be anywhere near each other?
oscar voters still have at most one month to vote. just maybe, all this sandra bullock buzz will die down and voters will realize meryl streep should return to the podium.
streep, considering her age, has had a great box office year as well. how many more times are they gonna tease her with nominations?
also, if the baftas choose to reward meryl streep over their own carey mulligan, streep may still have a grip on oscar. i hope.
No, that's no best director lineup of the decade with Lee Daniels in it. No way no how.
Woo go Penelope! Unfortunate for Marion Cotillard though =(
I followed Streep since J&J opened in August 2009 and she has been the frontrunner until SAG and now Oscar did her in. I'll never put that much energy into the Oscars again just to watch a rom-com queen who can't act win an un-deserved Oscar. My days with Oscar are done.
C'mon people, we shouldn't be complaining. Only 1 film out of 10 is undeserving! 1/10! When other years we had more than one in a field of 5. I mean, look at last year. And yes, the nominatios may be boring, but let's be happy for first-time Academy Award nominees Christopher Plummer, Stanley Tucci and Maggie Gyllenhaal! They may be nominated for the wrong performances, but I still like to see them as nominees.
A lot to like this year.
Re lucky,
And I wonder if any other films are nominated instead of The Blind Side, there would still be a lot of complaints.
Julie&Julia? Invictus?
The Last Station?
It would be still problematic.
Feel bad for Cotillard, but I'm ecstatic for Plummer- finally!
Has anyone noticed that Sandra just got a Razzie nomination for worst actress? it means that she might win both oscar and razzie in the same weekend.
I like Sandra, but i really hope she won't win as she didn't deserve it at all. she's even better in the Proposal...and the Blind Side is really awful...
and Nathaniel, i totally agree with your opinion that "People always betray all their own reasoning to justify whatever they're feeling at the moment." Some people just follow the trend blindly, so they tend to encourage not-so-good business one instead of some truely amazing art house.
Although it might be the only chance for Sandra, it's not a reason for her win at all. the point is that a good actor can and should earn more chances by himself? if it really is her only chance, it should be a good one, not just the best one of her own, but now we can easily tell her performance is the weakest of five. we don't have to give her an oscar just because it's Sandra's year. btw, when will finally be Meryl's year?
ps: so disappointed to the snub of Cotillard, (500) days of Summer and Where the Wild Things are...
So anyone that genuinely liked Bullock in "The Blind Side" and thinks she shoudl win the Oscar is just "betraying all reason" and has no taste? That's some of the most elitist garbage I've read in a long time. Stop dismissing people's tastes so easily. It's a big world, and people like a whole lot of different things. Way to go, Sandy! You have a lot of fans out there rooting for you AND think you deserve the recognition!
I'm actually chill with- or even happy about- these nominees. Matt Damon, Tucci and Gyllenhaal getting "sorry we ignored you all these years so...heres something for nothing = D" nods
District 9 for Best Picture!? DIOS MIO! Very happy with that.
Sad about the 500 days of summer best original screenplay snub...I really thought it was in!
where the wild things are, ENTIRELY IGNORED :( bollocks I was gunning for it...
and the blind side....for best picture. wtf. but you know. at least their not just gauging their own weird fetishes, their kinda listening to the ppl too. over 300mill at the box office is a lot of audience screaming. theyre learning. learning stupidly, BUT LEARNING, and I give them props for that.
and at least we can say this. at least its better than last year. slumdog millionaire, my ass.
undeserving is a subjective term
The Blind Side...argh! With the exclusion of that movie, that's a damn good Best Picture line up by typical Oscar standards. It's weird bcuz I feel the same exact way as Nick Davis this year.
It's so weird to see on the message boards how everyone who was gushing, gushing, gushing about Penelope Cruz last year is now bashing her nomination because she took their favorite's spots.
No Anthony Mackie! ::cries::
So how did a Lifetime movie get nominated for Best Picture?!
Pleased for the District 9 nods, but would have liked something interesting in the acting nominations like Diane Kruger.
Also, how lazy is the BBC reporting - something along the lines of "Inglourious Basterds came from nowhere to get 8 nominations. From nowhere?! Is it that hard to do a bit of research and see that was expected...
Bob K -- you're combining two different thoughts. The "betraying their own reasoning" applies to ANY field wherein someone usually feels one way but changes at the drop of a hat. everyone i've ever talked to at length does this (including myself)
but it can be very frustrating.
I realize that people have different tastes and I think, as I've said before, that Bullock is good in The Blind Side. I think she's much better than the movie. And I think she's been good in other movies (most notably the early stuff like Speed & While You Were Sleeping)
but again... i have yet to see one credible reason why she should win an Oscar. She's never been anything like "best" of any year. All anyone can ever say is some variation on "i want her to win!" or "I love her!"
how is that a good reason?
if it's only a popularity contest why even have it? then it's just a redundant thing becuase we already have the box office.
No one has to convince you of anything or give you a compelling reason to give Bullock the Oscar. Many people liked this performance. So did Academy voters. They nominated her. She'll probably win. That's that. Arguing over tastes is pointless. But give people who like her work and think she should be rewarded for it more credit than that (and it's not the same thing to say that box office is her reward -- box office isn't an industry honor, that's just popular response at play, and they're different beasts).
I don't know, Bob. I'd like to hear one of her supporters tell me what made her portrayal of Leigh Ann so deserving of an Oscar. Forget the whole "Everyone loves her! This is her best shot! Obviously everyone wants her to win!"
Talk to us about how Sandra owns that scene with her friends, when they ask her if she feels it's safe to have Michael in the house with her sixteen-year-old. And how in that moment, Sandra's face flashes, and she realizes just what her friends think of this boy they barely know, and realizes that this is prejudice and a class system talking. And then how she doesn't raise her voice, she just smiles pityingly and says, "How dare you." And from Sandra Bullock's delivery and poise, we get this character, and the strength it requires for her to do this for this boy she could easily ignore. It's the Cobb Salad scene from Julie & Julia, only with depth and heart and stakes.
WHY DOES NO ONE DISCUSS HER PERFORMANCE IN THESE TERMS? I can do it, and I don't want her to win!
although i agree that the box office and the industry award are two different beasts. but then, she has her SAG award.
the idea is that when it comes to evaluations of what's "best" the people who are saying something is "the best" should be able to explain why that is indeed the case.
i will continue to believe that this is only fandom talking. Until someone says something non-fannish in her defense ;)
I'm not knocking fandom. I respect it and love it. But i just don't think fandom equals "reasons to win prizes"
BLARGH. i hope this doesn't become Cotillard vs. Christie all over again. or Bening vs. Swank. ARGH. I CAN'T TAKE IT. I CAN'T TAKE IT.
why can't there be a year where i love both the frontrunners? so it's win-win either way?
p.s. if Sandra Bullock wins the Oscar, I think Meg Ryan has every right to absolutely hate the world and everyone in it. :)
thank you Walter. That's what I meant! but how dare you bring up that Cobb Salad scene in JULIE & JULIA ;) TORTURE! I tried to watch the movie again but the Julie parts are just atrocious. They're even worse the second time through.
Well Walter, I liked the performance just fine and found plenty of worth in it. I don't have to justify that to you or anyone else. But briefly, Sandra Bullock was excellent throughout, and yes, that includes the dinner table scene with her friends. And the scene with Adriane Lenox. I thought that Leigh Anne's relationship with Michael grew into something special and significant by the end of the film. I don't know what to say other than the film touched a chord with me, and I make no apologies for that. Did Bullock redefine acting in this performance? No. And neither die Meryl Streep. If I had it my way, Carey Mulligan would be winning this, but that's not the way the tide's turning. I'd be fine with Sandra Bullock winning the Oscar, and I'm glad that she was nominated.
I love that scene with Adriane Lenox. Lenox, imo, gives the best performance in the movie. Moving and real. I love when Sandra asks if she wants to see Michael and Lenox shakes her head. It's difficult for her to say it, but she knows her son's in a better place.
Hey everyone. I made my pick for best picture: The Hurt Locker.
If you'd like to see odds for the 2010 Oscars, check them out here.
http://blogolopoulos.blogspot.com/
Considering how completely and utterly screwed the best actress category became this year, I think it'll be good for Oscar voters to give the statue to Bullock as a way of telling the precursors "THIS IS WHAT YOU'VE REDUCED US TO!"
The Academy totally screwed up by nominating Maggie Gyllenhaal. She was sooo miscast in the film, and he character made no sense - why would a smart young (although ugly) reporter fall instantly in love with a fat drunk has-been. A lot of people criticized Scott Cooper for this poorly depicted character, but the truth is it was Maggie's doing.
Maggie is notorious for fighting with directors for "creative control." Don't even get me started about SherryBaby. Laurie Collier only gave Maggie the role as a favor to Naomi Forner (because Naomi mentoried Laurie at the Sundance Lab). Instead of being grateful, Maggie was a complete bitch on set. Worse, she thoght she knew the character better than Laurie (who wrote and created the character of Sherry in the first place). Her diva antics are notorious. She fought with everyone - actresses and director - on Mona Lisa Smile and she was so insufferable during her shoot for Agent Provacateur that they fired her immediately (after which Maggie whined that she had been sexually exploited.
She openly stated in an interview that she starting shooting Crazy Heart with the expectaton that she would be fighting Scott Cooper the entire time. But to her "surprise" Scott let her do anything she wanted. So Maggie played the role that she always plays - the chick who is vulnerable but tough as nails inside. This was so wrong for the character of Jean and made no sense as to why Jean would fall instantly in love with a fat drunk has been like Bad Blake. Had Maggie played Jean as a deeply flawed vulnerable woman - needy for male attention, the romance would have worked despite the age difference.
The only reason that Maggie got nominated was because the academy screwed up and didn't make clear whether Diane Kruger or Melanie Lauren were up for best actress or best supporting actress so voters got confused and voted both for both - thus diluting the votes.
God Maggie Gyllenhaal is insufferable. She is such a hypocrite. After mocking other actresses as vain and shallow, she was caught by the papparazi entering a medical building which houses only plastic surgeons and "dermatologists" who do a lot of plastic surgery including lipo. In fact, she was caught entering the building more than four times in the last month alone. Incidentally - this is the same building that Jennifer Aniston got caught coming out of after she had her "septum" corrected. This is also where Ashlee Simpson and Cameron Dias also got their nose jobs. Hopefully Maggie will go the Jennifer/Cameron subtle route, not Ashlee's. Seriously if you didn't know that Jennifer or Cameron had gotten a nose job, you'd never notice.
Maggie is so damned annoying. She actually claimed in the NY Times that she didn't shop for three years because she more important things to do (because she is such a bohemian intellectual). But during the supposed three years when she didn't shop, she was photographed at every major fashion show and store opening to which she was invited! And her own husband is on record as saying that Maggie has so many clothes that half their home is devoted to a closet for Maggie's clothes alone.
Gotta love that Maggie - sanctimonious, hypocritical, holier than thou ugly shrew/
I swear if she wins, I am never watching the oscars again
the cutesy little kid in "Blind Side" was barf-worthy. he's the reason it should not have received a BP nomination.
Please note, once a person subscribes to your RSS feed the information does apppear but the link also appears that links back to your RSS page not to your article or blog. Can you please fix this.
anon ... i have no idea what you're talking about. sorry. what kind of subscription service are you using?
OK...sorry for chiming in a little late. First off, I think this was the weakest year in film compared to the other previous 9 of the decade. That out of the way, I have some issues ( as like every year ) of some snubs or nominations I didn't think should have been.
First, Best Pic. F the snooty, holier than though critics and their venom and hate towards Nine. I'm not even a musicals kind of guy, and I liked that movie. Technically it's very good filmmaking. I think it should have been nominated, as with Day-Lewis. Yes, I'm going to nominate the guy because he did something different and that isn't easy, took a chance and more than pulled it off. I'm convinced there isn't anything this actor could not do. I also think The Messenger should have been nominated instead of The Blind Side, the obvious feel good, PC vote. Wasn't a fan of A Serious Man ( I think by far the weakest Coen brothers film in years ) and don't get all up on Up as many people. I wish animated movies would just stay in their own category.
Actor- Aside from Day-Lewis, I would have nominated Ben Foster for The Messenger. So instead of Colin Firth, Morgan Freeman ( Morgan playing Morgan ) and replaced him with a harrowing turn by Viggo Mortensen.
Actress- I tell you how weak of a year it is. When you can't make an arguement against two no name actresses being nominated. I know I will be in the minority on this, but I just don't think Gabourey Sidibe was excellent. I felt that it wouldn't be hard for her to pull out those emotions as she is, lets be honest, drawing from her own experience, which to me isn't stretching. Carey Mulligan ? What was so incredible that jumped out at you or bowled you over to say that is some excellent acting ? I thought Saorise Ronan was more convincing in The Lovely Bones.
I don't have any issues with the supporting roles other than I would have nominated Emily Blunt for Sunshine Cleaning.
In direction, I could make a arguement for Owen Moverman for The Messenger.
A couple more things that bugged me... no Crazy heart for screenplay, Precious getting an editing nod instead of Star Trek, Up In The Air and Nine...and my biggest problem of all is the omission of Dion Beebe in cinematography for Nine. Easily one of the better photographed films of the year. This is an embarrassment of a snub. He was nominated in practically every precursor, and won one and better yet and most of all, he was nominated within his own guild, the ASC awards, and Oscar snubs him. That one is a downright guffaw.
^fucking negative^
Sorry the Academy's taste isn't identical to yours.
Poppy...what is so difficult about cutting up Precious compared to Star Trek or Nine ? The Oscar's are supposed to nominate " supposedly " the best work done in each category. And I'm not silly enough to know my opinon on the nomination's in the big 6 categories are just that, my opinion, but the Beebe snub is pretty silly. When you are nominated from your own guild, and practically every other precursor and don't get in, that's pretty a glaring snub. In fact the Oscar snub is one of only a few out of many he nominations this year he already had recieved.
oh, Nathaniel, kind of off topic I know, but why didn't you like Cotillard in La Vie en Rose? You brought it up a few comments above.
Oh Lord, why did you ask him that of all questions? Here we go.
moviefreak... the thing that really bothers me about the NINE snub for cinematography is you know that that that's why the art direction got nominated. Because the lighting was just A+ to make that huge soundstage feel so mythical and gorgeous and filled with different moods.
frustrating.
I'm kind of surprised there were 5 nominees for Best Original Song this year. Didn't they change the rule so that only songs that reached a certain score would be nominated...and how there would be years with only 2 songs because it would be that much harder to get in?
Unless that rule never existed or they changed it back...??
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