tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post1550407728514804126..comments2024-03-17T10:11:46.952-04:00Comments on Film Experience Blog: The BAFTA Nominations for 2008 and The Madhouse Act of 1828NATHANIEL Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-82656682569057005402009-01-16T14:46:00.000-05:002009-01-16T14:46:00.000-05:00yeah- I'm a die hard slumdog fan and even I don't ...yeah- I'm a die hard slumdog fan and even I don't think that Frieda Pinto or Dev Patel should be nominated.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-32670284300499306372009-01-16T01:08:00.000-05:002009-01-16T01:08:00.000-05:00In regards to the BAFTA eligibility, a film needs ...In regards to the BAFTA eligibility, a film needs to be released before the ceremony to be eligible. Movies aren't released day-and-date overseas so they made it that way so movies that open at the start of the year are eligible. <BR/><BR/>I <B>LOVED</B> last year's nominations. I really did, but this years' are so disappointing. Totally agreed on the Pinto and Patel nominations plus the anger at lack of Sally Hawkins (or the movie in general). I didn't care for <I>Hunger</I> or Fassbender in it, but he was far more deserving than Patel.<BR/><BR/>And what's with that Eastwood director nomination?<BR/><BR/>The two categories that I think they did really well on are Best Original Screenplay and Best Animated Film.Glennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08194113062830373898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-72243198605481443052009-01-15T23:19:00.000-05:002009-01-15T23:19:00.000-05:00Something about pretty looking asians gets to them...Something about pretty looking asians gets to them. Plus it also makes the list seem 'diverse'. Don't ask me about last year but remember Ziyi Zhang was nominated two years in a row and just about every other actress out there is as good or better than her. And like a few out here, I officially have no regards for the BAFTAS for one reason alone: Viola Davis.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-73426367056334412722009-01-15T22:31:00.000-05:002009-01-15T22:31:00.000-05:00Since when did the Brits not care about the BAFTA'...Since when did the Brits not care about the BAFTA's? I thought it was always highly regarded there as the "British Academy." They've had some excellent winners over the years, and I won't hold it against them that they want to be an Oscar precursor. It's their award to do with as they please. But you guys paint it like they're your version of the People's Choice Awards. I'll still watch to find out who wins, but with all of these ridiculous snubs and mediocre inclusions this year, I doubt that I'll enjoy it much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-3911533842335352682009-01-15T22:26:00.000-05:002009-01-15T22:26:00.000-05:001. I do know that you're opinion of the film is a...1. I do know that you're opinion of the film is as divorced from other perceptions as much as it can be (though, obviously, not entirely). But go through your posts on the subject and your reaction to the film's success seems less targeted to the film itself and more to the critics who... well, enjoyed it. You know, for many good reasons.<BR/><BR/>2. Angry at your reaction to the awards, not the film itself. If you want me to email you and explain more coherently, I will. Though I will say that seeing a film I loved getting dragged through the mud here certainly bugs me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-17263261600674883582009-01-15T22:13:00.000-05:002009-01-15T22:13:00.000-05:00angry at whom? Me for not liking Slumdog?the thing...angry at whom? Me for not liking Slumdog?<BR/><BR/>the thing with grades is this. Just because I gave something a B- and then subsequently everyone decided it was a masterpiece does not mean their praise caused me to hate it.<BR/><BR/>of course being entirely off consensus can be trying -- i suffer through ;) -- but in truth the movie was a quick fade for me (just like Benjamin Button), the things i liked about it receding behind the things i didn't like about it very quickly. The things i disliked are too much.<BR/><BR/>With Slumdog I just don't like it's story (though i did like the color and energy) and i hate the determinism and ridiculous coincidences piled atop one another (this is more annoying in retrospect than during)<BR/><BR/>With Benjamin Button i just think it was kind of lazy and meandering ... which is a really wierd thing to say baout a David Fincher picture but it does have some really weird strange choices. Like making Cate Blanchett look like she's 120 when her daughter is only 40... and so on. and all the time spent with old Brad and then young Brad is over in minutes... as if the film forgot what it wanted to say about aging in reverse.<BR/><BR/>I'm not crazy about either film.NATHANIEL Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-23629312747993159772009-01-15T21:35:00.000-05:002009-01-15T21:35:00.000-05:00I should also state that I'm aware that one of Nat...I should also state that I'm aware that one of Nathaniel's biggest pet peeves is the overrewarding of people/things by any awards show (see Emmys, than gag), and I get that's bugging him more than anything. Just in context of this year, I'm finding it all rather amusing. If I didn't I'd likely get angry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-31736553990279913962009-01-15T21:33:00.000-05:002009-01-15T21:33:00.000-05:00A little bit. I have to admit it's disheartening ...A little bit. I have to admit it's disheartening to think that wait, you actually ENJOYED Slumdog Millionaire when you first saw it (I believe your initial grade was a "B") - so essentially, a film you enjoyed is going to win best picture. Now, that's a good thing. Given that films like Gladiator, Crash, and A Beautiful Mind have won the trophy, this should be a good thing. But this mass acceptance of the film (I've read of oscar members watching the film six or seven times they love it so much) seems to be pissing off so many people that they're forgetting that simple fact (obviously, not everyone has warm feelings towards the film, and not everyone is reacting to the hype predominantly).<BR/><BR/> I mean, Challenging - a film you disliked strongly - did well at the BAFTAs. But it bugs you more that a film you enjoyed did better than it should have (which is what it boils down to). Hell, it bugs you so much you're advocating category fraud.<BR/><BR/> Now, as someone who thinks Patel did give one of the five best performances by a leading male this year (note: I haven't seen Rourke, Eastwood, Penn, Langella, Sheen, Fassbender, Brolin, del Toro or Dicaprio. I have seen Pitt and Jenkins, and I think he's better than both. For what it's worth, I have him ranked fifth, and I doubt Patel's staying in my top five for very long) and while I don't think Patel actually deserves a nomination, I think there will be far more egregious nominations come Thursday.<BR/><BR/> So yeah, much like in 2006 (Eastwood debacle/Blanchett thing), I'm getting a little bit of schadenfraude at this whole circus.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-51390945334066734462009-01-15T21:02:00.000-05:002009-01-15T21:02:00.000-05:00it sounds like you're enjoying my pain Arkaan?!?it sounds like you're enjoying my pain Arkaan?!?NATHANIEL Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-42002563664097341712009-01-15T20:41:00.000-05:002009-01-15T20:41:00.000-05:00I don't agree with this line-up. But I think it's...I don't agree with this line-up. But I think it's absolutely hilarious. I think I'm definitely rooting for Kate to win twice just so she gets the backlash and we're reminded just how deeply Nathaniel hates this oscar season.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-7320418942850954202009-01-15T17:12:00.000-05:002009-01-15T17:12:00.000-05:00"A bit of a shambles" doesn't even to cover it. I ..."A bit of a shambles" doesn't even to cover it. I ain't happy.Emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09809699267788752653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-68818804194017625182009-01-15T16:46:00.000-05:002009-01-15T16:46:00.000-05:00well, yeah. that's obviously a problem. The Academ...well, yeah. that's obviously a problem. The Academy has a few members who aren't even old enough to watch R rated movies... so how can they be expected to vote on them let alone be mature enough to see what the films are about?<BR/><BR/>but that's jsut the tip of the iceberg. <BR/><BR/>I've long maintained that if you were forced to watch everything in a category before you ould vote (like foreign film does for the winners) the winners would be less prone to go to things that just happen to be popular at the moment and you'd definitely have more surprises.NATHANIEL Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-44628230198826497282009-01-15T16:22:00.000-05:002009-01-15T16:22:00.000-05:00A little off-topic, since everyone kind of hit the...A little off-topic, since everyone kind of hit the nail on the head with these rants. Although, is it sad that I'm a little gleeful in reveling in the fanboys misery over TDK not getting nominated for Picture or Director. It's up there with Slumdog for overhyped out the ass. <BR/><BR/>I think my big thing about the Academy is the people they let in. Isn't Abigail Breslin a member of the academy or someone close to that range? I may be assuming - but I doubt some of these members have seen Milk or could bear to watch Rachel Getting Married. <BR/><BR/>Maybe make memberships that require a re-evaluation or something. Or fuck, just force them to watch all the movies. Have a quiz on the ballot...<BR/><BR/>I'm always perturbed at what actors/directors are in the Academy and how you just KNOW they probably have bad taste.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-37293456076271010672009-01-15T16:19:00.000-05:002009-01-15T16:19:00.000-05:00Or people just like "Frost/Nixon", think it's a gr...Or people just like "Frost/Nixon", think it's a great film, and want to see it recognized. There's not always a big consipracy about why something's nominated or a need to explain everything about people's different preferences.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-8544463874550634582009-01-15T16:18:00.000-05:002009-01-15T16:18:00.000-05:00Just when you thought the ridiculous love for Slum...Just when you thought the ridiculous love for Slumdog Millionaire couldn't get any worse they throw this at us!!!<BR/><BR/>These are like the worst noms ever. It's actually not even funny... ;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-3727492895863126392009-01-15T16:07:00.000-05:002009-01-15T16:07:00.000-05:00Frost/Nixon's universal inclusion could be the res...Frost/Nixon's universal inclusion could be the result of the need to have more "traditional" fare in the mix. I could give you a million reasons why "Benjamin Button" fits that particular bill, but on the surface, it is a bit "different." "Slumdog" is about brown people, so it's automatically "different." "The Dark Knight" is a comic book film. Not what they're used to. "Milk" is a pretty straightforward (albeit great) biopic, but then again...Gay. So that's a no. The Academy has to include a film like "Frost/Nixon," lest they lose they're reputation as out-of-touch, old codgers and John Wayne be forced to(as Ernest Borgnine so eloquently put it in the year of "Brokeback Moutain") "spin in his grave."The Pretentious Know it Allhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13279181033628364368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-14769587596306483562009-01-15T15:46:00.000-05:002009-01-15T15:46:00.000-05:00Ah, ya know - I love BAFTA - but even I'm really d...Ah, ya know - I love BAFTA - but even I'm really disappointed with some of these nominations.<BR/><BR/>I take BAFTA pretty seriously, it's improved over the years (I remember when it was combined with the TV awards show). They will at least make decent choices. They're just different, that's all. Not too many people I know take them seriously, except me.<BR/><BR/>I like The Reader, I liked it a lot, but Best Film and Direction over 'Milk', 'In Bruges' or 'The Dark Knight' ? I think not!<BR/><BR/>And ya know - I liked Changeling, I enjoyed it a lot and a lot of those technical nominations are deserved. But even Direction is a stretch. Original Screenplay is certainly ridiculous. It's a very weak screenplay, and to Eastwood's discredit he was fine with the first draft.<BR/><BR/>It's such a shame Sally Hawkins didn't make it in here. As for Mike Leigh he's been well rewared in the past. It was well reviewed but opened far too early in the UK. You had to expect snubs after the pitiful longlist mentions. It's not like she hasn't been well rewarded elsewhere - she has won a lot of major critics prizes and she has a Golden Globe. <BR/><BR/>I'm delighted about the Burn After Reading love. It's such a great film. And Kristin Scott Thomas - FINALLY gets a nomination! Its probably the best performance of the year - and she has a strong chance of actually winning, if we all have Winslet fatigue.<BR/><BR/>BAFTA is a strange beast - they like to nominate their own, but in a bizzare fashion, yet still like to be seen as a barometer for the Oscars and pick up oscar-bait movies that seem to be dying in buzz.<BR/><BR/>I've always thought Oscar get the nomination process right (branches) and BAFTA make better picks (in recent years at least) for the winners on the basis of the chapter or jury votes.<BR/><BR/>Oh well. I don't think we'll see any absurd acting wins this year. I'd say its Winslet in "The Reader", Penn in "Milk", Ledger in "The Dark Knight" and Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (probably).<BR/><BR/>The only thing that could affect VCB is that the film opens 2 days before the ceremony - and that's just the London release. The nationwide release is 13 February. Maybe only Tomai can trouble her.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-67439912796845885392009-01-15T15:45:00.000-05:002009-01-15T15:45:00.000-05:00I just saw the most shocking thing on the BBC News...I just saw the most shocking thing on the BBC News, they were reporting Slumdog's 11 Bafta nominations, and they actually showed the red carpet at the National Board of Review Awards from last night, Anne Hathaway actually launched herself onto Dev Patel, hugging him and exclaiming infront of all the reporters that he's given the best performance of the year. Help! Nathaniel, even Anne's vision has been clouded. The clip should be on the net, it's one of the most disgusting things i've ever seen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-41852207778740061372009-01-15T15:43:00.000-05:002009-01-15T15:43:00.000-05:00In regards to ALL these comments about these "snub...In regards to ALL these comments about these "snubs", I don't think anyone should fret for their Oscar-favorites. I very much doubt the BAFTAs will have any impact on the Oscars at all (thank God).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-84036837112039395912009-01-15T15:29:00.000-05:002009-01-15T15:29:00.000-05:00NO SALLY HAWKINS? What the hell is that all about?...NO SALLY HAWKINS? What the hell is that all about? Why hasn't that been ranted about on here? That should cause more anger than the Patel and Pinto nominations. At least the latter can be rationalized as supporting their own, but in Hawkins' case, again, WTF? It's funny you write about the grass being greener on the other side. The Oscars have a hard-on for Brits; the Brits have a hard-on for Americans. Each side is riveted by the other's craft -- the former for their regality and snob appeal, the latter for their raw emotionalism and pop cultural impact. It's kind of mind-boggling though that they liked "Changeling" more than they liked "Happy-Go-Lucky."<BR/><BR/>Not nearly enough love for "Milk" or "The Dark Knight". Big snubs for Christopher Nolan, Gus Van Sant, Sally Hawkins, Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie Dewitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Colin Farrell, Richard Jenkins, and Viola Davis. One after the other. "Mamma Mia!" in best film too over "Happy-Go-Lucky"? These nominations suck. Bad calls BAFTA.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-14518470391855765842009-01-15T14:26:00.000-05:002009-01-15T14:26:00.000-05:00I'm still surprised how "Frost/Nixon" made it. I l...I'm still surprised how "Frost/Nixon" made it. I liked it, but I can't imagine anyone actually love it. I mean - what is there to love? And especially for British? What's more, it is lightweight, and there are so many lightweight films to choose from. Even if they didn't like their own "Happy-Go-Lucky", why not "WALL.E" and why not "Burn After Reading" - films for which they showed love in their shortlists?<BR/>It's kind of sad that they call themselves "BRITISH Academy of Film and Television Arts".<BR/>It's also kind of sad that they don't watch enough movies, even from their own country and they don't even know that there were terrific performances in their own movies (not only Fassbender, but Farrell and even Cross would be so much better instead of Patel, and everyone knows that).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-47976572220822039752009-01-15T14:23:00.000-05:002009-01-15T14:23:00.000-05:00The British voters do not even bother to watch all...The British voters do not even bother to watch all their screeners apparently.Michael Parsonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17668853285292187310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-55277072618740170182009-01-15T14:13:00.001-05:002009-01-15T14:13:00.001-05:00Gonna have to agree with you on FROST/NIXON. I lov...Gonna have to agree with you on FROST/NIXON. I loved it a lot more than BENJAMIN BUTTON or SLUMDOG (though that's not really saying much), but how it came to be a Best Picture lock is a mystery to me. I'm still of the mind that it will get snubbed at the last minute for WALL-E (but that's probably just mine own wishful thinking).James Colonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15726288331283428842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-40123950082857422412009-01-15T14:13:00.000-05:002009-01-15T14:13:00.000-05:00Jesus Christ Allmigthy! For some bizarre reason I ...Jesus Christ Allmigthy! For some bizarre reason I didn't notice the absence of Sally Hawkins from the Best Actress nominees the first time I read the post and these comments (probably because of one of those psychological self-defense mechanisms the brain has). It was like having a bucket of freezing water thrown at me (or however the expression goes)... I mean, I'm out of words here. What happened? They seem to be jumping on all sorts of bandwagons (for Benjamin Button, for Slumdog, for Mamma Mia! -which can't be there for any reason other than getting high TV rankings for their show-), but they can't show their support for a performance almost everybody else in the rest of the world agrees is one of the finest we saw all year? Nat, you should have mentioned that snub in big, bold, bright-red colored letters, like the ones you'd use if you read from some allegedly serious news organisation that the end of times is coming.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-91042370477388760922009-01-15T13:59:00.000-05:002009-01-15T13:59:00.000-05:00sally it's better than you're thinking but i still...<B>sally</B> it's better than you're thinking but i still don't get all the "best" citations. I'm assuming it has to do with the median age of the voters and a story that's really important in their lives.NATHANIEL Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.com