| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Ali |
Posted - 01/22/2008 : 15:19:55
The nominations are in, and you can find out about them here.
Feedback on my blogpost is most welcome.
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| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| ChocolateLady |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 12:43:57
And speaking about Foreign Language films, Israel has a contender for the Oscar this year - Beaufort, and boy is that one amazing film! |
| randall |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 11:24:17
quote:
Originally posted by GHcool
quote:
Originally posted by Randall
Ali: I just got back from a FSLC screening of THE BAND'S VISIT, which I adored. [They'll be showing us THE COUNTERFEITERS next month.] What exactly was the controversy? That Arabs and Israelis could coexist? Please, somebody from the Mideast fill me in...I honestly don't know.
I haven't seen The Band's Visit yet, but the controversy is that more than 50% of the dialogue is in English, and therefore it cannot be considered for the Best Foreign Language Film category. This is clearly a rule that can and should be bent to reflect the reality of the world we live in in which English is a common language that different cultures communicate through.
Amazing. Think I'll go start a thread so we can talk about it when we all see it. You'll be interested to know that, because of the heavily accented actors in both camps, the English dialogue was subtitled! |
| BaftaBaby |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 10:01:43
quote:
Originally posted by Randall
Ali: I just got back from a FSLC screening of THE BAND'S VISIT, which I adored. [They'll be showing us THE COUNTERFEITERS next month.] What exactly was the controversy? That Arabs and Israelis could coexist? Please, somebody from the Mideast fill me in...I honestly don't know.
Totally agree about Band ... it's wonderful! I'm really remiss with my reviews, but thought it was an excellent example of man's inherent decency. With so much emphasis these days on polarizing people, ideas, here's a refrehsingly positive light. Can't recall the name of the actors playing the cafe-lady and bandleader, but I thought both were remarkable. I originally nominated them both for BAFTAs but I think not enough members had seen it, so it never made the long-short-list. It would have been so easy for this to have slipped into mushy sentimentality, but it's clean, and witty, and pure, and true. 
PS, Ali -- nice blog, even if I don't agree with everything you write 
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| Ali |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 09:30:21
Randall (and everyone) - Thanks for the kind words. Please keep checking back every few days until the end of the month, when more regular updates will start appearing.
Randall - The controversy is exactly as GHcool explained. Beaufort seems to be on the roster to placate the Israelis for the unfair dismissal of the ultimately superior The Band's Visit.
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| turrell |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 05:30:56
quote:
Originally posted by Se�n
I have seen precisely NONE of the nominated movies even though I see about 250 movies a year.  I'll see the good ones over the next year though.
Do yourself a favor and go see There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men - they are two of the more exciting movies I've seen in years and well worth the price of admission if for no other reason than to participate in this thread! |
| GHcool |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 04:52:32
My detailed opinions on certain categories of the Academy Award nominations:
Best Picture
Which I hope will win: Juno!
Which I could do without: There Will Be Blood
Which I wish was nominated: Sunshine (I know most of you disagree with me, but seriously, was There Will Be Blood really that much better?)
Best Director
Which I hope will win: Coen Brothers
Which I could do without: Paul Thomas Anderson
Which I wish was nominated: Danny Boyle for Sunshine!
Best Orig. Screenplay
Which I hope will win: Juno!
Which I could do without: Ratatouille (I didn't like the ending)
Which I wish was nominated: Breach (the film about the Robert Hanssen, the worst double agent in U.S. history)
Best Adapted Screenplay
Which I hope will win: Atonement
Which I could do without: There Will Be Blood
Which I wish was nominated: Charlie Wilson's War!
Best Cinematography
Which I hope will win: Atonement!
Which I could do without: There Will Be Blood
Which I wish was nominated: 3:10 to Yuma
Best Film Editing
Which I hope will win: No Country for Old Men
Which I could do without: The Bourne Ultimatum (I'm not a huge fan of quick cuts)
Which I wish was nominated: Sunshine!
Best Score
Which I hope will win: Ratatouille!
Which I could do without: 3:10 to Yuma
Which I wish was nominated: Atonement
Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing
Which I hope will win: Ratatouille!
Which I could do without: 3:10 to Yuma
Which I wish was nominated: Atonement
My favorite thing: Juno getting Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Original Screenplay nominations
My least favorite things: Sunshine and Breach being completely overlooked. I understand that I'm in the minority on Sunshine, but I thought Breach was every bit as good in terms of production values, acting, and screenplay that it deserved better.
Overall, this was a great year for nominations!
EDIT: I just rented 3:10 to Yuma and updated accordingly. |
| GHcool |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 04:11:49
quote:
Originally posted by Randall
Ali: I just got back from a FSLC screening of THE BAND'S VISIT, which I adored. [They'll be showing us THE COUNTERFEITERS next month.] What exactly was the controversy? That Arabs and Israelis could coexist? Please, somebody from the Mideast fill me in...I honestly don't know.
I haven't seen The Band's Visit yet, but the controversy is that more than 50% of the dialogue is in English, and therefore it cannot be considered for the Best Foreign Language Film category. This is clearly a rule that can and should be bent to reflect the reality of the world we live in in which English is a common language that different cultures communicate through. |
| TitanPa |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 03:13:13
Every year I usually see 1 or movies that get nominated somehow, before they get nominated. This year it all changed. I have not seen 1 single movie on the list. Oh wait....I did see Ratatouille and Surf's Up. I find it odd that none of these movies actually interest me. Seeing as how i watched Brokeback Mountain the year it got nominated, and I didnt even want to watch it. This year I have no opinions. I have no qupis or thoughts. Just wanted to mention this.
BTW Ali...good blog
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| Downtown |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 03:05:55
Sorry Ali, I was being dismissive of the Oscars...not your blog. Hope it didn't come across the wrong way. |
| randall |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 02:40:44
Ali: I just got back from a FSLC screening of THE BAND'S VISIT, which I adored. [They'll be showing us THE COUNTERFEITERS next month.] What exactly was the controversy? That Arabs and Israelis could coexist? Please, somebody from the Mideast fill me in...I honestly don't know. |
| Sean |
Posted - 01/22/2008 : 23:08:09
I have seen precisely NONE of the nominated movies even though I see about 250 movies a year. I'll see the good ones over the next year though.
I will now exit this thread.  |
| randall |
Posted - 01/22/2008 : 21:48:25
I agree that Viggo is a seat-filler, though his part in EASTERN PROMISES, which we saw last night, is so powerful and internal that you actually forget the phony accent, and I'm sure that's what actors responded to. [You nominate in your own category only, then you can vote for the final awards on everything.] It's an accomplished job and deserves recognition, but it's a quiet part, despite the steambath. Viggo needs the hero to clasp Oscar, and I'm not talking about Aragorn.
But I anointed Day-Lewis and Bardem back when I saw the respective flicks, and I still go there. If they don't win [I won't even guess at Best Picture], then a pox on the whole Academy. [How many times have you said this before?]
EDIT: Nobody expected Amy Adams to actually get a nom. She simply carried a picture, and she is now a somebody because of it.
And where was DARJEELING? Nowhere. I'm still scratching my head [see my original NYFF thread]. |
| MisterBadIdea |
Posted - 01/22/2008 : 21:41:23
A very strong crop of Oscar nominations this year, led of course by No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood, two of the best movies of the decade. Even this year's boring-looking costume drama Atonement was pretty good. I would have swapped in Sweeney Todd for Michael Clayton, which, in case you haven't heard my opinion it yet, is a rabid piece of dogshit. And even then, I don't begrudge the Oscar for nominating Tilda Swinton and Tom Wilkinson.
Best Picture: There Will Be Blood is the best picture of this year or any year -- please god don't let it go to Michael Clayton, I'll cry. Atonement would be a boring but not particularly bad pick, Juno is heavily overrated but worth watching.
Best Actor: Eastern Promises is a good movie but I wasn't particuarly impressed with Viggo's performance, especially compared with his turn in A History of Violence. As far as I'm concerned, this category is owned by Daniel Day-Lewis. Also would not mind Tommy Lee Jones winning. George Clooney got a nomination for doing the same damn thing he always does -- he was all, all wrong for that role. Moral ambiguity does not suit him.
Best Actress: Glad to see Angelina Jolie and Amy Adams not get nominated. Not a great category this year, though I still haven't seen The Savages or Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Ellen Page is a strong actress, don't know if I would give it to her for that role though. Hope it doesn't go to Marion Cotillard, that was a borefest of a movie.
Best Supporting Actor: Hal Holbrook is on here because he's old. I'd give it to Paul Dano, but he wasn't nominated. Hoffman is a great actor but I wouldn't give him an Oscar nomination for that particular role, really wish I'd seen The Assassination of Jesse James. I'd be happy with Tom Wilkinson, but I'd really like to see Javier Bardem win it.
Best Supporting Actress: Good performances all around, a strong category -- I'd give to Amy Ryan, though, just for her pronouncement that the room "smelled like cock."
Best Director: NOT Gilroy. NOT Reitman. Please, let it be Paul Thomas Anderson, please. |
| RockGolf |
Posted - 01/22/2008 : 20:01:49
I don't know why Blanchett's dual noms would eliminate her in either category. More frequently someone nominated in both lead & support has won one or the other acting award. (Usually supporting, but Al Pacino won lead, lost supporting.) The only exception I can think of was Sigourney Weaver, who lost in both categories. |
| randall |
Posted - 01/22/2008 : 19:01:25
Very nice blogpost, Ali. I saw WAR/DANCE at Sundance last year, and I still think about it every once in a while. But it's so far under the radar than it doesn't have a prayer. Foreign language and docs are the categories that most Academy members vote blind. |
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