81st Annual Academy Awards Nominations

Post by **rolotomasi99** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:42 am

anonymous wrote:- I just hope the Academy doesn't whine about low-ratings.

i hope they have the lowest ratings in their history this year. they deserve to be punished.

dreaMaker · Post by **dreaMaker** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:39 am

The song nominees list disappointed me badly.
TWO nominations for Slumdog? COME ON!! And no Wrestler? I'm shocked. Also expected Gran Torino to make it in... but we're all happy Miley Cyrus missed it, aren't we?

The music score list is an impressive line-up of Oscar-deserving composers.
Most of all - Elfman, Newton Howard and Newman. I would give Oscars to all three of them.

So, they didn't love Gran Torino.
Eastwood had a chance to receive 7 nominations, but they obviously thought his 4 Oscars were enough.

Even though i love The Reader and i m delighted it made it in, i think two big reasons it got Best Picture nomination are Pollack'/Minghella' death and Harvey Weinstein.
This man is a monster.
And this nomination is Harvey's answer to Scott Rudin.

Post by **Penelope** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:39 am

Bog wrote:
Penelope wrote:2) they nominated her for the better performance.

You really think so? I've been going over it in my mind and I do like Kate Winslet more than many (clearly not you, Pen), so I am definitely pumped this seems more like her year than any of the past ones.

I just thought she was near perfection in Revolutionary Road and not hamstrung by a courtroom and wrinkle face...and will be a little bit bummed that it will be for this role.

I do think she was better in The Reader. For one thing, and as I've said before, April Wheeler in Revolutionary Road was a role that she'd played before (in Little Children, specifically); for another thing, though she did have some very strong moments in Road, there were many moments that came across to me as, well, overly calculated--particularly her final scenes--I blame this more on her director. In The Reader, she crafts a wholly new character, one that isn't totally sympathetic, with many more hidden depths.

Post by **Eric** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:39 am

flipp525 wrote:Big Magilla reducing her to "the skinny girl" tells me that the veteran, "old school" members must just not have gotten her performance.

Yeah, I thought this too, but I may have already used up my "mean" pass this morning. Stuff like this and all the love for The Reader sort of indicates the ferocious resurgence of a significant oldster faction within the Academy the last few years have tricked us into thinking didn't exist anymore.

Post by **OscarGuy** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:37 am

Sorry, Hollywood Z. I wasn't really laughing, but it seemed strange that it would be a contender. Matter of fact, I even quick-read the nominations as I was preparing my site and inadvertently gave those nods to The Wrestler, at which point I was going to feel good for suggesting it as a contender.

But, at least I got Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie right despite constant suggestions otherwise. And, Italiano, I never said Dark Knight was a slam dunk nominee. I put it in there because guild momentum seemed to be pointing to its inclusion, but I always listed it as the LEAST likely Best Picture nominee and MOST likely to get ousted. I'm also happy to point out that I did not sign on to the Chris Nolan Best Director train nor the Dark Knight in Adapted Screenplay train.

More thoughts after I go through my lists. But I think it's safe to assume that A) Academy members hate being told what to do (no Dark Knight as testament of Hollywood's success) and B) They will not be bullied to put leads in support when there's a clear demarcation (When I heard them go with Tomei as the last name, I knew my suggestion in one of my analyses that she'd be nom'd lead for The Reader and not Rev. Road was correct).

Edited By OscarGuy on 1232635168

Post by **flipp525** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:32 am

Eric wrote:
The Original BJ wrote:The one nomination omission which truly, deeply saddens me is that of Sally Hawkins. A joyous performance, and I thought after her trifecta of critics' prizes, plus the Golden Globe, she'd be in.

Co-sign. Sadly, the Oscars only pay attention to the Globes (and apparently ONLY the Globes) when it comes to drama.

I really don't see how she could've been left off. I realize that, outwardly, her performance comes off as a spritely confection, a trifle even. But, there was so much hidden depth and pathos that Hawkins infused into a seemingly carefree and joyous character. The scene with the bum alone as well as her final scene with Eddie Marsan should've cleared up any doubt that it was simply an insignificant comic role.

Big Magilla reducing her to "the skinny girl" tells me that the veteran, "old school" members must just not have gotten her performance.

Kate Winslet's April Wheeler was a masterful creation and I would not have been disappointed by it being recognized this morning. I haven't seen The Reader yet, so I can't comment on which is the superior performance.

Michael Shannon's spot, while not a travesty, belonged to the vastly superior Eddie Marsan. James Franco, even.

Edited By flipp525 on 1232635149

Post by **Bog** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:32 am

Penelope wrote:2) they nominated her for the better performance.

You really think so? I've been going over it in my mind and I do like Kate Winslet more than many (clearly not you, Pen), so I am definitely pumped this seems more like her year than any of the past ones.

I just thought she was near perfection in Revolutionary Road and not hamstrung by a courtroom and wrinkle face...and will be a little bit bummed that it will be for this role.

barrybrooks8 · Post by **barrybrooks8** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:28 am

M.I.A. is now an Oscar nominee.

Post by **Eric** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:27 am

Big Magilla wrote:
barrybrooks8 wrote:I liked the Reader...is that so wrong?

Of course not. Ignore the sour grapes.

Best for you and probably a lot of other people here to avoid Slant's impending writeups.

Edited By Eric on 1232634465

Post by **Eric** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:26 am

The Original BJ wrote:The one nomination omission which truly, deeply saddens me is that of Sally Hawkins. A joyous performance, and I thought after her trifecta of critics' prizes, plus the Golden Globe, she'd be in.

Co-sign. Sadly, the Oscars only pay attention to the Globes (and apparently ONLY the Globes) when it comes to drama.

Post by **Big Magilla** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:25 am

barrybrooks8 wrote:I liked the Reader...is that so wrong?

Of course not. Ignore the sour grapes.

Post by **Eric** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:25 am

Big Magilla wrote:Actually this is the most satisfying group of nominations in years.

Surprised I'm not.

Post by **Big Magilla** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:24 am

Eric wrote:I apologize to dreaMaker for all the bad things were all going to be forced to say about The Reader from here on out.

The only negative about The Reader's best picture nomination is that we will now have to endure Harvey's one remaining friend and permanent spokesperson, Renee Zellweger, once again introducing a clip from the film at the Oscars as she did at the Globes.

barrybrooks8 · Post by **barrybrooks8** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:23 am

I liked the Reader...is that so wrong?

dreaMaker · Post by **dreaMaker** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:22 am

Eric wrote:I apologize to dreaMaker for all the bad things were all going to be forced to say about The Reader from here on out.

See no evil, hear no evil.

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81st Annual Academy Awards Nominations