This is strictly from vague memory, but isn't it fairly characteristic of this group to be cavalier about certain films/nominees in a way that has little predictive value for future awards-giving? As I recall, Laura Linney was left off for The Savages even while Hoffman was the best actor winner -- yet it was Linney who ended up with the Oscar nod. I believe there are other such instances if we go and look.
UPDATED: I went and looked. Neeson and Sarsgaard -- but NOT Linney -- were nominated for Kinsey in '04. And, just to show it's not a Linney thing, James Franco, not Josh Brolin, got a Milk nod.
This is to say, I don't think it necessarily means anything that Gosling, Wiest, Duvall or Moore were left off even while co-stars made the list. This organization can be capricious that way, and trying to see the future from their picks can be hazardous.
Edited By Mister Tee on 1291154016
Spirit Award Nominees
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Mister Tee
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(flipp525 @ Nov. 30 2010,1:18)
I know what you're saying, Flipp, but watch it again. Everything that doesn't work in The Kids Are All Right becomes more prominent and a lot of it is representative in Annette Bening's sounding board performance. She's great, don't get me wrong. There's a bevy of performances coming up that I've yet to see, but in a world where Hye-ja Kim and Birgit Minichmayr can't be nominated, I doubt I'll have any problem with Annette Bening's nomination. But it's a very single-minded tour de force, the kind that she's very adept at giving. The film's narrative wouldn't be any kind of conceivable if we didn't believe that Julianne Moore's waffly hippie Chicken could be tempted into a fling with Mark Ruffalo's character. I think Moore has the harder part and she pulls it off exceptionally. I wasn't prepared to love Annette Bening in another film again, as she's become an almost scary presence on-camera these days, but I was even less prepared to see not just a return to the kind of all-in fearlessness that Julianne Moore used to embody, but also to see it coupled with her comedic strengths too often wasted.
(OscarGuy @ Nov. 30 2010,1:34)
Then good for The Last Exorcism. I now have a substantially bigger problem with 127 Hours' inclusion than any other nominated film.
I'm incredibly happy for Nik Fackler, an incredibly nice guy, on the success of his film Lovely, Still. I think I meant to write about it but did not. I have a pretty strong gag reflex for (how shall I say this without ruining the film's twist) this kind of elderly fairy tale and it certainly set it off pretty early on. It has tonal issues and in the end I couldn't recommend it to either one of my parents: my mother because she would likely not stop crying, my father because he would call bullshit, and then they'd probably start fighting. Just not worth it, and the film doesn't deserve it. But Nik wrote this film when he was 17 years old, got it made less than half a decade later on a $1.5 mil budget with Martin Landau, Ellen Burstyn, Adam Scott, and Elizabeth Banks, called in a favor from Bright Eyes to do the score, and got it out there. I admire that to no end. The script that I wrote when I was 17 will always stay in my bottom drawer as a reminder that I'm nowhere near as good as my mother might lead me to think.
But Nik did it. I now grade first films on a scale. They have to be pretty miserable for me to completely disregard them. I think a film that utterly fails is to be disregarded completely. One that displays a strong degree of promise, more successes than failures, should be given the benefit of the doubt. And a first feature that stands out as a modest gem should be held overhead as a triumph. It's a tough world out there for budding filmmakers and to get something made is next to impossible. I don't like Lovely, Still. It falls between disregard and giving it the benefit of the doubt, but I'm incredibly happy for Nik.
Edited By Sabin on 1291153460
(Sabin @ Nov. 30 2010,1:09)I'm a little disappointed at Julianne Moore's exclusion as she might actually give the better performance.
She definitely doesn't. I think Bening is the clear stand-out in the film and the awards circuit, starting here, will reflect that. Her scene at the Joni Mitchell dinner table is some of the best work I've seen her do. (Although, to be fair, Moore has a lot of fun and does some interesting things with a somewhat weirdly written role.)
I know what you're saying, Flipp, but watch it again. Everything that doesn't work in The Kids Are All Right becomes more prominent and a lot of it is representative in Annette Bening's sounding board performance. She's great, don't get me wrong. There's a bevy of performances coming up that I've yet to see, but in a world where Hye-ja Kim and Birgit Minichmayr can't be nominated, I doubt I'll have any problem with Annette Bening's nomination. But it's a very single-minded tour de force, the kind that she's very adept at giving. The film's narrative wouldn't be any kind of conceivable if we didn't believe that Julianne Moore's waffly hippie Chicken could be tempted into a fling with Mark Ruffalo's character. I think Moore has the harder part and she pulls it off exceptionally. I wasn't prepared to love Annette Bening in another film again, as she's become an almost scary presence on-camera these days, but I was even less prepared to see not just a return to the kind of all-in fearlessness that Julianne Moore used to embody, but also to see it coupled with her comedic strengths too often wasted.
(OscarGuy @ Nov. 30 2010,1:34)
It's all budget, Sabin. I don't know what the cut-off was, but Last Exorcism was made for $1.8 M according to boxofficemojo.
127 Hours was made for $18 M (same source).
Then good for The Last Exorcism. I now have a substantially bigger problem with 127 Hours' inclusion than any other nominated film.
I'm incredibly happy for Nik Fackler, an incredibly nice guy, on the success of his film Lovely, Still. I think I meant to write about it but did not. I have a pretty strong gag reflex for (how shall I say this without ruining the film's twist) this kind of elderly fairy tale and it certainly set it off pretty early on. It has tonal issues and in the end I couldn't recommend it to either one of my parents: my mother because she would likely not stop crying, my father because he would call bullshit, and then they'd probably start fighting. Just not worth it, and the film doesn't deserve it. But Nik wrote this film when he was 17 years old, got it made less than half a decade later on a $1.5 mil budget with Martin Landau, Ellen Burstyn, Adam Scott, and Elizabeth Banks, called in a favor from Bright Eyes to do the score, and got it out there. I admire that to no end. The script that I wrote when I was 17 will always stay in my bottom drawer as a reminder that I'm nowhere near as good as my mother might lead me to think.
But Nik did it. I now grade first films on a scale. They have to be pretty miserable for me to completely disregard them. I think a film that utterly fails is to be disregarded completely. One that displays a strong degree of promise, more successes than failures, should be given the benefit of the doubt. And a first feature that stands out as a modest gem should be held overhead as a triumph. It's a tough world out there for budding filmmakers and to get something made is next to impossible. I don't like Lovely, Still. It falls between disregard and giving it the benefit of the doubt, but I'm incredibly happy for Nik.
Edited By Sabin on 1291153460
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OscarGuy
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It's all budget, Sabin. I don't know what the cut-off was, but Last Exorcism was made for $1.8 M according to boxofficemojo.
127 Hours was made for $18 M (same source).
127 Hours was made for $18 M (same source).
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
She definitely doesn't. I think Bening is the clear stand-out in the film and the awards circuit, starting here, will reflect that. Her scene at the Joni Mitchell dinner table is some of the best work I've seen her do. (Although, to be fair, Moore has a lot of fun and does some interesting things with a somewhat weirdly written role.)Sabin wrote:I'm a little disappointed at Julianne Moore's exclusion as she might actually give the better performance.
"The mantle of spinsterhood was definitely in her shoulders. She was twenty five and looked it."
-Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
-Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
With seven nominations, Winter's Bone seems to be in that weird MOST NOMMED/CAN'T WIN subgroup of the Indie Spirits. All of its nominations are richly deserved. At the end of the ceremony, it might not win a thing. I'm deeply hoping that John Hawkes pulls off a surprise win over Ruffalo and Ortiz for what I consider to be the best supporting performance of the year as Teardrop.
The Kids Are All Right has five. I rewatched it last night and it does not hold up. I'm a little disappointed at Julianne Moore's exclusion as she might actually give the better performance. I see The Kids Are All Right picking up Feature, Lead Actress, Supporting Actor, and Screenplay. Which leaves Darren Aronofsky, weirdly snubbed for Director two years ago, to pick up a trophy for Black Swan. Maybe one more for Cinematography.
In the random Bad Movie We Feel Compelled to Honor b/c of Precedents Set and/or Cronyism Category, we have Nicole Holofcener up for Screenplay and weirdly honored for the Robert Altman award for ensemble excellence, whereas both feel at best perfunctory. Even worse is Todd Solondz's roundly-panned Life During Wartime for Best Screenplay.
How is 127 Hours an independent film? Or The Last Exorcism (the latter, I'm more asking b/c I didn't think so.)?
The Kids Are All Right has five. I rewatched it last night and it does not hold up. I'm a little disappointed at Julianne Moore's exclusion as she might actually give the better performance. I see The Kids Are All Right picking up Feature, Lead Actress, Supporting Actor, and Screenplay. Which leaves Darren Aronofsky, weirdly snubbed for Director two years ago, to pick up a trophy for Black Swan. Maybe one more for Cinematography.
In the random Bad Movie We Feel Compelled to Honor b/c of Precedents Set and/or Cronyism Category, we have Nicole Holofcener up for Screenplay and weirdly honored for the Robert Altman award for ensemble excellence, whereas both feel at best perfunctory. Even worse is Todd Solondz's roundly-panned Life During Wartime for Best Screenplay.
How is 127 Hours an independent film? Or The Last Exorcism (the latter, I'm more asking b/c I didn't think so.)?
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The Spirits have never been a strong precursor as far as determining eventual Oscar nominees.
A few things that caught my attention:
Rabbit Hole is nominated for Best Actor, Actress and Director, but not Best Picture.
Natalie Portman is the only acting nominee from Black Sean.
With the Gotham awards last night, and the heavy Spirit weigh behind Winter's Bone, it seems like this is going to be this year's Hurt Locker, a gritty film directed by a woman, supported by the critics more than the public. However, I don't see it as an Oscar winner. I don't think lightning is not going to strike twice in the same place two years in a row.
A few things that caught my attention:
Rabbit Hole is nominated for Best Actor, Actress and Director, but not Best Picture.
Natalie Portman is the only acting nominee from Black Sean.
With the Gotham awards last night, and the heavy Spirit weigh behind Winter's Bone, it seems like this is going to be this year's Hurt Locker, a gritty film directed by a woman, supported by the critics more than the public. However, I don't see it as an Oscar winner. I don't think lightning is not going to strike twice in the same place two years in a row.
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I also find it interesting that Barbara Hershey wasn't nominated either. But it almost seems like Film Independent's nominating board (a very small group, mind you) focused on less well known individuals in the supporting categories and went for bigger names in the lead.
I hope this puts an end to all the Robert Duvall speculations. Unlike movies like Rabbit Hole (also not nominated for Picture) and Black Swan, Duvall's film really needed the attention the Spirit Awards bring. I mean if Bill Murray can get nominated for the film, obviously they saw it.
I actually have been rather surprised that Duvall has picked up so many early predictions when his is a performance and a film that was quickly forgotten outside of the Oscar blogger world.
I hope this puts an end to all the Robert Duvall speculations. Unlike movies like Rabbit Hole (also not nominated for Picture) and Black Swan, Duvall's film really needed the attention the Spirit Awards bring. I mean if Bill Murray can get nominated for the film, obviously they saw it.
I actually have been rather surprised that Duvall has picked up so many early predictions when his is a performance and a film that was quickly forgotten outside of the Oscar blogger world.
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
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OscarGuy
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Here is the full list: Spirit Award Nominations.
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin