Here are all the nominations announced last week. Who I believe will win are highlighted in Bold and written underneath are my thoughts and opinions on who should actually win. For nominations to which I do not really have a clue about, these have all been left untouched and are open to suggestions.
Performance by an actor in a leading role
- Richard Jenkins in The Visitor
- Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon
- Sean Penn in Milk
- Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler
Firstly it is good to see Richard Jenkins' role deservedly picking up a nomination for the criminally overlooked The Visitor. Frank Langella however is not the leading actor of Frost/Nixon. He is predominantly a supporting actor alongside Michael Sheen who for some reason has been overlooked by the Academy. As good as Langella's Nixon is, it would account for nothing unless he had Sheen's Frost to play against.
Sean Penn's performance is flawless but for me there is nothing inherently different, challenging or 'out there' about his portrayal of Harvey Milk. Similarly Benjamin Button is the typical Brad Pitt Role. For me and I believe the Academy, the performance of the year has to go to Mickey Rourke. He may effectively be playing himself but no other performance this year is as moving. Behind his tough exterior lies this emotional wreck, and if it were not for him, the film would not work. His acting just seemed so extremely demanding unlike that of Penn who was effortlessly playing yet another role which he thrives in. I think it is about time Rourke won an award but keep your eyes on Sean Penn as he may narrowly beat him. Also where was Benicio Del Toro's nomination for Che Guavara?
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
- Josh Brolin in Milk
- Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder
- Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt
- Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight
- Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road
Heath rightly deserves this award and I think the Academy will agree with me. None of his other rivals are anywhere as near as colourful, inventive or just as mind blowing. I think it is insulting that Downey Jr should be nominated as his character was nothing other than a daft and stupid gimmick to raise his profile which wore a little thin as the dismal Tropic Thunder trundled along. If Heath somehow managed to lose out to that excuse of a performance he will be turning in his grave! The fact when Downey Jr.'s name was mentioned the whole audience guffawed in laughter demonstrates how no one is taking this nomination seriously. It could have been replaced with far better performances that are far more deserving, Michael Sheen in Frost/Nixon is an obvious example. Even though Josh Brolin, who could have perhaps been nominated for best actor in W, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who is brilliant in everything he stars in, are worthy of nominations their performances are simply forgettable when they are pitted against Heath's performance of a lifetime.
Performance by an actress in a leading role
- Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married
- Angelina Jolie in Changeling
- Melissa Leo in Frozen River
- Meryl Streep in Doubt
- Kate Winslet in The Reader
This is a very tough one to call. It doesn't take a genius to work out that the main focus of the nomination is between Angelina and Kate, but it is anyone's guess. Kate Winslet is so obviously Oscar hungry I think the Academy may in fact pity her and grant her a win. Similarly many members of the Academy may in fact be neutral and grant the win to the outside favourite Anne Hathaway. Like Jolie she is known for her rubbish roles but this year she proved she is capable of so much more. But if I were to bet on anyone it would be Jolie. Her performance is without a doubt the most convincing and it reeks of what the academy favour; a strong maternal woman who uses her strengths to battle against society.
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
- Amy Adams in Doubt
- Penélope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona
- Viola Davis in Doubt
- Taraji P. Henson in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler
I know the Wrestler was Mickey Rourke's film but Marisa Tomei's character does exactly what it says on the tin; it supports and enhances his character. To me the other actresses were trying to steal the spotlight just a little bit too much.
Best animated feature film of the year
- Bolt
- Kung Fu Panda
- WALL-E
It annoys me that the so-called 'Best animated feature' is only limited to three nominations. For some reason the academy seems to view animated films as a Mickey Mouse award, literally. The fact Kung Fu Panda has even been nominated is insulting. Where is Waltz With Bashir? Persepolis? Just because these two films are full of adult subject matter means they are denied an award opportunity. Dreamworks's Cash Cow has in no way pushed the boundaries of animation or cinema itself. If either Bashir or Persepolis were nominated it would make the race for best animation feature far more exciting. Ultimately there is only one winner here and that is Andrew Stanton's masterpiece Wall-E.
Achievement in art direction
- James J. Murakami and Gary Fettis - Changeling
- Donald Graham Burt and Victor J. Zolfo - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Nathan Crowley and Peter Lando - The Dark Knight
- Michael Carlin and Rebecca Alleway - The Duchess
- Kristi Zea and Debra Schutt - Revolutionary Road
- Tom Stern - Changeling
- Claudio Miranda - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Wally Pfister - The Dark Knight
- Chris Menges and Roger Deakins - The Reader
- Anthony Dod Mantle - Slumdog Millionaire
The entire feel and darkness of the fictional Gotham City is down to this man. I rest my case.
Achievement in costume design
- Catherine Martin - Australia
- Jacqueline West - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Michael O'Connor - The Duchess
- Danny Glicker - Milk
- Albert W Revolutionary Road
Achievement in directing
- David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
- Gus Van Sant - Milk
- Stephen Daldry - The Reader
- Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
There is no way that Daldry deserves to win for his pretentious direction. Similarly Van Sant's direction of Milk was just so straight forward and unimaginative that there is no way he could hope to even win. For me Danny Boyle's dynamic and energetic depiction of the Mumbai slums blows everyone else out of the water. But look out for Ron Howard. In a similar vein he has also taken a television show and translated it into a gripping film. If there were a prize for second place, it would be his.
Best documentary feature- The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
- Encounters at the End of the World
- The Garden
- Man on Wire
- Trouble the Water
The best documentary of the year in my opinion; King of Kong has either been overlooked or has simply been considered too commercial, despite the fact its box office takings we below par to say the least. Similarly the only reason I can think of that Taxi to the Dark Side has not been nominated is because it has gone out of its way to criticise the fine country they call America, which is something the Academy never takes lightly to. Man on Wire has generated so much buzz since it was released I just cannot see anything else winning. Also let's face it, Encounters at the End of the World has been nominated only because it has Herzog's name attached to it! A few stuffy critics will no doubt be up in arms due to the fact that their favourite documentary of the year, Terence Davis' Of Time and the City, did not get a mention but this is probably because the Academy is uninterested with the slums of Liverpool truth be told.
Best documentary short subject
- The Conscience of Nhem En
- The Final Inch
- Smile Pinki
- The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306
Achievement in film editing
- Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Lee Smith - The Dark Knight
- Mike Hill and Dan Hanley - Frost/Nixon
- Elliot Graham - Milk
- Chris Dickens - Slumdog Millionaire
- The Baader Meinhof Complex - Germany
- The Class - France
- Departures - Japan
- Revanche - Austria
- Waltz with Bashir - Israel
If my 3rd favourite film of the year Waltz with Bashir does not win I think I shall shoot myself! This was in my opinion a step forward for the art of cinema and is better than any of the other films nominated for 'best picture' let alone best foreign film. So layered as a part animation, part documentary and part drama this work of art is so emotionally powerful it hits you square in the face! As entertaining as The Baader Meinhof Complex was it was just too politically didactic and Gomorrah should have gone in its place. For a film industry so obsessed with the Mafia and its legacy I think a film which exposes the criminal organisation for what it really is definitely deserves a nomination at least.
Achievement in makeup
- Greg Cannom - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan - The Dark Knight
- Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz - Hellboy II: The Golden Army
All they had to do in the Dark Knight was slap makeup on Heath Ledger's face. As imaginative as the make-up is on Hellboy II is, it is the make-up on the elderly Baby which holds the whole concept of Benjamin Button together.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
- Alexandre Desplat - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- James Newton Howard - Defiance
- Danny Elfman - Milk
- A.R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire
- Thomas Newman WALL-E
This is the only soundtrack that stood out in my mind, one which aided and enhanced the magnificent visuals.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
- "Down to Earth" from WALL-E Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman
- "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire Music by A.R. Rahman
- "O Saya" from Slumdog Millionaire Music by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Frost/Nixon
- Milk
- The Reader
- Slumdog Millionaire
Compared to last year's Oscar race the films this year are not as intriguing which has thus made the race a tad less exciting. Nevertheless I would quite like to see Boyle's film win as it is without a doubt the best film nominated. However I have a feeling that Fincher's epic is filled with what the academy thrive on; an epic simple man's journey. It may as well have been called Forest Gump 2. Anyway, it doesn't matter who wins anymore because the fact of the matter is Wall-E is far superior to any of the films mentioned. All fairly equally mediocre Wall-E would have stood out and easily had a chance of winning in my opinion.
Best animated short film
- La Maison en Petits Cubes
- Lavatory - Lovestory
- Oktapodi
- Presto (Pixar)
- This Way Up
- Auf der Strecke
- Manon on the Asphalt
- New Boy
- The Pig
- Spielzeugland (Toyland)
- Richard King - The Dark Knight
- Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes - Iron Man
- Tom Sayers - Slumdog Millionaire
- Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood - WALL-E
- Wylie Stateman - Wanted
- David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick - The Dark Knight
- Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty - Slumdog Millionaire
- Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt - WALL-E
- Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt - Wanted
- Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin - The Dark Knight
- John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan - Iron Man
Again Wall-E should have been nominated and won. It's special effects were absolutely breathtaking and so unbelievably imaginative and iconic they permanently imprint in your mind. But with what's on offer I think Iron Man should win, any film that takes a man into space convincingly is a dead cert in my eyes!
Adapted screenplay
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Screenplay by Eric Roth
- Doubt Written by John Patrick Shanley
- Frost/Nixon Screenplay by Peter Morgan
- The Reader Screenplay by David Hare
- Slumdog Millionaire Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy
All the films have been effectively translated for the art of cinema, that's why they have all been successfully nominated. But the script which stands out the most is Beaufoy's Slumdog Millionaire. It is a film in its own right rather than a filmed adaptation of a book or play.
Original screenplay
- Frozen River Written by Courtney Hunt
- Happy-Go-Lucky Written by Mike Leigh
- In Bruges Written by Martin McDonagh
- Milk Written by Dustin Lance Black
- WALL-E Screenplay by Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon
None of the other films in relation to In Bruges are as razor sharp or as quick witted. Mike Leigh's script is more of the same and WALL-E's screenplay was barely existent as far as dialogue is concerned. This is an award for the best screenplay not storyboard!
Total Nominations Per Film
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -13
Slumdog Millionaire - 10
The Dark Knight -8
Milk - 8
WALL-E - 6
Doubt - 5
Frost/Nixon - 5
The Reader - 5
Changeling - 3
Revolutionary Road - 3
The Duchess - 2
Frozen River - 2
Iron Man - 2
Wanted - 2
The Wrestler - 2
No inherent surprises really as to which film has picked up the most nominations. But for me Wall-E deserved to sweep the board . I think it'll be one of those years when all the awards are given to a variety of films rather than one stand alone movie claiming far more than anyone else. None of the films are that superior in relation to their rivals (except for WALL-E of course!)
The real surprise is that Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino has not picked up a single nomination when films like Wanted and Kung Fu Panda can receive up to two. I just think the Academy found nothing in his film they particularly liked, after all I believe it was a film he made for himself rather than for awards which we all know he can do at the flip of a coin.The Academy Awards will be presented by Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) which is quite frankly a strange choice as despite his musical background I don't think he quite has the edge of a host as say Whoopi Goldberg, Jon Stewart, Billy Crystal or Steve Martin.
The awards will be broadcast live on February 22nd at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.
Expect a full blown review on my blog the day after the ceremony!
No comments:
Post a Comment