comment #1

Chapman Carruthers says ...

In my book and in the eyes of independent contrarian thinkers in years and decades to come, Synecdoche, New York should have nabbed a Best Picture nomination, and Charlie Kaufman easily deserves a Best Director nomination for his intensely passionate work on this film.

comment #2

TheCahuengaKid says ...

I love Clint Eastwood's body of work...and it may be viewed as heresy to say this on Jeff's blog...but his performance in GRAN TORINO was nothing new. He growled and glared as only Clint can - but we've been there before. His performance in UNFORGIVEN was much more nuanced and rich.

comment #3

Movie fan09 says ...

The inclusion of The Reader in the Best Picture quintet is a bit weird. What decided it, I wonder -- the holocaust factor?

Gervais was right.
people love movies about tragedies.

comment #4

actionman says ...

These nominations, in my estimation, are the equivalent of a flaky dump.

Where is Rosemarie DeWitt? Bill Irwin? Sally Hawkins? Eddie Marsan?

No cinematography nod for The Fall -- what a fucking joke.

No Clint for best actor -- a complete joke, that's an already legendary performance.

Viola Davis and Michael Shannon were both great with what they did but they didn't have anywhere near the amount of screen time to truly qualify for a best supporting actor nomintion -- if there was a category for best supporting cameo, then fine.

The Reader isn't anywhere near as bad as some people are making it out to be, but still, over TDK? No fucking way.

The snubbing of Kaufman's BRILLIANT screenplay is a joke and insluting to writers across the land.

Milk had an amazing screenplay? That's news to me. How the hell could this completely paint-by-numbers piece of work make it in over something like Rachel Getting Married?

Frost/Nixon was well done and entertaining, but c'mon, best fucking picture and director? No way.

The only surprises are In Bruges getting a well-deserved screenplay nom -- good for McDonagh.
Good for Downey Jr. -- I almost didn't think the Academy would have the balls to give him a nom for TT. And super excited for Herzog and Encounters; an incredible film.

I think these are some of the lousiest picks ever.

comment #5

Gordie Lachance says ...

Really happy for Michael Shannon and Sally Hawkins. Also for the cast of Doubt (still my favorite film this year).

Am I the only one who thinks that The Reader got nom'd because it's a Pollack / Minghella production?

comment #6

BurmaShave says ...

actionman, don't even get started with that screentime shit. That's one of the most tired arguments.

All in all, despite the ridiculous snubs (Dark Knight, Bruce, etc.), I like these picks. And Werner Herzog finally has an Oscar nomination.

comment #7

actionman says ...

Why, Burma? It's true.

comment #8

erniesouchak says ...

1. Yay Herzog!

2. Worst joke: Brad Pitt instead of Leo Di Caprio

3. Almost as bad: Cinematography nom for Changeling

And yes, "the Holocaust factor" is definitely in play...there is nothing awards-worthy about "The Reader."

comment #9

Nick Rogers says ...

Burma: The only winner against whom I'd actively pursue the screen-time argument is Judi Dench. To me, a top measurement for a supporting-actor or supporting-actress performance is how much their presence lingers when they're not onscreen. Both Davis and Shannon, though one- or two-scene wonders, certainly have that in their roles.

comment #10

corey3rd says ...

Reading how Pricewaterhouse determines the nominees and you learn quickly - the Oscars are as messed up as the Emmys and Grammys.

comment #11

BurmaShave says ...

It's not about the screentime, it's about how effective and resonant they are in it. Think of the people like Anthony Quinn in LUST FOR LIFE or even just last year Hal Holbrook who would be casualties of your insistence on extensive time. You can't seriously want Best Supporting to just always be the award for the second lead.

And I just realized, in the eyes of the Academy, Stephen Daldry is the best director of the decade. He's been nominated for every single film he's put out. Maybe one day he'll even make a good one.

comment #12

ElstonGunnAICN says ...

The Sally Hawkins snub was surprising, but not as much as Bruce Springsteen's while SLUMDOG received two song noms.

comment #13

BurmaShave says ...

Not to mention nominees like Ned Beatty in NETWORK, action. And furthermore, Davis and Shannon were the souls of their movies. It would have been a travesty to overlook them.

comment #14

K. Bowen says ...

While Viola Davis was good, did anyone really buy her character and what she does? I didn't. Not at all. Obviously that isn't her fault. But I can't imagine a mother acting that way.

comment #15

p.Vice says ...

Once again the academy continues their tradition of nominating actors for their most obvious performances. I'm glad to see Shannon get some recognition but his performance in Revolutionary Road is incredibly vulgar and uninteresting... typically Mendes has no idea how to coax subtlety or menace out of his actors and has them aiming for the broad side of the barn. Then again, it certainly proved he would have made for an excellent Joker... I'm predicting Shannon gets cast as a major villain in a really shitty superhero movie within the next couple of years.

And I second actionman's sentiments that these are indeed some of the lousiest picks ever... although your list of snubs doesn't exactly stand toe to toe with the greats either, action. Kinda fitting for one of the lousiest years of movies ever, no?

comment #16

K. Bowen says ...

Wanted: 2
Man on Wire: 1
Rachel Getting Married: 1

comment #17

Howlingman says ...

Meh. I'm sure I'll find something to watch on TV that night. Certainly something more interesting than the Oscars are at their best.

comment #18

Sabina E says ...

YAY that TDK didn't get nominated for BP or BD.

I am still confused why anybody thinks that Jolie deserves an Oscar nod for The Changeling... she wasn't THAT great, in my opinion.

I'm rooting for Danny Boyle and Slumdog Millionaire!

comment #19

berkguru says ...

Pitt and Jolie nominated together for ratings. Joke.

comment #20

MikeSchaeferSF says ...

Am I the only one who thought Shannon was channeling David Letterman in RR? It's an obvious, over-the-top, look-at-me-I'm-a-crazy-person performance, kinda sad that it's the film's only major nomination.

comment #21

K. Bowen says ...

Shannon didn't really stir me either way. A lot of yelling.

comment #22

K. Bowen says ...

But that's the thing about Rev Road ... the book was ahead of its time, or at least an early comer in its times. The film is a cliche.

comment #23

Nick Rogers says ...

Burma: The only winner against whom I'd actively pursue the screen-time argument is Judi Dench. To me, a top measurement for a supporting-actor or supporting-actress performance is how much their presence lingers when they're not onscreen. Both Davis and Shannon, though one- or two-scene wonders, certainly have that in their roles.

comment #24

BurmaShave says ...

Yeah Nick, agreed. That was an Oh look she's playing a queen again we feel bad for passing her over for MRS. BROWN Oscar.

comment #25

George Prager says ...

While were on the subject of NETWORK, Marlene Warfield (as Laureen Hobbs) was a lot more deserving of a nom than Beatrice Straight.

comment #26

Thrudvangar says ...

Best pics: Frozen River, Man on Wire, and Waltz w/ Bashir.

Haven't seen Encounters, Synecdoche.

Decided not to watch Doubt, The Reader.

Iron Man was better than TDK.

comment #27

Jeremy Fassler says ...

Best Supporting Actor should be reserved for the actors who have true supporting roles. Most of the time the award goes to the person with the most screen time. I would be thrilled if Viola Davis won, not just because it's the best performance of the year, but because it's the true supporting role in the film.

I can't say at this point that there are locks on any of the four acting categories, except for Ledger. Once the SAG awards come in I think we'll know more.

Is THE READER really the best they could've done to oust THE DARK KNIGHT? What if they'd nominated CHE? REVOLUTIONARY ROAD? What if they'd gone out on a limb and nominated WALL-E? It was on more top ten lists than any other movie this year! Or MAN ON WIRE, the best reviewed movie in the history of Rotten Tomatoes!!! I guess that there are enough older voters who warmed to THE READER because it felt more accessible to them than THE DARK KNIGHT.

comment #28

bachelorcool says ...

Expect even lower ratings for the Oscars than last year.

comment #29

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

Oh, I see the problem - everyone is looking at the wrong list of nominees.

On the list (the only list I care about these days) I'm looking at, all the right people got nominated.

There's James Franco for Best Supporting actor in Milk.

The Best Picture nods include Frozen River, The Wrestler and Rachael Getting Married.

Charlie Kaufman picked up Best Screenplay, Best First Feature and a Robert Altman award for the cast of Synecdoche, New York.

Gomorra was included with the Best Foreign Film

If you haven't guessed, these are the Spirit Awards nominees that were announced last night.

http://www.spiritawards.com/nominees

comment #30

George Prager says ...

The Spirit awards are gay.

comment #31

lipranzer says ...

"And I just realized, in the eyes of the Academy, Stephen Daldry is the best director of the decade. He's been nominated for every single film he's put out. Maybe one day he'll even make a good one."

Well said, Burma (I haven't seen all of THE READER yet, but it's not looking good).

comment #32

arturobandini2 says ...

I would like to thank the Motion Picture Academy for giving me zero incentive to stay home and watch their stupid prom this year. Six out of the last ten years, I snubbed the pageantry in favor of going to a foreign-language film. And had a great movie-going experience each time, sitting in the dark among real cinephiles. The four years that I watched the Oscars instead were pure agony, rooting for a favorite underdog to finally receive an honor from his or her peers, always to lose. This year it will be a Benjamin Butthole / Slumdog landslide. Who gives a shit? I'd rather go out and celebrate actual cinema.

comment #33

VoiceOfReason says ...

Didn’t Jeff promise to eat his boot if Benicio didn’t get a nomination for Che? Strap a bib on, homeboy. It's chow time!

comment #34

VoiceOfReason says ...

For the record I’m not gloating that Benicio was passed over. I just want to remind everyone that a man is only as good as his word.

comment #35

Nick Rogers says ...

FWIW, sorry for the double post earlier. I guess my computer must be experiencing erratic, unpredictable shifts through time just like the folks on "Lost."

comment #36

Magic Rat says ...

The Eastwood snub, unfortunately, is a good move. I agree with Cahuenga Kid - nothing new.

No nomination for Springsteen's song from "The Wrestler" is an absolute travesty, though. I understand the Academy wanting to cut the list down to three to save time, but two songs from Slumdog? Come on!

And why is everybody so hot for Downey Jr's performance in "Tropic Thunder"? Granted, the man is an amazing actor - but it felt like a silly stunt to me (Also, the role itself is completely illogical, considering Lazarus is the first of the actors to realize that they are no longer shooting a movie. Why does he stay in character after this point? "Because it's funny" isn't a good enough excuse - and yes, as a comedy writer, I take these things seriously). I would have preferred him to get nominated for last year's "Zodiac" rather than this.

comment #37

DavidF says ...

Magic Rat - Based on your name, I'm not surprised that you're as upset about the Springsteen thing as I am.

Three nominees is absurd, especially with 2 from the same movie. I'd have liked to see Jenny Lewis there too.

comment #38

MilkMan says ...

Any nominations for The Reader, Frost/Nixon and Revolutionary Road are a joke.

Aronofsky should have been nominated for Best Director solely based on his use of sound in The Wrestler.

Nominating Ron Howard for that made for Showtime movie is a travesty.

The script for Milk is ABYSMAL.

Chris Doyle should've been nominated for Paranoid Park.

I also don't think Downey Jr. should've been nominated for TT. I don't get it. What am I missing? White men acting "black" is still considered funny? But then again, I don't understand what was so great about Ledger in TDK or...anything for that matter. I thought his perf in TDK was totally schematic and by the numbers. Also, he was doing an impersonation of someone in TDK, and I don't know who it was, but it was someone famous. Anyone who thinks Ledger was some kind of acting genius needs to go and watch Dogtown again. His performance in that movie makes me cringe. I'm not a big fan of the Look At Me! Look At Me! school of acting. Young actors need to stop emulating Sean Penn and Johnny Depp and start studying actors like Warren Oates and Jeff Bridges. Have some dignity.

comment #39

the400blows says ...

I think The Reader got nominated for Best Picture because it strengthens a Kate Winslet win for the Best Actress Oscar over Meryl Streep. (Isn't that another reason why she wasn't double-nominated--so she can't split votes for a win?) Maybe that's why "Doubt" wasn't nominated for Best Picture. Really glad that Departures (Japan) and Revanche (Austria) got nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. Excellent films. What happened to Three Monkeys? I still think Waltz With Bashir should've gotten nominated for Best Documentary instead of Best Foreign Language Film.

comment #40

smiley says ...

Three words sum up these nods. What the Fuck?

No nods for Springsteen, Aronofsky, Nolan, or DiCaprio. I can understand not nominating TDK but not even the Wrestler? The Reader wasn't even Winslet's best film.Frost/Nixon didn't deserve half its awards either.

This Slumdog love is sickening and tiresome. How does this film get 2 of 3 best original songs and Springsteen doesn't get a nod!

comment #41

raygo says ...

Zodiac deserved 13 Oscar nominations. The opening sequence is brilliant.

comment #42

smiley says ...

Congrats to McDonagh for In Bruges' writing nod and Ledger's family for supporting actor. After TDK was snubbed for film and director I was worried Ledger would get the cold shoulder as well.

comment #43

actionman says ...

The script for Milk is not abysmal; it's simply average.

Revolutionary Road should have gotten noms for Winslet and Leo and for adapted screenplay and cinematography (over The Reader, which, while pretty, was surprisingly flat looking considering the behind-the-camera pedigree).

The Reader is a fine film, but not one of the top five of the year.

Can't wait to see The Wrestler this Sunday; last film from 2008 for me to see before I call it quits for the year.

comment #44

Floyd Thursby says ...

Predictions based on years of trying to make sense of the illogic of Oscar voting, paying close attention to the national mood as well as how one factor balances or offsets another:
Picture: Milk
Director Van Sant
Actor: Langella
Actress: Hathaway
Supporting Actor: Ledger
Supporting Actress: Cruz

comment #45

LFF says ...

Jolie should have been nominated last year for A Mighty Heart.

comment #46

actionman says ...

I actually much preferred her in Changeling.

comment #47

raygo says ...

I think with The Reader being a Best Picture candidate, Winslet looks very strong there.

comment #48

LFF says ...

mighty heart was a better movie

comment #49

smiley says ...

Winslet was going to win (knock on wood) regardless of the reader's chances, raygo.

comment #50

LFF says ...

so...

With DK largely out of the running, who accepts Ledgers statue for him? Nolan? Bale? Gilliam?

comment #51

Floyd Thursby says ...

Too many voters will have negative feelings about the good Nazi/sex with minor angles to go with KW. They realize that one day she will be super in something they can wholeheartedly endorse. I would vote for her this time, as well as for Sense and Sensibility, Iris, and Eternal Sunshine.

comment #52

raygo says ...

I think Winslet always had a (knock wood) chance of winning something. Now with only one nom for The Reader, and that also being a Best Pic nom, things look a little more certain. Almost by design ... if they can rig things that way.

comment #53

smiley says ...

Well I hope she wins, it would make the injustice of the rest of this year's nods bearable.

comment #54

D.Z. says ...

Feel free to update http://www.jumptheshark.com/topic/Academy-Awards/Academy-Awards-General-Comments/16?chartStart=0&chartRange=500&chartOnly=true .

comment #55

/3rtfu11 says ...

HD digital video finally has a best cinematography nod! God please give the Oscar to Roger Deakins. Brad Pitt's Oscar nod is make-up for the Jesse James snub.

I want Fincher to win best director so he doesn't have to try anymore to make Oscar bait movies. Something inside tells me Amy Adams will go home with the Oscar.

Milk for best picture because it's gay.

Glad for Josh Brolin.

comment #56

actionman says ...

If Deakins wins this year it won't be the same as him winning for Jesse James or NCFOM. He co-shot the film with Chris Menges, and to be honest, it isn't even the best film he worked on (Rev Road had brilliant cinematography)

I am a huuuuge Deakins fan. But Colin Watkinson's work on The Fall was EASILY the best work of the year.

comment #57

longrunner says ...

While I am thrilled to see Herzog's nom, I hafta say I think the best film I saw last year is his "competition": MAN ON WIRE.

comment #58

lordbyronius says ...

stephen daldry has probably sucked more dicks in hollywood than harvey fierstein and and ben lyons COMBINED.

it's the only explanation, really. i mean, why would they ignore dozens of other brave and terrific films and instead sop to the kind of movie that panders specifically to Academy Awards voters by being a bloated monolith of self-importance and melodrama?

...oh.

comment #59

adaml says ...

No idea why people rate In Bruges. I walked out after an hour and actually had to pay for parking, when if I'd stayed til the end I'd have got out for free. That's how crap it was - just completely unfunny (unless calling fat people elephants is now considered intelligent, wry humour.)

comment #60

Flash Gordon says ...

If Rev Road or Doubt had been from Harvey Wienstein's company, one of them would have been nominated instead of The Reader. The man can hypnotize the Academy into doing anything. He got them to give Best Actor to that Italian clown and nominate Chocolat for Best Picture, among other embarrassments.

comment #61

TVMCCA says ...

Re Clint's lack of a Best Actor nomination, I have a comment about this justified omission on my blog:
http://poetry-arts-confidential.blogspot.com/2009/01/regarding-academy-award-nominations.html

comment #62

TVMCCA says ...

bachelorcool wrote:
And cue the post-Oscar wailing about how the Academy doesn't reward popular filmmaking i.e. THE DARK KNIGHT.

comment #63

smiley says ...

Well adaml some people don't get dark comedies.

comment #64

Flash Gordon says ...

I was hoping Anne Hathaway would win but now there's no way it's going to happen. Only one nomination for Rachel Getting Married and Kate Winslet's performance was in a Best Picture nominee (which always helps). At least Winslet will win for The Reader instead of her overrated performance in Rev Road. And won't it be interesting to see Javier Bardem present an Oscar to his real life gf? And who's going to accept Heath Ledger's award? I hope Nolan does and ends by telling the Academy to go fly a kite.

comment #65

George Prager says ...

And the Independent Spirit award for best pronunciation of a Spanish name by an American presenter goes to....

comment #66

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Milkman,

Appreciate your posts, almost always in total agreement, but in this particular case, you are delusional (or at least moreso than usual). Following your argument to its logical conclusion, Warren Oates would have made a great Joker? Uh, no. The role requires a certain amount of bravura which Ledger more than brought to the table (much to my surprise; initially I despised his casting). You are going to cast a movie star for the Joker, not a character actor...the aim is magnetism above realism, I think (although I would argue HL tempered the former with an honest dose of the latter).

Also, Jeff Bridges had his turn this summer as a villain in a big blockbuster, and you know what? He sucked. Yeah, the writing for his character was pretty two-dimensional, standard superhero arch-enemy stuff, but he still brought very little to the table, IMHO.

Agree with the rest of your points. Esp. with the part about RDJ. Love the actor, hate the movie. If Winslet can get nominated for lead in "The Reader," why not just nominate Downey for supporting actor in "Iron Man?" He was obviously playing second-fiddle to his suit (and all the CGI-sfx that go with that), so why not? It was clearly the better performance of the two.

comment #67

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

LFF - I think Michelle Williams accepting the award on Ledger's behalf (assuming he wins) would be a pretty nice gesture. I think it will largely come down to the names you mentioned (+Williams), and whoever actually attends this year's Oscars. Unfortunately, not many of them are up for anything, so it will be interesting.

comment #68

Cadavra says ...

Hey, since he'lll be sitting down front anyway, why not have Nicholson accept Ledger's Oscar?

comment #69

Cadavra says ...

"I was hoping Anne Hathaway would win but now there's no way it's going to happen. Only one nomination for Rachel Getting Married"

Didn't hurt Marion Cotillard last year, and that was a foreign film, to boot.

comment #70

rr3333 says ...

Why should Michelle Williams accept for Ledger? They split up.

If your suggestion had some legitimacy to it, Why not have Mary Kate (Or Ashley ... who can tell) Olsen accept? They were together last.

IMHO: Ledger, while a talent, wasted it all with drugs (prescription and otherwise). I feel bad he died, but there's a lot of other people (actors or otherwise) out there who died of disease or age. They should be mourned more than Ledger was.

comment #71

MathewM says ...

Having just seen The Wrester I'm not sure how they cannot give the Oscar to Mickey. He fully embodied his character in a way I haven't seen in awhile. I'm sure his experience as a boxer helped but for my money he blows every other performance including Ledger's Joker out of the water. I wasn't sure how realistic the wrestling scenes would be but he literally nails it. The Wrestler should of probably gotten a Best Pic nom but it's kind of a small film so I can see how it was over looked. Great editing though especially the sound.

For the other noms, it's a shame they didn't give TDK a Best Pic slot. TDK shouldn't have been nominated because it's a great film (it's very good) but because it would of opened up the show to a wider audience. More people interested means more of a chance that they will seek out the films that they wouldn't of otherwise paid much attention to.

If you look at the editing category The Reader (which I haven't nor care to see) is the only Best Pic not nominated. I think it was probably a close call but the older, Jewish Academy put their foot down and insisted that The Reader get the final Best Pic slot over TDK.

comment #72

/3rtfu11 says ...

Why should Michelle Williams accept for Ledger? They split up.
She's the mother of his child. She's also an actress with a promsing future.

If your suggestion had some legitimacy to it, Why not have Mary Kate (Or Ashley ... who can tell) Olsen accept? They were together last.
Fuck those bitches.

comment #73

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Thanks for clearing up my point there, /3rtfu11.

rr3333, if all you can say about Michelle Williams in relation to Heath Ledger is "they split up," you's got sum livin' to do, son. Just because you are no longer banging someone doesn't mean that you don't love them, and it certainly doesn't mean that you don't have a deep and intimate appreciation of a person that you might be able to touchingly impart to an audience that primarily knew him through his work onscreen.

Grow up.

comment #74

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

I'm reading back over your post, and your comment about people that should be "mourned more" is equally rancid. Do you have a scale to measure this sort of thing? Christ.

comment #75

bachelorcool says ...

bachelorcool wrote:
And cue the post-Oscar wailing about how the Academy doesn't reward popular filmmaking i.e. THE DARK KNIGHT.

Did I? When?

comment #76

George Prager says ...

rr3333, the mourning concern troll. Let's see, should Paul Newman be mourned more than Charlton Heston? Yes...what about Earth Kitt...Someone make a Power Point presentation.

comment #77

PCP_Patriots says ...

Che not getting any love is fine with me. First most critics didn't like it and second the topic of Che and his cult give me the chills.

comment #78

rr3333 says ...

Let me defend my position a bit (argue all you want. its only my opinion):

Just because Ledger was young and good looking and talented & his death got more press than, lets say, Brad Renfro's did, doesn't take away from the fact that he was a drug abuser and died because of it (accidental or not at the time). Sad, yes, of course, but he did a lot of the damage himself.

In relation to Michelle Williams .... how many Hollywood players hook up, have a kid, and then split up? Hundreds? Thousands? Yes, he died after their relationship ended, but things like that happens all the time in the REAL world.

Also, what do you or anyone in the general public know of Michelle Williams' current feelings about Ledger? Obviously, the father of her kid died, and that must be greatly upsetting that her kid will never know his father. But do you know anything about her present feelings for him? Look, based on US Weekly or another rag, they may have split up in the first place because he was abusing drugs, but that's still conjecture. We're not privy to any of that ... All we can do is just speculate.

We try and romanticize things way too much when it comes to Hollywood couples. That's not real life.

Ultimately, If anyone should accept his Oscar, it should be his parents.

comment #79

D.Z. says ...

George: "Let's see, should Paul Newman be mourned more than Charlton Heston?"

Well, Heston does have the blood of the last ten years of school shootings on his hands, so sure.

rr: I'm not really fond of Ledger's behavior, either. But if they're gonna give Kazan an award, why not him, I guess?

comment #80

janee says ...

Si vous etes interesses par le dossier, ou desirez en savoir plus, contactez-moi par mail, et je vous mettrai en contact.
Best regards,Jane, CEO of hyper v high availability