2010 Academy Awards Thread

[balmakboor]

It was, but not many people liked it.

Really, I placed it number one on my top 10 list and my rave review had a record number of people thanking me for recommending the movie to them. It is also at 91% on the RT-meter.

Who are these people who didn't like it?

(I published my top ten before rewatching Basterds and before watching The Hurt Locker. My top three now would be:

1. Basterds
2. Hurt
3. Ponyo

[number8]

Translation:

"Sigh, why couldn't a black person have directed Crash?"

[number8]

Who are these people who didn't like it?

Oscar voters? It was all but forgotten by the media by the end of the year. I don't remember seeing any push for it from Disney, since they were busy trying to get Princess and the Frog and Up in there.

[Spinal]

I'd be happier if Basterds wins, but I'm convinced that Tarantino's film will get the last laugh of sorts. I predict it will be the only movie in that best pic line-up that people will still be watching and caring about in five or ten years.

I think you'll change your mind after you see A Serious Man.

But the idea of people trying to watch Avatar 10 years from now amuses me greatly.

[balmakboor]

Depends on "people", really.

Oh, I'm not saying everyone will like it in ten years. I do expect that people will still be watching and arguing about it in ten years.

It's kind of like the year where Ordinary People won. Far more people watch and argue about Raging Bull now than any of the other nominees (such as Coal Miner's Daughter and Tess) except for possibly The Elephant Man.

Actually, naw, The Elephant Man -- which I think is pretty great -- gets buried beneath most of Lynch's other films including Dune.

[balmakboor]

I don't remember seeing any push for it from Disney...

Those basterds.

[Spinal]

I am so glad Star Trek did not get a Best Picture nomination.

[Qrazy]

Oh, I'm not saying everyone will like it in ten years. I do expect that people will still be watching and arguing about it in ten years.

It's kind of like the year where Ordinary People won. Far more people watch and argue about Raging Bull now than any of the other nominees (such as Coal Miner's Daughter and Tess) except for possibly The Elephant Man.

Actually, naw, The Elephant Man -- which I think is pretty great -- gets buried beneath most of Lynch's other films including Dune.

By buried you mean?

[Winston*]

YES! The Secret of Kells was nominated! It has no chance against the others, of course, but I thought it didn't have a shot at a nomination in a strong year such as this. I hope Moore and Cartoon Salon get a well deserved boost out of this.ritch:

I thought Mary and Max was much more deserving of a best animated feature nomination. Has that not had a US release yet?

[Skitch]

I am so glad Star Trek did not get a Best Picture nomination.

Why? It was better than Avatar.

Question...who exactly gets to vote on these noms and winners? A friend told me critics weren't aloud to be part of the process...is that true? I assumed a few critics would be in there.

[[ETM]]

I thought Mary and Max was much more deserving of a best animated feature nomination. Has that not had a US release yet?

I've heard it talked about and I don't know, haven't seen it. "Kells" had a week long run in Burbank to qualify for the Oscars and that's it.

[Raiders]

Why? It was better than Avatar.

Question...who exactly gets to vote on these noms and winners? A friend told me critics weren't aloud to be part of the process...is that true? I assumed a few critics would be in there.

It's the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (hence the Academy Awards).

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy...s_and_Sciences

I think critics are eligible (well, "writers" anyway) but it is made up of all kinds of industry professionals.

[Barty]

The 10 best picture lineup would make sense if the oscars were held every 4 years like the Olympics. Now that would be fun.

[Ezee E]

Yes. Very happy that Star Trek wasn't nominated.

I like Martin Scorsese's analysis of Avatar in that it's hugely popular and akin to something like The Jazz Singer. I've heard him say in one of his documentaries that while The Jazz Singer had new technology, it particularly wasn't a good movie at all.

I'm looking forward to the Match Cut nominations though!

I wonder if the ten nominations may surprise us. My reasoning is that a film like A Serious Man obviously has some lovers behind it that would vote for it no matter what. Now, it has no chance at winning, but those votes will take away from other movies. Same goes for District 9 and The Blind Side. Who will that hurt or help in the long run?

[balmakboor]

The 10 best picture lineup would make sense if the oscars were held every 4 years like the Olympics. Now that would be fun.

The only problem with that is movies that are only one year old would be at a disadvantage to those that are four years old. Four years is enough time for movies to grow in esteem and be better understood and start to gain classic status. People are still trying to figure out what to make of some of the best movies of the past year.

Now, if it was always looking four years back like in 2010 the movies eligible would be from 2003 to 2006 then it would be pretty intriguing.

What would and should the ten nominees be from 2003 to 2006?

[baby doll]

I've seen eight of the best pictures nominees, and mostly they're not terrible. An Education is probably the most audience-insulting character-driven film of the year, and the last half of District 9 is about as intellectually and emotionally stimulating as watching some one else playing Doom (there's even a POV shot of a soldier with his gun protruding into the frame). I guess the same is true of Avatar, but the aliens' skin looks cool in 3D. Up was cute but forgettable. Inglourious Basterds is, despite my reservations, what Roger Ebert would call "a real movie," meaning I couldn't forget it. And I really liked The Hurt Locker, Precious (why the hate, Match-Cut?), and best of all, A Serious Man, which isn't as mindblowing on second viewing but it's still impressive. I flat-out refuse to see The Blind Side, and probably won't go to see Up in the Air just because I've had my fill of mediocrity after Crazy Heart.

Predictions? I'm a pessimist, so I'll say Avatar is going to win. It cost a fortune and turned a profit, and therefore has "prestige." Reviewers liked The Hurt Locker, but it cost less than one-tenth of what it cost to make Cameron's film, and not many people saw it. Also, Hollywood hates women.

If I picked the winners...
Best picture: A Serious Man by Ethan and Joel Coen
Best director: Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds
Best Actor: Colin Firth for A Single Man
Best Actress: Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

[MadMan]

The 10 best picture lineup would make sense if the oscars were held every 4 years like the Olympics. Now that would be fun.

Such an idea would be cool, but probably highly unlikely to happen.

10 Best Picture nominations is such a stupid idea.

My thoughts exactly. But hey since they nominated movies that made lots of money or were really popular (see: Avatar, The Blind Side) the ploy will result in high ratings. I'm hoping for the whole thing to backfire, but I imagine we'll see this stupid idea sticking around for years to come.

The last Oscar ceremony I thought was truly cool was the one that covered 2007, when the Coens Brothers finally took home Best Picture and Best Director. Last year's was one of the most boring in recent memory.

[megladon8]

I'm going to be really pissed off if Avatar wins Best Picture. Because it doesn't deserve it at all, plain and simple.

Best Visual Effects? Absolutely.

[[ETM]]

I hope to god Avatar doesn't win Best Picture not so much because there are better films on the list (there are), but to avoid the inevitable bitchin'.

[Watashi]

Avatar isn't the best film of the list of 10, but I wouldn't care if it won. Stuff like Up and A Serious Man have no shot anyway.

Since when did the most deserving film ever win Best Picture anyway?

[megladon8]

I'm putting my money on Jeff Bridges for Best Actor.

[Derek]

I'm going to be really pissed off if Avatar wins Best Picture. Because it doesn't deserve it at all, plain and simple.

How often does a picture that deserves to win actually win? Once a decade, maybe?

[ledfloyd]

How often does a picture that deserves to win actually win? Once a decade, maybe?

No Country for Old Men

Annie Hall
The Godfather, Part II
The Godfather

The Apartment

Casablanca
Rebecca

It Happened One Night

it averages out to be about that yeah.

[Winston*]

Unforgiven deserved it IMO.

[Boner M]

HOW DARE THEY