The Oscar Buzz Thread! (Oscar Nominees Announced!)

[Sirius_Black]

Here are the people I see as Best Actor front-runners:

Sean Penn - Mystic River
Bill Murray - Lost in Translation
Omar Sharif - Monsieur Ibrahim
Johnny Depp - Pirates of the Caribbean

Depp...nominated for Pirates???!!! Granted, I believe he should get a nod for his fine work. However, if he pulls off a Best Actor nod for a type of film the Academy's geezers despise, it will be a huge feat.

 

[TiQuinn]

Depp...nominated for Pirates???!!! Granted, I believe he should get a nod for his fine work. However, if he pulls off a Best Actor nod for a type of film the Academy's geezers despise, it will be a huge feat.

He was very widely acclaimed for the role, both by fans and critics. And it was just an awesome performance! I don't think he has a shot at winning the Oscar, but the nomination....oh, yeah. In fact, I'd say Penn and him are the only two who I'm pretty confident are a lock for nominations.

 

[Sirius_Black]

In fact, I'd say Penn and him are the only two who I'm pretty confident are a lock for nominations.

I'm holding you to that TiQuinn....the Depp part. If the Academy pulls another Roberto Benigni moment and fails to nominate him, you will be my shoulder to cry on...or at least offer up those pocket tissue things.

 

[Tonguez]

just adding Whale Rider - Best Foreign Film

actually does RotK count as a Foreign film?

 

[Shadowdancer]

just adding Whale Rider - Best Foreign Film

actually does RotK count as a Foreign film?

It has to be a foreign language film. Films in English, or that are primarily in English, do not qualify, no matter what country they are from.

 

[Tonguez]

It has to be a foreign language film. Films in English, or that are primarily in English, do not qualify, no matter what country they are from.

damn well thats my hopes dashed to the ground

 

[Spatula]

If Jackson does not get best director then I think the Academy Awards will loose a lot of thier prestige, and another (percieved to be more fair) award ceremony will take prominence.

*snort* In the minds of geeks, perhaps. But then the Academy has never cared much for geek movies.

 

[Shadowdancer]

I think Scarlett Johansson might pull a double nomination: Best Supporting Actress for "Lost in Translation" and Best Actress for "Girl With a Pearl Earring." Or the other way around. Either role could be considered lead or supporting.

 

[Fast Learner]

Its funny how so many movies are less than highly regarded 10 or 20 years after they win Oscars, but other movies that fail to win are considered classics. Take for example Star Wars, and Blade Runner.

Annie Hall, which won against Star Wars, is most certainly still considered a classic.

Gandhi, which won the year that Blade Runner would have been eligible (but wasn't nominated), is also most certainly still considered a classic.

There's no question that some great sci fi films have been completely overlooked at the Oscars, but there's no way -- in some version of an objective view -- that either Annie Hall or Gandhi are movies undeserving of an Oscar.

In fact I'd gladly argue that every single film that won Best Picture in the last 25 years is a great film and is highly regarded to this day:

1977: Annie Hall

1978: The Deer Hunter

1979: Kramer vs. Kramer

1980: Ordinary People

1981: Chariots of Fire

1982: Gandhi

1983: Terms of Endearment

1984: Amadeus

1985: Out of Africa

1986: Platoon

1987: The Last Emperor

1988: Rain Man

1989: Driving Miss Daisy

1990: Dances With Wolves

1991: The Silence of the Lambs

1992: Unforgiven

1993: Schindler's List

1994: Forrest Gump

1995: Braveheart

1996: The English Patient

1997: Titanic

1998: Shakespeare in Love

1999: American Beauty

2000: Gladiator

2001: A Beautiful Mind

2002: Chicago

Not all my favorite films, but all great films.

Needless to say I still want ROTK to win.

 

[Shadowdancer]

Looking over Fast Learner's list, I'm reminded of why I don't buy the argument of "The Academy doesn't like fantasy movies" as the reason why RotK won't win best picture.

If a genre movie from a genre currently in disfavor with the Academy members or looked down upon by the Academy members can transcend the boundaries of that genre, or can elevate that genre to new heights, or can reinvent that genre, the Academy will embrace it.

"The Academy doesn't like slasher/horror movies." Well, they liked "Silence of the Lambs."

"The Academy doesn't like Westerns anymore. They're dead." Well, they liked "Unforgiven."

"The Academy doesn't like musicals anymore. They're too old-fashioned, too unbelievable for hip, modern audiences." Well, they liked "Chicago."

The LotR films have certainly reinvented the genre (for the big screen, anyway), and have have elevated it to new heights. For some, it even transcends the boundaries. I don't think it being a fantasy will be that big of a hindrance with the Academy. They may dislike it for other reasons (jealousy, jingoism, spite, Jackson departed from the book), but I don't think it will be because it was a fantasy.