Academy Award Nominees

[Jim]

Well, the Oscar nominees have been announced, and two favorites of BAUT folk were named as best in class: "Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit" for Best Animated Feature and "March of the Penguins" for Best Documentary Feature.

[Swift]

Well, that covers my two favorite movies of the year.

[Parrothead]

Full list of nominees is listed here.

The only film with nominations, I have seen is A History of Violence. I'm surprised it didn't get the nominations for director, best picture and supporting actress, it has in critics awards and various film fests. That said I wouldn't have expected wins at the Oscars. The whole cast did a great job, the movie is great and thought provoking. Sadly, I feel Cronenberg's reputation from past films works against him at this level. One day, I do hope to see him win an Oscar. This is probably his most "mainstream" film since Dead Zone and The Fly, back in the 80's.

[soylentgreen]

I see the Academy Awards still represents the time honored tradition of "throwing darts at a dartboard" method of selection. Aside from that I hope to see a good showing from GOODNIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.

Oh...and where's GRIZZLY MAN?...a much superior doc to MARCH OF THE PENGUINS. It's not even nominated. Double-plus ridiculous verging on crime-think.

[Gillianren]

Well, I've got a 1-in-5 chance of having seen the Best Picture winner before the Oscars this year. (Actually, I understand the odds are much better than that; apparently, Brokeback Mountain, the one I've seen, is considered the frontrunner.) I saw quite a lot of the ones nominated for special effects, etc., but not much that was nominated in the Big Five categories (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay--that last, pick your division).

Oscar party at my place; details for those interested available by PM.

[Inferno]

My prediction for the main categories:

Best Actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman (CAPOTE) - He's done fantastic performances over the last 5 years or so. And the Academy likes to award for a body of work, not just for one outstanding film.

Best Actress
Felicity Huffman (TRANSAMERICA) - Cross dressing is a sure fired oscar winner (second only to the retard role which has won oscars for so many).

Best Director
Ang Lee (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) - Acamedy would like to show it's multi-culturalism and it's a nice sort-of retrospective award for Crouching Tiger. (Plus a good way of telling Ang that Hollywood still likes him despite the Hulk).

Best Film
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN - Gay cowboys? Yes. Academy likes films that takes risks - yet taking them in a mainstream way. And despite a few local movie theatres banning the film it hasn't been that much controversery.

[Launch window]

This year its :

Best director Martin Scorsese
Best pic 'The Departed', re-make of a HongKong film ?
Best actor Whitaker playing Idi Amin
Best actress Mirren playing Queen Elizabeth
Best orginal screenplay - Little Miss Sunshine
Best art Direction - Pan's Labyrinth
Best Adapted Screenplay - Scorsese's The Departed
Best supporting actor Alan Arkin
Best supporting actress Jennifer Hudson
Best Documentary Feature - AlGore's Global Warming thing

[Doodler]

I was thrilled to see Forest Whitaker walk away with the Best Actor gold. This guy's been SO underrated through his career, it was almost as tragic as Scorsese's shut out.

[parallaxicality]

So, that makes a total of three Oscars (not counting two honoraries) to honour the combined talents of Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles and Martin Scorsese.

[Gillianren]

I have to say, much though I also love Forest Whitaker, I did not want him to win. I wanted poor Peter O'Toole to win. He's presented us with some of the greatest performances on film, and he does end up sitting there a lot. (This was nomination #8 without a win for him.)

[Dave Mitsky]

I concur, Gillianren.

Dave Mitsky

[Gillianren]

Frankly, I bet Forest Whitaker does, too, now he's gotten over his shock at winning!