Oscar nominations

[oscar jubis]

Best Motion Picture of the Year

Avatar (2009): James Cameron, Jon Landau

The Blind Side (2009)

District 9 (2009): Peter Jackson, Carolynne Cunningham

An Education (2009): Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey

The Hurt Locker (2008)

Inglourious Basterds (2009): Lawrence Bender

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009): Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness

A Serious Man (2009): Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Up (2009): Jonas Rivera

Up in the Air (2009/I): Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart (2009)

George Clooney for Up in the Air (2009/I)

Colin Firth for A Single Man (2009)

Morgan Freeman for Invictus (2009)

Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side (2009)

Helen Mirren for The Last Station (2009)

Carey Mulligan for An Education (2009)

Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Matt Damon for Invictus (2009)

Woody Harrelson for The Messenger (2009/I)

Christopher Plummer for The Last Station (2009)

Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones (2009)

Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Penélope Cruz for Nine (2009)

Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air (2009/I)

Maggie Gyllenhaal for Crazy Heart (2009)

Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air (2009/I)

Mo'Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Best Achievement in Directing

Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker (2008)

James Cameron for Avatar (2009)

Lee Daniels for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Jason Reitman for Up in the Air (2009/I)

Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds (2009)


Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

Coraline (2009): Henry Selick

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009): Wes Anderson

The Princess and the Frog (2009): John Musker, Ron Clements

The Secret of Kells (2009): Tomm Moore

Up (2009): Pete Docter

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

Ajami (2009): Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani(Israel)

Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009): Michael Haneke(Germany)

El secreto de sus ojos (2009): Juan José Campanella(Argentina)

Un prophète (2009): Jacques Audiard(France)

La teta asustada (2009): Claudia Llosa(Peru)

Best Documentary, Features

Burma VJ: Reporter i et lukket land (2008): Anders Østergaard, Lise Lense-Møller

The Cove (2009)

Food, Inc. (2008): Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (2009): Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith

Which Way Home (2009): Rebecca Cammisa

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

The Hurt Locker (2008): Mark Boal

Inglourious Basterds (2009): Quentin Tarantino

The Messenger (2009/I): Alessandro Camon, Oren Moverman

A Serious Man (2009): Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Up (2009): Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Thomas McCarthy

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

District 9 (2009): Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell

An Education (2009): Nick Hornby

In the Loop (2009): Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009): Geoffrey Fletcher

Up in the Air (2009/I): Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Best Achievement in Cinematography

Avatar (2009): Mauro Fiore

Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009): Christian Berger

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009): Bruno Delbonnel

The Hurt Locker (2008): Barry Ackroyd

Inglourious Basterds (2009): Robert Richardson

Best Achievement in Editing

Avatar (2009): Stephen E. Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron

District 9 (2009): Julian Clarke

The Hurt Locker (2008): Bob Murawski, Chris Innis

Inglourious Basterds (2009): Sally Menke

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009): Joe Klotz

Best Achievement in Art Direction

Avatar (2009): Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg, Kim Sinclair

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009): David Warren, Anastasia Masaro, Caroline Smith

Nine (2009): John Myhre, Gordon Sim

Sherlock Holmes (2009): Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer

The Young Victoria (2009): Patrice Vermette, Maggie Gray

Best Achievement in Costume Design

Bright Star (2009): Janet Patterson

Coco avant Chanel (2009): Catherine Leterrier

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009): Monique Prudhomme

Nine (2009): Colleen Atwood

The Young Victoria (2009): Sandy Powell

Best Achievement in Makeup

Il divo (2008): Aldo Signoretti, Vittorio Sodano

Star Trek (2009): Barney Burman, Mindy Hall, Joel Harlow

The Young Victoria (2009): John Henry Gordon, Jenny Shircore

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

Avatar (2009): James Horner

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009): Alexandre Desplat

The Hurt Locker (2008): Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders

Sherlock Holmes (2009): Hans Zimmer

Up (2009): Michael Giacchino

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song

Crazy Heart (2009): T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham("The Weary Kind")

Faubourg 36 (2008): Reinhardt Wagner, Frank Thomas("Loin de Paname")

Nine (2009): Maury Yeston("Take It All")

The Princess and the Frog (2009): Randy Newman("Down in New Orleans")

The Princess and the Frog (2009): Randy Newman("Almost There")

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing

Avatar (2009): Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson, Tony Johnson

The Hurt Locker (2008): Paul N.J. Ottosson, Ray Beckett

Inglourious Basterds (2009): Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti, Mark Ulano

Star Trek (2009): Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson, Peter J. Devlin

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009): Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Geoffrey Patterson

Best Achievement in Sound Editing

Avatar (2009): Christopher Boyes, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle

The Hurt Locker (2008): Paul N.J. Ottosson

Inglourious Basterds (2009): Wylie Stateman

Star Trek (2009): Mark P. Stoeckinger, Alan Rankin

Up (2009): Michael Silvers, Tom Myers

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

Avatar (2009): Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andy Jones

District 9 (2009): Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros, Matt Aitken

Star Trek (2009): Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, Burt Dalton

[Johann]

I want the film "Precious" to lose just for adding that ridiculously stupid add-on to it's title:
based on the novel PUSH by Sapphire. Fuck off with that shit.
You can't just leave it as "Precious"??
You have to add "based on the novel PUSH by Sapphire"??
Jesus, somebody got a little greedy. So "Sapphire" (real name?) MUST HAVE "based on the novel" on the movie poster?
Congratulations. Now I don't want to see the movie. It could be great but you killed all of my interest in it with that dumb, tacky add-on.


The Oscars are gonna go like this:

AVATAR
Jeff Bridges
Christof waltz
and
a few more trophies handed out to people the Academy FEELS like giving a statuette to, not necessarily EXCELLENCE in Film...
It's a lean year this year, what with "Did You Hear About The Morgans?" pushing the limits of shlocky crappy movies to unimaginable heights and being forced to sit through the abominable turkey NINE because all screenings of AVATAR in 3-D are sold-out.
It's utterly ridiculous how crappy this movie season is.

[tabuno]

I agree with Johann that 2009 wasn't a year of great movies. For the first time since 2006, there really weren't any movies that finished in my top film list worthy of serious consideration. I haven't finished compiling my top films for 2009, but there were a number of "solid" films of those that I've seen, but none of them were distinguishable when looking back at the past decade.

[cinemabon]

I think the front runners for Pix will probably be "Hurt Locker" and "Avatar." Right now, I would give the edge to "Hurt Locker" since it has won so many inside industry awards already (DGA went to Kathryn Bigelow. Golden Globes are not good indicators). I think "Avatar" will certainly win some technical awards, but I look to "Hurt Locker" to take home acting, directing, and probably best pix. I think this is Sandra Bullock's year. She is well liked in the Hollywood community and has been passed over many times. This film may have given her the edge over the competition. Best Actor is going to be close. While Jeff Bridges is a fave with the public, many admire Jeremy Renner for his work in "Hurt Locker." The vote will be close. I think Christoph Waltz will most likely win for "Inglorious Bastards." Supp Actress is wide open, although I don't think Cruz has a chance based on overall reception of "Nine." Placing "Up" in two catagories (which by the way, would be only the second time an animated film was nominated for Best Picture... remember the first? Beauty and the Beast). If "Up" splits the vote, the Best Animation will go to "Fantastic Mr. Fox." Cinetography and Editing I think will go to "Hurt Locker" since it supports Best Pix nod, but art direction will go to "Avatar." Sound editing may go to "Inglorious Bastards" or "Avatar." That is a toss up, too. Since I am unfamiliar with script, doc, and foreign, I will leave that prediction to our resident experts Chris, Oscar, and Howard.

[oscar jubis]

*The audience for the Oscars broadcast has been dwindling over the past decade or so. Over 57 million people watched Titanic win best picture. Over the past few years, less than 40 million viewers have tuned in. A few commentators have suggested than the ratings will improve when the Academy nominates movies people recognize. That is precisely what increasing the number of best picture nominees to 10 has accomplished. I am curious as to whether it will work.

*I will focus on the positive and highlight some nominations that made me happy:

IMAGINARIUM OF DR.PARNASSUS and NINE receiving noms for Art direction and costumes. I believe both of these movies are quite enjoyable, especially Terry Gilliam's wildly imaginative, resourceful, more-substantive-than-it-first-appears IMAGINARIUM. These noms keep the films "in the loop".

Maggie Gyllenhaal getting nominated for CRAZY HEART. The Globes snubbed her for a performance every bit as good as that by Jeff Bridges but Oscar gave her much deserved acknowledgment.

The animated movie UP getting recognized for its original script and nominated for Best Picture.

An Education getting noms for best picture and best actress for Carey Mulligan.

The Peruvian movieTHE MILK OF SORROW getting nominated a year after it won the Golden Bear at the Berlinale. Maybe now someone will decide it is worth distributing in the US.

*I still haven't seen AVATAR. The only reason is that there are other movies in theaters only for a week or two which I don't want to miss. AVATAR will still be there in April.

[tabuno]

I really need my head examined. While I thought AVATAR was a visually dazzling feast and a decent if not great movie, THE HURT LOCKER is among my least recommended movies that I've seen for 2009. Can it get any worse for me?

[oscar jubis]

Make an appointment for me too buddy. I found The Hurt Locker suspenseful but neither smart nor deep. The only person I know who agrees with me is my favorite professor at UM's Film Studies department. All my friends, relatives, other professors and students think it's the shit.

[Johann]

I had really high hopes for "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus" and "Nine". I looked forward to them very much.
Both movies were huge let-downs for me.
I agree with Oscar that Parnassus is imaginative, but it just isn't that great.
Nine had all the potential in the universe. It was an homage to Fellini's 8 1/2 done CHICAGO style.
The choreography dominates, the acting is quite lame (from everybody except Penelope Cruz, which is simply unforgivable).
Kate Hudson didn't belong anywhere near a production like this. She can't act, she can't sing and her dancing is just passable.
Embarrassing. Every scene I saw her in I was asking myself "What the hell is she doing in this movie?"
Daniel Day-Lewis had extremely brief flashes of Mastroianni's Guido. Extremely brief. He just seemed like a ghost.
We now know that Lewis is capable of being less-than-awesome. A huge disappointment. The negatives outweigh the positives for me on NINE.

I should be praising this movie up and down, but it's not possible. How can a movie with Nicole Kidman and Judy Dench suck balls?
How much was all this talent paid to be mediocre?
I want my money back. NOW.

Today's paper has the headline "BATTLE OF THE EXES", referring to Kathryn Bigelow & James Cameron battling it out for Best Picture.
The Hurt Locker holds no interest for me and Avatar is the one film from the Oscar noms that I think will deliver the goods when I finally do get to see it. People have been seeing it 5,6 times at theatres. It's the new Star Wars. No doubt about it. A Neo-myth that elevates Cameron to a position even greater than George Lucas or Steven Spielberg. And did I mention that he's Canadian? HUZZAH.

[cinemabon]

Charlie Rose had an Oscar roundtable discussion last night... the two shoe-ins seem to be Jeff Bridges and Christoph Walz. The consensus also leaned toward Maggie Gyllenhaal. Generally, the critics chose "Hurt Locker" over "Avatar" for best pix, with those two being the strongest contenders. Panel consisted of A.O. Scott of 'The New York Times' and television program 'At the Movies,' Stephanie Zacharek of Salon.com, Dana Stevens of Slate and Annette Insdorf, Director of Undergraduate Film Studies at Columbia University. It was a lively discussion, slightly heavy on the feminine side for my taste. Sandra Bullock also seems the choice for Best Actress over Meryl Streep.

This link is good for 24 hours to see last night's show: http://www.charlierose.com/

[Chris Knipp]

There will be an upcoming Charlie Rose show where some of the Oscar nominees get to talk. All the shows are archived, pretty much, so you can go back and watch them at any time on the website. This one, though interesting for all the ladies, doesn't add anything much new. Some of the main predictions (like best supporting actors) were all mostly already made last fall, except that AVATAR had not yet grabbed center stage. Inclusion of some pop faves like THE BLIND SIDE may lead to public disillusionment if they don't get rewarded, though as Oscar, like A.O. Scott on the Rose show, has pointed out, the inclusion of ten Best Picture nominees is designed to draw in more viewers of the awards show, and more future advertising dollars I guess. I don't agree at all that this was a "lean year." It turned out to be better than I thought it would be. And I like having ten nominees -- only it should be a different ten. Sorry, tabuno and Johann, that you don't like AVATAR and THE HURT LOCKER, or NINE and THE IMAGINARIOUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS, respectively. Do you usually love all the Academy's choices? If so, lucky you. Those of you who have yet to see AVATAR at least deserve credit for not being slaves to hoopla. Do not understand how a film student can watch THE HURT LOCKER and not appreciate the quality of the acting and the filmmaking. Wonder what you are studying. (You don't have to like it. I have expressed reservations about the contexting. However, some have convincingly argued recently that that's embedded in the portrait of the protagonist, Sgt. William James.)
)

[tabuno]

I came across a commentary from a former veteran of the Iraqi conflict who is really upset about HURT LOCKER and how it ignores what really goes on there and how in some ways it really does a dis-service to the military men fighting over there. Just like the razzle-dazzle superficiality of AVATAR, THE HURT LOCKER by dramatizing a fictional war story that appears authentic and compelling but really is more action-thriller under the guise of apolitical substance and gaining the mass popularity in some ways is doing the same Billy Flynn's razzle-dazzle from CHICAGO (2002). The Academy Awards by opening up Best Picture for the sake of ratings has continued the move towards profitable extravaganza over quality film-making.

[Chris Knipp]

When anybody says a film about war "does a disservice to the military men fighting over there" I am suspicious. What does he want? What films does he think do NOT do a disservice? And what does he mean? Does he want propaganda? Does he want superheroes? Isn't Sgt. William James hero enough, and a complex one as well?

I have said before Bloomfield's BATTLE FOR HADITHA is much more authentic as a picture of the Iraq war and the US role in it. However your pro-military contact would probably like it much less than THE HURT LOCKER. THE HURT LOCKER is based on coverage of actual in country operations and is very authentic in feel. The problem for me is that it does not show the Iraqi point of view, or any larger context of the war. But it is brilliant filmmaking, and to say it's just an action film is really totally unfair, because the general run of American action films today make no effort to be authentic, and this has a good detailed depth in its mise-en-scene that feels very accuate, and beyond that captures the intensity and risk of bomb diffusion as never before. It's a great film. The acting is first rate. The acting in BATTLE FOR HADITHA is n't really as good. But BATTLE FOR HADITHA has, in a sense, a more authentic feel. It's a question what you want. THE HURT LOCKER is a feature film. It's not a documentary.

Don't agree on your critique of Academy policies. They still seem to be focusing more on quality independent films and smaller films, but as Oscar noted, viewership went down too much so they're included more popular mainstream films in the ten Best Picture noms to get back those lost 20 million viewers.

[tabuno]

Just because a film feels authentic for the public at large and has "a look" of authenticity, supposedly based on authentic accounts, doesn't necessarily mean that the script as inspired by authentic events and the director have been able to really recreate the actual military protocol and present even the sensibility of actual military operations and conditions in Iraq. What is so disconcerting is that critics and the public have been easily made to believe what they experience as good film-making when in actuality the movie, as with the sniper scene really doesn't come close to what likely occurs in Iraq and therefore gives a distorted, misleading impression of what our servicemen are doing in Iraq. There are a mulitple number of unlikely details in this movie just in this one emotional and intense scenes of the movie that obscures the authenicity of the scene because the audience becomes mesmerized by the fictional and gripping action going on in this scene. Again like a lawyer parading in front of the jury, this is another military war movie that has avoided what really happens in Iraq for action and dramatized suspense and has convinced the critical jury this oversimplified and fantasy movie is so richly deserving of awards and respect while at the same time THE HURT LOCKER only deludes the American public as to what really happened there as regards our servicemen.

[Chris Knipp]

Why not put discussion of this on THE HURT LOCKER PAGE. But we have already discussed it at length.

HURT LOCKER THREAD:

http://www.filmleaf.net/showthread.php?2600-THE-HURT-LOCKER-%28Kathryn-Bigelow-2009%29&highlight=hurt+locker

I suggest you consult other sources, such as this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hurt_Locker#Filming.

And also see THE BATTLE FOR HADITHA.

[Johann]

I don't think any time or money should be wasted on Iraq war films. Or Afghanistan for that matter. Abysmal conflicts with countless pointless deaths. If all the great films about the Viet Nam war haven't woken everybody up, then "stop drop" on all modern war films.
("Stop Drop" is a military term)
Iraq was and is a complete and total catastrophe. "No End in Sight" indeed. People seem to have forgotten about Iraq with Obama's swearing-in.

THE HURT LOCKER actually sounds like a Class film. Well-made, exciting. And I can't knock that kind of movie making.
But what is the message?
What is the main thing a viewer should take away from it?
That Iraq is a dangerous place?

AVATAR is a Landmark in cinema history for several reasons and even though I haven't seen it yet I know that it will be an eventful screening.
It's good to know it'll still be playing right through to the spring.

About an hour ago I met Kevin Smith and got his autograph. He was doing a promo for street hockey at A-Channel (at Dundas Square) and I got him to sign my AGO book. I wish I had a camera on me...as he was signing it I said "He must have seen Jesus Man, he's ROCKING THE GANJ!"
Kevin and the security guard both laughed. Then he went over to the Jack Daniel's BBQ steak thingy that A-Channel was also promoting.

[Johann]

Shit! I just found out I said the line wrong. But no matter- he got what I meant.
The line is "No wonder he saw Jesus- Homey's rocking the ganj!"
My bad.
It's still stuck in my head tho: "He must've seen Jesus, Man- he's rocking the ganj!" It just SOUNDS that way to me...ha ha

[Michuk]

I don't quite agree with your guys that this year's nominations are the lousiest in years. Quite the opposite, I think that compared to last year's triumph of a mediocre-in-all-respects-but-cinematography "Slumdog Millionaire", this year's nominations are quite interesting.

I watched 7 out of 10 of the films nominated for Best Picture (missed "Up" and still waiting for "The Blind Side" and "Precious" to hit UK cinemas) and I cannot say I disliked any of them. Sure, District 9 is not worth an award, but films like "Up in the air", "Inglourious Basterds", "Avatar" and "A Serious Man" are great achievements (each in its own genre). I don't want to join the flame-war about "Hurt Locker", but I have to admit it's a movie that was made with a reason (a message even) and that in spire of that, it did not turn into unwatchable propaganda - quite an achievement.

As for the actors, lots of remarkable roles have been appreciated, like Mulligan's performance in An Education or Firth's great role in A Single Man.

Not a bad year for film and not bad nominations (although as always, a few crappy ones as well, just to mention "Ajami" in the "best foreign film").

[Chris Knipp]

There's no consensus here on that. I haven't condemned the year's films or the Academy's choices. The Best Foreign category remains a weak area.