Hello my peeps. The Oscar nominations are a few minutes away which means I woke up about 30 seconds ago. Why do they feel the need to announce these things so early in the morning? What are they afraid will happen if they release these things at, say, two in the afternoon EST? You don’t see athletes announced as MVPs this early and we manage to survive.
Sid Ganis comes out to introduce Salma Hayek who – while nicely dolled up – looks really tired. That’s the last straw, Academy. You hold these things too early for even Salma. She needs to be pampered. Here’s a new rule: we announce the Oscars every year at the hour (rounding up) of Salma’s wake.
I just got off the phone with Brad. He’s like half-awake PST, the warrior. He mumbled something I couldn’t really decipher but it had the words “no Cuaron”, “Letters From Iwo Jima” and “mass murder”. On a side note, I was watching Today on NBC for the nominations and what happened to Al Roker? Didn’t he get his stomach stapled? He’s back to blimpy again! Yay! Anyway, the nominations went like this:
Best motion picture of the year
Babel (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
The Departed (Warner Bros.)
Letters from Iwo Jima (Warner Bros.)
Little Miss Sunshine (Fox Searchlight)
The Queen (Miramax, Pathe and Granada)
There is a shocker here by subtraction. You’re going to hear the following phrase rock across the globe for the next few days: “No Dreamgirls!”. I enjoyed the movie, but not to the extent other people did so I’m not heartbroken. It makes the Little Miss Sunshine nomination sting a little less. Last year I had the “What? Am I taking crazy pills?” reaction to the over praised and beloved, Capote. While I certainly enjoyed Little Miss Sunshine more, I still don’t get it. The crazy thing is, this year’s Oscar race is now so wide open, LMS actually has a serious shot at winning the big enchilada a la Crash. C’est la vie. I just better stock up on the meds just in case.
Letters From Iwo Jima looked like it was dying a slow death and I was no longer convinced it was getting nominated Best Picture. When will I learn never to doubt the power of Clint? I have yet to see Letters. I might have to finally book that trip this week.
Check out Babel, thought to be breathing through a machine with two fat straws up its hairy nostrils, but making a remarkable recovery at last week’s Golden Globes. This was not one of my favorite films of the year, but it’s a fine film. It may not even be in my top twenty but I won’t be screaming foul play if it wins.
The Queen and The Departed were both expected and are both deserving. I have zero problem with either film winning but I am definitely rooting for The Departed at this stage (let’s see what ol’ man Clint has in store).
Who wins the Oscar?: Right now, a tie between The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine but …
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamond (Warner Bros.)
Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson (THINKFilm)
Peter O’Toole in Venus (Miramax, Filmfour and UK Council)
Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland (Fox Searchlight)
This one went the way of the SAGs. A couple of weeks ago, Brad and I had a phone conversation about Leo’s Oscar chances. We both agreed he was getting nominated but I was certain that, in the end, he would be nominated for The Departed and not Blood Diamond. He’s fantastic in both but since The Departed was surely going to be nominated for a slew of awards, it had the nicer packaging.
The Academy disagreed and nominated him for Blood Diamond. Academy, I normally wouldn’t mind but … you made Brad right. Do you realize the pain this causes me? You’re a vindictive bunch.
The semi-surprise nomination here is Ryan Gosling for Half Nelson. Sure, he got a SAG nom, but I still wasn’t sure he had enough to close the deal. Also, I was hoping his slot went to Sacha Baron Cohen for Borat. Way to drop the ball again on a legendary comedic performance, blue hairs. It could also be argued Gosling stole the slot away from Ken Watanabe’s well-respected performance.
Everything else went as scripted with O’Toole, Whitaker and Smith rounding out the five.
Who wins the Oscar?: Whitaker. It’s his year and you can’t help but root for him.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine (Fox Searchlight)
Jackie Earle Haley in Little Children (New Line)
Djimon Hounsou in Blood Diamond (Warner Bros.)
Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Mark Wahlberg in The Departed (Warner Bros.)
I may talk a little junk about Little Miss Sunshine but I have no problems with the Supporting Actor nominations. Arkin is great in the movie.
This category looks a lot like the SAG nominations except they switched DiCaprio’s Departed performance for Mark Wahlberg. I don’t think voters were really choosing between DiCaprio and Wahlberg for this category . Leo was fighting against himself in the Best Actor race. So I’m not only not pissed, I’m ecstatic. Wahlberg steals every scene he was in and was one of two people I was rooting hard for in this cat (the other was Hounsou).
Again, I was extremely pleased Hounsou was not ignored (take that Golden Globes!). Talk about powerful work. This is Hounsou’s second nomination in three years. Uh, that’s pretty good Hollywood. How’s about you throw him some more work? And it can’t involve him playing a slave, either. Nice try, though.
Jackie Earle Haley was nominated for his performance in Little Children, another movie I never got around to seeing. I would say this came out of nowhere, but the SAGs were all over this. The signs were there. Meanwhile … Eddie Murphy, Oscar nominee. How about that? He was in Vampire in Brooklyn. Same guy.
Noticeably absent are Michael Sheen for The Queen (which I’m a little surprised about), Jack Nicholson for The Departed and Brad Pitt for Babel. Jack was good, but if he got nominated it would have been based almost entirely on his name. Pitt is great and I thought he went if Babel went but it looks like Mr. Earle Haley slipped his hands down the Academy’s pubescent underpants and forced a change of direction.
Who wins the Oscar?: This is tough. I’m going to say Eddie gets a career recognition win.
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Penelope Cruz in Volver (Sony Pictures Classics)
Judi Dench in Notes on a Scandal (Fox Searchlight)
Helen Mirren in The Queen (Miramax, Pathe and Granada)
Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada (20th Century Fox)
Kate Winslet in Little Children (New Line)
I saw Volver in the last few weeks and -much to my surprise – I am a very big fan of the movie so I’m psyched Cruz was nominated. Plus, it all but guarantees she’s at the show. I think all our eyes and ears could do well with that.
I haven’t seen Notes on a Scandal yet. When I first heard this was a movie about a vindictive lesbian who had a crush on Cate Blanchett, I was all over it. I didn’t even know Blanchett did porn. But then I found out the lesbian was Judi Dench. I didn’t leave the bathroom for weeks (draw your own conclusions).
The most surprising nomination here is Helen Mirren for The Queen. I’m not sure anybody had that on their radar. Mm-hmm.
Meryl Streep gets another expected (and deserved) nod for The Devil Wears Prada, scoring her 14th nomination and making her the most-nominated Actor ever.
Little Children made a very strong showing today and Kate Winslet cashed in. I need to see this thing. Laremy hated it so there’s about a 98% chance it’s good. Kate Winslet is uber sexy and talented … you do the math.
Who wins the Oscar?: Mirren. I’ve heard fairly good things.
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Adriana Barraza in Babel (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
Cate Blanchett in Notes on a Scandal (Fox Searchlight)
Abigail Breslin in Little Miss Sunshine (Fox Searchlight)
Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Rinko Kikuchi in Babel (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
This category went completely SAG. I think it’s safe to say this category went exactly as everyone expected it would in the last few weeks. I think people were on the fence with Rinko Kikuchi but the interview we did with her here at RopeofSilicon I think got her over the hump.
Okay, she had it from jump.
Who wins the Oscar?: Jennifer Hudson … but beware the power of precocious little children.
Best animated feature film of the year
Cars (Buena Vista)
Happy Feet (Warner Bros.)
Monster House (Sony Pictures Releasing)
I think Laremy and Brad hated Monster House. I rented it the other day and – despite the fact that I think the animation was horrible – I liked the movie. But don’t worry, boys. It ain’t winning.
As expected, Cars and Happy Feet will duke it out for the little gold, bald dude.
Who wins the Oscar?: I don’t care that Cars won The Golden Globe, I’m not going to get gun-shy now. People love penguins these days.
Achievement in art direction
Dreamgirls (DreamWorks and Paramount)
The Good Shepherd (Universal)
Pan’s Labyrinth (Picturehouse)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (Buena Vista)
The Prestige (Buena Vista)
Hey! A token Good Shepherd nomination! Talk about a movie the critics and Academy missed the boat completely on. Children of Men too sci-fi for you, Academy? Fine, I know you’re finicky. Pan’s Labyrinth too dark and fantastical? Fine. United 93 too harsh? Okay. The Fountain too weird? I get it. But what the hell is your excuse for crapping all over The Good Shepherd? Don’t you dare play that “it was too slow” card with me. You nominated The Thin Red Line, damnit. You nominated The English Patient. I liked them too, but don’t tell me “slow”. One of the best movies to get the shaft this year.
There. Now that you got a good tongue-lashing, let me give you some love for nominating not one, but two movies that I hold close to my heart, Pan’s Labyrinth and The Prestige. Good show!
Dreamgirls continued it’s ironic run of nominations here and Pirates got its first nomination so far (I’m reading these as you guys are).
Who wins the Oscar?: It was Pan’s labyrinth and it’s Pan’s award.
Achievement in cinematography
The Black Dahlia (Universal) Vilmos Zsigmond
Children of Men (Universal) Emmanuel Lubezki
The Illusionist (Yari Film Group) Dick Pope
Pan’s Labyrinth (Picturehouse) Guillermo Navarro
The Prestige (Buena Vista) Wally Pfister
Thank God Children of Men got recognized here. I never saw The Black Dahlia and while DePalma movies are always beautifully shot, I’m a little surprised.
Dick Pope got a nicely deserved nod for his work on The Illusionist, one of the great sleepers of the year. I’m doing back flips that Guillermo Navarro and team Pan continue to get love. Hey Academy, if you liked the movie so much, why were you so afraid to nominate it Best Picture you spineless hacks?
… Kidding!
Academy, you make me feel so much better when you give The Prestige a little more Oscar love. Keep up the good work!
Who wins the Oscar?: Solid competition, but Emanuel Lubezki wins. I mean, he has to. Or I leave the house.
Achievement in costume design
Curse of the Golden Flower (Sony Pictures Classics) Yee Chung Man
The Devil Wears Prada (20th Century Fox) Patricia Field
Dreamgirls (DreamWorks and Paramount) Sharen Davis
Marie Antoinette (Sony Pictures Releasing) Milena Canonero
The Queen (Miramax, Pathe and Granada) Consolata Boyle
I don’t have much to say here. I don’t watch Project Runway. This crap doesn’t really interest me.
Who wins the Oscar?: Um, I tend to go Asian in this category so I’ll say Curse of the Golden Flower. That Marie Antoinette is giving me dirty looks, though.
Achievement in directing
Babel (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
The Departed (Warner Bros.) Martin Scorsese
Letters from Iwo Jima (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood
The Queen (Miramax, Pathe and Granada) Stephen Frears
United 93 (Universal and StudioCanal) Paul Greengrass
The balance of justice tips the right way and Paul Greengrass scores a Best Director nomination. If only, Cuaron, Del Toro, Aronofksy and Nolan or DeNiro filled out the rest of the slots. Oh well, it’s a clear “root for Marty” campaign from here on out as far as I’m concerned.
Who wins the Oscar?: Marty!
Best documentary feature
Deliver Us from Evil (Lionsgate)
An Inconvenient Truth (Paramount Classics and Participant Productions)
Iraq in Fragments (Typecast Releasing)
Jesus Camp (Magnolia Pictures)
My Country, My Country (Zeitgeist Films)
I haven’t heard of Iraq in Fragments or My Country, My Country so I’ll have to ask God and see what He thinks.
Who wins the Oscar?: I know the highest profile documentary doesn’t necessarily win but I’m going with An Inconvenient Truth. Hollywood loves Al Gore.
Best documentary short subject
The Blood of Yingzhou District
Recycled Life
Rehearsing a Dream
Two Hands
I saw The Blood of Yingzhou District about five times in the theatre. Couldn’t get enough of it. And I’ve had many a late night arguing over the meaning of Rehearsing a Dream with a few friends over a plate of Moons Over My Hammy.
Who wins the Oscar?: Actually, I’ve never heard or seen any of these entries, so I’d have to say I’m completely and utterly clueless (again). But The Blood of Yingzhou District sounds awesome.
Achievement in film editing
Babel (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
Blood Diamond (Warner Bros.)
Children of Men (Universal)
The Departed (Warner Bros.)
United 93 (Universal and StudioCanal)
I would have preferred that the stuffy shirts nominate The Prestige but overall these are fine choices, especially Children of Men and United 93.
Who wins the Oscar?: Wow, this is a battle between the two I just mentioned, I think. It’s hard to make the case against either. I’m going to actually go with United 93 being the winner though.
Best foreign language film of the year
After the Wedding A Zentropa Entertainments 16 Production
Days of Glory (Indigenes)
The Lives of Others
Pan’s Labyrinth
Water
I cannot believe Volver did not get nominated here. It’s one of the best movies I’ve seen this year and I am not a fan of Pedro Almodvar movies at all. I’m stunned, really.
Who wins the Oscar?: The good news is Pan’s Labyrinth will win it. I know The Lives of Others is supposed to be great and I can’t wait to see it, but Pan’s total nominations indicate what film the Academy is favoring.
Achievement in makeup
Apocalypto (Buena Vista)
Click (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Pan’s Labyrinth (Picturehouse)
Click? CICK? … Wow.
Hey, nice little nod to Apocalypto but since when does war paint count as makeup?
Who wins the Oscar?: Yawn. Pan’s Labyrinth We move on.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
Babel (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Gustavo Santaolalla
The Good German (Warner Bros.) Thomas Newman
Notes on a Scandal (Fox Searchlight) Philip Glass
Pan’s Labyrinth (Picturehouse) Javier Navarrete
The Queen (Miramax, Pathe and Granada) Alexandre Desplat
Those bastards! They didn’t nominate Clint Mansell’s score for The Fountain. I’m speechless. Like Hugh Laurie, I’m literally without a speech.
All of these scores are very good and I’m especially happy Thomas Newman’s Good German score was given props. I thought the movie was poorly executed but the score is fantastic.
Who wins the Oscar?: I think this is showdown between Navarrete and Desplat. I’m sticking with the Pan’s love, though.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“I Need to Wake Up” from An Inconvenient Truth
“Listen” from Dreamgirls
“Love You I Do” from Dreamgirls
“Our Town” from Cars
“Patience” from Dreamgirls
Forget the Inconvenient Truth song. It has no shot. Our Town is nice but it put me to sleep in the theatre.
Who wins the Oscar?: “Listen” …
Achievement in sound editing
Apocalypto (Buena Vista)
Blood Diamond (Warner Bros.)
Flags of Our Fathers (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by Paramount)
Letters from Iwo Jima (Warner Bros.)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (Buena Vista)
This is actually a pretty strong outing. Apocalypto gets a little more love from the Academy, eh? Little Mel rehab is always nice.
Wait, what is this? A Flags of Our Fathers nomination? You had to do it didn’t you? You just had to do it. You couldn’t help yourself, could you, Academy?
Who wins the Oscar?: Either Pirates or Letters. I’ll go with the Clint love factor.
Achievement in sound mixing
Apocalypto (Buena Vista)
Blood Diamond (Warner Bros.)
Dreamgirls (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Flags of Our Fathers (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by Paramount)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (Buena Vista)
No!!!!!!! Another Flags of Our Fathers nomination! Dear God, why?
Who wins the Oscar?: Dreamgirls. I always go with the musical.
Achievement in visual effects
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (Buena Vista)
Poseidon (Warner Bros.)
Superman Returns (Warner Bros.)
Forget Poseidon. Nobody saw it or cares. This is between Captain Jack and Supes.
Who wins the Oscar?: Superman Returns. Captain Jack needs rum to fly and this ain’t the Golden Globes.
Adapted screenplay
Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (20th Century Fox)
Children of Men (Universal)
The Departed (Warner Bros.)
Little Children (New Line)
Notes on a Scandal (Fox Searchlight)
I love the Borat nomination. Bravo!
Even though I haven’t seen it, I also love that Little Children snuck in here because I know it will enrage Laremy to no end. This is good for my heart.
William Monahan’s script is the best adapted script of the year. Even more than Borat, I will be quoting The Departed for many moons to come.
Where the hell is Eric Roth’s The Good Shepherd screenplay? Are you freaking kidding me?
Who wins the Oscar?: It comes down to Children of Men, Borat, and The Departed. I’m going to guess the Academy loves a good quote as much as I do and go with Monahan’s screenplay. Although, this could turn out to be the “we want to award Sacha Baron Cohen for something” moment of the night.
Original screenplay
Babel (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
Letters from Iwo Jima (Warner Bros.)
Little Miss Sunshine (Fox Searchlight)
Pan’s Labyrinth (Picturehouse)
The Queen (Miramax, Pathe and Granada)
Okay, Academy, you are back in my good graces for the Del Toro love. I’m even okay with the Little Miss Sunshine nom. See? All better.
Who wins the Oscar?: The Queen overcomes the Academy’s adoration for the Pan’s Labyrinth.
Best animated short film
The Danish Poet (National Film Board of Canada)
Lifted (Buena Vista)
The Little Matchgirl (Buena Vista)
Maestro (Szimplafilm)
No Time for Nuts (20th Century Fox)
Uh …
Who wins the Oscar?: The Academy makes it up to Pixar for awarding Happy Feet and hands Lifted the trophy.
Best live action short film
Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)
…ramos Pocos (One Too Many)
Helmer & Son
The Saviour
West Bank Story
I’m not even going to dignify this category with a response.
… Just kidding Live Action Short Filmmakers! I’m just tired and cranky. I want to go back to bed and dream about Salma Hayek again.
Who wins the Oscar?: Binta and the Great Idea, sounds like a fine one to me. I have a one in five chance. I feel like I’m playing Deal or No Deal.
That’s all she wrote, folks. So Dreamgirls and Babel lead the way with 8 and 7 nominations respectively. But as Brad pointed out, 3 of Dreamgirls‘s noms were in song so “big deal”. Pan’s Labyrinth and The Queen both scored the same number of nominations (6) … who saw that coming? Both of Leo’s movies, The Departed and Blood Diamond scored 5 nominations each (it’s way more impressive that Blood Diamond got that much love, though). Children of Men got raped as expected, but did manage to score some key noms. Little Children scored three strong noms and the studio has to be pleased about that. Clint got his token nominations but I don’t think 4 is a strong indication that it will win Best Picture. But we shall see.
The Academy Awards are about thirty days away which means I have plenty of time to change my mind as I throw my wet thumb up to the wind. Here at RopeofSilicon we will be doing a ton of Oscar coverage in the coming weeks so stay tuned.
