ALLIGATORS IN A HELICOPTER

a pro script reader ponders movies, reading, writing and the occasional personal flashback

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Thoughts on the Oscar Nominations

I'm still woefully behind on seeing 2008 movies, so I'll keep this brief:

-- It's cool that Richard Jenkins got nominated for best actor; "The Visitor" is a personal fave. Though I'm not sure why the screenplay didn't get nominated.

-- It's also nice that the Academy is recognizing a fairly obscure, early-in-the-year indie like "Frozen River" (best actress for Melissa Leo, best screenplay).

-- It's nice to see Marisa Tomei back in the nominations. It would also be nice if she'd make more than one good movie a decade.

-- I'm not sure whether Mickey Rourke's oddball Golden Globes acceptance speech is going to hurt him or get him an Oscar.

-- Heath Ledger is a gimme pick.

-- Four of the five Best Picture Nominees were also nominated for best editing (the other Best Editing Nominee was The Dark Knight, which should have snagged a Best Picture nomination). Maybe it is all about the editing.

-- Milk was nominated for Best Costumes, which seems sort of odd. Basically all you need to do is look at old photos, and go to the right thrift shops.

-- Benjamin Button was nominated for best makeup and for best visual effects. I'm wondering how many people can tell which was which....

9 Comments:

At 10:30 AM, Blogger Emily Blake said...

I also wish The Wrestler had gotten a nomination. But I'm rooting for Mickey Rourke.

 
At 2:41 PM, Blogger Recovering Booth Rat said...

Bruce Springsteen not getting nominated is a travesty.

 
At 3:15 PM, Blogger Emily Blake said...

Oh yeah, Matt, you're right. What the hell? They only have three nominations for best song - it's not like they were out of room.

 
At 5:09 PM, Blogger E.C. Henry said...

The Oscars night SHOULD belong to "Slumdog Millionare." A MUST see, if you haven't already.

Someone needs to set me up with Marisa Tomei. Aye-aye-aye...

With ya cc. Richard Jenkins. LOVED him in "North Country." BEST performance as a father figure I can ever remember watching.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

 
At 6:40 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

You forget Marisa Tomei was in "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" last year. Amazing movie and super performances all around.

 
At 12:45 AM, Blogger Recovering Booth Rat said...

Oh God, I wanted to love Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. Possibly the most let down feeling I've had after a movie in a while.

Emily,

Fuck them and their song category. Somehow last year they screwed over Eddie Vedder for his brilliant original songs for Into the Wild. Now this? They would never limit the acting category to two. Fuckers.

I hope Mickey wins best actor, and David Fincher for director. After that, I don't care that much.

I haven't even seen The Wrestler yet because it hasn't opened yet. But just from the trailer I think it'll be my choice for best film of the year.

 
At 5:57 AM, Blogger Reader said...

Re: Editing

If you've ever seen an editor work you quickly realize it's a HUGE part of what makes a movie work, or not.

It's not for nothing the saying goes something along the lines of "a movie is made three times: one at the writer's desk, once during the shoot, and once in the editing room."

 
At 10:29 AM, Blogger Scott the Reader said...

There's a great book on editing called "When the Shooting Stops" by the guy who edited Annie Hall and other films.

Great tales about the editing of movies, and how they change in the editing room.

 
At 10:11 PM, Blogger wcmartell said...

Tomei made a great film last year, too - for Lumet - BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD. And a couple years ago, FACTOTUM, and a couple years before that IN THE BEDROOM. And in the other movies, she's often the best thing in them.

Though, THE GURU where she and Heather Graham is a guilty fav of mine.

 

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