Posts from — February 2008

So the sad truth is that I haven’t been to the movies since October… funny how having a little person that you have to take care of whenever you’re not working or sleeping means that activities that were formerly considered “normal” are now so out of bounds. I even ran out of coffee this weekend, and when asked on Monday by a coworker why I didn’t just go out and buy some, I just shrugged and said, “ah, the baby, blahblah.” I know it sounds semi-redonkulous, but it’s kind of true.

Anyway, there were tons of movies released this fall/winter that in a former life I would’ve scoffed if you had told me I wouldn’t catch them in their theatrical run, if not on the first weekend of said run. And I’ve seen none of them. (see this post and then come back and laugh at my “films I’ll get in line to see no matter when” naivete. after the horror of i heart huckabees, you could take david o. russell off that shortlist in that post as well)

So instead, now that the Oscar noms have been out for a bit, I figured I’d test my skills at the Oscar race, especially since the strike is over and there will be a show, based solely on the trailers*. You can find the full list of nominees here (in a mostly alphabetical –except best picture for some unknown reason — but still craptastic order, by the way, academy).

*but not really solely, as i’ve got this steel trap of a brain for nonsensical film trivia and obsessively read about all the behind-the-scenes goings on with regard to this self-congratulatory award season baloney, so that’ll probably come into play here as well. there’s not any room for anything else in the brain, of course, sad to say.

Best Original Screenplay
Gotta throw this one to Juno, if only for the use of “shenanigans” in the trailer. That and the Diablo Cody backstory and this being her first produced script and all, which is the kind of thing that makes members of the Academy cream themselves in rush to claim some sort of hand-on-the-zeitgeist thing in discovering/acknowledging new talent (see Damon/Affleck’s win for GWH, Alan Ball for American Beauty, QT and Robert Avery for Pulp, Christopher McQuarrie for Usual Suspects, etc)

*Just about the only Oscar-nominated film I actually saw in a theater, Ratatouille, is also a worthy nominee in this category, but the combination of a fast-talking pregnant teen and the (undeserved) confinement of animation to the sidelines will keep the rat from taking home the prize here.

Best Adapted Screenplay
It’s possible that Away From Her might win this because Sarah Polley’s young and gifted or that Atonement will win this just because people loved the book and it’ll be a consolation prize for the big zippo that the film comes up with otherwise, but my guess is that No Country for Old Men will take this one (and maybe next year, McCarthy’s The Road will grab the gold)

Best Cinematography
Much as I love the always-deserving Roger Deakins, I think the fact that he’s nominated twice here makes me think he’ll cancel himself out. So gotta give this one to There Will Be Blood based on the oh-so-pretty pictures in the trailer and the even prettier creases in DDL’s face. Not to mention the killer mustache.

Best Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem, all the way. Creepy-tastic. A lock.

Best Supporting Actress
Thought to be a lock until Ruby Dee won the SAG award, I still have to give it to Cate Blanchett for her personification of Dylan in I’m Not There.

*though if she were more prominent in the trailer, I’d give it to Beadie Russell, ’cause I hear she kicks all kinds of ass in Gone Baby Gone.

Best Actress
I guess by trailer alone, you’d have to say Cate Blanchett, just for the drama, but I’m going to swing this one and say that Ellen Page will maybe charm some folks here.
(though Julie Christie’s the favorite to win and mighty impressive in Away From Her)

Best Actor
The only other lock of the night — even Clooney has conceded that there’s just no arguing with the powerhouse that is the Daniel Day Lewis in TWBB, even if there is some backlash building. Besides, my friend Jean will punch the internet in half if he doesn’t win.

I haven’t even seen the movie and I’ll never look at a milk shake the same way again. And did I mention the killer mustache? The bad-ass way he wears that thing is worth the little naked gold man alone:

Best Director
It’ll be strange, I admit, to see the Coen Brothers onstage to accept this award, but win, they will. They not only deserve it (again, based only on the trailer), but they’ve deserved it for any number of previous features as well, and the Academy likes to (sometimes) finally acknowledge the little guys done good at the end. Plus, since the actors’ voting division is the largest and I’m sure there’s a line out the door to work with these fine fellas, they’re gonna swing that vote.

And finally, Best Picture
I’m going to say that No Country for Old Men is going to pull this one out of the hat, though I wonder if TWBB and it will split the “dark” vote and something like Juno will slip in as a big upset… nah, it’s gotta be NCOM, right? I mean, it’s got Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, and at least one mustache going for it. Not to mention Jimmy James! That’s gotta be a winning combination, no?