As much as things change, they always stay the same. Something along those lines can be said about the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the quaint little awards gala they hold every single February. As much as fresh, engaging cinema may be released every year by extremely worthy artists, they still seem to want to stroke the ever-growing ego of one Clint Eastwood. Such is the case with this year's Oscar nominees. I digress.
Best Motion Picture of the Year
- Babel
- The Departed
- Letters from Iwo Jima
- Little Miss Sunshine
- The Queen
It is also not too surprising to see Little Miss Sunshine on this list, as it was hands down the best film of the year (so say I). It was honored as such by the Producers Guild last week. But what about Letters from Iwo Jima? Clint Eastwood got a free pass on Flags of Our Fathers being a huge disappointment by moving Letters up from a 2007 release to a late December limited showing - and he gets nominated?
Come on, Academy, you are better than this. How about something original and otherwise innovative like Children of Men or Dreamgirls or even Pan's Labyrinth? Talk about some serious snub-age. You never fail to disappoint, AMPAS. Hopefully you do the right thing and chose Little Miss Sunshine over Clint this year.
Best Actor
- Leonardo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond
- Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
- Peter O'Toole, Venus
- Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness
- Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland
Best Actress
- Penelope Cruz, Volver
- Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal
- Helen Mirren, The Queen
- Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
- Kate Winslet, Little Children
Article comments
1 - Chris Beaumont
I'm disappointed my favorite score of the year failed to get nominated.
Clint Mansell for The Fountain.
2 - Neil Miller
I hear ya Chris. I can't begin to express my disappointment with some of the noms. Children of Men was so deserving, as was Pan's Labyrinth. It is sad to see that they were sentenced to the lesser awards and didn't sneak into the larger categories.
3 - Triniman
I believe Little Miss Sunshine is receiving a disproportionate amount of praise because it is an "indie" film. It's a good film but I'm surprised that it is a Best Picture nominee, especially when there were, INHO, better films not to be nominated for that Oscar, like Children of Men.
4 - Chris Beaumont
Agreed. I would comment more, but I haven't the time at the moment, and need to have a little something for my own Oscar column that I hope to throw together this evening.
5 - El Bicho
"How about something original and otherwise innovative"
You know what Academy you are talking to, right? They haven't rewarded that since the '70s. We need a bunch of the old fogies to pass on and get some new, young voters in.
Babel "Who knows what to make of that?"
Hollywood Foreign Press awarding a story set in foreign lands. Don't make too much of it.
"Who got snubbed? Sacha Baron Cohen, that's who."
They almost never rewarded comedy, but I'm guessing all the "serious" actors dropped character after the director said "Cut!" Doing comedy is why Streep won't beat Mirren.
"But this is really Marty's year, isn't it?"
I hope not. Was glad to see Wahlberg nominated over Jack for Best Sup Actor, but it seems like Murphy will get the prize.
Biggest Snub? A Scanner Darkly for Best Animated Feature. I had no hope it for Adapted Screenplay of Best Picture, but throw the guys a bone for their use of the medium.
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
We don't have a YouTube category yet?
7 - Victor Lana
I think Cohen should have been nominated for Borat, but that would be expecting too much from the academy. Also, how does one get nominated for Best Director if the film is not nominated for Best Picture? Just wondering.
8 - El Bicho
"Also, how does one get nominated for Best Director if the film is not nominated for Best Picture?"
Different nominating bodies.
9 - reggie von woic
Pity Emily Blunt didn't get a nod for Best Supporting Actress...i'm rooting for Hudson on that one now.
I loved her "One night only"...
10 - Ty
"Water (Canada)"
Deepa Mehta's "Water" is historic as it is the first "Canadian" film nominated for Best Foreign Language Film that is not in French (it is in Hindi mostly).
Although Pan's Labryinth is a deserved shoo-in to win, Water is just as deserving.
11 - Ty
MERYL STEEP SHOULD NOT EVEN BE NOMINATED FOR BEST ACTRESS IN DEVIL WEARS PRADA!!!
She is the supporting actress in the film. Anne Hatahway is the lead actress.
This is just to make sure Streep has a chance to win and doesn't "steal" an Oscar from Jennifer Hudson.
12 - Neil Miller
"MERYL STEEP SHOULD NOT EVEN BE NOMINATED FOR BEST ACTRESS IN DEVIL WEARS PRADA!!!"
Ty,
I beg to differ - she absolutely carried that film. Anne Hathaway was just he cute little victim of society, whereas Streep was the edgier and significantly more engaging character. By the end of the film, even though Hathaway got more screen time, it was easier for the audience to have connected with Streep's character. If anyone outside of Meryl deserved recognition for the film, it was Emily Blunt, who stole every Streep-less scene.
But that is just how I see it...
13 - Cameron
I have be honest I'm really dissapointed "Dreamgirls" isn't nominated for best picture. How does a film rake in 8 nominations the most nominated film of the year and doesn't get a Best Picture nomination? Since the beginning of the Awards season, I've been a little disappointed with the certain nominations and wins, at this years People's Choice Awards I was really shocked to see Vince Vaughn beat out Brad Pitt for Favorite Leading Man, go figure. I really hope Vince disappears sooner than later. In case you missed the People's Choice Awards this year, you can view highlights and exclusive behind the scenes footage. I work with the People's Choice Community, go check it out! Be part of a community offering great blogs, messagboards, and the latest in Hollywood and Celebrity news.
14 - Margaret
1. Vince won People's Choice for one reason only - Jennifer Aniston. The folks who love Jennifer and there are many, many millions supported Vince because of her. It was a one time shot. He'll have to hook up with some other American Sweetheart to win such an award again.
The people (mainly women) who vote in the People's Choice simply have not forgiven Brad Pitt for leaving Aniston for Jolie. In polls where there are computer generated votes, Pitt no longer does well. I'm convinced it's the women who hit vote button on the computer.
15 - zingzing
what's your problem with clint eastwood?
i've heard that letters from iwo jima totally makes up for flags...
i haven't seen either yet, but i am going to, simply because the man made "unforgiven," which has got to be the greatest genre movie ever made.
16 - Craig P
Nice write up! Though I disagree about Letters from Iwo Jima - it was truly supberb, closer to perfect than any of the other nominees. As the above poster noted, it more than makes up for Flags of Our Fathers. That, to me, was one of the most pleasant surprises of the nominations. As to Dreamgirls getting left out - well, it got a lot of other nominations, and personally I didn't think it was all that special. Nicely done, great music and everything, but it wasn't even close to one of the best pictures of the year, or among the most original. I thought Babel was overrated, though. (Beautifully shot.)
Sacha Cohen should definitely have been nominated but, yeah, comedy is often snubbed. What a weak crop of special FX movies this year, eh?