Every year we grumble, and then we turn our attention back to the TV screen to discover, curse, and hopefully sometimes cheer the choices of the Academy. The recent controversy over some exposed Hurt Locker e-mail should remind one to take the proceedings with a grain of salt (as if “negative campaigning” has anything to do with the merits of the film in question…). Nonetheless, the awards have real-world consequences, boosting business, dominating discussion, controlling the short term of a film’s legacy – though a roll-call of past winners should refute the notion that this hold lasts for long.
I’ve watched the Oscars every year, either live or on VHS tapes the next day, since 1991, when I was seven. I had resolved to abstain this year, the straw that broke the camel’s back being the Academy’s decision not to air the Honorary Awards. To my way of thinking, an institution which ignores its own history is worthless; besides which, this was the one category where the awards got it right! Yet again, I’ll probably submit – my excuse this time being that I’ll be hanging out with others who want to watch it. Oh, alright then…
Griping aside, as I’ve said the Oscars have some positive corollary benefits. One of them being that they often produce interesting discussions – this year is no exception, what with the groundbreaking Avatar, the widely-acclaimed Hurt Locker, and the political connotations of both. Without further ado then, let me present a round-up of the “Oscar” pieces from the Wonders in the Dark writers (both for this site and elsewhere). This will, of course, include my own recent reviews but also pieces by Bob Clark, Jamie Uhler, and Dee Dee (Allan Fish’s favorites from the year will not be revealed until he initiates his final, eagerly awaited countdown; Tony d’Ambra has focused on his noir reviews as of late). And, of course, Sam Juliano, proprieter of Wonders in the Dark, author of numerous Oscar pieces, and reviewer of many nominated films.
And of course, all of you are invited to post links to your own reviews of nominated films below.
Avatar
*Nominated for Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, Editing, Art Direction, Original Score, Sound Editing, Mixing, Visual Effects.
Sam Juliano
Bob Clark
The Hurt Locker
*Nominated for Best Picture, Director, Actor (Jeremy Renner), Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Original Score, Sound Editing, Mixing.
Bob Clark
Inglourious Basterds
*Nominated for Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Christoph Waltz), Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Editing, Mixing.
Sam Juliano
Bob Clark
Jamie Uhler
(continued after the jump)
Bright Star
*Nominated for Costume Design.
Sam Juliano
An Education
*Nominated for Best Picture, Actress (Carey Mulligan), Adapted Screenplay.
Invictus
*Nominated for Actor (Morgan Freeman), Supporting Actor (Matt Damon)
The Lovely Bones
*Nominated for Supporting Actor (Stanley Tucci)
Bob Clark
A Single Man
*Nominated for Actor (Colin Firth)
Up
*Nominated for Best Picture, Animated Feature, Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Editing.
Sam Juliano
Bob Clark
Up in the Air
*Nominated for Best Picture, Director, Actor (George Clooney), Supporting Actress (Vera Farmiga), Supporting Actress (Anna Kendrick), Adapted Screenplay.
Sam’s predictions and picks:
Round-up of all his choices
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Nominees are announced
Sam’s Top 12 of 2009 (containing capsules of nominated films Avatar, Bright Star, A Serious Man, A Single Man, and Up).
Bob’s top picks for the new millennium, including capsules for The Hurt Locker and Inglourious Basterds.
My early-autumn preview including advance notices for Avatar, Bright Star, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Invictus, The Lovely Bones, and A Serious Man.
Very interesting, all.
The Oscars are exciting only as far as wishing your favourite of those listed to win. In my mind they are devalued in many respects, perhaps even redundant.
If anyone is interested, some stuff I’ve written on AVATAR:
http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/search/label/Avatar
and INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS:
http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com
/2009/12/observations-on-inglourious-basterds.html
Wow, this is quite the post Joel, and it’s truly communal!!!
Very interesting.
The Oscars to me are devalued in many ways but there is always the thrill of pulling for your favourite from those nominated.
I wish I was linking to reviews of Antichrist or Public Enemies too but, if anyone’s interested, here’s some stuff I wrote on
Avatar:
http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/search/label/Avatar
Inglourious Basterds:
http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com
/2009/12/observations-on-inglourious-basterds.html
Yup, should give us plenty to read for the next few days…
Plenty indeed!
I just wish Antichrist / Ponyo / Public Enemies had been more prominent.
If anyone’s interested here’s some stuff I wrote on Avatar:
http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/search/label/Avatar
and Inglourious Basterds
http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2009/
12/observations-on-inglourious-basterds.html
I particularly liked ANTICHRIST of those Stephen and yes, I do remember your superb essays linked here. They are essential reading.
Thanks, Stephen – I agree about Antichrist (haven’t seen the other two). I mean, it’s the friggin’ Oscars, I’m not expecting a Best Picture nod but couldn’t they have nominated it for a token something?
“They are essential reading.”
Thanks Sam.
MovieMan,
“I mean, it’s the friggin’ Oscars, I’m not expecting a Best Picture nod but couldn’t they have nominated it for a token something?”
Not even nominated for Cinematography. For me, when the year’s films have faded in the memory, Antichrist will appear all the more clearly as the film of the year.
I can’t fathom how Up can be nominated for Best Picture and Ponyo isn’t even acknowledged for Best Animated film. But that’s just me wanting everyone to see things my way. If only the Oscars were only down to me…
The cinematography snub is baffling – well, not really (sadly) but it should be given the film’s accomplishment. I wasn’t crazy about the “look” of the majority of the film – though I’ll concede it was probably the proper aesthetic choice – but those fleeting dream sequences were easily the most gorgeous visuals I’ve seen in any film over the past 10 years.
The lack of any nominations for “Antichrist” and “Public Enemies” shows off just another reason why the Oscars are more or less a pathetic joke. Also, the nominations of junk like “Star Trek” and “District 9” (which I liked, but COME ON).
Another movie I wish had gotten some sort of a nod, strange as it sounds– “Watchmen”. Sure, it doesn’t merit a nomination for Best Picture, Director or any of the acting categories (save maybe Jackie Earl Haley as Rorshach), but the film did a tremendous job of condensing Alan Moore’s weighty, dense tome of a graphic novel for the big screen while keeping its spirit, themes and main narrative remarkably intact. Surely that’s a more significant accomplishment than whatever was going on with “Up in the Air”, yes? Too bad there isn’t any recognition for Alex Tse or David Hayter.
SNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!!!
I agree on Watchmen, Bob.
I’m not a great fan of the comic or the film but the film was well structured and very very faithful. It was almost like taking the same medicine but in liquid rather than tablet form.
What it changed of the graphic novel seemed to work in its favour too.
There are some sites still holding out on an ‘Avatar’ prediction for best picture, even while allowing Bigelow for director. I would think if that happened it would be because it was seen by every voting member, a claim I doubt could apply to the others.
I wouldn’t be shocked at that outcome, though I’d certainly prefer to see Hurt Locker take it. In addition for the reason you give above, I wonder if there isn’t a nagging urge on many voters’ minds to go with the blockbuster, just to “make up” for recent years and feel relevant.
That recent controversy with The Hurt Locker, where one of the film’s producers sent political e mails out, urging voters to send a message to that 500 million dollar film, could hurting Bigelow’s film. But I’m not sure if all the votes were already mailed back in before that event unfolded.
David, I do beliecve the votes were all sent in before this incident unfolded.
The absurd thing about this is that it’s not like a political scandal, where at least the controversy has some bearing on the decision being made. The pettiness of Hurt Locker’s promoters has absolutely zip to do with the film’s aesthetic quality yet where expected it will “hurt” the film’s chances. If it’s true, it’s pathetic.
The cinematography award is a tough call. On the one hand we have the black and white work done on “The White Ribbon.” That has been parises by everyone. But then there is “Avatar” and “The Hurt Locker.”
Hey Sam, what kind of food are you having at your Oscar bash?
Joe, we catered from the superb Italian restaurant, Di Palmas, nearby. We ordered trays of chicken parmigiana, chicken marsala, rigatoni in marinara sause, eggplant rolatini, sausage and peppers, mozzarella with roasted peppers, and their excellent house salad and brouzette.
Excellent compilation. I haven’t seen or written about many of the Oscar films, but here are the few I have:
Avatar: http://theseventhart.info/2009/12/19/pandora-mon-amour/
The White Ribbon: http://theseventhart.info/2009/11/29/children-of-men/
Inglourious Basterds: http://theseventhart.info/2009/10/03/the-grand-illousion/
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: http://theseventhart.info/2009/07/14/transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen-review/
Whoops – Sam’s top 12 (erroneously listed as top 10) was sans link. That has been rectified.
(Also, since I put this up yesterday Bob’s Avatar review and my own take on Bright Star have gone up, and been linked. My review of Inglourious Basterds has been written and will go up tomorrow morning on my blog.)
CUT AND PASTED FROM JOEL’S ‘THE SUN’S NOT YELLO’ BLOGSITE
Indeed Joel, I do believe it to be greater than you initially allow here, as it does require time to wash over you, with its exquisite arsenal of artistry and deep emotions. I didn’t find that it sagged in the middle at all, and was uninformed on those proposed cliches. It’s a film of textures and small nuances that elevate it far above conventional period pieces, and as it’s about the tragic death of the greatest poet after Shakespeare who wrote in English, there’s a timeless poignancy here that’s even more persuasively conveyed with the superlative performances throughout. There are some magnificent set pieces too, like the letter scene in the field of purple flowers. I think time will place this above THE PIANO even, as Campion’s greatest film.
Of course, as always, your work here is top-drawer, that can hardly be denied.
I think you mean “Lost in the Movies” rather than “Sun’s Not Yellow” – but that reminds me, I need to cross-post it there so thanks! I will head over pronto.
Aye, Joel, I listed the wrong site!!!! Sorry about that.
[…] predictions from Sam Juliano, Bob Clark, Dee Dee, Jamie Uhler, and me (Joel) are active on “The Academy Awards on Wonders in the Dark”. Since Friday, the post has been updated to include Bob’s review of Avatar, Sam’s picks […]
Wow, not so sure about the Oscars, but if I were in your town, I’d be hanging around Sams front door for dinner!