OSCARS to pick 10 Best Picture Nominees

[RiseDarthVader]

Watchmen nomination FTW!

[SonOfArathorn]

What I really want to know McCrutchy.. is if the Oscars aren't that important etc why do you have such a strong opinion about it? I read this article and though "meh, now there's another 5 nominess I could give a sh*t about, I'll still watch the films I want to watch".

But you seem to be truly angered. As a "true film buff" (whatever that means, far too subjective a term to be taken seriously) I wonder why it matters all?

I know we all here take movies et seriously, we wouldn't be here discussing if we didn't. Maybe I'm missing something.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by SonOfArathorn

What I really want to know McCrutchy.. is if the Oscars aren't that important etc why do you have such a strong opinion about it? I read this article and though "meh, now there's another 5 nominess I could give a sh*t about, I'll still watch the films I want to watch".

But you seem to be truly angered. As a "true film buff" (whatever that means, far too subjective a term to be taken seriously) I wonder why it matters all?

I know we all here take movies et seriously, we wouldn't be here discussing if we didn't. Maybe I'm missing something.

First of all, from a historical perspective, I have a great respect for AMPAS and the Oscar ceremony. I'm angry because the Oscars have become unimportant now. There was a long period of time when an Oscar nomination meant the film was one of the cream of the crop, and while the Best Picture winner was important, there was not that much of a stretch between the nominees and the winner. AMPAS was already rocking the boat before by nominating unfit dramas in order ro avoid nominating the very few films from unrecognized genres that would have deserved it instead. Now, with a whopping ten spots, the Best Picture nominee list will become bloated with indie movies that won't win because they won't get enough votes, and box-office successes which generally offer little that warrants such a nomination. Instead of slightly broadening their horizons as they should have done, they have ostensibly gone from one extreme to the other, creating almost a free-for-all between every film that gets good reviews and every film that is extrememly popular/profitable.

And the other reason why I'm angry is that like it or not, the Academy Awards are the international face of American film criticism and viewership. When other countries see films that wouldn't normally make the cut for their best film prize being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, it will make the United States the laughing stock of world cinema. We are supposed to be pioneers in film, or at the very least at the forefront of the medium. Instead, all AMPAS will do is make America look stupid.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

First of all, from a historical perspective, I have a great respect for AMPAS and the Oscar ceremony.

I don't.

I'm angry because the Oscars have become unimportant now.

They've been unimportant since they were created.

There was a long period of time when an Oscar nomination meant the film was one of the cream of the crop, and while the Best Picture winner was important, there was not that much of a stretch between the nominees and the winner.

Untrue. The purpose of the Academy Awards is to make the American film industry appear imoprtant, cultured, refined, sensitive, progressive, intelligent, and I'll say it again, important. Film craft and achievement have had little to do with the winners of Best Piture Oscars, instead, the rubrick is "what makes the industry look good?" You are way off base if you think the five films nominated for Best Picture actually represent the best films made in the previous year. They are, instead, the five films that make the film industry look good to the outside world.

AMPAS was already rocking the boat before by nominating unfit dramas in order to avoid nominating the very few films from unrecognized genres that would have deserved it instead.

They've been doing since the awards were created. Do you remember the Eight-oscar statue given to Walt Disney? When was it given? In 1939. Snow White was released in 1937. It failed to win a single award. It was the best reviewed film of the year. It was the highest grossing film of all time. And the Oscars snubbed it. So, two years after the release of the film, the Academy gave Walt a special Oscar. It was an apology. Just as the Oscars gave Spielberg the Thalberg award after snubbing him and the Color Purple. The Academy has been "screwing up" for decades. That's why no one with education takes them seriouly. It's an industry trade show, man. Nothing more.

Now the Best Picture nominee list will become bloated with indie movies that won't win because they won't get enough votes, and box-office successes which generally offer little that warrants such a nomination.

Who cares?

And the other reason why I'm angry is that like it or not, the Academy Awards are the international face of American film criticism and viewership.

Pfft. Only to people who don't know jack squat about film history, film theory, and film analysis. Who cares about the opinions of the ignorant?

When other countries see films that wouldn't normally make the cut for their best film prize being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, it will make the United States the laughing stock of world cinema.

Even our worst action movie is generally better than the best of many "world cinema" offerings. The last time I checked, Lars Von Trier was the laughing stock of the world cinema for his reviled recent offering at Cannes.

We are supposed to be pioneers in film, or at the very least at the forefront of them. Instead, all AMPAS will do is make America look stupid.

That sounds like something a high school student would say, or maybe Carrie's mother ("They're all going to laugh at you!!!"). Look I don't favor the 10 film switch myself, but I learned when I was 14 years old that the Oscars were a joke. I tune in mainly to watch the annual train wreck. I don't know why you care.

[McCrutchy]

I guess you and I will have to agree to disagree on a few things, especially the influence of AMPAS and the ceremony over cinematic trends in this country. But at least we can agree on the fact that ten Best Picture nominees is stupid.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

I guess you and I will have to agree to disagree on a few things, especially the influence of AMPAS and the ceremony over cinematic trends in this country.

The Oscars follow the industry, the industry does not follow the Oscars.

[Anti-SD]

Originally Posted by RiseDarthVader

Watchmen nomination FTW!

Oh god no - absolutely hated that movie. Not that my opinion counts when deciding who's up for best picture, but my word it was tedious.

[GLaDOS]

Originally Posted by RiseDarthVader

Watchmen nomination FTW!

Let's hope Jackie Earle Haley gets that Best Actor nomination.

I'm also pretty certain Public Enemies will get a Best Picture, Best Costume Design, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Stage Design. I mean, this movie will certainly deliver the box office and the critics.

[Batman1980]

The only shoo-in for the Oscars right now I think is Up, way too early to tell in the other categories.

[P@t_Mtl]

Very early to talk about nominations, only reaching July and there are still many movies to come in the next 5 months.

[Terjyn]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

The only shoo-in for the Oscars right now I think is Up, way too early to tell in the other categories.

Considering that the best animation category was pretty much made specifically so they don't have to even think about putting animated films up for best picture...I don't think 'Up' is in any way a shoo-in.

My thought upon hearing this was o great, now Hollywood can stick 4 political "statement" movies up per year instead of only 2.

[thedarkangel1975]

Originally Posted by Terjyn

Considering that the best animation category was pretty much made specifically so they don't have to even think about putting animated films up for best picture...I don't think 'Up' is in any way a shoo-in.

My thought upon hearing this was o great, now Hollywood can stick 4 political "statement" movies up per year instead of only 2.

I think UP is a shoe in for an Oscar nod. Dreamworks is leagues behind Pixar is animation, story, and overall production. Don't get me wrong. I liked Kung Fu Pandra, The Shreks, etc, but they are no where near the qualitity of a Pixar film.

[toef]

Originally Posted by thedarkangel1975

I think UP is a shoe in for an Oscar nod. Dreamworks is leagues behind Pixar is animation, story, and overall production. Don't get me wrong. I liked Kung Fu Pandra, The Shreks, etc, but they are no where near the qualitity of a Pixar film.

I think it has a chance, but I'd say it's far from a shoe-in for Best Picture.

What do they do about the Best Animated Movie category then?

Does Up not get nominated as a Best Animated Movie? If it gets nominated for Best Animated Movie and Best Picture, aren't you already implying that it's the Best Animated Movie (assuming it's the only animated movie nominated for Best Picture)?

If you only nominate it for Best Picture, aren't you implying it was too good to put in the Best Animated Movie category, so the winner of that isn't truly the best animated movie of the year?

[Terjyn]

Originally Posted by thedarkangel1975

I think UP is a shoe in for an Oscar nod. Dreamworks is leagues behind Pixar is animation, story, and overall production. Don't get me wrong. I liked Kung Fu Pandra, The Shreks, etc, but they are no where near the qualitity of a Pixar film.

What does Dreamworks have to do with anything?

The sarcastic view is that the entire reason animation even exists as a category is because Hollywood didn't like it when Beauty and the Beast got nominated for best picture, so made an animated category to guarantee it would never happen again.

If you hold that view (which I tend to, considering how all prior Pixar movies have been ignored), then it doesn't matter how good 'Up' is, it will not be there.

[GLaDOS]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

The only shoo-in for the Oscars right now I think is Up, way too early to tell in the other categories.

And the Oscar goes to....*sigh*...UP, by the guys at Pixar, again.

[Gaius Marius]

I don't think it matters, they nominate the same movies every year anyway

I mean, the title/director/actors change - but the stories and themes are the same.

[thedarkangel1975]

Originally Posted by kotsedriver

Let's hope Jackie Earle Haley gets that Best Actor nomination.

I'm also pretty certain Public Enemies will get a Best Picture, Best Costume Design, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Stage Design. I mean, this movie will certainly deliver the box office and the critics.

I am thinking the same thing. But who knows until we actually see this. For all we know, it can suck.

[GLaDOS]

Originally Posted by thedarkangel1975

I am thinking the same thing. But who knows until we actually see this. For all we know, it can suck.

+1

Only time will tell. I'm still betting my money on Public Enemies, though.