Reaction to the Oscar Nominees

It’s amazing that even in a year of ten nominees, the Oscars can still manage to throw one film or omission into the mix that still manages to piss you off royally. These are some of the nominations and a few thoughts I have on the nominees.

Best Picture

Avatar

The Blind Side

District 9

An Education

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

A Serious Man

Up

Up in the Air

-I can say I feel pretty good about this category except for one film. I got 9 out of ten, but that one I missed is one I’m guessing a lot of people missed. The Blind Side came out of nowhere and showed up here, completely undeserving in my humble opinion. If they wanted a populist film, why not go with Star Trek? They do this to me every year.

Best Director

James Cameron - Avatar

Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker

Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds

Lee Daniels - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Jason Reitman - Up in the Air

-With all those recent roundtables of these five, I should have known that Daniels would have made it in, and I’m fine with that. No major complaints about these nominees, though I can’t stress enough how sad I am that Spike Jonze couldn’t have gotten more attention.

Best Actor

Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart

George Clooney - Up in the Air

Colin Firth - A Single Man

Morgan Freeman - Invictus

Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker

-A predictable roundup that was pretty much expected by everybody.

Best Actress

Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side

Helen Mirren - The Last Station

Carey Mulligan - An Education

Gabourey Sidibe - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia

-Another predictable roundup, but with The Blind Side making a surprise Best Picture nominee, this solidifies Sandra Bullock as the Oscar frontrunner (boo!)

Best Supporting Actor

Matt Damon - Invictus

Woody Harrelson - The Messenger

Christopher Plummer - The Last Station

Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones

Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds

-All the wishing in the world couldn’t keep Matt Damon from getting nominated for an extremely bland performance in an otherwise bland movie. Doesn’t really matter, though, because Waltz is going to take it, as he should.

Best Supporting Actress

Penélope Cruz - Nine

Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air

Maggie Gyllenhaal - Crazy Heart

Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air

Mo’Nique - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

-Cruz making it in is a “meh” response for me, but Gyllenhaal making the cut was a nice surprise. Recently re-watching Crazy Heart gave me a feeling that she might get in, and it’s rather nice to see. Doesn’t really matter, though, because Mo’Nique is going to take it, as she should.

Best Original Screenplay

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

The Messenger

A Serious Man

Up

-The only major beef I have here is (500) Days of Summer missing its only chance at a nomination. A great film that deserved to win here, personally for me, is a great injustice, especially when the mediocre scripts to The Hurt Locker and Up are there in its place.

Best Adapted Screenplay

District 9

An Education

In the Loop

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Up in the Air

-That fifth spot was always in flux, and I am thrilled that it went to In the Loop. My one longshot shout-out that actually got a nomination.

Best Animated Feature

Coraline

Fantastic Mr. Fox

The Princess and the Frog

The Secret of Kells

Up

-Anyone else notice how quiet the room was when The Secret of Kells was mentioned? That’s just because no one knew what the hell this movie was about. Me neither.

That’s it for now. A full list of the nominations is available here.