Oscars 2010 -- Discussion, Rants, etc

[animatedude]

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has just announced in a small blurb the Oscars this year will be bumping their Best Picture nominees from five to ten beginning with the upcoming 2010 Oscars President Sid Ganis announced today at a press conference in Beverly Hills.

"After more than six decades, the Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year," said Ganis. "The final outcome, of course, will be the same - one Best Picture winner - but the race to the finish line will feature 10, not just five, great movies from 2009."

The move is an obvious response to the recent discussion concerning The Dark Knight's absence from the nominees for more art house style films such as The Reader and I would expect we can now look at Up as a serious contender for a Best Picture nominee when previous Pixar favorites Ratatouille and Wall-e were left in the cold.

"Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going allow Academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize," commented Ganis. "I can't wait to see what that list of ten looks like when the nominees are announced in February."

yeah right...

HORRIBLE idea and with 2009 being shit year for movies so far what can we expect in there? Hotel for Dogs?

[fizz]

This is such crap. It's like the exclusivity club is no longer exclusive because everyone is allowed access. Oscars were never about rewarding deserving wins, but some of the nominees were better than actual winners.

[shariqq]

This is stupid. They would have done better to emulate other awards by having two categories of five nominees each: Best Dramatic and Best Comedy/Musical/Fantasy.

[animatedude]

if there's any category that should be bumped to 10 then it's the foreign films category.they should at least allow 2 entries to each country..

[sandeep]

I agree Shariq... two different categories makes so much sense... Lets see what 2009 movies have in store...

[shariqq]

Mark your calendar (or not) for 7th March 2010. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are Co-Hosting the 2010 Oscars <groan>.

(Btw, it's be early morning 8th March for those watching live in the Middle East.)

[kaytee]

Why groan? I think Alec Baldwin is a good pick, the banter between Martin and Baldwin will be interesting.

[shariqq]

The groan was for Steve Martin, I don't like him much, especially after his last few movies. I rejoiced for a moment when I read it as Steve Carrell. I dunno what to make of Alec Baldwin as a host though. For some reason, with the 10-nominations and these hosts compared to Ricky Gervais doing the other show, I have a feeling the Golden globes are going to overshadow the Oscars.

[ayaa1977]

The groan was for Steve Martin, I don't like him much, especially after his last few movies. I rejoiced for a moment when I read it as Steve Carrell. I dunno what to make of Alec Baldwin as a host though. For some reason, with the 10-nominations and these hosts compared to Ricky Gervais doing the other show, I have a feeling the Golden globes are going to overshadow the Oscars.

While I'd agree that the recent Steve Martin's films are crab, but there is no denying that the dude is funny. He shared an SNL sketch with Alec Baldwin that was incredibly hilarious last year, so I think those two playing on each other at the Oscars will make for great entertainment. 

[ozzylogic]

Let's vote for Steve Carrell, especially after watching his 'The Office'

[X.]

The Oscars are like the AM radio: obsolete.

[shariqq]

While I'd agree that the recent Steve Martin's films are crab, but there is no denying that the dude is funny. He shared an SNL sketch with Alec Baldwin that was incredibly hilarious last year, so I think those two playing on each other at the Oscars will make for great entertainment.  

I couldn't find it on youtoob. If you do, post it here.

[ayaa1977]

It is not on youtube, I found it on Dailymotion but when I tried the link it didn't work because it is a link from Hulu which doesn't work outside the US. Still if you really wanna see it you can get the following SNL episode, which the iink is has an overview for:

http://www.tv.com/saturday-night-live/alec-baldwin-christina-aguilera/episode/889931/recap.html?tag=episode_recap;recap

I also have to make a correction, it was from the 32nd season not from last season which was season 34.

[shariqq]

NYC Cine: A Blog About Movies in the Big Apple -- they've posted a set of videos of a round-table with Quentin Tarantino, Peter Jackson, James Cameron, Kathryn Bigelow, Lee Daniels and Jason Reitman.

[kaytee]

The nominees are...

Best Picture
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up In The Air

Best Actor In A Leading Role
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
George Clooney - Up In The Air
Colin Firth - A Single Man
Morgan Freeman - Invictus
Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker

Best Actress In A Leading Role
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
Helen Mirren - The Last Station
Carey Mulligan - An Education
Gabourey Sibide -  Precious
Meryl Streep - Julie and Julia

Best Actor In A Supporting Role
Matt Damon - Invictus
Woody Harrelson - The Messenger
Christopher Plummer - The Last Station
Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds

Best Actress In A Supporting Role
Penelope Cruz - Nine
Vera Farminga - Up In The Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal - Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick - Up In The Air
Mo'Nique - Precious

Best Director
James Cameron - Avatar
Kathyn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds
Lee Daniels - Precious
Jason Reitman - Up In The Air

Foreign Language Film
Ajami
El Secreto de Sus Ojos
The Milk of Sorrow
Un Prophete
The White Ribbon

Best Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
The Messenger
A Serious Man
Up

Best Adapted Screenplay
District 9
An Education
In The Loop
Precious
Up In The Air

Best Animated Feature Film
Coraline
Fantastic Mr Fox
The Princess And The Frog
The Secret Of Kells
Up

Art Direction
Avatar
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
Sherlock Holmes
The Young Victoria

Cinematography
Avatar
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
The White Ribbon

Costume Design
Bright Star
Coco Before Chanel
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
The Young Victoria

Documentary Feature
Burma VJ
The Cove
Food, Inc
Which Way Home

Documentary Short
China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
The Last Truck: Closing of GM Plant
Music by Prudence
Rabbit a la Berlin

Film Editing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious

Make-up
Il Divo
Star Trek
The Young Victoria

Music (Original Score)
Avatar
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Hurt Locker
Sherlock Holmes
Up

Music (Original Song)
The Princess and the Frog: 'Almost There' by Randy Newman
The Princess and the Frog: 'Down In New Orleans' by Randy Newman
Paris 36: 'Loin De Paname' by Frank Thomas and Reinhardt Wagner
Nine: 'Take It All' by Maury Yeston
Crazy Heart: 'The Weary Kind' by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Sound Editing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Up

Sound Mixing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Visual Effects
Avatar
District 9
Star Trek

Short film (Animated)
French Roast
Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty
The Lady and the Reaper
Logorama
A Matter of Loaf and Death

Short Film (Live Action)
The Door
Instead of Abracadabra
Kavi
Miracle Fish
The New Tenants