The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
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    Academy Awards Picks?

    By oleeb on Sat, 03/06/2010 - 3:34pm |

    I've not seen all of the nominated pictures, but I have seen most of them.  There were some very good films out this year. 

    What are your picks in the major categories and thoughts overall?

    Here are mine though because of the stiff competition I'm not terribly confident about any of the picks except Best Picture which seems a gimme to the big box office take of Avatar.

     

    Best Picture: Avatar, I think it will win because of it's innovative approach and massive box office take.  I enjoyed it.  Thought it was a well done picture, interesting visually and had a good story.  I'm a Sigourney Weaver fan so loved seeing her as always.

    Best Actor: Jeff Bridges.  This is a difficult call.  Seems like it's Bridges "time" and Crazy Heart was a good film.  On the other hand, it's hard not to acknowledge what a master Morgan Freeman is, and Clooney was excellent as were the others.

    Best Supprting Actor: I'm taking a Mulligan on this one. I have no idea!  Too tough to pick!

    Best Actress: Sandra Bullock.  She was really, really outstanding in this role which was very different than anything she's done before.  Great character, great story, great actress.  On the other hand, you can never be sure that anyone will win an award when up against the incomparable Meryll Streep. This is a category that could go to anyone and be well deserved.  It will be interesting to see how it turns out.

    Best Supprting Actress: I like Vera Farmiga in this category but it could easily go to any one of these womean all of whom were outstanding.  I just thought she was captivating and gave a superb performance  of a very surprisingly complicated character in the role she played in that movie.

    Best Director: James Cameron... probably and once again his box office numbers are likely to tip the scale in his favor amongst the voters of the Academy.  Though, I think Jason Reitman might well be a surprise winner.  Hollywood really, really liked Up In The Air.

    Best Animated Feature. Up.  It's amazing this flick got nominated for "Best" in two categories, but I can't see it winning Best Picture and because of that it almost surely will win in this category.

    Those are my picks.  What are yours?

     

    Comments

    I have no idea.... All I know is that Jon Hamm is the best TV actor of the decade, and that Mad Men is definately the best TV Cable show ever made, (including The Sapranos, Monk, and any other masterpieces)


    by Joe Wood (not verified) on Sun, 03/07/2010 - 4:29pm

    I enjoyed Avatar myself, but I think Cameron's movies have awful dialogue, and for that reason, hope it goes someplace else.

    I heard that Camerons ex-wife is also up for Best Director.

    Heh.


    by Bwakfat (not verified) on Sun, 03/07/2010 - 4:55pm

    Yes, she's up for Best Director too! Saw Hurt Locker and it was a masterful job of directing indeed! Some movie! No woman has ever won the Best Director Oscar (remember Streisand was famously snubbed) but you never know.


    by oleeb (not verified) on Sun, 03/07/2010 - 6:35pm

    Best Picture - Avatar, because that's the way the academy rolls, and it wasn't a bad film. It will also win Best achievement in visual effects.

    Best Director - Katherine Bigelow, (The Hurt Locker). While the Academy loves big winners such as Cameron/Avatar, they'll feel compelled to reward Bigelow and her more humble project, (and rightly so IMO).

    Best Actor, (leading role) - Jeff Bridges, (Crazy Heart). He's never won an academy award, and that will play a significant role in the votes cast by the academy.

    Best Actor, (supporting role role) - Woody Harrelson.

    Best Actress, (leading role) - Meryl Streep, (Julie and Julia)

    Best Actress, (supporting role) - Maggie Gyllenhaal, (Crazy Heart).

    Best Animated Feature - Coraline

    Art Direction - Avatar

    Cinematography - Inglorious Basterds

    Editing - Avatar

    That's all I got.



    by miguelitoh2o (not verified) on Sun, 03/07/2010 - 7:37pm

    Good picks Miguelitoh2o!

    You are expressing more confidence in Hollywood than I have regarding Bigelow. Not sure they'll pick the woman though I agree with you that on the merits the directing of Hurt Locker seems to me far more of an achievement. But Hollywood loves the big bucks and that may be the deciding factor. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

    And it would be awesome to see Woody win too!


    by oleeb (not verified) on Sun, 03/07/2010 - 8:58pm

    I see movies. Just 4 or 5 years after they come out.

    Basic cable can do that to you.


    by dickday (not verified) on Sun, 03/07/2010 - 10:20pm

    Mo'Nique will win Best Supporting Actress.


    by readytoblowagasket (not verified) on Sun, 03/07/2010 - 11:04pm

    Toldja!


    by readytoblowagasket (not verified) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 1:03am

    Good call!


    by oleeb (not verified) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 2:40am

    Wow!

    Hollywood is not as avaricious as I thought. A woman finally named Best Director and Precious receiving tremendous honors. Interesting evening at the Kodak theatre.


    by oleeb (not verified) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 3:05am

    Well. I really thought the Academy would vote the blockbuster for Best Picture. Kudos the Academy for making the call and to Katherine Bigelow and her team for a well deserved win.


    by miguelitoh2o (not verified) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 3:07am

    DD,

    You really should treat yourself to a movie or two sometime. There are many movies that just are not the same on the small screen. Besides, I'm quite sure you deserve it!


    by oleeb (not verified) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 3:07am

    They sure surprised me!


    by miguelitoh2o (not verified) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 3:10am

    If you haven't seen Precious yet, you will be blown away by Mo'Nique and Gabourey both. I get goose bumps thinking about their performances. I'm thrilled the film got recognition tonight. And it's a film by a gay black director!

    After Mo'Nique won, I was gonna call the night for Kathryn Bigelow, but I chickened out. I just didn't think it was possible that Hurt Locker would take Best Picture and Director both.

    Although when I saw Hurt Locker in the theater, I felt strongly it could win big because of its brilliantly indirect (therefore "safe") anti-war message. Some years, the Academy gives the nod to a political message. This seems to be one of those years, not to minimize the artistic brilliance of the film (sus-PENSE-ful!!!). I am simply hopeful that more people will see Hurt Locker now and realize the abject futility of thinking we can "win" in Afghanistan.


    by readytoblowagasket (not verified) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 3:38am

    I found Martin & Baldwin quite amusing, too.


    by Donal (not verified) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 11:05am

    The Oscar pick that nobody made was couture from the late Alexander McQueen, whom many people including me expected to be represented in memoriam by Sandra Bullock or Sarah Jessica Parker or one of many other actresses who wore his creations at the Oscars in years gone by, but it didn't happen, and apparently none of those cows wants to risk looking sad at the Oscars, or deep.


    by George Jurgenson (not verified) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 11:43am

    And McQueen is even politically correct!


    by readytoblowagasket (not verified) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 12:28pm

    Oh George. Not the livestock.


    by quinn esq (not verified) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 12:52pm