The Academy Awards
Alright, so the Oscars nominations were announced this morning. And of course, there's already some hate buzz around it.
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
*strikethrough is what i've seen
Not too much surprise in the Best category. There was a lot of push for Up for this category and there wasn't really any doubt it wouldn't get nominated. I feel there's a good chance that Avatar will take the award but you never know. There's a ton of buzz for Hurt Locker and Basterds as well. It'll be shocking if it's not one of those 3 for the winner. Blind Side, District 9, Serious Man, Up In the Air are all definitely not going to win. I feel it in my bones.
DIRECTING:
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
James Cameron - Avatar
Lee Daniels - Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire
Jason Reitman - Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds
It would be no surprise at all if James Cameron went home for an oscar in this category. Avatar was in production forever and he did a lot of great things in achievements. The category after all is "Achievements in Directing" so it wouldn't be so surprising. Did Danny Boyle win last year for Slumdog? I don't remember. Bigelow has a ton of buzz and support as well as Tarantino. I don't see Daniels taking the award nor Reitman. Neither did anything truly spectacular.
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
I have not seen Crazy Heart, A Single Man or Invictus. All I know is that there is huge buzz for Jeff Bridges and for Colin Firth. It would be a complete upset if Clooney won since he really didn't act in Up in the Air. I don't remember who Jeremy Renner was in Hurt Locker since the movie for me was very unmemorable.
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
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
The Actress categories really haven't been important to me in past years. I'm incredibly happy that Gabourney Sibide has been nominated since Precious was such a beautiful piece of film making. I did not like Julie & Julia and certainly don't feel that Meryl Streep was that great. I have not seen The Blind Side, Last Station or An Education so I'm lacking in knowledge of this category which is normal for me.
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
Again, I have not seen Invictus, The Messenger, Last Station, or the Lovely Bones. All I do know is that Christoph Waltz was spectacular in Inglourious Basterds and there is a huge buzz for him winning like he did at the Golden Globes.
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Penelope 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
I'm glad to see Mo'Nique nominated for her performance in Precious since she was truly a spectacular actress in the film. Anna Kendrick, I feel, had a better performance than Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air. I have not seen Crazy Heart nor Nine.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
Neill Blomkamp and - District 9
Nick Hornby - An Education
Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche - In the Loop
Geoffrey Fletcher - Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire
Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner - Up in the Air
I feel like not many people understand or know why District 9 is in this category instead of Original Screenplay. It's because Neill Blomkamp did a short film and then expanded it into District 9. I would love to see District 9 win but it won't happy. I'll just be happy with seeing it nominated. The oscar will probably go to Jason Reitman or Geoffrey Fletcher. I have not seen In The Loop or An Education.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
Mark Boal - The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds
Oren Moverman and - The Messenger
Joel and Ethan Coen - A Serious Man
Pete Docter and Bob Peterson - Up
This category is difficult to guess who will win. People love Hurt Locker (me not being one of them - many I should watch it again). People love Inglourious Basterds (me totally being one of them) and people really loved Up. The Messenger and A Serious Man, I feel, don't have a big chance over the other three. This category might be a huge upset to a lot of people. I'm excited to see who wins.
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of the Kells
Up
Can we PLEASE stop talking about Coraline??? I'm tried of hearing about it because it wasn't that good. Secret of the Kells is something not many people have heard of and I'm surprised that Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs didn't make the nominees. I'm mostly positive that Up will take this category. Maybe Princess and the Frog but really all the buzz is towards Up.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Maurio Fiore - Avatar
Bruno Delbonnel - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Barry Ackroyd - The Hurt Locker
Robert Richardson - Inglourious Basterds
Christian Berger - The White Ribbon
I'm mostly positive that Avatar will win this category. Did you see the film? Yeah.
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
*strikethrough is what i've seen
Not too much surprise in the Best category. There was a lot of push for Up for this category and there wasn't really any doubt it wouldn't get nominated. I feel there's a good chance that Avatar will take the award but you never know. There's a ton of buzz for Hurt Locker and Basterds as well. It'll be shocking if it's not one of those 3 for the winner. Blind Side, District 9, Serious Man, Up In the Air are all definitely not going to win. I feel it in my bones.
DIRECTING:
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
James Cameron - Avatar
Lee Daniels - Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire
Jason Reitman - Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds
It would be no surprise at all if James Cameron went home for an oscar in this category. Avatar was in production forever and he did a lot of great things in achievements. The category after all is "Achievements in Directing" so it wouldn't be so surprising. Did Danny Boyle win last year for Slumdog? I don't remember. Bigelow has a ton of buzz and support as well as Tarantino. I don't see Daniels taking the award nor Reitman. Neither did anything truly spectacular.
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
I have not seen Crazy Heart, A Single Man or Invictus. All I know is that there is huge buzz for Jeff Bridges and for Colin Firth. It would be a complete upset if Clooney won since he really didn't act in Up in the Air. I don't remember who Jeremy Renner was in Hurt Locker since the movie for me was very unmemorable.
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
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
The Actress categories really haven't been important to me in past years. I'm incredibly happy that Gabourney Sibide has been nominated since Precious was such a beautiful piece of film making. I did not like Julie & Julia and certainly don't feel that Meryl Streep was that great. I have not seen The Blind Side, Last Station or An Education so I'm lacking in knowledge of this category which is normal for me.
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
Again, I have not seen Invictus, The Messenger, Last Station, or the Lovely Bones. All I do know is that Christoph Waltz was spectacular in Inglourious Basterds and there is a huge buzz for him winning like he did at the Golden Globes.
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Penelope 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
I'm glad to see Mo'Nique nominated for her performance in Precious since she was truly a spectacular actress in the film. Anna Kendrick, I feel, had a better performance than Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air. I have not seen Crazy Heart nor Nine.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
Neill Blomkamp and - District 9
Nick Hornby - An Education
Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche - In the Loop
Geoffrey Fletcher - Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire
Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner - Up in the Air
I feel like not many people understand or know why District 9 is in this category instead of Original Screenplay. It's because Neill Blomkamp did a short film and then expanded it into District 9. I would love to see District 9 win but it won't happy. I'll just be happy with seeing it nominated. The oscar will probably go to Jason Reitman or Geoffrey Fletcher. I have not seen In The Loop or An Education.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
Mark Boal - The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds
Oren Moverman and - The Messenger
Joel and Ethan Coen - A Serious Man
Pete Docter and Bob Peterson - Up
This category is difficult to guess who will win. People love Hurt Locker (me not being one of them - many I should watch it again). People love Inglourious Basterds (me totally being one of them) and people really loved Up. The Messenger and A Serious Man, I feel, don't have a big chance over the other three. This category might be a huge upset to a lot of people. I'm excited to see who wins.
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of the Kells
Up
Can we PLEASE stop talking about Coraline??? I'm tried of hearing about it because it wasn't that good. Secret of the Kells is something not many people have heard of and I'm surprised that Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs didn't make the nominees. I'm mostly positive that Up will take this category. Maybe Princess and the Frog but really all the buzz is towards Up.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Maurio Fiore - Avatar
Bruno Delbonnel - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Barry Ackroyd - The Hurt Locker
Robert Richardson - Inglourious Basterds
Christian Berger - The White Ribbon
I'm mostly positive that Avatar will win this category. Did you see the film? Yeah.