2011 Hugos: Best Dramatic Presentation - Long Form

[nwhyte]

Here's a third post on my Hugo nominations - I took advantage of my recent indisposition to watch the nominees for Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) from a recumbent position, and formed therefore the following scientific views.

6) Toy Story 3. I had somehow missed the first two Toy Story films, and based on this I don't feel especially

Comments

[seawasp]

Watching "Toy Story 3" without watching 1 and 2 is something like reading "The Return of the King" without reading "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Two Towers". Each film builds on what went before, and understanding the theme of Woody's loyalty to Andy, and more generally the idea of a toy's sense of purpose and existence based on having the interest and attention of a child, is something built upon and examined through all three. Buzz, Woody, and most of the other toys (except, obviously, the new ones introduced in this film) have had their characters and interactions established in two prior films.

Now, that COULD be a justification for not voting for it, in that it's not standalone, but then that would, and should, disqualify any series like Doctor Who from being awarded for any episode in the short form (or long form, for that matter); it's rare for any single adventure to give you anything like the explanation of the world and characterization of the main people involved that you would expect in any self-contained story.

[bopeepsheep]

Yes, this. TS3 has a lot more going for it when you know the background to the relationships, the kind of world view and sense of identity the toys have, and so on.

That said I'd probably rank these 5 films in similar order - swapping TS3 and HP7 - but without the No Award line. I liked them all, but do think that viewed as individual films TS3 and HP7 are weak. HTTYD is good, and rather sweet, but nothing like the book; SP was great fun; Inception was spectacular and gripping on so many levels (pun intended).

[rmc28]

Charles has reached the obsessively-watching-stuff phase, like asking for it every day and twice if possible.

HTTYD is the only thing I haven't had to veto yet, because I find I'm quite happy to watch it almost daily, and some lines still make me giggle even after repeated exposure. By contrast I am developing a deep and abiding loathing for Toy Story and sequels.

I don't think that makes HTTYD a brilliant sf film, just a good film that happens to be fantasy.

[seawasp]

As a side note, for I think the first time in 10 years I've seen all but one of the nominees (the missing one being "Scott Pilgrim" which seemed something utterly not worth watching from everything I saw of it)

[emmzzi]

I hadn't heard of SP but read them after your review and really enjoyed. So thanks for that. I agree with your assessment of the film.

[matgb]

Curious--in the past the full list of nomination votes has been released (I recall Sin City got a few nominations in the year it was eligible), but I can't find it this year. Has it been released that you're aware of, if so is it online somewhere? My Google fu appears to be failing me.

Basically, if Heroes series 1 was eligible, last years Doctor Who should've been up there above at least your bottom 3.

[nwhyte]

The full list is usually only released after the award has been announced. Three of last year's DW stories were nominated for the Short Form rather than Long Form award; I must say that the way things are going I'm going to want to nominate the whole of Game of Thrones for next year's Long Form award!

[matgb]

Fair enough, not watched any of it yet. And yeah, Short Form nominations are cool, but they've been getting them ever since reboot, I think the way the story was told throughout deserves Long Form myself. Not that I get to nominate or vote, just curious.

I'll have another look once the awards are out.

[tchernabyelo]

I'm in that whole minority "Inception = meh" camp.

Maybe I'm just much more stupid than everyone else, but I'm passably convinced that many people have read stuff into it that just isn't there, while ignoring the fact that none of it makes anything remotely resembilng any sense whatsoever (which is support, I suppose, for the "it was all just a dream" theorists - but then, watching a movie that's all just a dream is devoid of pretty much anything resembling dramatic tension or narrative progression, so is pretty much pointless).