Wow

[rockmarooned]

The Reader? Are you fucking kidding me? Do the Weinsteins control social security or something?

Comments

[slightlyoffaxis]

At least now I can root for Slumdog Millionaire without feeling conflicted.

[aliwilliams]

Having just watched Benjamin Button last night, I'm baffled at all its nominations. Huh? Except for technical awards, I don't get it.

The Reader is one of the few I haven't seen yet. But I assume that it's just a mass left-wing conspiracy to make Kate Winslet thank Ricky Gervais in her acceptance speech, for showing her the Holocaust=Oscar light.

[rockmarooned]

I liked Ben Button a lot but I don't really get the Brad Pitt nomination. I mean, he's fine in the movie, but the character isn't really designed to be a big actor's showcase. Same deal with Taraji P. Henson, who I like in general but doesn't really do anything particularly difficult in the movie. But it is beautifully directed, especially for a guy who usually directs movies about serial killers.

ranty ranty

[aliwilliams]

Eh, I think Button didn't go far enough with their sepia-tinged flashbacks and fake-boat style. Either go big or go home, I says. Plus the whole movie copped the eff out when Benji [Uh, SPOILERS, I guess] didn't have any memory-or connection to the character at all-once he "turned" 10 years old or so. One minute he looks 22 (and creepy, but basically normal Brad Pitt) and the next he's a random kid who doesn't know a thing?

And why did they keep saying Cate couldn't "raise" both Ben and their kid? Clearly he'll physically devolve, but how is that her "raising" him? I was thinking ooh, maybe he'll slowly de-mature, emotionally, as he gets older, in some end-of-Flowers for-Algernon way, but he stayed as blank as ever. Erm, I'll stop now. Didn't hate it, but overrated in my book for sure.

Re: ranty ranty

[wmetoile]

It also struck me as odd that he developed dementia toward the end of his life. He was born with a bunch of old age-related conditions, like cataracts and arthritis, so wouldn't he have had the dementia when he was an old man baby, and then just turned into a real baby when he was "old"? Bah. Logic.

[wmetoile]

I am too giddy about the screenplay nominations for In Bruges and Wall-E to care.

[bad_modernart]

Why did Revolutionary Road get shut out? And I the only one who thought Leo deserved a Best Actor nod?

How are those Broadway tickets coming??

[rockmarooned]

I thought Leo was awesome in that movie, actually, and I'm surprised that he could get in for freaking Blood Diamond a few years ago, but not this -- though Best Actor is always really competitive. Still, I'd sub him in for Brad Pitt easily. I'd guess the movie got shut out because it was sort of unpleasant and grim? Although The Reader is plenty grim with a lot less energy, so I don't know.

Working on the Broadway thing.

[wonkywheels]

I am glad. You know how I feel about Revolutionary Road. I thought it was way over-the-top. I just didn't buy the acting or the screenplay. And I really liked The Reader!