Oscars 2005

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:30 am

No major surprises in the nominations, great to see Terry George's Hotel Rwanda getting a few major ones. Why do I snigger at The Passion getting a nod for Best Achievement in Makeup?

Post by **BlueChair** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:43 am

Nothing for Fahrenheit 9/11. I suspect Moore blew his chances my submitting it for Best Picture and not Best Documentary. It was a really good year for movies and it shows in the nominations, though Sideways and Kinsey didn't receive as many nominations as I had hoped for.

I predict big wins for Million Dollar Baby and The Aviator, neither of which I have seen yet, but both of which are pretty much exactly what the Oscars like to go for.

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:58 am

I wonder if The Aviator will end up like Gangs Of New York, which got ten nominations but eventually no Oscar.
Probably not, though "lots of special effects" (as I've read somewhere) and Martin Scorsese doesn't sound like a good pairing to me.
On the other hand the reviews I read (also on this board) were very favourable, so maybe it's gonna be Martin's show finally.

And one more comment : "Dude, where's your film?".

RedShoes · Post by **RedShoes** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 12:24 pm

I really want to see Vera Drake now....it was at the Toronto Film Fest, but we missed it.

Post by **BlueChair** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 12:42 pm

No it wasn't, it just came out around that time.

RedShoes · Post by **RedShoes** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 12:47 pm

Ok then, I'm just an idiot

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 2:43 pm

OK you two, get a room!

Anyone else surprised at the lack of acting/directing/picture nomination for Passion of the Christ? I thought it might get a directing nod because of how ambitious it was. No best actor for Giamatti either- kind of a surprise.

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 3:34 pm

Kill Bill Vol 2?

Post by **BlueChair** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 3:46 pm

Not even a single nod for KB2.

I think Tarantino is too wild for the Oscar crowd.

SoLikeCandy · Post by **SoLikeCandy** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:43 pm

Jamie Foxx did his thang, but, frankly, I'm a little shocked that Ray was nominated for best picture. It just...wasn't.

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 5:11 pm

Kill Bill Vol 1 and 2...movies made the old fashioned way...they earned it!

IMHO, the title killed it. Great story. Female heroine. Great story of revenge. Suspense. All of the elements, not to mention an incredible screenplay. Like Pulp Fiction, the dialogue is what makes this such a great film. In Pulp, it was remarkable because it was so different. In Kill Bill, it is as good or better. Great colloguialisms (sp?) throughout. The pregnancy tester scene was classic.

Uma is a good actress. She is not a great actress, but good. Carradine performed magically. The story is solid and fun, horrific and a romp. Ugly and sweet. Quentin and Terantino.

Ultimate problem is the title. Too trite. Sounds like a satire, a comedy. Get Shorty. Titles like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction get attention. Kill Bill was the trigger to NOT be taken seriously.

Too bad.

I love the film. And I don't know if you noticed at the Golden Globes, but Quent is getting a little pissed off. He had trouble masking his reactions to the fact that Carradine (a non-brainer, as far as I could imagine) and Thurman were not selected in their categories.

El Vez · Post by **El Vez** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 5:17 pm

My picks....

Picture - Million Dollar Baby. Sideways is too small and received so many critics awards that it's almost like, well, there you go then! The Aviator, while good, just doesn't have *IT* to win.

Director - Martin Scorcese, The Aviator. They are desperately trying to shore up another glaring omission like Hitchcock or Kubrick.

Actor - Jamie Foxx, Breakin' All The Rules

Actress - Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake. Few saw Bening's Being Julia (even fewer liked it outside of her performance) and I don't think they are ready to give Hilary Swank two Oscars so early especially considering how dodgy her filmography is outside of this and Boys Don't Cry.

Supporting Actress - Cate Blanchett, The Aviator. She was absolutely remarkable in this film and I think the fact that she is seen as someone with the acting genius of Meryl Streep but without the star wattage means that they would love to give her a Supporting Actress nod as sort of a coronation of That Great Actress the same way Streep first scored with Kramer vs. Kramer.

Supporting Actor - Thomas Haden Church, Sideways. It really is true that actors *love* journeymen who make it good with the ultimate breakout role. I don't think anyone could have given a better performance as this character. I loved Clive Owen as Larry in Closer but I think he's got an honest-to-goodness Best Actor trophy waiting for him sometime in the next five years.

Original Screenplay - Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind. People actually talk about the screenplay itself and Charlie Kaufman is pretty much a rock star because it is almost impossible to become as well known as he is just by writing screenplays. Seriously, getting famous for that is like bench pressing the Chrysler building.

Adapted Screenplay - Sideways. Again, there has been so much talk about what a lovely, perfectly observed piece of writing this was that I think it's a shoo-in.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 7:12 pm

I went to see The Aviator, and was amazed that I liked Di Caprio's character and didn't just want to poke him in the eye like his usual crap. That in itself deserves an Oscar.

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 12:10 am

El Vez,

I agree about Hillary Swank being unlikely, but I think Kate Winslet will surprise people and take it this year. Just my gut feeling.

El Vez · Post by **El Vez** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:44 am

Full disclosure: My punk ass *still* hasn't seen Eternal Sunshine although I have every intention of rectifying that in the very near future. That said, Kate Winslet is a stellar actress and an all around cool person who, for being such an independent, is extremely well liked by the Academy. This is her fourth nomination which is all the more remarkable when you consider that she's still in her twenties.

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:47 am

I wouldn't be surprised if Hilary Swank won. Million Dollar Baby is getting tons of Oscar buzz, and she already won the Golden Globe.

El Vez · Post by **El Vez** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:57 am

It has completely revitalized her career and put her back on the A-list but I think the fact that she already has one Oscar (a richly deserved on at that) will probably factor heavily in her not getting a second one so soon. Swank is extremely well regarded as an actress and has a spotless reputation as an all around decent person but I think the scuttlebutt is that she's gifted but hard to cast in the right projects because she tends to excel with these extreme characters and has a harder time with more or less normal roles. Her work in Insomnia is a great example of this. She was fine in that film but scores of actresses could have given that same performance or a better one and it gave no indication of what a powerhouse Swank is capable of being.

Most importantly though, we should never lose sight of the fact that we are both talking about a film and a performance that neither of us have seen yet!

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 11:01 am

Hey, it didn't stop Tom Hanks from winning three years in a row (and really, of the three the only one he deserved was for Philadelphia in my opinion)

El Vez · Post by **El Vez** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 11:05 am

Actually, he just one two years in a row and, if anything, that seems to have chastened Academy members because Hanks has given better performances since but it was like "We *can't* give him three yet!" And then there's the Kevin Spacey thing where he won two pretty quickly and, well, his career has faltered quite a bit since American Beauty.

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:33 am

No comments on the Oscar show ? Hey, don't pay that much attention to what Chris Rock said about Oscar viewers !!!

Congratulations to Clint and sorry about Martin Scorsese, but I still think he should have won years ago for Raging Bull or GoodFellas, whereas his latest films seemed to be too contrived (at least to my taste).

I couldn't watch the show on tv, but I've heard Rock was pretty good ?

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 6:00 am

Here's a list of the winners, and no great suprises, imo. Clint deserved the directing Oscar more than Marty, while, clearly, Schoonmaker deserved the editing Oscar. As I expected, Sideways got the token screenplay Oscar, critical faves always get that.
Didn't see the show either since it was shown on a subscription channel here, from the sound clips on the news this morning I dont think I missed much.
The one interesting detail out of the evening was finding out Sidney Lumets next film stars Vin Diesel, now that should be interesting.

Post by **BlueChair** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 6:58 am

This is the first year I can remember where I've agreed with every winner... Million Dollar Baby, Jamie Foxx, Cate Blanchett, Morgan Freeman, Hilary Swank, etc. Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor for best Adapted screenplay and Charlie Kaufman for Best Original Screenplay... The show dragged at times, but I was glad to see the awards go to who they went to.

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 8:34 am

I thought Chris Rock was way too polite. Just a really ordinary Oscars - Jamie Foxx did bring tears to my sentimental eyes, as did Hilary Swank. Cate Blanchett was the only person wearing ANY color, and when they panned the balconies, I saw a lot of empty seats. Was there a mad rush to the rest room? No ribbons on anybody's lapel, either.

SoLikeCandy · Post by **SoLikeCandy** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 8:59 am

Agreed--Chris Rock started off angry, then settled into polite host mode. Still, his skit at Magic Theatres cracked me up--it's probably the only time that many black people will be seen on an Oscars broadcast. I whooped and applauded loudly when Jamie Foxx won--it was no surprise to anyone, but it was certainly deserved, nonetheless. Bringing his daughter as his date was the sweetest, most humble thing I saw all night.

I'm off today to study (yeah, right) and watching "Good Morning, America"--Diane Sawyer said that Foxx's daughter has a test this morning. Foxx was tempted to write Corrine a note so she could be excused from taking it today..."Please excuse my daughter Corrine from attending class this morning. Her father won for Best Actor last night, and she's a bit tired."

I think it'd work.

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:06 am

I let out a big gasp when Jamie won. Somehow I just didn't think the Academy would really give it to him. It was touching though, listening to his speech. He wasn't trying to talk proper, and he was still very much who he has always been. Let's hope the big time doesn't change him.

Did anyone else think Gwenyth's dress was horrible?