the chutry experiment

I'm ashamed to say that I haven't seen any of the movies nominated (really ashamed). I do wonder, though, about the fact that Vera Farmiga didn't get nominated for Best Supporting Actress. There seemed to be quite a buzz about her a while back.

Also, Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada. Is this nomination just because she's Meryl Streep?

Streep's performance was actually quite good, but her reputation obviously doesn't hurt. I haven't seen Departed, so I don't know much about the buzz for Farmiga--it may be that she's a relative unknown.

In retrospect, I think a few people were surprised that Nicholson and Pitt didn't get nominations, but supporting actor was a pretty competitive category this year.

I would, without thinking twice about it, replace Babel and Little Miss Sunshine with Children of Men and Marie Antoinette. However, I suspect that one of the former two is the most likely Best Picture winner this year. I also thought that Half Nelson was one of the best films I saw during the Oscar year, but am mostly just glad to see Ryan Gosling pick up a nomination. It would seem that Scorsese would be well-positioned to take home Director, but the truth is the Academy seems loathe to recognize him with an actual statue. Truth is I am still worn out from a couple of years ago when Eastwood and Million Dollar Baby slipped in to push aside Scorsese and The Aviator, but I do think that The Departed is a more worthy film, if less Academy-friendly. The only documentary I've had the chance to see so far is An Inconvenient Truth. I thought the best documentary I saw last year, from the perspective of both story and craft, as well as my personal enjoyment, was Shut Up and Sing. Which is not to suggest that I think An Inconvenient Truth is unworthy as a nominee, because it is.

Of the documentary nominees, my favorite is probably Iraq in Fragments, but I'd love to see Al Gore thanking the Academy. I didn't like Marie Antoinette as much as a lot of others did and I still haven't seen Children of Men (although I think it's playing here in Fayetteville). I still think Spike Lee's Inside Man could have been an interesting choice here. It does seem significant that women were once again shut out from the best director category.

I honestly don't have any strong opinions about the Academy nominees, other than the conviction that LMS is way overrated. Given the lack of a clear-cut fave, maybe the Academy will finally do the right thing by Marty.

Heh, I think LMS was the only one of the movies I've seen. It seems like it could win "Best Original Screenplay," but comedies don't seem to win "Best Picture."

It's good to see Morricone recognized, but does this he's never won an Oscar? I'm shocked, and it seems totally redonkulous. He's probably the best-known and most influential film composer after Bernard Herrman. I wonder if there will be an uptick in the number of indie-rock dorks (and Muse fans) watching since he's being honored.

Ahhh, I guess I watched The Black Dahlia, and while it was no Hi Mom! it had plenty of interesting shots.

I wonder if voters will shy away from An Inconvenient Truth to avoid a Michael Moore-style controversy, or if it will draw votes, since it will make the Oscars seem more relevant.

In terms of confrontational style, Al Gore is no Michael Moore (even if he is apparently gaining quite a bit of weight).

I'm a bit shocked that Morricone has never won an Oscar, too. He has been nominated a Scorsese-esque five times but has never actually won.

I don't see LMS winning, either, for a variety of reasons (including its status as a comedy).