The nominations came out today! I did not tremble with anticipation, nor did I dread who wouldn't get nominated. I felt the Golden Globes hit the nail on the head for the most part. Although, sometimes I felt like there were people nominated in the wrong category and certain performances that should not have been nominated. But as far as winners at the Globes.... fairly on point. So, nope, wasn't too worried about the Oscar noms today.
Then I actually read through them all.
Um... wow. There are a few things I'd like to point out: Oscar is nominating some really obscure peeps this year in a few categories and that's FANTASTIC! At the same time, they nominated some of the same wrong people - puh-lease! Get over it and nominate people who A) deserve to win and B) really acted in their parts....
Good things:
Kate Winslet was nominated in the BEST ACTRESS category for "The Reader". This is what I didn't understand at the Globes, although it was mad cool that she won two that night (her other for Best Actress in "Revolutionary Road"). This leaves the BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS category wide open, which I like to see. I love it when it IS five actors or actresses who deserve to be nominated and/or win.
"Milk" was nominated a whopping 7 times! And for things it should be nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Josh Brolin), Best Original Screenplay, and Best Costume. Also Film Editing, but - that's something I can't speak to. As a resident of San Francisco, with parents who lived in the city at that time - it was like a flashback. Every single thing about that movie was real. And it's about a person and a time that still matters to us today, so I applaud everyone who worked on that movie and Oscar for nominating it so extensively.
Wild card noms! Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor" nominated for BEST ACTOR and Melissa Leo in "Frozen River" nominated for BEST ACTRESS. I have not seen "Frozen River", but "The Visitor" completely deserves that nod, even if he's a long shot to win. It was a very moving film and both the films are independent, which means either Oscar is getting restless with the big-budget dramas Hollywood is shoving out into the market, or more indie theaters have opened up in the US and people are seeing these types of movies more often! I like to think it's both actually!
Bad things:
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. I'm really sorry. No. They're good people, sure. They're even good actors sometimes. But neither of these movies really did it for me for BEST ACTOR or BEST ACTRESS. Both of these movies had other things that either overshadowed the performance or enhanced the performance to the point where I thought "it's not them, it's the script or the costume or the music".
Sally Hawkins wasn't nominated for BEST ACTRESS. She should have been nominated, not Angelina. Except that comedic female roles have never been that sturdy at Oscar nom time - the exception being Ellen Page last year for "Juno". And even that was less comedy and more striking presence and drama-worthy moments.
I haven't seen it yet (this weekend is the date), but I'm surprised Revolutionary Road wasn't nominated more. Leo deserves the nod more than Brad does. Then again, Leo's been in countless movies where he should be nominated or even win and never does. So, if Oscar is trying to say "hey, we like the pretty boy too!" then give the nod to Leo, not Brad. Dear Lord, it's not like Brad was any better than Cate Blanchett in "Benjamin Button" and she wasn't nominated in the least! I think they complemented each other very well in the film, although I love her more in those roles because she just fits so well.
Um, WALL-E? Best Picture? What up, Oscar?
OK. Nuff said. No predictions this year, but I'm hopeful Kate Winslet will win her Oscar - finally. She's like Susan Lucci for crying out loud! And I want Slumdog Millionaire to win Best Picture. Mickey Rourke can win Best Actor. Heath can win his Oscar - since he earned it and he gets the empathy vote. Dustin Lance Black and take it home for his original screenplay for "Milk" and David Hare should DEFINITELY win (in my opinion) for his enrapturing adapted screenplay of "The Reader" - German novel people! Read it, it's excellent.
Everyone else is on their own!