Academy Awards Nominations Tomorrow

I haven't a clue what time they will be announced publicly. I presume it will be early tomorrow morning for those who want to be the first one on the block to report back to Le Cafe.

I haven't seen the Aviator so I can not comment. I did see Sideways and it was a hoot. Loved Finding Neverland but that's a quiet beautiful film and i can't see Americans going for that.

Joe

Yes, the nominations are tomorrow at 8:30 am eastern time. I really hope Hotel Rwanda is recognozed. It was a great film with beautiful music.

the Academy awards have nothing to do with the American public...

in fact they have little to do with good filmmaking... it's just as political as ice dance judging (maybe more so! )

Right you are, Tonichelle.

brad640 said:

Yes, the nominations are tomorrow at 8:30 am eastern time. I really hope Hotel Rwanda is recognozed. It was a great film with beautiful music.

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I agree brad, although I have not yet seen that film mostly because there was so much sad news going on during Tsunami and Angela's mother, etc., I put it off. Next couple of weeks, maybe.

however, I agree with Toni and Jill. The Academy Awards are very political for understanding the winners of this years films. I enjoy the individual category awards that have their own awards like the SAG's Award for best actors and supporting Actors - nothing else. This group is really a vote by actors only and producers, directors and big investors, are not permitted to vote. So if you see any adverts on the Sag Awards or the Director's Awards, etc., let us know.

Joe

The SAG awards are Saturday February 5 at 8pm eastern on TNT.

I don't remember who was being interviewed about the SAG awards last year, but they felt that it was the greatest honor and one of the only award "shows" they enjoy attending because it's for real, it's not just "a show" but there are actual "winners"

they also took a look behind the scenes of the awards and how they were done and what not. It was really cool.... wish I could remember who it was... Jennifer Garner maybe?

I think there is a 'Producers' award this week too.

That's the way it should be a vote of your immediate peers not just for the whole academy to vote (for the increase in revenues).

Joe

The only film I've seen so far this season is that will most likely be nominated is "The Aviator". It was entertaining but not a film I can recommend as a "must see"........42

I can't stand Leonardo DiCaprio (and I'll bet I spelled his name wrong LOL) he "acts" the same in every movie! He never emotes in his voice... it drives me nuts!

There've been a couple of exceptions, but that was more because while he was the "most important character" the supporting roles had bigger parts (ie Catch Me If You Can) Titanic, however, was so over hyped and did not deserve the number of awards it won that year (for that matter Moulin Rouge is NOT that great a movie either... what were the producers/director ON????)

I don't think SAG or the Producer's Guild or the Director's Guild are that much better than the Oscars.

I mean people like Ray Romano are SAG voters...they can make bad choices just as likely as the Oscars do.

Also, the Producer's Guild can be very political considering these are the people who are spending the money of the films and you can bet the campaigning here can get personal between producers.

Keep in mind that the Director's Guild are not just full of talented directors, but also stage managers on tv shows also.

However, I do agree with you that in theory, having people in the fields vote for their categories are better than the whole Academy voting for categories they have nothing to do with. That is how their nomination process goes and that's why their choice in nominees are better than their choice in winners usually.

However, that's also the beauty in the Academy. The winner is really a film that was able to reach the most people in that group.

VT - I don't know if Mary Livingston (Jack Benny's wife) is still alive but she used to vote in every Academy Award because she was in a movie in 1933. :scratch:

Joe

HOW ABOUT BEST SCORE, HUH?

I KNEW the second I heard The Village for the first time that it would be nominated, it is FIRST-RATE! He uses the instruments to create the creatures, it's wonderful.

Passion, it's about time Debney got nominated again. He deserves it, as much as I love The Village I would have to cast my vote for Passion, because Debney uses authentic instruments of the day. Not pleasant at all to listen to, but worthy of a nomination and win.

Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban! What can I say, I love this score, it was such a pleasant surprise to see that it qualified! I love the track Double Trouble.

Finding Neverland, ahhh one of my favorites. Very nice score, I've not seen the movie yet though so I can't tell how well it works with it.

I can't comment on Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, because I've niether seen nor heard it before. But I will say this: Thomas Newman has long been underappreciated, IMHO.

It seems any of these fine composers can win this one! Best of luck to all the nominees! I know I will cheer for whoever's name comes up (even moreso I think for James).

I can see what you mean. In 2001 for example I would have given the Best Picture Oscar to Moulin Rouge, and in 2003 I would have given it to The Pianist.

I was disappointed that Hotel Rwanda did not get a best pic nom, but I was happy that Don Cheadle and Sophie O. got acting nominations. I can't believe The Aviator got 11 noms. I would not even put that movie on the best pic list, but I am not surprised that it got on that list. It may even win- that's the scary thought.

Moulin Rouge is a piece of work... what were the editors/director/producer on??? That movie is seriously disturbing to watch... did not like it, love the music though LOL And Ewan was the only good thing in that movie, and even he was weird in it... what ended up winning that year anyway?

I am not surprised that John Williams' work is, once again, nominated. I think he's been on the ticket every year since at least the 1970s! And since he just got the Kennedy award (what is it called lol I just know it's held at the Kennedy Center and it's for people of the performing arts) I wouldn't be surprised if he won. Not saying he doesn't deserve it, because he deserves everything and more... I guess in a way he's the musical version of MK... just keeps on producing great pieces of work that win Steven Spielberg in his little speech about Williams was hilarious... "When he was selling me on the music for JAWS he sat me down next to the piano and he played all of four notes da-da... da-da. And he turned to me looking for my reaction. I said "that's it?" and he said 'I really think that's all it needs.'"

Vash01 said:

I was disappointed that Hotel Rwanda did not get a best pic nom, but I was happy that Don Cheadle and Sophie O. got acting nominations. I can't believe The Aviator got 11 noms. I would not even put that movie on the best pic list, but I am not surprised that it got on that list. It may even win- that's the scary thought.

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Considering the other movies that won Best Picture, I have to say Aviator isn't that bad of a choice. Also, it could've been worse...crap like Passion of the Christ could've been nominated.

ITA with you Toni about Moulin Rouge. IMO, compared to Muholland Drive, Ghost World, In the Bedroom, Gosford Park, The Royal Tenenbaums among other movies that came out in 2001, Moulin Rouge was just pure crap. Lot of pretty lights, but not a whole lot of substance and incredibly shallow. I thought the directing was just uneven and lack subtely...Baz Luhrman is sort of a hack in my book.

I don't understand how anyone could like the music considering most of it was just remixed pop/rock songs badly sung by the flat and whiney Ewan McGregor and the no voice at all Kidman.

Songs represent characters in this film, rather than move the plot along. They tell what a character is thinking, feeling, planning, doing, etc. That is what Lurhman was going for when he chose the music for the movie. I felt it was ruined only by the ridiculous Like A Virgin... I always fast-forward through that scene. However, songs like El Tango de Roxanne move the plot along considerably. If you look at this film for what it is, a satire, then perhaps it might get more respect. I have always looked at it as a satire.

I think on second thought I would have gone with The Fellowship of The Ring. It had less flaws.

Songs are everwhere in animated films, but not so much anymore. Maybe it's better for it, maybe it's not. Now a lot of them are using silly pop songs that have no true bearing on their films or the action onscreen. Finding Nemo is a perfect example of why you DON'T NEED pop songs. There WEREN'T any in this one. It didn't NEED any. However the songs in Brother Bear were completely needless. It would have been better if there were none for that film. However, I think that Treasure Planet needed its songs, but nothing more.

I can't believe Phantom. All it took for me was a 30-second clip of the film's Music of The Night to know to STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM IT.

I am pleasantly surprised that Passion did not receive a nomination for Best Picture. I thought as soon as it came out that it would be a shoe-in. I don't regret seeing it, but I never want to see it again. I had a much better time watching Miracle. However Debney has long been ignored by the Academy, so this might be his year. But this score still does not match his brilliance of Cutthroat Island.

I would have nominated Miracle for Best Picture, and Best Actor.

I cast my vote for Ray for Actor and Picture. I think this will finally be the year for Scorcese to get the big one though. But I think Jamie Fox will sweep. At least I hope so.

I haven't seen The Aviator yet, we are going next weekend hopefully. But I can say that it will be pretty hard to top Gangs of New York.

However, Shore's score is well-received, I was surprised it did not get nominated. Finding Neverland is a wonderful surprise though.

Best Song... I have only seen The Polar Express and Shrek 2, and both songs fit their films extremely well. "Accidentally In Love" is a classic character-driven song, and "Believe" is sure to join the ranks of its predecessor "White Christmas." Lloyd Weber won for "You Must Love Me" in 1996 from Evita, deservedly so, but I am not sure about how well this new song fits its film. After all, I am staying away from this one for life, hopefully. If I end up seeing this at any time, I pray that God strike me with a lightning bolt. The other two films... I've not seen them, and I tend to stay away from foreign films until they come out on DVD with an English dubbed version, because my eyes get strained from squinting to read subtitles. But last year's Triplets of Bellville was a great joy to hear, I have plans to see the film sometime. However, "Into The West" matched its film perfectly. When you look at the metaphors behind it, and the conversation between Pippin and Gandalf, it's easy to appreciate it.

Many times the ones that aren't nominated for Best Picture are nominated for Best Original or Adapted Screenplay. That might be of interest to all of you. That is what Ben Affleck and Matt Damon won their Oscars for, for their original screenplay of Good Wil Hunting in 1997. I think it's funny when people introduce them as Oscar-winners. Because they are actors, people automatically might think they won for acting, but if that ever happens, I'll eat fire.

I'd say in the 10 years I have been paying attention to the Oscars there are very few awards I did not agree with. Gladiator should not have won Best Picture, as much as I love it I feel Crouching Tiger should have gotten it. Tom Hanks should have won for Cast Away, Menken should have won for The Hunchback of Notre Dame (the only Oscar he truly deserved for Best Score), and every single film score fan agrees that Anastasia was robbed of Best Musical/Comedy Score in 1997. It also should have been Once Upon A December nominated for Best Song, not Journey To The Past. I don't think Miss Misery fit Good Will Hunting very well, and as much as I love the performance by Michael Bolton Go The Distance was not worthy of a nomination. I think Horner should have won for Braveheart... *thinks of what else* It's a tought contest over what deserved Best Dramatic Score in 94, between Interview With The Vampire and The Lion King. Both scores were innovative and fit their films well. Shakespeare In Love deserved its awards, but I can see how Goldsmith and Schwartz gave Warbeck a run for his money. I have the promotional album for Mulan (only 300 were made but I downloaded it) and I would have found it tough to choose which of these three deserved the Oscar for Best Musical/Comedy Score. Of course the songs that year were magnificent, but I have to agree with their decision to reward Schwartz. It was a joy hearing his name announced as the winner. Diane Warren's songs are all the same... except I Don't Want To Miss A Thing. That one stands out. The Prayer is a beautiful song, it's more memorable than the film it is from, but when you think of the film you wonder why it was written for it. I'm not a fan of Phil Collins. I would have given his Oscar to Music of My Heart. I wouldn't have given Randy Newman the Oscar for Monster's Inc. but I suppose it's about time he got something. But Vanilla Sky... it fit the movie, which was a very weird film, but I know that I am not perfect so I guess that's why it's easier for me to respect things. Anyway, not sure if that deserved a nomination... Until... excellent song, but I don't think I would have nominated it either. It didn't fit the characters or film, as much as I love Sting's writing. For 2003, yes there was no arguing that Eminem deserved recognition for Lose Yourself. For songs like that you don't need to see the film to know what it is about because the song tells you exactly what happens, in more ways than just lyrics.

I would probably have nominated Reflection in 1998 though... but it's hard to say which song I would have taken out to fit it in...

Everything else... Well I was upset that Apollo 13 did not get many awards, and I was upset about this for a long time, THEN I saw Braveheart, and agreed with the Academy's decisions.

For Best Score this year, I'm not sure I would give it to Williams. Prisoner of Azkaban isn't that innovative of a score. As a matter of fact you can hear Rachmaninov's Symphony 2 somewhere in there. Just like Horner's Troy copies Shostakovich's 5th (it was his 5th right? or was it the 8th?)

VIETgrlTerifa said:

IMO, compared to Muholland Drive, Ghost World, In the Bedroom, Gosford Park, The Royal Tenenbaums among other movies that came out in 2001, Moulin Rouge was just pure crap.

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Great movie choices from '01!! And I love your picture from Wicked. Kristin and Idina were unbelievable!

anya_angie said:

However, Shore's score is well-received, I was surprised it did not get nominated. Finding Neverland is a wonderful surprise though.

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The Aviator's score was disqualified because it drew too heavily on unoriginal material. Interesting that this year's Harry Potter score was not disqualified as well for the reasons you list, and that Howard Shore was nominated last year for The Lord of the Rings, which had many of the same themes from the first two films.

I'm sorry if my Moulin Rouge rant offended anyone.

Sometimes I forget myself and forget that art is so subjective. That's why we all feel so passionate about it and have to defend our views to ad nasuem. So when a big establishment like the Oscars make their choices, we tend to overreact and treat them more seriously than they should be.

But that's art.

Now for my opinions,

As for Moulin Rouge, I can see it as a satire, but I couldn't get past the shallowness of the movie. Every emotion and performance I felt was so contrived and was using cheap sentimentality and a weak romance to get people to think the characters and story was so deep when it really wasn't. And I have a major problem with the way the film was made with it's way too fast editing and not letting the performances speak for themselves. I don't mind the music video type of style as long as it's not excessive, and if there is one word that describes Moulin Rouge, it's excessive.
However, seeing Phantom of the Opera, I felt Phantom actually needed more of what Moulin Rouge had.

I loved reading your thoughts Anya_Angie. I don't agree with all of them, especially with Braveheart deserving to win (oh my Sense and Sensibility and Ang Lee was robbed) or that Gladiator was a good film, but I loved reading why you liked those films.

Brad640, I loved Wicked, despite it's many flaws with the score and book. I became such a Kristin Chenoweth fan after that show.