The Asshole & The Ecstasy: 2012 ACADEMY AWARDS - Page 2

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Originally Posted by LaraP 

Unreal how totally craptastical these nominations are this year. I agree w/FilmNerdJamie about giving Potter the 10th Best Picture nomination. A LOT of huge Oscar snubs this year, IMO. Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Michael Shannon, ALL of Drive?! Seriously I haven't been this irritated w/the Academy in several years.

And it's funny, I had been thinking how much they had gone to form. There may be a day when films like Drive or Shame are standard Oscar fare, but at this point, I don't think we can be surprised by either being overlooked: sure, both had a chance, but only that.

While I knew Deathly Hallows 2 would never get a BP nod, I am a little surprised there was no talk of giving producer David Heyman a Special Achievement Oscar for the pretty unprecedented achievement of getting all eight movies made within a decade with a singular vision and the same cast and have them all be megabuck successes.   

-Demian Bichir was good, I suppose, but A Better Life is such a wet blanket Hollywood liberal movie. How much fucking back-and-forth is there in that movie between "I am a humble gardener!" and "I am the gangbanger son and gardening sucks"? If there's any screenplay that feels like it's written in capital letters, it's that one.

-Gee guys, why don't you just cancel the Best Song award?

-Sadly, the "Margaret" train never left the station. We tried.

-I'm not saying it's a BIG amount. But I think I'm going to see if I can bet some money on Tree of Life for Best Picture. These nominations overall feel different enough than everyone else's that I feel like there's a chance the same voters go for Descendants, Hugo and Artist, splitting that vote, particularly with Malick getting that crucial Best Director nomination.

You know what I just got? We're actually trying to seriously discuss the awards of an organization that took thirty fucking years to even fucking nominate Gary fucking Oldman. It breaks my fucking mind.

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Originally Posted by Jeb 

Never know for sure, but I'd bet money that the theoretical tenth spot would have gone to Bridesmaids.

 

Considering Potter and Bridesmaids have five total nominations between them, I just don't see them having had enough support to get into the 10th spot.  It probably would have been Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

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Originally Posted by stelios 

You know what I just got? We're actually trying to seriously discuss the awards of an organization that took thirty fucking years to even fucking nominate Gary fucking Oldman. It breaks my fucking mind.

Quoted for truth.

The only horses I have in this race are Oldman and Rise of the Planet of the Apes for effects. Otherwise... Big shrug. doesn't happen very often, and it sucks.

Is there a CHUD consensus on War Horse? Because yes, I'm a sap, but I'll defend it to my dying day.

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Originally Posted by Jacob Singer 

Is there a CHUD consensus on War Horse? Because yes, I'm a sap, but I'll defend it to my dying day.

*HUG*

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Originally Posted by Jacob Singer 

Is there a CHUD consensus on War Horse? Because yes, I'm a sap, but I'll defend it to my dying day.

*stands with you outside the windmill*

War Horse is near perfect and Jonah Hill sucks.

Steven Spielberg suffers for being Steven Spielberg.  His greatness is just expected and overlooked.  He's going to have to do something very special to win again in the next 20 years.

So the CHUD consensus is willing to ignore that War Horse doesn't have a single interesting character? Cool!

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Originally Posted by Gabe T 

So the CHUD consensus is willing to ignore that War Horse doesn't have a single interesting character? Cool!

I still haven't seen it, but from everyone I know who has, I keep hearing the same things: "Oh, it LOOKS gorgeous!  Oh, that POOR horse!"

War Horse is great, but in the end it's minor Spielberg. I'm glad to see it nominated, but it'll sit alongside Empire of the Sun, The Color Purple, and Amistad when anyone looks at his career retrospectively. And unless Lincoln is an all-out travesty, Spielberg will be among the director noms next year. And probably a few more times before his career is over. No big oversight there.

Also, some interesting trivia I just found out: Indy 4 is the ONLY Spielberg-directed film never to be nominated for a single Oscar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stelios 

You know what I just got? We're actually trying to seriously discuss the awards of an organization that took thirty fucking years to even fucking nominate Gary fucking Oldman. It breaks my fucking mind.

How many times did Scorsese get passed over.

A particularly banal set of nominations, completely missing what was most interesting and vital in Hollywood in the last twelve months.

It really feels like the academy hasn't quite cottoned onto the fact there's a guard-change going on. Aging, out of touch, and seemingly a little bit lost.

I wonder what sort of things were getting nominated and passed over in the late sixties before the whole frikkin system collpsed?

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Originally Posted by Gabe T 

So the CHUD consensus is willing to ignore that War Horse doesn't have a single interesting character? Cool!

That's the biggest hyperbole in the whole wide world!

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Originally Posted by JMulder 

War Horse is great, but in the end it's minor Spielberg. I'm glad to see it nominated, but it'll sit alongside Empire of the Sun, The Color Purple, and Amistad when anyone looks at his career retrospectively

There are directors who would kill to have those as major parts of their filmography.  Empire of the Sun particularly is grossly overlooked.

Yeah, Empire of the Sun is amazing. It...really doesn't belong on a list with Amistad, which really is "minor Spielberg".

Fuck ya'll, I like Amistad.  GIVE US FREE!

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Originally Posted by HarleyQuinn22 

Fuck ya'll, I like Amistad.

Good movie.

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Originally Posted by Richard Dickson 

There are directors who would kill to have those as major parts of their filmography.  Empire of the Sun particularly is grossly overlooked.

I'm not saying they're bad at all. I think Empire is excellent, while Color Purple is good and Amistad, well, has its moments. I'm just saying that when you look back at the man's career these are not the films that stand out -- they never really took off commercially or critically, or had as big an impact cinema-wise as his other work. They're still impressive achievements, just like War Horse. Mostly it's because of the company they're keeping in his oeuvre.

War Horse would have worked really well for me if the main boy character didn't clearly want to fuck Joey.  It's not a boy and his best friend who happens to be an animal relationship, I'm a sucker for that.  This relationship is something else.

I loved WAR HORSE, too, so save me a seat at the table.  Too bad, it seems to be the ninth-likeliest Best Picture Winner in terms of buzz.  

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Originally Posted by Freeman 

 

War Horse would have worked really well for me if the main boy character didn't clearly want to fuck Joey.  It's not a boy and his best friend who happens to be an animal relationship, I'm a sucker for that.  This relationship is something else.

Yeah, I think somebody's projecting.

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Originally Posted by Richard Dickson 

Yeah, I think somebody's projecting.

...son of Flequus, the begotten son of Bowler...

He really did love that horse.

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Originally Posted by Gabe T 

He really did love that horse.

Loved it like a spike in the eye!

War Horse is very very close to being Serbian Film, that's all I'm saying.

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Originally Posted by The Prankster 

Yeah, Empire of the Sun is amazing.

The cadillac of the skies scene is one of the best things Spielberg did in the 80s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02BBtN-P0lc

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Originally Posted by Ambler 

The cadillac of the skies scene is one of the best things Spielberg did in the 80s.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02BBtN-P0lc

 

For my money, this one tops it.  Gets me every damn time.

God its simply the ending for me. As his parents start to recognize Jamie and embrace him and there are no tears, simply a lost broken look of relief as the original choral tune kicks in. I cry for Jamie then. Every fucking time.

Spielbergs greatest special effect was always his ability to pull on the audiences heart strings without feeling cheaply manipulated. I don't call him 'the puppetmaster' for nothing.

I felt a little manipulated, but what gets me is not the reunion in and of itself, it's Jim closing his eyes, and then the movie ends. (Well, I think there's a shot of the floating suitcase after that, right?)  Anyway, it really sums up the total ordeal in such a perfect little way. It sinks in that he literally hasn't even been able to feel at ease once for years.

Also, if you want to see something truly disappointing- seek out Siskel and Ebert's panning of the film.

I kind of just want The Artist to lose. Other than that, I'm good. But what can realistically take its shallow ass down?

Incredible year for actresses, and the winner seems likely to be the least interesting possible (Davis or Streep). No Theron, no Olsen, no Swinton, hell, not even Wiig. I haven't seen Marilyn, but at this point, I'm rooting for goddamn Lisbeth Salander.

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Originally Posted by Richard Dickson 

For my money, this one tops it.  Gets me every damn time.

 

 

First time I saw this, this scene took my breath away and nearly got the tears flowing. Watched out of context it doesn't have the same effect, but in the film and not expecting it is one of those Holy fuck, this is great moments that Spielberg is so adept at.

And the thing I love about his reunion is when they go to the closeup of his eyes--they're the eyes of an old man. Not in wrinkles or age spots, but that distant, looking out at something that was fifty years ago gaze. He's not a boy, even if he's only 12. 

Heh, if that's the case, shouldn't Serkis be eligible for Best Supporting Actor?

Mo-cap definitely counts as animation; Monster House got nominated, so there's precedent. This year sucks is all. And also no one seems to appreciate TinTin.

Particularly stupid, since most of TINTIN was probably hand-animated in the end anyway... LIKE CAESAR!!!!

THIS GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOP!!!!

Anyway... Puss in Boots over TINTIN?  Ridiculous.  But I love that Cars 2 isn't in there.

It occupies some sort of weird no man's land in their old short sighted eyes. Not animation enough to qualify as such. And not acting enough for Serkis to qualify for anything, despite managing to not only convincingly occupy a different character but often a different damn genus.

Alan Rickman should have snuck in there somewhere.  His scenes in Hallows were, hands down, one of the most memorable movie moments for me this year, and he's long overdue anyway.  I never expected him to have any chance whatsoever, given that the Academy has long snubbed the Potter films, but his death scene alone is a masterclass in acting and was critically lauded enough in the press for me to hope against reality that he would be recognized.

Also, speaking of the category, Jonah Hill was good and all in Moneyball...but OSCAR-WORTHY?  Holy shit.

Disappointed that The Help and Extremely Loud were given anything.

Glenn Close is the "old guard", I suppose, but I'm glad she was nominated in spite of that.  

Jonah Hill.  What.the.fuck.

Because it has to be repeated many times.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stelios 

You know what I just got? We're actually trying to seriously discuss the awards of an organization that took thirty fucking years to even fucking nominate Gary fucking Oldman. It breaks my fucking mind.

30 years for Oldman, 5 for Jonah Hill. Sounds about right for those old farts.

(note, I haven't seen MONEYBALL, but I'm not sure I want to live in a world where the trailers for 21 JUMP STREET, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH and whatever he has next can boast "Oscar Nominee" in front of his name)
 

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Originally Posted by JMulder 

Also, some interesting trivia I just found out: Indy 4 is the ONLY Spielberg-directed film never to be nominated for a single Oscar.

That doesn't sound right. Are THE TERMINAL and ALWAYS except?

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Originally Posted by JMulder 

Also, some interesting trivia I just found out: Indy 4 is the ONLY Spielberg-directed film never to be nominated for a single Oscar.

That's not surprising really.

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Originally Posted by Paul Allen 

That doesn't sound right. Are THE TERMINAL and ALWAYS except?

Tried to look it up, but can't find any info.  I'm guessing technical (or music?) nominations for both.

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Originally Posted by Bailey 

Also, if you want to see something truly disappointing- seek out Siskel and Ebert's panning of the film.

Empire of the Sun came out a month after John Boorman's Hope and Glory, which everyone latched onto as the better "children during WWII" film.

What I Have Learned From This Thread: Fuck the Oscars. I need to see Empire of the Sun again, and soon.

Those are both valuable lessons.

The technical awards don't usually garner much discussion, but I'll break from the (perceived) pack and say TRANSFORMERS deserves the Effects Oscar. 

Yes, I've seen RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Yes, Weta and Serkis did fanfuckingtastic work on Caesar. But for my money, it was TRANSFORMER's work that left my jaw hanging time and again: the utter seamlessness of the destruction and its realism were just amazing. Regardless of what you think of the film, I think this flick's team really brought their A-game and made the mayhem and giant robots nearly photorealistic.

With APES, the characterization was downright phenom, but there were too many hero shots and other apes that, while perfectly serviceable for the film, were not so perfectly rendered.

I think it could be argued both films basically upped/improved on existing effects and processes, but I think it was the TRANSFORMERS effects that simply dominated (in a good way).

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Originally Posted by Workyticket 

What I Have Learned From This Thread: Fuck the Oscars. I need to see Empire of the Sun again, and soon.

We need a goddamn Blu-ray is what we need.

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Originally Posted by MichaelM 

The technical awards don't usually garner much discussion, but I'll break from the (perceived) pack and say TRANSFORMERS deserves the Effects Oscar. 

 

Yes, I've seen RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Yes, Weta and Serkis did fanfuckingtastic work on Caesar. But for my money, it was TRANSFORMER's work that left my jaw hanging time and again: the utter seamlessness of the destruction and its realism were just amazing. Regardless of what you think of the film, I think this flick's team really brought their A-game and made the mayhem and giant robots nearly photorealistic.

 

With APES, the characterization was downright phenom, but there were too many hero shots and other apes that, while perfectly serviceable for the film, were not so perfectly rendered.

 

I think it could be argued both films basically upped/improved on existing effects and processes, but I think it was the TRANSFORMERS effects that simply dominated (in a good way).

But what did this Transformers do effects-wise that was all that different from the first two films?  Transformers was evolutionary; Apes was revolutionary.