82nd Annual Academy Awards

The Oscars are upon us and I thought I would take some time to discuss the nominees this year. I'm also going to discuss what/who I felt should have been nominated. I'm going to use the word snub, but I don't really like that word as it sounds like I'm implying it was intentional, which who knows, in some cases it just might be. So let's get started:






Best Picture:

Avatar (my review)
The Blind Side (my review)
District 9 (my review)
An Education (my review)
The Hurt Locker (my review)
Inglorious Basterds (my review)
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (great article)
A Serious Man (my review)
Up (my review)
Up in the Air (my review)

This year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided to up the best picture nominees to 10 instead of the usual 5 for the first time since 1943. It has been the subject of discussion this year at the Oscars. I personally am a little torn on the issue. I like it because it makes it a little more interesting. It also allows the academy to reach outside of their norm and nominate movies that otherwise wouldn't be. I don't like it because the only reason they are doing it is because of the controversy last year over The Dark Knight not being nominated. I feel that the Academy upped the nominations this year to please some fans, but if you look at the list of nominees it is clear what the 5 would have been and the other 5 were nominated but will not be taken seriously for the award. It is nice to see the Academy finally get over its hatred of Sci-fi by nominating not only Avatar but District 9 which is an amazing movie and one of my favorites of 2009. My hopes and wishes came true and Up was nominated as well. Up is only the second animated picture to be nominated and it is so well worth it. Unfortunately, the Academy, once again, completely disregarded all comedies, and this year there were some amazing comedies, such as (500) Days of Summer, Away We Go, The Hangover, In the Loop and even Zombieland.

Snubs: Star Trek, Invictus, Moon (500) Days of Summer, Away We Go, The Hangover, Whatever Works, Zombieland, Sunshine Cleaning.

My prediction: Avatar
It's been such a success with the critics and audiences plus all the work that went into it, Avatar stands the best chance of winning.

Who should win: Up In The Air

Don't get me wrong, I loved Avatar, but I loved Avatar for the same reason I love the Transformers movies. It's just big dumb fun. It is a gorgeous movie but the dialogue is pretty bad at times and the story is nothing new, it is a blending of Dances With Wolves, Ferngully and Pocahontas. Up in the Air was a beautiful story and the movie is so timely. Not to mention that all of the acting is top notch and it is just an amazing movie.

Actor in a Leading Role

Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart"
George Clooney in "Up in the Air"
Colin Firth in "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman in "Invictus"
Jeremy Renner in "The Hurt Locker"

My prediction: Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart"

Jeff Bridges gave an amazing performance in Crazy Heart and if he wins it will be well deserved.

Who should win: George Clooney in "Up in the Air"

It is a hard decision to make as I enjoyed all of these actors performances and their performances really carried the movies they were in. But of all of them I felt that George Clooney's performance in Up in the Air was absolutely amazing and if it weren't for Clooney in that role, I don't feel the movie would have been quite as enjoyable.

Snubs: Sam Rockwell in Moon, his performance in that movie was absolutely amazing and the best performance of the year and of his career, in my opinion. Also, Matt Damon in The Informant.

Actress in a Leading Role

Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side"
Helen Mirren in "The Last Station"
Carey Mulligan in "An Education"
Gabourey Sidibe in "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire"
Meryl Streep in "Julie & Julia"

My prediction: Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side"

Bullock's performance in The Blind Side was very good and probably the best of her career. If she wins it will be well deserved.

Who should win: Meryl Streep in "Julie & Julia"

It is so easy to portray someone like Julia Child and have it come off as exaggerated and jokey. Streep, however, nailed the performance, just did it so perfectly that you thought you were watching Julia herself.

Snubs: Zoe Saldana in "Avatar". I know the controversy around this is that "it's not really her", but that's not true. The technology that they used, she had to act out that entire movie and they basically just CGed her character over her own performance and it was an absolutely amazing performance.

Actor in a Supporting Role

Matt Damon in "Invictus"
Woody Harrelson in "The Messenger"
Christopher Plummer in "The Last Station"
Stanley Tucci in "The Lovely Bones"
Christoph Waltz in "Inglorious Basterds"

My prediction: Christoph Waltz in "Inglorious Basterds"

While I can admit that Christoph Waltz's performance in Inglorious Basterds was pretty good, it was soiled greatly by all of Tarantino's horrible dialogue.

Who should win: Matt Damon in Invictus.

Matt Damon did a wonderful job with his role in Invictus and really helped hold the movie together.

Snubs: Even though he was nominate in this category, I feel that Stanley Tucci should have been nominated for his role in Julie & Julia instead of The Lovely Bones.

Actress in a Supporting Role

Penelope Cruz in "Nine"
Vera Farmiga in "Up in the Air"
Maggie Gyllenhaal in "Crazy Heart"
Anna Kendrick in "Up in the Air"
Mo'Nique in "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire"

My prediction: Mo'Nique in "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire"

This is based solely on early predictions from critics and what not, I have not seen the movie and don't really care to, to be honest.

Who should win: Anna Kendrick in "Up in the Air"

I had a hard time deciding between Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga for this one. Both gave amazing performances but Anna Kendrick's showed just a little more range in my opinion.

Snubs: None that I can think of.

Animated Feature Film

Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
Up

My prediction: Up

Up is an amazing movie, so much so that it was nominated for Best Picture as well.

Who should win: Up

Up is easily one of the best movies of 2009. Everything about it is just amazing and beautiful. It was the only movie to get me to tear up, and that was in the first five minutes when there was no dialogue.

Snubs: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, this movie was so much fun and was so well done.

Art Direction

Avatar
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
Sherlock Holmes
The Young Victoria

My prediction: Avatar

Who should win: Avatar

Have you seen the movie? It is hands down the most beautiful and artistically creative movie of the year.

Cinematography

Avatar
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
The White Ribbon

My prediction: Avatar

Who should win: Avatar

Again, see the movie.

Costume Design

Bright Star
Coco Before Chanel
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
The Young Victoria

My prediction: The Young Victoria

They always give period pieces like this the award.

Who should win: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

I only say this because it is the only movie in this category I have seen and the costumes were great.

Directing

James Cameron for "Avatar"
Kathryn Bigelow for "The Hurt Locker"
Quentin Tarantino for "Inglorious Basterds"
Lee Daniels for "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire"
Jason Reitman for "Up in the Air"

My prediction: Kathryn Bigelow for "The Hurt Locker"

Who should win: Kathryn Bigelow for "The Hurt Locker"

Another tough decision but Kathryn Bigelow did an absolutely amazing job with The Hurth Locker and turned it into a beautiful movie.

Documentary (feature)

Burma VJ
The Cove
Food Inc
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Which Way Home

My prediction: Food Inc

This documentary has gotten more press than any other documentary this year.

Who should win: The Cove

I only saw Food Inc and The Cove this year, but The Cove was an amazing documentary.

Documentary (short subject)

China's Natural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
Music by Prudence
Rabbit à la Berlin

My prediction: The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant

Film Editing

Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

My Prediction: Avatar

Who should win: Avatar

Again, this movie was the technical movie of the year.

Foreign Language Film

Ajami (Israel)
The Milk of Sorrow (Peru)
A Prophet (France)
The Secret in Their Eyes (Argentina)
The White Ribbon (Germany)

My prediction: The White Ribbon

Makeup

Il Divo
Star Trek
The Young Victoria

My prediction: Star Trek

Who should win: Star Trek

The makeup and makeup effects in this movie were amazing.

Music (Original Score)

Avatar
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Hurt Locker
Sherlock Holmes
Up

My prediction: Sherlock Holmes

Who should win: Sherlock Holmes

Hanz Zimmer did a wonderful job with the score of this movie, it is fun to listen to and is a great compliment to the movie.

Music (Original Song)

"Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog
"Down in New Orleans" from The Princess and the Frog
"Loin de Paname" from Paris 36
"Take It All" from Nine
"The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)" from Crazy Heart

My prediction: "The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)" from Crazy Heart

Who should win: "The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)" from Crazy Heart

Snubs: I'm half joking with this but "Stu's Song" from the hangover is just genius.

Short Film (Animated)

French Roast
Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty
The Lady and the Reaper
Logorama
A Matter of Loaf and Death

My prediction: The Lady and the Reaper

Who should win: The Lady and the Reaper

I say this because it is the only one I've seen.

Snubs: Partly Cloudy, an amazing short by the great people at Pixar.

Short Film (Live Action)

The Door
Instead of Abracadabra
Kavi
Miracle Fish
The New Tenants

My prediction: Kavi

Again, it's the only one I've seen.

Who should win: Kavi

It is an amazing and intense short movie about a serious subject.

Sound Editing

Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Star Trek
Up

My prediction: Avatar

Who should win: Avatar

The sound editing will blow your mind.

Sound Mixing

Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

My prediction: Avatar

Who should win: Avatar

The sound in this movie is amazing.

Visual Effects

Avatar
District 9
Star Trek

My prediction: Avatar

Who should win: Avatar

Seriously, James Cameron invented a new technology for the visual effects of this movie.

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

District 9
An Education
In the Loop
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Up in the Air

My prediction: Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Who should win: Up in the Air

The writing on this movie was absolutely amazing, the best part of the movie.

Writing (Original Screenplay)

The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
The Messenger
A Serious Man
Up

My prediction: Inglorious Basterds

Sadly

Who should win: The Hurt Locker

Again, an amazing movie that was extremely well written.

Well, that's it. Oscars air March 7th. I'll have a follow up shortly after.