Assessing the Oscar Nominations

Best Picture

And I thought Gran Torino -- in my Clint Eastwood paranoia -- was going to be the spoiler. Instead, we get The Reader. The film's post-production was plagued with problems. (Harvey Weinstein harassed both Anthony Minghella's widow and ailing Sydney Pollack to get the film out in 2008; he really shouldn't be rewarded for this.) But alas, as I said, perhaps the Academy felt sympathetic toward the plight of Daldry and his editor, and also wanted to honor Minghella/Pollack. I suppose that somewhat respectable, but still...

Wall-E probably should have gotten a best picture nod. If any animated film ever should, it's this one. The Dark Knight is about the best synergy of box office and critical acclaim that anyone could hope for, so if it can't get nominated, there's no hope for such films anymore.

Slumdog, Frost/Nixon, and Milk were good choices. Benjamin Button was an obvious choice. Slumdog's going to win.

Directing

Daldry? Really? How does this guy keep getting nominated? He's a suberb craftsmen, but c'mon, he hardly takes any material to the next level. Nolan was again snubbed after a DGA nom, as was the case with Memento. Darren Aronofsky took an average script and make a pretty damn good movie out of The Wrestler. And then there's Mike Leigh. What about him?

What I liked: Gus Van Sant is too often ignored; he's made a bunch of good, though perhaps somewhat ephemeral, films over his career. He took an average script and made a better film out of Milk. Ron Howard is Ron Howard; Danny Boyle is finally getting the credit he deserves; and Fincher is nominated for what I think is his fourth best film.

Original Screenplay

Frozen River was surprising; I thought The Visitor would get the East Coast indie slot. Mike Leigh was good to see. Every film he makes should be nominated in this category; he's that good. I missed In Bruges, and I'm sorry that I did. Milk doesn't really deserve it, for a couple different reasons.

Rachel's Getting Married was snubbed, and so especially was Vicky Christina Barcelona. I guess the Academy's sick of the names Woody Allen and Lumet. I would have liked to see Synecdoche, but that's just me.

Adapted Screenplay

I have no gripes, except that (like Best Picture) The Reader was chosen over The Dark Knight (or, for that matter, Revolutionary Road).

Actor

No complaints, though I expected Eastwood to get a lifetime-achievement-in-acting nomination. Perhaps, he got that back in 2004. According to Nikki Finke, the Academy is too jealous of him now to bestow nominations for such a slight film. In this case, jealousy is a worthwhile thing.

Jenkins was a good pick, but I was surprised by it. The film came out almost a year ago.

Actress

I would have liked to see Hawkings in here over Jolie. I am ecstatic that Melissa Leo got nominated. I watched her for five years on Homicide: Life on the Street, and I think she gave a strong performance in Frozen River.

Supping Actor

I was very happy that Michael Shannon got nominated. I still think that he was the star of the movie (for his 10 minute performance), but that may just be because I agreed with everything his "crazy" character said. Robert Downey, Jr., has done a lot of great work in the years since Chaplin, so it's nice to see some kind of recognition for him. Health Ledger, of course, is going to win and deservingly so.

Supping Actress

I guess Winslet's Reader performance was considered a leading role, as it should have been. As such, this list makes sense.


And finally: Bruce Sprinstreen "The Wrestler" = not good enough to make the nomination threshold. You've got to be kidding me. It was a perfect coda to that film's great ending.