The Oscar Push!

[howigotmyscars]

nice avatar

[Silverglade]

Man, if TDK gets nominated... just NOMINATED for best pic... that will break the mold forever. So groundbreaking. It does not even have to win, though I want it to, just the nom itself would mean so much about the future. And how far we've come.

[Hamill-Joker]

I see the Oscars are not revealing the A-List presenters this year to try and boost ratings.

If they look at the ratings, the numbers were up when Titanic was up for Best Picture and were at all time lows last year with No Country for Old Men.

Therefore, I predict a definite nomination for The Dark Knight just for the sake of ratings for sure. As it winning, I see it very possible.

[The_Joker7895]

I see the Oscars are not revealing the A-List presenters this year to try and boost ratings.

If they look at the ratings, the numbers were up when Titanic was up for Best Picture and were at all time lows last year with No Country for Old Men.

Therefore, I predict a definite nomination for The Dark Knight just for the sake of ratings for sure. As it winning, I see it very possible.

Your argument is sound in logic, but I think lacks substantial evidence. Yes Titanic, which is the only film with a higher box office gross than TDK (which may well change after the Jan 23 re-release). But that really doesn't mean that the academy will suddenly become smart again. I would say that the only evidence that points towards them nominating it in hope of ratings boosts is that they are keeping the presenters secret and appointing Hugh Jackman as host. The Jackman choice, while he may be funny and a likeable person, does show a ratings stunt because he was just recently voted Sexiest Man Alive, and his appointment to be Oscars Host was announced VERY quickly afterwards. However, the Academy has been becoming more and more out of touch with the general public. The last time they awarded a film that the majority of people saw and loved was in 2003 with The Lord of the Rings. Since then, they have made nothing but horrible choices in not only the winners but also the nominees. Like I said, your logic is sound because imagine what happens when all the people (teenagers mostly) who watched the oscars last year for Juno decide to tune out because they haven't even heard of the nominees? Slumdog is like the only other film besides TDK this year with mainstream audience support and its hardly there in anyone other than the people who normally check out fall release films because they are film nerds like us. it doesn't have anywhere near the populist support that TDK has or Juno had last year. However, last year, IMO showed that the academy really doesn't care what anyone but their members think. Plus, the ratings plummet of last year could be attributed to a lack of awareness that the oscars were actually on after the strike. This is quite possibly what most academy members are thinking. I know some people who actually didn't hear that the strike ended and that the oscars were still on last year, but most people knew that the oscar were in fact being shown. At this point, we can speculate and hope all we want, but the fact remains that there are several things simply standing in the way of our beloved film getting the recognition it deserves.

1. The Academy is still made up of older members, who are jaded and tend to not like anything younger, larger audiences like

2. The people who control the telecast and reap the benefits of ratings are not the ones doing the nomintating. Those are television producers and executives, not academy members. They have no influence on academy members and their voting trends

3. The history of the academy has been shown to be incredibly out of touch with what the rest of the world thinks. For example, giving Best Picture to films like Forrest Gump over Pulp Fiction or The Shaw Shank Redemption, Crash over Brokeback Mountain, A Beautiful Mind over The Fellowship of the Ring, Chicago over The Two Towers, Million Dollar Baby over The Aviator, Dances with Wolves over Goodfellas, etc etc etc.

4. The acamdey has also been shown to have a huge prejudice over any kind of blockbuster film. There are only a few exceptions in this case (Gladiator, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Jaws, Star Wars Episode IV, Raiders of the Lost Ark). Not only does TDK have the blockbuster stamp, it also has the "superhero movie" label it has to fight through.

5. Dark films have always had a hard time over epic romances, holocaust films, comedy-dramas, historical biopics, and generally inspirational, baity films with a happy/redemptive ending. The Dark Knight does not offer anything like that, even though the ending is somber with a sense of hope. Violence also has not fared well until the last two years. The Departed and No Country for Old Men were incredibly violent, and represent an exception to the academy's prejudice against violent films.

However, I still have hope in the Academy despite all these things, despite the BAFTA, Golden Globe, and SAG "snubs". In all honesty, the SAG snub was less of a snub than an expected omission. After all, despite not being nominated for best performance by a cast, it was still nominated and will still most likely win in the place that truly counts: Heath Ledger. Also, the BAFTA "snub" is hard to call a snub, considering it got 9 nominations. Plus, the BAFTAs tend to go for a random choce here and there, this year's example being "The Reader" and "Changeling". Being nominated for a DGA awards 99% gaurantees a nomination for Nolan, since the DGA has matched up with Best Director for God knows how long, and always matches up at least 4/5 with Best Picture. (Except for last year with a 3/5 match up). But I think with support from influential people liek Steven Spielberg, all the tech people, the producers, and the overwhelming support for at least Heath Ledger from the actors, a Best Director and Best Picture nomination isn't so hard to imagine. We can speculate all we want, but in the end, until the nominations are actualy announced, we dont know anything. Let's just hope that Heath cruises his way to a win and that the academy will show some real balls and give this film the recognition it deserves. Here's to the hope that Batman gives us! And no matter what happens on January 22 or February 2s, lets all just be happy with the knowledge that we still got a masterpeice of cinema and a great Batman film out of it, and remember what a great couple of years we Batfans have had.

[Anita18]

And to make us feel better over the general WTF? that was the BAFTAs, I give you...the International Cinephile Society nominees!

BEST PICTURE
A Christmas Tale
The Dark Knight
Flight of the Red Balloon
Happy-Go-Lucky
Hunger
In Bruges
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
WALL-E
The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR
Arnaud Desplechin - A Christmas Tale
Hou Hsiao-hsien - Flight of the Red Balloon
Steve McQueen - Hunger
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
Gus van Sant - Milk

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Mathieu Amalric - A Christmas Tale
Josh Brolin - Milk
Ralph Fiennes - In Bruges
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Eddie Marsan - Happy-Go-Lucky

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Dark Knight - Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, & David S. Goyer
Flight of the Red Balloon - Hou Hsiao-hsien & François Margolin
Gomorrah - Maurizio Braucci, Ugo Chiti, Gianni di Gregorio, Matteo Garrone, Massimo Gaudioso, & Roberto Saviano
Paranoid Park - Gus van Sant
Wendy and Lucy - Jonathan Raymond & Kelly Reichardt

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight - Wally Pfister
Flight of the Red Balloon - Li Ping-bin
Hunger - Sean Bobbitt
Paranoid Park - Christopher Doyle & Rain Kathy Li

BEST EDITING
The Dark Knight - Lee Smith
Hunger - Joe Walker
In Bruges - Jon Gregory
Milk - Elliot Graham
Paranoid Park - Gus van Sant
Slumdog Millionaire - Chris Dickens

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Australia - Catherine Martin
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Donald Graham Burt
The Dark Knight - Nathan Crowley
The Duchess - Michael Carlin
Synecdoche, New York - Mark Friedberg

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Alexandre Desplat
The Dark Knight - James Newton Howard & Hans Zimmer
In Bruges - Carter Burwell
Milk - Danny Elfman
Wall-E - Thomas Newman

Snobby, yet unsnobby. No Slumdog anywhere, that's kind of refreshing. :funny:

I can't find a link, I just saw this on World of KJ.

[The_Joker7895]

And to make us feel better over the general WTF? that was the BAFTAs, I give you...the International Cinephile Society nominees!

BEST PICTURE
A Christmas Tale
The Dark Knight
Flight of the Red Balloon
Happy-Go-Lucky
Hunger
In Bruges
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
WALL-E
The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR
Arnaud Desplechin - A Christmas Tale
Hou Hsiao-hsien - Flight of the Red Balloon
Steve McQueen - Hunger
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
Gus van Sant - Milk

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Mathieu Amalric - A Christmas Tale
Josh Brolin - Milk
Ralph Fiennes - In Bruges
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Eddie Marsan - Happy-Go-Lucky

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Dark Knight - Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, & David S. Goyer
Flight of the Red Balloon - Hou Hsiao-hsien & François Margolin
Gomorrah - Maurizio Braucci, Ugo Chiti, Gianni di Gregorio, Matteo Garrone, Massimo Gaudioso, & Roberto Saviano
Paranoid Park - Gus van Sant
Wendy and Lucy - Jonathan Raymond & Kelly Reichardt

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight - Wally Pfister
Flight of the Red Balloon - Li Ping-bin
Hunger - Sean Bobbitt
Paranoid Park - Christopher Doyle & Rain Kathy Li

BEST EDITING
The Dark Knight - Lee Smith
Hunger - Joe Walker
In Bruges - Jon Gregory
Milk - Elliot Graham
Paranoid Park - Gus van Sant
Slumdog Millionaire - Chris Dickens

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Australia - Catherine Martin
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Donald Graham Burt
The Dark Knight - Nathan Crowley
The Duchess - Michael Carlin
Synecdoche, New York - Mark Friedberg

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Alexandre Desplat
The Dark Knight - James Newton Howard & Hans Zimmer
In Bruges - Carter Burwell
Milk - Danny Elfman
Wall-E - Thomas Newman

Snobby, yet unsnobby. No Slumdog anywhere, that's kind of refreshing. :funny:

I can't find a link, I just saw this on World of KJ.

The Slumdog omission is a bit refreshing. Like I said, Slumdog isn't overrated or bad at all, its just that there WERE other great films this year besides one Bollywood film by Danny Boyle (more of a cult director than a truly great one IMO)

[The Chris]

This up and down season continues with that. Someone mentioned on another site how Mamma Mia got nominated for best film by both the baftas and the globes but TDK didn't in its own section. I haven't seen it but, ugh.

[The Chris]

Oh and this article makes me root for the cinematography more than before

http://www.incontention.com/?p=3883

[The_Joker7895]

Here is one massively cool article that pretty much says what we're all feeling at this point.

http://www.awardsdaily.com/?p=6022

QFT man, QFT. :o:applaud:up:

[Boom]

I can't find a link, I just saw this on World of KJ.
http://cinephilesociety.blogspot.com/2009/01/6th-annual-ics-award-nominees.html

[Cmill216]

God, I love the internet:


If TDK gets a PGA nomination, or a DGA nomination, nobody panicks. Because it’s all part of the plan. But if it fails to get one, little old BAFTA nomination… WELL THEN EVERYONE LOSES THEIR MINDS!

http://www.awardsdaily.com/?p=6022

[The Caped Knight]

Here is one massively cool article that pretty much says what we're all feeling at this point.

http://www.awardsdaily.com/?p=6022

QFT man, QFT. :o:applaud:up:

This guy got it right on target

[Badabing45]

3. The history of the academy has been shown to be incredibly out of touch with what the rest of the world thinks. For example, giving Best Picture to films like Forrest Gump over Pulp Fiction or The Shaw Shank Redemption, Crash over Brokeback Mountain, A Beautiful Mind over The Fellowship of the Ring, Chicago over The Two Towers, Million Dollar Baby over The Aviator, Dances with Wolves over Goodfellas, etc etc etc.

4. The acamdey has also been shown to have a huge prejudice over any kind of blockbuster film. There are only a few exceptions in this case (Gladiator, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Jaws, Star Wars Episode IV, Raiders of the Lost Ark). Not only does TDK have the blockbuster stamp, it also has the "superhero movie" label it has to fight through.


I agree with #3, but I do think recent history is showing that the demographics are changing. In the past, a movie like Atonement would have swept the Oscars last year instead of No Country For Old Men. The Departed would have never been nominated, let alone win Best Picture. The Two Towers and Return of the King wouldn't even get nominated.

Historically though, the Academy does award box office if it becomes too big to ignore. Remember, The Sixth Sense and The Fugitive were also nominated. And those weren't traditional "Academy films" in the slightest. Titanic makes $300 million instead of $600 million, L.A. Confidential is probably the 1997 Best Picture. And one of the previous examples you used, Forrest Gump over Pulp Fiction/Shawshank, was purely because of box office reasons. Gump WAS The Dark Knight of its day, a summer movie that made so much money that the Academy couldn't ignore it during Oscar season.

[The Chris]

http://www.awardsdaily.com/?p=6028

Film Music Nods

FILM SCORE OF THE YEAR
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, music by Alexandre Desplat
The Dark Knight, music by James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, music by John Williams
Standard Operating Procedure, music by Danny Elfman
Wall*E, music by Thomas Newman

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR AN ACTION/ADVENTURE FILM
The Dark Knight, music by James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer
Hancock, music by John Powell
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, music by John Williams
Speed Racer, music by Michael Giacchino
Wanted, music by Danny Elfman

FILM COMPOSER OF THE YEAR
Alexandre Desplat
Danny Elfman
James Newton Howard
Thomas Newman
John Powell

[Hamill-Joker]

I agree with #3, but I do think recent history is showing that the demographics are changing. In the past, a movie like Atonement would have swept the Oscars last year instead of No Country For Old Men. The Departed would have never been nominated, let alone win Best Picture. The Two Towers and Return of the King wouldn't even get nominated.

Historically though, the Academy does award box office if it becomes too big to ignore. Remember, The Sixth Sense and The Fugitive were also nominated. And those weren't traditional "Academy films" in the slightest. Titanic makes $300 million instead of $600 million, L.A. Confidential is probably the 1997 Best Picture. And one of the previous examples you used, Forrest Gump over Pulp Fiction/Shawshank, was purely because of box office reasons. Gump WAS The Dark Knight of its day, a summer movie that made so much money that the Academy couldn't ignore it during Oscar season.

Didn't The Fugitive win?

[FCEEVIPER]

God, I love the internet:



http://www.awardsdaily.com/?p=6022
QFT, :woot:

[miggizle85]

Oh and this article makes me root for the cinematography more than before

http://www.incontention.com/?p=3883

While I like those two Dark Knight shots immensely, I still personally believe that the shot of Joker hanging out of the window like a dog while the cars chase him is easiky the best shot of the year

[The Chris]

While I like those two Dark Knight shots immensely, I still personally believe that the shot of Joker hanging out of the window like a dog while the cars chase him is easiky the best shot of the year

Yeah. I'm glad he went another direction though. Everyone mentions that Joker shot, so the fact that he went with the Joker upside down rotating shot was great. I remember going "Wow, they're rotating the camera upside down while he's speaking, AWESOME!"

[Cory]

am i the only one who wasnt real impressed with the wrestler or benjamin button?

i mean they were good movies, sure, but worthy of winning a best picture oscar?

i know it seems like i say this because im a huge fan, but honestly speaking TDK was the best movie this year, by far.

BButton got reallllly boring at times. the wrestler made me continuously think of diamond dallas page.

speaking of rourke, he has a great performance...but for some reason everytime i see Rourke i just wanna punch him in the face. i dont know why...i dont hate the guy or anything, hes just that guy i wanna punch.

[FlawlessVictory]

After finishing off the Joker, Batman may have to fend off a Nazi and a bigot on the way to Oscar
Posted by John Foote · 10:01 am · January 15th, 2009

A week ago with the announcement of the Directors Guild Awards (DGA), it seemed Christopher Nolan and “The Dark Knight” were headed for Oscar night, with nominations for Best Picture and Best Director highly likely. But like a full balloon with a slow leak, the air is slowly hissing out as “Gran Torino” and “The Reader” seem to be gaining momentum.

I loved “The Dark Knight.” It was, for me, the best film of the year and highly deserving of top tier nominations. Regardless of its comic roots, Nolan’s accomplishment in giving the film a heart and soul on a grand scale is even greater, and I hope the Academy sees it that way.

“Gran Torino” has gained enormous momentum since being released wide, racking up more than $30 million at the domestic box office. Audiences are coming in droves to see Clint back on screen. He surrounded himself with largely or complete unknowns, amplifying is screen presence. Very shrewd. Audiences are going to see him, possibly for the last time, as he portrays the sort of character they love to see.

Perhaps we Oscar bloggers have under estimated the power of Clint. Perhaps we misread the writing on the wall. The Academy loves Eastwood (as do I), but come one, “Gran Torino” for Best Picture of the year? It didn’t even crack my top 10 list (though “Changeling” did) and the Oscar Eastwood will possibly win for Best Actor is obviously sentimental.

Like the director’s more recent films, “Flags of Our Fathers” excepted, this is a lean storyline, deceptively simplistic with a power that sneaks up on you. My wife commented that she thought about the film for days after seeing it, the character’s final confrontation in particular, which does not go as we think it will, but is still perfect in every way.

But, again — Best Picture? The supporting performances are weak, a couple of them downright terrible and the film has no sense of being an ensemble piece. Some of the younger actors’ line readings sound just like that, and there is a lack of conviction in some of their performances. This is a one man show, an actor’s showcase. Let the lead actor nomination be enough.

And “The Reader?” I loved Winslet as always, as she delivers a brilliant performance, but again, are they seriously considering this for Best Picture of the year? The film is alive when Winslet is on screen, yes. Beyond that I was not the least bit interested. Ralph Fiennes, for me, has been brilliant just once, and that was in “Schindler’s List.” Otherwise I find his ice-cold presence to be ill-suited to the material he chooses. I understand last minute momentum for “Gran Torino” because it has become a somewhat surprising box office hit, but “The Reader” has struggled to find a strong audience.

But here they are, threatening a Best Picture nomination. The consensus is that “The Dark Knight” is the weakest link, but “Frost/Nixon” or even “Milk” could succumb. Due respect to Clint and Ms. Winslet, but I’d be pissed.

http://www.incontention.com/?p=3974

[Silverglade]

YES!! The TDK Score was nominated! :D

[Anita18]

Here is one massively cool article that pretty much says what we're all feeling at this point.

http://www.awardsdaily.com/?p=6022

QFT man, QFT. :o:applaud:up:
And of course, a TDK post there has netted more than 250 comments. :funny: A BP nom would surely get some attention, positive and negative!

And a "bad" movie (according to some people) getting a BP nom wouldn't be the worst thing that happens, nor the first time. There have been some pretty questionable moves on the Academy's part, RT score-wise. (Crash got 75). The thing that's stopping TDK is just the genre.

[jmc]

^ The genre is all it is. Notice how everyone seems to be trying to find reasons not to nominate it for no other reason than 'it's a superhero movie'. No other potential nominee has come under as much scrutiny in terms of deciding whether it's 'Oscar Worthy' as The Dark Knight has. Let's just ignore the scores of film critics labeling it as one of the best films of the years, let's just ignore the massive response by the general public, lets just ignore the fact it elevated the blockbuster movie to a new and much higher level, let's ignore the fact that it has more depth than many Oscar baited movies over the last few years, yeah, lets do that because it's just a superhero movie, let's not tarnish the pristine sanctity of the Oscar by allowing some silly man in a cape and a crazy man in clown make up be nominated along side more believable characters like that guy who is born old and dies young.

If people don't like TDK, fine, you're not going to please everyone, but for people to go into minute and insignificant reasoning as to discredit the film smacks of nothing more than movie elitism. No one talks about the issues as deeply with the other potential nominees, why? Because they are your typical films made squarely for winning awards, and for some unknown reason, they are immune from the same high level of criticism.

Come next Thursday, if The Dark Knight is not nominated, it will rank along side the snubbing of Zodiac and the awarding Best Picture to Crash as one of the biggest cluster****s the Academy have ever done.

[FlawlessVictory]

I know this is going to come across as sounding very pessimistic, especially considering TDK has received nominations from the PGA, WGA and the DGA, but I will be truly shocked at this point if TDK gets a BP nomination. Yup, shocked. And it's exactly because of what jmc has mentioned above. People are now just looking for excuses to not nominate it. We all know damn well it deserves it. Look at where it has ranked on all the critics lists and of course the nominations from the associations I mentioned above. But, the scrutiny it has come under is ridiculous, all because its a comic book film with the main protagonist dressed as a bat. I don't see Doubt, The Reader or Gran Torino coming under the same scrutiny and TDK has consistenly ranked above all three films. But, come Thursday, I fully expect it to be one of those films to get the BP nod over TDK.

[redfirebird2008]

^ The genre is all it is. Notice how everyone seems to be trying to find reasons not to nominate it for no other reason than 'it's a superhero movie'. No other potential nominee has come under as much scrutiny in terms of deciding whether it's 'Oscar Worthy' as The Dark Knight has. Let's just ignore the scores of film critics labeling it as one of the best films of the years, let's just ignore the massive response by the general public, lets just ignore the fact it elevated the blockbuster movie to a new and much higher level, let's ignore the fact that it has more depth than many Oscar baited movies over the last few years, yeah, lets do that because it's just a superhero movie, let's not tarnish the pristine sanctity of the Oscar by allowing some silly man in a cape and a crazy man in clown make up be nominated along side more believable characters like that guy who is born old and dies young.

If people don't like TDK, fine, you're not going to please everyone, but for people to go into minute and insignificant reasoning as to discredit the film smacks of nothing more than movie elitism. No one talks about the issues as deeply with the other potential nominees, why? Because they are your typical films made squarely for winning awards, and for some unknown reason, they are immune from the same high level of criticism.

Come next Thursday, if The Dark Knight is not nominated, it will rank along side the snubbing of Zodiac and the awarding Best Picture to Crash as one of the biggest cluster****s the Academy have ever done.

What's amusing is that Slumdog Millionaire is every bit as unrealistic as any other movie released this year, but you don't hear that criticism lobbed at it. The number of coincidences involved in it are STAGGERING. Kinda like The Dark Knight. But only one of those two gets criticized for being over the top and unrealistic. The double standard is pretty funny.

[Anita18]

I know this is going to come across as sounding very pessimistic, especially considering TDK has received nominations from the PGA, WGA and the DGA, but I will be truly shocked at this point if TDK gets a BP nomination. Yup, shocked. And it's exactly because of what jmc has mentioned above. People are now just looking for excuses to not nominate it. We all know damn well it deserves it. Look at where it has ranked on all the critics lists and of course the nominations from the associations I mentioned above. But, the scrutiny it has come under is ridiculous, all because its a comic book film with the main protagonist dressed as a bat. I don't see Doubt, The Reader or Gran Torino coming under the same scrutiny and TDK has consistenly ranked above all three films. But, come Thursday, I fully expect it to be one of those films to get the BP nod over TDK.
But there are just as many excuses to nominate it as well. Yes, many of the Academy members are old-fashioned and out-of-touch, but it's not like everyone associated with the Oscars are gleefully crossing TDK off. The Oscar officials want it to be nominated, even just for the ratings. :oldrazz:

Given how many critics have noted how Oscar-worthy the movie is, I think the Academy will face certain backlash if TDK (and/or Wall-E) is left off the BP list.

[Anita18]

What's amusing is that Slumdog Millionaire is every bit as unrealistic as any other movie released this year, but you don't hear that criticism lobbed at it. The number of coincidences involved in it are STAGGERING. Kinda like The Dark Knight. But only one of those two gets criticized for being over the top and unrealistic. The double standard is pretty funny.
The very plotline of Slumdog depends on those many coincidences, LOL. Joker managing to sneak in explosives wherever he wants certainly affects TDK's plotline, but it's a different kind of coincidence.

And conveniently enough, Slumdog addresses all of those coincidences by presenting the entire story as "destiny," so of course those things had to have happened the way they did. :cwink:

[redfirebird2008]

The very plotline of Slumdog depends on those many coincidences, LOL. Joker managing to sneak in explosives wherever he wants certainly affects TDK's plotline, but it's a different kind of coincidence.

And conveniently enough, Slumdog addresses all of those coincidences by presenting the entire story as "destiny," so of course those things had to have happened the way they did. :cwink:

Joker sneaking in explosives can be explained by the ultra corrupt nature of Gotham City and the fact that he is loaded with stolen bank money. Bribe the security and it can be done. Unlikely? Definitely. But more likely than an 18 year old kid having those kind of experiences just HAPPEN to give him all of the answers to Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. You don't win on a show like that without a combination of life experience and book knowledge. We are led to believe that Jamal has neither in Slumdog Millionaire, unless of course you consider all those unlikely as hell occurrences (the Benjamin Franklin one is blatant) to be the same as what a normal human being goes through in life. Even if you have those things happen in your life, they occur over a longer period of time than being an 18 year old. Total fairy tale Cinderella stuff. And I guess that's what people love about it. But if we're going to criticize one ultra fictitious work for not being realistic enough, then we shouldn't give another a pass. But that's exactly what's going on right now and it's a double standard.

[hatebox]

Judging a film by how realistic it is seems like a bad way to go anyhow.

One doesn't judge a painting by how much it looks like real life.

[hatebox]

double post.

[Sawyer]

Here is one massively cool article that pretty much says what we're all feeling at this point.

http://www.awardsdaily.com/?p=6022

QFT man, QFT. :o:applaud:up:

The Godfather pt.I and II are genre films?

[redfirebird2008]

The Godfather pt.I and II are genre films?

Gangster movies. They revolutionized the genre from being ultra violent parodies of organized crime with over the top acting into being epic storytelling with realistic acting.

[TheVileOne]

I don't need Academy Awards to validate how good the movie is.

I don't want Heath Ledger to win an Academy Award because the only reason he would win is because he's dead. Just like with the Golden Globes.

Years later if and when the third movie comes out and people bemoan how disappointing it is and how wrong Nolan went with the movies as well as critics and fans alike bemoaning the movie winning best picture . . . I'd rather it not happen.

[deathfromabove]

that is some of the worst rationale ive ever heard.

[animexcel]

that is some of the worst rationale ive ever heard.

indeed it is

[TheVileOne]

Why?

Why should I care about the Academy Awards?

Would Dark Knight not winning best picture mean it's not a great picture?

[Boom]

No, it doesn't. It doesn't even need a nomination.

However, I would disagree that Ledger shouldn't win. He should. Dead or not, he gave the best supporting performance of the year.

[byte19]

Gangster movies. They revolutionized the genre from being ultra violent parodies of organized crime with over the top acting into being epic storytelling with realistic acting.

ooh.. sounds like dark knight!

[redfirebird2008]

Why?

Why should I care about the Academy Awards?

Would Dark Knight not winning best picture mean it's not a great picture?

No. Fanboys just want it because of the fact that no superhero movie has ever been nominated.

Zodiac was my favorite of 2007. Not even nominated for any Oscars, not even in the technical categories. Even though TDK is my favorite of 2008, I believe The Wrestler is the best of 2008. The Wrestler has even worse odds for getting a nomination than TDK.

[Anita18]

I don't want Heath Ledger to win an Academy Award because the only reason he would win is because he's dead. Just like with the Golden Globes.
I'm so tired of that reasoning, because only ONE actor has ever won an Oscar posthumously. James Dean (and Marilyn Monroe IIRC) were both nominated after their deaths, and neither won an Oscar.

[Anita18]

Judging a film by how realistic it is seems like a bad way to go anyhow.

One doesn't judge a painting by how much it looks like real life.
Indeed. What's important is how plausible things are in the world of the movie, and that's something that every good film presents in its first few minutes.

Slumdog did that, regarding the coincidences in Jamal's life. I thought the characterization of older Salim needed more work, though. :oldrazz:

TDK did that. The film showed you the Joker's omniscient capabilities, right in the first 5 minutes with the bank heist. Whether someone bought it or not is a personal thing, but it's not the fault of the film. And frankly, I'm getting tired of people bringing that up as a flaw.

Still reading the now-270+ comments on that Awards Daily post. It's gotten more rabid than here. :lmao:

[Charlie The Red]

Hey guys, it's been a while since I've posted. Classes started last autumn and I've been real busy with our school newspaper. Glad to see the familiar faces and I'm really excited to see who might win the Oscars this year.

For the sake of not having to type the whole thing out again, here's the article I wrote for our newspaper saying who I think will win.

http://media.www.utmpacer.com/media/storage/paper1175/news/2009/01/13/ArtsEntertainment/Most-Likely.Oscar.Nominees.Plus.Picks.For.Worst.Of.2008-3584075.shtml?reffeature=popuarstoriestab

[General Vulcun]

Yep. The Dark Knight is constantly being touted by some people as a flawed film, but every movie has flaws so why should that even matter? The thing that bothers me is that the flaws that are pointed out in TDK are not just small but magnified to such dizzying sizes, while other films go completely untouched.

What makes those films untouchable while TDK must face all this negativity?

[Infinity9999x]

I don't need Academy Awards to validate how good the movie is.

I don't want Heath Ledger to win an Academy Award because the only reason he would win is because he's dead. Just like with the Golden Globes.

Years later if and when the third movie comes out and people bemoan how disappointing it is and how wrong Nolan went with the movies as well as critics and fans alike bemoaning the movie winning best picture . . . I'd rather it not happen.

I'd disagree. The oscar buzz started before Heath died, and I think that he would have been nominated, and I think he gave a good enough performance to win.

And honestly, if Depp can get a Nom for Sparrow, then Heath deserves at least a nomination.

[WVsax27]

I follow awards season very close every year, there was a lot of buzz among others that follow it well before his death. The only real difference, I think, is that his death has caused more people to be interested in the race than normal. I'm not even talking about the hardcore batman fans, but just people in general. People that normally have no idea about the race or any of the films in it. General movie fans that probably, outside of RDJ, haven't seen or heard of any of the other performances that Heath will probably end up competing with come this Thursday.

[Paradoxium]

I am going to say it.

Slumdog is probably going to win anyways, because it features non-white people in the movie. The Oscar peps always want to appear "progressive" - damn with what the best story is.

If TDK were to win, it has to feature a main character that is not white (Freeman doesn't count - too minor and token blackish), a homosexual somewhere and Clint Eastwood :cmad:

[redfirebird2008]

I am going to say it.

Slumdog is probably going to win anyways, because it features non-white people in the movie. The Oscar peps always want to appear "progressive" - damn with what the best story is.


And yet, they didn't give City of God the credit it deserved.

[ThreeOfAKind]

I am going to say it.

Slumdog is probably going to win anyways, because it features non-white people in the movie. The Oscar peps always want to appear "progressive" - damn with what the best story is.

If TDK were to win, it has to feature a main character that is not white (Freeman doesn't count - too minor and token blackish), a homosexual somewhere and Clint Eastwood :cmad:

Are you kidding? If a movie features gay people the Academy runs in the other direction. They're as homophobic an organization as there is.

[byte19]

yeah, just look at basic instinct.....

[philranger]

except this year with Milk...

[LostSon88]

The Oscar peps always want to appear "progressive" - damn with what the best story is.

If that were the case, shouldn't Brokeback Mountain have won BP a few years back?

[The Mighty Wind]

I am going to say it.

Slumdog is probably going to win anyways, because it features non-white people in the movie. The Oscar peps always want to appear "progressive" - damn with what the best story is.

If TDK were to win, it has to feature a main character that is not white (Freeman doesn't count - too minor and token blackish), a homosexual somewhere and Clint Eastwood :cmad:
You fail at Oscars.

[Heretic]

Hollywood may be homophobic, but they are really left leaning politically correct sheep.
So, whats the big politically correct story in California this year?

Gay marriage? Hey...Sean Penn played a gay guy! The Hollywood types love him because hes a loud voice of the liberal agenda. This means that Penn either wins for best actor, or Milk wins for best movie. One of the two. If he's nomited and the movie isnt, the other nominees in his category neednt bother to show up.

But not everything can be a political statement right? Wrong! This is the year of change and hope, and hoping for change...I wouldnt be surprissed if Slumdog walked away with some just for the sake of appeasing an ethnic-win factor.

Heath wins because hes dead...and I say that because I doubt most of the people voting for him would have even bothered to watch TDK.

Frost/Nixon has a bunch of hype...but come on...no one really think sthat a guy playing a Republican president is going to win anything, do we? Not unless its because they are happy it makes Nixon look bad (deservedly so).

Clint Eastwood will fall victim to the Slumdog Millionaire curse. Gran Torino deals with racism pretty openly...and theres some jokes that Hollywood types will despise. I dont think its a serious contender.

[WVsax27]

I wouldn't go as far as to say the ethnic factor of Slumdog is helping it, but I do think the current environment and the overall uplifting message of the movie has caused it to resonate with people in a way it might not have. I think people might be quicker to call out some of the more cliched cheesy aspects of the movie if the state of the world wasn't the way it is now...but that is just my two cents. And yes, I know TDK has a few moments that you could call cheesy, but the point is so do a lot of other movies and they are getting away with it.

It's always hard to judge what movies will and wont stand the test of time....a lot of the movies people always bring up when talking about the worst Best Picture winners weren't seen as being bad picks at the time they happened. Slumdog does make the lower half of my Top 10 though, so by no means would I go crazy if it won.

[hatebox]

I am going to say it.

Slumdog is probably going to win anyways, because it features non-white people in the movie. The Oscar peps always want to appear "progressive" - damn with what the best story is.

If TDK were to win, it has to feature a main character that is not white (Freeman doesn't count - too minor and token blackish), a homosexual somewhere and Clint Eastwood :cmad:


This post is quite wrong. The Academy is not a progressive organization. Artistically or socially.

[byte19]

Hollywood may be homophobic, but they are really left leaning politically correct sheep.
So, whats the big politically correct story in California this year?

Gay marriage? Hey...Sean Penn played a gay guy! The Hollywood types love him because hes a loud voice of the liberal agenda. This means that Penn either wins for best actor, or Milk wins for best movie. One of the two. If he's nomited and the movie isnt, the other nominees in his category neednt bother to show up.

But not everything can be a political statement right? Wrong! This is the year of change and hope, and hoping for change...I wouldnt be surprissed if Slumdog walked away with some just for the sake of appeasing an ethnic-win factor.

Heath wins because hes dead...and I say that because I doubt most of the people voting for him would have even bothered to watch TDK.

Frost/Nixon has a bunch of hype...but come on...no one really think sthat a guy playing a Republican president is going to win anything, do we? Not unless its because they are happy it makes Nixon look bad (deservedly so).

Clint Eastwood will fall victim to the Slumdog Millionaire curse. Gran Torino deals with racism pretty openly...and theres some jokes that Hollywood types will despise. I dont think its a serious contender.
so where TDK fit in all this?:huh:

and if that was the case all this uplifting stuff Pirates 3 should have swept! they started the flick killing a kid! by the end everyone's happily ever after...

[Wedge A.]

I think it's interesting how people are claiming that the only reason Ledger is even being nominated is because of his death. It's a little absurd. Ledger's performance is incredible not only because he helps create this horrifying character, but it was also a complete turn-around from his past roles. He was usually seen as a soft-spoken guy, and this just blew everyone away.

I challenge the people who say he's only being nominated because of his death, to name one other supporting performance this year that was better than Ledger's.

[The Chris]

I think it's interesting how people are claiming that the only reason Ledger is even being nominated is because of his death. It's a little absurd. Ledger's performance is incredible not only because he helps create this horrifying character, but it was also a complete turn-around from his past roles. He was usually seen as a soft-spoken guy, and this just blew everyone away.

I challenge the people who say he's only being nominated because of his death, to name one other supporting performance this year that was better than Ledger's.

QFT. There isn't any. 2008 wasn't really a loaded year for great supporting performances, so to even say that is dumb. Who's his biggest competition? Josh Brolin? I didn't even think he was the best supporting player in his own movie.

[Sam]

And yet, they didn't give City of God the credit it deserved.

Very true!

[philranger]

if TDK doesn't WIN best picture, this is going to be my reaction. ( keep in mind i am a 28 year old male.):whatever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adG4AS3Rps0

:ikyn

[hatebox]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adG4AS3Rps0


This is partially why terrorists hate America.

[Paradoxium]

I know my little statement is going to provoke some people. But lets face it, the Oscars are more political than meritocratic. I know not everything can be 100% meritocratic, but damn you can at least try. And honestly, what if I "fail at the Oscars" as someone said. You make it sound like I actually care about it; it's ********. Clooney's little masturbatory smug speech sealed the deal (supporting actor in Syrianna). These folks never cared about the best story, just what people perceive them to be; "hip and progressive". Whether they actually succeed (i.e. opportunities like City of God) is irrelevant, it's the whole general mindset. I'm sure there are many counter examples but really... does the exceptions nullify a general trend?

Brokeback for an example would not even get the attention it got (forget whether it won, just the nomination alone), if it weren't for the gay twist. Thematically there has been films of the same concept but with superior execution. Like The Bridges of Madison County - ironically staring Clint Eastwood. Where was its "best picture" fanfare?

[FamilyGuy827]

I think everyone should be happy just for the fact that The Dark Knight will probably get nominated.

Really I do think it has a shot at winning... but only if there is vote splitting between Slumdog, Benjamin Button, and Milk.

[Heretic]

Where does TDK fit in????

I dont know. Im hoping like crazy that it'll get nominated. My worry is that Oscar voters will simply say "its a great superhero movie...but superheros are stupid" and use that as an excuse to nudge it out of the nominees. It deserves to be nominated of course.

And regarding Heath Ledger. I have said before, and Im sure I'll say again, that in my opinion his Joker was the best villianous portrayal in movie history. He's above darth Vader, hannibal...everyone. He gave the best performance of ANY actor or actress this year. That said, I still think the academy looks down on superheroes.

TDK is my favorite movie of all time...but it has its flaws. Batmans voice, some editing...Im happy with a nomination.

But...if it does get nominated...and Watchmen is as good as the book...then I expect a win next year for Watchmen. You will not find a better story in film in 2009 than the one Alan Moore wrote...so if the translation is worthy of the book, itd better win.

[Sentinel X]

I am going to say it.

Slumdog is probably going to win anyways, because it features non-white people in the movie. The Oscar peps always want to appear "progressive" - damn with what the best story is.

If TDK were to win, it has to feature a main character that is not white (Freeman doesn't count - too minor and token blackish), a homosexual somewhere and Clint Eastwood :cmad:I don't think its like that at all :huh:....how many minority best actors or best actresses have there been?...not many.

I think the oscars is mostly about name regonition. Like you said: Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, are one of few oscar favorites. They nominate these people just because its "meryl streep" and not necessarily if they gave a good performance.


Btw, I think its time a new award steps in and replace the oscars as the most important award for people in film. The oscars does nominate good films but I feel it has lost its purpose through out the year, it is no longer about the best film it is about the typical "oscar movies" now. There should be an award ceremony that rewards people for their films because they are GOOD and nothing else...Like really, who gives a damn if Meryl Streep is in a movie...why does that automatically mean "oscar contender" :whatever:

[redfirebird2008]

Are you kidding? If a movie features gay people the Academy runs in the other direction. They're as homophobic an organization as there is.

Precisely. Homophobia is the only reason Crash was selected instead of Brokeback Mountain. And I'm sure it's hurting Milk's chances this year.

[FCEEVIPER]

Precisely. Homophobia is the only reason Crash was selected instead of Brokeback Mountain. And I'm sure it's hurting Milk's chances this year.
Sad, but true.

[Nirvana]

I don't agree. I think what's hurting Milk's chances this year is not homophobia, I think it mostly has to do with there are better movies out. :yay:

[BatMatt]

ugh, Crash, very weak movie in my opinion. Didn't seem so much a movie but a string of short stories barely held together

[JonnyQ]

This may sound a little weird, but I wouldn't mind too much if TDK doesn't win the Best Picture, because it has some great competition this year. It has least has to be nominated though.

But Heath is another story. There hasn't been a Supporting Actor this year that can touch his performance.

[FCEEVIPER]

ugh, Crash, very weak movie in my opinion. Didn't seem so much a movie but a string of short stories barely held together
Yeah Crash was good, but a Oscar winner? No.

[TheVileOne]

I don't remember any "Oscar Buzz" about Ledger before he died.

[Silverglade]

I don't remember any "Oscar Buzz" about Ledger before he died.

Check Brokeback Mountain. Get back to me.

[Dark Donnie]

Check Brokeback Mountain. Get back to me.

I think he's referring to buzz for this role.

[WVsax27]

I don't remember any "Oscar Buzz" about Ledger before he died.

you weren't looking in the right places.

And I thought Crash was awful

[philranger]

i remember Heath getting a ton of buzz during production from cast and crew. Granted, wasn't necessarily oscar buzz, but i think it was implied

[Symbiotic]

I don't remember any "Oscar Buzz" about Ledger before he died.I do. When the December '07 trailer hit.

[Cmill216]

I don't remember any "Oscar Buzz" about Ledger before he died.

Prior to his death, Nolan and the cast praised him profusely. But of course, you're not going to have natural "Oscar Buzz" for a performance no one outside of the film had seen yet.

[jmc]

There wasn't so much Oscar buzz as there was glowing praise from those who worked with and had seen footage prior to release of the trailer.

[philranger]

and i thought michael cain in particular, was the first to use the big "O" word in relation to Heath's performance while filming was still taking place.

[Cory]

Michael Caine!?

Sir Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Jr.

[philranger]

Michael Caine!?

Sir Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Jr.



the greatest name EVER!:hoboj:

[Caped Crusader]

4 dayssss

[WVsax27]

I'm waiting for Scott Feinberg to post his final thoughts...I've followed him the past few years and he is normally pretty darn close in terms of picking the nominees. He was a bit off on the winners last year though

[baerrtt]

I'm so tired of that reasoning, because only ONE actor has ever won an Oscar posthumously. James Dean (and Marilyn Monroe IIRC) were both nominated after their deaths, and neither won an Oscar.

Monroe was never nominated for an Oscar. Even after she died.

[FCEEVIPER]

Prior to his death, Nolan and the cast praised him profusely. But of course, you're not going to have natural "Oscar Buzz" for a performance no one outside of the film had seen yet.
Bang!

[BatSpider]

I don't remember any "Oscar Buzz" about Ledger before he died.
Well, the trailer had just come out buddy :dry:

and There was some talk amongst groups who had been following the movie, as well asd people in it

When Ledger died, more people became aware of the movie, even though they were going to anyway.

And when people saw his work, like most of us, were blown away.

There ya go :yay:

[Nirvana]

Thursday can't come fast enough...

[WVsax27]

There was talk about Heath before his death, just like there was talk about Benjamin Button and Revolutionary Road at this time last year.

[Doctor Jones]

Actually there was Oscar buzz when that Dec trailer came out. Hell, even I was thinking the same thing.

[Anita18]

There was talk about Heath before his death, just like there was talk about Benjamin Button and Revolutionary Road at this time last year.
I'm even more fascinated at the overall Revolutionary Road snubs, aside from Kate Winslet. And it seems to be a good movie too - it's just that it's such a downer nobody likes it.

[Nirvana]

A friend and I are heading into a neighboring town to check out Revolutionary Road and Frost/Nixon sometime this week. RR can't be that bad, not any worse than The Reader. That movie was horrible.

[jmc]

There was talk about Heath before his death, just like there was talk about Benjamin Button and Revolutionary Road at this time last year.

Oh man, the Button Oscar buzz was loud and clear for months, everyone thought it was going to be the film of the year and saying it was a shoe in for Oscar glory, now the consensus seems to it will be nominated at best, and could even be snubbed altogether.

[Paste Pot Pete]

I'm even more fascinated at the overall Revolutionary Road snubs, aside from Kate Winslet. And it seems to be a good movie too - it's just that it's such a downer nobody likes it.

I've heard it's quite bad. Warmed over, melodramatic American Beauty leftovers. But that's all hearsay until I see it.

Slumdog, however, is definitely deserving of its praise. What a breath of fresh air that film is. The only other films I'm really interested are are Milk and The Wrestler, neither of which are playing here yet.

But anyways, I definitely think TDK deserves that elusive fifth Oscar slot (assuming Button, Slumdog, Frost, and Milk are all locks).

[Paste Pot Pete]

And there was indeed Oscar buzz for Heath while he was alive. As much as there conceivably could be for an unfinished film that no one had seen. Early speculators inspired by the first trailer, coupled with Michael Caine's words (in which he did drop the "O" word).

There was a great excitement brewing around this performance from the get-go. It's a terrible shame that some are going to rewrite that history and take the accolades as sympathy votes.

He'll win the Oscar, and he deserves it, dead or alive. His was the best supporting performance of the year, from what I've seen. Especially in a year when Robert Downey Jr gets a nomination for a three-chuckle role in a disappointing film (Downey always rocks, but the film is weak sauce, especially for Stiller - I love Zoolander and Cable Guy.) It's more of a "you've had a great year!" nod than anything.

[philranger]

And there was indeed Oscar buzz for Heath while he was alive. As much as there conceivably could be for an unfinished film that no one had seen. Early speculators inspired by the first trailer, coupled with Michael Caine's words (in which he did drop the "O" word).

There was a great excitement brewing around this performance from the get-go. It's a terrible shame that some are going to rewrite that history and take the accolades as sympathy votes.

He'll win the Oscar, and he deserves it, dead or alive. His was the best supporting performance of the year, from what I've seen. Especially in a year when Robert Downey Jr gets a nomination for a three-chuckle role in a disappointing film (Downey always rocks, but the film is weak sauce, especially for Stiller - I love Zoolander and Cable Guy.) It's more of a "you've had a great year!" nod than anything.

i agree with you 100%. Heath's is hands down the most riveting performance of the year ( Mickey Rourke is close behind and thank goodness they won't be competing for the same nomination). There was so much excitement surrounding his performance dating way back to the first official pic release of his Joker. The anticipation was already tremendous!!!! And reports from the sets were only feeding into that craze. Oscar talk festered from the start, long before Heath's death.

as for RDJ, if he gets the nomination, good for him. Sadly he won't win. Philip Seymor Hoffman might have been the only one who could catch Heath. But Heath created a legendary character. you would have to be better then "legendary to top him this year.

[Silverglade]

Some people's memories are so bad lol. It is a shame some in here would actually have to remind people of the Heath buzz after Trailer 2. It was not THAT long ago... And Heath was still alive when it came out.

[Steelsheen]

Michael Caine!?

Sir Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Jr.
wait a minute, that's his real name? :grin:

[Badabing45]

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20252991_21,00.html

Emma Thomas, producer, The Dark Knight: The minute Heath started doing make-up and wardrobe tests, we realized it was going to be something really special. I remember doing a fitting where he put on that pink nurse's dress and he had the Joker's socks on and it changed the way he moved completely. Right from the beginning, people were talking about this as an Oscar-worthy performance.

[Silverglade]

Badabing45 just hit a home-run.

[Badabing45]

Badabing45 just hit a home-run.

:yay: Here comes a grand slam.

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20252991_27,00.html

Pecorini: We joked about [an Oscar nomination]. Heath used to say, ''This time I'm going to give them such a hard time — they'll have to cry to get an interview.'' He knew he'd done something special. But he was saying, ''This time I’m going to lead the dance.''

Heath knew he was going to get nominated and was already plotting how he would handle the reaction.

[Silverglade]

Badabing45 just won the World Series.

[TheVileOne]

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20252991_21,00.html

Look at when they wrote this up. A year after Ledger's death.

[The Chris]

I still remember going on these boards and reading how hollywood people were buzzing about oscar for Heath, and that was before the damn trailer came out. When the first trailer came out you kept hearing from industry people how incredible he looked as the Joker. The man deserves the oscar. He won't get it because he's dead. he'll get it because out of all the people nominated he was the best.

And I fully believe that if his death is brought into the situation it's more likely to be used against him. Shouldn't have to be for him. He's better than the competition, by a lot.If it ends up being Ledger, Brolin, Downey Jr, Patel, and Hoffman like I think it will, it shouldn't even be close.

[Badabing45]

Regardless of when Heath started getting buzz for the Oscar, he's going to win. It's gotten to that point where it would be horribly awkward if Heath didn't win. If sometime in the next 10 years we get to see how the Academy voted, I wouldn't be surprised if its revelaed that Heath got over 80% of the vote.

The real drama is if The Dark Knight can actually get nominated in the two big categories: Picture and Director.

[WVsax27]

I've heard it's quite bad. Warmed over, melodramatic American Beauty leftovers. But that's all hearsay until I see it.


That is pretty much how I felt about it. It is pretty much American Beauty with all of the honest humor sucked out of it, which was one of the big things that made American Beauty work so well. Yes, it showed the issues about living and having a family in suburbia, but it did it in a way that made the characters relatable. Revolutionary Road is pretty much a "worst case scenario" of suburban meltdown that just isn't very griping. Thomas Newman's score is even almost a rehash of his American Beauty score.

[Nina7]

I have never seen such hand-wringing for a movie to get Oscar nominated. Ever. I can't believe there's even a debate. It's so obvious it should be nominated. If movies like Ghost, Moulin Rouge, Sixth Sense, Chocolat, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Fatal Attraction can be nominated for Best Pictures Oscars, The Dark Knight should be a no brainer. The only thing that is holding it back is that it's a superhero movie. If the Academy doesn't nominate it, then it will lose so much credibility. The Academy needs The Dark Knight much more than The Dark Knight needs the Academy.

[Paste Pot Pete]

I have never seen such hand-wringing for a movie to get Oscar nominated. Ever. I can't believe there's even a debate. It's so obvious it should be nominated. If movies like Ghost, Moulin Rouge, Sixth Sense, Chocolat, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Fatal Attraction can be nominated for Best Pictures Oscars, The Dark Knight should be a no brainer. The only thing that is holding it back is that it's a superhero movie. If the Academy doesn't nominate it, then it will lose so much credibility. The Academy needs The Dark Knight much more than The Dark Knight needs the Academy.

I agree. This film is under such scrutiny whereas so many other films seem to get a free pass straight to the ceremony. ALL THREE LOTR's films were nominated, with ROTK winning. They're great, but...no scrutiny, no question. For some reason, they were raised on a pedestal. Was a ridiculous amount of hardwork put into them? Yes. But is it TDK's fault that it takes place in Gotham and not a built-from-the-ground-up Middle Earth? The acting, good for the most part, serviceable in other areas (there was no performance that exceeded Heath's in TDK, or Aaron's for that matter). But ultimately, they just gave off a more prestigious vibe, a pedigree for whatever reason. Anything based on a novel, especially a classic, has a serious leg up in the competition.

But yes, considering some of the jokes that have been nominated (and won!) in the past, like Shakespeare in Love, which was a cute movie in period dress, it's so frustrating to see a genuine pop culture touchstone (and genuinely great film) lose slots to dime-a-dozen Oscar bait.

Does it deserve to win? I don't know. Slumdog was damn phenomenal. But does it deserve a nom? Hell yes.

[jmc]

^ Whilst LOTR was a worthy winner of the Oscars it got, the timing I think also played a part in it. Had the trilogy been released in the June-July period I'm doubtful it would have had as big a chance as it had at victory. Unfortunately that Oct-Dec period seems to the only time of the year when films are taken seriously. It's this ridiculous Oscar baited period that makes me wish the Academy would move the Oscar back a few months in order for all the good films from the previous year to be considered and not just the 3 month period block of films. As a result, lots of films get over looked simply because of the date they are released (eg. Zodiac). Had The Dark Knight been released in say the first week of December, I'm actually willing to bet it chances would be far greater than they are now.

[WVsax27]

Gladiator was a Summer blockbuster and it got in and won..but that was Ridley Scott

[philranger]

The Academy needs The Dark Knight much more than The Dark Knight needs the Academy.

You hit the nail on the head. Its been stated before that regardless of a nomination, or a win or a loss, TDK will be remembered for years to come. Its earned its place amongst the greatest films of all time, and no academy vote is going to change any of that. The greatest victories have already been won. and whether the academy is progressive enough to nominate and award TDK remains to be seen. But the failure of earning a nomination or a win speaks to narrowmindedness of the academy and not to the quality of the film. of all of the films i have seen thus far that have a shot at the Oscar ( i'm speaking in terms of picture and director ) TDK is by far on the top of my list. I have yet to see Slumdog so i would not be able to say for sure TDK's chances. Slumdog does seem to have the edge. But, you know, good for them.
Its not about winning awards, its about sending a message.
TDK has done that a thousand times over

[FCEEVIPER]

You hit the nail on the head. Its been stated before that regardless of a nomination, or a win or a loss, TDK will be remembered for years to come. Its earned its place amongst the greatest films of all time, and no academy vote is going to change any of that. The greatest victories have already been won...
Amen! Just like with Saving Private Ryan! imo

[jmc]

Gladiator was a Summer blockbuster and it got in and won..but that was Ridley Scott

It's a rare exception, 9 times out of 10 the nominees come from films released in that Oscar period.

[Fanticon]

guys...and gals...not to start any beef...but vileone likes to play this game...a lot. ;)

Michael Caine back in December or November of '07 had already given an opinion of what Heath was up to and hinted that this was gonna be something special...Oscar worthy talk was already afoot. I remember even just after Heath passed away...even more people no longer wanted to keep secret about the super secret Joker performance he had turned in...and suddenly I was talking with friends already about the Oscar buzz...and we were still six months away from the release date and rumors like that were flying.

[WVsax27]

It's a rare exception, 9 times out of 10 the nominees come from films released in that Oscar period.

I know, just throwing one(namely a blockbuster) that didn't. I think Crash was a June release, but it was re released to theaters in the fall.

The ultimate rare case of this I can think of is Silence of the Lambs, which was released in February. It was a genre film and was able to keep buzz for almost a whole year and still win the Big 5. I doubt we'll see something like that happened again.

[WVsax27]

TDK was nominated for the following by the Visual Effects Society

OUTSTANDING MODELS AND MINIATURES IN A FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

The Dark Knight - Garbage Truck Crash Models And Miniatures
Ian Hunter, Forest Fischer, Branden Seifert, Adam Gelbart

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull
David Fogler, Craig Hammack, Brian Gernand, Geoff Heron

Iron Man - Suit Up Machine
Aaron Mcbride, Russell Paul, Gerald Gutschmidt, Keiji Yamaguchi

My Darling of The Mountains - Hot Springs
Taro Kiba, Kenji Nagatani, Yuki Minagawa, Hideo Udo

OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN A FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

Cloverfield - Brooklyn Bridge Sequence
David Vickery, Phil Johnson, Victor Wade, Sean Stranks

The Dark Knight - Imax Gotham City Scapes
Peter Bebb, David Vickery, Philippe Leprince, Andrew Lockley

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull - Temple Heart
Michael Halsted, David Fogler, Steve Walton, David Weitzberg

The Mummy: Tomb of The Dragon Emperor - Avalanche Sequence
Mike Meaker, Rich Mahon, Jason Iverson, Sho Hasegawa

Synecdoche, New York - Created Environment
Brett Miller, Garrett Eaton, MatThew Conner

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL EFFECTS IN A MOTION PICTURE

The Dark Knight
Chris Corbould, Peter Notley, Ian Lowe

The Dark Knight - Garbage Truck Crash Mechanical Effects
Scott Beverly, Robert Spurlock, Jon Warren, Brian Kelly Hahn

Defiance - Special Effects
Neil Corbould, Steve Warner, Anne Maria Walters, Alan Young

Full nominees here http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=awardcentral&jump=news&articleid=VR1117998754

[Jokers_Wild]

Can't wait till Thursday for the nominations!

[Kargo Warrior]

Online Film Critics Awards Winners:

BEST PICTURE
WALL*E

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Let the Right One In

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Man On Wire

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
WALL*E

BEST DIRECTOR
Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
BEST ACTOR
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Michelle Williams, Wendy and Lucy

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
WALL*E, Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Let the Right One In, John Ajvide Lindqvist

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Dark Knight, Wally Pfister

BEST EDITING
Slumdog Millionaire, Chris Dickens

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Dark Knight, James Newton Howard & Hans Zimmer

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Lina Leandersson, Let the Right One In

BREAKTHROUGH FILMMAKER
Tomas Alfredson, Let the Right One In

[Doctor Jones]

Ugh, WALL-E. I swear to God, if that's nomintated for BP and not TDK, I'm gonna be pissed.

[Anita18]

Very cool. :up:

What makes me optimistic for Thursday is that the BAFTAs (and the subsequent late "surge" for The Reader and Gran Torino) may not have affected the Oscar nomination process at all, since only 80 votes were brought in on the last day. Last year, it was close to 500 or something. That means most people had decided early, probably when the guild nominations were coming in and TDK was getting a lot of love then.

[Lasirius]

I had a terrible nightmare, TDK was completely snubbed from the Oscars including Heath. Good thing it was just a nightmare:o

[CristiMAN]

I had a terrible nightmare, TDK was completely snubbed from the Oscars including Heath. Good thing it was just a nightmare:o

Since Shakespeare in Love winning best Picture everything is possible...

[Clark Kent]

Since Shakespeare in Love winning best Picture everything is possible...

That turned the Oscars into a laughing stock for me.

[DarthAlani]

Shakespeare in Love won because the Liberal Academy did not want to give the Best Pic Oscar to a film about American Soldiers.

[Clark Kent]

Shakespeare in Love won because the Liberal Academy did not want to give the Best Pic Oscar to a film about American Soldiers.

Isn't it great that these people judge the films solely in terms of quality.

:rolleyes:.

[CristiMAN]

That turned the Oscars into a laughing stock for me.

I would like to see TDK winning the oscars, but if it doesnt I would not be bothered. We allready got one amazing movie and the academy recognition won't change it. It would be cool, but like I said, since one film like Shakespeare in Love won, it became less and less relevant to me. Some exception of course (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Million Dollar Baby, No Country for Old Men) but the rest are mediocre/painfull films ever since 1998 (American Beauty, A Beautiful Mind, Chicago, Crash). Gladiator and The Departed are somewhat good but nowhere near classics like other films from directors Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner) and Scorcese (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull or Goodfellas). Just my two cents, of course...

[Dark Sentinel]

CristiMAN, I have to disagree with you about The Departed, that was a fantastic film and a true New Classic, right up there with TDK

[The Mighty Wind]

I would like to see TDK winning the oscars, but if it doesnt I would not be bothered. We allready got one amazing movie and the academy recognition won't change it. It would be cool, but like I said, since one film like Shakespeare in Love won, it became less and less relevant to me. Some exception of course (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Million Dollar Baby, No Country for Old Men) but the rest are mediocre/painfull films ever since 1998 (American Beauty, A Beautiful Mind, Chicago, Crash). Gladiator and The Departed are somewhat good but nowhere near classics like other films from directors Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner) and Scorcese (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull or Goodfellas). Just my two cents, of course...
American Beauty is mediocre/painful?

Clearly we saw different movies.

[jmc]

American Beauty was a great film.

[CristiMAN]

Like I said, only my two cents. It's common to have different opinions regarding films. American was just a nice movie. Not memorable. Just another good movie like so many we see per year. No "oscar" material. The Departed is good, but a shadow compared to the other Scorcese's masterpieces the Academy ignored. Like I said, just my two cents and my opinion. Nice to debate oscars in a Batman forum. It's been one hell of a year for batfans. And I'm one happy batfan right now.

[byte19]

the monologue at the end of AB was by far, until TDK, was the most moving dialog to end a movie in a long time... for me anyway.

[Nirvana]

Just got back from watching Gran Torino. It was a great film. I can see getting a Nod for his acting (Mickey Rourke and Brad Pitt were better in there respective roles in my opinion) but this movie isn't Best Picture material. It's a great film, but not a serious Oscar Contender in my eyes.

That makes:

The Wrestler
Slumdog Millionaire
The Dark Knight
The Reader
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Gran Torino

I'm seeing Frost/Nixon and Doubt later this week.

[Christmas]

you forgot MILK

[byte19]

oh yeah, and a win for best score for Hans and James!! yeah!!!

[BatSpider]

oh yeah, and a win for best score for Hans and James!! yeah!!!
If nominated for it, I think TDK has it in the bag :woot:

[The_Joker7895]

Here are my final predictions for Thursday

** = Predicted winner
* = Alternate winner

Best Picture:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *
The Dark Knight *
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire **
(Alternate: The Wrestler)

Best Director:

Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire **
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight *
Gus Van Sant - Milk
(Alternate: Darren Aronofsky - The Wrestler)

Best Actor:

Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler **
Sean Penn - Milk *
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
(Alternate: Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino)

Best Actress:

Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road **
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married *
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Sally Hawkins - Happy Go Lucky
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
(Alternate: Angelina Jolie - Changeling)

Best Supporting Actor:

Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight **************
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Josh Brolin - Milk
James Franco - Milk
Philipp Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
(Alternate: Liev Schrieber - Defiance)

Best Supporting Actress:

Viola Davis - Doubt
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *
Kate Winslet - The Reader *
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona **
Amy Adams - Doubt
(Alternate: Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler)

Best Adapted Screenplay:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *
The Dark Knight *
Frost/Nixon
Doubt
Slumdog Millionaire **
(Alternate: Revolutionary Road)

Best Original Screenplay:

WALL-E
Vicky Christina Barcelona *
The Wrestler **
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
(Alternate: The Visitor)

Best Animated Film:

WALL-E **************
Kung-Fu Panda
Waltz with Bashir
(Alternate: Bolt)

Best Art Direction:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button **
The Dark Knight *
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road
(Alternate: Changeling)

Best Cinematography:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *
The Dark Knight **
Defiance
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire *
(Alternate: Australia)

Best Costume Design:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button **
The Dark Knight *
The Duchess
Changeling
Revolutionary Road *
(Alternate: Australia)

Best Film Editing:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight **
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire *
(Alternate: Quantum of Solace)

Best Makeup:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *
The Dark Knight **
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
(Alternate: The Reader)

Best Original Score:

Alexandre Desplat - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *
Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard - The Dark Knight **
A.R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire *
Danny Elfman - Milk
Thomas Newman - WALL-E
(Alternate: Thomas Newman - Revolutionary Road)

Best Original Song:

"The Wrestler" by Bruce Springsteen - The Wrestler **
"Down to Earth" by Peter Gabriel - WALL-E *
"Gran Torino" by Clint Eastwood and Jamie Cullum - Gran Torino
"Jai Ho" by AR Rahman, Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah & Mahalaxmi Iyer - Slumdog Millionaire
"I Thought I Lost You" by Miley Cyrus - Bolt
(Alternate: "The Call" by Regina Spektor - The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian)

Best Sound Mixing:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight **
Defiance
Iron Man *
WALL-E *
(Alternate: Quantum of Solace)

Best Sound Editing:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight **
Iron Man *
Quantum of Solace
WALL-E *
(Alternate: Defiance)

Best Visual Effects:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *
The Dark Knight **
Iron Man *
(Alternate: The Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian)

Best Foreign Language Film:

Waltz with Bashir **
The Class *
The Baadar Meinhoff Complex
Everlasting Moments
Revanche

Best Documentary:

Man on Wire **
Bigger, Stronger, Faster
Made in America
L.O.U.S.A
Standard Operating Procedure


Total nominations by film

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: 14
The Dark Knight: 13
Slumdog Millionaire : 7
The Wrestler: 3
WALL-E: 6
Milk: 8
Frost/Nixon: 5
Revolutionary Road: 4
Iron Man: 3

The rest all have 1 or 2.

[byte19]

13? i hope you're right!!

[WVsax27]

American Beauty is my favorite movie.

And I have no idea who the Online Film Critics really are, but I love all of the awards for Let the Right One In, my #2 of the year behind TDK

[jmc]

13? i hope you're right!!

13 nominations is pushing it I think. I'd guess 10 nods would be the max for TDK.

[The_Joker7895]

13 nominations is pushing it I think. I'd guess 10 nods would be the max for TDK.

I basically included it in as many Tech awards as possible, though I admit its chances at costume design and makeup are its most vulnerable in terms of Tech awards

[WVsax27]

It wouldn't shock me to see TDK left out of the final 3 for visual effects, that branch tends to go for more "cutting edge" effects and TDK has a lot of old school effects mixed in with the CGI.

[General Vulcun]

Like someone else said, the best effects are the ones you never notice. Based on that, TDK deserves one of those 3 spots.

[WVsax27]

Like someone else said, the best effects are the ones you never notice. Based on that, TDK deserves one of those 3 spots.


I'm basing this on what they go for. They like movies that push things, not necessarily what was done best. Iron Man and Ben Button are sure things probably, the third one is up in the air.

[jmc]

Don't forget though, TDK used a lot of traditional practical effects combined with subtle CGI, that could sway a lot of old school effects voters. No-one's going to argue that Button or Iron Man SFX weren't good, it's just CGI isn't everything when it comes to effects.

[WVsax27]

Don't forget though, TDK used a lot of traditional practical effects combined with subtle CGI, that could sway a lot of old school effects voters. No-one's going to argue that Button or Iron Man SFX weren't good, it's just CGI isn't everything when it comes to effects.

The effects branch is who picks the nominees, very very few of them are "old school effects" votes. To a lot of them, CGI and pushing the limit and craft is everything.

[Christmas]

Here are my final predictions for Thursday


Best Film Editing:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight **
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire *
(Alternate: Quantum of Solace)



Really??? I though the editing really really ruined that movie.

The rest of the list is pretty smart and probably close to how it will be though.

[jmc]

The effects branch is who picks the nominees, very very few of them are ''old school effects'' votes. To a lot of them, CGI and pushing the limit and craft is everything.

I wouldn't say that's the case, Transformers should have been a shoe in last year if that were the case. The thing is now we've come so far with CGI that ironically CGI is starting to look fake now. What TDK has done is the perfect balance between both practical and CGI effects, both complimented each other beautifully and in this digital age I dare say that complimentary combination will play a part in the voting process, not only that, the film just looked overall better because of it.

[dark_b]

Like someone else said, the best effects are the ones you never notice. Based on that, TDK deserves one of those 3 spots.based on that Button needs to win this 200 %.people are no teven aware when was brad pitt CGI.

[Nirvana]

Benjamin Button CGI was better than Dark Knight CGI.

[WVsax27]

I wouldn't say that's the case, Transformers should have been a shoe in last year if that were the case..

The whole academy votes for the winners of the tech awards...the separate branches pick the nominees. That is how that happened. I'm not saying I don't think it would be deserving, I just know as of late that branch hasn't been as quick to nominate movies that contain a lot of in camera tricks.

To counter that the Cinematographers are almost totally against any kind of digital work used to enhance the work done. Which is why Ben. Button probably wont win Best Cinematography.

[NickyTea]

Benjamin Button CGI was better than Dark Knight CGI.

How do you compare things that aren't trying to do the same thing? What's the base criteria?

[Anita18]

To counter that the Cinematographers are almost totally against any kind of digital work used to enhance the work done. Which is why Ben. Button probably wont win Best Cinematography.
Most films at least have a digital intermediate. TDK didn't because Pfister and Nolan are old school. :oldrazz:

I've read that the cinematographers are against filming with digital cameras, which may explain the cinematography snub for SR and Collateral.

[raynorWilm]

2 days! cant wait to see what all TDK racks up...

[infamous]

push for oscars.. push for more record breaking

[StylishHokie21]

When are the Oscars again?

[Great1]

When are the Oscars again?

Nominations are announced on Thursday
The winners are announced on Feb.22

[deathfromabove]

guys...and gals...not to start any beef...but vileone likes to play this game...a lot. ;)

Michael Caine back in December or November of '07 had already given an opinion of what Heath was up to and hinted that this was gonna be something special...Oscar worthy talk was already afoot. I remember even just after Heath passed away...even more people no longer wanted to keep secret about the super secret Joker performance he had turned in...and suddenly I was talking with friends already about the Oscar buzz...and we were still six months away from the release date and rumors like that were flying.

i agree. he does do that. :oldrazz:

but the oscar buzz was going well before his death. it just got amplified to 1000 after.

I have never seen such hand-wringing for a movie to get Oscar nominated. Ever. I can't believe there's even a debate. It's so obvious it should be nominated. If movies like Ghost, Moulin Rouge, Sixth Sense, Chocolat, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Fatal Attraction can be nominated for Best Pictures Oscars, The Dark Knight should be a no brainer. The only thing that is holding it back is that it's a superhero movie. If the Academy doesn't nominate it, then it will lose so much credibility. The Academy needs The Dark Knight much more than The Dark Knight needs the Academy.

and i agree with this too. but so much hand wringing makes me think it must be a shoe in for the big noms.

and i agree. the oscars need the dark knight more than it needs more praise. its already the film of the decade but oscar recognition would be the sweet cherry on top.

[Anita18]

What heartens me, reading last-minute predictions from Oscar pundits, is that most of them still believe that TDK will make it into the Best Picture lineup.

So even if the Academy doesn't nominate it on Thursday (I still call a boycott if that happens! :oldrazz: ), it will have been an actual snub, instead of just "Well, nobody thought it would anyway."

Nonetheless, it is very very cool that a superhero movie is meriting real serious consideration. :applaud:

[Boom]

I'm assuming they'll announce the nominees on television?

[Hunter Rider]

As long as Ledger and Mickey Rourke win, that is all that matters to me with this years Oscars.

[Boom]

I honestly don't know which way it's going to go for Best Actor. Seriously. I honestly can't choose between Penn and Rourke.

[Anita18]

Best Actress seems even more up in the air.

[Hunter Rider]

I honestly don't know which way it's going to go for Best Actor. Seriously. I honestly can't choose between Penn and Rourke.

Having seen both movies in the last 24 hours Ive gotta go with Rourke's.

[Kargo Warrior]

What heartens me, reading last-minute predictions from Oscar pundits, is that most of them still believe that TDK will make it into the Best Picture lineup.

So even if the Academy doesn't nominate it on Thursday (I still call a boycott if that happens! :oldrazz: ), it will have been an actual snub, instead of just "Well, nobody thought it would anyway."

Nonetheless, it is very very cool that a superhero movie is meriting real serious consideration. :applaud:

I really believe this won't be happening anytime soon again.

The only movie that will stand a chance will be Batman 3 if it lives up to The Dark Knight especially if TDK gets nominated in more than 8 categories.

When a movie that is number 2(number 1 from live action movies) of the year going by Top 10 lists,is the second best reviewed wide release(again,number 1 from live action movies) of the year,is the secong biggest domestic movie in history...a movie that has been crushing down stereotypes about the genre like a tornado and it's still unknown whether it will get a nomination a day before the awards...what are the chances for the other cb movies that will follow?

[saska83]

Let's hope the TDK will get for "original score", best supporting actor", "best screenplay", "best CGI"... I have some doubts for "best director" and "best picture"... The Academy is unpredictable...

[blueblazer2]

I really believe this won't be happening anytime soon again.

The only movie that will stand a chance will be Batman 3 if it lives up to The Dark Knight especially if TDK gets nominated in more than 8 categories.

When a movie that is number 2(number 1 from live action movies) of the year going by Top 10 lists,is the second best reviewed wide release(again,number 1 from live action movies) of the year,is the secong biggest domestic movie in history...a movie that has been crushing down stereotypes about the genre like a tornado and it's still unknown whether it will get a nomination a day before the awards...what are the chances for the other cb movies that will follow?

There's a chance that the Watchmen could get nominated for best picture next year if the film lives up to the hype

[Girl_Wonder]

They'll televise the nominations in the morning,right?
I can't wait! I truly believe TDK deserves at least a nomination nod.

[Boom]

What channel and time do they televise the nominations?

[Anita18]

What channel and time do they televise the nominations?
I have no flipping idea, but it'll be at 5:30am PST so I'll just catch 'em online. :oldrazz:

[byte19]

you got cable or sat E! network usually gives them out live....

[Fanticon]

So...if they're re-releasing it this Friday...why no TV Ads yet? I'm sure they must have a Heath Ledger promo ready to go....is WB just waiting to see the actual amount of nominations they're gonna get so they can do the "nominated for ____ academy awards" tv spot?

[Kargo Warrior]

So...if they're re-releasing it this Friday...why no TV Ads yet? I'm sure they must have a Heath Ledger promo ready to go....is WB just waiting to see the actual amount of nominations they're gonna get so they can do the "nominated for ____ academy awards" tv spot?

Especially if it gets a Best Pic nom...imagine people who haven't seen the movie yet because it's Batman and it's comic book...''Nominated for 8 Oscars including best picture...'' that would be a great advertisement.

[Fanticon]

just thinking about it gives me goosebumps :) I hope it gets the noms it truly deserves:up:

[jmc]

Best Actress seems even more up in the air.

It could be one of the most difficult to pick Actress lines ups in a long time. I want to say Winslet but I get the feeling Hathaway may sneak in.

[Silverglade]

I think the fact that (if) it has so many Oscar noms, there would be a new release of the Blu-Ray advertising the accolades... perhaps pushing Nolan to agree to include some of that precious behind the scenes footage. And let's admit, we want to see more Joker that was not used, cuz you know there is a lot on the cutting room floor. Anything at all.

[Pennyworth]

''Nominated for 8 Oscars including best picture...'' that would be a great advertisement.

That sounds so awesome...chills.

[WVsax27]

Here is why I think Kate Winslet will probably be nominated for two and go home with nothing...

The Globes clearly wanted to give her SOMETHING...so, to me, it seemed like the voters probably "covered their bases" just to make sure she would take one of them. I think some Oscar voters might be afraid to do that out of fear she ends up taking home two, which is going to end up splitting the vote

[Anita18]

That sounds so awesome...chills.
Indeed.

USA Today is setting up more support for TDK's Best Picture nom. And since it's USA Today, there actually might be a good deal of mainstream media backlash if it's snubbed. :hehe:

Batman has had a busy year.

First he came to the rescue of the box office as The Dark Knight became the second-highest-grossing film of all time and pushed 2008 to record ticket sales. He gave comic-book films a newfound cachet among critics and awards voters.

Now he may be asked to save Oscar

Though the film has become a magnet for trophy metal and turned the past two months into a running tribute to its late star, Heath Ledger, the movie's enduring legacy may be shaped by Thursday's Oscar nominations.

Ledger's portrayal of the demented Joker is considered a lock-nominee for best supporting actor (and he's the odds-on favorite to win it). Many also consider the comic-book adaptation a contender for other Academy Award honors, including best director, cinematography and editing.

But more than a few observers — including stars and filmmakers who had nothing to do with the picture — are rooting for The Dark Knight to nab the granddaddy nomination. They see the film as a bridge between populist and artistic fare and a breakthrough for comic-book films, which have never been nominated for best picture.

It 'balances things out'

And Oscar could use a shot in the arm. To shake things up for this year's telecast (Feb. 22 on ABC), the show has changed producers and is opting for star Hugh Jackman instead of a television personality as host.

But as the Oscars has continued to honor small, artsy films, the gala has drawn criticism that it's out of touch with the masses, who are tuning in less and less. Last year's ceremony, when No Country for Old Men won best picture, brought in only 32 million viewers, an all-time low.

Though no one is calling for the Oscars to become a popularity contest, critics say the academy has developed a bias against public favorites.

"For some reason, the academy has gotten away from recognizing what Hollywood does really well: entertain the masses," says media critic Elayne Rapping, a professor of American studies at the University at Buffalo. "Not all popular movies are good; many of them are terrible. But there is something to be said for entertaining great numbers of people. Recognizing The Dark Knight could be a sea change in the way commercial movies are treated."

That kind of talk makes Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan cringe. He still considers the original Superman the best comic-book movie ever made and doesn't buy that his Batman saga has brought a new pedigree to the genre. Nolan has been visibly uncomfortable accepting awards for Ledger, and he declined interview requests for this story.

So fans have taken up the Oscar crusade in his stead. And they've emerged from every corner.

Director Steven Spielberg sees Dark Knight a crucial counterweight to some of the smaller movies expected to vie for best picture, including Slumdog Millionaire, Milk and Frost/Nixon.

"I am really happy to see that The Dark Knight is making a last-minute run at recognition," he said after the Golden Globes. "I was very happy with the Heath (Golden Globe) win and am looking forward to some more Dark Knight momentum. … That balances things out."

For Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, star of movies including The Game Plan and The Scorpion King, The DarkKnight represents a chance for commercially viable films to be taken as seriously as art-house dramas and sweeping historical epics.

"It has always bothered me how quickly critics and (awards) voters dismiss something just because a lot of people like it," he says. "I really hope (The Dark Knight) gets nominated. I think it could dispel that disconnect between people who see the movies and the people who judge and write about them."

Finally, a familiar film

For moviegoers, a Dark Knight nomination could be the difference between watching the telecast or not. When asked whether they were more inclined to watch the Oscars this year if Dark Knight were up for best picture, 71% of the more than 2,500 respondents to a USA TODAY online vote said yes. An additional 11% said they would at least catch the supporting-actor and best-picture categories. Meanwhile, 18% wouldn't be persuaded to tune in.

The results match a survey of 7,000 moviegoers by movie-ticket reseller Fandango, which also found 71% would be more inclined to watch the telecast if The Dark Knight were nominated.

Mel Maurer, 71, a retiree from Westlake, Ohio, fell out of the habit of watching the Oscars several years ago because "my wife and I have found we're not as familiar with the nominated movies as we used to be." Also, he says, "the shows themselves aren't as well-produced."

But as a Batman fan since the days of the '40s serial, he is pretty sure he will watch this year. And even if he doesn't watch the entire telecast, "I'll be watching to make sure Ledger gets his award."

Mechanical engineer Erick Webster, 47, of Farmington Hills, Mich., usually skips the Oscar show because of its length and his lack of familiarity with most of the movies up for prizes.

"A lot aren't shown at my theater," he says of the titles that have been dominating the event for a while. "None of my family members (including sons Alex, 16, and Joe, 19) have an interest in the Oscars. They are too boring to them."

But he will be tuning in this year if Batman gets the call. "The Dark Knight was that good a movie, and Heath Ledger deserves an Oscar nomination, if not winning the Oscar."

Still, not every fan is willing to endure the whole ceremony.

"As much as I adore The Dark Knight and really feel it deserves to win for best picture, more than likely I will not watch the entire broadcast," says banker Lorna Lewis, 36, of Norwalk, Conn. Instead, she will focus on catching just the opening monologue and the supporting-actor and best-picture categories.

A Dark Knight nomination, suggests Kris Tapley of the awards site InContention.com, could be the secret to nabbing those elusive Internet-addicted viewers.

"You've got Wolverine (star Jackman) hosting the show, the Joker being honored, Iron Man perhaps getting some recognition," Tapley says. "This could be the year that populism and critical attention finally dovetail."

Why the underdog?

Yet no one considers a best-picture nomination for The Dark Knight a sure thing, despite its achievements. It grossed $531 million domestically, second only to Titanic's $600 million. (Titanic won best picture.) It will be rereleased on 250 regular and IMAX screens Friday.

Knight also bowled over critics, earning recommendations from 94% of the nation's film reviewers, according to RottenTomatoes.com. That makes it one of the best reviewed movies of the year, along with Iron Man and WALL·E, two films not expected to make the best-picture cut. The Joker's trademark "Why so serious?" has become the catchphrase of the season, much like last year's "I drink your milkshake" from best-picture nominee There Will Be Blood.

Still, The Dark Knight is viewed as being on the bubble, behind Slumdog, Milk, Frost/Nixon and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Other movies looking to make the final five are Doubt, The Wrestler and Gran Torino.

Part of The Dark Knight's challenge is to overcome the stigma of being a comic-book movie.

"All movies from certain genres have to face this challenge," says Tom O'Neil, author of Movie Awards and forecaster for the award site TheEnvelope.com. "No one thought a horror movie could win, and Silence of the Lambs had to prove them wrong. No one thought a fantasy film could win, and Lord of the Rings had to overcome that.

"The Dark Knight will have to do the same thing."

And although Ledger's death helped propel the movie's box-office performance and probably will earn him an acting nomination, the tragedy could prove a hindrance in the best-picture race, analysts say. Academy members are loath to honor a movie for sentimental reasons.

"You can argue that The Dark Knight is getting all this attention because of a perfect storm of events," Tapley says. "We had been hearing that Ledger was doing great things with the part way before he died. So it was going to be big, and he was going to get noticed. But is the movie this big if there's not some rubbernecking due to his death? Probably not."

If it does get nominated, it could become the dark horse to upset Slumdog or Button, much the way that 1995's Braveheart upset the favorites Sense and Sensibility and Apollo 13.

"This is the movie that throws the race into total mayhem if it gets nominated," O'Neil says. "It was the biggest movie of 2008, in just about every respect. You can't underestimate the power of that big a movie."

But should size matter?

"What hopefully won't get lost in all this is that, even though it's a popular movie, The Dark Knight is also a very good one," Rapping says. "It's true film noir. It could influence other directors to push the envelope with their mainstream films. In the end, the best thing for the movie is if it gets judged on its own merits, not on all things that surround it."

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-01-20-dark-knight-oscars_N.htm

[WVsax27]

I just wish Thursday would get here so I can stop thinking about it for a few days

[Anita18]

I just wish Thursday would get here so I can stop thinking about it for a few days
Me too. And the waiting will stop being so nerve-racking!

I do so wish that I'll be able to say, "Best birthday ever? I think so." on Thursday. :grin: Make it happen, AMPAS!

[philranger]

I just wish Thursday would get here so I can stop thinking about it for a few days
same here.
is it odd that i am going to wake my butt up at 5:15 am Thursday, make coffee, and then cuddle up with my cats to watch the announcements at 5:30am?:oldrazz:

[MSwift]

i hope i don't wake the neighbors when i yell when either TDK gets noms or gets snubbed.

i let out a very loud "Bull****!" when Nolan wasn't nominated for a Golden Globe.

Go TDK!!!

[Nirvana]

Indeed.

USA Today is setting up more support for TDK's Best Picture nom. And since it's USA Today, there actually might be a good deal of mainstream media backlash if it's snubbed. :hehe:



http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-01-20-dark-knight-oscars_N.htm

Excellent article! :up:

I saw Doubt today, very well acted. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if this took the fifth slot for Best Picture under Frost/Nixon.

[Boom]

"Academy members are loath to honor a movie for sentimental reasons."

So if Ledger wins, that means it's merited :up:.

[General Vulcun]

"This is the movie that throws the race into total mayhem if it gets nominated..."

Favorite quote of the article.

[philranger]

i had a vision. of the Oscars without Batman....It was all so very...boring.

(sorry, had to do it.)

[WVsax27]

I also saw Doubt today....Amy Adams=:heart:

Much more enjoyable than I expected it to be, a number of good laughs.

[scifiwolf]

"This is the movie that throws the race into total mayhem if it gets nominated..."

Favorite quote of the article.Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. The Dark Knight is an agent of chaos.

[Jokers_Wild]

same here.
is it odd that i am going to wake my butt up at 5:15 am Thursday, make coffee, and then cuddle up with my cats to watch the announcements at 5:30am?:oldrazz:

What time are the announcements on Thursday? (or should I say, where do you live)

[Kargo Warrior]

What time are the announcements on Thursday? (or should I say, where do you live)

25 hours from now.

[scifiwolf]

8:30 am EDT, 5:30 am PDT on E!

[Kargo Warrior]

Less than 24 hours away!!

I haven't been this excited about things that doesn't concern me personally since...well since TDK's opening day.

I'll be tremedeously dissapointed if it doesn't get a Best Pic nom even if it gets 10 other nominations which will be a contradiction in itself...

How can a movie have a better screenplay,direction,acting,sound,editing,SFX,cine matography than The Reader or Gran Torino but as whole to be on a lesser scale?It makes no sense.

[RakuMon]

Indeed.

USA Today is setting up more support for TDK's Best Picture nom. And since it's USA Today, there actually might be a good deal of mainstream media backlash if it's snubbed. :hehe:



http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-01-20-dark-knight-oscars_N.htm

The mainstream media is really riding the Dark Knight train. In addition to the UT piece, there are TDK/Oscar inspired pieces in the Associated Press (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5geh9kCzVLSVhT-sAoBH0AXRmTu3AD95Q0K1G1) and CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/21/oscar.advancer/).

[Kargo Warrior]

I was checking all the nominees from the past 30 years and the only blockbusters in the real sense of the word,meaning not drama's that made huge money were:

Jaws
E.T
Star Wars
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Lord Of The Rings 1,2,3

Placing TDK in that group makes me salivate :grin::woot::woot:

Anyway,21 hours to go.

[scifiwolf]

I'm really loving these articles on TDK's Oscar hopes. However, they're moot for nominations, as ballots have been cast. If TDK is nominated, this kind of press will help, especially in the next two weeks when members are voting. My thoughts are, if TDK garners at least 10 nominations, it truly deserves to win, and it just might. A movie that is the strongest nominee can make a good case for being the best all-around picture of the year.

[Dark Donnie]

It's gonna get alot..../Film it will battle Slumdog and Benjamin Button for the most.


While Ledger is surely gonna win, I'm also happy that RDJ is likely to get nominated for Tropic Thunder. I'd

[Anita18]

I'm really loving these articles on TDK's Oscar hopes. However, they're moot for nominations, as ballots have been cast.
Oh, I know. But anything to get those AMPAS guys nervous. :hehe:

[Anita18]

And the article on CNN:

Can 'Dark Knight' leap into Oscar contention?

When it comes to the Academy Awards, Hollywood has some biases.

Summer blockbusters get short shrift. Comedies aren't taken seriously. And animated features? They almost never get drawn.

Which, on the surface, doesn't bode well for three of the biggest movie stories of the year: "The Dark Knight," Robert Downey Jr.'s performance in "Tropic Thunder," and Pixar's latest marvel, "WALL-E."

Each earned critical plaudits and box office success. And each faces an uphill struggle nabbing major-category Oscar nominations when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces its shortlists Thursday morning.

Awards expert Tom O'Neil, who follows the Oscars for the Los Angeles Times' TheEnvelope.com, says the best-picture front-runners are "Frost/Nixon," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Milk" and Golden Globe best drama winner "Slumdog Millionaire." Barring a completely out-of-the-box surprise, that leaves "Dark Knight," "The Reader," Clint Eastwood's fast-gaining "Gran Torino" and possibly "Doubt" or "Revolutionary Road" to battle for the final slot. Video Watch who took home the Globes »

O'Neil believes "Dark Knight," the year's top box office draw, has "an excellent shot" of making the best-picture list.

"We know that because Oscar voters belong to guilds that have their own awards, 'Dark Knight' has a strong chance," he says, noting that the Directors Guild, Producers Guild and Writers Guild have all nominated "Dark Knight" for their top awards. Read what EW's Dave Karger has to say about that

"WALL-E," however, is almost certainly out of the best-picture race, he says. Animated features, no matter how successful, have fared poorly in general categories. Indeed, only one animated feature -- 1991's "Beauty and the Beast" -- has ever been nominated for best picture.

With the addition of the best animated feature category in 2001, it's doubtful that even the best Pixar has to offer will cross over to best picture, particularly since the Academy ignored classics including "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Fantasia" and "Toy Story."

"Oscar voters like reality," says O'Neil.

Either way, the Oscars could probably use the ratings help a box office success can bring to its broadcast. In recent years, the Academy has nominated several independent or low-budget films for top awards, many of which didn't crack the $100 million mark at the box office. Oscar ratings have tumbled; last year's numbers for "the Super Bowl for women" -- as the Oscar broadcast is known by advertisers -- were the lowest on record and a far cry from 1998, when more than 55 million people watched all-time box office king "Titanic" take home the top prize.

That's not to downgrade the expected front-runners, especially since the Oscars' intention is to honor some of the year's best films and performances (though critics have carped they've often not done so). Still, it might behoove the Academy to pay attention to box office as well as prestige, particularly when several films have garnered both. Almost three-quarters of the respondents to an unscientific USA Today Internet survey have said they'd be more likely to watch the Oscar ceremony February 22 if "The Dark Knight" is nominated for best picture.

"If a film is very successful, it shouldn't be automatically relegated to the minor leagues," producer Peter Guber told The Associated Press. (Ironically, Guber co-produced the 1989 "Batman," which, despite big box office and Jack Nicholson's Joker, was nominated for just one Oscar -- for Anton Furst's set design. It won.)

Historically, summer blockbusters haven't always been ignored. "Jaws," considered the first of the modern summer blockbusters, was nominated for best picture, as were "Star Wars," "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "The Fugitive."

And there's something to be said for giving visibility to smaller films, says John Martin, president and CEO of Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, an upscale theater chain based in Austin, Texas.

"As an exhibitor, we would love to see those [smaller niche] films make it as well," he says. "They would have legs [box office longevity] if nominated."

Martin, a former film executive, was pleased that "Slumdog" and "The Wrestler" -- two films his chain got behind -- fared so well at the Golden Globes, and he has high hopes for both films at the Oscars. "The Wrestler's" lead, Mickey Rourke, earned a Globe for best dramatic actor, and is now a leading candidate to win best actor at the Oscars.

O'Neil sees Rourke as the front-runner in the category, which should be "a real slugfest," he says. "Milk's" Sean Penn was considered the early leader, with his main competition "Frost/Nixon's" Frank Langella. But now Rourke is in the picture, which could mean trouble for Brad Pitt ("Benjamin Button"), Leonardo DiCaprio ("Revolutionary Road"), Clint Eastwood ("Gran Torino") and Richard Jenkins ("The Visitor"). Video Watch Eastwood talk about "Gran Torino" »

And Kate Winslet, a double winner at the Globes, could fall between the cracks in the Oscar balloting, O'Neil adds. Other awards let the performers or studios designate whether roles are leading or supporting; the Academy decides on its own, which means that Winslet's performances in "Revolutionary Road" and "The Reader" could split her support, whether for lead or supporting actress.

Heath Ledger should have no such problems. The late actor, whose performance as The Joker in "The Dark Knight" has been considered Oscar material since the film came out in July, is believed to be a shoo-in for best supporting actor. Ironically, he could be competing against Downey -- 2008's big comeback story -- for a performance as an actor who takes his Method a little too seriously in "Tropic Thunder."

Though comedies haven't received much nomination recognition, comedic performers have received some recognition, including "Blazing Saddles' " Madeline Kahn, "Heaven Can Wait's" Dyan Cannon and "A Fish Called Wanda's" Kevin Kline, which can't hurt Downey. There's also his personal story, says O'Neil: After drug abuse nearly killed his career, he starred in "Thunder" and "Iron Man," two of 2008's biggest hits.

"He's a hopeful spin on the Ledger story," O'Neil says.

Martin believes Ledger is a lock. "I wouldn't be surprised if he wins [outright]," he says.

But "Dark Knight"? Hollywood will have to get past its disdain for "comic-book movies." Which, O'Neil says, it should.

"This isn't just a superhero movie," says O'Neil. "It's come to the rescue of Hollywood during a dark time."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/21/oscar.advancer/

[philranger]

What time are the announcements on Thursday? (or should I say, where do you live)

i'm on the west coast, LA. So it will be nice and early for me:yay:

[Badabing45]

Final Predictions for the Bat.

Best Picture
Best Director - Chris Nolan
Best Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger
Best Film Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Original Score
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects
Best Art Direction

10 nominations.

[CristiMAN]

Final Predictions for the Bat.

Best Picture
Best Director - Chris Nolan
Best Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger
Best Film Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Original Score
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects
Best Art Direction

10 nominations.

That would be beyond amazing... But I'm lowering my expectations so that tomorrow I wont get too disapointed (like the golden globes or Bafta)...

[General Vulcun]

Judging everything at this point, I'm sticking with my original prediction that if TDK was to be completely shut out for the top prize, it would cause something of a backlash. Even though the ballots have been cast, it's looking like many people are expecting this film to get a nomination. No matter how well the other films may be, it seems like Oscar hate will be on the horizon if TDK were to be ignored.

[philranger]

That would be beyond amazing... But I'm lowering my expectations so that tomorrow I wont get too disapointed (like the golden globes or Bafta)...

i, myself, am cautiously optimistic. that being said, i have a really good feeling about tomorrow. people ( and not just fanboys) are too excited about this film.

[philranger]

Just think, this time tomorrow, we'll be basking in the glow of nomination glory, and the real discussions will begin over what chance TDK has over Slumdog

[Anita18]

i, myself, am cautiously optimistic. that being said, i have a really good feeling about tomorrow. people ( and not just fanboys) are too excited about this film.
Me too, and not because it's my birthday and I need some kind of karma make-up from last year. :oldrazz:

Just think, this time tomorrow, we'll be basking in the glow of nomination glory, and the real discussions will begin over what chance TDK has over Slumdog
Don't jinx it! :cmad:

And I'd actually rather have TDK not win. Nolan doesn't need the pressure of a third film looming over him than he does already.

Still catching up on Awards Daily. That place has become more :lmao: in terms of TDK haters and fanboys.

[CristiMAN]

Just think, this time tomorrow, we'll be basking in the glow of nomination glory, and the real discussions will begin over what chance TDK has over Slumdog

I'm guessing if it gets the top 2 (best film and best director) it has a good chance of winning them. We'll have to wait and see...

[Mister J]

Oscar Frenzy's Final Oscar Nominations Predictions (http://www.oscarfrenzy.com/commentary/oscar-frenzys-final-oscar-nominations-predictions/)


And here we go. The Academy announces its complete list of nominations bright and early Thursday morning. Usually, even in extremely predictable years, there are always one or two surprises. Some of the key questions this year are whether or not Clint Eastwood gets a nod for perhaps his last acting role, if The Dark Knight can indeed become the first “comic book movie” to score a Best Picture nomination, and how well will the Academy embrace a small film like Slumdog Millionaire. Here are our predictions:

Best Picture:

Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Dark Knight
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director:

Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
Gus Van Sant, Milk
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Actor:

Sean Penn, Milk
Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon

Best Actress:

Meryl Streep, Doubt
Cate Blanchett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Sally Hawkins, Happy Go Lucky
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road

Best Supporting Actor:

Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Josh Brolin, Milk
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder

Best Supporting Actress:

Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Viola Davis, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Total nominations:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - 12
The Dark Knight - 8
Slumdog Millionaire - 7
Frost/Nixon - 6
Milk - 6
Doubt - 6
The Reader - 5
Iron Man - 4
Revolutionary Road - 3
Judging that they're citing 8 noms, with only 3 listed, I imagine they feel some of the tech awards will favor kindly as well.

Funny quip from another site:
For: Best Picture

The Buzz: Christopher Nolan's (http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/christopher-nolan/1978215/main) second Batman triumph is that rare combination of mega-blockbuster (its $531 million haul is the second biggest ever) and critical darling. A Best Picture nod from the Producer's Guild helps its cause, but it was snubbed by the Globes, and the center of its awards focus still seems to be for the late Heath Ledger (http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/heath-ledger/2006248/main) as mercurial super-baddie the Joker. Be warned though, Academy: Pissed off fanboys are not fun to deal with.One way or another, tomorrow will certainly be ...festive. :hoboj:

[WVsax27]

It's gonna get alot..../Film it will battle Slumdog and Benjamin Button for the most.


At least I was going to discredit those predictions, but I noticed Dave Chen did not do them like he said he was. I love listening to that guy on the podcast, but the other night when they were talking about The Oscars none of them seemed to have a real idea of what was going on. Devindra was sure The Wrestler was a lock for a Best Picture nomination. Steve Mason doesn't do the Podcast and by looking at his picks he seems to at least have a basic understanding of the race

Scott Feinberg has TDK leading the way with 11 nominations, but leaves it as his Alt. for Best Picture. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/files/2009/01/feinberg-files.html

[cansi]

I dont know with you guys, but i think its kind a scary that there are som people at the Price Water House coopers company knows the oscar nom. rigth now...

[Mister J]

Scott Feinberg has TDK leading the was with 11 nominations, but leaves it as his Alt. for Best Picture. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/files/2009/01/feinberg-files.html
Muy bueno!

[Dark Knight]

Lets pray the Academy does the just thing and Nominate TDK for Best Picture and Nolan as Best Director.

[hatebox]

As far as Best Picture goes, whether it's nominated or not I wouldn't be surprised either way.

[Hunter Rider]

I'm gonna be more annoyed at 'The Wrestler' getting left out than TDK, but whatever....

[Dark Knight]

Muy bueno!



He has the freakin Reader ahead of the TDK for Best Picture??!!

What a sick joke!

[Dark Knight]

I'm gonna be more annoyed at 'The Wrestler' getting left out than TDK, but whatever....



I thought the Wrestler was a better film than Button, Frost and the snoozefest Reader. Even my wife thought so and she likes sapp films.

[Anita18]

Scott Feinberg has TDK leading the was with 11 nominations, but leaves it as his Alt. for Best Picture. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/files/2009/01/feinberg-files.html
Has that ever happened before, a movie going double-digits with nominations but no BP?

[Mister J]

It's funny, thinking back to our early impressions of the film, where most of us would have been thrilled with just the prospect of Heath getting a nomination. Now, we may be looking at a near lock for Heath and total noms approaching double digits, including BP. Crazy.

Though I would derive a certain amount of twisted amusement from seeing some of you have nuclear meltdowns over what's perceived as a 'snub', I'm hoping for a long TDK roll call tomorrow.

[Anita18]

It's funny, thinking back to our early impressions of the film, where most of us would have been thrilled with just the prospect of Heath getting a nomination. Now, we may be looking at a near lock for Heath and total noms approaching double digits, including BP. Crazy.
:applaud

It's pretty insane, isn't it? Although I would have expected a cinematography nom too since Pfister got one for BB. Which I still think was pretty cool back then. :up:

Though I would derive a certain amount of twisted amusement from seeing some of you have nuclear meltdowns over what's perceived as a 'snub', I'm hoping for a long TDK roll call tomorrow.
Stop making fun of me! :cmad:

[Anita18]

Okay, some guy named Marcus is posting this across multiple Oscar-watch blogs, but it's funny and indicative of the overall :lmao: over there, so....

Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Awardsdaily, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of The Dark Knight fails, when we forsake our reviews and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of Dark Knight comes crashing down! BUT IT IS NOT THIS DAY! THIS DAY WE FIGHT! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you: stand, Men of the Christopher Nolan!!! YOU WILL GET THE BEST PICTURE AND THE BEST DIRECTOR NOD! YOU DESERVE IT!

[Badabing45]

Has that ever happened before, a movie going double-digits with nominations but no BP?

No, it's never happened. The record is They Shoot Horses Don't They which had 9 nominations in 1969, but no Best Picture nomination.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Picture

[Boom]

Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Awardsdaily, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of The Dark Knight fails, when we forsake our reviews and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of Dark Knight comes crashing down! BUT IT IS NOT THIS DAY! THIS DAY WE FIGHT! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you: stand, Men of the Christopher Nolan!!! YOU WILL GET THE BEST PICTURE AND THE BEST DIRECTOR NOD! YOU DESERVE IT!

:dry:

Wow. This actually makes us look good.

[jmc]

Has that ever happened before, a movie going double-digits with nominations but no BP?

I think Dreamgirls got nominated for 10 awards but got shafted from the BP nod.

Edit: Turns out I was wrong, Badabing's got the answer.

[Anita18]

:dry:

Wow. This actually makes us look good.
For some nice lulz, go to http://www.awardsdaily.com/?tag=the-dark-knight and start reading the comments. :funny:

It makes me feel sane.

[Anita18]

I think Dreamgirls got nominated for 10 awards but got shafted from the BP nod.

Edit: Turns out I was wrong, Badabing's got the answer.
Yeah, IMDB says Dreamgirls had 8 noms.

[Boom]

Honestly, TDK getting Best Picture/Best Director nominations is a victory in my opinion. I never expected it to win either, nor will I if it manages to get those noms.

[jmc]

Honestly, TDK getting Best Picture/Best Director nominations is a victory in my opinion. I never expected it to win either, nor will I if it manages to get those noms.

A win is secondary, a nomination on the other hand might very well change the perceptions on how Hollywood blockbusters are now made, and more importantly, how WB goes about bringing it's other superhero properties to the screen.

[Fanticon]

I was checking all the nominees from the past 30 years and the only blockbusters in the real sense of the word,meaning not drama's that made huge money were:

Jaws
E.T
Star Wars
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Lord Of The Rings 1,2,3

Placing TDK in that group makes me salivate :grin::woot::woot:

Anyway,21 hours to go.

What about Forrest Gump?

[jmc]

I don't think Gump was intended as a blockbuster.

[Mister J]

A win is secondary, a nomination on the other hand might very well change the perceptions on how Hollywood blockbusters are now made, and more importantly, how WB goes about bringing it's other superhero properties to the screen.
These are pretty much my feelings on it. It's all gravy at this point, but Academy recognition (just a nomination) in the major categories is going to carry A LOT of political weight with the Hollywood suits. A mega-blockbuster that's achieved at the highest of commercial and critical success should be inspiring and beneficial to the general health of the comic film genre all around, especially (hopefully) at WB.

[Dark Knight]

My predictions for the top 5 Nominated films for Best Picture of 2008 that I feel should be recognized and nominated. This would allow for some diversity within the film genres and would be represented well.

Milk
The Wrestler
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

[Dark Knight]

Honestly, TDK getting Best Picture/Best Director nominations is a victory in my opinion. I never expected it to win either, nor will I if it manages to get those noms.



Exactly! TDK being Nominated for Best Picture and Nolan being Nominated for Best Director IS the VICTORY!

[Kieser1]

When are the Oscar nominations revealed? And when is the ceromony actually held?

I feel like it's been forever...

[The Chris]

My predictions for the top 5 Nominated films for Best Picture of 2008 that I feel should be recognized and nominated. This would allow for some diversity within the film genres and would be represented well.

Milk
The Wrestler
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I hope it's that, but I see Frost/Nixon getting in.

[Boom]

I'll be on the road tomorrow when E! announces the nominees.

Could someone record it and post it online?

[The Chris]

When are the Oscar nominations revealed? And when is the ceromony actually held?

I feel like it's been forever...

8:30 am eastern time tomorrow I think. I don't think I could watch. I may just go online hours later. I'm too nervous about this.

[luke1234]

I hope it's that, but I see Frost/Nixon getting in.

agreed stupid ron howard

[Dark Knight]

I hope it's that, but I see Frost/Nixon getting in.



Most likely even though the film is really nothing special....but the Academy falls for Ron Howards crap....

[Caped Crusader]

Getting butterflies lol

[Silverglade]

Getting butterflies lol

Me too haha. And I like it. Its fun being excited about all of this. Like we are somehow part of the victory.

Too bad I can't watch E! at work tomorrow morning so I will be refreshing this thread! :word:

[batman11]

I like this tension...I LIKE IT!

[Doctor Jones]

I got school tomorrow obviously so I won't be able to catch it. I'll have to wait until I get home.

But coincidently, I'm presenting my final film study project tomorrow. And I'm doing TDK. We had to pick out a scene and analyze it. I did the bank heist. So maybe if I do good it could be a good sign saying something. That's just me. Everything happens for a reason for me.

[cansi]

the butterflies is also here...

I´m lookin forward to the happines and the joy...
But if its getting snub then i dont know what i´am gonna feel. Sure i´ll be happy for Heath, and sad, its been a year.

[Anita18]

agreed stupid ron howard
That reminds me of someone at World of KJ when Defiance and Ed Zwick got onto the NBR top 10...

"IS THAT CRETIN ED ZWICK A MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZATION OR SOMETHING

WHY DOES HE ALWAYS GET IN

i hate him so much"

Now whenever I see ads for Defiance I can't help but think of "that cretin Ed Zwick." :lmao:

[The Chris]

I got school tomorrow obviously so I won't be able to catch it. I'll have to wait until I get home.

But coincidently, I'm presenting my final film study project tomorrow. And I'm doing TDK. We had to pick out a scene and analyze it. I did the bank heist. So maybe if I do good it could be a good sign saying something. That's just me. Everything happens for a reason for me.

Good luck on that analysis.

[philranger]

Me too, and not because it's my birthday and I need some kind of karma make-up from last year. :oldrazz:.


Happy birthday Anita!:yay:

[Lasirius]

Just saw Benjamin Button last night and was really excited to see it. I was left incredibly dissapointed/angry and can't see why it's being considered as a candidate for BP.

[philranger]

Just saw Benjamin Button last night and was really excited to see it. I was left incredibly dissapointed/angry and can't see why it's being considered as a candidate for BP.

what didn't you liek about it? Just wondering. i liked the film, but not enough to be my fav for best pic. It felt too much like Forrest Gump, Titanic, and the Notebook all rolled into one. don't get me wrong. i enjoyed the movie. But it didn't feel completely original to me.

on the other hand, i can totally see why the Academy would really go for this one.

[Lasirius]

what didn't you liek about it? Just wondering. i liked the film, but not enough to be my fav for best pic. It felt too much like Forrest Gump, Titanic, and the Notebook all rolled into one. don't get me wrong. i enjoyed the movie. But it didn't feel completely original to me.

on the other hand, i can totally see why the Academy would really go for this one.

Just like you said, it resembled a whole lot to Gump and it had a lot of unnecessary scenes. It seemed like Fincher only made it longer just for the heck of it. I disliked the Daisy character which eventually annoyed me. I enjoyed the first half but once the characters grew older(or younger) I lost touch with them.

[Dark Knight]

Just saw Benjamin Button last night and was really excited to see it. I was left incredibly dissapointed/angry and can't see why it's being considered as a candidate for BP.



Yep! It's definitely an over rated film.....

[[A]]

Good :woot: now all we need is people to realize that Memoirs of a Slumdog is overrated too and that'll be it.