Oscar Nominations 2010: My Thoughts

As I noted in my previous blog entry, a lot of the frontrunners this year in the major categories were my own personal favorites... so I knew I'd like the nominations for the most part.  Sadly, again, the overwhelming amount of prognosticating has made the nominations a simple confirmation.  If you open the Entertainment Weekly from Jan. 7, you'll see just about all of the nominees laid out (as with last year's EW predicts issue).

The Academy's switch to ten nominees for Best Picture is still idiotic. And can we please kill Best Song already.... I don't really want to begrudge anyone their nomination-- but just look at the list.

Last year, I noted that the two week push back to Feb. for the noms— due to the Olympics— led to a less "exciting" announcement and that a Jan. announcement might have been less dull.  And for me at least it was true— for some reason I was so much more excited for the nominations this year. Even the newscaster at the local ABC affiliate said this year seems more exciting.  But again, too bad we already knew who all the nominees would be!

I offer my thoughts below, this year I'm taking out biggest "shocks" because there just aren't any anymore among the nominees... maybe the biggest "surprise" nomination (if you want to call it that) is Javier Bardem's Best Actor nomination for BIUTIFUL, and the surprise shut-out would be Christopher Nolan for INCEPTION (and I'll just say it now: it's idiotic that the Coens bested him for TRUE GRIT in this category).

MOST EXCITING NOMINATIONS FOR ME (SOOO HAPPY THESE MADE IT)
Michelle Williams in BLUE VALENTINE [thank god]
Geoffrey Rush in THE KING'S SPEECH
Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT
Best Cinematography for THE KING'S SPEECH
Best Documentary for EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP
Best Foreign Language film for DOGTOOTH

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS— WISH THEY HAD MADE IT
BLUE VALENTINE for Best Picture (as if!)
Mila Kunis in BLACK SWAN
Pierce Brosnan in THE GHOST WRITER
Armie Hammer in THE SOCIAL NETWORK

What Film Will Get the Most Oscar Nominations?

Tomorrow morning at 5:38 AM PST, the Oscar nominations will be announced.  It's time for the annual parlor game: What is your guess for the film that will get the most nominations? Last year it was a tie between AVATAR and THE HURT LOCKER (nine each).

Here are the possible choices for this year:

THE SOCIAL NETWORK and THE KING'S SPEECH: The two Best Picture front-runners have definite nominations as well in such categories as Director, Acting, Screenplay, and Score.  SPEECH has bonus locks in Art Direction and Costume Design.

TRUE GRIT: Many possible nominations including: Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actress, Screenplay, Editing, Art Direction, and Cinematography.

BLACK SWAN: Many possible nominations, including: Picture, Director, Actress, Supporting Actress, Screenplay, Editing, Costumes, and Cinematography

INCEPTION: The only likely Best Picture nominee with a strong chance in the effects categories, it would need long-shot acting nominations to put it over the top.

THE FIGHTER and THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT: Both have multiple acting locks and have a definite chance in the Picture/Director/Screenplay categories.

My pick is THE KING'S SPEECH with BLACK SWAN, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, TRUE GRIT, and THE FIGHTER closely behind in a veritable dead heat for second place.

My Oscar Ballot: Movie Year 2010

The 83rd Annual Oscar nominations will be announced Tuesday. Here are the nominees I'll be rooting for (many that are locks this year, happy to say):

Of the nominees that appear to be "locks":
Best Picture: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher for The Social Network
Best Director: Tom Hooper for The King's Speech
Best Director: Christopher Nolan for Inception
Best Actor: Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network
Best Actor: Robert Duvall in Get Low
Best Actor: Colin Firth in The King's Speech
Best Actress: Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale in The Fighter
Best Supporting Actor: Jeremy Renner in The Town
Best Supporting Actor: Mark Ruffalo in The Kids Are All Right
Best Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush in The King's Speech
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams in The Fighter
Best Supporting Actress: Mila Kunis in Black Swan
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo in The Fighter
Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network
Best Original Screenplay: The King's Speech
Best Cinematography: The King's Speech

Of the nominees that have a good chance:
Best Documentary: Exit Through the Gift Shop

Of the "dark horse" variety:

Best Director: Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer

Best Supporting Actor: Pierce Brosnan in The Ghost Writer
Best Supporting Actor: Armie Hammer in The Social Network
Best Supporting Actress: Mia Wasikowska in The Kids Are All Right
Best Original Screenplay: Blue Valentine
Best Original Screenplay: Despicable Me
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Ghost Writer

No chance, but how cool if:
Best Picture: Blue Valentine
Best Director: Derek Cianfrance for Blue Valentine
Best Director: Banksy for Exit Through the Gift Shop
Best Supporting Actress: Dakota Fanning in The Runaways
Best Supporting Actress: Chloe Moretz in Kick-Ass
Best Supporting Actress: Lucy Punch in You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
Best Adapted Screenplay: Youth in Revolt

Bond Is Back (Bond 23): Spread the Word

Its official as of today, James Bond will return on November 9, 2012!  Daniel Craig's third... he'll outdistance Timothy Dalton (the last victim of MGM's financial woes) with this new film.

The next question is: what will the title be?  Everyone in Bond fandom believes that the Ian Fleming short story title "The Property of A Lady" is a likely candidate. Ironically, that was to be the title of Dalton's third film before it was scrapped.

Link to MI6 fan club site's article on the release.

One Line Review's Top Ten Movies and Noteworthy Achievements 2010

TOP TEN 2010 (alphabetical):
Blue Valentine (d. Derek Cianfrance)
Exit Through the Gift Shop (d. Banksy)
The Fighter (d. David O. Russell)
Get Low (d. Aaron Schneider)
The Ghost Writer (d. Roman Polanski)
Inception (d. Christopher Nolan)
The King’s Speech (d. Tom Hooper)
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (d. Edgar Wright)
The Social Network (d. David Fincher)
Youth in Revolt (d. Miguel Arteta)


NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS:

Best Film:
Blue Valentine

Best Actor:
Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network

Best Actress:
Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine

Best Supporting Actor:
Pierce Brosnan in The Ghost Writer

Best Supporting Actress:
Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit

Best Original Screenplay:
Derek Cianfrance, Joey Curtis, & Cami Delavigne for Blue Valentine

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Aaron Sorkin for The Social Network

Best Director:
Derek Cianfrance for Blue Valentine

Honorable Mentions:

Best Picture: Exit Through the Gift Shop, The Social Network

Best Actor: Robert Duvall (Get Low), Colin Firth (The King’s Speech).

Best Actress: Kristen Bell (When in Rome).

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale (The Fighter), Armie Hammer (The Social Network), Jeremy Renner (The Town), Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right), Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech), Justin Timberlake (The Social Network), Owen Wilson (How Do You Know).

Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams (The Fighter), Dakota Fanning (The Runaways), Mila Kunis (Black Swan), Melissa Leo (The Fighter), Chloe Moretz (Kick-Ass), Lucy Punch (You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger), Mia Wasikowska (The Kids Are All Right).

Best Adapted Screenplay: Robert Harris & Roman Polanski (The Ghost Writer), Gustin Nash (Youth in Revolt).

Best Original Screenplay: Ken Daurio, Sergio Pablos, & Cinco Paul (Despicable Me), David Seidler (The King’s Speech).

Best Director: Banksy (Exit Through the Gift Shop), David Fincher (The Social Network), Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech), Christopher Nolan (Inception), Roman Polanski (The Ghost Writer).