the envelope, please

[bix02138]

the oscar nominations popped out this morning, and there were some head-scratching surprises (where's clint?) and some delightful surprises (marisa tomei and kate winslet were both appropriately nominated, and for the right roles, and michael shannon's completely deserved nomination (which may, alas, be overlooked in the hagiographic excess attached to heath ledger)). i have indicated the films i have seen in green, and bulleted those nominations which are my favorites.

best picture
the curious case of benjamin button
frost/nixon

milk
the reader
slumdog millionaire

best actor
richard jenkins, the visitor
frank langella, frost/nixon
sean penn, milk
brad pitt, the curious case of benjamin button

mickey rourke, the wrestler

best actress
anne hathaway, rachel getting married
angelina jolie, changeling
melissa leo, frozen river
meryl streep, doubt

kate winslet, the reader

best supporting actor
josh brolin, milk
robert downey jr., tropic thunder
philip seymour hoffman, doubt
heath ledger, the dark knight

michael shannon, revolutionary road

best supporting actress
amy adams, doubt
penelope cruz, vicky cristina barcelona
viola davis, doubt
taraji p. henson, the curious case of benjamin button

marisa tomei, the wrestler

best director
david fincher, the curious case of benjamin button
ron howard, frost/nixon

gus van sant, milk
stephen daldry, the reader
danny boyle, slumdog millionaire

best foreign film
the baader meinhof complex, germany
the class, france
departures, japan
revanche, austria
waltz with bashir, israel.

best animated feature film
bolt
kung fu panda
wall-e

fortunately, frost/nixon, bolt, and waltz with bashir are still showing locally.

Comments

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

Thanks to having met you, I have seen many many more of the nominated films this year than I have ever seen before.

And even still have not seen all of them. something to aim for for next year.

I'm extremely interested in Waltz with Bashir... and... as you know... Bolt. I have an interest in Frost/Nixon, but it is not on my MUST see list.

[bix02138.livejournal.com]

we need to get to bolt. i think waltz with bashir is either at or coming to kendall.

it looks like i might get to see frost/nixon in denver (i may take a break and wander off to do that as a mind-cleanser).

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

I absolutely concur with you, RE: Bolt. And Waltz is at Kendall now!


That sounds excellent. And hooray for cleansing your mind.

I may see slumdog millionaire as a sort of pause from building this weekend... I keep on hearing about it... and Brandon wont stop talking about it.

[bix02138.livejournal.com]

cool. i think you'll enjoy slumdog.
you may want to hit bashir, too; it probably won't be around long.

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

Noted... if I have time I'll definitely run by it.

[mark-shutterbug.livejournal.com]

I have seen too few of the nominees to make any educated comments. But, if Melissa Leo should win, it would be well deserved.

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

What happened to that sex-soaked international craze hit, The Bitter Tears of Miss Kitten S?

[bix02138.livejournal.com]

i don't think enough academy members understand the obscure taiwanese dialect used in bitter tears. the film is really beyond comprehension if one doesn't understand the commentary of the old woman under the beech tree.

but i'll grant you that miss kitten s. is a natural; her seductive tabletop dance scenes are among the most arresting ever set to film. i don't think she should have been deported for her art, but am happy she has found an american home in her dotage.

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

How clever of you to understand the essentially gnostic role played by Old Mother Beech in that film.

Kitten was only ever really understood in Paris. I've heard her murmur reverently on more than one occasion: "Thank Goddess for Cahiers du cinema!"

[guiser1.livejournal.com]

YOu'll enjoy Frost/Nixon. It's a little contrived, but what movie isn't? And Frank Langella is that good.

[bix02138.livejournal.com]

well, that's ok. i got enough raw realism in benjamin button (and how nice to see e.t. got work again after all these years!).

[arktos62.livejournal.com]

Disappointing that In Bruges didn't make it. Once again, Belgium gets ignored.