InmanRoshi: no ugly people in major roles ... or at least a beautiful person playing someone with a physical or mental handicapp

This is the big thing I agree with you on. Its also why I refuse to watch the American Girl with The Dragon Tattoo.

In the original version, they cast actors who look realistically downtrodden and afflicted by their experiences. Daniel Craig looks like he has his existential crises while doing like a million crunches.

Axissillian: The problem with the King's Speech is that its essentially EXACTLY what you think of when you think of an "Oscar Winning" film.

Historical? Check.
Royalty? Check.
War? Check.
Affliction treated by radical new thinking? Check.

Leading actor with physical or mental handicap (check)

Widely respected method actor hamming it up and chewing up scenery in a supporting role (check).

PsyLord: Really? Sarah Palin? I never thought that these award shows had any merit. This just adds to that belief. Seriously, swag and awards for actors and musicians but no widely televised awards for teachers, scientists, doctors, humanitarians, etc? Our society sucks.


So, if there were an award show for Best History Teacher, would you watch it? They should all definetely be recognized and awarded more than they are, but come on, there is enough crap on tv without having to search through the Best Gynocologist Awards.

/then again...

ben_reddy: PsyLord: Really? Sarah Palin? I never thought that these award shows had any merit. This just adds to that belief. Seriously, swag and awards for actors and musicians but no widely televised awards for teachers, scientists, doctors, humanitarians, etc? Our society sucks.


So, if there were an award show for Best History Teacher, would you watch it? They should all definetely be recognized and awarded more than they are, but come on, there is enough crap on tv without having to search through the Best Gynocologist Awards.

/then again...

I think we have safely reached the point in history where the merits of an award is inversely proportionate to whether it is on TV, and how many people watch it.

Cannes 4eva

Yeah, it fit a lot of the criteria but it was still a solid movie that struck all the right notes for me.

interface2x: Yeah, it fit a lot of the criteria but it was still a solid movie that struck all the right notes for me.

I feel like a category like "Best" deserves more than competent.

The idea of "Best" at the Academy Awards now seems to be "pretty film that makes us feel good/"

Like, compare Winter's Bone to The King's Speech

-More complex characters
-Morally and Emotionally challenging
-Devoid of any "moral" or "message"
-Doesn't focus on beautiful and affluent people
-Forces the viewer to question themselves as a participant

Axissillian: -More complex characters
-Morally and Emotionally challenging
-Devoid of any "moral" or "message"
-Doesn't focus on beautiful and affluent people
-Forces the viewer to question themselves as a participant


- Also, no trite and convenient ending where all the characters go on to live happily ever after. The real story behind the King's Speech could have been more complex, but they decided to gloss over that whole Edward VIII being a blatant Nazi sympathizer, who actually Honymooned in Nazi Germany as a guest of Hitler, and Winston Churchill propping him up to keep him on the throne.

Winters Bone was a movie for grownups. The Kings Speech is a movie for people who wanted to escape being a grownup for a couple of hours. I guess in the end it's all subjective and a matter of taste, but I prefer the James Beard Award to not be handed out for cotton candy and gummy bears.

InmanRoshi:
- Also, no trite and convenient ending where all the characters go on to live happily ever after.

If I can be allowed to continue to stroke my Winter's boner, the most provocative part of the movie for me was that I found myself rooting for the character to succeed due to my sympathy for her needs despite objectively understanding that her and her family would actually be better off losing the house and being taken in by the state.

Being able to root for a character making the wrong decision because you are given the opportunity to understand their motive's for making it is storytelling at its finest.

DamnYankees: Axissillian: Like, compare Winter's Bone to The King's Speech

The King's Speech was a better movie than Winter's Bone.

...in your opinion. And that's fine.

DamnYankees:

Absolutely, but its annoying when people condescend to those that might think that. As if people who think its better than Winter's Bone are just dumb or easily placated.

Who was condescending? There are generally agreed upon criteria for what makes art great. If there weren't, there would be no realistic reason not to give 'Twilight' the Pulitzer prize. I was simply pointing out that by the standards most critics use to define great film-making, Winter's Bone is pretty much the better film.

DamnYankees: bigmattress: DamnYankees: Axissillian: Like, compare Winter's Bone to The King's Speech

The King's Speech was a better movie than Winter's Bone.

...in your opinion. And that's fine.

Absolutely, but its annoying when people condescend to those that might think that. As if people who think its better than Winter's Bone are just dumb or easily placated.

I could see that. My guess is that you don't think of yourself of as either, though, so don't sweat it, man.

I'd like to give Jennifer Lawrence the bone.

/the bone is my penis

DamnYankees: bigmattress: DamnYankees: Axissillian: Like, compare Winter's Bone to The King's Speech

The King's Speech was a better movie than Winter's Bone.

...in your opinion. And that's fine.

Absolutely, but its annoying when people condescend to those that might think that. As if people who think its better than Winter's Bone are just dumb or easily placated.

I really liked Winter's Bone but my guess is that 10 years from now it will be The Kings speech they play on tbs along with Shawshank and The Hunt for Red October. And just like both those movies, no matter where in the movie it's at I'll be magically compelled to leave it on that channel and watch the rest of it.

Hoboclown: If great movies were based on great writing alone, they'd be books. Suggesting that the cinematography, editing, and performances of a film don't have as much importance to a movie as the script is straight up laughable.

They don't. The script is the fundamental part of the movie, because what we actually care about in movies is the really basic stuff of story, character and dialogue. Take a poor script and throw a great director and cast at it and you'll still get a poor movie.

A bad script is like getting bad food in a restaurant. It doesn't matter that the decor, music and service were good, it's still not a good restaurant. If you get good food, but bad decor and service, you'd probably consider it as an OK restaurant. A great restaurant is when the food, service and decor are all good.

gunga galunga: I'd like to give Jennifer Lawrence the bone.

/the bone is my penis

I don't get it.

DamnYankees: Meanwhile, movies like Fantasia, Baraka and Koyaanisqatsi are brilliant films even though they literally have no story, no characters and no dialogue.

Which are really just music videos/soundscapes. Just because it's on a theater, doesn't make it a movie, unless you also consider U2's Rattle and Hum to be a movie.

farkeruk: DamnYankees: Meanwhile, movies like Fantasia, Baraka and Koyaanisqatsi are brilliant films even though they literally have no story, no characters and no dialogue.

Which are really just music videos/soundscapes. Just because it's on a theater, doesn't make it a movie, unless you also consider U2's Rattle and Hum to be a movie.

*sigh* Dude, you're not helping yourself. Very incorrect.

buck1138: I really liked Winter's Bone but my guess is that 10 years from now it will be The Kings speech they play on tbs along with Shawshank and The Hunt for Red October. And just like both those movies, no matter where in the movie it's at I'll be magically compelled to leave it on that channel and watch the rest of it.

REO Speedwagon's 1980 Take It On the Run still gets regular airplay on classic rock stations. It's still a shiatty song, and many other songs and albums released that year that are much better despite not getting regular radio play today.

InmanRoshi: buck1138: I really liked Winter's Bone but my guess is that 10 years from now it will be The Kings speech they play on tbs along with Shawshank and The Hunt for Red October. And just like both those movies, no matter where in the movie it's at I'll be magically compelled to leave it on that channel and watch the rest of it.

REO Speedwagon's 1980 Take It On the Run still gets regular airplay on classic rock stations. It's still a shiatty song, and many other songs and albums released that year that are much better despite not getting regular radio play today.

True, I do the same thing if Roadhouse is on.

Nice to see Warhorse got a nom, Sarah Jessica Parker really put everything she had into that role.

farkeruk: A bad script is like getting bad food in a restaurant. It doesn't matter that the decor, music and service were good, it's still not a good restaurant. If you get good food, but bad decor and service, you'd probably consider it as an OK restaurant. A great restaurant is when the food, service and decor are all good.

Lousy analogy. The script by itself might be the recipe, but it takes quality ingredients and someone who knows how to cook to make a decent meal.

The script is the plot. The script plus the direction, cinematography, score, editing and performances is the movie. The writing is important, sure, but you're saying that's the only thing people are going to see. Seems like Hollywood could save a lot of money just publishing the scripts in book form and selling them in stores. It'd make the same money, right? Since that's all people want?

farkeruk: DamnYankees: Meanwhile, movies like Fantasia, Baraka and Koyaanisqatsi are brilliant films even though they literally have no story, no characters and no dialogue.

Which are really just music videos/soundscapes. Just because it's on a theater, doesn't make it a movie, unless you also consider U2's Rattle and Hum to be a movie.

Hahaha, what??

bigmattress: gunga galunga: I'd like to give Jennifer Lawrence the bone.

/the bone is my penis

I don't get it.

It's a "way homer".

gunga galunga: bigmattress: gunga galunga: I'd like to give Jennifer Lawrence the bone.

/the bone is my penis

I don't get it.

It's a "way homer".


/hot like Dot

My wife wants to get in the habit of seeing all of the Best Picture nominees every year. I was on board but after seeing the list...ehhhhhhh. Only ones I really want to see are Moneyball, The Help (kinda) and Descendants.

Has anyone seen Tree of Life? What exactly am I in for? The reviews make it sound like a David Lynch flick and I hate that kind of vague avant-garde weirdness.

/she's on her own for the Woody Allen movie, can't stand that guy.

xalres: My wife wants to get in the habit of seeing all of the Best Picture nominees every year. I was on board but after seeing the list...ehhhhhhh. Only ones I really want to see are Moneyball, The Help (kinda) and Descendants.

Has anyone seen Tree of Life? What exactly am I in for? The reviews make it sound like a David Lynch flick and I hate that kind of vague avant-garde weirdness.

/she's on her own for the Woody Allen movie, can't stand that guy.

I haven't seen The Tree of Life, but Woody Allen isn't actually in Midnight in Paris, so you shouldn't let that stop you. My brother-in-law feels the same way about him, but he enjoyed the movie.

"Academy Award Winning" basically means hacky, tepid crappy these days. Come on, these are the people who chose Dances with Wolves over Goodfellas! And Crash over Brokeback Mountain!

gunga galunga: xalres: My wife wants to get in the habit of seeing all of the Best Picture nominees every year. I was on board but after seeing the list...ehhhhhhh. Only ones I really want to see are Moneyball, The Help (kinda) and Descendants.

Has anyone seen Tree of Life? What exactly am I in for? The reviews make it sound like a David Lynch flick and I hate that kind of vague avant-garde weirdness.

/she's on her own for the Woody Allen movie, can't stand that guy.

I haven't seen The Tree of Life, but Woody Allen isn't actually in Midnight in Paris, so you shouldn't let that stop you. My brother-in-law feels the same way about him, but he enjoyed the movie.

It's more about one of those running arguments we have. She actively hates Michael Jackson's music because she thinks he's a creepy pedo but thinks I need to look past that kind of thing and see the artistic merits of the works of guys like Woody Allen or Roman Polanski. It helps that I don't like the styles of either of those guys.

Random thoughts:

-No Tintin in Animated Film? Shocking, that.

-A Muppet movie could score an Oscar. I'm down for that.

-Not surprised to see The Artist get a crapload of nominations.

-"Academy Award nominee Kristen Wiig"? I don't feel good about this.

-"Academy Award nominee Jonah Hill"? I don't feel good about this.

-"Academy Award nominee Gary Oldman"? I d-... okay, THAT'S boss.

-Trent Reznor didn't get another Best Score nomination this year? Huh. I would've counted on that.

-I'd love to see someone other than Meryl Streep win Best Actress this year, if only for the simple reason that the other four nominees haven't won anything.

-I'm surprised that Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close scored a Best Picture nomination with such lukewarm reviews (namely, overall rotten ratings at Rotten Tomatoes), but it's interesting to see Max von Sydow back in the hunt for an Oscar.

xalres: My wife wants to get in the habit of seeing all of the Best Picture nominees every year. I was on board but after seeing the list...ehhhhhhh. Only ones I really want to see are Moneyball, The Help (kinda) and Descendants.

Has anyone seen Tree of Life? What exactly am I in for? The reviews make it sound like a David Lynch flick and I hate that kind of vague avant-garde weirdness.

/she's on her own for the Woody Allen movie, can't stand that guy.

If you're not that bright, but want to feel like you are for a couple hours, watch Tree of Life. Otherwise watch a decent Malick flick like Badlands.

A nomination for Best Original Screenplay for a movie without any dialogue?

That's a shark-jumpin'!

sunsawed: A nomination for Best Original Screenplay for a movie without any dialogue?

That's a shark-jumpin'!

What?! You're joking right?

*clicks*

Holy shiat!

Toshiro Mifune's Letter Opener: Random thoughts:

-No Tintin in Animated Film? Shocking, that.

-A Muppet movie could score an Oscar. I'm down for that.

-Not surprised to see The Artist get a crapload of nominations.

-"Academy Award nominee Kristen Wiig"? I don't feel good about this.

-"Academy Award nominee Jonah Hill"? I don't feel good about this.

-"Academy Award nominee Gary Oldman"? I d-... okay, THAT'S boss.

-Trent Reznor didn't get another Best Score nomination this year? Huh. I would've counted on that.

-I'd love to see someone other than Meryl Streep win Best Actress this year, if only for the simple reason that the other four nominees haven't won anything.

-I'm surprised that Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close scored a Best Picture nomination with such lukewarm reviews (namely, overall rotten ratings at Rotten Tomatoes), but it's interesting to see Max von Sydow back in the hunt for an Oscar.

From what I read TinTin was not nominated because the Academy doesn't view Mo-Cap as Animation. Although it won the Golden Globe for best animation.

Man in the BoX: From what I read TinTin was not nominated because the Academy doesn't view Mo-Cap as Animation. Although it won the Golden Globe for best animation.

Ohhhh... okay, gotcha.


sunsawed: A nomination for Best Original Screenplay for a movie without any dialogue?

That's a shark-jumpin'!

There's more to a screenplay than spoken words.

Case in point, Wall-E. It got a screenplay nomination, and a lot of that's due to that dialogue-free (but brilliant) first half-hour or so.

Or what DamnYankees said.

Thraeryn: I'm really surprised that more songs from "The Muppets" weren't nominated; I didn't think Bret wrote them all, but maybe I'm wrong.

Did anyone SEE "Rio" to know if that song was worth consideration?

It's Sergio Mendes, so you're goddamn right it is.

Puss in Boots gets nominated for best animated feature, but The Adventures of Tintin doesn't? This is some bullshiat right here. Also, Tintin only got nominated for original musical score, but not for screenplay adaption. No me gusta.

/glad Hugo is getting a lot of nominations, though.

xalres:
Has anyone seen Tree of Life? What exactly am I in for? The reviews make it sound like a David Lynch flick and I hate that kind of vague avant-garde weirdness..

It did nothing for me. I think there was an interesting story in there, but Mallick spent too much time trying to be meta and I got bored. I don't understand the love.

/Mixed about the nominees like everyone else
//Need to go see Hugo and The Artist (plus a few others)
///Very happy about Man or Muppet

Toshiro Mifune's Letter Opener:
-Trent Reznor didn't get another Best Score nomination this year? Huh. I would've counted on that.

I wasn't so sure about it this time around. The score for the Social Network is front and center, driving the action. The score for Dragon Tattoo is more atmospheric, more of a "set the scene" type of score. It's definitely not as flashy, though it is good. So I'm not too surprised that it didn't get the nod.