Weak Oscar Season? [Archive] - Done Deal Pro Forums

nathanq

11-16-2011, 06:45 PM

Cameron Crowe's We Bought a Zoo is likely to get a nomination, and Crowe can make pretty good (commercial) pics.

Steve McQueen's Shame could get a nomination, the same way Winter's Bone did (and it's most certainly a much better film). Maybe the Tree of Life could get a nomination too.

Carnage, based on the famous play is certain to get a nomination... don't count on Polanski showing up at the Oscars though...

I'll bet most people will think Spielberg's War Horse is a sure thing for best picture.

Paradis

11-16-2011, 06:54 PM

nathanq

11-16-2011, 07:19 PM

Personally, it'll be a crime if Tree of Life doesn't win best picture. It was the best picture - and in a way, kind of embodies what you'd expect from a film that wins that award. Challenging, moving, provocative, utterly unique and discussion inspiring.

I totally agree with you, but the Academy is heavily influenced by not only box office receipts, but commerical appeal, and the Tree of Life wasn't a box office smash and is totally not commercial (by design), and I even bet a big chunk of mainstream audiences would dislike it. So, call me a cynic, but I really doubt that could happen.

Paradis

11-16-2011, 10:48 PM

I agree. It'll be criminal like i said, but I would be floored (at mach speeds) if it actually won - and I think by and large because of the "commercial" appeal point you made. I think the Academy likes to annoint films they feel the majority will agree with or see wisdom in their decision. Tree of Life is flat out built to piss off some film goers, and induce metaphysical orgasm in others.

..it'd be nice though, to imagine a world where the oscar will go to this film, and maybe turn some heads in doing so. A move that ten years from now would be looked at as prudent.

AJ_FIN

11-16-2011, 10:56 PM

Midnight in Paris will take at least Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

Jules

11-17-2011, 01:49 AM

I thought it was really disappointing, and I'm a big Woody Allen fan.

WriteByNight

11-17-2011, 03:08 AM

Speaking of Woody, I need to see THE FRONT again. Thx.

RyPa

11-17-2011, 10:54 AM

Adam Sandler will win best Actor and Actress for his subtle and nuanced performance in Jack & Jill. The battle will be for 2nd place.

SkyPolynomial

11-17-2011, 01:51 PM

Take Shelter: Saw this a couple weeks back, really enjoyed it.

Margin Call: I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this.

The Artist: Want to see.

Shame: Want to see.

Carnage: Want to see.

I also enjoyed Tree of Life, hope it gets some nods.

I do think this is a weak season though.

Was not impressed by Moneyball. I felt few emotions during it.

Bobby Dazzler

11-17-2011, 02:47 PM

No love For Bucky Larson?

Madbandit

11-18-2011, 08:40 PM

No love For Bucky Larson?

Leave that to the Razzies.

I'd like to see "A Better Life" get nommed for Best Lead and Best Original Screenplay.

Richmond Weems

11-19-2011, 05:37 AM

I was a big fan of The Guard, and I think that was the best picture I've seen so far this year. But not sure if that'll be a "foreign" film or not.

HH

snwrist

11-21-2011, 09:17 AM

The Descendants will be a major contender.

Geoff Alexander

11-21-2011, 09:42 AM

Bulldog

11-21-2011, 01:09 PM

The time is ripe for another Payne film.

kintnerboy

11-22-2011, 05:56 AM

Saw Descendents over the weekend, despite my aversion to packed movie theaters.

Really great stuff, despite the absence of Jim Taylor on the script. Payne has mastered the formula for dramatic stories that never cross over into melodrama, lightened by comedy that never falls into farce. Not a false note anywhere.

CrackDown

11-22-2011, 06:55 AM

Midnight in Paris will take at least Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

I'd be surprised if this is even nominated, and if it is... yes, it's a weak oscar year.

NikeeGoddess

11-22-2011, 07:54 AM

is a weak oscar season better for creative writers who have yet to break in? or not?

what flicks will get a best screenplay nomination?

kintnerboy

11-22-2011, 07:58 AM

I'd be surprised if this is even nominated

Midnight In Paris is a shoo in for a Best Screenplay nod.

The most nominated writer of all time with a late-career highest-grossing film, and his best reviews in 20 years?

He's a sentimental favorite. But Alexander Payne wins it this year.

Edited to add- What a dummy I am. Descendants is an adaptation. Maybe it is Woody's year.

NikeeGoddess

11-22-2011, 08:01 AM

i haven't seen it yet but i think J.Edgar may get a nod
but the reviews for what some might consider a shoe in the ides of march (haven't seen that either) were pretty bad so it will probably get a miss.

AJ_FIN

11-22-2011, 08:05 AM

Are there better Original Screenplay contenders than Midnight in Paris? Really?

emily blake

11-22-2011, 09:29 AM

Screw the "important" films. The best movie I saw this year was Source Code.

kintnerboy

11-22-2011, 09:38 AM

Forget about Oscars and grosses.

I can't remember the last time there were so many movies coming out that were getting such rapturous early reviews (Muppets, Hugo and The Artist), suitable for families to see together, and made by people who just love movies.

NikeeGoddess

11-22-2011, 02:03 PM

I can't remember the last time there were so many movies coming out that were getting such rapturous early reviews (Muppets, Hugo and The Artist), suitable for families to see together, and made by people who just love movies.it's called the "holiday season" and it happens every year at this time.

Richmond Weems

11-22-2011, 03:49 PM

Are there better Original Screenplay contenders than Midnight in Paris? Really?

Margin Call.

Just saw that this past weekend. Great flick.

HH

kintnerboy

11-22-2011, 06:17 PM

it's called the "holiday season" and it happens every year at this time.

Really? Does it happen every year?

Not that I give a care, but could you even name one single movie from last Nov/Dec that reviewed well and was rated PG**?

**and wasn't a 200 million dollar animated film

NikeeGoddess

12-01-2011, 10:33 PM

Really? Does it happen every year?

Not that I give a care, but could you even name one single movie from last Nov/Dec that reviewed well and was rated PG**?

**and wasn't a 200 million dollar animated filmi'm just guessing b/c i really don't know for sure but... Harry Potter, True Grit, Tangled... maybe 127 Hours.

kintnerboy

12-02-2011, 04:38 AM

I don't put a lot of stock in the Oscars. They're still fun to watch, but they don't really amount to anything.

Whenever I read a list of 'must read' scripts in writing magazines or blogs, or even just sit around talking movies with my friends, no one ever mentions Crash or Slumdog Millionaire or Million Dollar Baby or Beautiful Mind, or many other 'best' pictures.

But I still think it's great that there are two PG films out there** in The Artist and Hugo that were complete passion projects by their directors, getting crazy good reviews and both almost guaranteed Best Picture nominations (both having already won national critic's awards).

To see live-action family movies succeeding at the same time as raunchy R rated comedies makes me very happy. I just think it's been a great year for movies.

**The Muppets has gotten even better reviews than these 2, but is not really an Oscar film.

NikeeGoddess

12-02-2011, 06:35 AM

the biggest mistake is to compare oscar-nominated films with popular money-making flicks. most oscar nominations are about the craft and not popularity... like the people's choice awards or even the golden globes where last year the tourist (crappy flick that i didn't see) was nominated as a comedy so that jolie and depp had a reason to show up for the red carpet.

kintnerboy

12-02-2011, 06:56 AM

the biggest mistake is to compare oscar-nominated films with popular money-making flicks

Oh, that reminds me. Titanic is another film I never hear my writer friends talk about.

But there is no correlation between commerce and art. Some blockbusters win Oscars, and some Oscar quality films make no money.

kintnerboy

12-02-2011, 07:15 AM

Here are the National Board of Review Best lists for 2011:

Best Film: Hugo

Runners up:

The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Ides of March
J. Edgar
Tree of Life
War Horse

Best Independent Films:

50/50
Another Earth
Beginners
A Better Life
Cedar Rapids
Margin Call
Shame
Take Shelter
We Need To Talk About Kevin
Win Win

Really great to see stuff like Margin Call and Cedar Rapids on there. Hard to disagree with anything. Except where the heck is Moneyball?

Lots of good stuff this year.

Madbandit

12-02-2011, 08:23 AM

. Except where the heck is Moneyball?

What about "The Help"?

Biohazard

01-07-2012, 06:10 PM

The Tree of Life is the best 2011 film that I have seen. Nothing even comes close.

CthulhuRises

01-07-2012, 06:53 PM

Martha Marcy May Marlene seems to be flying way under the radar on most of these lists. Very underrated.

Paradis

01-07-2012, 07:11 PM

The Tree of Life is the best 2011 film that I have seen. Nothing even comes close.

Holy Sh*t Balls... is it true??

I mean I guess you never said it was going to be a bad movie, or such. In fact I don't even remember what it was that you were skeptical of - I just know we had words about this film (I think)

nathanq

01-07-2012, 07:32 PM

The Tree of Life is the best 2011 film that I have seen. Nothing even comes close.

+1...it doesn't stand a chance at the Oscars though.

Paradis

01-07-2012, 09:08 PM

+1...it doesn't stand a chance at the Oscars though.

No unfortunately the title "best film of the year" still isn't the best film of the year. There's a commercial appeal factor that i guess is inescapable - as films will to an extend only be as good as their loved.

Either way Tree of Life was so far ahead of the competition this year, it's ridiculous. I look forward to tracking that film's industry/fandom appreciation grow over the next decade.

Biohazard

01-07-2012, 09:36 PM

+1...it doesn't stand a chance at the Oscars though.

It will win cinematography, for sure.

Biohazard

01-14-2012, 11:47 PM

The more I think about it, the more I realize that 2011 was a fairly strong year for cinema. I saw a good amount of movies that I really enjoyed.

Thing is, they are not oscar bait films.

Bad year for the academy? Probably. But not for me.

:)