Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

This is what the Academy picked as their top five movies of the year. Which do you think is the best? What do you think will win? What got snubbed? Make your vote, then tell us your reasoning. Chat it up, folks.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I'm going to have to wait until I've seen all the nominees. Sorry.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I HOPE Juno, I know the Acaemy hates comedy, but my heart is there, but I THINK There Will Be Blood will win

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Out of those 5 There Will Be Blood is my obvious choice. I'm one of the few who wasn't blown away by No Country For Old Men (maybe I'll like it better on a 2nd viewing).

Anyway - last year the oscars picked some of my favorite : this year they really missed.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Juno is my choice but There Will Be Blood will probably unfortunately win

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

The only film nominated for an award that I've seen so far is the latest Pirates of the Caribbean that is up in some obscure category. I didn't think it was a very good film, however, only marginally better than the No. 2 episode. I think they've about sucked all the juice they can from that lemon.

I'm sure No Country for Old Men is good--the Cohens did it and Tommy Lee Jones is in the cast. But I've had a gutful of violence for violence's sake, so I doubt if I'll be seeing that movie.

I feel about the same about Charlie Wilson's War--not that it's a violent film but Texans knew all about Charlie Wilson and his war when he was following "Gunga Dan" Rather's footsteps into that war zone. The film claims Wilson secretly cranked up US participation over there, but one of my political writer colleagues at The Houston Post accompanied him on several of his trips in to Afghanistan and wrote front page articles about it. Believe me, no one in Texas ever thought Charlie Wilson was as slick and exciting as the book and movie made him out to be! Just another low-level politician making an ass of himself on expensive international junkets.

I read a review of There Will Be Blood--what a potboiler! Don't know how they can get so many characters and subplots into a single motion picture! Sounds like they didn't have much of a cohesive story, however, until they started cribbing stuff from Sinclair Lewis's book Oil!

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Of the best picture nominees, I've only seen There Will Be Blood. I loved that movie. I love everything Paul Thomas Anderson makes.

I haven't seen No Country For Old Men, but I imagine I would like that too.

Michael Clayton looks interesting enough.
Atonement, from the synompsis I've read, looks like another typical World War whatever drama.

Juno I have absolutely zero interest in. I see crap like that everyday. I don't much care for teenager dramas (with a few exceptions), or their pregnancy problems, or a little girl finding a mommy and daddy for the kid. No interest at all. I didn't really care for Hard Candy that much. The film or Ellen Page. Page, for some reason, strikes me as being a major bitch, both on and off screen. I dunno, I just don't care much for her. I could be wrong.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Your loss, and you totally have the tone and intent of the movie misconstrued. It's much more like Rushmore than an ABC After School Special. It's a darkly funny but also sincerely sweet and romantic little movie. It's also very smart.

And yes, you're also wrong about Ellen Page.


But your stubborn ignorance is what makes viddy viddy, so enjoy it!

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

What? Juno is practically the best of this year.

Oh, and I don't what you were watching but Amanda Peet has nothing to do with this picture.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I think viddy has confused Amanda Peet with Jennifer Garner. Or he doesn't know the difference. Or doesn't care.

Anyway, as I say, your loss, Dude.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Well when I wrote "teenage dramas" I knew the movie was a quirky comedy from what I've read about it. By "teenage dramas" I meant on a plot level, not a stylistic or genre level. Sorry for that confusion. An unwanted pregnancy is a drama, whether it is played for comedy or drama, or satire.

I loved Rushmore. I would be willing to watch Juno, but the interest is not there, so I won't be catching it in the theater.

I guess I'm tired of teenage oriented films of late. Maybe that has something to do with that fact that they are my job. The teenagers that is, not the films. The subject matter is the biggest turn off for me, Holden. The other of course, Ellen Page. This only after having seen her in Hard Candy, which featured a very weak and contrived performance I thought. Plus something about her - those things that an actor has about them that they can't control - I just don't like. Just in a way how certain actors have things about them that I do like that has nothing to do with their acting ability whatsoever, i.e. Clift, that I love.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Yeah, Viddy had his boring, ruin a-scene and a film, why the Hell are they even in film-instead of at a bank-teller window, tall, boring, bouncy busted brunettes, confused.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I meant, I see teenagers everyday because I teach. Some of them pregnant. Actually to be honest I only had to teach one pregnant girl last semester... none this semester... yet.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I like what Jen Garner did in Juno. It's not award-worthy or anything, but by far the best work I've seen her do thus far. The script, the direction and her choices nicely take the stereotype Juno and the audience initially judge her as and subvert it, making her quite sympathetic and adding layers to her in the third act. Nicely done. I can easily separate her from the tabloid interest as Ben Affleck's squeeze - it's not really on my radar. All I can tell you is she was very well used in Juno.

And I rather like Amada Peet. Not just because she's easy on the eyes (and my goodness, she is that), but when given the opportunity - and admittedly she has mostly been associated with junk, she can be quite good, in both comedy and drama. I think. The first thing I ever saw her in was an episode of "Law & Order", where she played a Patty Hearst-type kidnapping victim who started participating in the crimes. She was very strong in that. Small role as Damon's wife in Syriana, but I thought she was solid, and I thought she was terrific as the addicted, insecure beauty of Igby Goes Down. "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" was cut down after only one season, but I thought she was perfectly cast for that one.

Anyway, judging Ellen Page on one role in a manipulative and trashy little flick coupled with some "sense" of her you got from said manipulative flick...up to you.


And for the hat trick, it really is your loss.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

http://www.bigskyvideo.com/images/rabbittclose.jpg



For every hat trick. There must be. A watership down.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Where's the love for Hot Fuzz ?

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Out of the nominations, I've only seen Atonement, so i can't really say much about who i think will win, but for the record, Atonement was very good. Great acting, great score, and put together so well. But i don't think it's Oscar winning material.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

HP, can you extend the closing date of the poll for us Brits? Juno, and There Will Be Blood don't open here until 8th of Feb, and there hasnt been hardly any press screenings for either. I would like to participate in this jolly little vote but cannot due to YOUR BLATENT XENOPHOBIA

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I chose No Country for Old Men. All the nominees were great movies, but this one had me gripped from start to finish with it's story, and cast of actors. I liked how things unfolded and developed.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Like others, I'll have to wait until I've seen all the nominees. It's two down, three to go for me. Juno, There Will Be Blood and Michael Clayton are the ones I need to see.

And blib, isn't There Will Be Blood released the week after, February 15th?

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

It's not.

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AH MrMcGuffin, indeed this is true. However, if you be from the Old London Town like myself, There Will Be Blood is showing in Leicester Square from the 8th onwards.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Gotta echo this. Atonement is not really a war film at all (though I can understand why someone might think it is); the majority of the film takes place before the war, and there really aren't any prolonged battle sequences. The war is treated the same way the characters view it; as an interruption of their lives.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Me too :yup: No, I made a guess :goof:

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I'm glad to say I've seen all the nominees. My favorite of the bunch is Michael Clayton, but honestly I'd be more than happy to see the top award go to any of them except Atonement.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

All five films are still playing here. I'm going to try to catch them all before the ceremony.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I seriously doubt that is considered awards material

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

This really makes me wish I'd seen Michael Clayton...

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Lucky you, it is coming back to theaters

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I'm not sure if it is in Australia.

Hey Iroquois, what films are up for the Australian film awards?

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

We just had them http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/con...014152,00.html :) results if you are interested :)

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

EDIT looks like nebbit beat me to it

As for Michael Clayton, I'm pretty sure it was already released in Australia and also finished showing in cinemas.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

It has I have seen it :yup: if it has been to Wollongong then it is well and truly been and gone :yup:

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Something for those willing to spend a day at the movies to see all of them:

http://www.investor.amctheatres.com/...leaseID=289667

Its actually even better because you can just go to the one you want to see, leave, and come back for another one later...

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

1st post: “your stubborn ignorance is what makes viddy viddy, so enjoy it!”

2nd post: “Anyway, as I say, your loss, Dude.”

3rd post: “And for the hat trick, it really is your loss.”

Too many participants in this forum seem way too eager to denounce the honest opinions of others. I can understand thinking, "Your loss!" I can even understand, in the heat of argument, saying it--once. But why harp on it when all the other person said was that the subject of a certain film wasn't of interest to that person?
Opinions of films are going to differ based on our individual backgrounds and interests. Doesn't make me right; doesn't make you wrong if we express different viewpoints. But a lot of us act like we've got money invested in these films and it's taking someting out of our pockets if someone else doesn't think our personal favorite movie isn't the greatest thing ever filmed.
Hey, it's only a movie.

Re
 

In this particular case it's because I've known Viddy for many years now, mostly through another now defunct board, and I was sparring with my friend.

I get what you're saying, Rufnek, but it has nothing to do with the posts Viddy and I were having about Juno. I could give a crap if he or anyone ever sees Juno, but I know him, I know how he often thinks about these things, and it was clear to me (and by his own admission) he was dismissing it out of hand, not based on anything specifically about the movie itself, other than a sense of Ellen Page from one other movie role, but some general sense of teenagers and their issues that was clouding his chance at judging it for what it is. It wasn't an opinion on the film itself, it was an opinion on maybe the marketing and mostly the general topic of the flick. If he saw Juno and didn't groove to it, rock on. I was simply trying to break through his bias based on subject matter alone.

But thanks for sticking up for somebody who didn't need sticking up for on a subject that was only tangentially related to what you are taking issue with! You da' man!


Hey, it's only a movie board.

Re: Re
 

Well, uh, you're welcome, uh, I guess. Now will someone help me down from this windmill sail?

In time I may figure out something about your line of thought and sense of humor, but I may not have enough years left. Meanwhile, you do keep me entertained. :)

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Oh yeah, forgot you lived in Australia. Sorry it won't come back for ya:(

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I really shouldn't be voting on this because I haven't seen any of these films, but I have heard so much great stuff about Juno that I had to vote for it. I want to see it so bad.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

The Producers Guild of America named No Country For Old Men Best Picture last night. Here is a complete list of the winners.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Thanks for that Mark :) Interesting :yup:

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

No Country For Old Men for me, and i'll have Joel and Ethan pick up Best Director as well please. Love Juno and Atonement also, but No Country For Old Men was gorgeous cinema. There Will Be Blood is a film i have kept my eye on for a while now but it is not yet out in the UK, so i cant pass judgement on it.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

This would tend to make No Country for Men even more of a favorite, though again in recent years the Producer's Guild Award has not been an automatic correlation with Oscar's Best Picture. The last six years their winner has differed from he Academy's all but twice (The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and Chicago), including the last three in a row: Little Miss Sunshine/The Departed, Brokeback Mountain/Crash, The Aviator/Million Dollar Baby, Moulin Rouge!/A Beautiful Mind.


So, we'll see.

Re: Re
 

Well, Holden I appreciate him sticking up for me. But you are correct Holden, I do have biases - only tagently related to the film themselves - that make me shy away from certian movies.

As far as Miss Page goes, I think we all let biases from actor's other films dominate our opinion of them in seperate movies, ala Sandler and Ducks.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

The difference there is I've seen many Adam Sandler movies (unfortunately). So when I see the trailer for I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, I have a pretty good idea what I'd be subjecting myself to as he's made a slop bucket full of similar "comedies". As for Duck (I Says) Wayne, again I have seen three dozen of the man's movies and while many of his over one hundred films are very formulaic (sprinkled with some great flicks) a big part of my problem with him is in not separating the art from the artist: I don't like Wayne's politics and off-screen personality.

You are judging Ellen Page on only one movie (and a bad one, in my opinion) and I guess some general idea of her you've built up from the trailers and commercials for Juno and maybe an interview or something. If this was Page's sixth or tenth or twentieth movie as star and you had seen a bunch of them, OK, I get that bias. But basing it on one crappy previous movie that is NOTHING like Juno in any way shape or form, including her own performance...well, it's just silly. I was trying to cut through that and make you realize how silly it is.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

ya no country! Anyone ahve a favourite part? talk to me..

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I just joined this forum. I have a question regarding No Country for Old Men. I don't want to give away any of the movie...where can I ask a question or get into a discussion?

Thanks!

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

just ask here, but use Spoiler tags


to learn how to use a spoiler tag visit here


EDIT: scratch that, might wanna ask here

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I've only seen two of the movies (Juno and TWBB)

So I can't fairly say. I'll be seeing all of them before the Oscars, though. :yup:

Right now, I'd say Juno is much better than Blood.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

You have two weeks from tomorrow.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Yeah, but I'm going to the AMC's Best Picture showcase the day before the Oscars, so it's all good :yup:

Holds, I haven't been as invested in movies this year as in year's past, so I've missed your thoughts on this year's Best Picture noms...what did you think of all of the movies nominated?

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I'm going to, thanks for telling me in the shoutbox.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

So I'm reading that Michael Clayton might be some competition to the other nominees. Here's why:

1. The main character is likeable at the end because he changed.
2. There are three actors nominated for awards in this movie.
3. The story lends itself well to viewing on TV while the others play better on the large screen.

Thoughts?

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I just joined this forum today and since it's Oscar weekend and I'm pretty excited about this year's slate of BP nominees, I thought I'd jump in here. ;)

Mrs. Darcy -- I was on youtube last week and there were these "old geezers" there (Academy members) who were picking who they would vote for. They both went with Michael Clayton. I think this film has a lot of popularity with the older Academy members. I can't see it upsetting and winning, but Crash won a few years ago, so anything is possible? I was pretty surprised by how enjoyable this film was -- I thought Clooney was at his best -- and I'm rooting for Tilda Swinton to win (she could, too!)

I'm really excited this year -- I really think all five films are deserving to be there. My sixth favorite is Sweeney Todd. I think the best film of the five is No Country for Old Men -- I think it's one of the best films I've ever seen. The scene between Bardem and the station attendant has got to be one of the most tense things I've ever seen! :eek: And it's just dialogue (I think I was gripping the seat). I thought the themactic nature of the ending was pretty powerful and an interesting reflection on the nature of crime and evil.

The only film of the five I have problems with is There Will be Blood. I would be disappointed if this upset NCFOM -- I think it's a well-made film with a great performance, but the nastiness of the film put me off. And I thought the ending was rather abrupt, but PTA really pushed the envelope here.

Anyway -- I wasn't that thrilled with last year and this year is pretty great. Seems like it could be a year of upsets, too. Thoughts?

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Here are my Best Picture reviews, one by one...


http://filmjournal.net/clydefro/file...l-be-blood.jpg

There Will Be Blood is the 4th major studio release from Writer/Director Paul Thomas Anderson.

Known for his large, star-studded casts, PT Anderson went a completely different route with this film.

Blood is loosely based off of the Upton Sinclair novel "Oil!"

In There Will Be Blood we follow the rise of one Daniel Plainview. A caustic fellow who loves money and not much more. The movie opens with about 15 or 20 minutes worth of silence. No dialogue, just grunts and nods. PT Anderson really didn't open the film strongly with this. The filming is beautiful and the actors do the best they can, but I think Anderson made a serious mistake letting it go as long as he did. It got to the point where you could tell he was intentionally trying to not have anyone talk. No matter what his purpose, it just became annoying when words were necessary and all we saw was Daniel Day-Lewis grimace and nod his head.

PT Anderson needs to take a lesson from Sergio Leone and Once Upon a Time in the West. The art and the way Leone paints the silence of the three outlaws waiting in an empty station was much more effective and not as forced as Anderson's direction in the opening 15 minutes. That's just where my problems begin.

After the death of one of his workers, Daniel Plainview adopts the man's child and decides to raise him.

One day, business very good, but not quite booming, Plainview gets a visit from a man named Paul Sunday (Paul Dano) who informs him that there is endless amounts of oil nearby and he'll tell him the location in exchange for money.

Daniel, a little skeptical, agrees and he and his son H.W. head off to the Sunday ranch, the home of Paul's family. He quickly discovers oil there and tries and gets the land from them for a cheap price, hoping they don't realize what's there. Eli, Paul's "Twin brother", recognizes that oil is there, and bargains for a higher price and 5,000 dollars for his church. Still, a steal for Daniel.

Throughout the next two hours, we track Daniel from what at first seems like a kind man (Good to his son, stopping an abusive father, generally courteous to the locals. etc.) to someone who is manipulative, greedy, and violent.

Daniel Plainview's rise and life spent polarizing those close to him is so close to Citizen Kane that it borders on plagiarism. The difference in this movie is only that it's Oil instead of newspapers, the character depth of the lead isn't as good, and the ending is much worse.

Daniel Day-Lewis adapts his role to the point that it's scary. I believed him 100% and he deserves the Oscar, but a few scenes aside (Mainly the church scene where Daniel is told to repent) this isn't anything special, IMO. It was a technical masterpiece, but overall it was disappointing.

4/10

More to come...

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

No Country for Old Men is the favorite. I also think it's the best of the five nominees. Joel & Ethan Coen have been among my favorite filmmakers since I saw Raising Arizona and I sincerely hope it wins. But I'm picking Juno to upset it.

There have been three very dark Best Picture winners in a row in Million Dollar Baby, Crash and The Departed. And for all its epic spectacle and good guys winning in the end LOTR: The Return of the King was pretty dark, too. I know these are dark times but I just have a gut feeling enough of the Academy may well go for the "happiest" of the five movies, which is also the only bonafide box office hit in the crop. No Country for Old Men may have some of its natural support siphoned off by those in the Academy going for There Will Be Blood. Similarly Michael Clayton and Atonement could well compete for and split the votes of the members who prefer more straight ahead "old fashioned" Hollywood fare. That would leave the crowd-pleasing Juno to sneak through. Juno has been a surprise hit, a phenomenon, and while it may have peaked a bit early and will no doubt be facing some backlash its going to charm some Academy voters just the way it charmed the ticket buying public.

Shakespeare in Love is the last thing approaching a "comedy" that won Best Picture, and in that year it was a huge upset winner over the darker and favored Saving Private Ryan. I don't think Juno is a better movie than No Country for Old Men and I'd be happy if either of them one, but frankly the only way I'll be disappointed is if Atonement wins, which to me is by FAR the least of the nominees...and which therefore leaves me with a horrible, gnawing feeling that it will somehow win.

http://images.rottentomatoes.com/ima...0/photo_03.jpg http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...mL._SS500_.jpg

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

You have some really sound logic here and when I saw your prediction, I was wondering why you picked Juno. This makes a lot of sense. My hesitation to think the same way is because of the slate of nominees this year. With such a strong slate, I'm wondering if a comedy can sneak in when comedies rarely win. And while I think Juno is loved by many -- which is certainly an important criteria for picking a BP winner -- I'm going to guess that the other four films are also being embraced. They're all so good. I think the Academy will give it the screenplay award and be done with it. I also wonder if the older members who may go with this film are also going to vote for Clayton.

I also get the feeling that the Academy may want to show the Coen Brothers that they admire their work. It doesn't hurt that many think the film is pretty flawless and the only drawback I see is an ending that some found off-putting (but it is the very reason I think the film is brilliant). And while a comedy can win, I've often thought the Academy likes to pick the film that they think reflects on them: a film with gravitas (even if sometimes they get it so very wrong). There Will be Blood is really the dark film here, imo. If you compare the two films, Blood is not only much darker, but probably the darkest film I've seen in a very long time. I would be shocked if that film won. I'd probably never feel comfortable predicting again! :laugh:

I'd also be disappointed if Juno won. I liked it a lot; it had some very human characters -- but with all those other films against it, it doesn't seem fair to see it get the big prize. I even thought Atonement was better. :eek:

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

I really liked Juno, but I can't see the Academy giving it Best Picture.

I would love to see There Will Be Blood take the top prize, it was amazing.

Michael Clayton is the worse out of the 5 and I think it has no chance.

Atonement was good, but has pacing issues all over it, but who knows it did win at the Globes and Britsh awards.

That leaves No Country For Old Men, the favourite of the year to win it. But who knows, this could be another Crash and something else will creep up for victory.

Re: Oscar's Best Picture (2008)
 

Of the films I've seen, I'd like it to be Atonement, but I think No Country for Old Men will win.