2008 Academy Awards Nominations/Discussion

[Jared]

It's still pretty early, but I think it's time to start throwing around predictions for the 2007 Academy Awards. This thread will be updated constantly, as people continue to change their minds, but here is my preliminary guess for the five best picture nominees:


American Gangster
Atonement
Into the Wild
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood


Here is my second five, some or all of which may wind up swapping with films from the other list:


Charlie Wilson's War
Juno
Sweeney Todd
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The Kite Runner


Anybody else want to make predictions or want to comment on my lists? I look forward to the rest of the season and seeing what changes. The final nominations might be completely different!

:)

[2Epcot]

I'm starting to get screening invitations, but I haven't seen any of the films yet, so I'll have to wait until then. Juno, Sweeney Todd, and The Kite Runner are the films I've heard some oscar buzz about recently.

[Jared]

I'm starting to get screening invitations, but I haven't seen any of the films yet, so I'll have to wait until then. Juno, Sweeney Todd, and The Kite Runner are the films I've heard some oscar buzz about recently.
We'll hopefully start receiving some advances at the paper, too. Some studios are more generous than others.

Keep us updated, especially if you see anything good.

:)

[diz_girl]

Don't forget 'Before The Devil Knows You're Dead'.

[Jared]

Don't forget 'Before The Devil Knows You're Dead'.
Yeah, that's supposedly a good one, but I haven't seen it yet. It's playing at an arts cinema about 20 minutes away, and I may try to catch a show this weekend.

The voters love veteran directors like Sidney Lumet, and "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" has garnered some pretty positive buzz. I'm just not sure if it's big enough to earn a nomination, but you can say the same about "Into the Wild."

[Jared]

A few weeks have passed, and my predictions have changed:


No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Into the Wild
Juno
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly


"Michael Clayton," "Atonement" and "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" are the other three films I see making a run.

Does anybody else have any guesses with the nominations coming out soon?

[Advnt05]

I'm going with:

There Will be Blood
No Country for Old Men
Juno
The Kite Runner
Atonement


The Kite runner will get the vote for being anti-war.
Juno will get the vote because of the director.

I'm not dismissing either of these as good movies but hollywood loves things like that.

[diz_girl]

Because of a new baby, I haven't seen a film in theaters since the POTC film this summer. So here are my completely uninformed predictions:

There Will Be Blood - probably win
Atonement
Sweeney Todd
No Country for Old Men
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (if not in foreign language category)
Juno - if Diving Bell goes into the foreign category - it has a lot of momentum now.

Other Wildcards may be:
Away From Her
Lars and the Real Girl
Once should be in there, but it's probably too small of a film to get nominated. It was made for $150K and made $10M in the US. It might get a boost once the various critics' groups have their say. The critics loved it and so did I. It's on DVD now.

[CaptSmee]

It's still pretty early, but I think it's time to start throwing around predictions for the 2007 Academy Awards. This thread will be updated constantly, as people continue to change their minds, but here is my preliminary guess for the five best picture nominees:


American Gangster
Atonement
Into the Wild
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood


Here is my second five, some or all of which may wind up swapping with films from the other list:


Charlie Wilson's War
Juno
Sweeney Todd
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The Kite Runner


Anybody else want to make predictions or want to comment on my lists? I look forward to the rest of the season and seeing what changes. The final nominations might be completely different!

:)

Pretty good gueses for the top 5, I agree at this time. I Am Legend, & Pirates will probably get some technincal noms. Ratatouille will most certainly be up for animation. Ridley Scott may be a shoe in for best director.

[Disney-lovin' Dutchman]

I think it will be:

Atonement (will probably win :()
Into the wild
There will be blood
Juno
No Country for Old Men

I HOPE it will be:

Sweeney Todd
Into the Wild
Charlie Wilson's War
American Gangster
No Country for Old Men

Best Actor:
Daniel Day Lewis (certainty..)
James MacAvoy
Tom Hanks
Emile Hirsch
Denzel Washington

I HOPE Johhny Depp

Best Actress will probably include Cate Blanchett, Keira Knightley..

Best Director will probably have Ridley Scott and Joe Wright

[Jared]

The year is officially over, and I've seen most of the major films of 2007. After much thought, I compiled my own top-10 list. Obviously, making a list is a completely meaningless exercise, and my opinions don't mean anything, but here are my 10 favorite movies of the year:

Honorable Mention: Persepolis
10. La Vie en Rose
9. Across the Universe
8. Juno
7. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
6. Ratatouille
5. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
4. Into the Wild
3. There Will Be Blood
2. No Country For Old Men
1. Once

Does anyone else have any favorites they want to talk about?

[Advnt05]

So where did Michael Clayton come from?

[NotaGeek]

Performance by an actor in a leading role
George Clooney in "Michael Clayton"
Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood"
Johnny Depp in "Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Tommy Lee Jones in "In the Valley of Elah"
Viggo Mortensen in "Eastern Promises"

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Casey Affleck in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men"
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Charlie Wilson's War"
Hal Holbrook in "Into the Wild"
Tom Wilkinson in "Michael Clayton"

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
Julie Christie in "Away from Her"
Marion Cotillard in "La Vie en Rose"
Laura Linney in "The Savages"
Ellen Page in "Juno"

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There"
Ruby Dee in "American Gangster"
Saoirse Ronan in "Atonement"
Amy Ryan in "Gone Baby Gone"
Tilda Swinton in "Michael Clayton" (

Best animated feature film of the year
"Persepolis" : Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud
"Ratatouille" : Brad Bird
"Surf's Up" : Ash Brannon and Chris Buck

Achievement in art direction
"American Gangster" : Art Direction: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Beth A. Rubino
"Atonement" : Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
"The Golden Compass" : Art Direction: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" : Art Direction: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
"There Will Be Blood" : Art Direction: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson

Achievement in cinematography
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" : Roger Deakins
"Atonement" : Seamus McGarvey
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" : Janusz Kaminski
"No Country for Old Men" : Roger Deakins
"There Will Be Blood" : Robert Elswit

Achievement in costume design
"Across the Universe" : Albert Wolsky
"Atonement" : Jacqueline Durran
"Elizabeth: The Golden Age" : Alexandra Byrne
"La Vie en Rose" : Marit Allen
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" : Colleen Atwood

Achievement in directing
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" : Julian Schnabel
"Juno" : Jason Reitman
"Michael Clayton" : Tony Gilroy
"No Country for Old Men" : Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
"There Will Be Blood" : Paul Thomas Anderson

Best documentary feature
"No End in Sight" : Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
"Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience" : Richard E. Robbins
"Sicko" : Michael Moore and Meghan O'Hara
"Taxi to the Dark Side" : Alex Gibney and Eva Orner
"War/Dance" : Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine

Best documentary short subject
"Freeheld" : Cynthia Wade and Vanessa Roth
"La Corona (The Crown)" : Amanda Micheli and Isabel Vega
"Salim Baba" : Tim Sternberg and Francisco Bello
"Sari's Mother" : James Longley

Achievement in film editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum" : Christopher Rouse
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" : Juliette Welfling
"Into the Wild" : Jay Cassidy
"No Country for Old Men" : Roderick Jaynes
"There Will Be Blood" : Dylan Tichenor

Best foreign language film of the year
"Beaufort" Israel
"The Counterfeiters" Austria
"Katyn" Poland
"Mongol" Kazakhstan
"12" Russia

Achievement in makeup
"La Vie en Rose" : Didier Lavergne and Jan Archibald
"Norbit" : Rick Baker and Kazuhiro Tsuji
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" : Ve Neill and Martin Samuel

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
"Atonement" : Dario Marianelli
"The Kite Runner" : Alberto Iglesias
"Michael Clayton" : James Newton Howard
"Ratatouille" : Michael Giacchino
"3:10 to Yuma" : Marco Beltrami

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"Falling Slowly" from "Once" : Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and: Marketa Irglova
"Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted" : Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
"Raise It Up" from "August Rush" : Nominees to be determined
"So Close" from "Enchanted" : Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
"That's How You Know" from "Enchanted" : Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz

Best motion picture of the year
"Atonement" : Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Paul Webster, Producers
"Juno" : Lianne Halfon, Mason Novick and Russell Smith, Producers
"Michael Clayton" : Sydney Pollack, Jennifer Fox and Kerry Orent, Producers
"No Country for Old Men" : Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
"There Will Be Blood" : JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Lupi, Producers

Achievement in sound editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum" : Karen Baker Landers and Per Hallberg
"No Country for Old Men" : Skip Lievsay
"Ratatouille" : Randy Thom and Michael Silvers
"There Will Be Blood" : Matthew Wood
"Transformers" : Ethan Van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins

Achievement in sound mixing
"The Bourne Ultimatum" : Scott Millan, David Parker and Kirk Francis
"No Country for Old Men" : Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff and Peter Kurland
"Ratatouille" : Randy Thom, Michael Semanick and Doc Kane
"3:10 to Yuma" : Paul Massey, David Giammarco and Jim Stuebe
"Transformers" : Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Peter J. Devlin

Achievement in visual effects
"The Golden Compass" : Michael Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris and Trevor Wood
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" : John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and John Frazier
"Transformers" : Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Russell Earl and John Frazier

Adapted screenplay
"Atonement" : Screenplay by Christopher Hampton
"Away from Her" : Written by Sarah Polley
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" : Screenplay by Ronald Harwood
"No Country for Old Men" : Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
"There Will Be Blood" : Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson

Original screenplay
"Juno" : Written by Diablo Cody
"Lars and the Real Girl" : Written by Nancy Oliver
"Michael Clayton" : Written by Tony Gilroy
"Ratatouille" : Screenplay by Brad Bird; Story by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Brad Bird
"The Savages" : Written by Tamara Jenkins

[BriarRose0708]

Yay for Laura Linney! She's one of my favorite actresses. Too bad no one really got to see The Savages yet, it was partly filmed in Buffalo while I lived there. Is Cate Blanchett EVER going to not be nominated?

[murphy1]

Great guesses, Jared!! I always love hearing the list. I love Cate Blanchett, I hope George wins just so we can look at him, give him a long speech, please! LOL. I wish Mona May had been nominated for Enchanted for costume design, as well as Penny Rose for Pirates, they did a fab job. I saw on one of my costume design sites that the green dress from Atonement is the most inspiring dress in movie history, even ahead of legendary movies.

[SBETigg]

Kevin O'Connell has been nominated 20 times for Sound Mixing and has never won. He's the uncle of a friend, and I hope he wins this one!

Johnny Depp's nomination had me smiling. I really wanted him to win one for Sweeney Todd. I loved his performance. But I think Daniel Day-Lewis has the Best Actor wrapped up this year.

[thrillme]

So many of the movies are nominated that I'd never see even if they were "free".

I'm good with TRANSFORMERS, Pirates, Ratatoille, Enchanted, Golden Compass winning something...but the rest...they're just not my style. I've heard Juno is pretty good but...she wasn't abducted by an alien and now carries a child that will wear a black suit and is chased by a shape changing robot and a 50 foot lizard in an attempt to keep her from having the baby that will save the world from the machines...

I'm still annoyed at movies like American Beauty and Brokeback Mountain winning ANYTHING when there was stuff like Fantastic 4and Godzilla out there. If it's not Disney or has a Monster, Alien or Superhero in it...I wouldn't nominate it. But then...that's probably why I'm not making a million dollars being a movie critic.

[Jared]

The voters did a nice job with the nominations this year. Needless to say, my opinion is totally insignificant, but I will predict what I think should win the major categories. I'm looking forward to the forthcoming discussion:

Best motion picture of the year:
"No Country For Old Men" should and will win.

Achievement in directing:
I think Julian Schabel should win for "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," but it's a French film and may have trouble garnering support.

Performance by an actor in a leading role:
Like Sherri said, Daniel Day-Lewis virtually has the category wrapped up for his work in "There Will Be Blood.

Performance by an actress in a leading role:
Honestly, my pick would probably be Marion Cotillard for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in "La Vie en Rose," but Ellen Page and Julie Christie are also strong candidates. I just have a personal affinity for Cotillard, who single-handedly turned a very good film into one of the best biopics I've ever seen.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role:
Javier Bardem is the evil incarnate as Anton Chigurh in "No Country For Old Men." I hope he wins.

Performance by an actress in a supporting role:
I'll be honest, the only movie of these five I've seen is "Atonement," which I didn't like too much. So I'll pass on a prediction here.

Original screenplay:
I'm glad "Ratatouille" garnered a nomination, but the screenplay for "Juno" has received so much positive buzz, and rightfully so.

Adapted screenplay:
I'm picking "No Country For Old Men" just because.

I'm looking forward to hearing everybody else's opinion!

:)

[Disney-lovin' Dutchman]

Performance by an actor in a leading role
First of all I didn't think Clooney should be in this list..For the rest the nominations are well deserved.
It is almost a certainty that Daniel Day-Lewis will win and I don't agree with that. Sure, he is a good actor but just because he doesn't appear in many movies, he just gets nominated for the 3 movies he does in 10 years
I really think Johhny Depp deserves the Oscar..he was so convincing as a obsessive, tragic man

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
It's almost certainly gonna be Javier Bardem, but I am really, really rooting (sp?) for Hal Holbrook and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Performance by an actress in a leading role
I think Laura Linney deserves this the most, very underrated movie

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett, definately!! If you can play a MALE, LIVING legend and get away with it, you totally deserve the Oscar!

Best animated feature film of the year
First of all...Surf's Up? Ridiculous! Meet the Robinsons was better!
But I think/hope it will be Ratatouille. Just such a lush, beautiful, touching movie. Best animation movie since Finding Nemo

Achievement in art direction
Sweeney Todd :)

Achievement in cinematography
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford...beautifully shot, amazing movie

Achievement in costume design
Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Achievement in directing
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen! their best movie, second only to Fargo


Best documentary feature
Sicko, Michael Moore and Meghan O'Hara. This subdued Moore film is just great


Best documentary short subject
Don't know...:blush:

Achievement in film editing
"Into the Wild" : Jay Cassidy..it is just a crime that Into the Wild isn't nominated for Best Picture, so I hope they win the ones they ARE nominated for

Best foreign language film of the year
Again, don't know..

Achievement in makeup
Norbit??!! NORBIT!!?? This movie does NOT deserve any nomination.....Norbit?? come on!!! :mad:
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End should definately win

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
Ratatouille : Michael Giacchino..I own all the Pixar movies Soundtracks and they are all superb

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"That's How You Know" from "Enchanted" A terrific musical number, highlight of the movie

Best motion picture of the year
Never since I have been a movie fan, have I ever cared this little about the Best Pictures movies..I hope it will be No Country for Old Men

Achievement in sound editing
Transformers! :number1:

Achievement in sound mixing
Transformers!! :number1:

Achievement in visual effects
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End..the whirlpool scene was one of the most impressive scenes I have ever seen. And again DAvy Jones is perfect

Adapted screenplay
There Will Be Blood

Original screenplay
Ratatouille..such a lovely, touching, honest and surprising screenplay :)

[2Epcot]

So where did Michael Clayton come from?

I just saw Michael Clayton yesterday. I thought it was a good movie, but not sure about it getting an Oscar nomination. I also didn't think George Clooney deserved one at all ... just an OK performance.

[DisneyDudet]

Seeing as I haven't really seen the "artsy" ones yet, my picks are a little, shall we say, mainstream?

I saw Juno today, and it was GREAT. I want to see it again, just to catch the quotes. It will be a VERY quotable movie.

I would like to see Atonement and some of the others, but I think I may have missed my chance, unless I hit the art theaters in Dallas (too far) or maybe catch them at the dollar movies.

I'm sure I'll see them on HBO sometime :blush:

Great picks Jared. You have the knack!

[Melanie]

Kevin O'Connell has been nominated 20 times for Sound Mixing and has never won. He's the uncle of a friend, and I hope he wins this one!

Sherri, I came across this very nice article about your friend's uncle. After reading it, I really hope he wins!



'Luckiest guy' has 20 Oscar nominations, 0 Wins

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Kevin O'Connell's previous 19 Oscar nominations were nothing like this.

Kevin O'Connell's latest Oscar nomination is for "Transformers."

The 50-year-old sound mixer, who holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations without a win, received his 20th nomination Tuesday.

O'Connell said the nomination for "Transformers" came after he had a fitful night's sleep filled with bizarre dreams.

"I was at the Academy, in my underwear, talking to Nicolas Cage," he said. "He was showing me the nominations list, but when I looked at it, it disappeared. I always remember sleepless nights, but I never had that weird anxiety."

Could this be his winning year? If it is, he'll thank his mother, who died last year. She got him into the entertainment business and was his most ardent supporter.

"I think my mother took one for the team," O'Connell said Tuesday with a smile in his voice.

He also wants to credit his many colleagues.

"It literally takes an army to do what we do," he said. "I'm just the guy who gets the accolade at the end of the year."

O'Connell's first nomination was for 1983's "Terms of Endearment." The list also includes "A Few Good Men," "The Rock," "The Patriot," two "Spider-Man" movies and "Apocalypto."

Despite his 19 Oscar losses, O'Connell says he feels like a winner. With his unique Academy record, he's appeared on radio programs, TV talk shows and in newspapers around the country.

"I'm like the luckiest guy on the planet," he said. "How many other people have 20 Oscar nominations? If I had won 25 years ago on my first nomination, nobody would be talking to me right now."

What if O'Connell finally wins this year -- and the Oscar ceremony is canceled because of the writers strike?

"They can take that Oscar and they can put it in a box, put bubble wrap around it and ship it to me and I'd be the happiest person," he said. "It wouldn't matter how it got into my hands as long as it got there." E-mail to a friend

[Jared]

I just saw Michael Clayton yesterday. I thought it was a good movie, but not sure about it getting an Oscar nomination. I also didn't think George Clooney deserved one at all ... just an OK performance.
It is reopening in theaters this weekend, so I plan to see it tomorrow afternoon. I haven't read anything suggesting George Clooney deserved a nomination.

What happened to Emile Hirsch? To me, "Into the Wild" was the biggest snub of the year.

[2Epcot]

Kevin O'Connell has been nominated 20 times for Sound Mixing and has never won. He's the uncle of a friend, and I hope he wins this one!


Sherri, I came across this very nice article about your friend's uncle. After reading it, I really hope he wins!


Thanks for the article, and I will also be pulling for Kevin. It would be nice to see him finally win. Sound Mixing is one of those things that doesn't get as much attention as the screenwriting, the directing, the acting, or even editing, but sound is 50% of a movie. Maybe as an editor I have more appreciation for what those guys do.

I often leave films thinking that was some great sound work. I actually did that when I watched "Transformers" just recently with my family at Christmas. I did that again just a few days ago when I went to see "Cloverfield".

Sound desgin, foley work, and sound mixing is such an art in itself. Good luck to Kevin!

[Emo312]

Ratatouille is a shoe in. I think that it is definitely top 10, maybe top 5 films of the year. That said, the biggest snub was The Simpsons Movie. It was way better than Surf's Up. I haven't seen Persepolis, but thats because it wasn't playing around here. In the same vein, why only 3 nominees every year?

[Jared]

Honestly, I don't think there ever are five animated films in one year strong enough to have a legitimate competition. It doesn't matter what the third nominee was, whether it was "Surf's Up," "The Simpsons Movie" or ever "Beowulf," nothing stands a chance against the other two choices.

"Ratatouille" (my sixth-favorite picture of the year) and "Persepolis" (which I awarded my personal Jury Prize) are so much better than any of the other possibilities that "Surf's Up" is simply a formality.

I'm not too sure which will actually win. Both are exceptional movies. As a Disney fan, I'm rooting for Remy and Linguini.

[Jared]

I finally saw "Michael Clayton" today, as it was re-released in theaters after receiving so many nominations. I knew I'd like it. I didn't know I'd absolutely love it.

Honestly, it deserves every nomination it got, and it is one of the best pictures of the year.

[Disney-lovin' Dutchman]

I also saw Michael Clayton and while I think the nominations are (barely) justified, in some categories I hope they don't win..there have been much better movies and performances than Michael Clayton, some movies that are virtually ignored eg. Into the Wild

[Jared]

I also saw Michael Clayton and while I think the nominations are (barely) justified, in some categories I hope they don't win..there have been much better movies and performances than Michael Clayton, some movies that are virtually ignored eg. Into the Wild
Agreed about "Into the Wild." It was absolutely snubbed more than any other movie this year. I would've nominated it for best picture instead of "Atonement" or "Juno" and nominated Emile Hirsch for best actor over Tommy Lee Jones. Nobody even saw "In the Valley of Elah." I can't believe Jones was nominated, though he is a phenomenal actor.

[2Epcot]

I finally saw "Michael Clayton" today, as it was re-released in theaters after receiving so many nominations. I knew I'd like it. I didn't know I'd absolutely love it.

Honestly, it deserves every nomination it got, and it is one of the best pictures of the year.

After a few days for the film to soak in, I actually like it better than my first impression after I saw it. "Michael Clayton" is very much an actors film ... Great performances. I agree with all the acting nominations except Clooney, who for me, was nothing special. On the other hand, the screenplay is great, Tony Gilroy did a fantastic job, certainly worthy of an Oscar. Though I've only seen 3 of the 5 films in this category.

[Advnt05]

All the discussions go to show how different we all see the same things. I haven't seen either Michael Clayton or There WIll be Blood yet but plan to see them soon.

Saw Atonement this weekend with the wife. She didn't like it much as she was expecting a feel good love story. I was not expecting to like it and came away really enjoying it. I though the camera work and the direction made it a much better film than Juno which I really enjoyed.

Also saw Eastern Promises. Didn't care for this one as much. Not sure I'm buying Viggio as best actor. Thought his Russian accent was dead on though. Can you give someone best actor for having a good accent? Maybe...I've seen some really bad Southern ones over the years.

Away from Her is on the way in the mail.

[Jared]

Interesting thoughts about "Atonement," and I'm glad to find a man who enjoyed the movie. I was wondering if I didn't like it only because of my sex. Good to know it does transcend those silly boundaries.

I agree that "Atonement" is a much better crafted film than "Juno," but I don't consider it a better film. Joe Wright is clearly a talented director, evidenced by his 2005 adaptation of "Pride & Prejudice," also starring the lovely Keira Knightley. But something about "Atonement" didn't work for me. I think it was the source material. It's almost like the novel isn't made for the screen and should have been left for the page. I've never read the book, but I always thought it was a study of the power of writing and art, not a simple love story like the movie version presented. I'm definitely not one of those "Juno" fanboys, but it was my ninth favorite movie of 2007, while "Atonement" maybe cracked the top 20.

I did like "Eastern Promises," probably more than you did. Viggo Mortensen did a wonderful job with that role, and I bought his Russia accent, like you said. I definitely thought it was a better film than its mobster counterpart, "American Gangster." Still, I don't think anyone stands a chance against Daniel Day-Lewis in the best actor category.

[Advnt05]

Well, I saw 2 1/2 more movies this weekend. On Friday, my wife and I saw "There Will be Blood". Overall impression is that it's a good movie. Daniel Day Lewis deserves best actor in it. The movie ran a little long so I wavered a time or two. Even saw a few people get up and leave the theater. I think in terms of overall movie, they have a complete package. The story gets a little slow in places.
Moved on to "Away from Her". Only watched about the first 30 minutes. Not due to the movie but I emotionally vested in the subject matter and it got too difficult to watch. My wife finished it out and thought it was a good movie.
Finished up the weekend with "Surf's Up". Really enjoyed it. Found it clever and entertaining. Not as rich as "Ratotouille" but a good movie and entertaining for adults and kids.

[NotaGeek]

YEA! Is everyone excited for the Oscar's this weekend!?!

[Jared]

I am!

:D

[2Epcot]

I'm ready, though Oscar night always means a very late night at work for me. I just came back from seeing "No Country For Old Men". I thought it was good, though my personal favorite of the best pictures is still "Atonement". I haven't seen "There Will Be Blood", though I may try to see it tonight.

[2Epcot]

So I was able to make it to see "There Will Be Blood" last night. Seeing both "No Country For Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood" in the same day was kind of interesting with both being dark movies. Daniel Day-Lewis did a fantastic job in the role, such a great perfomance. Now that I've seen all of the Best Picture nominees, I have to say I think my choice is "There Will Be Blood". The film had great acting, and directing, and for me, I left feeling the overall film seemed more deserving of Best Picture then the other nominees. Though I will say I liked all of the Best Picture nominated films this year.

[Jared]

Funny how two people could have such different perspectives. I saw all five nominees, and I would rank them as follows:


No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Michael Clayton
Juno
Atonement

I actually thought "Atonement" was the weakest candidate, and there were at least 10 or more movies I liked more that were not nominated, including "Into the Wild," "Zodiac" and "American Gangster."

My favorite film of the year was "Once," but that's a whole other story.

[NotaGeek]

Jared -- you have been talking about Once forever! I have it on my Blockbuster list and I am looking forward to seeing it. It never did have a big showing here in Phoenix.

[Jared]

Jared -- you have been talking about Once forever! I have it on my Blockbuster list and I am looking forward to seeing it. It never did have a big showing here in Phoenix.
I'm sure I hyped it way too much now, but I am excited for Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova's performance tonight.

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

Ratatouille won for Best Animated Film.

Very excited to see this. I absolutely loved this film. It's probably my 2nd favorite Disney film.

[ILoveLegos]

YES!

Only Disney can make you love a rat - "a-touille"!

I Loved the movie the first time I saw it, I bought it the day it came out on DVD - I stayed mesmerized the next 10 times I viewed it with my family and would still watch it tonight if the Oscars were not on! :mickey:

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

How could Enchanted get 3 nominations for song but not win one? I wanted to see "That's How You Know" win.

[PirateLover]

Well I guess I'm happy since I won a purse ;)
My man and I always print out ballots for awards shows and bet on them. He always complains that I buy too many purses so I told him he had to buy my next one if I won :) It actually came down to the last category!

I'm really disappointed that Enchanted did not win but I'm guessing that a lot of votes probably split between the 3 songs. The song from Once was nice, and I know quite a few people (besides Jared;) ) who love the movie. I have not seen it yet although I plan to. Still, I did not like the song all that much. It is probably better in context with the movie but I was bored with the performance, even though it was pretty.

[Jared]

Actually, I thought the performance was pretty lame, so I'm especially glad it won the award. "Once" deserved to win the one category it received a nomination.

I'm not sure why, but something didn't sound right tonight, though. Honestly, I think they were so unbelievably nervous up there. Did you hear Glen Hansard try to deliver his acceptance speech? He sounded like had no idea what to do, probably because he didn't. These two wonderful muscians are not actors, and like Hansard said, they really had no business being there. Please don't let a relatively mediocre rendition tonight preclude you from seeing the film. "Falling Slowly" is an incredibly beautiful and moving song, and I truly believe it deserved to win the Oscar.

As for the rest of the night, I'm really happy Marion Cotillard won the Best Actress category. Not many saw "La Vie En Rose," but it was a good picture, and she was absolutely extraordinary. Besides Hansard and Marketa Irglova, I think Cotillard gave my favorite speech of the night. She seemed so genuinely happy and surprised.

Any other impressions? Is anybody surprised "No Country for Old Men" won the big award?

[NotaGeek]

I was really happy that Once won best song ... and it was great to see how blown away they were that they beat out the Disney powerhouse!

I was glad that No Country for Old Men won both best picture and best director because it totally bugs me when the two are split, because they go hand in hand.

Bravo for Juno/Diablo Cody winning best original screen play!

[2Epcot]

I'm at work doing Oscar wrap up stuff now ... hopefully getting out of here about 5am, but have a quick moment. I think the show overall was not bad. Some of my coworkers are saying it was a very boring show. I thought Jon Stewart did a good job. I actually laughed several times at his jokes ... my favorite being his slam against Vanity Fair not throwing their typical party in "honor" of the writers who usually don't attend the party.


Funny how two people could have such different perspectives. I saw all five nominees, and I would rank them as follows:


No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Michael Clayton
Juno
Atonement

I actually thought "Atonement" was the weakest candidate, and there were at least 10 or more movies I liked more that were not nominated.

I thought all of the nominated films were good, but based my feeling on just my own love and enjoyment of the film, and not completly on what I thought Academy voters would choose.
For me "Juno" was the weakest of the Best Picture films. Good film, but didn't think it should have been nominated. I thought "There Will Be Blood" should have won, but I can see why "No Country For Old Men" won.

This is how I ranked my favorites:


There Will Be Blood
Atonement
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
Juno


For me "No Country for Old Men" was not too much different then the typical stalker killer movie that I've seen dozens of times. I enjoy those type of films, and I liked "No Country". What made "No Country" different then the typical films like this, and got the Academy's attention ... Unlike most of those type of films that are filled with a lot of comedy, this was mostly a serious drama. Also, the characters were deeper and richer then the typical stalking killer film .... but still the same, I didn't feel like I was watching anything I had not seen several times before.


I'm really happy Marion Cotillard won the Best Actress category. Not many saw "La Vie En Rose," but it was a good picture, and she was absolutely extraordinary.

I have not seen this film, but I predicted she would win, moments before she won. When I saw the clips of the film, and then saw her sitting there in the audience, I figured she would win on the transformation of herself. This is a very common win, especially in the female lead actress category .... Halle Berry -- Monster's Ball, Nicole Kidman -- The Hours, Charlize Theron -- Monster. Why all of these were great perfomances, they all also required the actress to strip away her normal good looks for the character. For some reason the Academy voters seem to love this. I think 1/2 the Oscar should go to their makeup artists.

[Advnt05]

I was able to see Michael Clayton and In the Valley of Elah before the Oscars started on Sunday. Both were good films with Michael Clayton being the best of the two. Having seen all of the nominated Best Pictures, Actors, and Supporting movies, I would have to say I agree with all of the awards except for Best Supporting Actress. I'm missing that one. I thought that Amy Ryan for Gone Baby Gone was a better acted role. Not sure what happened there. Otherwise, I can see the awards being given to who got them. La Vie en Rose is a great movie for those who haven't seen it. She did a superb job in catching the mannerisms and drug addictions of Edith Piaf. It was more than just the makeup.

[diz_girl]

I think 1/2 the Oscar should go to their makeup artists. You are right in this case, as the makeup artist for 'La Vie en Rose' got an Oscar too. I saw Marion Cotillard in some other films and she was very good in 'A Very Long Engagement' too.

It's interesting how when a beautiful actress gets either ugly or naked for a role, she is "fearless" or "brave". Would you hear such praise if a plain woman were to act the same way in the same film? The answer is no. And looks rarely seem to enter into the critique of the men's performances. Oh, the hypocrisy.

I haven't seen 'Enchanted', but I will when it comes out on video. When Amy Adams was singing the first song from 'Enchanted,' I was thinking to myself that's a song that I could easily picture Kristen Chenoweth singing. And then Kristen Chenoweth came out and sang the second song, extremely well I might add. The Oscar show producers must have thought the same thing that I was when they were planning the show.

On another note, Wooooohooooo! for 'Falling Slowly' winning best song. After I saw the movie 'Once,' that song stayed with me for at least a week. It was an incredible song from an incredible movie. The ending scene of the movie was so powerful for me that I couldn't watch the movie again right away, so I sent the disc back to Netflix (but I'll request it again soon). You could tell from the applause that the song and the film were audience favorites too. It was also nice that Jon Stewart brought out Marketa Irglova out to give her speech when she got cut off earlier in the show. The film also won an Independent Spirit award for Best Foreign Flim. I hope that this exposure gets more people to see the film (at least on video).

[murphy1]

I just love Tilda and was happy she won, she is so talented. I thought Stewart did a good job, that has to be rough after only about a week to prepare with his writer. I think Miley Cyrus is very poised (loved her dress) and wish her much success, she seems to have her head on straight and not turn to the ways some of these kids have. Seemed like a preggo boom, too! Amanda, I agree about him bringing out the Irish lady, she was so cute. I want to see that movie, it reminds me of the movie The Commitments.

[Jared]

Shari, it's funny you mention "The Commitments" because it absolutely should remind you of "Once." The lead actor in "Once," Glen Hansard, also starred in "The Commitments." It's the only other role he's had, since he is a professional musician not an actor.

Oh, and not to nitpick, but Marketa Irglova is not Irish. She's Czech.

:)

[DisneyDudet]

I was rather disappointed at the Coen brothers. They did not seem excited or even grateful. I know they won before for Fargo, but really, if you aren't going to be grateful, you shouldn't win!!!

My thoughts.

I do have to say that Jon Stewart did a great job, and this was the first Oscars that I've watched from beginning to end, without changing channels! He was hilarious!

I will have to see some of the movies that won. I was VERY excited that Diablo won for her Juno screenplay. When I left the movie, I felt like it was one of the wittiest, smartest movies I've seen in a long time. Such great lines!

[Jared]

You were disappointed by the Coens, Morgan? Was that the general sentiment among everybody else?

I actually thought their acceptances speeches were absolutely brilliant. Sure, they were simple and quick, but Joel's story about their childhood days, and Ethan's pithy line, "I don't have much to add," were perfect, I thought.

Any other thoughts?

By the way, I have to hear about your new car, Morgan. We need to talk!

[PirateLover]

Although I was happy last night since I won my bet, I had to come back on and say that I thought the overall telecast was a snoozer.

Yes I know there was the strike, leaving little time to prepare but it just wasn't very fun. Jon Stewart is always a funny guy, but his first hosting gig was better when he went in with fearless abandon, mocking Scientology and how Hollywood is out of touch with the rest of the U.S. Of course that ruffled feathers and it's probably why he wasn't asked back right away and was a bit more subdued this time around with the snark. The only edgy joke I remember is the Vanity Fair joke which was good, but wouldn't make sense to anyone who isn't familiar with the party.

Also It was missing the element of surprise and just overall entertainment. I'm thinking of Billy Crystal's song and dance numbers, Whoopi entering as Queen Elizabeth etc.

There were too many montages. The binocular/periscope one was funny but they got old fast. I love history and seeing old speeches but it took up so much time, and took time away from the current winners. This leads to one of the most annoying things and that is when there are multiple winners and they start playing them off before the second one gets to speak.

Lastly, I think the fact that the majority of your typical movie going audience didn't see these films adds to the lack of interest. (I myself have only seen Juno). This cannot be blamed on the show producers obviously but it just adds to the lagging interest.

Oh and by the way, I can't believe they left Brad Renfro out of the RIP montage. The excuse was they can't use everyone (NOT that he wasn't a member of the Academy.. Aaliyah wasn't and they showed her back in 2000) and I find that lame. How many "executives" did they show? I think an actual actor deserves to be memorialized before an "executive."

[murphy1]

Jared, was Gordon the guy that started that band? You are a wealth of knowledge!

[Jared]

Jared, was Gordon the guy that started that band? You are a wealth of knowledge!
Shari, who's Gordon? And what band are you referring to? :blush:

[Jared]

Lastly, I think the fact that the majority of your typical movie going audience didn't see these films adds to the lack of interest. (I myself have only seen Juno). This cannot be blamed on the show producers obviously but it just adds to the lagging interest.
Actually, you do make a legitimate point. The average moviegoer has not seen any of the five best pictures. "Juno" made the most in box offices of the group with $130,377,446, according to Rottentomatoes.com.

Consider that all five together made $324,984,590. "Spider-Man 3," "Shrek the Third," "Transformers" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" all made more than $300 million by themselves.

"Juno" was the 15th-highest grossing movie of the year.

[murphy1]

Sorry, Jared, Glen not Gordon, was he the guy that put the Commitments together in the movie of the same name (see what happens when you are 41 with three kiddos who zap your brain! LOL)

[Hammer]

Although I was happy last night since I won my bet, I had to come back on and say that I thought the overall telecast was a snoozer.

Yes I know there was the strike, leaving little time to prepare but it just wasn't very fun. Jon Stewart is always a funny guy, but his first hosting gig was better when he went in with fearless abandon, mocking Scientology and how Hollywood is out of touch with the rest of the U.S. Of course that ruffled feathers and it's probably why he wasn't asked back right away and was a bit more subdued this time around with the snark. The only edgy joke I remember is the Vanity Fair joke which was good, but wouldn't make sense to anyone who isn't familiar with the party.

Also It was missing the element of surprise and just overall entertainment. I'm thinking of Billy Crystal's song and dance numbers, Whoopi entering as Queen Elizabeth etc.

There were too many montages. The binocular/periscope one was funny but they got old fast. I love history and seeing old speeches but it took up so much time, and took time away from the current winners. This leads to one of the most annoying things and that is when there are multiple winners and they start playing them off before the second one gets to speak.

Lastly, I think the fact that the majority of your typical movie going audience didn't see these films adds to the lack of interest. (I myself have only seen Juno). This cannot be blamed on the show producers obviously but it just adds to the lagging interest.


I get what you're saying, Maryanne, but the Oscars have never been about appealing to the lowest common denominator, as many blockbuster movies are. The Oscars are about excellence in filmmaking, not honoring those movies which make the most money. Most of those movies have great effects, but the scripts and acting is pretty fluffy. Personally, I usually dislike almost every big budget movie that comes out, but I realize I'm the minority. I like movies that make me think and ponder the bigger picture.


Oh and by the way, I can't believe they left Brad Renfro out of the RIP montage. The excuse was they can't use everyone (NOT that he wasn't a member of the Academy.. Aaliyah wasn't and they showed her back in 2000) and I find that lame. How many "executives" did they show? I think an actual actor deserves to be memorialized before an "executive

They've done that before and it always makes me :rant:. Don't get me started when they left off John Spencer, and he had been nominated for an Oscar :mad: !

[2Epcot]

I was rather disappointed at the Cohen brothers. They did not seem excited or even grateful. I know they won before for Fargo, but really, if you aren't going to be grateful, you shouldn't win!!!

The Cohen brothers are known for not talking to the press. When they release a new movie, all of the cast will do press interviews, and other people involved in the film, but the Cohen brother never talk to the press or do interviews. I was saying at work last night I woud have loved for the entire press core to not ask a single question when they entered the Oscar press room. I knew it wouldn't happen, but it would have been nice to return the favor.

While "No Country For Old Men" wasn't my favorite, I did think Javier Bardem deserved the supporting role Oscar for that film. I also liked the speech he made.


Jon Stewart is always a funny guy, but his first hosting gig was better when he went in with fearless abandon ... The only edgy joke I remember is the Vanity Fair joke which was good, but wouldn't make sense to anyone who isn't familiar with the party.

There were too many montages. The binocular/periscope one was funny but they got old fast. I love history and seeing old speeches but it took up so much time, and took time away from the current winners. This leads to one of the most annoying things and that is when there are multiple winners and they start playing them off before the second one gets to speak.

I'm not a big Jon Stewart fan, but I thought he was OK. A couple of the other jokes I liked were playing the Nintendo Wi on the big screen and talking about the new media and enjoying "Lawrence of Arabia" on an iPhone.

I enjoyed most of the clips, but there was some they could have done without. I'm guessing most of these were produced for the alternate Oscars they would have had to do if the strike was still going on. I really enjoyed the new interviews with people who won, talking about how they felt at the time.

[PirateLover]

I get what you're saying, Maryanne, but the Oscars have never been about appealing to the lowest common denominator, as many blockbuster movies are. The Oscars are about excellence in filmmaking, not honoring those movies which make the most money.
Of course I'm not expecting popcorn flicks to get the award but movies can appeal to a larger crowd. Let's be honest, the only reason people went to see most of the nominees this year were simply because they were nominated. Besides Juno, which I loved, the only other movie I have any interest in seeing is There Will Be Blood, and possibly Atonement. I can enjoy movies that are more on the artsy/serious side but I also love blockbusters and I'm mostly friends with people who only care about action/suspense/comedy. Let's look at previous years and I'll italicize the movies that I know many people went to see and enjoyed.
2006
The Departed(winner)
Babel
Letters from Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

2005
Crash (winner)
Brokeback Mountain (I did see it, and I'm the only one I know. I liked the performances and cinematography, but I didn't think it was worthy of best picture)
Capote
Good Night and Good Luck
Munich

2004 (a good year for mass appeal)
Million Dollar Baby (winner)
Aviator
Finding Neverland
Ray
Sideways

In 1994 I don't think there was a single movie that hasn't stood the test of time and gone over well with the general public
Forrest Gump (winner)
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Pulp Fiction
Quiz Show
The Shawshank Redemption(one of my all time faves)

And without going into all the nominees, just look at the other winners since 2000: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Chicago, Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind. All were enjoyed by many. So I wasn't saying the Oscars always get it wrong or that they are irrelevant, just that this year was kind of a bad year for mass appeal and is probably a big reason the reason why the viewership numbers hit an almost all time low, and added to lack of interest for me even though I watched the whole thing.

[Mousefever]

Sorry, Jared, Glen not Gordon, was he the guy that put the Commitments together in the movie of the same name (see what happens when you are 41 with three kiddos who zap your brain! LOL)

Robert Arkins was the one who played Jimmie Roberts and put the band together. Glen was Outspan Foster, the guitarist who almost threw up from stage fright.

I just want to add that Helen Mirren (with her dress) was the most gorgeous person at the Oscars last night.

Amy


:dory:

[Hammer]

Of course I'm not expecting popcorn flicks to get the award but movies can appeal to a larger crowd. Let's be honest, the only reason people went to see most of the nominees this year were simply because they were nominated. Besides Juno, which I loved, the only other movie I have any interest in seeing is There Will Be Blood, and possibly Atonement. I can enjoy movies that are more on the artsy/serious side but I also love blockbusters and I'm mostly friends with people who only care about action/suspense/comedy. Let's look at previous years and I'll italicize the movies that I know many people went to see and enjoyed.
2006
The Departed(winner)
Babel
Letters from Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

2005
Crash (winner)
Brokeback Mountain (I did see it, and I'm the only one I know. I liked the performances and cinematography, but I didn't think it was worthy of best picture)
Capote
Good Night and Good Luck
Munich

2004 (a good year for mass appeal)
Million Dollar Baby (winner)
Aviator
Finding Neverland
Ray
Sideways

In 1994 I don't think there was a single movie that hasn't stood the test of time and gone over well with the general public
Forrest Gump (winner)
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Pulp Fiction
Quiz Show
The Shawshank Redemption(one of my all time faves)

And without going into all the nominees, just look at the other winners since 2000: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Chicago, Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind. All were enjoyed by many. So I wasn't saying the Oscars always get it wrong or that they are irrelevant, just that this year was kind of a bad year for mass appeal and is probably a big reason the reason why the viewership numbers hit an almost all time low, and added to lack of interest for me even though I watched the whole thing.

This kind of proves my point that I am not like most people. I did not like Forrest Gump. I actually did not want to see it because of the phenomena. 1994 was a great year for movies, though. I love The Shawshank Redemption and Four Weddings and a Funeral (both are on my all time faves list). To this day I quote the wedding dress shopping scene in Four Weddings whenever a friend is getting married (Maryanne, please don't get a dress that makes you look like a meringue :laughing:). I have never seen Gladiator or Million Dollar Baby all the way through as they just do not hold my interest (and in the case of Million Dollar Baby, I am not a fan of Hilary Swank or Clint Eastwood). You are probably right that there should be a better balance in the big categories. I just want all to be high quality movies, regardless of box office receipt.

[Jared]

I agree with Christine. Marianne, I wonder what movies you would have liked to see nominated. I understand your point, that the nominees should better reflect the taste of the public, but does that mean "Transformers" and "Spider-Man 3" deserved nominations in the big categories?

[DisneyDudet]

I don't know what it was about the Coens... they just didn't seem... well.. grateful. Almost full of themselves. I mean, I'm not expecting a Cuba Gooding, Jr response every win, but something... more from them would have been nice.

With the big movies not making the cut, I feel sometimes that they are left out, simply because of their big money. I don't know, I am torn. You know, there's some great elements to all of those movies. They have to have SOMETHING to appeal to so many people. On the other hand, if the Academy Awards are there for ART, then some of those other movies deserve to be in the big categories. I haven't seen any but Juno, but I will see them when I am able.

I just don't know. I think its hard to appreciate the Oscars if you haven't seen the movies. They give you opportunities to see them, especially after they are announced, but sometimes they are already out of theaters. Its just rough on the common movie goer sometimes!

Oh, and Jared, if you ever got on AIM once in a while, you would know about my crazy life lately! :) I'm giving you a hard time. We TOTALLY need to talk!

[Jared]

Maybe it's different where you live, Morgan, but all the major nominees are in theaters here between the day the nominations are announced until the actual show. In fact, "Juno," "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood" are still at the major theater here.

Anyway, I'm on AIM now, Morgan! Where are you?

[DisneyDudet]

Well, we don't exactly have a ton of theaters that have a lot of the movies, unless they were released recently. Some of our smaller theaters might, and I do believe that some theaters offer a marathon screening of all the nominated movies, but you have to dig deep to find it.

But I'm just not as cool as you !!

[PirateLover]

I just want all to be high quality movies, regardless of box office receipt.
I agree with this. Sometimes there are indeed movies nominated which did not receive wide distribution at first but do end up resonating with a large audience. But it goes the other way too. Just because a movie became a blockbuster hit does not mean that it should be discounted from running either.

I agree with Christine. Marianne, I wonder what movies you would have liked to see nominated. I understand your point, that the nominees should better reflect the taste of the public, but does that mean "Transformers" and "Spider-Man 3" deserved nominations in the big categories?
I honestly don't know what I would've nominated this year. My only point was that besides Juno, most people didn't care about these movies, not necessarily that the wrong films were nominated. It just wasn't a good year in my opinion.

My favorite movies overall this year were probably "Enchanted", "Sweeney Todd", "I Am Legend" and "Ratatouille"(which can't be nominated because of the Animated category they have now). I do think Will Smith should've gotten a nomination for "I Am Legend" because he was basically the only person in the entire movie and I thought it was a compelling performance. But on the whole, It ended up being a disappointing year for me.

In all fairness I also did not get to see many movies I would've liked to have seen (I've heard good things about "Into the Wild", "Once", and "Eastern Promises").

I do not think that "Spider-Man 3" should've been nominated, because it wasn't very good. But I felt that "Spider-Man 2" could've been nominated the year it came out.

I didn't see "Transformers".

I thought Christian Bale should've been nominated for his performance in "Batman Begins" a few years back. Jack Nicholson was nominated for his turn as the Joker in Burton's "Batman" but I wonder if it was just because of who he is, and the novelty of the franchise at the time, not the time and effort he put into the role.

So again, my original point was the simple fact that some years you have "The English Patient" and other years you have "Rocky."
This was a year in which there wasn't much to appeal to most of the average movie-going crowd, so people didn't tune in.