61 responses so far

• 1 12-01-2009 at 8:43 am
  
  Ruslandgaga said...

  Awesome that Christian McKay got nominated.

• 2 12-01-2009 at 8:54 am
  
  jennifer said...

  So Mirren wins Rome, shows up on the Indy list.. I guess she’s the 4th nominee..
  Now the fight for the 5th spot is between Cotillard, Ronan, Cornish and Bullock.

• 3 12-01-2009 at 8:54 am
  
  Bia said...

  Gwyneth is a bit of a shocker, but I think she is dying for a comeback. It almost seems like a lifetime ago that she won the Oscar.

• 4 12-01-2009 at 8:58 am
  
  McGuff said...

  Well that’s not good for A Serious Man, my favorite movie of the year thus far. No Picture, no Best Actor, no Screenplay? Yeesh…

• 5 12-01-2009 at 8:58 am
  
  The Other James D. said...

  Which movie is Nathalie* Press nominated for?

  So, some strange snubs. Michael Stuhlbarg and “A Serious Man”, as well as Ben Foster, were robbed, imo. Julianne Moore might have been, too, actually.

  I’m really happy for JGL though. He was snubbed back in the day for “Mysterious Skin” (ugh, disgraceful), so he deserves this.

• 6 12-01-2009 at 9:01 am
  
  The Other James D. said...

  @McGuff: Don’t fret too much. “Milk” was snubbed for Best Feature and Director last year.

  And Jake Gyllenhaal missed the cut for “Brokeback Mountain”, while Laura Linney somehow even got snubbed here (in addition to the ludicrous snubs elsewhere), but thankfully got the last laugh come Oscars.

• 7 12-01-2009 at 9:05 am
  
  leonardo said...

  Jennifer:
  I’m agree with you, with this nomination Helen Mirren is in the list of the 5 nominies in the oscar race for best actress, along with Streep, Mulligan, Sidibe, and i guess Sandra Bullock for the last spot, now that The Blind Side is a big boxoffice hit, and Sandra is the an america’s sweet heart.
  I still don’t undestand why Plummer is competing in the supporting category, is clear that the movie is about Tolstoy and his wife. Is an absurd and ridiculous category fraud.

• 8 12-01-2009 at 9:06 am
  
  geha714 said...

  Maybe The Hurt Locker should have waited to be nominated this year. It could given the film a bigger momentum into awards season.

  No Christopher Plummer. No Carey Mulligan. No Michael Sthulbarg. No Bright Star. Some surprises here.

• 9 12-01-2009 at 9:07 am
  
  geha714 said...

  I forgot Julianne Moore and Tom Ford too.

• 10 12-01-2009 at 9:08 am
  
  The Other James D. said...

  Aha! “A Serious Man” will be receiving the Robert Altman Award, given to one film’s directors/writers and cast. That’s a minor consolation to its infuriating snubs.

  Natalie Press was nominated for “Fifty Dead Men Walking”.

  @leonardo: Um, you should pay more attention around here. Plummer is going supporting because his character is more supporting, according to Kris. McAvoy’s character is the lead. I don’t think it’s that fraudulent.

• 11 12-01-2009 at 9:09 am
  
  geha714 said...

  Damn, Plummer was nominated. My bad.

• 12 12-01-2009 at 9:10 am
  
  The Other James D. said...

  @geha714: Only American productions are eligible to be nominated in main categories. Thus, British fare like “An Education” and “Bright Star” can only get a Best Foreign Film nomination.

• 13 12-01-2009 at 9:11 am
  
  geha714 said...

  Thanks, Other James D.

• 14 12-01-2009 at 9:15 am
  
  The Other James D. said...

  Welcome. Oh, one more thing, Tom Ford was nominated–in Best First Feature. That award goes at least in part to the director. Thus, he wasn’t eligible for the main Director category.

• 15 12-01-2009 at 9:18 am
  
  leonardo said...

  The other James D.:
  But everybody is saying that Plummer and Mirren have the same screen time, and the movie is about them, so it looks a little weird to me, something like Kate Winslest last year with The Reader.
  What is clear is that Plummer knows that in the leading category has no chance to win, and in the supporting one, maybe, because of the age factor, like Mantin Landau, Alan Arkin, Jack Palance and James Cobourn, for example.

• 16 12-01-2009 at 9:18 am
  
  Guy Lodge said...

  Other James D: Sorry for the Press omission — I was typing too quickly. (An especially unfortunate oversight, since hers is my favourite nomination here!)

• 17 12-01-2009 at 9:23 am
  
  Kristopher Tapley said...

  So happy for Scott Cooper’s double nod here.

• 18 12-01-2009 at 9:24 am
  
  McGuff said...

  Glad to see the Altman thing.

  Is this one of the awards that tries to acknowledge as many films as possible, or do we think Adventureland really deserves a screenplay nod?

  I wonder if the winner in Bridges v. Firth will tell us something about the Oscar race.

  Also: never heard of The Vicious Kind. Has anyone seen it?

• 19 12-01-2009 at 9:25 am
  
  The Other James D. said...

  @Guy: No worries. And interesting–I would really like to see the movie, so perhaps I’ll agree!

  @Leonardo: But still, I think it’s based on the story’s perspective. In my eyes, Forest Whitaker and Meryl Streep were category fraud. So, this is just. But you could be right, the Academy may disagree, and everything might go apeshit in the end =).

  @McGuff: I’m really intrigued for “The Vicious Kind” after seeing it here, simply ’cause I like Adam Scott on that show “Party Down”. Looks like it might be out next year sometime?

• 20 12-01-2009 at 9:26 am
  
  JAB said...

  just watched 500 Days of Summer last night and absolutely loved it, and while I’m glad to see it’s nods here I can’t help but wonder why it was left out for Screenplay and for Zooey Deschanel.

• 21 12-01-2009 at 9:29 am
  
  The Other James D. said...

  The saddest thing for me is the omission of Ben Foster. I was sure he’d get nominated, but at least his two co-stars did.

  @JAB: Check again on Screenplay. Plain as tall Sarah.

• 22 12-01-2009 at 9:39 am
  
  Jim T said...

  “The Vicious Kind”? Firt time I see that name. Has anyone seen it?

• 23 12-01-2009 at 9:39 am
  
  Chris said...

  So, if “Precious” wins this, it won’t win the Oscar, right? Beware the curse of the Independent Spirit Award!

• 24 12-01-2009 at 9:56 am
  
  Marshall said...

  @JAB, it got a Screenplay nod. Just criminally not a nod for Zooey Deschanel.

• 25 12-01-2009 at 9:56 am
  
  Cengiz said...

  This “(500) Days of Summer” fan is very happy.

• 26 12-01-2009 at 9:57 am
  
  aspect ratio said...

  Interesting nominees but some really strange picks too, like seeing Adventureland nominated for screenplay, while A Serious Man missed that, despite its director nod. I actually quite loved Adventureland, I don’t think it’s undeserving at all, but at the same time I would never have imagined that it could best A Serious Man for a writing nod.

  It’s too bad The Hurt Locker was ineligible, had it not been nominated for the few it got last year when it was unreleased and barely on anyone’s radar, it certainly would’ve grabbed more nominations this year.

• 27 12-01-2009 at 10:03 am
  
  SHAAAARK said...

  Hey, wait, THAT Adam Scott, from Party Down? AWESOME. I may have to find some way to see The Vicious Kind.

• 28 12-01-2009 at 10:08 am
  
  Julian Stark said...

  Like all the Precious love. Surprised by The Last Station… AND JEMAINE CLEMENT FOR GENTLEMEN BRONCOS?!!!

• 29 12-01-2009 at 10:19 am
  
  Mike_M said...

  Glad to see Sin Nombre got some love…

• 30 12-01-2009 at 10:21 am
  
  Chase K. said...

  Maybe I don’t know anything about cinematography, but I thought “Bad Lieutenant” was one of the most intentionally ugly films I’ve seen all year. No?

• 31 12-01-2009 at 10:22 am
  
  billybil said...

  THANKS for explaining about the American requirement – I was a little freaked when I saw that Mulligan wasn’t nominated for Best Actress!

  When you think about it THE LAST STATION seems like a perfect Oscar picture – bio, period film, quality tech, “high class” actors…

  I’m most glad that JGL got recognized!

  Also glad about Harrelson but sad about no Foster!

  Surprised by A SERIOUS MAN – seemed like a sure bet for these awards. I do think Stuhlbarg was quite special in it.

  I’m really curious to see if McKay can make it to the final five for the Oscars. A lot of blogs still have Damon on their list!

  Anyone else surprised that A SINGLE MAN didn’t make Cinematography?

• 32 12-01-2009 at 10:33 am
  
  red_wine said...

  Absolutely delighted at the Two Lovers nominations. Its a superb Directorial effort by Gray. I was longing for it to happen earlier in the year, the film would now be lucky to even get mentioned in a few critics top 10’s. It seems to be all but forgotten. And Phoenix was snubbed.

  But boo to 500 days of summer nods. I saw it recently and I guess it passes for profundity for the teenage crowd. What a superficial film. I cant believe it got nominated over Two Lovers.

• 33 12-01-2009 at 11:04 am
  
  Jim said...

  Some nice touches like some love for 500 Days of Summer, Adventureland(surprisingly), The Messenger, but disappointed and shocked to see A Serious Man ignored in Best Feature, Actor, and Screenplay.

• 34 12-01-2009 at 11:19 am
  
  SHAAAARK said...

  They didn’t include the best male performance of year (Ben Foster), but at least they omitted the year’s most overrated performance, Deschanel in (500) Days of Summer. I think people are praising her performance because they’re attracted to her. Yes, even gay men and women. But the ISA nominators at least saw through that to realize how little she did with the part versus how much a few other actresses could have done.

• 35 12-01-2009 at 11:24 am
  
  Duke said...

  I’d love if The Last Station won over Precious!

  And I guess A Single Man was veeeery snubbed. Sad.

• 36 12-01-2009 at 11:34 am
  
  The Other James D. said...

  ^LOL. “Serious”ly?

  @billybil: You’re welcome, and yes, I’m stunned “A Single Man” was snubbed in Cinematography in favor of Werner Herzog’s latest hot mess.

• 37 12-01-2009 at 12:28 pm
  
  David said...

  really happy to see SIN NOMBRE and Cary on the list… it remains one of my top films of the year…

• 38 12-01-2009 at 12:37 pm
  
  Brian said...

  happy that 500 Days of Summer got a nod for best feature, one of my favorites so far this year but sad that A Serious man didn’t sneak in there. Saw Precious over the weekend and wonder what the fuss is about. I mean, it gets pretty riduculus

• 39 12-01-2009 at 12:56 pm
  
  Joel said...

  Julian Stark: I haven’t seen “Gentlemen Broncos,” but I’m not surprised in the slightest to see him here. One critic called his performance a “small masterpiece of its own” or something along those lines. Apparently he’s excellent.

  JAB and Cengiz: Right there with you guys. “(500) Days of Summer” is one of my favorite films of the year. Deschanel’s snub is a stupid move, imo.

• 40 12-01-2009 at 1:00 pm
  
  Joel said...

  And how the heck is “An Education” a foreign film?

• 41 12-01-2009 at 1:03 pm
  
  The Other James D. said...

  …It’s not American?

  Foreign =/= foreign language. “Once” won here two years ago.

• 42 12-01-2009 at 1:44 pm
  
  Me. said...

  I LOVE the fact that “(500) Days of Summer” got all that love, including a nomination for Best Feature. It’s such a great film. It felt like the “Annie Hall” for my generation. Superb!

  I’m sad “A Serious Man” wasn’t nominated for Best Feature or Best Actor though. It was a brilliant, laugh-out-loud dark comedy that leaves you thinking. Oh well. In a perfect world the “Precious” bitch wouldn’t be nominated for Best Feature.

  And “The Last Station” looks like such a Good Film! Can’t wait.

  My Best Actress Predictions:

  Marion Cotillard – Nine
  Helen Mirren – The Last Station
  Carey Mulligan – An Education
  Gabourey Sidibe – Precious
  Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia

  Also
  SANDRA BULLOCK WON’T BE NOMINATED. “THE BLIND SIDE” GOT TERRIBLE REVIEWS. It’s going to be between Ronan, Cotillard and Cornish for the 5th spot with Audrey Tautou being a potential dark horse for “Coco Before Chanel”.

• 43 12-01-2009 at 2:08 pm
  
  Amir said...

  Terrible call on A Serious Man.
  No script? No best pitcure?
  most importantly, NO BEST ACTOR?
  he’s definitely my favorite lead actor of the year thus far.

• 44 12-01-2009 at 2:14 pm
  
  Joel said...

  Me.: Plus “The Blind Side” is a terrible movie, and I have a feeling the Academy will see through it. Maybe not though. I believe it to be overrated, overhyped, and, above all, fake.

  For some reason, I was barely moved by the trailer for “The Last Station.” Hmm.

• 45 12-01-2009 at 3:51 pm
  
  Luke said...

  Anybody know how long before the Spirit Awards screeners start coming?

• 46 12-01-2009 at 4:18 pm
  
  R.J. said...

  I’m so happy to see Paltrow and Gray nominated for “Two Lovers”, I would’ve loved to have seen Joaquin Phoenix and Vinessa Shaw nominated as well but this is still great. I loved that film.

• 47 12-01-2009 at 4:41 pm
  
  Ripley said...

  Happy to see Sin Nombre on this list, saw it on dvd a few nights ago and thought it was a superb little film, amazing though it is in top 5. Sorry A Single Man didn’t get in top Five but it probably will be honored at least for Best First Feature and maybe Colin for the BA win too?!

• 48 12-01-2009 at 4:59 pm
  
  Puchika said...

  happy to see Sin Nombre up there as well–still my favorite film of the year so far

• 49 12-01-2009 at 5:24 pm
  
  Guy Lodge said...

  @Chase K: Agreed. Intentionally or not, “The Bad Lieutenant” is one muddy-looking movie. Of all the places for it to show up, Best Cinematography is the last place I’d look.

  Any DPs out there who can convince me otherwise?

• 50 12-01-2009 at 7:01 pm
  
  Zach said...

  (Kind of obvious) predictions:

  Feature – “Precious”
  Actress – Gabby Sidibe
  Actor – Jeff Bridges
  Supporting Actress – Mo’nique
  Supporting Actor – Woody Harrelson
  Director – Lee Daniels
  Screenplay – “(500) Days of Summer”
  First Screenplay – “Precious”
  Cinematography – “A Serious Man”
  First Feature – “Crazy Heart”
  Foreign Film – “A Prophet”
  Documentary – “Anvil! The Story of Anvil”
  John Cassavetes – “Treeless Mountain”

• 51 12-01-2009 at 9:20 pm
  
  BurmaShave said...

  I was hoping Paula Patton would get some love at least once during this season, and I was thinking if at all it’d be from the Spirits.

• 52 12-01-2009 at 9:26 pm
  
  Chad Hartigan said...

  Don’t worry Burma, I’m sure she’ll get in with the NAACP Image Awards.

• 53 12-01-2009 at 9:45 pm
  
  SHAAAARK said...

  (500) Days of Summer is the Annie Hall of our generation in the same way The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the Gone With the Wind of our generation. Which is to say, fuck you.

• 54 12-02-2009 at 4:25 am
  
  Alex said...

  I’m very happy about Mia Wasikowska. She should be nominated in Best Supporting Actress in around 4-5. She was very impressive in That Evening Sun.

• 55 12-02-2009 at 4:31 am
  
  Alex said...

  By 4-5 I mean 4th to 5th position.

  Judi Dench deserved her Oscar for Shakespeare in Love more than she deserves a nomination of for Nine.

• 56 12-02-2009 at 9:19 am
  
  Me. said...

  “(500) Days of Summer is the Annie Hall of our generation in the same way The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the Gone With the Wind of our generation. Which is to say, fuck you.”

  Thanks for the compliment.
  And to be honest, it is. I’m not saying “Summer” is better than “Annie Hall”, because it’s not but they’re very similarly constructed and many couples of my generation which I know personally can identify to this film. It feels real, not like those crap rom-coms that have been made.

• 57 12-02-2009 at 9:33 am
  
  The Other James D. said...

  @SHAAAARK: But kudos to your TCCOBB diss =). Bitchin’.

• 58 12-02-2009 at 10:07 am
  
  Brian said...

  Love the photo of Kate Hudson that goes with this post, but she does look a bit older without makeup….and what does it have to do with the Spirit Awards?

• 59 12-02-2009 at 10:23 am
  
  Speaking English said...

  Actually, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” might as well be the “Gone with the Wind” of this generation. If you mean grand sweeping romance in a big, beautiful production, then totally. Or “Australia.”

• 60 12-02-2009 at 10:24 am
  
  Speaking English said...

  Ahhh… nevermind. “Titanic” already claimed it 12 years ago.

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