Weinstein is back. (As are comments…sorry for the delay there.)
The short reply is the easy reply: the Academy has embarrassed itself this day. Seven nominations across the tech branches and a tip of the hat for Heath Ledger will be the Oscar legacy of “The Dark Knight.” The director — shunned. The writers — shunned. The film as a Best Picture nominee, pulling this crusty membership out of irrelevance? A pipe dream.
And I saw it coming. I saw this sense of rigid stupidity and ignorance coming, but I just…I didn’t have the heart to predict against the grain. I bought into the hype. I thought the Academy could be a fresh organization. Clearly, it cannot. And it proves as much year after year after year.
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” was the lead nomination hog with 13 mentions. Likely Best Picture winner “Slumdog Millionaire” was not far behind with 10, two of those nominations coming in the Best Original Song category.
Yes, the music branch proved to be a bunch of bumbling fools yet again, ignoring a solid track from a gifted rocker just like they did last year. You read it right: the Boss got the shaft.
“Milk” matched “The Dark Knight”‘s number of eight and, of course, found its way to Best Picture contention. But it also popped up surprisingly in the costume design field. Meanwhile, some singular thinking were to be had — like “Frozen River” and “In Bruges” finding recognition for their respective original screenplays (though at the unfortunate expense of Woody Allen). Or Michael Shannon, the lone acting nominee for “Revolutionary Road,” and a hell of a deserving bid. Hearing his name brought the broadest smile to my face.
And in an act of defiance against a supporting category campaign, the Academy recognized Kate Winslet as a lead in “The Reader,” which cock-blocked her performance in “Road.”
This all brings us to the elephant in the room: “The Reader” was the film to steal the Bat’s thunder, not “Gran Torino” like I expected, not “WALL-E” as others had hoped. And I think we all knew it was coming once Stephen Daldry’s name was called. A pornographic account of a sympathetic Nazi, rushed through post-production and ultimately a sloppy piece of drama, rightly abandoned by its initial producer at a crucial time on the basis of principle on one hand, politics on the other — this is one of the Academy’s five Best Pictures of the year.
These people should have their cards taken away. This member-for-life shit has to go because you end up with crotchety fools that have no idea what good cinema is, let alone a care about how their organization’s choices will be looked upon in the future. Years from now, “The Reader” will be a blip on the map of film obscurity. “The Dark Knight” will live on in infamy as one of the year’s titans, both a popular blockbuster and a critically acclaimed work of art.
What an absolute tragedy.
(More, plus the nods, after the jump.)
Anyway, looking back across the field, I have a few more notes. I was tipped off to the possibility of “Wanted” being a player in the sound fields last night but I disavowed it quickly enough. But here it is, a nominee for both sound editing and sound mixing. It also looks like I was correct in guessing “Slumdog” would be a nominee in both fields as well.
“Bolt” — a film you all know I love — managed to scoot “Waltz with Bashir” out of the animated field, something I’m sure relatively few saw coming. I can’t say I disagree with the call on one hand, but on the other, “Bashir” was an exceptional piece of worth deserving of a nomination here. If something had to go, why not “Kung Fu Panda?”
Tom Stern is finally an Oscar nominee, scoring for his beautiful work in “Changeling,” while “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” tickled the fancy of the makeup branch. Still, I don’t know how you watch “Synecdoche, New York” and ignore the work.
Annnnddd…that’s about it. Nothing truly left-field was in the cards. Although I guess Clint Eastwood failing to make the lead actor cut is a bit unexpected. But I’m looking back over the “Dark Knight”-peppered list of nominations and nothing is sticking out to me, so I guess I’ll just leave it at that.
I’m pissed. You’re pissed. So it goes. It’s not the first time…it won’t be the last.
The nominees:
Best Picture
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Milk”
“The Reader”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Director
David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”
Gus Van Sant, “Milk”
Stephen Daldry, “The Reader”
Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Actor
Richard Jenkins, “The Visitor”
Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon”
Sean Penn, “Milk”
Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”
Best Actress
Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”
Angelina Jolie, “Changeling”
Melissa Leo, “Frozen River”
Meryl Streep, “Doubt”
Kate Winslet, “The Reader”
Best Supporting Actor
Josh Brolin, “Milk”
Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder”
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt”
Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
Michael Shannon, “Revolutionary Road”
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, “Doubt”
Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Viola Davis, “Doubt”
Taraji P. Henson, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler”
Best Adapted Screenplay
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Doubt”
“Frost/Nixon”
“The Reader”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Original Screenplay
“Frozen River”
“Happy-Go-Lucky”
“In Bruges”
“Milk”
“WALL-E”
Best Animated Feature Film
“Bolt”
“Kung Fu Panda”
“WALL-E”
Best Foreign Language Film
“The Baader Meinhof Complex”
“The Class”
“Depatures”
“Revanche”
“Waltz with Bashir”
Best Art Direction
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“The Duchess”
“Revolutionary Road”
Best Cinematography
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“The Reader”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Costume Design
“Australia”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Duchess”
“Milk”
“Revolutionary Road”
Best Film Editing
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Milk”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Makeup
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Hellboy II: The Golden Army”
Best Music (Original Score)
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Defiance”
“Milk”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“WALL-E”
Best Music (Original Song)
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“WALL-E”
Best Sound Editing
“The Dark Knight”
“Iron Man”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“WALL-E”
“Wanted”
Best Sound Mixing
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“WALL-E”
“Wanted”
Best Visual Effects
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Iron Man”
Best Documentary (Feature)
“The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)”
“Encounters at the End of the World”
“The Garden”
“Man on Wire”
“Trouble the Water”
Best Documentary (Short Subject)
“The Conscience of Nhem En”
“The Final Inch”
“Smile Pinki”
“The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306”
Best Short Film (Animated)
“La Maison de Petits Cubes”
“Lavatory – Lovestory”
“Oktapodi”
“Presto”
“This Way Up”
Best Short Film (Live Action)
“Auf der Strecke (On the Line)”
“Manon on the Asphault”
“New Boy”
“The Pig”
“Spielzeugland (Toyland)”
Comments
121 responses to “81st annual Oscar nominations announced, ‘Button’ leads with 13, ‘Dark Knight’ snubbed in Best Pic”
oscars = JOKE!
Dull, boring, unimaginative & hate the public.
They SNUB we SNUB, only fair.
My feelings:
The Good:
1. Finally Kate Winslet will win for her best Performance. For me, her Hanna is a lot better that her April (I found her in RR a little bit annoying and over-the-top). I don’t think why she was nominated for her wrong role, even when the film isn’t perfect but she’s exquisite, beautiful and marvelous.
2. I’m glad for M.I.A.! ;) I know it would be a decision for ratings but I’m glad for HSM3 snub
3. Richard Jenkins and especially Melissa Leo. They deserved it.
4.Surprising Original Screenplay Line-up. Milk (The Only WGA nominee!!) and Wall-E did it. Surprising In Bruges and Frozen River got the Oscar Nomination.
5.Taraji P. Henson: She’s lovely in the film.
The Bad:
1.James Franco snub: I know he’s a long shot, but for me, he’s better than Michael Shannon, Robert Downey jr. (I think he’s a little bit overrated and he SHOULD be nominated last year for “Zodiac”) and even Josh Brolin. I hope he’ll return soon to another Oscar role. he deserves it!
2.The Dark Knight snub: I think this film is better that Frost/Nixon. The Reader is not perfect but I like it and more that Revolutionary Road (One of my biggest deceptions of the year).
3.Bruce Sprinsteen snub: ‘Nuff said
4.Why Waltz With Bashir got an only Oscar Nomination??!!
5.Amy Adams’s nomination: Well, she was competent but Rosemarie DeWitt and Debra Winger deserved that place.
Let me get this out there–I, too, was very disheartened to see The Dark Knight snubbed in nearly every major race. But, looking at all these comments–and I read every single one–it’s even more disheartening to see the bitter rage TDK fans have over the Academy.
Calm down.
I can’t really fault the five Best Picture lineups. They’re all fine films. Would they have been mine? No, but that doesn’t take away their right to be there.
I thought the Reader was a terrific film. And I’m completely ecstatic that they nominated Kate Winslet in the lead actress category…it’s a much better performance than Revolutionary Road (IMO). And I take offense at people’s criticism that it’s “another Holocaust movie”! Umm…have you seen it??? It truly is unlike anything I’ve seen this year. It’s thought-provoking, hauning, beautifully written, directed, and acted.
And “pornographic”? Never once did I remotely find this film the least pornographic. I don’t understand where this critique is coming from. And I didn’t for one second find the film manipulative–especially involving Kate Winslet’s character. I thought the script did a great job highlighing the ambiguity of her character. You truthfully didn’t know how to feel about her.
Also, I’m very excited to see nominations for Heath Ledger, Marisa Tomei, Amy Adams, and Richard Jenkins. Personally, I would have rather seen Sally Hawkins instead of Melissa Leo, but Leo did a fine job in Frozen River.
Also sad Woody Allen didn’t receive a screenplay nod for Vicky Cristina Barcelona :( ….but the man has won multiple Oscars, so I think he’ll live.
Otherwise, we all need to calm down a little. The Academy can’t accomodate everyone’s film tastes.
BATMAN isn’t the greatest thing ever. INDIANA JONES should’ve been up for Best Picture. It wasn’t, and that’s why AMPAS embarassed itself today.
Can we finally settle this…If you have seen “The Reader”, you know that it is NOT holocaust film!
Trivia Time! Films used to garner four acting nominations with more regularity pre-1965 but since then a couple have managed it. “Doubt” is the first film since “Chicago” and before that, “Reds”.
Also, with Penelope Cruz’s nomination, surely Woody Allen can lay claim to directing the most Oscar nominated performances right? Wrong. Here’s the list of the top 10 LIVING directors and how many performances from their films were nominated.
1. Martin Scorsese 20
2. Sidney Lumet 18
3. Mike Nichols 18
4. Woody Allen 16
5. Francis Ford Coppola 13
6. Norman Jewison 12
7. Clint Eastwood 11
8. James L. Brooks 9
9. Mark Rydell 9
10. Steven Spielberg 9
The all-time champ is still, and forever will be, William Wyler with 35.
As much as I love Slumdog, despite its astonishing success in the precursors, it doesnt seem like the sort of film the academy will vote for Best Picture. I’m afraid that Button is much more your stock standard winner (although I suppose you could argue that something like Atonement was more typically oscar-bait than No Country last year). I’m trying not to read too much in to Patel not getting an acting nomination. I hope Slumdog ramps up the campaign as the academy voters decide…
I don’t know why we all get our hopes up so high come nomination time, but we do, and are consequently disappointed, enraged and depressed. It’s not much comfort, but keep in mind that it could have been a lot worse (“Gran Torino” anyone?) By such a stretch, I’ll take the “The Reader.”
[…] http://www.incontention.com/?p=4100 Quote: Wow. Nice to see Mickey Rourke on there, but The Wrestler is a hell of a lot better than any of their best picture nominees. Frost/Nixon? Milk? The Reader? Is this an award for great filmmaking or the IMPORTANT STORY FROM HISTORY award? And I’m sure you’ll all notice the Dark Knight snub. Even if you don’t think it deserves a best picture nomination (I’m on the fence, myself), Chris Nolan still deserves a best director nod (this dismissive wank is for you, Ron Howard). It’s much harder to make a believable movie about Batman than it is to make yet another holocaust masturbation. Do they realize what they’ve done? They’ve made us bored. With THE HOLOCAUST. At some point, they may have to recruit some members of the Academy who aren’t a million years old. Just a thought. […]
I’m so dissapointed, that nothing would make me happier than see “live on broadcasting” the TDK teammates rejecting the Oscar in case of winning it. After all, if TDK and Chris Nolan, wasn’t good enough for deserving a nomination, so neither all team members, that would be a great lesson for that Academy Members Mob
It would be something special if somebody from the Dark Knight crew who wins publicly shamed the Academy. “If you wake up tomorrow Academy members and discover only ten million people watched your show YOU KNOW WHY!” would particularly go down a treat.
I just saw Slumdog Millionaire and I’m hopping fully on the Slumdog train. I guess the truth of it resonates with me, especially being where I live, even though the truth shown in the film is admittedly not a hundred percent pretty. I cringed and closed my eyes at a few scenes, but it’s not a complete downer. Boyle manages not to overdo it, though, and for his restraint and creativity, I applaud him so much. If there’s anyone aside from Chris Nolan who deserves the Best Director award, it’s this guy.
I didn’t see the last question coming, probably because I was so invested in it by the time it was asked, but man, why wouldn’t it be hard to sympathize with someone who finally wins an important game like that–and maybe the game of Life as well–when he’s suffered so much?
Also, the cinematography and score were awesome. Rooting for ‘Jai Ho’ on Oscar night.
“I hope he’ll return soon to another Oscar role. he deserves it!”
James Franco is currently filming as Allen Ginsberg, something tells me they won’t be able to resist him going homely in a biopic. Especially since he gave two of the best performances of 2008 and got passed over. I wonder how things would have gone if they’d campaigned him for Supporting in PINEAPPLE?
Look…assman…The Dark Knight is NOT the great picture you seem to think it is…and secondly, the Academy members, for the most part have EARNED their status for life by doing something other then an Oscar blog.
The Reader is a better movie to just as many people who think that TDK is.
I have a friend in the academy…after he saw The Reader, he called me and told me to see it. He said it was the best picture of the year and believe me, Harvey Weinstein had NOTHING to do with his feelings. If anything, he would want to hate it because of Weinstein.
Get over your damn self, and your damn movie and accept that we don’t all see things the same.
[…] the Academy displayed just what a fractured organization they are, championing a small film like “Slumdog […]
[…] have been analyzing the results. Some, like Mr. Tapley at In Contention, were downright angry.  Others, like Sasha Stone at Awards Daily, tried to be zen about the whole thing. Some […]
“assman”? What is this, a Seinfeld episode?
[…] wasn’t cool”AWFJ thinks the two best female performances weren’t nominated at allIn Contention Tapley thinks that The Reader’s nomination is a tragedy and that the movie is pornographic. […]
I thought I’d look back at this and comment on the nominees…
“Slumdog Millionaire” was 2008’s most overrated film in my opinion. It felt completely dishonest. Replace it with “The Wrestler.” “Frost/Nixon” was good, but stagy and claustrophobic. Replace it with “Synecdoche, New York.” “Milk” and “The Reader” were both solid, effective films, but neither made my top ten. Replace them with “Cloverfield” and “The Dark Knight.”
As far as animated film goes, I was not blown away by “Bolt,” “Kung Fu Panda,” or “WALL-E,” but all were solid. “WALL-E” was clearly the winner before it won, and even though I didn’t like the second half, I had no problem with this.
Oh but “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” was 2008’s most perfect achievement. I had absolutely no problem with it being nominated. It easily should’ve won.
This was almost overwhelming to read this all over again. It was a sense of bittersweet, with much more bitter than sweet: the Dark Knight reaps the second highest number of nods of any film to not get a Best Picture nomination, Ledger gets his due, WALL-E finds solace in six categories, the most of any animated film, surprise nods for the likes of Jenkins, Shannon, Leo, Winslet in lead. This was definitely the year that will be seen in the future as a gamechanger and one that future generations won’t be proud of. Slumdog Millionaire as Best Picture almost seems laughable now, a good movie, but caught up in the largest tsunami of hype ever seen this side of the galaxy.