Call it bad luck or foolish optimism, but the decision by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences two doubles the size of its Best Picture Oscar field from five to 10 nominees this year has put it at risk of not having a full ballot when Oscar nominations are announced in February 2. And it has given itself an absolute assurance of having nominees that do not belong.
The Academy's screwy preferential voting system begins by separating Ballot city movies listed first. Every ballot with 'Avatar' as No.. 1, for instance, goes in one stack, every one with 'The Hurt Locker' first goes in another, and so on. That's no problem for those two movies, or the 'Inglourious Basterds,' 'Up in the Air' and 'Precious,' slam-dunk all Best Picture nominees.But to be eligible for a nomination - to have its own stack - a movie has to have the two least one first place vote, and the movie with the Fewest First-Place votes is thrown out. (Huh, even if it's in the top 10?) With 5777 voters, it's Likely that There Will Be At least 10 stacks, but God help us, what can they be? Veteran Oscar watchers who normally bite their tongues rather than utter the name of a locker room comedy like 'The Hangover' or of a sci-fi action movies like 'District 9' are, Gulp, uttering them.
If there had been the traditional five spots on the Best Picture-ballot, it would have been a snap, two predict them, as I already have above. To fill out 10 slots, the voters had two consider doubling-down on 'Up' and 'Fantastic Mr. Fox,' a pair of fabulous animated features that are sure to be on the ballot for the Best Animated Feature. If Michael Moore 'latest documentary,' Capitalism: A Love Story, 'had been as popular as his "Fahenheit 9 / 11,' it might have made the Best Picture list, too.I'll return to the Best Picture category later in this forecast of the nominations. As you read through, bear in mind that nominations for individual craft awards - acting, directing, writing, film editing, etc. - are made by members of that Branch of the Academy. Only for the Best Picture do all members vote.
If the actress / comedian Mo'Nique has been impolitic in her comments about awards, she's more than made up for it with warmly sincere acceptance speeches at the televised Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe award shows, where she's notched here first two wins. The Oscar already has this name on it.I've long believed that people choose their favorites here by closing their eyes and Remembering actual scenes of great editing. I call it 'The Chorus Line' syndrome. In that movie, there was a sequence showing auditioning dancers spinning on stage, and their upper bodies were so seamlessly edited, it had the effect of a Whirling Dervish. Nobody else found much to like about the movie, but it was nominated for Best Editing.In any event, it will be interesting to see how the voters - Whose Ballot were in the mail before SAG named 'Inglourious Basterds' the year's best ensemble films on Saturday and the Producers Guild selected 'The Hurt Locker' as the year's best picture on Sunday - came up with enough movies to fill out the official ballot. Here's my guess: Historically, Oscar voters link their director-choice with their favorite movie, but on three occasions in the last 10 years, they split the categories. I think they might do it again this year. But who And what will go where? The top four names on this list are guaranteed, and there is very little chance that Lee Daniels will not be there, as well.I recently seen Tyler Perry's "I can do bad all by myself." I am hoping that the committee will take a look a young actress named Hope Olaide Wilson (Jennifer-16 years old). She played such a role tear things in this movie. I hope Mr. Oscar will give a nod here. She surely is Deserving and worthy of it. Please consider this for a nomination for next years Academy Awards. Thank all of You in advance. Best Picture, Best Actor for Mark Wahlberg, Best Actress for Saoirse Ronan, Best Supporting Actress for Susan Sarandon and / or Rachel Weisz, Best Supporting Actor for Stanley Tucci, Best Director for Peter Jackson, Best Adapted Screenplay for Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens
It's a big-time literary adaptation from a guy who knows a thing or two (or three) about big-time literary adaptations. It has a tearjerker plot centered around a murdered teenage girl watching here Grieve family from heaven, and it's chock-full of showy party that will be played by a dream cast of past Oscar winners and nominees. If things go according to plan, The Lovely Bones could clean up in next year's awards season. But if I had two guess right now on Which categories it has its best chances in, I'd go with Sarandon, as the dead girl's boozy, brazen grandma, and Tucci as the creepy killer.
The Academy's screwy preferential voting system begins by separating Ballot city movies listed first. Every ballot with 'Avatar' as No.. 1, for instance, goes in one stack, every one with 'The Hurt Locker' first goes in another, and so on. That's no problem for those two movies, or the 'Inglourious Basterds,' 'Up in the Air' and 'Precious,' slam-dunk all Best Picture nominees.But to be eligible for a nomination - to have its own stack - a movie has to have the two least one first place vote, and the movie with the Fewest First-Place votes is thrown out. (Huh, even if it's in the top 10?) With 5777 voters, it's Likely that There Will Be At least 10 stacks, but God help us, what can they be? Veteran Oscar watchers who normally bite their tongues rather than utter the name of a locker room comedy like 'The Hangover' or of a sci-fi action movies like 'District 9' are, Gulp, uttering them.
If there had been the traditional five spots on the Best Picture-ballot, it would have been a snap, two predict them, as I already have above. To fill out 10 slots, the voters had two consider doubling-down on 'Up' and 'Fantastic Mr. Fox,' a pair of fabulous animated features that are sure to be on the ballot for the Best Animated Feature. If Michael Moore 'latest documentary,' Capitalism: A Love Story, 'had been as popular as his "Fahenheit 9 / 11,' it might have made the Best Picture list, too.I'll return to the Best Picture category later in this forecast of the nominations. As you read through, bear in mind that nominations for individual craft awards - acting, directing, writing, film editing, etc. - are made by members of that Branch of the Academy. Only for the Best Picture do all members vote.
If the actress / comedian Mo'Nique has been impolitic in her comments about awards, she's more than made up for it with warmly sincere acceptance speeches at the televised Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe award shows, where she's notched here first two wins. The Oscar already has this name on it.I've long believed that people choose their favorites here by closing their eyes and Remembering actual scenes of great editing. I call it 'The Chorus Line' syndrome. In that movie, there was a sequence showing auditioning dancers spinning on stage, and their upper bodies were so seamlessly edited, it had the effect of a Whirling Dervish. Nobody else found much to like about the movie, but it was nominated for Best Editing.In any event, it will be interesting to see how the voters - Whose Ballot were in the mail before SAG named 'Inglourious Basterds' the year's best ensemble films on Saturday and the Producers Guild selected 'The Hurt Locker' as the year's best picture on Sunday - came up with enough movies to fill out the official ballot. Here's my guess: Historically, Oscar voters link their director-choice with their favorite movie, but on three occasions in the last 10 years, they split the categories. I think they might do it again this year. But who And what will go where? The top four names on this list are guaranteed, and there is very little chance that Lee Daniels will not be there, as well.I recently seen Tyler Perry's "I can do bad all by myself." I am hoping that the committee will take a look a young actress named Hope Olaide Wilson (Jennifer-16 years old). She played such a role tear things in this movie. I hope Mr. Oscar will give a nod here. She surely is Deserving and worthy of it. Please consider this for a nomination for next years Academy Awards. Thank all of You in advance. Best Picture, Best Actor for Mark Wahlberg, Best Actress for Saoirse Ronan, Best Supporting Actress for Susan Sarandon and / or Rachel Weisz, Best Supporting Actor for Stanley Tucci, Best Director for Peter Jackson, Best Adapted Screenplay for Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens
It's a big-time literary adaptation from a guy who knows a thing or two (or three) about big-time literary adaptations. It has a tearjerker plot centered around a murdered teenage girl watching here Grieve family from heaven, and it's chock-full of showy party that will be played by a dream cast of past Oscar winners and nominees. If things go according to plan, The Lovely Bones could clean up in next year's awards season. But if I had two guess right now on Which categories it has its best chances in, I'd go with Sarandon, as the dead girl's boozy, brazen grandma, and Tucci as the creepy killer.
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