Poorly run Oscar campaigns

Why are you doing this to us, Hurt Locker? This is just embarrassing. Apparently, one of the producers, Nicolas Chartier, sent an e-mail to a huge number of Academy members asking them to vote for his film and not the "$500M" movie. Which, okay, yeah, we agree with you, but you need to be a little more careful who you send that to. Because apparently your list included producers who worked on some of the other 9 movies that are nominated for Best Picture (8 of which did not cost $500 million to make). Which, shockingly, is now bringing the backlash. After they began hearing about the e-mail from outraged reps for studios with other best picture contenders, the academy forced Chartier to issue an apology and e-mail it to each person who received the plea he sent last week. Not only was the e-mail in violation of Academy rules and etiquette, it's just plain dumb.

However, ballots are due back next Tuesday, the 2nd, so presumably the backlash might be coming a little late. Either way, the plot for Best Picture thickens...

10 days until Oscar Day!

wanna watch a jackass look like a jackass by desperately trying not to come off as a jackass?

take it away james cameron!

you have to go HERE to watch the video cause they're a bunch of copyright fascists but here's a taste of the douchebaggery: "And look, for myself, I have already got an Oscar. I've got a couple of them, you know." oh DO you mr. king of the world? where WILL you ever keep another one? you may even have to, like, clean off a shelf or something. what a BOTHER!

asshole.

How can you not be rooting for these guys??

The first 15 seconds of this (right after Jeremy Renner heard his nomination) are about the most charming thing I've seen...

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Nanc covered the most important things from the announcements, and I totally agree that it was a bit yawnsville (especially at 5:30 in the morning, thanks a lot Oscars). I mean, as nanc said, we all know who is going to win the supporting actor categories, could we get a few interesting nominations?? I liked that Maggie Gyllenhaal made it in, but what about Melanie Laurent?? Anthony Mackie? We know they're not going to win (Christoph Waltz is preparing his "I attended the 'Academy' of Quentin Tarantino" speech right now), but it could have spiced things up a bit.

UPDATE: There are a lot of other very charming reactions out there as well. My favorite? Mr. Colin Firth: "I thought I was managing my expectations, but on hearing the news I discovered new and unfamiliar vocal tones. Perhaps I should do another musical."

helping to keep me awake

The Producers Guild of America Awards helped build the tension in one of the few big races that still has some (seriously, this is the year I start studying the Animated Short Film nominees in order to win our Oscar pool). While Avatar spent the weekend breaking Titanic's worldwide record to become the highest grossing film of all-time (although Titanic still holds the domestic record, at least for another couple weeks), it was once again the Hurt Locker on top at the PGAs (of course, both were shut out of the SAGs, but at least The Hurt Locker was nominated). Ladies and gentlemen, we have an Oscar race!



Nothing better than a little suspense around the top award. After Avatar's win at the Golden Globes, this was pretty awesome news for the Hurt Locker, especially since the PGAs have one of the better Oscar predicting histories (13 of the last 20 PGA winners have won best picture- conveniently compiled for you here). This is also one of those years where I could see them splitting the Best Director/Picture categories and giving one to each (in that scenario, please let Kathryn Bigelow win. I mean, I know I'm probably stuck listening to Cameron speak in Na'vi either way, and I'd really like to see the first woman ever win a directing Oscar. Which is in addition to the fact that she completely deserves to win). Be sure to keep February 2nd on your calendars for the announcement of the Oscar nominations!!!

keeping you up to date on the non-televised awards...

In what's starting to be no shock at all, The Hurt Locker took best picture honors from the National Film Critics. This is making me happy because the awards season seems to be a two horse race between it and Up in the Air, and, frankly, Up in the Air can die in a fire. So while I don't feel convinced without a doubt that The Hurt Locker was the best film of the year, I did really love it, and I'd much prefer it winning instead of its apparent competitors.

Also, I love Jeremy Renner being recognized for best actor and Kathryn Bigelow winning best director. Guess we'll just have to see what else Awards Show Season brings us...

gaining momentum

The Hurt Locker was named the best film of the year by both the LA and New York film critics, giving it the early frontrunner status at The Awards Circuit. Considering how early in the year it came out and how much that normally hurts a movie, this has got to make the filmmakers very very happy.
plus, I'm totally okay with it, it's REALLY good.


and, the other bonus, it also boosts Kathryn Bigelow's shot at being the first woman to win Best Director (only 3 have ever been nominated), not to mention the fact that it could make the woman who gave us Point Break an Oscar winning director. Don't hate that one bit.

as if you cared: it's kim's review of "the hurt locker"!

this movie is nothing short of spectacular. the direction (kathryn bigelow is a sure bet for a best director nod), the acting (i'm pretty sure jeremy renner just snagged the year's first best actor nod), the writing, the story. the hurt locker is as suspenseful as it gets, and its treatment of the soldier and the iraq quagmire is an honorable one. top ten, indeed.