Long (very long) Oscars® Post-Mortem

[2099net]

Well, here’s my rather long, and probably boring comments.

In reverse order (winners in italics)

Lifetime Achievement Award
Blake Edwards

Well, I don’t particularly mind this, but I’m not sure it’s deserved. Still, I spent a while racking my brain for better recipient and couldn’t really come up with anyone. Are we loosing all out great film talent without really replacing it? Let’s face it, Tom Cruise, Ron Howard or – God forbid – Brett Ratner are unlikely to win this honour in 20 or so years time.

Film Editing
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
City of God
Cold Mountain
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Seabiscuit

Now, this is where I’m going to get nasty. How come, for all Oscar® nights, the same films are nominated for the technical categories. While I’ve not seen City of God, but what I have seen of it makes me think it may be worthy of nomination. But are you really telling me that out of all the hundreds of films released in 2003 these other four, high profile films happened to have the best Film Editing? While House of the Dead may have been a crappy low-budget "Horror" movie, it did have some pretty good editing in it (for example).

Sound editing
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Finding Nemo
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Now, this is really where I begin to get nasty. Are you telling me out of all the films released last year only three were worthy of nominations for Sound Editing? What rubbish. And again they’re all high profile titles too. Surely some low budget film (like say Lost in Translation) is just as worthy. Personally I think Finding Nemo should have won out of the nominations being as all the sounds were foley effects.

Best sound
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Last Samurai
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Seabiscuit

Again, out of all the films released, only a handful seem to be worthy of this award. And strangely each of the nominations had nominations in other categories too.

Best make-up
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Again only three films out of hundreds were worthy of being nominated. And they’re all films with nominations in other categories? Not that I dispute the winner, but why not Freddy Vs Jason or Cat in the Hat (to go from one extreme to another)? There are lots more films that should have at least gotten a nod. It just shows how limited and blinkered the academy are.

Best costume design
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Girl with a Pearl Earring
The Last Samurai
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Seabiscuit

I’m not so sure about this. Generally speaking I don’t see why historical films should get awards for best costume design. After all, most of the costumes are already designed and just researched in history books. I mean, was the costume design in Seabiscuit that startling or original? Notice the same films are being nominated though.

Best short film
Two Soldiers
Die Rote Jacke (The Red Jacket)
Most (The Bridge)
Squash
Torrzija

Interesting that almost all the films were foreign films. Two Soldiers wasn’t foreign, but wasn’t really made for anything apart from film festival showings. Perhaps Hollywood needs to restart the practice of showing a short or two before a movie begins.

Best animated short film
Harvie Krumpet
Boundin'
Destino
Gone Nutty
Nibbles

Well, I wasn’t expecting Destino to win. And not for any SaveDisney reasons. It was just too unconventional to win. Despite being awards for "Art", the academy is normally very conservative when voting. I’m glad Pixar didn’t win. It’s sort of reassuring to see a smaller, low budget film win.

Best art direction
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Girl with a Pearl Earring
The Last Samurai
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Seabiscuit

Again, same old nominees. I’ve never really been sure what this award is for. Set design and dressing? Does it include lighting too, or is that part of cinematography? Given all the effects required for Lord of the Rings’ most impressive establishing shots, I’m not sure this should have won. Personally, I think I would have gone for The Last Samurai

Best cinematography
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
City of God
Cold Mountain
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Seabiscuit

Master and Commander was the clear winner. It had to deal with the problems of shooting at sea. That said, I’m surprised Pirates of the Caribbean wasn’t nominated for the same reasons. As for Lord of the Rings, why no nomination for this? Many film reviews (of all three films in the trilogy) go to great pains to point out the cinematography.

Best visual effects
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

This is a joke right. Only three nominations (for once again, the same old films). Hello, the Matrix sequels? X2? The list is almost endless.

Best documentary short subject
Chernobyl Heart
Asylum
Ferry Tales

Looks like the best nominee won.

Best documentary feature
The Fog of War
Balseros
Capturing the Friedmans
My Architect
The Weather Underground

I can’t comment on this, not having seen a single nominee, but it was a bit of an upset I gather – Capturing the Friedmans was the favourite.

Best music (song)
Into the West - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow - A Mighty Wind
Scarlet Tide - Cold Mountain
The Triplets of Belleville - The Triplets of Belleville
You Will Be My Ain True Love - Cold Mountain

Shocking result. Absolutely shocking. I defy anybody to hum one of the nominees other than The Triplets of Belleville song. It clearly should have been the winner. (While we’re on the subject, why was it in English? Did the whole ambient sound and music on the film have to be dubbed for the US release?)

Best music (score)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Big Fish
Cold Mountain
Finding Nemo
House of Sand and Fog

Now, this is where it gets interesting and somewhat controversial. As for as I’m aware never in the history of the Oscars® has the soundtrack to a sequel been nominated for best picture (although I may need correcting on this) and never before has a sequel actually won (I’m pretty sure about that). This is because a proportion of the themes and musical devices from the previous film(s) are used in the sequel’s soundtrack. To me, this is the biggest indication that the academy are treating Lord of the Rings: Return of the King not as a single film, but as the whole trilogy of movies. Looks like every other nominee for a category with LotR included may as well have not bothered to turn up.

Best original screenplay
Lost in Translation
The Barbarian Invasions
Dirty Pretty Things
Finding Nemo
In America

This was, for me, the closest category of the night. I’m not going to complain about the winner, but I think Dirty Pretty Things and Finding Nemo were just as deserving. (I may complain about the "Pixar Formula" used in Nemo but I can’t deny it was a fantastic script).

Best adapted screenplay
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
American Splendor
City of God
Mystic River
Seabiscuit

Now, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Lord of the Rings didn’t deserve this. Although I know nothing about the books, I know some of the events in the film seem to happen for no reason. Therefore, I cannot say the movie has a good script. I would have liked American Splendor to win. Just because.

Best animated feature film
Finding Nemo
Brother Bear
The Triplets of Belleville

Well, it’s not a surprise. Brother Bear was never going to win. Triplets of Belleville had a chance. I actually think it may have won had Spirited Away not have won last year.

Best foreign language film
The Barbarian Invasions (Canada)
Evil (Sweden)
The Twilight Samurai (Japan)
Twin Sisters (Netherlands)
Zelary (Czech Republic)

I’m ignorant, but most likely well deserved. The Barbarian Invasions has had absolutely stunning reviews in the UK.

Best supporting actress
Renee Zellweger - Cold Mountain
Shohreh Aghdashloo - House of Sand and Fog
Patricia Clarkson - Pieces of April
Marcia Gay Harden - Mystic River
Holly Hunter – Thirteen

I not actually seen any of these performances, so cannot comment. However, I actually think Marcia Gay Harden is the best actress out of the list.

Best supporting actor
Tim Robbins - Mystic River
Alec Baldwin - The Cooler
Benicio Del Toro - 21 Grams
Djimon Hounsou - In America
Ken Watanabe - The Last Samurai

Well, it was no Shawshank was it? It seems a shame Robbins is only a supporting actor. Still, I’m sure it was well deserved. While I’m here though, Alec Baldwin? Alec Baldwin? What the heck happened there?

Best actress
Charlize Theron – Monster
Keisha Castle-Hughes - Whale Rider
Diane Keaton - Something's Gotta Give
Samantha Morton - In America
Naomi Watts - 21 Grams

Hard to call. Probably went to the right nominee. Would have liked Naomi Watts to win though.

Best actor
Sean Penn - Mystic River
Johnny Depp - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Sir Ben Kingsley - House of Sand and Fog
Jude Law - Cold Mountain
Bill Murray - Lost in Translation

Fine by me. It was really only between Penn and Law (Sorry Luke, but I never thought Murray has much of a chance). I realise Penn’s award is somewhat controversial, most people suspect it’s based on his overall "body of work" more than his individual performance.

Best director
Peter Jackson - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Sofia Coppola - Lost in Translation
Fernando Meirelles - City of God
Peter Weir - Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Clint Eastwood - Mystic River

I don’t know. I have to question when a film has 25,000 people in the cast and crew (or perhaps more – was he just talking about the crew) how much of it’s overall success can be attributed to the director. Especially when the most impressive shots rely heavily on special effects. I think Peter Weir or Sofia Coppola should have won.

Best picture
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Lost in Translation
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Mystic River
Seabiscuit

Well the same old films nominated as in most of the "lesser" technical award categories. Good to see the academy only recognises what it thinks it should recognise rather than what deserves to be recognised. That said, this year is the best in a long time for nominating suitable and deserving films for Best Picture. I can’t see a title in the list that makes me want to scream "No!" out loud. However, I do feel the presence of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King is unfair, as it’s obvious the academy is voting for the full 9 hour movie. It’s just unfair. No other film can compete.

I think Lord of the Rings – the Trilogy, should have been awarded a Special Oscar, leaving this years Best Picture wide open. And had Lord of the Rings been taken out of the nominees, I think it would have been a close race, with Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World winning.

All in all, I think the whole handling of Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King has reflected badly on this years awards. Everybody knows no other film had a chance in any of the categories shared with a LotR nominee. I’ve been disappointed with the Oscars® general treatment of the technical categories for some time. It’s amazing how the well the best picture nominations do technically. But this time, with Lord of the Rings getting such a clean sweep, I’m more disappointed than ever. Are you really telling me that the Lord of the Rings movies really had the best sound and film technicians and work done? Out of all the hundreds of films released in a single year, that Lord of the Rings managed to snag the best, most talented technicians to work on the film(s)?

Still, it was too be expected. Let’s hope that next years awards are more varied.

[Squirrel]

I actually didn't mind the ROTK clean sweep. I was really pretty happy with the whole thing. Though I was surprised. I knew ROTK would do well, but not this well. Tying the record for most wins, and going 11/11. That's very impressive. And while it may have led to people thinking the ceremony was boring (that, and no truly big upsets), I found it to be good, in terms of presentation and pace. And Billy Crystal is a wonderful host.

But I was for, actually, "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" for Song. A beautiful, heartfelt thing...that was the heart of its film, too (of "A Mighty Wind"). And it was nice, the performance of it...it seemed to get a great reception, I noticed. And I loved how they actually did the kiss! I have to admit...at being disappointed that it lost, though I do think "Into the West" is a lovely song as well, and Annie did a great job, her and Howard Shore. And I liked the Triplets song, but...not as much as "Kiss" or "Into the West" or "The Scarlet Tide."

For score, I really was hoping for "Finding Nemo," but again, think ROTK was deserving. I could complain, but I won't...because I do like the LOTR films, and ROTK (though my best picture of 2003 was Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World). And felt Howard Shore's work was very sweeping and intricate, almost operatic at times.

Oh, and for Lifetime Achievement Award, I'm all for Angela Lansbury getting it sometime, you know? Like...hopefully, next year. She was in Gaslight, The Manchurian Candidate, National Velvet, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks, course. She got three Oscar nominations back when...but never won. I think Angela would be a deserving recipient...but Blake Edwards seemed good.

Yeah, it seemed that City of God...had notable editing (though I haven't seen it), but maybe ROTK's just isn't as flashy. But with all the battles and such, the editing seemed good to me, though I'm not an expert on it. I think that a lot of the technical nominees are the same...and are high-profile, because Hollywood likes success stories, they like to reward things that paid off...and stay away from things that either stumbled, or made no great impact, or had no real critical/general support...

Cat and the Hat was critically ripped apart, I know, and not necessarily well-liked, so I'm sure that kept it out of the Make-Up category. Freddy vs. Jason was probably too much a low-class affair for the Academy. They've gone for horror-type films before, I know, like The Exorcist and Silence of the Lambs, but I don't think they ever would've taken to something like Freddy vs. Jason...

The acting categories had a lot of smaller films this year. I was pleased with that. With Keisha Castle-Hughes being nominated for Actress, for Whale Rider, especially. And Girl With a Pearl Earring got 3 technical nods, which was nice (though I haven't seen it either, actually). I was hoping Keisha would win (her or Diane Keaton), but Charlize...looks to have given a great performance (as did Sean Penn), so I won't complain there, either. The acting winner I was happiest with was Renee Zellweger, as I like Renee. And I liked Cold Mountain. Deserving, I think.

I thought Nemo should've won Sound Editing, too. For all the ocean sounds, all the...it just seemed to do a great job with sound, and with matching everything up and everything.

For costuming, I liked all the nominees. I think they tend to be period pieces because...the costumes have to be made, whereas, in contemporary films (set in modern times), they aren't as flashy, and aren't as difficult, perhaps, to create from scratch and obtain in large amounts. They aren't as impressive or stylish, maybe, as the costumes from the historical epics and period pieces. But I'm glad Rings finally won here.

I was surprised Destino lost. That was my biggest shock for the evening, especially when Boundin' didn't even win it. I'm glad Master and Commander won for cinematography. I don't think ROTK got nominated...because Andrew Lesnie won cinematography for Fellowship (but, that said, Fellowship also won score and makeup, and visuals), but I actually don't think...the camera-work was as impressive here as it was in Fellowship. Fellowship's cinematography was...with the journey and The Shire, and the scenery, not as many large-scale, gritty battles...well, I don't know if I can pinpoint why, but...

I think The Matrix films got left out because...they were viewed as disappointing to many, and ROTK was deserving, I felt. For all it did. It's effects were integrated into the story, working with it...where, I think, the effects in the Matrix often overshadowed everything else in the film.

I think ROTK's win for Adapted Screenplay was more a culmination of writing the entire trilogy. The three immense books, the ROTK the finale, and the books being as loved as they are...and turning it into such a movie, and such a popular, successful movie (with the critics and the public) is a daunting task, and Jackson and Fran and Philipa pulled it off. As for original, Nemo's screenplay was great, as was In America's. But I liked seeing Sofia take it.

I'm sounding way too pleased, I know (sorry!), but I am. I was happy with most of the winners (ROTK, M&C, Lost in Translation, Nemo, Cold Mountain...), most of them films I really enjoyed. And I felt it fitting and very satisfying...to see the LOTR trilogy go out this way. After all this. It just felt...right.

It's more interesting, I guess, when the awards are more varied (in terms of winners), but I don't think they should diversify their choices just for the sake of diversifying them. It was obvious that the LOTR films, and ROTK...were immensely popular with the public, and the critics, and the Academy, too, and it was honestly reflected. Had such a heavy favorite, and such a blockbuster...only received, say, 2 or 3 awards, it would've felt like they were carefully and strategically trying to "spread the wealth," instead of voting for what they loved. But, then, I think ROTK deserved all its honors.

[2099net]

I don't know, it just seems absolutely ridiculous to have awards with only three nominations. Especially when the categories involved (Special Effects, Make-up and Sound Editing) are involved in so many films. Heck, Sound Editing must be involved in all the films released in 2003.

I know Jason vs Freddy is unlikely to win, but when all is said and done it had impressive Make-up effects. The Matrix sequels had impressive special effects. They were films that existed which had an impressive examples of the categories - yet were totally ignored. (But some of this falls on the studios too - why weren't they submitted for consideration?)

It's easy to see why Cat in the Hat or Jason vs Freddy were ignored - I'm not going to pretend either was high art. But you know, once again it comes down to what's the point if you're going to make an extra special attempt to ignore the work of fine technicians just because they happen to work on "low class" films. Just as much work probably went into the Cat in the Hat special effects as went into Master and Commander.

Are they supposed to be awarding the work or the quality of the film. To not even nominate perfectly good examples due to the overall content or tone of a film seems spiteful, and again it explains why the technical awards often go to films in the best picture nominations - the academy and the studios don't really care for the technicalities.

[jambo*rafiki]

I agreed with most of the winners, even if they weren't very exciting . . . except in Best Song! Everyone seems to love either A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow or that Triplets one, and Into the West won, but I absolutely loved You Will Be My Ain True Love. Am I crazy? I had never heard it before, and I thought it was absolutely beautiful. I'm going to have to get the soundtrack now . . . but first I should probably see the movie, eh?

[Ludwig Von Drake]

Lord of the RIngs won them all. It was definetly belongs higher than Titanic but doesn't belong up there with Ben - Hur

[Jack]

Well, judging Return of the King itself, I'd say it doesn't deserve a clean sweep of 11 awards. But since its obvious that the Acadamy is awarding the entire trilogy as a whole, and the FOTR deserved a Best Picture win in the first place, I can't say I'm upset with the Oscars ROTK got.

I think Lost in Translation deserved a Best Picture & Best Director award, however, as Sofia Coppela is largely responsible for how good that movie was (as opposed to LOTR, in which I find the cast mainly responsible . . . but I won't go into that, as I discussed it at great lengths in a previous thread).

[Scabbie]

Best foreign language film
The Barbarian Invasions (Canada)
Evil (Sweden)
The Twilight Samurai (Japan)
Twin Sisters (Netherlands)
Zelary (Czech Republic)

I hoped "De Tweeling" (Twin Sisters) would win, because it's a great movie. And of course because I live in the Netherlands.

[Just Myself]

Best music (song)
Into the West - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow - A Mighty Wind
Scarlet Tide - Cold Mountain
The Triplets of Belleville - The Triplets of Belleville
You Will Be My Ain True Love - Cold Mountain

Shocking result. Absolutely shocking. I defy anybody to hum one of the nominees other than The Triplets of Belleville song. It clearly should have been the winner. (While we’re on the subject, why was it in English? Did the whole ambient sound and music on the film have to be dubbed for the US release?)

Not shocking. Into the West was clearly the favorite. I think the only song that deserved nominating other than You Will Be My Ain True Love. The Triplets of Belleville was a horrible song, and nowhere near Oscar calibur! That guy played a vacuum, give him an Oscar! NOT! I think The School of Rock by Jack Black should have been nominated and if it had been nominated, it would probably have been a close second. I defy anybody to even say they'd remember that song the next day. I hum Into the West and You Will Be My Ain True Love all the time, sometimes I even sing ItW. it is such a good song, not like that TToB trash.

[Loomis]

Well, I think we've really sunk low as a society when we are doing a post-mortem of an AWARDS ceremony, particularly one in an industry that does nothing than pat itself on the back in some vain hope of justifying their own existence/paychecks.

But since you brought it up....

Film Editing
But are you really telling me that out of all the hundreds of films released in 2003 these other four, high profile films happened to have the best Film Editing?

Well, the same could be said for ANY category really - why do only the high-profile movies get nominated. Why only THREE? etc Why? Because it is an industry night, and small independent movies are really working outside the industry, and really don't care about the back-slapping process. Does it mean they don't deserve an Oscar? No, of course not. The Oscars are only the most expensive of the awards nights, not necessarily the most accurate.

Nobody said the Oscars were about who did the BEST editing etc...

Best music (song)
Into the West - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow - A Mighty Wind
Scarlet Tide - Cold Mountain
The Triplets of Belleville - The Triplets of Belleville
You Will Be My Ain True Love - Cold Mountain

Shocking result. Absolutely shocking. I defy anybody to hum one of the nominees other than The Triplets of Belleville song. It clearly should have been the winner. (While we’re on the subject, why was it in English? Did

More to the point, the one decent musician who wrote a song this year for one of those films (Jack White of the White Stripes, didn't get nominated - even though he did half the soundtrack. It was the one NON-JW song that gets the nod ). Anyways, it is just a glitzy awards night, so why do we really give a toss.

As for ROTK scooping the pools, we knew it was going to happen. I for one believe there are for more deserving pictures too, but name one year when a single picture HASN'T dominated the night. As I said earlier, it is never really about which picture was the BEST anyways. That would be impossible to determine.

It is all well and good to say 'this should have been nominated' or 'that should have won', but in the end we ARE talking about a silly awards night run by the industry for the industry. Plus they have an audience to cater to, so they HAVE to choose the high-profile flicks or else the audience doesn't give a toss. A less objective group I could not think of.

[Squirrel]

Last year, I don't think a single film dominated. Yeah, "Chicago" won Best Picture and Supporting Actress (for a totally deserving Catherine Zeta-Jones), and four others (if I'm remembering: Sound, Editing, Costumes, Art Direction). But "The Pianist" won Director (for Polanski), Actor (for Brody), and Screenplay. So, I would say neither dominated. "Chicago" got the big one (and a good choice, I thought), and will be the name in the books, but it seemed they were split down the middle, those two.

You could also make the arguement that no film really dominated in 2000, either. Gladiator won Best Picture (and four others), but "Traffic" won for Director, and Screenplay. I think it got 4 or 5, total, as well as Supporting Actor (for Benecio). And Crouching Tiger got 4, as well. So I wouldn't say that any of those films dominated the others, necessarily...

I was quite pleased...with the ROTK sweep. Surprised that it went so far, as to go 11/11, but very pleased. Though, no, it wouldn't have been my choice. (I would've gone for Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, and I liked Lost in Translation, also.) But, then, for whatever reason, I tend to have similar tastes...as the Academy.

Like, of my Top 10 films of 2003, all of them were represented, in various degrees (ROTK, Master and Commander, Lost in Translation, Something's Gotta Give, Whale Rider, In America, Cold Mountain, Finding Nemo, A Mighty Wind, Brother Bear). And 5 of them won something. The only film I really loved that got left out completely (didn't even get nominated) was "The Station Agent."

But that's just me. Any awards show, the results...will be liked or disliked. It is subjective...but I think, personally, they're (the Academy Awards), that they're fun, as I like seeing my favorite films compete, to see them win, to see them represented (even if "Brother Bear" and "A Mighty Wind" didn't win, they were still a part of it; and the "Mitch and Mickey" performance was one of the top highlights for me, for the ceremony last night) and I'll admit to liking the glitz and glam, and seeing my favorite performers (though I wouldn't say I'm at all star-obsessed; movie obsessed, yes, lol). And I like seeing the film clips, too, among other things...

I thought, actually, they did a good job of letting small films in the fray this year, more than other years: Whale Rider, Monster, Thirteen, The Cooler, House of Sand and Fog, 21 Grams, and even Lost in Translation (though it did have Sofia and Bill Murray to help it). Also, In America, and Girl With a Pearl Earring got 3 nods, so...at least, this year, I felt that small, independent films were truly a presence. Okay, they didn't win, no, but...with pretty much every group (critics, the public), in general, ROTK was the most popular film of the year, so it's no surprise it won, but I'm still surprised it dominated as it did.

I did think, also, that ROTK wasn't just being rewarded for its own accomplishments...but, in many ways, the accomplishments of the entire trilogy. I can't say I'm upset with it, though.

But, yes, in the end, it is a self-serving show, patting themselves on the back. Still, I normally enjoy it...and they are frivolous to debate, but fun (I think so, anyway). And I'm normally fine with the winners. Especially this year.

[Paka]

Sound editing
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Finding Nemo
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Now, this is really where I begin to get nasty. Are you telling me out of all the films released last year only three were worthy of nominations for Sound Editing? What rubbish. And again they’re all high profile titles too. Surely some low budget film (like say Lost in Translation) is just as worthy. Personally I think Finding Nemo should have won out of the nominations being as all the sounds were foley effects.

Best make-up
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Again only three films out of hundreds were worthy of being nominated. And they’re all films with nominations in other categories? Not that I dispute the winner, but why not Freddy Vs Jason or Cat in the Hat (to go from one extreme to another)? There are lots more films that should have at least gotten a nod. It just shows how limited and blinkered the academy are.

Best visual effects
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

This is a joke right. Only three nominations (for once again, the same old films). Hello, the Matrix sequels? X2? The list is almost endless.

Well, mah dear Netty, the official rules clearly state a maximum of three films for the sound editing, vis-effects, and makeup groups. Why? Who knows. I'd certainly like to find out - but as it is, that's why there's only three films in those groups. *shrug*
But I do agree with you on the choice of nominees for those groups. I mean hell - so what if a film isn't critically-acclaimed Oscar fodder? It can still look nice! It can still utilize CG, or mics, or mascara with skill!

Anywho... my other thoughts coming later. Just thought I'd point that "maximum 3" rule out first - since you seemed so flustered about it!

[jambo*rafiki]

(Jack White of the White Stripes, didn't get nominated - even though he did half the soundtrack. It was the one NON-JW song that gets the nod )

I LOVE JACK WHITE LIKE A LITTLE BROTHER!!!!
Sorry . . . I'm just so shocked and thrilled that he was mentioned, especially by the Almighty Loomis! He is my favorite musician, and most of the reason I am planning on buying the Cold Mountain soundtrack . . . though I really did love You Will Be My Ain True Love.

[2099net]

Well, mah dear Netty, the official rules clearly state a maximum of three films for the sound editing, vis-effects, and makeup groups. Why? Who knows. I'd certainly like to find out - but as it is, that's why there's only three films in those groups. *shrug*
But I do agree with you on the choice of nominees for those groups. I mean hell - so what if a film isn't critically-acclaimed Oscar fodder? It can still look nice! It can still utilize CG, or mics, or mascara with skill!

Anywho... my other thoughts coming later. Just thought I'd point that "maximum 3" rule out first - since you seemed so flustered about it!

Well, that's just stupid. What sort of message is that giving to the public - out of all the films only 3 were worthy of nomination? Don't bother renting X2 (for example) for the effects. We think they're crap? What else is the public supposed to think? Good one, Academy. Excellent way to promote a movie. Especially with the Special Effects award, which, let's face it are the reason 50% of the public go to see a movie.

It's just nonsense.

Ohh. I'm so mad now, I could crush a grape! Or jump off a doll's house.

Just once I'd like somebody to say something along the lines of "I know the movie was cheap trash, but the make-up in Freddy Vs Jason was the peak of its profession. Let's give it an Oscar®". Crappy (or "unartistic" films, because Freddy Vs Jason was entertaining and did everything it set out to do, can have just as much technical work, if not more done on them). Oh well, looks like all I can do is dream.