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A Look at 2011 Oscar Nominees

Raising the Oscar Outsidephoto © 2010 Lisa Norman | more info (via: Wylio)
Decided to take a look at the Oscar nominees.

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Javier Bardem in “Biutiful” (Roadside Attractions)
Jeff Bridges in “True Grit” (Paramount)
Jesse Eisenberg in “The Social Network” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Colin Firth in “The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company)
James Franco in “127 Hours” (Fox Searchlight)

Illustrative that I have YET to see a single one of these performances (three kids!).
Looks tight and other than Wahlberg in "The Fighter" seems to hit them right. Firth seems the lock.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Christian Bale in “The Fighter” (Paramount)
John Hawkes in “Winter’s Bone” (Roadside Attractions)
Jeremy Renner in “The Town” (Warner Bros.)
Mark Ruffalo in “The Kids Are All Right” (Focus Features)
Geoffrey Rush in “The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company)

Rush seems like a likely win if Firth is. So glad that Hawkes is here. Winter's Bone deserves the recognition, but the actors carried the water. Ruffalo? REALLY?

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right” (Focus Features)
Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole” (Lionsgate)
Jennifer Lawrence in “Winter’s Bone” (Roadside Attractions)
Natalie Portman in “Black Swan” (Fox Searchlight)
Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine” (The Weinstein Company)

Lawrence was sadly enough my only view this year and she deserves to be here! SEE Winter's Bone.
Portman probably has this locked, but you never know. Bening and Kidman kinda lock each other out.

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Amy Adams in “The Fighter” (Paramount)
Helena Bonham Carter in “The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company)
Melissa Leo in “The Fighter” (Paramount)
Hailee Steinfeld in “True Grit”(Paramount)
Jacki Weaver in “Animal Kingdom” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Again, I can barely register this one.

Best animated feature film of the year
“How to Train Your Dragon” (Paramount), Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
“The Illusionist” (Sony Pictures Classics), Sylvain Chomet
“Toy Story 3″ (Walt Disney), Lee Unkrich

I’ve only seen Toy Story 3, and I assume that wins. Snore. How is Disney's Tangled NOT on this list?

Achievement in art direction
“Alice in Wonderland” (Walt Disney), Production Design: Robert Stromberg, Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1″ (Warner Bros.), Production Design: Stuart Craig, Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
“Inception” (Warner Bros.), Production Design: Guy Hendrix Dyas, Set Decoration: Larry Dias and Doug Mowat
“The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company), Production Design: Eve Stewart, Set Decoration: Judy Farr
“True Grit” (Paramount), Production Design: Jess Gonchor, Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh

Sadly, all I've seen on this is Alice. I would imagine any of the others EXCEPT for Potter deserve it more since it was just Burton rehash.

Achievement in cinematography
“Black Swan” (Fox Searchlight), Matthew Libatique
“Inception” (Warner Bros.), Wally Pfister
“The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company), Danny Cohen
“The Social Network” (Sony Pictures Releasing), Jeff Cronenweth
“True Grit” (Paramount), Roger Deakins

Damn, I love the work of Libatique, Pfister, and Deakins elsewhere, this makes it hard. I REALLY need to see Social Network since it is probably going to be the big winner.

Achievement in costume design
“Alice in Wonderland” (Walt Disney), Colleen Atwood
“I Am Love” (Magnolia Pictures), Antonella Cannarozzi
“The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company), Jenny Beavan
“The Tempest” (Miramax), Sandy Powell
“True Grit” (Paramount), Mary Zophres

Ok I at LEAST knew the Tempest was made. What is "I am Love???"

Achievement in directing
“Black Swan” (Fox Searchlight), Darren Aronofsky
“The Fighter” (Paramount), David O. Russell
“The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company), Tom Hooper
“The Social Network” (Sony Pictures Releasing), David Fincher
“True Grit” (Paramount), Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Tough call, Coens' are out by virtue of recent wins. Fincher has a taint that I don't think can be removed ESPECIALLY if the movie wins. Russell is in the same boat. I think this is Aronofsky and Hooper in the end.

Best documentary feature
“Exit through the Gift Shop” (Producers Distribution Agency), A Paranoid Pictures Production, Banksy and Jaimie D’Cruz
“Gasland”, A Gasland Production, Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic
“Inside Job” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Representational Pictures Production, Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
“Restrepo” (National Geographic Entertainment), An Outpost Films Production, Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
“Waste Land” (Arthouse Films), An Almega Projects Production, Lucy Walker and Angus Aynsley

A war film that worked deserves to win. Plus I actually saw Restrepo- go see it!

Best documentary short subject
“Killing in the Name”, A Moxie Firecracker Films Production, Nominees to be determined
“Poster Girl”, A Portrayal Films Production, Nominees to be determined
“Strangers No More”, A Simon & Goodman Picture Company Production, Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon
“Sun Come Up”, A Sun Come Up Production, Jennifer Redfearn and Tim Metzger
“The Warriors of Qiugang”, A Thomas Lennon Films Production, Ruby Yang and Thomas Lennon

Uh- these all deserve to win?

Achievement in film editing
“Black Swan” (Fox Searchlight), Andrew Weisblum
“The Fighter” (Paramount), Pamela Martin
“The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company), Tariq Anwar
“127 Hours” (Fox Searchlight), Jon Harris
“The Social Network” (Sony Pictures Releasing), Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter

If I'd seen ANY of them I could at least guess?

Best foreign language film of the year
“Biutiful” (Roadside Attractions), A Menage Atroz, Mod Producciones and Ikiru Films Production, Mexico
“Dogtooth” (Kino International), A Boo Production, Greece
“In a Better World” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Zentropa Production, Denmark
“Incendies” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Micro-Scope Production, Canada
“Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi)” (Cohen Media Group), A Tassili Films Production, Algeria

Mexico for the win! SCOOOOOOOORRRRRE!

Achievement in makeup
“Barney’s Version” (Sony Pictures Classics), Adrien Morot
“The Way Back” (Newmarket Films in association with Wrekin Hill Entertainment and Image Entertainment), Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
“The Wolfman” (Universal), Rick Baker and Dave Elsey

It's friggin Rick Baker and have you even heard of the other ones???

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“How to Train Your Dragon” (Paramount), John Powell
“Inception” (Warner Bros.), Hans Zimmer
“The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company), Alexandre Desplat
“127 Hours” (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman
“The Social Network” (Sony Pictures Releasing), Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

I think the music from the Inception trailer should win because it freaked my wife out so much, but I hope that Reznor wins to stick it to traditional scoring.  Who is Rahman? Is that a fake name?

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“Coming Home” from “Country Strong” (Sony Pictures Releasing (Screen Gems)), Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
“I See the Light” from “Tangled” (Walt Disney), Music by Alan Menken, Lyric by Glenn Slater
“If I Rise” from “127 Hours” (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong
“We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3″ (Walt Disney), Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

Screw Newman, he was here last year. Country music (better stuff) won last year. I would not mind seeing Tangled win.

Best motion picture of the year
“Black Swan” (Fox Searchlight), A Protozoa and Phoenix Pictures Production, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
“The Fighter” (Paramount), A Relativity Media Production, David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
“Inception” (Warner Bros.), A Warner Bros. UK Services Production, Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
“The Kids Are All Right” (Focus Features), An Antidote Films, Mandalay Vision and Gilbert Films Production, Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
“The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company), A See-Saw Films and Bedlam Production, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
“127 Hours” (Fox Searchlight), An Hours Production, Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
“The Social Network” (Sony Pictures Releasing), A Columbia Pictures Production, Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
“Toy Story 3″ (Walt Disney), A Pixar Production, Darla K. Anderson, Producer
“True Grit” (Paramount), A Paramount Pictures Production, Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
“Winter’s Bone” (Roadside Attractions), A Winter’s Bone Production, Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers

This move to ten films is ridiculous. This list is unmanageable.  Was "The Kids are Alright" that good? Winter's Bone was probably good enough. Toy Story 3 though? The top five should probably mirror the directors and that is it.

Best animated short film
“Day & Night” (Walt Disney), A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Teddy Newton
“The Gruffalo”, A Magic Light Pictures Production, Jakob Schuh and Max Lang
“Let’s Pollute”, A Geefwee Boedoe Production, Geefwee Boedoe
“The Lost Thing”, (Nick Batzias for Madman Entertainment), A Passion Pictures Australia Production, Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann
“Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary)”, A Sacrebleu Production, Bastien Dubois

I gotta find that Gruffalo one!


Best live action short film
“The Confession” (National Film and Television School), A National Film and Television School Production, Tanel Toom
“The Crush” (Network Ireland Television), A Purdy Pictures Production, Michael Creagh
“God of Love”, A Luke Matheny Production, Luke Matheny
“Na Wewe” (Premium Films), A CUT! Production, Ivan Goldschmidt
“Wish 143″, A Swing and Shift Films/Union Pictures Production, Ian Barnes and Samantha Waite

I got nothing...

Achievement in sound editing
“Inception” (Warner Bros.), Richard King
“Toy Story 3″ (Walt Disney), Tom Myers and Michael Silvers
“Tron: Legacy” (Walt Disney), Gwendolyn Yates Whittle and Addison Teague
“True Grit” (Paramount), Skip Lievsay and Craig Berkey
“Unstoppable” (20th Century Fox), Mark P. Stoeckinger

Unstoppable is an Oscar nominated film. Suck that in. I'd bet money on Inception.

Achievement in sound mixing
“Inception” (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo and Ed Novick
“The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company), Paul Hamblin, Martin Jensen and John Midgley
“Salt” (Sony Pictures Releasing), Jeffrey J. Haboush, Greg P. Russell, Scott Millan and William Sarokin
“The Social Network” (Sony Pictures Releasing), Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick and Mark Weingarten
“True Grit” (Paramount), Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff and Peter F. Kurland

Salt has been nominated for an Oscar! Probably Inception again.

Achievement in visual effects
“Alice in Wonderland” (Walt Disney), Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1″ (Warner Bros.), Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi
“Hereafter” (Warner Bros.), Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojanski and Joe Farrell
“Inception” (Warner Bros.), Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb
“Iron Man 2″ (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment, Distributed by Paramount), Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick

There are probably better movies for this list. These hardly stand out.

Adapted screenplay
“127 Hours” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
“The Social Network” (Sony Pictures Releasing), Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
“Toy Story 3″ (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Michael Arndt, Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
“True Grit” (Paramount), Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
“Winter’s Bone” (Roadside Attractions), Adapted for the screen by Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini

How is Toy Story adapted??? The rest are all tough calls considering they came from original books. Winter's Bone or Social Network probably deserve the lead because they took some REAL adapting.

Original screenplay
“Another Year” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Mike Leigh
“The Fighter” (Paramount), Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson, Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
“Inception” (Warner Bros.), Written by Christopher Nolan
“The Kids Are All Right” (Focus Features), Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg
“The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Seidler

Wow, tough call here. If King's Speech is that good, it probably deserves, but if another win's I would not be surprised.

Wow, I really need to get on the horn with some of these nominees. I have three kids is always my excuse for not seeing more films I really want to see.

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