Oscars 2009

[Blzer]

Re: Oscars 2009

I disagree with the people that say Avatar is nothing but special effects. The basic story while based around a done before premise was still wonderfully creative in many different aspects. The world was more fully realized than perhaps anything before it, the characters were memorable/believable, and concept of living life through an avatar is based very much in science (read numerous articles chronicling how experts predict such a thing might occur in the future). Above all these pieces worked to make a great science fiction premise. What set it over the top was this combined with a new realm of 3d animation worked in a way that delivered an experience that is simply unprecedented and is a game changing movie that will make people reconsider the utilization of 3d technology and its ability to truly enhance the art of motion picture.

The film simply is groundbreaking and innovative production that succeeds as an art piece. Jim Cameron is a master at mixing technology and 3d and is perhaps the greatest sci fi director of all time. Avatar is simply a game changer. The Dark Night, King Kong, all those you mentioned sans the Matrix are not.

Where I'll definitely agree with you is that Cameron should have dominated with Best Director. This should have been incontestable.

But as far as characters, I still see it largely as a Pocahontas kind of movie, still as something that I don't think was very original. As I posted my first impressions of this movie, I kept saying how even though I saw a late showing I found myself fading out at times not because I was tired, but because the characters didn't quite enthuse me. I don't want to post spoilers, but I didn't have feelings for the Na'vis at all when things went wrong for them or for the humans. I was most exhilarated in this movie when Jake is being chased by that big-*** black thing, and when he first links up with his Toruk and begins flying with it. The ending was a sight to see, but I already predicted the outcome so it wasn't quite the same.

I'm simply just lost where people are suffering from depression and having suicidal thoughts after seeing the elements of grandeur on planet Pandora. If indeed it was that emotionally riveting, then I won't call it an undeserving Best Picture win. At the same time, I haven't even seen The Hurt Locker yet so I can't defend it, but for the movies that I've seen on the list I still think that Up In the Air should have won.

[Adam Dayton]

Re: Oscars 2009

Where I'll definitely agree with you is that Cameron should have dominated with Best Director. This should have been incontestable.

But as far as characters, I still see it largely as a Pocahontas kind of movie, still as something that I don't think was very original. As I posted my first impressions of this movie, I kept saying how even though I saw a late showing I found myself fading out at times not because I was tired, but because the characters didn't quite enthuse me. I don't want to post spoilers, but I didn't have feelings for the Na'vis at all when things went wrong for them or for the humans. I was most exhilarated in this movie when Jake is being chased by that big-*** black thing, and when he first links up with his Toruk and begins flying with it. The ending was a sight to see, but I already predicted the outcome so it wasn't quite the same.

I'm simply just lost where people are suffering from depression and having suicidal thoughts after seeing the elements of grandeur on planet Pandora. If indeed it was that emotionally riveting, then I won't call it an undeserving Best Picture win. At the same time, I haven't even seen The Hurt Locker yet so I can't defend it, but for the movies that I've seen on the list I still think that Up In the Air should have won.

Yeah. If you look at my posts I said Cameron should have won best director but I'm not necessarily upset with Avatar losing to The Hurt Locker for best picture. If you're talking about "best" being a technically better movie, I don't think its outrageous for people to think THL wins in that area. As far as the immersive factor of Avatar, I personally thought the film was just unprecedented in that category and personally it would be my movie of the year. Having said that, THL perhaps offers the most realistic portrayal of war/soldiers ever in a film. It is no slouch in its merits. Haven't seen Up in the Air.

[Blzer]

Re: Oscars 2009

Yeah. If you look at my posts I said Cameron should have won best director but I'm not necessarily upset with Avatar losing to The Hurt Locker for best picture. If you're talking about "best" being a technically better movie, I don't think its outrageous for people to think THL wins in that area. As far as the immersive factor of Avatar, I personally thought the film was just unprecedented in that category and personally it would be my movie of the year. Having said that, THL perhaps offers the most realistic portrayal of war/soldiers ever in a film. It is no slouch in its merits. Haven't seen Up in the Air.

It depends on what kinds of movies that you like, but I highly recommend Up In the Air. Obviously, The Hurt Locker came as a surprise for me this year considering I hadn't seen it and I didn't know how well it would compete with everything. As last year with Slumdog Millionaire, I saw it instantly after it won its Oscars. I enjoyed it, and thought it deserved Best Picture over everything else nominated... but I felt like other things should have been nominated in Best Director and that it shouldn't have won there for sure. I'll probably say the same thing about The Hurt Locker when I see it.

[~LiverpoolRed~]

Re: Oscars 2009

Can anyone explain the deal with George Clooney looking pissed? Was this just a joke he was in on with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. They just stared him down. If it was a joke I fail to see what was even remotely funny about it.

[Beantown]

Re: Oscars 2009

Can anyone explain the deal with George Clooney looking pissed? Was this just a joke he was in on with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. They just stared him down. If it was a joke I fail to see what was even remotely funny about it.

I actually read an article about this yesterday.

The writer was saying that Clooney seems to be the one that is going to fill Jack Nicholson's "Oscar shoes," so to speak. Sitting in the front row with aan attrasctive young woman and playing along (aka responding accordingly, acting pissed, etc.) with the hosts making fun of him all night.

Clooney just needs the sunglasses and he'll be all set.

[JayBee74]

Re: Oscars 2009

.... Streep in Julie and Julia was good but not good enough to win,

Well, the handwriting has been on the wall for Bullock to win the Oscar, and your statements about timing are well taken, as are Adam Drayton's about politics in general, but other than a steamrolling red carpet ride for Bullock starting late last year how could timing have not been more perfect for Streep? She has been nominated 16 times, won only twice, is arguably the best actor of the past 35 years, and hasn't won an Oscar in 28 years.
PS-I thought Streep's performance as Julia Child was typically phenomenal.

[aholbert32]

Re: Oscars 2009

Well, the handwriting has been on the wall for Bullock to win the Oscar, and your statements about timing are well taken, as are Adam Drayton's about politics in general, but other than a steamrolling red carpet ride for Bullock starting late last year how could timing have not been more perfect for Streep? She has been nominated 16 times, won only twice, is arguably the best actor of the past 35 years, and hasn't won an Oscar in 28 years.
PS-I thought Streep's performance as Julia Child was typically phenomenal.

I wasnt blown away by Streep. I was blown away by Sibibe and Mulligan and I knew they didnt have a chance. The timing wasnt right for Streep because she has won twice. When the Academy has a choice between a person whos won multiple Oscars and someone who has won none...they tend to lean toward the person who hasnt won.

[JayBee74]

Re: Oscars 2009

I wasnt blown away by Streep. I was blown away by Sibibe and Mulligan and I knew they didnt have a chance. The timing wasnt right for Streep because she has won twice. When the Academy has a choice between a person whos won multiple Oscars and someone who has won none...they tend to lean toward the person who hasnt won.

I'd totally agree with you if we weren't talking about Streep, her 28 year drought, and a year in which many (not me) thought Bulluck wasn't deserving.

[CMH]

Re: Oscars 2009

I think for Streep it's a problem of being too good. People just overlook it because they expect it.

[GAMEC0CK2002]

Re: Oscars 2009

Finally saw Up in the Air. It was good. Not better than Hurt Locker though.

IMO, 500 Days of Summer was the better version of the "reality of failed relationships" movies.

[CMH]

Re: Oscars 2009

Finally saw Up in the Air. It was good. Not better than Hurt Locker though.

IMO, 500 Days of Summer was the better version of the "reality of failed relationships" movies.

I saw it different, but that's because I didn't think of Up In The Air as a movie about failed relationships.

What I found ingenious about the film was it placed Clooney's character at the center of life's ultimate pendulum: togetherness or loneliness, wrapped it up to make it seem like it was about romance, and then never told you which decision is the best route.

The message being pushed isn't what we see on the surface, though it's hard to ignore it because on the surface is love and relationships and being alone and having no one to love you and everyone just has this constant fear that they will or won't have one or the other.

Instead, Up In The Air went deeper and made it about decisions in life, not just about love or friends or loneliness, but about every route you take. How does one handle losing a job? Do they find a new one, do they cry about it, do they kill themselves? If they cry about it, do they try to justify their belonging, do they complain over the disservice? How does one deal with family? Do they keep them close, distant? What affects do either have on the family dynamic, the decision making? After the decision has been made, how does the swing the pendulum?

Love was the hook to show the viewer something more.

[GAMEC0CK2002]

Re: Oscars 2009

I saw it different, but that's because I didn't think of Up In The Air as a movie about failed relationships.

What I found ingenious about the film was it placed Clooney's character at the center of life's ultimate pendulum: togetherness or loneliness, wrapped it up to make it seem like it was about romance, and then never told you which decision is the best route.

The message being pushed isn't what we see on the surface, though it's hard to ignore it because on the surface is love and relationships and being alone and having no one to love you and everyone just has this constant fear that they will or won't have one or the other.

Instead, Up In The Air went deeper and made it about decisions in life, not just about love or friends or loneliness, but about every route you take. How does one handle losing a job? Do they find a new one, do they cry about it, do they kill themselves? If they cry about it, do they try to justify their belonging, do they complain over the disservice? How does one deal with family? Do they keep them close, distant? What affects do either have on the family dynamic, the decision making? After the decision has been made, how does the swing the pendulum?

Love was the hook to show the viewer something more.

I wasn't referring to simply love(boy-girl) relationships in Up in the Air. He made a personal decision to basically "fail" at every relationship he was in by being distant and aloof up until the end of the movie.

I got the whole life throws you a curve ball, what are you gonna do about it aspect. Good movie, I just wasn't in "love" with it...as they say.

[Adam Dayton]

Re: Oscars 2009

Just saw Precious. It was a good little movie and I can see why it was nominated in comparison to the other films out there. Monique gave a great performance.