By Jennie
This Sunday ABC will air the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. This year marks an expansion of the number of Best Picture nominees, from five to 10 (five has been the standard number of nominees since the 1940s; before then the number of Best Picture nominees varied, with sometimes as many as 12 pictures nominated). You can see the nominees here.
Will you be watching? Any pictures or nominees you’ll be rooting for (or against) particularly?
I’ve only seen two of the Best Picture nominees, Up and Up in the Air. I liked both quite a bit, but since the front runners seem to be Avatar and The Hurt Locker, I’m not counting on either snagging a win. I’ve seen three of the Best Actor nominees: Jeff Bridges, George Clooney and Colin Firth. Bridges seems to be the favorite, and I’ll be happy for him if he wins, but my vote would go to Firth for his heartbreaking performance in A Single Man. I’ve only seen one performance each in the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor categories, both from The Last Station. Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren gave great performances as Leo Tolstoy and his high-strung wife; I would love to see Mirren win (though again, my favorites don’t seem to be the front runners: I believe the battle is between Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock for Best Actress, and Christopher Waltz seems to be favored for Best Supporting Actor for Inglourious Basterds, though I’ve also heard good things about Stanley Tucci’s performance in The Lovely Bones). Mo’nique is heavily favored for the Best Supporting Actress award for Precious; I haven’t seen that, but if I had my druthers I’d give the award to Anna Kendrick for her work in Up in the Air.
I tend not to have much of an opinion on the Best Director award except that it seems to me it should go to whoever directs the Best Picture winner. The buzz is all about a battle between ex-spouses James Cameron (director of Avatar) and Kathryn Bigelow (director of The Hurt Locker). Cameron’s arrogance is tremendously unattractive to me, and it would be awesome to finally have a woman win Best Director. So I’ll root for Bigelow, even though I haven’t seen her film.
Please share your Oscar-night plans (hosting/attending any parties?) and your favorites below!
Tags: Academy Awards, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Picture, Hollywood
I am looking forward to seeing Steve Martin/Alec Baldwin host! I think that could be a great team. I often think being the solo host is too much pressure for one person. A couple of bad jokes and people consider you a “bomb.”
I think the Best Actress category has several strong contenders and I’d be happy if any of them won. It’s great to see women over 40 – Bullock, Mirren and Streep — getting the roles they deserve.
Congratulations to Jeff Bridges. It was a long time coming. I haven’t seen this movie yet but will now put it on my Netflix.
I thought Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin did a great job.
I didn’t watch but I’m thrilled that Sandra Bullock won for The Blind Side!
Did anyone see The Hurt Locker? Was it that good? I saw a lot of this years movies and never heard of it.
I saw the Hurt Locker two weeks ago. It was good….not sure it was that good. I did not see the other movies nominated though so I don’t have anything to really judge whether it was the best of the best.
There was some controversy today regarding Farah Fawcett’s omission from the In Memoriam segment at last night’s Oscars. It was first brought to my attention this morning on Facebook. At the time I kind of thought that maybe it was because she really was never a “movie star” but more of a TV star. However, I forgot that Michael Jackson was given recognition so I am not sure what that was all about.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Last night when I was watching the Oscars, I thought the acceptance speech for the Oscar for the Best Documentary Short Subject – Prudence – was quite strange.
I just read this article here that explains what had happened.
I thought that Burkett was fairly rude last night and now I understand what was going on. I did not see Williams on Larry King tonight but I do have to compliment Williams on how he handled himself during his acceptance speech (what little there was of it.)
I think Fawcett should’ve been included; Bea Arthur also. It seems like too obvious a snub to decide that these people don’t make the cut when it would’ve been another 10 seconds (which easily could’ve been cut elsewhere) to include them.
I think they goofed and their excuse that it was running too long is just that, an excuse. They cut two people who where highly recognizable to the public. They didn’t cut MJ who was in one film The Wiz. Fawcett and Arthur were known for their TV shows but both were in movies and received some acclaim. I think the academy should apologize and not make excuses. It makes them look snobbish and elitist.
Although, I guess The Wiz was a pretty important movie. It was sold out for a long time (I remember this because it was the one movie my HS friends and I snuck into see). As Bridget pointed out, The Academy shows more than one pic of the late stars. So unnecessary when they’re leaving others of recognition out.
Bridget, I’m trying to picture Clooney in Arsenic and Old Lace and Grant in Oh, Brother Where Art Thou. It only works for me w/Grant.
I haven’t seen Up in the Air yet. I do like the movie Rosemary’s Baby.
They didn’t show Bea Arthur? I’m so surprised. I don’t know what all she’s done, but I remember her way back to Mame w/Lucille Ball. I liked Henry Gibson too; The Blurbs,Blues Brothers and who could forget him as the voice of Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web? I kind of understood them leaving out Farrah until I heard about MJ. Why put in someone who has mainly been honored for their music and forget what others have done on the screen? The screen is supposed to be what it’s all about. I remember her in Logan’s Run (the dork in me has watched that many times) and Extremities was a theater release. The Academy made some really bad calls. I never realized that they left people out. Anya, I agree, Ryan O’Neal doesn’t need another reason to run his mouth, I don’t care for him either.
I didn’t watch this year. I watched when Ellen was the host and was disappointed again. I love Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, but I didn’t watch anyway.
Burkett = Lady Kanye.
Whatever the back story, Burkett made a fool of herself and was rude. I understand Joy Behar had her on to explain her side of the story. I may watch it, but I don’t think I am going to change my mind.
I agree with others – Farrah Fawcett should have been included and I agree with Paula – not doing so just makes the Academy look out of touch and snooty. Plus it gives Ryan O’Neal (who I don’t care for) an excuse to run his mouth!
Fawcett was a good actress and deserved better.
Also Henry Gibson was also like them a tv and movie actor. He was not shown. Ed McMahon also was in a few movies. They should stick to one picture of each of the actors. They show 3 and 4 pictures of certain actors and that takes up too much time and people got left out. Saw Up In The Air today. I enjoyed it. Clooney’s performance was touching. The two women were equally good. There was an unexpected twist with George’s character. Did not see it coming. I think he is a really good actor. I like him a lot. He is the modern day Cary Grant, can do comedy, drama, directs, writes. Did I say how much I like him? Next up is Ghostwriter. Even though it is Polanski, I want to see it. I have to say I do enjoy his movies, going back to Rosemary’s Baby.
Cary Grant in Houseboat? Oh please be still my heart. He was older but so dreamy. Add in Sophia Loren. It was so romantic to me. Plus there was talk of them being involved in real life. He wanted to marry her but she turned him down was the rumor. First time I ever thought an old guy was hot!! I loved his voice. Alan Rickman gets me the say way with his voice,like butter. I would like to see George in a really hot sexy movie with those smoldering eyes. Can’t think of an appropriate female co-star though. Also heard onthe View that Ricardo Montalban was left out of the deceased montage, big movie star in 1940’s made 38 movies. Mind boggling the stupidity of those involved. They said they did it because of time. How could you purposely choose who gets left out?
I heard Michael Jackson was included because of his latest movie, out this year, not because of The Wiz