So...going for even lower ratings than last year, I see?
I actually did think The Reader was a better film than The Dark Knight, but for the sake of relevancy, couldn't you have nominated the film people cared about?
TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER:
Ok, now I've had some time to think it over and make sense of it all. Let's start with...
1. The Reader??? The motherf***ing Reader? While I don't think it's the Academy's responsibility to nominate the most popular movies every year, I feel like, in order to stay relevant, it was their responsibility to nominate The Dark Knight this year (my personal feelings on the film notwithstanding.) But ok, fine, you're going to nominate the Holocaust film. How ballsy, Academy! It's really important that you bring attention to such a horrible event.
Go to the 2:50 mark
At least nominate Christopher Nolan. Stephen Daldry took a powerful script with a lot of potential and really screwed some things up. (That Ralph Fiennes framing device did. not. work. at. all.) I could have directed that script better with my ass...and I'm only barely joking.
2. Brad Pitt for Benjamin Button. Not a big surprise, but still disappointing for me. It's like nominating the volleyball from Cast Away. He was only there to BE A FACE. Pitt, God bless him, is not an actor who triumphs with subtlety (Jesse James notwithstanding). Poor, poor Leo and Clint (and Michael Sheen, too.)
3. No Rachel Getting Married for Original Screenplay? I saw this predicted a few places, but was unwilling to believe it. Jenny Lumet's script has maybe the best dialogue of the year. I haven't seen Frozen River, so I can't comment on that, but for In Bruges to get a spot? Don't get me wrong, it was a perfectly adequate movie, but it followed a lot of tropes and not a moment in it even approaches just one of the AA meetings in Rachel Getting Married.
On the plus side...
1. "O Saya" for Best Song. Slumdog's "Jai Ho" has been getting all the attention, but it's this number, performed by A.R. Rahman and M.I.A., that's my favorite. Can't wait to see both songs performed live at the ceremony.
2. Really disappointed that Dev Patel wasn't nominated--people probably didn't know if he should go under Actor or Supporting Actor--but at least it opened up a slot for Michael Shannon, whose two scenes in Revolutionary Road are the two best scenes in the movie. He's an actor that's been quietly consistent for years--remember Bug?--and I'm happy to see him get recognized.
3. The Academy actually ignores a campaign and places an actor in the category they should be in. I thought pimping Kate Winslet for Best Supporting for The Reader was completely ridiculous. I mean, I get why--don't make her compete against herself--but she's in nearly every scene. I'm glad the Academy ignored Harvey's FYCs and followed the logic. It means Penelope isn't up against Kate and can't rightfully win.
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