Just scanned the list, and there were definitely a few strange ones.

"Little Miss Sunshine" up for Best Picture? It did have a great Metacritic score, and I thought it was a very good, offbeat indie-type comedy. But never, ever did "Best Picture" enter my mind. I saw it once in the theatre and did laugh quite a bit, but I really don't even feel like renting it, several months later.

"Babel" is a little iffy for me too. It was good. Not as good as Amores Peros, but pretty decent. Again, I didn't leave the theatre thinking "Oscar" by any stretch.

Leonardo DiCaprio for Best Actor in "The Blood Diamond"? I haven't seen the movie. But I read a dozen or so reviews, and nowhere was anything said beyond "Leo gives a solid performance," or something to that effect. He got much more raving reviews for his performance in "The Departed." Actually, most of the BD reviews said it was easier to take him seriously as an adult actor *after* his performance in Departed...kind of a backward nomination.

"Children Of Men" was one of the very few movies I walked away from this year feeling like I'd just seen something really special. It's up for Best Adapted Screenplay. I definitely think it belonged in the Best Picture group, *MUCH* more so than Little Miss Sunshine. I think the same of "Pan's Labyrinth," but it's been relegated to the foreign film category. I can't see how it won't win that category.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Commontone,

I think it's nice to see Ryan Gosling be nominated for his performance in Half Nelson... I am a bit dissapointed that United 93 didn't get a best picture nod. Borat was also shafted (The Academy is quite conservative). Hopefully, this will be Scorcese's year. He definitely deserves the "Best Director" award more than anyone else in that category (Sorry, Eastwood and Greengrass). Plus, The Departed was extremely good and one of the best movies of last year.
Movies I Still Need To Watch:
Volver
Pan's Labyrinth
Last King of Scotland

In my mind, if Scorcese wins it'll still seem like a career consolation win. The Departed was *good*, but I owe that more to the performances than the direction. His direction was pretty straight-forward and "old pro"-ish, and for chrissakes it was another gangster movie...he'd *have* to be competent in that genre by now. I enjoyed it, and of the big time Hollywood films it was probably one of the best of the year. But overall I can only say it's in my top 10...too many other riskier, more original (and better) films to me.

I'm glad to see Forrest Whitaker get nominated...a great actor who often has minor, easy roles. He contributes a lot to every movie he's in, even if it's as a minor character with 10 minutes of screen time.

quote:

Originally posted by Commontone:
"Babel" is a little iffy for me too. It was good. Not as good as Amores Peros, but pretty decent. Again, I didn't leave the theatre thinking "Oscar" by any stretch.

Babel is this year's Crash, except on a global - rather than local - scale. I don't mind Little Miss Sunshine. I personally loved it, so I won't complain. Every now and then the academy throws in an oddball, and I think that's what they did with Little... Personally, I think Letters from Iwo Jima is the favorite for Best Picture. And I wouldn't be surprised if Clint won director since he's Hollywood royalty and an academy darling. Oh yeah, and it's a pretty amazing film, too.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: PaddyG,

quote:

Originally posted by PRG:

quote:

Originally posted by Commontone:
"Babel" is a little iffy for me too. It was good. Not as good as Amores Peros, but pretty decent. Again, I didn't leave the theatre thinking "Oscar" by any stretch.

Babel is this year's Crash, except on a global - rather than local - scale. I don't mind Little Miss Sunshine. I personally loved it, so I won't complain. Every now and then the academy throws in an oddball, and I think that's what they did with Little... Personally, I think Letters from Iwo Jima is the favorite for Best Picture. And I wouldn't be surprised if Clint won director since he's Hollywood royalty and an academy darling.

I love all 4 of Little Miss Sunshine's nominations, especially its Best Picture nod, and I really can't see it losing the Screenplay race. Although I only recently saw it I remember laughing so much throughout it and I couldn't help thinking, "Wow, this is really good."

I also think that Amores Perros is an incredibly amazing film. It hit on all levels but it takes a lot and I mean a lot for a foreign film to be nominated for best picture. Personally I love that film, I live right on the border of Mexico and Texas and that movie hits on all cylinders for me--plus I have been a Gael García Bernal fan for a long time.

As for PRG's prediction that Clint Eastwood will win best director along with his film for best picture, I can't really argue with that. I mean I love Martin Scorsese as much as the next person, he has made some masterpieces, personally he should have easily won for Goodfellas so I am sure the academy is looking to give him the sympathy Oscar much like past actors and directors have won. That doesn't necessarily mean that they will though, like PRG said Clint Eastwood is loved by many and well, he is a world-class director, just like Scorsese. It is a tough one, just like past years, as much as I love the Lord of the Rings films, personally I think that Clint Eastwood made the best film with Mystic River and should have also won Best Director for that year but they gave it to Peter Jackson as a gift for all three of the movies he beautifully made.

Too bad for Borat. I really felt it was a remarkable film. Hilarious and ground-breaking. Cohen has perhaps provided the best portrait of the USA since Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It's too early to tell, but Borat might prove to be the most influential comedy in decades. The film deserves at least nominations for Best Actor and Best Picture.

Of course, this is the same Academy that preferred My Fair Lady to Dr. Strangelove.

quote:

Originally posted by PRG:
Babel is this year's Crash, except on a global - rather than local - scale.

That sounds extremely familiar to me, so I guess I'll have to agree with it.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
It is a tough one, just like past years, as much as I love the Lord of the Rings films, personally I think that Clint Eastwood made the best film with Mystic River and should have also won Best Director for that year but they gave it to Peter Jackson as a gift for all three of the movies he beautifully made.

I think Letters From Iwo Jima is better (both as a film and as an example of fine direction) than Clint’s two previous wins. On the other hand, I didn’t think much at all of Mystic River. Scorsese is due though, but I also agree with Commontone that it’s not REAL Scorsese direction (perhaps because it’s a remake?)

quote:

Originally posted by MXH:
Of course, this is the same Academy that preferred My Fair Lady to Dr. Strangelove.

I believe that most of that Academy is in the Actors Home or has passed over to another dimension, but some are still kicking up their heels, so I guess I see your point.

Children of Men? Excuse me, where are you? Best Picture...No, Best Actor-Clive Owen...No, Cinemetography-Yes(whopee).

This was easily the biggest shocker and dissapointment of the 2006 Oscar Nominations. Children of Men for me was one of the best pictures I've seen in years, and it got robbed. Also I saw Blood Diomond, and I didn't think Leo was oscar worthy, but still good. Borat? It should of at least recieved a Best Actor for Cohen. Scorcese should win, only if Clint doesn't take the win.

In my eyes, I see The Departed as taking Best Picture, but Babel is an underdog that could win.

quote:

Originally posted by MXH:
Of course, this is the same Academy that preferred My Fair Lady to Dr. Strangelove.

That's a tough one though because both of those films are evidently classics. I think that Rex Harrison was simply brilliant in [i}My Fair Lady[/i} but Sellers was excellent as well. Those two films can go toe-to-toe with each other on a scale larger than the year they were nominated. Not only were they immense but they are immense in comparison to other great movies. Not sure if that makes any sense but in other words there was no favorite that year, if Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb had won that year then many would complain that My Fair Lady should have won.

I feel what you mean about the academy not rightfully honoring the right films. I have a long list--as I am sure many others on here have as well--of academy snubs and mess-ups. One of my biggest is Boogie Nights not being nominated for best picture and in that same year the sappy, dry, boring, poorly-acted Titanic winnig best picture as opposed to the vastly superior film in everything--including acting, directing, story and screenplay--As Good As It Gets.

A couple of thoughts, KidA. From '64, I give Dr. Strangelove an A+ and My Fair Lady and Mary Poppins an A, so I don't have a problem with any of those. However, I realize some people CAN'T stand musicals (their loss, at least if they're GOOD musicals).

I thought '97 was a super year. I continue not to be a revisionist and badmouth Titanic, but I agree that As Good As It Gets was equally excellent, but my pick from that year is the overpoweringly-entertaining L.A. Confidential.

I'm surprised Departed didn't get more acting nominations. The one that was picked - Wahlberg - is certainly an interesting choice, and not necessarily a bad one. Wahlberg was (I thought) more interesting than Nicholson this time around.

I see your points mark. That's what I meant that so many good films that year, you couldn't really go wrong. I personally like musicals (maybe because I am involved with music as close to 24/7 as possible). But I see your point because some people just don't like musicals period. And I don't mean to just bad mouth Titanic--it had some great effects, but I just don't think it is that great.

Shoot me if LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE wins Best Picture. That would be even a worst travesty than CRASH winning Best Picture last year.

Nice to see Helen Mirren in the running for Best Actresss for THE QUEEN. She deserves it. I don't quite understand, however, why Cate Blanchett bagged a nomination as Best Supporting Actress for NOTES ON A SCANDAL. She was the lead in that film and should have been in the Best Actress category.

And Marty Scorsese is in the running for Best Director and he should get it. THE DEPARTED --- my favorite film from '06 -- also received a Best Picture nom and I hope it wins.

I don't understand why there is all the fuss over DREAMGIRLS. While I liked and would recommend the film, there were a number of '06 releases I liked a heck of a lot more.

quote:

Originally posted by ChrisFromAstoria:
Shoot me if LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE wins Best Picture. That would be even a worst travesty than CRASH winning Best Picture last year.

Yeah, God forbid they award a movie that isn't a total bore.

I'm not sure what your beef is with Little Miss Sunshine, but it's easily my favorite film of the year. It's a funny and moving film with a terrific cast.

It won't win Best Picture, but it should.

quote:

Originally posted by mark f:

quote:

Originally posted by PRG:
Babel is this year's Crash, except on a global - rather than local - scale.

That sounds extremely familiar to me, so I guess I'll have to agree with it.

Uh oh! Did I unknowingly rip you off? Sorry, but you know what they say about great minds...

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:
I'm not sure what your beef is with Little Miss Sunshine, but it's easily my favorite film of the year. It's a funny and moving film with a terrific cast.

I for one have no beef with LMS at all...I enjoyed it and laughed. It had a good ensemble cast who gave very good performances, but as far as filmmaking goes, there was nothing all that special or groundbreaking about it. Pretty straight-up direction from the Farrises. It was a good movie, just not worthy of being called the crowning filmmaking achievement of 2006. And its whole winners/losers motif was kind of quaint and heartwarming, but nothing other movies haven't already done as well or better.

I kind of consider it this year's "Adaptation" in a way...the comedy that aims a little higher. But Adaptation was a bolder, more original film (and it didn't win). Again, liked LMS, good movie, but like ChrisFA with "Dreamgirls," I just don't think it's in the same league as some of the others.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Commontone,

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:
Yeah, God forbid they award a movie that isn't a total bore.

I'm not sure what your beef is with Little Miss Sunshine, but it's easily my favorite film of the year. It's a funny and moving film with a terrific cast.

It won't win Best Picture, but it should.

Hey eric, I didn't know you were a fellow fan! I also love that movie, I simply adore it. I might be biased because I love everything Steve Carell does but that is one special movie. I respect ChrisFA and Commontone's opinions, and they are entitled to them, but I was just ecstatic when I saw that that movie was nominated.

quote:

Originally posted by Commontone:
I kind of consider it this year's "Adaptation" in a way...the comedy that aims a little higher. But Adaptation was a bolder, more original film (and it didn't win).

I think ADAPTATION is a good film to compare LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE with and I agree with you that ADAPTATION is a better film than LMS. The comparison is apt because I felt both films went off the rails in the third act. I loved ADAPTATION -- and Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper were terrific -- until the third act where it just went haywire. I didn't think much of any of LMS, though the ending was also way the top when they all get on the stage and start dancing. That was ridiculous.

I like Little Miss Sunshine, if anybody cares.

My list of the actual nominees, in order, is:
1. Letters From Iwo Jima
2. The Departed
3. Little Miss Sunshine
4. The Queen
5. Babel

My list of Best Movies of the Year, in order, is:
1. Letters From Iwo Jima
2. Pan's Labyrinth
3. Children of Men
4. United 93
5. The Departed

quote:

I think ADAPTATION is a good film to compare LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE with and I agree with you that ADAPTATION is a better film than LMS. The comparison is apt because I felt both films went off the rails in the third act. I loved ADAPTATION -- and Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper were terrific -- until the third act where it just went haywire.

It always made such perfect sense to me, the third act...he's resisting doing anything too "Hollywood" with his screenplay for the first two acts...then Brian Cox tells him, "If you don't think those things happen in real life, you don't know s**t about life," etc. The third act is him Adapting...remember, what we're watching is also the screenplay he's writing as we watch it. If you try to view the plot as strictly linear, of course the ending will seem out of left field. Chris Cooper definitely deserved his Oscar though..sorry, a little OT..