Your Reactions to the Oscar Nominations. Answer these...

[CBHagman]

1. Which nomination(s) do you most agree with?

2. Which fall into the "What the hell were they thinking?" category?

3. Which nominee, upon winning, would elicit the biggest cheer from you?

4. What were the notable omissions?

5. Which nominations do you think were influenced by something other than merit -- i.e., the pecking order in Hollywood, lack of imagination, etc.?

Feel free to add other questions/answers.

The link to the list of nominees:

http://www.oscars.org/78academyawards/noms.html

[MiniMandaRuth]

1. If Howls Moving Castle wins, they'll hear my joyous cries from Chicago...

[Love Bug]

14. That is the only category that I am conflicted about

I love Wallace and Grommit but I also think Miyazaki is God! How can one choose....

[CBHagman]

20. That creates questions 6 and 7.

Question 6: What heart-breaking dilemmas do you have? Do you want Weisz and Adams to tie in the Best Supporting Actress category, or perhaps Hoffman and Strathairn? (Those are my two)

Question 7: Deserved Acknowledgement. Who was finally noticed for his/her work?

[yellowdogintexas]

42. oh yeah, Most Difficult Category to Vote In would most

definitely be Feature Animation this year.

"Howl's Moving Castle"
"Curse of the Were Rabhit"
"Corpse Bride"

but I hope Howl wins. I loved that movie

Have you seen "Whispers of the Heart"?

We loved that.

[CBHagman]

2. My first "What the hell were they thinking" is...

...Keira Knightley's nomination for Pride and Prejudice. I have nothing against her, but the performance didn't strike me as anything more than serviceable.

[RubyDuby in GA]

10. Thank you

That was my only major :wtf:
She's ok, but she doesn't really belong in this category with the others. Although I will say it was another weak year for female roles.

[Harley Quinn]

15. I read an article someplace...

it said that if the Best Actor and Best Actress catagories were combined into Best Performance, 90% of the nominees would be male. There are so few innovative roles for women in mainstream flims. And indie films try to squeeze so much "I'm more avant garde than you" into their projects that few are taken seriously.

It's pretty depressing to be a film geek these days

HQ-weeps for the little gold man

[LynneSin]

34. Honestly there were better than Keira this year

Maria Bello for one! Also, as I've mentioned, Ziyi Zhang

[LynneSin]

19. I was hoping that it would have been Ziyi Zhang

:cry:

Oh well

[AlCzervik]

3. Wallace & Grommet and Howl's moving castle

i loved both of them and they're the only movies on the whole list i've actually seen. I really need to get out more.

[terrya]

4. Mine:

1) I don't have a problem with any of them, actually. A good field this year. I thought that they would do something stupid and nominate "King Kong" as Best Picture, but they didn't

2) I have a bit of an issue with Jake Gyllenhaal nominated as Best Supporting Actor. His role was just as important as Heath Ledger's

3) Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Well, also Paul Giamatti.

4) I thought "Walk the Line" would be nominated Best Picture.

5) I really think they were generated by merit. Like I said, good field this year.

[CBHagman]

7. How do you feel about Rachel Weisz's category?

I think her BAFTA nomination is for best actress, but at SAG, the Golden Globes, and here she is nominated for supporting actress.

[FredScuttle]

5. Here goes....

1. Which nomination(s) do you most agree with? I'm so relieved that good night and good luck made it as a Best Picture nominee. I feared that it would be left off the final list. All the best picture nominees are worthy, although I would replace Crash with The Constant Gardener

2. Which fall into the "What the hell were they thinking?" category? This is kinda old news, but Syriana must be the first Best Original Screenplay nominee in history to be adapted from a friggin book!

3. Which nominee, upon winning, would elicit the biggest cheer from you? Paul Giamatti, who's turned in so many deserving performances over the past few years.

4. What were the notable omissions? I'd say Walk The Line for Best Picture, Russell Crowe for Best Actor and Scarlett Johannson for Best Supporting Actress. King Kong is noticeably absent from the major categories...

5. Which nominations do you think were influenced by something other than merit -- i.e., the pecking order in Hollywood, lack of imagination, etc.? Can we declare a moratorium on nominating John Williams for Best Score? I mean, the guy's written some classic scores, but how in the hell does he get in ahead of Alexandre Desplat's score for Syriana?

6. Best "Who?" nomination - tie between Amy Adams (Best Supporting Actress) and Bennett Miller (Director)

[Missy Vixen]

21. Paul Giamatti: Most underrated actor in history

I'm totally torn, but he should win. He was ROBBED for "Sideways".

Amen to the "what's Keira Knightley doing there?" I'm thrilled Felicity Huffman was nominated.

Julie

[VolcanoJen]

6. I want to play!

1. The nomination I most agree with is Terrence Howard for best actor in "Hustle & Flow." One of my favorite movies of the year, and Terrence Howard blew my mind in that role. I never thought the stuffy, conventional Academy would honor his performance as a pimp.

2. In the "what the hell were they thinking" category, I just don't see how Jake Gyllenhaal's role in "Brokeback Mountain" is smaller than Heath Ledger's. In other words, I think both should have been nominated in the Best Actor category, rather than splitting them out into Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. I just don't get it.

3. I think I'd cheer biggest for Terrence Howard if he somehow wins Best Actor. From the looks of it though, nobody has a chance against Phillip Seymour Hoffman in "Capote," a film I haven't seen yet. I'd also jump off my couch if "March of the Penguins" wins Best Documentary. Oh, and "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp" from "Hustle & Flow" got a nomination for Best Original Song; can't wait to see that song performed at the Oscars... should be interesting...

4. Notable ommissions? I would have liked to have seen Taraji P. Henson get a nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Shug in "Hustle & Flow."

5. Lack of imagination? I'd say Reese Witherspoon for "Walk the Line." They say she's a walk for winning Best Actress, but I was thoroughly unimpressed by her too-bubbly performance in a lackluster film. I also feel that "Hustle & Flow" should have been nominated for Best Picture; even if it had, I'd still be rooting for "Brokeback Mountain," my favorite film of 2005. And finally, I don't get "Crash" at all. It was an OK movie, but certainly not in that "best damned movie I ever saw" way for me. Brokeback, Hustle, and Good Night kick its ass in so many ways. I think Hollywood was a little lazy nominating Crash.

Great questions, CB!!

[China_cat]

17. Maybe

2. In the "what the hell were they thinking" category, I just don't see how Jake Gyllenhaal's role in "Brokeback Mountain" is smaller than Heath Ledger's. In other words, I think both should have been nominated in the Best Actor category, rather than splitting them out into Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. I just don't get it.

it's a way to make sure both of them get oscars? If they were both nominated in the same category only one of them could be honored.

[CBHagman]

22. The George Burns ploy!

You'll remember that George Burns won his Best Supporting Actor Oscar in a part that really was a leading role.

[FredScuttle]

23. don't forget Haing S. Ngor

n/t

[ronnykmarshall]

24. Tatum O' Neal too.

She was in 99% of Paper Moon and was nominated for supporting (and won).

[FredScuttle]

26. can you name the shortest performance to win a Supporting Oscar?

n/t

[CBHagman]

27. Beatrice Straight for Network? Or Judi Dench for S in Love?

I seem to recall that both performances clocked in at 10 minutes or so.

[calico1]

31. I would go with Straight.

She was on screen for what? Ten minutes?

[FredScuttle]

36. Ding-Ding!

we have a winner....here's the tale of the tape:

Beatrice Straight - Network 1976, under six minutes onscreen

Dame Judi Dench - Shakespeare In Love 1998, eight minutes onscreen

[FredScuttle]

8. Forgot one thing...

Who among us didn't cheer that the song "It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp" from Hustle and Flow was nominated for Best Song? Can't wait to see Barbra Streisand break that off at the ceremony.

[VolcanoJen]

9. Woot!!!!!!

That put the biggest smile on my face... damn, I hope they let Taraji P. Henson and Terrence "DJay" Howard perform it.

Should be a show stopper! :-)

Of course, I think "Whoop Dat Trick" should have been nominated as well...

[FredScuttle]

12. If they can give an Oscar to Eminem, anything's possible

you know, though, given the perpetual lameness of the Oscar telecast, we'll probably be treated to the likes of the Academy's idea of a hip urban artist - Byron Allen

[Flaxbee]

16. I saw Hustle & Flow the other night and I STILL

have that song in my head (along with Whoop Dat Trick)...

I don't have TV, but I'm going to have to find a way to listen in -- do you know if it'll be streamed on the 'net?

[VolcanoJen]

18. I just can't express how much I loved that movie.

It really surprised me... falling in love with a movie about a pimp, some ho's, and a dream.

You know it's hard out here for a pimp
When he's tryin' to get this money for the rent
For the Cadillac and gas money spent
You get a whole lotta bitches jumpin' ship...

[azmouse]

11. Tim Burton's Corpse Bride?

It's pretty bad. Must have been slim pickings for animated features this year.

[RubyDuby in GA]

13. Not so much a What the Hell were they thinking, but

I know PSH was a great Capote, but the film to me moved so slowly that I was literally waiting for them to wrap it up and end already forchristsakes!

[bigwillq]

25. 1. All the nominations for Brokeback

2. Which fall into the "What the hell were they thinking?" category?
only three nominees for Best Song! :shrug:

3. Which nominee, upon winning, would elicit the biggest cheer from you?
Jake, Heath or Michelle

4. What were the notable omissions?
Maria Bello in "A History of Violence"

5. Which nominations do you think were influenced by something other than merit -- i.e., the pecking order in Hollywood, lack of imagination, etc.?
Nothing I can think of right now

[Clintmax]

29. I agree, BigWill!

Me too, me too! :bounce:

[bigwillq]

30. WOO HOO!

:hi: :bounce:

[MissHoneychurch]

28. Sophie Scholl - The Final Days

great movie. I hope it wins in Best Foreign Movie

[CBHagman]

32. I'm intrigued by that.

It hasn't opened in our area yet, but I'll be sure to keep an eye out. Thanks, Miss Honeychurch.

On edit: Any time I see your DU name, I think of Simon Callow in A Room with a View, saying, "Is that wise, Miss Honeychurch?"

[LynneSin]

33. Answers

1. Which nomination(s) do you most agree with?
*** Brokeback Mountain, Walk the Line and all the George Clooney movies
2. Which fall into the "What the hell were they thinking?" category?
*** Kiera Knightley? Where the hell was Maria Bello from "A History of Violence"
3. Which nominee, upon winning, would elicit the biggest cheer from you?
*** I want to see George again not only because I adore him but in hopes he'll make another "Jack -off" comment
4. What were the notable omissions?
*** Anything and everything from "A History of Violence" Not only should Maria Bello gotten a nod but so should have Viggo Mortensen
5. Which nominations do you think were influenced by something other than merit -- i.e., the pecking order in Hollywood, lack of imagination, etc.?
*** Can't really think of any this year

[SaveElmer]

35. King Kong was jipped IMO...

1. Which nomination(s) do you most agree with?

I am very glad Good Night, and Good Luck was nominated. I thought Syriana and especially King Kong deserved a nomination.

2. Which fall into the "What the hell were they thinking?" category?

Russell Crowe should have been nominated for Cinderella Man

3. Which nominee, upon winning, would elicit the biggest cheer from you?

George Clooney in any and all categories for which he was nominated

4. What were the notable omissions?

KING KONG

5. Which nominations do you think were influenced by something other than merit -- i.e., the pecking order in Hollywood, lack of imagination, etc.?

Probably since Peter Jackson had so much success with LOTR they left him out this time.

[bertha katzenengel]

37. notable omission and biggest cheer:

Notable Omission: the woman who played Lee Harper, best supporting actress. Her disgust w/ Capote shone through without her having to say a word. She was fabulous, and I don't even know her name.

Biggest cheer:

DAVID STRATHAIRN

I have been a fan of his since I can't remember when. He's one of my top five favorite actors.

[FredScuttle]

38. not to quibble

but I think you meant Harper Lee, who was played by the fantastic Catherine Keener, who actually was nominated for supporting actress. So, no need to grumble!

[bertha katzenengel]

39. big fat bloody DUH

:dunce: Of course I meant Harper Lee. :dunce:

another big fat bloody DUH -- I looked at the list of noms a couple of days ago and obviously missed it.

And this from a woman who used to host Oscar parties -- complete with personally-written trivia quizzes and prizes solicited from nearby businesses -- at her coffee house!! I suck!

[FredScuttle]

40. Don't worry

it's probably for the best not to keep this trivial nonsense taking up valuable space in our noggins.

Forgot to add....I agree 100% with you on David Strathairn...he's finally getting the attention he so richly deserves.

[CBHagman]

41. I sincerely doubt you suck or could ever suck.

:hi: I think I speak for a lot of us when I say it's always a pleasure to see you!

By the way, I just thought of a "What the hell were they thinking?" category. Weren't several notable actresses in lead performances roundly snubbed this time out? I must confess to not having seen enough movies this year, :blush: but Joan Allen, Laura Linney, Julianne Moore, and Patricia Clarkson all had lead parts in interesting films this year (Allen had at least three movies open!). So I'm more than a little stumped about those sorts of omissions. :shrug:

[bertha katzenengel]

43. RE: Omissions: Hollywood FORGETS.

Example: Did you ever see "Dolores Claiborne?" I saw at least three (and you could stretch it to four) performance nominations in that film: Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, David Strathairn, and maybe Christopher Lee.

That movie was released in February. It got nothin'.

Look at how well movies released in Nov. - Dec. fare when nominations come out. Year in, year out.

I wonder when the Allen, Linney, Moore, and Clarkson films were released . . . 'twould be interesting to know.

[CBHagman]

44. Yes, Dolores Claiborne was a great surprise.

I would NOT have recognized David Strathairn at all. On top of that, it was an extremely entertaining movie.

On edit: You're right about the timing. The movies in question came out over the course of the spring, summer, and fall. However, the Academy did bestir itself enough to remember Amy Adams in Junebug (a terrific performance), so go figure. :shrug: