'Dark Knight' Never a Best Picture Contender

I intended this blog post to be about how the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences decision to open the list of Best Picture nominees from a reasonable five to an unmaneageable 10 seems like an attempt to please everyone all of the time.


However, after reading quite a few articles on the change, and giggling at some of the comments posted in response to these articles, I've determined that there are quite a few bitter, bitter folks out there that feel like the Dark Knight was bamboozled out of its Oscar nomination.


And I happen to disagree.


The Dark Knight was good superhero movie. It had hear-stopping action and blinding explosions. It was dark and beautiful. It had one incredible, stand-out performance that brought attention to the picture and created the kind of buzz that turns a good film into a box office blockbuster. But it was never a contender for Best Picture. Even if there had been 10 slots in the Best Picture category, they would have been filled by:

Wall-E, or

The Wrestler, or

Rachel Getting Married, or

Tropic Thunder,

and a toss-up between Doubt and Vicky Cristina Barcelona. But never the Dark Knight. Sorry fanboys. Heath Ledger was incredible. He did things with the character that made a tired housewife, soccer mom, wine-drinker watch a superhero movie. But he did not turn a good action pic into a Best Picture nominee. Not even close.



Best Picture Change Triggers a Backlash [New York Times]


Oscars to Include 10 Best Picture Nominees [zap2it.com]

The Oscars Valentine Gift to the Masses

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' hearts are filled with love on this, the eve of Valentine's Day. Academy president, Sid Ganis issued this statement today via press release and announced a press conference scheduled for tomorrow that will reveal "many, many details" about the Oscar telecast.

"I am relieved that the men and women of the entertainment industry are going back to work and I am ecstatic that the 80th Academy Awards presentation can now proceed full steam ahead with talented writers working on the show, a fantastic array of presenters and performers and, most importantly, the ability for all of our honored nominees to attend without hesitation or discomfort."

Despite the news that the Oscars will go on, the New York Post reports, Vanity Fair and their big smashing party has been cancelled. This announcement was made prior to the end of the writer's strike, and it's doubtful they can turn that hulking ship around. It is thee party of the night. The injustice is almost more then I can bear. Or is it bare? Let's hope this is clarified for me during the press conference tomorrow morning at Academy headquarters.

For all you future Oscar winners; the Governor's Ball Party is still on. Defamer tackled Wolfgang Puck's menu with more wit then I could muster at this late juncture. Now that the writer's are back on, my formerly hysterical and carefully plotted blog will have all new episodes posts within eight to ten weeks.

Awww.... I kid, I kid.

Screw You, 'Vanity Fair' Party: The Oscars Governor's Ball is On and More Delicious Than Ever [Defamer]

Today the Razzies, Tomorrow the Oscars

First comes the Razzies then comes the Oscars, then comes Eddie and Lindsey in a baby carriage. Suckin' their thumb.......sing along on your own time.

If you're Eddie Murphy, ya have to take the bad with the good. Oscar nom one year, Norbit the next. Oh so far to fall. If you're Lindsey Lohan, you were barely able to get one foot out of the gutter and up on the curb before ya slip on the slimy shit of your own making back to your rightful place. Harsh, I know, but I've gotten myself off on a tangent.

Officially known as the Golden Rasberry Awards, the Razzies have faithfully heralded the short-comings of Hollywood's elite. Previous winners include, Ben Affleck, Jack Nicholson, Christopher Walken and aptly named Halle Berry.

Murphy is nominated multiple times for each of his equally horrendous roles in Norbit. Founder of the Razzies, John Wilson, told CNN, "We decided that each of his characters were so offensive that he deserved individual nominations."

Sharon Stone is in direct competition with Lohan in the worst actress category for her role in worst film contender Basic Instinct 2. This is not the first time Stone has been nominated, winning two Razzies in 1994 for The Specialist and Intersection. Wilson gave FoxNews this yummy morsel, "She's what we call a Razzie repeat offender. Perhaps even a recidivist." If you don't recall either of these two flicks, count your lucky stars.

By the way, Rachel McAdams was the real break-out star of Mean Girls.

Lohan, Murphy Lead Razzies for Year's Worst [CNN]

Sharon Stone, Duff Sisters, Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan Nominated for Razzies [FoxNews]

Globes, Oscars Feel the Wrath of the WGA

The looming question as to whether the writer's strike will effect awards show programming has been answered. It all began with a tiny snowflake that has slowly, slowly tumbled down the Hollywood Hills resulting in a giant snowball that threatens to push the Academy Awards back into the spring, and perhaps derail the Golden Globes all together.

Initially, the WGA denied a request from the Hollywood Foreign Press (Golden Globes) to use union writers for scripted portions of the show and the Academy of Motion Picture and Sciences was denied the ability to use previous awards show footage, reports Deadline Hollywood Daily.

Hollywood Today indicates that the Screen Actors Guild has been encouraging its members to boycott major awards shows like the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards. This includes targeting awards nominees themselves, which could mean that no big stars will grace the red carpet or be around to make acceptance speeches. The guild defends it stance by stating, "We will continue to do everything in our power to bring industry negotiations to a fair conclusion. In the meantime, we are grateful for the ongoing support of the Hollywood talent community."

In a later report, Hollywood Today put a number on the face of those actors that will not cross the picket line in support of their own work at the upcoming Golden Globes. That number is astonishing in it's solidarity; seventy actors refuse to participate in the show. Now seventy may not seem like a lot, but it represents every last nominated actor. Every single one. I think the Golden Globes are in trouble.

No WGA Waivers for Globes or Oscars (and Other News From Tonights Meeting) [Deadline Hollywood Daily]

Final: No Stars for Golden Globes as Striking Writers, Actors Say No Telecast and Globes: 70 Stars Say We Won't Go [Hollywood Today]

Globe Nominations Leave Oscar Race More Uncertain

After months of speculation, the announcement of the 65th annual Golden Globe nominations this morning has left one thing clear, Atonement, is a bonafide front runner and Oscar contender. The film, based on the novel by Ian McEwan, received seven nominations including Best Motion Picture - Drama and actress and actor nods for Keira Knightley and James McAvoy. The uncertainty presents itself when we examine what films were missed for Golden Globe recognition.

Into the Wild was completely overlooked in all categories except Best Original Score and Best Original Song. Whether this quashes any hope for Academy Award nomination or actually opens the film up for Oscar contention is yet to be seen. The same theory may also hold true for other overlooked movies such as Knocked Up and Waitress. Who needs a golden globe when you can have a golden man?

Another interesting snub comes in the form of Homer Simpson. As a longstanding television show (having stood the longest throughout prime time series history), The Simpsons have never been nominated for a Golden Globe in any television category, ever. Despite being entwined in superlative hell, The Simpsons Movie captured the hearts and minds of the Hollywood Foreign Press voters and snagged a nomination over weaker competition (read Alvin and the Chipmunks and Meet the Robinsons). Improvement is still needed in the realm of motion capture when what should be a visually stunning film like Beowolf fails to impress against more traditional animation. As for Shrek the Third, three times just wasn't a charm.

The 80th Annual Academy Award nominations will be revealed on January 22, 2008. Let's hold any unfounded speculation until that time.

Dory's voice to Oscar host

A few hours ago, I was blow drying my hair thinking about how the Academy Awards could possibly get any better. This also got me thinking what a great brainstorming activity blow drying my hair is and that I should consider washing my hair more often. Not freakish OCD often, but more than twice a week should give me ample weekly brainstorming time. But I digress. There is always room for improvement, even where the Academy Awards are concerned. Perhaps Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie could get married during the telecast, or a drunken Mel Gibson would rush the stage and flash photos of baby Suri. Or maybe, just maybe Ellen DeGeneres could host! Now I realize that Ellen DeGeneres as host seems too good to be true, and when I think of something that's too good to be true I frequently replay the ol' when something seems too good to be true it probably is adage in my mind. In this case Ellen DeGeneres as host of the 79th Academy Awards seems too good to be true, but it IS true. Which leads me to the power of positive thinking, which also seems too good to be true. By the way, lovely photo on the press release, Ellen!