January 22, 2009
"And the Oscar Might Go To..." The 81st Academy Award Nominations.
With the annual January ritual of the release of Academy Award nominations now upon us, it is, as always, followed by the annual January ritual of Carping About Oscar Snubs, too. Both are intertwined like ivy. It's all in the game, yo. 
Herewith, then, are the 81st Annual Academy Award Nominations, just released this morning.
And for your consideration, here's one major snub in our estimation: how about Kristin Scott Thomas for I've Loved You So Long?
And where's Bruce Springsteen for song, from The Wrestler? Usually I complain about having to suffer through five nominated songs at each Oscar show, but did we really only have room for three this year?
I'm still scratching my head for the love shown The Reader.
Meanwhile, The Defamer offers up their own picks for Biggest Snubs, as well as a quiz.
But to remain positive for a moment, the actor nominations seem a fine lot and it's especially gratifying to see Robert Downey, Jr's bravura turn in Tropic Thunder (an American playing an Australian playing an African-American) get proper due.
The Foreign Language picks all seem a pretty reasonable lot, though one can't help but wonder why Waltz With Bashir couldn't have been nominated under animation, too, as Persepolis was a year ago?
More on IFC's Daily.
At any rate, Aaron Hillis will be following up here on Monday with a few more of his own thoughts on the nominations. Until then, just remember, it's The Oscars. -- craig phillips
Posted by cphillips at January 22, 2009 9:55 AM
Here here for Waltz With Bashir! Snubbed in the animated and musical score categories, IMHO.
Also, where are the noms for Eastwood with Gran Torino? Considering how much the Oscars showed Clint love in the past, I'm surprised that it didn't get any noms. Perhaps it was released too late in the game?
Posted by: weezy at January 22, 2009 11:15 AMThese have got to be the safest, dullest nominations in well over a decade.
Posted by: Bobo at January 22, 2009 12:49 PMWaltz With Bashir would have been the first R-rated film nominated in the Animated Film category. I was not surprised to see it fall outside the nominee list in that category- which, you may recall nominated Jimmy Neutron over Waking Life in its first year of existence.
Posted by: Brian at January 22, 2009 3:13 PMGood point Brian. Honestly, I don't know why I expect more from that category -- or most of the others. It's hard to argue against WALL-E at least. (Actually I enjoyed Kung Fu Panda, too, and thought the animation was lovely.) Bashir should've gotten more love elsewhere, though, but you can say that about many other films, too. This year seems particularly wimpy, as Bobo points out above.
cp
Posted by: Craig P at January 22, 2009 3:36 PMBrian, I agree. The Academy missed a big opportunity in that Animated Film category-- but how often has the history of the Oscars been marked by flubs like this? I too am surprised by the love for The Reader and, frankly, for Changeling which, outside of the inevitable nomination for Jolie, I didn't think anyone really thought much of. But the biggest "Hunh?!" of the day has to go to the startling omission of Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky. Everybody seems to have their watershed year for Oscar indifference, and this year may be mine, thanks to puzzlers like that one.
That said, go, Robert Downey Jr. and Michael Shannon! Here's hoping for a tie!
Posted by: Dennis Cozzalio at January 22, 2009 3:53 PMRemember back in the '90s when the documentary committee took so much flack for ignoring so many terrific docs? Seems like maybe the Best Animated Feature folks have picked up where they left off.
Posted by: Bobo at January 23, 2009 7:18 AMHere are my reactions (specifically how the hell The Reader could get a Best Pic nom): http://thefilmstage.com/2009/01/22/the-reader/
Posted by: Jordan Raup at January 23, 2009 7:25 AMI think the wrestler doesn't count because its not in the film, just the credits. Although it won the golden globe..
Posted by: bleh at January 31, 2009 2:06 AM
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