82nd ACADEMY AWARD Nominations

[Khev]

Hey, take it up with Ira Konigsberg, author of The Complete Film Dictionary (in print for over 20 years now). He transcribed the definition, not me.

TCFD defines "war films" as:

A motion picure dealing with war either as the major action of the film or the background to the film's action. Although war films are generally thought of as combat films that focus primarily on preparation for fighting and the actual armed conflict, the genre also includes other types of situations that are directly related to or the result of war: for example prisoner-of-war stories, often focusing on escape; the struggles and activities of the underground in occupied countries; spy adventures at home or abroad; and stories that use war as a context for dramatic situations and interactions among characters who are generally not taking an immediate role in the fighting.

So apparently its as broad a genre as science-fiction.

On a side note I consider Platoon to be every bit the "slice of life character study" that we see in The Hurt Locker, much less so than movies about completing specific missions like Saving Private Ryan or Black Hawk Down.

 

[BadMoon]

Excellent points Carl.

And by that definition Avatar should be considered a 'War' movie too right? Just sayin'.

There was fighting in Avatar? Them damn smurfs be hostile!

 

[Khev]

And by that definition Avatar should be considered a 'War' movie too right? Just sayin'.

No. Having a battle doesn't make a movie a war film. See above.

 

[LOTRFan]

Are we to throw any film that takes place during or against the back drop of a war into the "war movie" category? I surely don't. Is SCHINDLER'S LIST a "war movie" to you?? How about THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE, which takes place during the Spanish Civil War? Come on...

Don't forget Life is Beautiful and The Sound of Music.

 

[The ill Jedi]

There was fighting in Avatar? Them damn smurfs be hostile!

'Cause of the Soldiers, missiles, guns and 'splosions!!!

 

[BadMoon]

'Cause of the Soldiers, missiles, guns and 'splosions!!!

I think a big tree fell over too!

 

[LOTRFan]

I think a big tree fell over too!

Would it have made a sound if no one was around?







What, so waterfalls can flow to nowhere and this isn't a valid question?!

 

[The ill Jedi]

No. Having a battle doesn't make a movie a war film. See above.

That was a joke Khev.

 

[Kuzeh]

Why don't we just agree that both Avatar and Hurt Locker are both overrated?..

 

[The ill Jedi]

Why don't we just agree that both Avatar and Hurt Locker are both overrated?..

How about...no.

 

[Bannister]

How about...no.

But they both are. They are both good movies and overrated. There are a lot of movies I love, but will definitely acknowledge as being overrated. The Dark Knight is one.

 

[LOTRFan]

How can a movie that only made about $12 million domestic be considered overrated?

 

[The ill Jedi]

Once again, I loved both movies, I just felt Hurt Locker deserved the Oscar more. Just my opinion.

 

[BadMoon]

How about...no.

 

[BadMoon]

How can a movie that only made about $12 million domestic be considered overrated?

Because 12 million buys a lot of corn dogs.

 

[The ill Jedi]

But they both are. They are both good movies and overrated. There are a lot of movies I love, but will definitely acknowledge as being overrated. The Dark Knight is one.

Totally agree with that one, but that's a whole other conversation.

 

[IrishJedi]

The next film to be overrated/over-valued by geeks is probably the one in Kuzeh's new profile/sig pics.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

But they both are. They are both good movies and overrated. There are a lot of movies I love, but will definitely acknowledge as being overrated. The Dark Knight is one.

I don't like dark knight too much

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

Why don't we just agree that both Avatar and Hurt Locker are both overrated?..

tron prob will be too

 

[LChinoz]

An Education had a much higher chance of winning than Avatar. I posted the overall awards total this year some pages back. Avatar has literally won a handful of awards (3 before Oscars) compared to the other top 5 candidates, which were, at the low end An Education with 19 awards to Up In The Air at 36. Avatar outside of it's box office and tech awards had no momentum or chance of winning anything. Last year it would have been...

The Hurt Locker
Precious
Up In The Air
An Education
Inglourious Basterds

Again, IMO there was no way Avatar would have been left off. The fact that Avatar is the highest grossing movie of all time obviously helped its chances, but like I said earlier, the best directing awards more so than not go hand in hand with the best picture awards.

Last year's best director noms were:

* Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
o Stephen Daldry – The Reader
o David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
o Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
o Gus Van Sant – Milk

And what a surprise, the Best Picture noms were:

* Slumdog Millionaire
The Reader
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk

How about the year before last?

* Joel Coen and Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men
o Paul Thomas Anderson - There Will Be Blood
o Tony Gilroy - Michael Clayton
o Jason Reitman - Juno
o Julian Schnabel - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly


The Best Picture noms were:

* No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Michael Clayton
Juno
Atonement


Sure Atonement did not get a Best Director nod but I think we could all agree Atonement was an overrated film and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly certainly deserved the BP nod more than it did.

Year 79th Academy awards? Same thing, with the exception of United 93, all Best Director noms were also the BP noms. While I agree Avatar did not win as many awards leading up the the Oscars, I must say it's reign as box office king and cultural phenomenon, plus the fact that it is a James Cameron picture, would have put it over the top.