Best Pictor Nominees - Weak Or Strong- Page 4

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:04pm

Not that anyone asked, but I would have nominated:

Children of Men
Letters from Iwo Jima
Little Children
Pan's Labyrinth

For the fifth slot? Probably Little Miss Sunshine so there's at least one comedy.

[Luscious]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:09pm

"Luscious, if you dont think the 5 nominees are good films, then what would you have nominated? I'm curious as to what, besides DREAMGIRLS, you thought was worthy."


I'm posting this to answer your question; not to enter into a back and forth, movie by movie dissection and debate. I realize that my taste in movies isn't exactly mainstream, and the chances of all, or even the majority, of my favorites being nominated by the Academy are practically non-existent. But for what it's worth my 5 favorite movies of 2006 (in alphabetical order) are...

DREAMGIRLS
THE ILLUSIONIST
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
PAN'S LABYRINTH
SHORTBUS

HONORABLE MENTION:
BORAT
THE DEPARTED
HAPPY FEET
INLAND EMPIRE
THANK YOU FOR SMOKING

ETA: Disclaimer: Of the 5 films that got nominated, I haven't seen LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA. Generally speaking, I'm not a big fan of Eastwood's films (although I really admired MYSTIC RIVER), but I plan on seeing it soon.

Updated On: 1/25/07 at 03:09 PM

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:14pm

"Sense & Sensibility" Best

Amazing film. Ang Lee proved his genius with this picture. The scene where Winslet runs up the hill in the rain quoting the poem breaks my heart every time!!!

and this:

Elinor Dashwood: What do you know of my heart? What do you know of anything but your own suffering. For weeks, Marianne, I've had this pressing on me without being at liberty to speak of it to a single creature. It was forced on me by the very person whose prior claims ruined all my hope. I have endured her exultations again and again whilst knowing myself to be divided from Edward forever. Believe me, Marianne, had I not been bound to silence I could have provided proof enough of a broken heart, even for you.

Thompsons screenplay was perfection!! She deserved her Oscar.

I am frankly surprised "Dreamgirls" is getting the support it's getting from this board. I mean I know it is a musicals board, so that makes sense but there are also a lot of movie lovers here. You would think people could be able to critique which movies were "best" of the year.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:33pm

And all of us have our own opinions and my opinion is that "Dreamgirls" was one of the best movies of the year (again, I haven't seen all of the nominated movies, but still).

[broadway86]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:34pm

there are several occasions where comedies deserved to trump their dramatic, wrenching competitors. e.g., SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE.

YES!!! One of the best calls the Academy has made, recently.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:44pm

"I am frankly surprised "Dreamgirls" is getting the support it's getting from this board. I mean I know it is a musicals board, so that makes sense but there are also a lot of movie lovers here. You would think people could be able to critique which movies were "best" of the year."

Well, I AM able to do that. And Dreamgirls IS among the best of the year.

I'm frankly surprised you're not able to see that.

[jasonf]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:47pm

Ciaron - you weren't here last year when The Producers and Rent were "eligible" -- believe me, aside from a couple of hardcore fans, NO ONE on here was pushing those as real Oscar contendors.

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:48pm

Dreamgirls is a good movie. It is filled with some great performances but it also has a ton of flaws. The direction was "ok" and the screenplay is nothing to rave about. As a whole it did not add up for me. I did like the movie though.

[jasonf]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:49pm

Fair enough. I haven't seen 4/5 of the movies, as I said, but Dreamgirls would have had my vote over LMS, hands down (though for that matter, Borat would have had my vote over either of those)

[tazber]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 4:20pm

"Pan's Labrynth" should have been nominated for picture. And I really thought "Brick" deserved a screenplay nod.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 4:23pm

Ciaron--I only was harsh to make a point about your comment.

See, I agree with jasonf about Dreamgirls, but I completely disagree with him about Borat. I enthusiastically agree with Ciaron about Sense & Sensibility and Remains of the Day, but not at all about Dreamgirls.

This is what makes us different. Frankly, I'm GLAD we're not "all the same person." That would make life really dull.

I enjoy hearing why others are drawn to, or away from various films (and art in general), but I caution anyone who says or believes... "How could ANYONE like [fill in the blank]?"

To believe your own opinion is better or "correct" is (1) an unnecessary comment, (2) it's off-putting, as well as (3) an inaccurate statement. (Three strikes, you're out, pal!)

It's your opinion. We can all assume you believe in it and support it fully. But it's not better than anyone else's opinion, and opinions are never a question of "right" or "wrong."

So, gang, I'm actually very happy that you share a common passion with me about films. It's very evident, it's appreciated, and it's respected by me. And I'm happy to read and swap opinions. But tangling over who's right or wrong? Who's "getting it" or not? Who's qualified or not to offer an opinion?

No thanks, I'll pass. I'm not interested in seeing any of us degenerate from free-thinking, passionate adults into whiny, fussy, rotten children.

[jasonf]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 4:29pm

See, b12b, I just think everything would just be easier if everyone finally just acknowledged that I'm always right. It would make life MUCH simpler. :)

PS - btw, don't EVER tell your girlfriend that. It doesn't work.

[DG]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 4:30pm

Hear, hear, Best!

And keep those sig quotes coming

[lildogs]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 4:32pm

I think they're just as good as they usually are--it's NEVER the 5 best films of the year...there's ALWAYS at least one stinker in the mix.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 4:37pm

Thanks, DG! It's truly an honor.

My first sig quote!! (I think?)

*bows humbly*

Hey!... Maybe we can debate the five sig quotes that should be there in my place.





EDIT: "PS - btw, don't EVER tell your girlfriend that. It doesn't work."

jasonf---rest assured.

Updated On: 1/25/07 at 04:37 PM

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 4:44pm

'But it's not better than anyone else's opinion'

See...here I don't necessarily agree. Say I wanted to buy a new suit and wanted an opinion on it. I have two choices: Zach Posen, hottie designer, or my mother, the woman who insisted that pleats were the right way to go. I would take Posen because, besides the fact that he's TOTALLY HOT, he has a far more informed opinion than my sainted mother.

Perhaps some opinions aren't 'better' than others...but there are MANY opinions that are certainly more informed than others.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 4:50pm

But that's just your opinion that his opinion is better than her opinion.

Just my opinion, of course.

It all depends on how much you value his credentials. Having credentials is a FACT. Valuing them over something or someone else's judgment is the opinion that what he has to say is more relevant. It's not a fact.

Besides that... LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!!!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 4:54pm

I always wondered why you dressed so funny, Robbie.

[DG]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 4:55pm

Robbie - by that reasoning, I should trust I. Mizrahi to pick out a wardrobe for me because he's a fashion 'expert' - I'd sooner be caught dead.

I agree with Besty - his credentials only have value if I think it's meritted, which brings us right back to the 'opinions are like . . . '

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 4:59pm

"...buttah?"

"Opinions are like buttah," yes.

*stops DG from explaining*

Just remember it's a FACT who wins an Oscar, but it is not a FACT that it is the "best anything of the year." It's just a collective opinion of the Academy members.

I have to remind myself of this every time one of them rips open an envelope and disappoints me.

Updated On: 1/25/07 at 04:59 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 5:00pm

I blame it on Y2K. These would have been my winning picks, based on the noms in place, since the new millenium:

2000 - Traffic
2001 - Moulin Rouge
2002 - The Hours
2003 - Lost in Translation (debatable, but it was one of the weakest years)
2004 - Ray (almost as weak as 2003)
2005 - Brokeback Mountain
and for 2006 - Little Miss Sunshine (which pretty much guarantees it will lose)

[lildogs]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 5:14pm

I'm with robbiej...but he also says he thinks he's hot, which is a form of validation--if Zac picks robbie's clothes and robbie think's Zac is hot, then the outfit chosen will please Zac, whom robbie hopes to please.

My ex and I used to fight over Zagat ratings too--I'm of the mind that my palate and sense of portion size is quite different than that of Esther and Morty from Nyack.

[jasonf]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 5:18pm

Hey, Esther and Morty are my aunt and uncle! They have excellent taste!

[lildogs]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 5:24pm

Then they can go to Peter Luger's and free up that wd-50 reservation.

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 5:39pm

Alright...Patricia Fields, then. I certainly don't think she's hot.

'But that's just your opinion that his opinion is better than her opinion.'

Actually, that's you misreading what I wrote. My post ended with:

'Perhaps some opinions aren't 'better' than others...but there are MANY opinions that are certainly more informed than others.'

Posen or Fields or Mizrahi certainly has a more informed opinion about style and fashion than my mother. There are people on this board (like Margo) who have simply seen more and studied more than many (if not most) of us when it comes to theatre. Therefore, their opinions are more informed. You then have the choice to trust in their opinions or not. But you implied that all opinions are on an equal footing. And that is not true.