2009 Academy Awards (from Avatar thread)

[DolfanBob]

My post was just a observation of the artsy side of my so called stuffed shirts of Hollywood.
rwarn you are da-man of Hollywood films. I give it up to ya, and or two thumbs up.
My point being. These little gems(Which I have not seen) probably wasnt burning up the box office sales.
Ordinary people, Terms of Endearment, Out of Africa, The English Patient, Shakespeare in Love, American Beauty and A Beautiful Mind.
Im not much on musicals, Dancing and or culture type films. Foreign flicks or having to read the dialog. Martial art movies tend to get boring quick also.
Suffice to say, I wouldnt be able to write reviews for any publications due to my lack of appreciation for the so called finer films.

[Conan71]

Trying to stimulate more conversation on the boards other than politics, I thought I'd list some of the movies I felt could or should have been winners or ones that the winner puzzled me.  I'd love to hear other's "shoulda beens"

Even though I don't pay a whole lot of attention to it, I was looking through the list over the last 25 to 30 years and came up with some of the movies I felt should have won best pic that did not:

Listed by year, film I thought was best and the winner

1986- Room With A View/ Platoon

Room had some stunning cinematography in it, Platoon had a great cast and wonderful acting, but I honestly did not feel it was that well written of a movie, nor that earth-shattering in genre

1989- Dead Poet's Society/ Driving Miss Daisy

DPS was such a moving screenplay and Robin Williams delivered an amazing performance

1990- No problem with Dances With Wolves, I was simply shocked that POS of a sequel Godfather III was even nominated, man that was a horrible flick.  GF I & II are two of my all time faves and I love FFC's work.

1991- JFK/ The Silence Of The Lambs

This was the Oliver Stone movie I felt was best pic worthy, although Silence Of The Lambs has proven itself to be a durable classic.

1994- This was as good a year as there was, Forrest Gump, Shawshank, Pulp Fiction- those are three of my favorite all time movies.

1996 and 1997 also produced some great nominees, though I still scratch my head when I see Jerry McGuire as a best pic candidate

1998- Saving Private Ryan/ Shakespeare In Love

Shakespeare just didn't strike a chord with me, not my usual genre and as much as I didn't see Platoon as anything Oscar- worthy, I felt Spielberg got a war movie right with this one.

1999- The Green Mile/ American Beauty

While I agree Kevin Spacey really deserved best actor for his role in American Beauty, I simply did not find the movie as compelling as Green Mile.

2004- I loved Million Dollar Baby but could not believe The Aviator recieved a nomination, horrible screen play, Leonardo DiCaprio was so out of his element as Howard Hughes it was distracting.  Ghack!

2005- I felt Crash was finally an acceptance of the movie-making style that Quinton Tarrantino pulled off so well in Pulp Fiction, though Brokeback or Capote were justifiable winners in my mind as well.  I honestly figured the Academy would give it to Brokeback simply for the social statement and novelty of a gay cowboy movie.

2006- The Departed- I felt any of the other nominees were better-qualified.  The casting and acting were great in the flick, but this was just another ho-hum Scorsese gangster flick, one of my favorite genres, but never Oscar-worthy with the possible exception of Goodfellas. I simply didn't see anything as special in this pic as I did in Babel (Yet another try with the Pulp Fiction/Crash formula-though I thought a bit disjointed), Little Miss Sunshine, or Letters From Iwo Jima

2007- That was a great Oscar class.  I saw four out of the five, There Will Be Blood being the only one I didn't see and I thought any of the four were worthy.  Though the ending of Coen Brothers movies often frustrate me.

[heironymouspasparagus]

True enough.  I guess I am biased because I think Grand Torino deserves one too.  It is right there with Unforgiven as two of Eastwood's best movies.  Both exceptional.

[rwarn17588]

True enough.  I guess I am biased because I think Grand Torino deserves one too.  It is right there with Unforgiven as two of Eastwood's best movies.  Both exceptional.

I'm fine with that. I think Clint Eastwood is America's finest director right now, and I'll stand on Martin Scorsese's coffee table and say that. Quentin Tarantino's coffee table, too. (And I like both directors very much.) I think the work Eastwood has done in the past 20 years or so is as good as anyone's on the planet.

(Although Jason Reitman is coming up fast.)

I know Eastwood is a conservative, but the usual blabbermouth pundits don't crow about him because he makes films that are often morally ambiguous and complex. Eastwood doesn't see things in stark, black-and-white terms, which is one of the reasons that he's a great director.

[Conan71]

I'm fine with that. I think Clint Eastwood is America's finest director right now, and I'll stand on Martin Scorsese's coffee table and say that. Quentin Tarantino's coffee table, too. (And I like both directors very much.) I think the work Eastwood has done in the past 20 years or so is as good as anyone's on the planet.

(Although Jason Reitman is coming up fast.)

I know Eastwood is a conservative, but the usual blabbermouth pundits don't crow about him because he makes films that are often morally ambiguous and complex. Eastwood doesn't see things in stark, black-and-white terms, which is one of the reasons that he's a great director.

One would have never figured for the sort of roles he played for years that the guy is as deep as he apparently is.  His work as a director is amazing and I concur, the best in America.

[Hoss]

One would have never figured for the sort of roles he played for years that the guy is as deep as he apparently is.  His work as a director is amazing and I concur, the best in America.

I've seen most of Eastwood's movies (acting and directing) and I think his best work was on Unforgiven.  I still watch that movie at least twice a year.  I need to get a Blu-Ray of it (if it's available).  Morgan Freeman was spectacular in that movie, as was Gene Hackman.  Not your typical western.  His dialogue as he was leaving town toward the end of the movie was great.

"You better bury Ned right, or I'll come back and kill every one of you sons of b!+ches"

"All right, I'm coming out. Any man I see out there, I'm gonna shoot him. Any sumb!+ch takes a shot at me, I'm not only gonna kill him, but I'm gonna kill his wife, all his friends, and burn his damn house down."

^^^^
Favorite line of the movie.

Speaking of Westerns, I saw Appaloosa for the first time last night.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I didn't realize how good an actor Viggo Mortensen was until I saw this.  Another one I need to find on BR, along with just about any of the Costner Westerns (Dances With Wolves, Open Range to name a couple).

[heironymouspasparagus]

Conan
He has always been pretty brilliant in the roles he played.  Subtly over the top in the sphagetti westerns.  The depth showed up big time when he could do things like Dirty Harry, Play Misty for Me, and Bronco Billy - pretty serious range.

Unforgiven and Gran Torino just stand out big time to me.  I guess there is a particular resonance.

[Conan71]

I've seen most of Eastwood's movies (acting and directing) and I think his best work was on Unforgiven.  I still watch that movie at least twice a year.  I need to get a Blu-Ray of it (if it's available).  Morgan Freeman was spectacular in that movie, as was Gene Hackman.  Not your typical western.  His dialogue as he was leaving town toward the end of the movie was great.

"You better bury Ned right, or I'll come back and kill every one of you sons of b!+ches"

"All right, I'm coming out. Any man I see out there, I'm gonna shoot him. Any sumb!+ch takes a shot at me, I'm not only gonna kill him, but I'm gonna kill his wife, all his friends, and burn his damn house down."

^^^^
Favorite line of the movie.

Speaking of Westerns, I saw Appaloosa for the first time last night.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I didn't realize how good an actor Viggo Mortensen was until I saw this.  Another one I need to find on BR, along with just about any of the Costner Westerns (Dances With Wolves, Open Range to name a couple).

If you want to see a great Viggo Mortensen flick, rent Hidalgo.  You won't be sorry.

[Conan71]

Conan
He has always been pretty brilliant in the roles he played.  Subtly over the top in the sphagetti westerns.  The depth showed up big time when he could do things like Dirty Harry, Play Misty for Me, and Bronco Billy - pretty serious range.

Unforgiven and Gran Torino just stand out big time to me.  I guess there is a particular resonance.

I was thinking along the lines of Harry Calahan and Philo Beddo, same ensemble casts, plays a likeable tough-guy not a whole lot of depth to the character, which I thought was pretty much playing himself.  Sort of like Burt Reynolds.

[Hoss]

If you want to see a great Viggo Mortensen flick, rent Hidalgo.  You won't be sorry.

Don't need to.  Seen that one also.  He's good in films that feature horses.  Damn you.  Now I need to find that one on Blu-Ray.  I'll be broke before my next paycheck!

[Conan71]

Don't need to.  Seen that one also.  He's good in films that feature horses.  Damn you.  Now I need to find that one on Blu-Ray.  I'll be broke before my next paycheck!

He was also good in 28 days with Sandra Bullock.  Of course, I've got a thing for Sandra so I might be biased on that one.

[Hoss]

He was also good in 28 days with Sandra Bullock.  Of course, I've got a thing for Sandra so I might be biased on that one.

Me too.  While the movie wasn't great, for Sandra value you can't beat Demolition Man.  Sandra in spandex...mmmmmm

[sgrizzle]

Me too.  While the movie wasn't great, for Sandra value you can't beat Demolition Man.  Sandra in spandex...mmmmmm

He really met his meat.

[DolfanBob]

Ok boys. This is it. Who takes it tonight, Avatar or Hurt Locker ? Sandra or Meryl ?
Jeff or George ? etc.etc.
This is the first time I have actually cared. Must be a age thing. Im gowing up.

[guido911]

Ok boys. This is it. Who takes it tonight, Avatar or Hurt Locker ? Sandra or Meryl ?
Jeff or George ? etc.etc.
This is the first time I have actually cared. Must be a age thing. Im gowing up.

My money is on Iron Chef Symon to take out Spike Mendohlson on Iron Chef America.