The Oscars

[El Unicornio, mang]

Okay, it's Oscar night tonight, which I always like to watch. Billy Crystal's hosting it this year, so it should have a few laughs.
Anyway, here's the nominations and in bold my predictions for who's gonna win:

 
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Johnny Depp - PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
Ben Kingsley - HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
Jude Law - COLD MOUNTAIN
Bill Murray - LOST IN TRANSLATION
Sean Penn - MYSTIC RIVER (although Murray might also get a look in)

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Alec Baldwin - THE COOLER
Benicio Del Toro - 21 GRAMS
Djimon Hounsou - IN AMERICA
Tim Robbins - MYSTIC RIVER
Ken Watanabe - THE LAST SAMURAI

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Keisha Castle-Hughes - WHALE RIDER
Diane Keaton - SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE
Samantha Morton - IN AMERICA
Charlize Theron - MONSTER (the only sure-fire winner. If she doesn't win I'll quite literally eat a hat)
Naomi Watts - 21 GRAMS

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Shohreh Aghdashloo - HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
Patricia Clarkson - PIECES OF APRIL
Marcia Gay Harden - MYSTIC RIVER
Holly Hunter - THIRTEEN
Renée Zellweger - COLD MOUNTAIN (because she always bloody wins)

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
BROTHER BEAR
FINDING NEMO
THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE

ART DIRECTION
GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING
THE LAST SAMURAI
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
SEABISCUIT

CINEMATOGRAPHY
CITY OF GOD
COLD MOUNTAIN
GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
SEABISCUIT

COSTUME DESIGN
GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING
THE LAST SAMURAI
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
SEABISCUIT

DIRECTING
CITY OF GOD
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
LOST IN TRANSLATION
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
MYSTIC RIVER

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
BALSEROS
CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS
THE FOG OF WAR
MY ARCHITECT
THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
ASYLUM
CHERNOBYL HEART
FERRY TALES

FILM EDITING
CITY OF GOD
COLD MOUNTAIN
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
SEABISCUIT

 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS
EVIL
THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI
TWIN SISTERS
ŽELARY

MAKEUP
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL

MUSIC (SCORE)
BIG FISH
COLD MOUNTAIN
FINDING NEMO
HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING

MUSIC (SONG)
"Belleville Rendez-vous" - THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE
"Into the West" - THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
"A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" - A MIGHTY WIND
"Scarlet Tide" - COLD MOUNTAIN
"You Will Be My Ain True Love" - COLD MOUNTAIN

BEST PICTURE
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
LOST IN TRANSLATION
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
MYSTIC RIVER
SEABISCUIT

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
BOUNDIN'
DESTINO
GONE NUTTY
HARVIE KRUMPET
NIBBLES


SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
DIE ROTE JACKE (The Red Jacket)
MOST (The Bridge)
SQUASH
(A) TORZIJA ([A] Torsion)
TWO SOLDIERS

SOUND EDITING
FINDING NEMO
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL

SOUND MIXING
THE LAST SAMURAI
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
SEABISCUIT

VISUAL EFFECTS
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
AMERICAN SPLENDOR
CITY OF GOD
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
MYSTIC RIVER
SEABISCUIT

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS
DIRTY PRETTY THINGS
FINDING NEMO
IN AMERICA
LOST IN TRANSLATION

I've had to guess a few of 'em. Anyone else care to wager?

[butnut]

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
BROTHER BEAR
FINDING NEMO
THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE

(Sorry, immediate side-track)
Has Belleville Rendez-vous got a different title in the states then? Is that too French a title for them?
(Right, now return to the thread.)

[El Unicornio, mang]

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
BROTHER BEAR
FINDING NEMO
THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE

(Sorry, immediate side-track)
Has Belleville Rendez-vous got a different title in the states then? Is that too French a title for them?
(Right, now return to the thread.)

Probably. I know that they changed the title of License to Kill from License Revoked because they thought Americans wouldn't know what 'revoked' meant.
Speaking of which, I noticed the other day that the film Leon is called The Professional over here

[butnut]

And of course, the famous 'The Madness of King George III' changed to just 'The Madness of King George' because Americans might think they'd missed the first two installments.

Right, back to Oscars night then...

[Frinky]

And of course, the famous 'The Madness of King George III' changed to just 'The Madness of King George' because Americans might think they'd missed the first two installments.

Urban myth, that, innit?

Sorry.

[butnut]

And of course, the famous 'The Madness of King George III' changed to just 'The Madness of King George' because Americans might think they'd missed the first two installments.

Well, the original Bennett play was had the 'III', and the film doesn't. I presume there must have been some reason for the change, and the American one is as good as any. And, not only Americans either -they'd have been plenty of Brits. who might have been mystified as well.

[Frinky]

http://www.snopes.com/movies/films/george.htm

I have nothing to say to add to it, but pasting the link alone seems rude and rather arrogant, so, um, yeah. That says it all.

[Purple Tentacle]

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's fucking Stone.

"Mom, what's a philosopher?"
"Gee son, I jus' don' know!"

[El Unicornio, mang]

Harry and the Hendersons instead of Bigfoot and the Hendersons (no idea why)

Encino Man instead of California Man (presumably because most Brits don't know where Encino is

Great Oscar conversation this ;-)

[butnut]

Although Nicholas Hytner, the film's director, admitted that the claim is "not totally untrue," he also divulged that the most important factor was that "it was felt necessary to get the word King into the title."

So, shall we say we're both right, or we're both wrong?

Here's a link that nicely ties up all of this, including Purple's Potter Post:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-18387,00.html

EDIT - sorry Unicorn. I'm sure the oscars conversation will kick off soon!

[Rev]

Has Belleville Rendez-vous got a different title in the states then? Is that too French a title for them?

Perhaps uniquely, the yanks are right on this one:  'Triplets of Belleville' is the proper title...  it was changed to 'Belleville Rendezvous' over here for...  for no real reason whatsoever.

[Capuchin]

Harry and the Hendersons instead of Bigfoot and the Hendersons (no idea why)

;-)

I thought the film was called Bigfoot and the Hendersons everywhere and then called Harry and the Hendersons when made in to a TV series because the Hendersons called the Bigfoot Harry.

It would appear not http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093148/
Bugger.

[Mr Flunchy]

Poor Bill...

[Papercut]

yeah, I was really rooting for Murray and he looked gutted.

Billy Crystal shouting 'don't go!' afterwards was out of order, though he might not have realised how upset Bill was

[Rev]

Poor Bill?  I suppose it would have been nice for him to have been thrown a bone, but best actor?  He was playing himself yet again, like he's done in every film he's ever appeared in.  He was just the right actor for the part in 'Lost in Translation'...  nowt to do with his acting abilities.  Watch it back to back with 'Ghostbusters'...  it's the exact same performance!

Other than that, there wasn't a single surprise this year, was there?  Apart from Michael Moore at the start, but that doesn't count.  Much as I like Peter Jackson, the only people who have good things to say about the LOTR flicks seem to be Tolkein fans, so I'm not convinced enough that they stand up as films in their own right to bother my arse to see them.  I'm sure it deserved most of the oscars thrown its way, but best picture was surely just a reflection of a really, really weak year.

[Cerys]

I'm not convinced enough that they stand up as films in their own right to bother my arse to see them.

So by your own admission you haven't seen them, and aren't really in a position to judge whether or not they deserve the awards?  Tsk, young man!  Tsk and ... I dunno, possibly fipsy.

... or have I grossly misunderstood your post?

[Munday's Chylde]

I woke up and stuck the telly on around 4am in time to catch the last 30 minutes or so of the oscars - i dont know if it was the sleepy-just-woken-up-iness of me or what but for the first time ever I was struck not only by the nausiatingnous of these dreadful sparkily people but also their utter utter irrelevance in the grand scheme of things - As they all sat their clapping themselves and crying I realised my postman leads a more worthwhile life than they do.

I also thought, "I'd give that Ronnie Adaconda (or whatever) one. She'd get it proper like."

[fbb bastard]

I also thought, "I'd give that Ronnie Adaconda (or whatever) one. She'd get it proper like."

superficially i agree she looked the bomb.....but christ on a trike she was so goddamned annoying all the way through (i watched nearly all of it...couldnt sleep)...continually interupting and making inane comments all the way through

macgowan (being well experienced in all this i am sure) tried to get over it with some "serious analysis/i have been on newsnight review dont you know...." stuff but that didnt help much either.....poor rob brydon was just lost and they all made jonathan ross seem like the funniest man alive.....jesus......rubbish

as for the oscars...boring as hell......here you go mr jackson..thanks for the billions of dollars....and i was GUTTED for bill murray but as they where going through the clips and nominations he flashed upa look which just screamed "nahhhh not my night"...bastards...scum

[Purple Tentacle]

I say fair play to Jackson, love 'em or hate 'em you can't deny that it's been ten years of pure sweat, and considering how under-awarded the previous two films were I'm glad to see him get his reward.

Now for King Kong......

[Nearly Annually]

I also thought, "I'd give that Ronnie Adaconda (or whatever) one. She'd get it proper like."

She is 6' 2", mind. You'd be well placed.

[Tom Pynchon's Photo]

I bet Charlize Theron's boyfriend Stuart Townsend felt like a spare prick at an orgy as the oscars last night for as well as seeing his beloved win, he had to watch Lord of the RIngs win everything else - a film he was sacked from.

Before the first LOTR film was released I read an interview where he celebrated the fact he was no longer a part of those films and that he was certain they were going to be a disaster. Oops.

Still, I am sure his career is going along splendidly nonetheless. Indeed, you may have seen some of the films he's been in - but I doubt it.

[Purple Tentacle]

What did he get sacked for?

Contract/wages fuckery?

[Tom Pynchon's Photo]

What did he get sacked for?

Contract/wages fuckery?

He had Viggo Mortenson's role. But got the push because he was too young for the character (according to IMDB, always a reliable source of information in my experience)

I suppose he has the right to pissed off for being sacked for that reason - I mean, you'd think they'd check his age before dragging him out to New Zealand, or looked at him and noticed his youth.

[mrpants]

I think it was because he looked too young to play the part of Aragon.

[king mob]

What did he get sacked for?

Contract/wages fuckery?

He was rubbish & the studio & all involved had to get rid of him when they saw the dalies coming in.

If you see how piss poor he is in LXG you can imagine how poor he would have been as Aragorn.

[king mob]

Other than that, there wasn't a single surprise this year, was there?  Apart from Michael Moore at the start, but that doesn't count.  Much as I like Peter Jackson, the only people who have good things to say about the LOTR flicks seem to be Tolkein fans, so I'm not convinced enough that they stand up as films in their own right to bother my arse to see them.  I'm sure it deserved most of the oscars thrown its way, but best picture was surely just a reflection of a really, really weak year.

I really, really, really hate the books, totally cant bring myself to read the overblown shite thats supposed to be the best book of all time.

I was dragged to Fellowship & found that Jackson, etc had made a bloody good film by cutting all the poncing about & telling the main plot but i can see why its seen as a fanboy film due to the masses of Tolkien lovers who quote the films as the best made.
They're not the best films made but they are the best fantasy/blockbuster films you'll see without having to sit through Arnie looking old or Lucas forgetting to add any characters to his paperthin plots.

[Vermschneid Mehearties]

It seems that people who haven't read the books seem to dislike LOTR the most. Read the books, then watch the films before infecting everywhere with prejudicial idiocy.

[Munday's Chylde]

I havent seen the third LOTR - is Christopher Lee really cut from it or was that just bollocks? He was noticably absent at the oscars.

[Frinky]

before infecting everywhere with prejudicial idiocy.

You sir, are king of irony.

[butnut]

I havent seen the third LOTR - is Christopher Lee really cut from it or was that just bollocks? He was noticably absent at the oscars.

Yes - he's not in it at all. Jackson's reason was that he was defeated at the end of the 2nd one, that to have him defeated again at thestart of the third would be a bit weird.

I was very sceptical, as I'm a big CL fan, but on seeing the film, I think Jackson's right. You don't need him in the third one. I think Lee will be with all the extras when the DVD comes out.