MOVIES: Oscars are in season …
The gold rush is on — at least until Feb. 22, when we'll find out who goes home with Oscar.
As usual, the nomination process for the 81st annual Academy Awards proves maddeningly contradictory ... some sure things, some surprises.
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," starring Brad Pitt at right, collected a pack-leading 13 nominations, and should clean up in several technical categories, but at this stage "Slumdog Millionaire" seems like the movie to beat for the best picture, director and adapted screenplay prizes. (It received no nominations from the Academy's largest branch, the actors, but seems more a byproduct of its jigsaw-puzzle structure than their performances.)
Kate Winslet got a best actress nomination, but not for the movie everyone was expecting her to. After all, in "The Reader" she plays a supporting role, not a leading one. But as the most memorable character in the movie, she became a leading character the same way Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter dominated "Silence of the Lambs."
Speaking of "The Reader," I'm a bit surprised by its across-the-board support. I can understand Winslet's nomination, and even (sort of) David Hare's for best adapted screenplay. And genius cinematographer Roger Deakins is a perennial No. 1 on my "why doesn't this person have an Oscar yet?" list, so I'm happy about his nomination too — which he shares with another ace camera guy, Chris Menges. But I have to admit I didn't see a best picture nomination coming. Neither did all the other folks who thought "The Dark Knight" might break through.
In the acting categories, I'm thrilled by well-deserved nominations for such low-key, low-hype performances as Richards Jenkins' in "The Visitor" and Melissa Leo's in "Frozen River." (Clint Eastwood, widely predicted as a nominee, was shut out ... but his "Changeling" star, Angelina Jolie, made the cut.)
And Mike Leigh's best screenplay nomination for "Happy-Go-Lucky" is a bit of a mystery, especially because everybody knows (or should) that Leigh works with his performers to improvise and shape his projects. That makes the omission of Sally Hawkins, "Happy-Go-Lucky's" inspiration and irreplaceable protagonist, even more of an outrage.
Speaking of glaring omissions, I'm disappointed by Kristin Scott Thomas' shut-out in the best actress category for her wonderful performance (In French yet) in "I've Loved You So Long." (That movie was in French; maybe Oscar voters figured that giving Marion Cotillard an Oscar last year for "La Vie en Rose" disqualifies any other performances in French.) And I'm downright astounded that Woody Allen didn't get a nomination for his "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" screenplay. (But at least we know Woody won't care; he greets every Oscar opportunity with the same old indifference.)
They're only three of numerous overlooked worthies, all of whom will get their due Feb. 22 when the Review-Journal's annual Terry Awards salute those who coulda, woulda and shoulda been contenders.
So now you know what jumped out at me in my semiconscious first reaction to today's Oscar nominations. Now, let's get your take — who deserves to be there? Who doesn't? What's your most glaring omission? Best surprise nominee?
Let the debate begin ...
