Oscars 2009

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 15 films were selected as semifinalists for Achievement in Visual Effects for the 81st Academy Awards®.

The films are listed below in alphabetical order:

Australia

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Cloverfield

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

The Day the Earth Stood Still

Hancock

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

The Incredible Hulk

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Iron Man

Journey to the Center of the Earth

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Quantum of Solace

The Spiderwick Chronicles

In early January, the members of the Academy's Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee, who voted the semifinalists, will narrow the list to seven.

On Thursday, January 15, all members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 15-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films. Following the screenings, the members will vote to nominate three films for final Oscar consideration.

The 81st Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2009, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

Click to expand...

The Man said:

The Presenter...

Click to expand...

The Man said:

Bar a mention for Ledger, TDK was shut out of Golden Globe nominations. It should fare a little better with A.M.P.A.S.

Click to expand...

Indy's brother said:

Hugh Jackman as a presenter? Good actor, but does he have enough off-screen persona to host the oscars? Sure, anyone could do it I suppose...in a will Ferrel/Anchorman sort of way. Here's my vote for this years presenter for the Academy Awards:

Click to expand...

The Magic Rat said:

Well, seeing as over the last several years the Oscars gets worse and worse, I don't think there is that many people with high expectations.

Click to expand...

Goonie said:

The Oscars are very nice... for me to poop on.

Click to expand...

BEST DIRECTOR: This wild card isn?t wild at all ? it?s only the most commercially successful card of All-Time. Yes, I?m talking about Steven Spielberg for INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. This is a movie that audiences just loved (just check the box office receipts). Spielberg was doing something no other director has attempted before ? he dusted off a long-forgotten, too-old character, brought him out of a well-deserved retirement after 19 years -- sweet Jesus, nineteen years ? and made Indy relevant again in the 21st century. That?s no easy feat, and I guarantee you, it?s a feat no other director could pull off. And the Academy loves him. (If he releases a movie, always assume he?ll get a nomination ? it?s automatic.) So don?t be surprised to hear the name of the Almighty Spielberg read from the podium ? you heard it here first.

BEST PICTURE: INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. I should probably explain my thinking here, since hit summer blockbusters normally don?t bring home the gold. But there?s a method to my madness, as I alluded to above.
All the rest of the ?obvious? Best Pics have fatal flaws: MILK? Too gay. DOUBT? I doubt it! CHE? No one will sit through a nine-hour biopic of some guy they only know from college kids? t-shirts. FROST/NIXON? Too gay. So we come to the one truth behind every single Academy Awards ceremony ever: 99% of the time, whatever movie wins for Best Director also takes home Best Picture. And thus: INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. (I said I had a method?)

Click to expand...

Attila the Professor said:

One wonders if Wall*E will break into the 5...it does seem less likely for a repeat of the Beauty and the Beast nomination now that animated films have their own category, but we'll see.

I was a big fan of Doubt, but it's strictly an actor's and writer's picture; the fact that the director happened to be the writer doesn't necessarily make it a great film. However, Streep and Hoffman are definitely getting nominated; and Adams and Davis easily could.

Click to expand...

I just hope Academy members throw some major category nominations to the year's more popular pics so it's not a repeat of the last Oscars where mostly grim little-seen films were rewarded -- and, for that reason and others having to do with yet another lousy telecast, ratings were the worst since Nielsen started tracking them in 1974.

Click to expand...

The Man said:

Well, Wall-E is a shoo-in for Best Animated Picture, which could lessen the desire to nominate it in the other category at all.

Click to expand...

The Man said:

About Doubt: is it a period movie or set in the present-day..?

Click to expand...