Top 10 Oscar fails in 2011

The Oscars decided that they wouldn’t be the same as everyone else, and decided to snub deserving people left right and centre. You know what the number one snub is going to be here, but there are nine more reasons as to why the Oscars got it wrooooong.


10. Best Actor: Ryan Gosling – Blue Valentine

I haven’t seen Blue Valentine, but I find it extremely disappointing that the Academy decided not to nominate Ryan Gosling for his performance or for anything other than Michelle Williams in the Best Actress category. I would have thought that it was one of those ‘nominate one, nominate the other’ kind of deals, but not to be. His spot was taken by Javier Bardem for his turn in Biutiful, which was a bit of a surprise, seeing as he hadn’t been nominated anywhere else but the BAFTAs.

9. Best Original Screenplay: Animal Kingdom – David Michôd

So this wasn’t nominated in many other places, but in my opinion, it should have been somewhere. It’s just a little sad that this film only came away with one nomination, seeing at it is one of the best reviewed movies of the years. Must be a case of ‘it’s Australian, who cares’. Hey, I’m a New Zealander, and I rustled up the energy to care about this movie. The screenplay for this movie was pretty darn good with its structure and plot, especially considering the fact that this was a debut feature for Michôd.

8. Best Animated Feature: Tangled

I guess this one goes for Despicable Me as well. Just because they aren’t as great as Toy Story 3 doesn’t mean they should have been forgotten. Tangled is the standard in animation, and it should at least be recognized for the amazing visuals and happiness it provides. Then again, with Toy Story 3 shaping up to be The Social Network of the animated feature category, it doesn’t really matter what else is nominated.

7. Best Supporting Actress: Barbara Hershey – Black Swan

I think anyone who has seen Black Swan would agree with me: Barbara Hershey is one scary mamma. Did anyone think that she was like Margaret White in Carrie? Black Swan is such a well acted film, so it is a little strange that it only got one acting nom (which will probably win). Hershey deserved the nomination, even if she only got a BAFTA nom along the way. No wonder Nina was such a damaged soul.

6. Best Visual Effects: TRON: Legacy

Didn’t this seem like a no-brainer? The effects were pretty much the only things that made TRON: Legacy worth sitting through, and to be honest, they were pretty darn good visual effects. Somehow, Iron Man 2 managed to sneak through (what the hell?). A movie which houses a young Jeff Bridges and an old Jeff Bridges (neither of which actually look like normal Jeff Bridges), more lights than the world knowingly has and some amazing set pieces surely deserves an Oscar nomination in this category, no?

5. Best Editing: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

You know how hard it is to put up a sign saying that Salt is ‘nominated for an Oscar’ but end up putting nothing by Scott Pilgrim vs. the World? Take a second to imagine the poor editor who had to go through that movie. They had to add all of those extra effects on screen making the movie as kick-ass as it was. Yet, no recognition. Jeez, if I had it my way I would nominate this movie in every bloody category. But I guess the Academy aren’t ‘cool’ enough for this movie. Prepare to die, obviously.

4. Best Supporting Actress: Mila Kunis – Black Swan

I was really disappointed when I saw that Mila Kunis wasn’t nominated. Come on, she totally owned on screen. While it was all Natalie Portman’s film, Mila too went through hell for this movie (dislocated shoulder, two torn calf ligaments...). She also got a Golden Globe and a SAG nomination. She’s also got a movie about a casual relationship coming out this year. So why no love for her, Academy? You disappoint me.

3. Best Editing: Inception

This really seemed like a no brainer. When you have to edit through all those different layers and put them together so they all make sense, then you should get some recognition. The editing in Inception should not have only been nominated, but it should have won. Anyone that edits a Nolan film should win.

2. Best Supporting Actor: Andrew Garfield – The Social Network

There was a small part of me that could see this coming (as the missing SAG nom probably harmed his chances), but ANDREW GARFIELD SHOULD HAVE BEEN BLOODY NOMINATED! In such a well-acted film, nominating just Jesse Eisenberg makes it seem like he is the only reason to go and watch the film. He is not. ANDREW GARFIELD IS THERE TOO! And, to be quite frank, Andrew has probably the biggest future ahead of him after this movie. He was the one that everyone put on their list as the ‘top rising star of 2010’. So why wasn’t he nominated? WHY?! I still love you, Andrew. Academy, you better lawyer up, assholes, because he's not coming back for just a nomination...he is coming back for everything!

1. Best Director: Christopher Nolan – Inception

WHAT. THE. HELL. So, you’ve probably read my rant or whatever, and now you probably think I’m crazy. But you don’t just not nominate Christopher Nolan and expect to get away with it. You don’t just nominate him in every other award show but not at the Oscars. You don’t just ignore him for The Dark Knight and then ignore him for Inception. You don’t just hate on Nolan, full stop. He is amazing (in my eyes, at least). To be honest, he doesn’t need a fancy Oscar nomination to prove that. It’s just a nice thought.

Cinema--TRON: Legacy

or: Style waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over substance.

One word to sum it up: Lighty.

There are some things in life one may regret. You know, like, losing something important or crashing into a tree. I regret that my first 3D experience was TRON: Legacy. It could have been Avatar...it could have been bloody Yogi Bear for all I cared (okay, maybe that's pushing it too far), but no, it was Tron. Just so you know, I didn't hate the film...and I almost gave it a 6/10 rating. But thinking about it now, I'm wondering if it really deserved that kind of rating. Sure, it was pretty (I'm not sure which parts were 3D though), but it wasn't as amazing as that trailer I saw before Inception said it would be.

Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), looks into his father's disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 20 years. Along with Kevin's loyal confidant (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.

Let me begin by saying this: 3D is overrated. It just seemed to enhance the picture, whereas I thought it would be more in your face. However, I think the 3D kinda improved the quality of this film. I mean, it didn't add dimensions to the story, where it was needed most, but it added dimensions to the visuals, which is what I think the filmmakers most wanted. They wanted people to be wowed by all those lights-and don't get me wrong, I was wowed-but from a critical standpoint, that wasn't enough. As long as the effects were still there, it was like the script didn't matter, and like Kevin, it seemed to get lost to the point when the audience no longer cared to find it. I think the only time I was truly jumping for the joy over this movie was when CILLIAN MURPHY APPEARED ON SCREEN. I nearly choked on my popcorn I was so excited. Alas, he was only on there for a few minutes, and it was a shame he didn't stay longer.

TRON: Legacy isn't as bad as the critics may lead you to believe. Sure, they get caught up on the clunky script, and rightfully so-you may even find yourself doing that too. I admit I was entralled by most of it, which no doubt had a lot to do with the brilliant score from Daft Punk. Jeff Bridges was, as always, great, even though both of the characters he played actually looked nothing like him (Clu was way too young; maybe they were trying to emphasize Flynn's age just a tad). Garrett Hedlund was just the average modern guy. Michael Sheen was, quite frankly, a little scary. But I found Olivia Wilde to be the real star of the show here. She, afterall, had the task of being the nerdy dreamgirl from a computer game, and she succeeded in that.

As I said earlier, I was going to rate this movie 6/10. However, now that I've given it a little more thought, this movie really doesn't add up enough for me to think that it's still 'fresh'. It's a good blockbuster, I'll give it that, but it doesn't really stretch the limits of it's premise, or it doesn't offer any really astounding moments. Which is a shame, because it could have gone so far...it just chose to be so safe.


THE VERDICT: Great visual effects and music can't detract from the really clunky script, which seems to get lost somewhere between the point of entertainment and generic over-budgeted crap.

5/10