[Movie] ITE: LeHah Lists The Oscar Nominations For 2009

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

I looooved his performance, but you can't say that if he was alive, he'd be getting the same acclaim.

Nobody can say that, because we'll never know if it's true.

Personally, I do think he'd be getting the same amount of nominations. It's a terrific, movie-stealing performance. People were hyping his performance long before he gave up the ghost.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

Ledger made the movie worth it.

Well, you'll have to pardon if this sounds glib, but for a woman who admits to not caring or knowing much about Batman, you sure do have a strong opinion on what it should involve.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by LeHah

Well, you'll have to pardon if this sounds glib, but for a woman who admits to not caring or knowing much about Batman, you sure do have a strong opinion on what it should involve.

I am not a Batman fanboy, but I appreciated Ledger's acting in the film. This should say something for Ledger.

I am subject to Pang's love of the Joker, however. I know more than I would like to know about Batman just by knowing Pang.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

I am not a Batman fanboy, but I appreciated Ledger's acting in the film. This should say something for Ledger.

Says a chick who repeatedly claims she doesn't know a lot about film liked Ledger. That's sort of LeHah's point. Ledger's joker is shallow. It's going to appeal to the average watcher, but that doesn't make it great. And Sprout, if you honestly think Ledger would be getting this much attention if he hadn't died, you're out of your goddamned mind. You know as well as anyone how much attention was drawn when he past away, and one of the first causes listed was how he'd gone into a depression after going very dark for the role of the Joker.

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But being a gay cowboy made him light as air?

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Shallow compared to what, the great Jokers that have come before? What's the standard of comparison here?

I mean you've got, what. Nicholson, whose idea of acting is to grab the nearest bit of set dressing and chew it up?

Cesar Romero, who found the role too frivolous to bother shaving?

Mark Hamill, maybe, but voice alone only goes so far.

A handful of nameless fat rednecks in the old b&w serials?

It's not a perfect portrayal, by any means, but I think we all know we're never going to get anything like The Killing Joke as a theatrical release.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Pangalin

Shallow compared to what, the great Jokers that have come before? What's the standard of comparison here?

I'm not talking about just Batman movies, or just comic book movies. Joker was shallow in comparison to other characters in film. Ledger was actually my favourite portrayal of the Joker, I just don't think it was on par with Lecter, Hans Beckert, Cody Jarrett, Tajomaru, Goeth...

That's the thing, if you just want to talk comic book movies, Batman is decent. But if you want to talk film, it barely even rates. I don't hate the film with the passion LeHah does, but the Joker just wasn't that intriguing a villain to me. Ledger played it well, but end of the day, it just wasn't written that brilliantly.

P.S.

Yes, the animated series is probably my favourite version of Batman on TV/Film.

P.P.S.

The Cesar Romero Joker is hilarious. I think every villain in face paint needs a huge mustache.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Denicalis

I just don't think it was on par with Lecter, Hans Beckert, Cody Jarrett, Tajomaru, Goeth....

Yeah, but how many of those characters were in 2008 films?

I don't intend to defend Dark Knight as a whole even slightly. The plot is a jumbled mess and the conclusion is a series of facepalm moments so incomprehensible that I have no idea how anyone signed off on them. I really have to believe that there will be, somewhere down the line, a director's cut that makes sense of the total inanity of the film's last 15 minutes. But that doesn't mean we have to reflexively adopt hostility to every single element of the film just because we can, as some people seem to be doing.

Is it a Great Film? Of course not.

Is it a Great Performance? It's pretty good, but it won't be remembered for more than a year or two at best.

Is it fairly decent by 2008 standards? I tend to think so. Better than "Philip Seymour Hoffman plays: himself. Again."

The whole BAAWWWW IT'S ONLY BECAUSE HE'S DEAD thing is just a ridiculous insulting canard. As I pointed out before, it's nothing new for someone to die in a superhero action film, and Brandon Lee couldn't even win a posthumous MTV Movie Award. It's absurd to pretend that there's nothing other than pity underpinning the nomination.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Pangalin

Yeah, but how many of those characters were in 2008 films?

I don't intend to defend Dark Knight as a whole even slightly. The plot is a jumbled mess and the conclusion is a series of facepalm moments so incomprehensible that I have no idea how anyone signed off on them. I really have to believe that there will be, somewhere down the line, a director's cut that makes sense of the total inanity of the film's last 15 minutes. But that doesn't mean we have to reflexively adopt hostility to every single element of the film just because we can, as some people seem to be doing.

Like I said, I don't share LeHah's loathing of everything attached to the film.

Quote:

Is it a Great Film? Of course not.

Is it a Great Performance? It's pretty good, but it won't be remembered for more than a year or two at best.

Is it fairly decent by 2008 standards? I tend to think so. Better than "Philip Seymour Hoffman plays: himself. Again."

I don't think PSH is really big on diddling boys in life. Well he might be, I don't know. Anyway, point is I'll take PSH in anything over most people. Dude is sick talented.

Quote:

The whole BAAWWWW IT'S ONLY BECAUSE HE'S DEAD thing is just a ridiculous insulting canard. As I pointed out before, it's nothing new for someone to die in a superhero action film, and Brandon Lee couldn't even win a posthumous MTV Movie Award. It's absurd to pretend that there's nothing other than pity underpinning the nomination.

Didn't say it was only because he's dead, I said acting like his death didn't contribute in any way to the buzz is asinine.

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Originally Posted by Pangalin

Yeah, but how many of those characters were in 2008 films?

A more apt question may be - was there ANY character in the movie at all? (Answer: If there is, its stolen from a Michael Mann movie)

The entire fucking film relied on Two Face falling on the floor and getting goop on half his face and then having it catch on fire but also he survives and refuses treatment. I mean, if you're going to shoehorn "plot convenience" as "character development", everyone in this thread except me must fucking love Juno.

I sincerely hope no one here lowers themself to that depth. I'd expect it from some half-wit know-nothing like Frank but Jesus Christ, we're not *all* pod people when it comes to movies, are we?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Juno is, perhaps, the best example you could have used as a demonstration of why nobody should give a tin shit about the Oscars since they're clearly distributed by idiots.

Best Writing. For HAMBURGER PHONE LOLOLOLOLOL.

You know what, under these circumstances I retract my objection. Ledger should NOT be given an Oscar, because the dead should be respected.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Pangalin

Juno is, perhaps, the best example you could have used as a demonstration of why nobody should give a tin shit about the Oscars since they're clearly distributed by idiots.

I was going to say the Academy Awards of 1953 but thats just me.

(The Greatest Show on Earth won Best Picture over High Noon, Ivanhoe, Moulin Rouge and The Quiet Man)

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Pangalin

Juno is, perhaps, the best example you could have used as a demonstration of why nobody should give a tin shit about the Oscars since they're clearly distributed by idiots.

Best Writing. For HAMBURGER PHONE LOLOLOLOLOL.

You know, I actually liked Juno. But Best Writing? Not by a long shot. I mean, it's one thing when it has a fan base and is enjoyed on that level and one thing is to elevate it to a status it clearly doesn't deserve.

I LOVE Boondock Saints too but it was a schlock mash-up that was fun to watch. That's it. Imagine what you guys would be saying now if THAT one had gone up for an Academy Award at one point.

Troy Duffy for Best Director. SUCH VISION.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Best Animated Feature is just about the lamest and insulting category ever devised by the Academy, and because of it animation will never have a Beauty and the Beast in terms of prestige ever again.

FELIPE NO

I think that the only way the Animation category is ever going to regain any of its standing is if it starts nominating GOOD films from ALL OVER THE WORLD as opposed to subpar films FROM THE U.S. ALONE.

I mean, I can't be the ONLY ONE who thinks that Persepolis should be there instead of, oh, KUNG FUCK PANDA.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Encephalon

I mean, I can't be the ONLY ONE who thinks that Persepolis should be there instead of, oh, KUNG FUCK PANDA.

Persepolis was there last year. ;)

But you're completely right.

I'm actually still thinking of the movies of last year. And I'm slowly coming to the conclusion pretty much all of these "big" pictures were more or less completely pointless show of technical talent. With the exception of Wall-E and Milk. Whch is funny because of Wall-E's main theme (protip: it's not love). Pixar put a nailgun to everyone's head this year.

How ya doing, buddy?

Fuck you, Paco, Kung Fu Panda is a good movie.

not Persepolis good

There's nowhere I can't reach.

It's a pretty good kids movie, yes. Is it BEST ANIMATED FILM OSCAR good?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

No, but it's awesome for showing IN THE CHARACTER'S FACE how much fun the guys in Kung Fu movies are probably having.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I think what Acer meant is that it's unfortunate that the category exists as it does, because then the Academy can feel justified never putting an animated film up against any other, non-animated films. The way that Beauty and the Beast was. Which is not to say, necessarily, that there has ever been an animated film that has deserved it since then.

I was speaking idiomatically.

By the rules an animated film can still be nominated for Best Picture but the likelihood of the nomination passing for listing is practically zilch because of the Best Animated Feature category. And that's exactly what happened. Disney did push for a nomination of WALL-E for Best Picture and was rejected. It's a shame because it has already won or has been nominated for equivalent awards at other award outings.

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Yeah. I do think, that of all animated films made since Beauty and the Beast, WALL-E had the best chance of getting back in there. Certainly it deserved to be there more than Benjamin Button, in my opinion.

FELIPE NO

I think Heath Ledger should win for best supporting role, but does anyone know if someone has ever won an oscar after their deaths before?

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Peter Finch won a posthumous Oscar for Network in 1977.

But yeah. Totally. Heath Ledger for the win. TOTALLY. LIEK OMG! RIGHT?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

The Oscars aren't just about giving awards to the best movies of the year. That's what the Best Picture award is for. For the most part, the Oscars are about how much an individual (or individuals) gave. Obviously, there will always be many disagreements about who deserves to be nominated and/or win. Whatever. If you're upset, there are plenty ways to complain. That's what blogs are for.

Does Heath Ledger deserve to win? Sure. He deserves to win as much as the other nominees do. If he does, good for him. I enjoyed his performance. But if he wins, it's not just because of his acting and the impact it had on its viewers, it's because of the dedication. It's what he gave to the role. It's the same for all the other nominees. Of those nominated, may the best win.

I think his tragic death did have an impact on the viewer. I'm sure everyone in the audience at one time or another said, "Damn, this is it. This is what he gave. This is his last performance." Of course, it wasn't his last performance, but not many people know that. Whether it's the case or not for you, let's not ignore the fact that people do tend to commemorate someone and their work more than expected if that someone is dead. There are so many paintings out there that became famous because its artist passed away. The same can be said about music, literature, films, even performances.

2008 was a great year at the movies. I approve most of the nominees in their chosen categories. Of what I've seen, they did a spectacular job. My only gripe? I wish Jon Stewart was hosting again. I didn't get to see him last time. Oh well, Hugh Jackman is a stud. Go Wolvie!

There's nowhere I can't reach.