The Blind Side

I finally finished The Blind Side! Whether that's something to be happy or sad about I'm still trying to determine. There's no use in me lying to myself by saying "Oh but come Oscar night Carey Mulligan will win! You'll see! And so will Anna Kendrick!" It seems pretty set in stone that Sandra's taking the gold.

I have nothing wrong with her performance. Her being nominated doesn't irk me at all, especially since Abbie Cornish's performance in Bright Star fell flat with me (I have not seen Julia with Tilda Swinton yet). But to be a winner of an Academy Award for this? That's a little much. Consider the company this performance would be joining...

Katharine Hepburn in The Lion in Winter
Frances McDormand in Fargo
Susan Sarandon in Dead Man Walking
Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind
Helen Hunt in As Good As It Gets

All of the above are of course stellar performances, and not many can match them, but Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side doesn't even come close. The greatest of all of the Oscar nominated performances this year and the only one truly worthy to stand with these women is Carey Mulligan in An Education. But oh well. Oscar has a history of being unfair.

Don't get me started on the Best Picture nomination. If it could get a nomination for Best Picture, then I'm genuinely surprised that Jae Head and Kathy Bates didn't nab supporting nominations. Or Quinton Aaron himself for Best Actor. I mean, honestly, people must really love The Blind Side in order to give it a Best Picture nomination. They had to see past John Lee Hancock's in your face directing and overly sentimental moments (and, perhaps most difficult to overlook, Jae Head himself).

So overall, congratulations to Sandra on a deserved nomination, but can't I dream that she won't win?

What are your thoughts on The Blind Side?

Oscar Nomintations!

Of course, you aren't reading the news on this blog first, but who said being late was a bad thing? I'm still trying to get my best of 2009 ready! So many afterthought, so little time...

Barreling through the nominations I have these conclusions:

Ten Best Picture nominees was a positively horrid and awful awful awful idea. The Blind Side...?

Sandra Bullock...? No thanks. Carey Mulligan? Thank you very much!

Best Actor/Supporting Actor had zero surprises. Boring. Good job Christopher Plummer!

Penelope Cruz over Marion Cotillard? Damn Weinsteins and their stupid campaigning process that tried to get Marion for lead.

Maggie Gyllenhaal, thanks for being a surprise. Anna Kendrick, please try and win this category! It seems rather impossible to beat Mo'Nique though, but we can pray.

No (500) Days of Summer? This sucks.

Golden Globe Nominations (Drama)

So, Golden Globe nominations have been announced! Let's see what they've brought...

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious, and Up in the Air.

I got 4/5 here, putting Invictus rather than Avatar into the mix. They must have really just seen Avatar and fell in love with it. This really ups it's Oscar chances, which were looking doubtful until a couple of days ago when positive words were coming out of the screenings. I was correct in assuming that The Last Station wouldn't pick up a nomination here. It seems to be more focused on its actors. Otherwise, this was a category without much surprise.

Best Actress - Drama

Emily Blunt The Young Victoria, Sandra Bullock The Blind Side, Helen Mirren The Last Station, Carey Mulligan An Education, Gabourey Sidibe Precious

Emily Blunt? Interesting. I'm surprised less people predicted her. I didn't (and I got a 4/5), but I should have. The Golden Globes like big costume dramas and period pieces. And with the split between comedy and drama, they always seem to have a filler (even in a year that's supposed to be packed, like this one). And Sandra Bullock, nice seeing you here. I'll see you againg pretty soon...

Best Actor - Drama
Jeff Bridges Crazy Heart, George Clooney Up in the Air, Colin Firth A Single Man, Morgan Freeman Invictus, Tobey Maguire Brothers

No Johnny Depp? But the Globes love him! Oh well. 4/5. Say goodbye to Public Enemies. It's award season chances have just been thwarted. Tobey Maguire in Brothers certainly is interesting, but not a huge threat to the other men. It's a four-way race between Bridges, Clooney, Firth, and Freeman.