ous The First Comic Book Movie to Win Best Picture... sort of.

[Kevin76]

Inglorious Basterds won't win best picture, but I'd be willing to bet some Mexican food that Christoph Waltz will win an Oscar for his role in the movie.

 

I think he's the front runner for best supporting actor, I like to follow the Oscars.

[Kevin76]

Why's that? The academy has long been accused of choosing popular films over more artistic fair.

 

Yes, but the popular films have gotten so bad lately, that they're being forced to choose higher-quality, if less populous, movies just to save face.

 

Could you imagine if the Best Pic list included Transformers 2, Terminator Salvation and Wolverine? That's what the studios want to see.

 

The Dark Knight is in an entire different league from TF2, T4 and Wolverine. Those 3 movies are beyond awful, there is awful,then there is TF2,Wolverine and T4...those movies fall into a bottomless pit. But people don't go and see those types of movies for the story,they see them for the special effects...like who watches porn for the storyline? Same thing.

[BaltimoreLauren]

Why's that? The academy has long been accused of choosing popular films over more artistic fair.

 

Yes, but the popular films have gotten so bad lately, that they're being forced to choose higher-quality, if less populous, movies just to save face.

 

Could you imagine if the Best Pic list included Transformers 2, Terminator Salvation and Wolverine? That's what the studios want to see.

 

The Dark Knight is in an entire different league from TF2, T4 and Wolverine. Those 3 movies are beyond awful, there is awful,then there is TF2,Wolverine and T4...those movies fall into a bottomless pit. But people don't go and see those types of movies for the story,they see them for the special effects...like who watches porn for the storyline? Same thing.

 

I couldn't agree more. Even though TDK is a super hero movie, it is well written, had a great cast (aside from Bale), and was just put together really well.

 

Unlike Wolverine, T4, and Transformers 2.

[Aman619]

Why's that? The academy has long been accused of choosing popular films over more artistic fair.

 

Yes, but the popular films have gotten so bad lately, that they're being forced to choose higher-quality, if less populous, movies just to save face.

 

Could you imagine if the Best Pic list included Transformers 2, Terminator Salvation and Wolverine? That's what the studios want to see.

 

the studios couldnt care less about winning Oscars! Thats why they closed their specialty divisions of late. The ones that were set up to 1) win Oscras, so that they could 2) MAKE MONEY LIKE THEY THOUGHT HARVEY WAS DOING.

 

Only funny thing, turned out Harvey wasnt making Disney any money! Not enough to pay for all the costs associated with winning the damned statues.

 

Its AMPAS that wants popular Hollywood films like Dark Knight to win Oscars. Why? to save AMPAS! Their TV show is their sole source of funding, and its tanking by chasing art films that no one wants to see, (not enuff people anyway).

 

Hollywood wont MIND winning Oscars.... but its the big grosses they really crave.

 

 

Could you imagine if the Best Pic list included Transformers 2, Terminator Salvation and Wolverine? That's what the studios want to see.

 

if that list would guarantee ratings like they got 20 years ago? AMPAS would be ecstatic! And Hollywood would just smile, but it would be a far cry from the satisfaction of getting the grosses on a huge opening weekend!

[Aman619]

Why's that? The academy has long been accused of choosing popular films over more artistic fair.

 

Yes, but the popular films have gotten so bad lately, that they're being forced to choose higher-quality, if less populous, movies just to save face.

 

Could you imagine if the Best Pic list included Transformers 2, Terminator Salvation and Wolverine? That's what the studios want to see.

 

The Dark Knight is in an entire different league from TF2, T4 and Wolverine. Those 3 movies are beyond awful, there is awful,then there is TF2,Wolverine and T4...those movies fall into a bottomless pit. But people don't go and see those types of movies for the story,they see them for the special effects...like who watches porn for the storyline? Same thing.

 

good analogy!

[Logan510]

Can you imagine today, pictures like Jaws, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark or E.T. being nominated for best picture? When did the academy get so "serious"?

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

It's not going to win BP, The Hurt Locker will most likely win.

 

I assume we're talking about Oscars? If so, I don't know about Hurt Locker. Certainly one of the best reviewed movies of the year, but the academy tends to frown on films that didn't make a splash in popular culture.

 

You mean like Slumdog Millionaire? I had no idea such a movie existed until Oscar season rolled around.

 

Slumdog was released two months before the Oscar nominations were announced, and was very much in the public eye long before it went wide the day after Christmas. Most critics had it on their top ten list long before the nominations were announced. I don't know how could have missed all that attention, George.

 

Perhaps you are just closer to the buzz since you're only a hop, skip, and a jump away from LA. But I hadn't heard a thing or seen even so much as a trailer for Slumdog millionaire before it was nominated during award season.

 

Perhaps I should take Vince's advice, and get out more.

[Gatsby77]

Up will get a Best Picture nomination before Inglorious Bastards will.

[Kevin76]

Why's that? The academy has long been accused of choosing popular films over more artistic fair.

 

Yes, but the popular films have gotten so bad lately, that they're being forced to choose higher-quality, if less populous, movies just to save face.

 

Could you imagine if the Best Pic list included Transformers 2, Terminator Salvation and Wolverine? That's what the studios want to see.

 

The Dark Knight is in an entire different league from TF2, T4 and Wolverine. Those 3 movies are beyond awful, there is awful,then there is TF2,Wolverine and T4...those movies fall into a bottomless pit. But people don't go and see those types of movies for the story,they see them for the special effects...like who watches porn for the storyline? Same thing.

 

I couldn't agree more. Even though TDK is a super hero movie, it is well written, had a great cast (aside from Bale), and was just put together really well.

 

Unlike Wolverine, T4, and Transformers 2.

 

TDK was just a great crime movie in itself.

[Aman619]

Can you imagine today, pictures like Jaws, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark or E.T. being nominated for best picture? When did the academy get so "serious"?

 

actually, "today" we just might. That's the single most important reason AMPAS extended Best Pic category by 5 films for this year. No one really knows which genre the extra 5 will be when the votes go through the wacky tabulation scheme they use, but, the hope is that enought op grossing crowd pleasing films get included to increase the ratings this year.

 

we shall see.

[bluechip]

Inglourious Basterds, which owes more than a little to "Sgt. Fury,"

 

Why would you ever make this strange connection, as it's a remake of an Italian film with a bit of The Dirty Dozen tossed in. I've seen it, and the movie has absolutely nothing to do with comics:

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076584/

 

why should facts get in the way of an eyecatching thread title?

 

Thought it was fairly common knowledge Tarantino was a Fury fan and that he went back to the comics for inspiration on Basterds. But perhaps more so in LA. I know I personally had more deja vu during that flick than any other he's done, from Leone films, to the Alamo, a few 60s-70s war films, and even to US-obscure Mexican actors (Hugo Stiglitz)... but most of all, I recognized characters and plot devices from Fury. And I considered it all a good thing, since I enjoyed the film.

 

At any rate, QT said as much in several interviews.

 

"[The Basterds] are kind of comic booky," Tarantino told MTV News. "A big influence on the Basterds was Marvel Comics' 'Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos.' That was definitely an influence on that flick."

 

 

[JayT]

Don't think I've seen An Education mentioned. It might slide into one of those 10 spots.

 

Regarding individual nods, Streep seems to be a shoe-in nominee for her role. At the very least we should expect to see Mulligan (An Education) and Waltz (for Basterds--which somebody else mentioned above) for individual nods as well. The Hurt Locker feels like one of those films that would win Bigelow a nod for best direction rather than film, but with 10 spots we may see it by default. I also think that Inglorious Basterds has a great chance at the screenplay category.

 

Not so sure about Nine. It's the first time I've not seen Daniel Days Lewis vault to favorite status. Critics are killing this film, and it seems like only Marion Cotillard is really getting positive buzz from it. Shutter Island was apparently moved to next year specifically so the studio could better promote it as an Oscar worthy film--so that tells you what they think of it (though it admittedly has kind of a built in Oscar-feel with director and star).

 

Personally, I just want to see Kick- already!

 

 

[ComicsAndCode]

The Dark Knight was better,there was a big uproar from the studios when it got snubbed,hence why there will now be 10 nominations instead of 5

 

, of course the studios want to keep releasing brain-dead muck, and still get the Oscar noms, which is why the Best Pics have been expanded to 10. It has NOTHING to do with quality, and (although I loved it) if you honestly believe TDK was the best movie of the year, then you need to get out more.

 

One exec, hoping his slate of pre-pubescent garbage gets a few noms, said it best this year:

 

"If all the nominees are films that are artistically wonderful but commercially obscure, what happens is the interest in the show has dissipated, and that's bad for the business."

 

Wow, seriously?? 10 nominations for Best Picture now? As if the award wasn't devalued enough when Titanic won.

[BaltimoreLauren]

Let's just be honest. Most movies are just terrible now.

[Kevin76]

Let's just be honest. Most movies are just terrible now.

Yes they are, but the 40's are over now,doll face Last fdecade for movies has been horrible with the exception of a few.

[Kevin76]

The Dark Knight was better,there was a big uproar from the studios when it got snubbed,hence why there will now be 10 nominations instead of 5

 

, of course the studios want to keep releasing brain-dead muck, and still get the Oscar noms, which is why the Best Pics have been expanded to 10. It has NOTHING to do with quality, and (although I loved it) if you honestly believe TDK was the best movie of the year, then you need to get out more.

 

One exec, hoping his slate of pre-pubescent garbage gets a few noms, said it best this year:

 

"If all the nominees are films that are artistically wonderful but commercially obscure, what happens is the interest in the show has dissipated, and that's bad for the business."

 

Wow, seriously?? 10 nominations for Best Picture now? As if the award wasn't devalued enough when Titanic won.

 

Always used to be 10 nominations,they are going back to that now. When Gone With The Wind won best picture, it was 1 of 10 nominations back in 1939.

[BaltimoreLauren]

Let's just be honest. Most movies are just terrible now.

Yes they are, but the 40's are over now,doll face Last fdecade for movies has been horrible with the exception of a few.

 

When I said that I was thinking more along the lines of 'Taxi Driver' or 'The King of Comedy'. Neither of which are from the 40's, good sir.

[sakaridis]

Always used to be 10 nominations,they are going back to that now. When Gone With The Wind won best picture, it was 1 of 10 nominations back in 1939.

I guess "always" is a pretty strong word in this context.

 

The best picture award started in 1928 with 4 nominations and went to 5 the next year. In 1931 it went up to 8 and the following year it reached the maximum (10) and stayed there till 1943.

 

In 1944 it went back to 5, where it remained until this year's change.

 

So, I'm afraid "always" is a really strong word for something that used to be the norm for only a dozen years and hasn't been so for more than 60.

 

But, when Gone With The Wind won, there truly were 10 best picture nominees and some of them were AMAZING!

[tth2]

Why's that? The academy has long been accused of choosing popular films over more artistic fair.

 

Yes, but the popular films have gotten so bad lately, that they're being forced to choose higher-quality, if less populous, movies just to save face.

 

Could you imagine if the Best Pic list included Transformers 2, Terminator Salvation and Wolverine? That's what the studios want to see.

Obvioiusly the Academy loves years when huge commercial blockbusters like Titanic and LOTR not only get nominated but win the Best Picture. But in this era that is typified by the unholy Bruckheimer-Bay partnership, I think all they realistically hope for is that most of the Best Picture nominees will be at least in the $30-50 million range rather than obscure arthouse flicks. I don't think they expect (nor want) the likes of the movies that you listed to be nominated.

 

Although Avatar very likely will get a nomination (but not win). Based on its 2nd week box office, it has some serious legs.

[tth2]

"If all the nominees are films that are artistically wonderful but commercially obscure, what happens is the interest in the show has dissipated, and that's bad for the business."

I would turn it around and say that the problem is that the American movie-going public settles for total k-rap and wouldn't know an "artistically wonderful" film if it hit them over the head.

 

These boards are a good microcosm of this phenomenon.