Oscar Nominations 2010

You have all probably heard the list but The Wild Bore is going to tell you his hot tips and why:

Actor in a Leading Role

• Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
• George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
• Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
• Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
• Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

Bridges has already won awards for this part but Clooney is the Oscar poster boy. Freeman might have the political edge but let's be honest, Morgan Freeman only ever plays Morgan Freeman. Jeremy Renner and Colin Firth are the outside bets but, even though I haven't seen Crazy Heart, I'm going to risk it by saying Jeff Bridges. His long standing acting career means he's earned it.

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Matt Damon in “Invictus”
• Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
• Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
• Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
• Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

This is one of the harder categories to predict as all performances are great. I'd be surprised if Damon gets it and it would be amazing if Woody bags the piece but my money's on Christoph Waltz and I would say it will probably be the only important Oscar Inglorious Basterds will win on the night.

Actress in a Leading Role

• Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
• Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
• Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
• Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
• Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

This one is tougher to call since I have not yet seen any of these films! Helen Mirren won an Oscar not too long ago, Mulligan might be too new on the scene, Streep has done more deserving parts in the past (another notch on her most Oscar nominations EVER record) and seeing as The Blind Side is a drama for usual Rom-Com Bullock (okay okay there was ultra-serious Crash), she might just get it this year. It will probably be her only one. Ever.

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
• Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
• Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
• Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
• Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Once again, this might seem redundant as I haven't seen these films as of yet but I'm gonna have a go anyway. Cruz stands a fair chance in the disappointing Nine (according to other critics) but everybody keeps banging on about Mo'Nique, so she might just get it this year but really it will be for Precious as an entire film.

Animated Feature Film

• “Coraline” Henry Selick
• “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson
• “The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements
• “The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore
• “Up” Pete Docter

This was a good year for animation - from the creepy movements of "Fantastic Mr. Fox" to old school Disney "Princess and The Frog" to classic Pixar "Up" and 3D extravaganza "Coraline". OK, "Up" was also 3D but Coraline did it better and was filmed for the purpose of being in 3D - it was the first animation to do so. As a result, I'd be bitterly disappointed if Pixar takes it home again this year as I didn't think that it was that good - to be fair this year I preferred the post-apocalyptic "9". I think "Fantastic Mr Fox" might win it for it's artistic credibility by being a Wes Anderson film, but I would like to see Coraline go home with it this year, sadly I doubt this will be the case.

Art Direction

• “Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
• “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
• “Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
• “Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
• “The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

I have no idea on this one. I would probably say "Avatar" might win this seeing as it's a pure visceral experience and would have taken a lot of work to do.

Cinematography

• “Avatar” Mauro Fiore
• “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
• “The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
• “Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
• “The White Ribbon” Christian Berger

I'd be surprised if "Avatar" gets this and "Harry Potter" wasn't exactly wowing you with it's cinematography so why it's here is probably just a nod to the film. I'd say this will go to "White Ribbon" for it's black and white, old-fashioned feel. I always say if you can take any clip of a film and use it as a photo, the cinematography is world class. This rule applies.

Costume Design

• “Bright Star” Janet Patterson
• “Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
• “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
• “Nine” Colleen Atwood
• “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

Who cares? "Young Victoria" cos it's period innit. Or "Chanel" cos it's fashion innit.

Directing

• “Avatar” James Cameron
• “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow
• “Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino
• “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels
• “Up in the Air” Jason Reitman

This is a tricky one. Cameron might get it, but I think it's really out of Tarantino and Bigelow. They might give it to QT for the simple fact that this might be the only film where he stands a chance of winning. But let's be honest, the film was a bit shit. My money is on Bigelow and she deserves it.

Documentary (Feature)

• “Burma VJ” Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
• “The Cove” Nominees to be determined
• “Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
• “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
• “Which Way Home” Rebecca Cammisa

I've not seen any of them, but I saw an advert for "Food Inc" so it probably means it'll win.

Documentary (Short Subject)

• “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
• “The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner” Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
• “The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
• “Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
• “Rabbit à la Berlin” Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

What's the most relevant? The China thing? Let's go with that then.

Film Editing

• “Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
• “District 9” Julian Clarke
• “The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
• “Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke
• “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz

"District 9" should be the winner here, the way it blends seamlessly between different perspectives, the way the story can go from emotion to action in a heartbeat and more, it certainly should at least get one Oscar for it's efforts. Maybe this is it.

Foreign Language Film

• “Ajami” Israel
• “El Secreto de Sus Ojos” Argentina
• “The Milk of Sorrow” Peru
• “Un Prophète” France
• “The White Ribbon” Germany

I've come back recently from seeing "Un Prophete" and I did really enjoy it, but hearing from others that it was their film of the year - I don't think it quite lived up to that. But really I'd think it's between that and White Ribbon, and the French might just have pipped it.

Makeup

• “Il Divo” Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
• “Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
• “The Young Victoria” Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

Let's give it to Star Trek. Go on.

Music (Original Score)

• “Avatar” James Horner
• “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Alexandre Desplat
• “The Hurt Locker” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
• “Sherlock Holmes” Hans Zimmer
• “Up” Michael Giacchino

I wasn't too fond of Zimmer's attempt this year with Holmes. He must have so many Oscars he could create a golden army for one thing, but it wasn't anything amazing. Instead I think "Up" had the right balance, and will probably get it this time.

Music (Original Song)

• “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
• “Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
• “Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
• “Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
• “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Please not Randy Newman. Give it to Crazy Heart.

Best Picture

• “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
• “The Blind Side” Nominees to be determined
• “District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
• “An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
• “The Hurt Locker” Nominees to be determined
• “Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer
• “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
• “A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
• “Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer
• “Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

The big one. Films it will not go to is "District 9" (imagine if it did! Would be amazing!), "Inglorious Basterds", "A Serious Man" and "Up". They just won't. Really, it's between "Avatar", "The Hurt Locker" and "Up In The Air" I think. It's quite a conundrum, do the Academy go for the sheer spectacle, technological achievement, next-step-in-cinema "Avatar"? Or the real work of art as a film which is "The Hurt Locker". I go with the former, even though the latter should win. It was overall, a better film. And had no blue people.

Short Film (Animated)

• “French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
• “Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
• “The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
• “Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
• “A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park

Not seen any of them, Nick Park then?

Short Film (Live Action)

• “The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
• “Instead of Abracadabra” Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
• “Kavi” Gregg Helvey
• “Miracle Fish” Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
• “The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson

"The Door" sounds like "The Doors" - so that one.

Sound Editing

• “Avatar” Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
• “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson
• “Inglourious Basterds” Wylie Stateman
• “Star Trek” Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
• “Up” Michael Silvers and Tom Myers

Sound Mixing

• “Avatar” Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
• “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
• “Inglourious Basterds” Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
• “Star Trek” Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
• “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson

No-one cares about these. So I'm going to say "Up" and "The Hurt Locker".

Visual Effects

• “Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
• “District 9” Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
• “Star Trek” Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton

Avatar.

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

• “District 9” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
• “An Education” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
• “In the Loop” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
• “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
• “Up in the Air” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

What is people's deal with "In The Loop"? It. Was. Shit. Did you see "The Thick Of It"? Just as shit. It's for people who think it's intellectual and funny. It's not. After all, isn't the sweary Scottish guy the 'funniest'? And he's more base than anyone. Politics might be a funny business, but it's not really. Sit and listen to the actual jokes. They are shit. So they add some swearing and Tony Soprano. Watch it by all means, but if anyone tells you it's 'sooooo funny', they are so far up their own arse they can chew on their own idiotic brains. If you argue it and they say 'oh you probably just don't get it' - you do get it - and it's shit. So just kill them to clean the gene pool a bit.
Oh so best Adapted Screenplay? "Precious"

Writing (Original Screenplay)

• “The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boal
• “Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
• “The Messenger” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
• “A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
• “Up” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

This will be given to the Coen's for an okayish comedy about being Jewish etc., oh how risky! But really it should go to "Hurt Locker" again. Give it everything.

So, to summarise, The Wild Bore's predicitions for 2010 Oscars (not necessarily what he wants to win) are:

Actor in a Leading Role

Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”

Actor in a Supporting Role

Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

Actress in a Leading Role

Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”

Actress in a Supporting Role

Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Animated Feature Film

“Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson

Art Direction

“Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair

Cinematography

“The White Ribbon” Christian Berger

Costume Design

“The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

Directing

“The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow

Documentary (Feature)

“Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein

Documentary (Short Subject)

“China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill

Film Editing

“District 9” Julian Clarke

Foreign Language Film

“Un Prophète” France

Makeup

“Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow

Music (Original Score)

“Up” Michael Giacchino

Music (Original Song)

“The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Best Picture

“The Hurt Locker” Nominees to be determined

Short Film (Animated)

“A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park

Short Film (Live Action)

“The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn

Sound Editing

“Up” Michael Silvers and Tom Myers

Sound Mixing

“The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett

Visual Effects

“Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher

Writing (Original Screenplay)

“A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen